Predator Fanboys

[Bob Jewett]

One of the creative lunatics here with too much time needs to create a double Uni-Loc male pin so we can find out.

I vaguely recall that someone made a double-tipped "cue" -- maybe for a jump cue? It would be an interesting way to get a legal-length jumper at about 10 ounces. And people would talk about you.

 

[sudocrushms]

I think i remember what you're talking about. It was basically a full shaft and like 1/3 shaft mated together, right?

 

[gerard soriano]

I still think that the 314 shaft paired with a Schon butt makes for a phenomenal combination.

Same with a Joss Butt IMHO

 

[Flakeandrun]

Predator is one of the only brands I see actually detailing the pool cues with diagrams, schematics, blue prints, and explaining all the construction that you can't see from the surface. Especially when it comes to the butt. On other brands it can be difficult to even know what kind of inlays there are or if its just a graphic. I do see some other brands catching up though, like McDermott. I think others will eventually realize they can't just say things like "This cue is a breath of fresh air" and slap a $1500 price tag on it.

​

Do pool cues really need schematics, blueprints and tech 3D videos? I'm not saying they needed all the flowery poetic prose either. What they need is physical stores with tables in, where you can go and hit a ball and decide if you like it... But such a thing as a physical store is almost ludicrous in this age of 'TeChNoLoGy' - instead we have people who buy on the back of tech jargon, nonsense science words, and then try to justify their purchase by exclaiming the cue is better than anything they've ever tried before...

 

[Flakeandrun]

I vaguely recall that someone made a double-tipped "cue" -- maybe for a jump cue? It would be an interesting way to get a legal-length jumper at about 10 ounces. And people would talk about you.

Mezz made one. I've tried it and it's horrible.

 

[Fore Rail]

Dale Chilton Flying Eagle Jump Cue

 

[cueball2010]

Do pool cues really need schematics, blueprints and tech 3D videos? I'm not saying they needed all the flowery poetic prose either. What they need is physical stores with tables in, where you can go and hit a ball and decide if you like it... But such a thing as a physical store is almost ludicrous in this age of 'TeChNoLoGy' - instead we have people who buy on the back of tech jargon, nonsense science words, and then try to justify their purchase by exclaiming the cue is better than anything they've ever tried before...

Yes and no.

My local brick and mortar has the toughest time getting "Demo Cues". I would love to just walk in a physical store and try stuff out. I would trust actually hitting and having the cue in my hand over any Tech drawings and claims. Its just not happening though. Shop owners will not put any butt in your hands to try that is over 4 or $500, and they won't let you chalk shafts over 2 or 3 hundred. And they don't like turning their own expensive stock into demos.

I have to rely on drawings because I only get one shot at purchasing exactly what I want.

 

[Bluehammer]

Yes and no.

My local brick and mortar has the toughest time getting "Demo Cues". I would love to just walk in a physical store and try stuff out. I would trust actually hitting and having the cue in my hand over any Tech drawings and claims. Its just not happening though. Shop owners will not put any butt in your hands to try that is over 4 or $500, and they won't let you chalk shafts over 2 or 3 hundred. And they don't like turning their own expensive stock into demos.

I have to rely on drawings because I only get one shot at purchasing exactly what I want.

Yea. The best thing you can do obviously is try someone else’s. Most people at a pool hall are happy to let you shoot a few shots or even a game. I love letting people try my cues.

 

[SSP]

It would be hard to blame the cue when you are holding a Becue in your hand... People look for reasons to lose. I'm happy you are happy with your cue and have one less scapegoat. Some people don't have that.

There is a love hate relationship with Predator like no other brand. I use to believe it was some kind of market manipulation that got me to drink the juice. But I think differently now.

These days I think for myself and others, it is about value proposition. When you are staring down 20 difference pool cue brands each with dozens of models, what really sets them apart? Which one to buy? Which ecosystem to vest into? $500-$1000 dollars is a lot to spend on a cheap cue. It doesn't sound cheap at all to me... So what the hell am I getting for this money? A lot of product pages look like Viking. Basically just say something like:

"The Element Series - EARTH – the steadfast soul of existence, grounding all life with wisdom and strength. Feel it beneath your feet—solid, enduring, alive. It cradles forests, mountains, and valleys with timeless grace, sculpting the landscapes that hold our stories. From fertile soil that gives rise to harvests, to stone monuments shaped by time and will, Earth anchors us in a rhythm older than memory. Dig deep into its layers, and you’ll uncover the silent power of creation—the keeper of secrets, the bearer of beginnings." - Viking Product Page.​

Not to mention that the website looks like its from the 90's. A lot of brands follow suit. What the hell is this?

