Nice stiff hitting cue, will move the cue ball around, I think you may like it. But If you like something more whip and soft feeling this cue may not be for you.
Predator p3 with revo, should I buy?
- Thread starter wagdad
- Start date
I've read somewhere that that specific P3 model has a thinner butt than other P3's. You may want to check on this prior to buying.
Santin23
Registered
My first “fancy” pool cue, and Predator as well, was a black P3 which I paired with a Vantage shaft, but also I bought a Revo 12.4 with it. To shorten my story I’ll let you know I’ve never used the revo, trust me. I just fell in love with my vantage shaft since the beginning, solid hit and stiffness as hell is what it offered me.
I have played with other Predator models, SP and C4 technology, and I can tell you the feeling it’s not the same, my sensation it’s more solid with my P3. Then I would recommend you.
I have played with other Predator models, SP and C4 technology, and I can tell you the feeling it’s not the same, my sensation it’s more solid with my P3. Then I would recommend you.
Uni-loc is one of the most innovative and solid pins out there. I don't know why people dislike it!! They probably see it screwed easily and open easily and think it's a bad pin when the contrary is the truth! Uni-loc IS VERY VERY solid, I've never had mine open by itself as I'm shooting ever. Bill Stroud invented it and I saw a post from him one time that he says that it is a smart joint that locks the shaft into the cue very very very tightly. he also explained the mechanism. I must try to search his post about the uni-loc it made me change the way I look at it.
I have seen a few that come loose. The lock can sometimes be just slightly off and give a click when shooting. You will often see players with that pin check for tightness in the preshot routine. It only takes a little wear for the pin to not be quite as tight.
It can happen with any cue, but i think it happens more with that pin due to the design.
Some love it some do do not. Works fine on my original bk. I do check for tightness every time i break with it.
Had many predator cues over the years, something like 5 or 6 and all with uni-lock. Checking uni-lock for tightness was part of pre shot routine like MmmsSarp mentioned. All of them would come apart sooner or later. No big deal until it costs you a match. Having said that the original P1 was a great cue.
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Nyquil
Well-known member
Yup uniloc radial ® is the way to go for sure which the P3 does offer in certain woods. I will never own another uni loc qr.
I've had several uni-locs. in fact, I also use my uni-loc shaft to screw into a mid-extension which mates a uni-loc shaft into a 3/8x10 butt.
With all that, even with the mid-extension connecting a 3/8x10 to a uni-loc. I've never -- ever had a uni-loc come loose after a shot! I also never check tightness as a pre-shot routine. I don't do it because I have confidence that my cue and shaft are connected solidly.
Here's my thesis, if you're a guy who has no confidence in a uni-loc pin and keeps trying to tighten it after each shot then maybe--- just maybe you've damaged the pin in the process after yrs of playing, then your scenario may happen. But for me, I'm confident it's connected properly as I screw it once before the match and never re-tightening as a preshot routine as you said. Give that a go, uni-loc pin is a great innovation. I'm still searching for that bill stroud post about it, can't find it
The Uni-Loc(company name) Quick Release(actual pin name) suffers from about 3 different issues. The main problem being that since the locating center is meant to be a tight fit in its brass mating, any foreign material will cause either problems tightening it down. Or the worst case, seizing the shaft insert onto the pin. The lack of threads means there’s a definite lack of strength in the ability to hold the face of shaft down onto the face of the butt. And while there may be install guidelines as to how the pin needs to be, I’ve seen enough variances between Lucasi, Predator, and a few small time makes who’ve used the QR pin to know that some shafts won’t be usable as the pin didn’t get installed correctly. How many other pins can be installed .010 to shallow and prevent the shaft from even touching the opposing joint face? It’s a shit pin.
I've had several uni-locs. in fact, I also use my uni-loc shaft to screw into a mid-extension which mates a uni-loc shaft into a 3/8x10 butt.
With all that, even with the mid-extension connecting a 3/8x10 to a uni-loc. I've never -- ever had a uni-loc come loose after a shot! I also never check tightness as a pre-shot routine. I don't do it because I have confidence that my cue and shaft are connected solidly.
Here's my thesis, if you're a guy who has no confidence in a uni-loc pin and keeps trying to tighten it after each shot then maybe--- just maybe you've damaged the pin in the process after yrs of playing, then your scenario may happen. But for me, I'm confident it's connected properly as I screw it once before the match and never re-tightening as a preshot routine as you said. Give that a go, uni-loc pin is a great innovation. I'm still searching for that bill stroud post about it, can't find it
The only reason I started to check was because they came loose, and I wasn't the only one. I didn't damage a thing, how hard do you think one has to touch it. You don't tighten it on every shot, you just check if it came loose. I have no philosophical problem with uni-lock. I actually like it fine. It was mentioned above that if you get dirt in them they can get stuck, I have seen that happen to other people. This is a popular joint because predator has it, and people wanted 314 and z shafts and it was cheaper to buy butt and shaft together.
Because many of them were using gloves before the carbon fiber scene exploded and that's what they're accustomed to.
Maniac
Having two cues with Uni-loc joints that I used quite a bit back in the day I can say that I never once had the shaft loosen during play on either.I've had several uni-locs. in fact, I also use my uni-loc shaft to screw into a mid-extension which mates a uni-loc shaft into a 3/8x10 butt.
With all that, even with the mid-extension connecting a 3/8x10 to a uni-loc. I've never -- ever had a uni-loc come loose after a shot! I also never check tightness as a pre-shot routine. I don't do it because I have confidence that my cue and shaft are connected solidly.
Here's my thesis, if you're a guy who has no confidence in a uni-loc