Predator is one of the only brands I see actually detailing the pool cues with diagrams, schematics, blue prints, and explaining all the construction that you can't see from the surface. Especially when it comes to the butt. On other brands it can be difficult to even know what kind of inlays there are or if its just a graphic. I do see some other brands catching up though, like McDermott. I think others will eventually realize they can't just say things like "This cue is a breath of fresh air" and slap a $1500 price tag on it.

​

I don't think $1500 is a lot for a quality cue, if you keep the cue only 10 years that is only $150 a year, the longer you own it the cheaper it becomes, I prefer to buy once, I did try a couple of their shafts to find my favorite but in the grand scheme of things it's still not a lot of money to find "your" cue.

 

[SSP]

Yes and no.

My local brick and mortar has the toughest time getting "Demo Cues". I would love to just walk in a physical store and try stuff out. I would trust actually hitting and having the cue in my hand over any Tech drawings and claims. Its just not happening though. Shop owners will not put any butt in your hands to try that is over 4 or $500, and they won't let you chalk shafts over 2 or 3 hundred. And they don't like turning their own expensive stock into demos.

I have to rely on drawings because I only get one shot at purchasing exactly what I want.

I consider myself very lucky to have found this website after a long absence from the game, I swore I would never use a CF shaft and thought Becue was a dumb name for a cue, I read reviews by Hawaiian Eye and asked some questions on his posts, he was very generous and answered my questions, every cue maker will tell you that they are the best but hearing it from a player who's played for decades holds a lot more weight with me, especially when he is not getting paid to say it, I contacted Becue as well and they were more than happy to answer my questions, so while I didn't have a chance to try before I buy I had a pretty good idea about what it would play like and I'm not disappointed except for one thing, I can't blame my cue when I lose......

 

[SSP]

One of the creative lunatics here with too much time needs to create a double Uni-Loc male pin so we can find out.

Will it be a low deflection double Uni-loc male pin? Is Gorst or Filler using it? Where can I buy one!!!!!

 

[cueball2010]

Yea. The best thing you can do obviously is try someone else’s. Most people at a pool hall are happy to let you shoot a few shots or even a game. I love letting people try my cues.

It's hard to find people with the exact gear you want to purchase. And I hate asking people I'm not really close to to try out their cues. I usually complement their cue and maybe they let me take a shot or two, but I never ask. I see the "Most people" scenario for this type of thing when the cue is 300 or less.

For me. My cues are not cheap. Maybe cheap to some rich people, but I am not letting random people touch anything in my bag unless I've seen you shoot or you're in my bracket. IDK maybe I'm just an A-Hole. I have friends that shot really good, but I cringe when they want to borrow my cue cause some are the type that throw their hands in the air or fall on the table when they miss a shoot(cue still attached to hand). Also some like to dance around the table after making a killer shot or sinking the last ball.

 

[SSP]

It's hard to find people with the exact gear you want to purchase. And I hate asking people I'm not really close to to try out their cues. I usually complement their cue and maybe they let me take a shot or two, but I never ask. I see the "Most people" scenario for this type of thing when the cue is 300 or less.

For me. My cues are not cheap. Maybe cheap to some rich people, but I am not letting random people touch anything in my bag unless I've seen you shoot or you're in my bracket. IDK maybe I'm just an A-Hole. I have friends that shot really good, but I cringe when they want to borrow my cue cause some are the type that throw their hands in the air or fall on the table when they miss a shoot(cue still attached to hand). Also some like to dance around the table after making a killer shot or sinking the last ball.

Not an A hole, I don't mind letting someone take a few shots but the first stupid thing done and the "test drive" is over, I don't want to be without MY cue because the person I'm doing a favor for is showing zero respect for my cue and me.

 

[cueball2010]

I consider myself very lucky to have found this website after a long absence from the game, I swore I would never use a CF shaft and thought Becue was a dumb name for a cue, I read reviews by Hawaiian Eye and asked some questions on his posts, he was very generous and answered my questions, every cue maker will tell you that they are the best but hearing it from a player who's played for decades holds a lot more weight with me, especially when he is not getting paid to say it, I contacted Becue as well and they were more than happy to answer my questions, so while I didn't have a chance to try before I buy I had a pretty good idea about what it would play like and I'm not disappointed except for one thing, I can't blame my cue when I lose......

So, if you had to contact Becue with your questions, it usually means the description was insufficient. What did you ask Becue? What did you shoot with previously? Can you compare the Becue to any Predators? Since it is a full CF cue... is the Butt filled with foam?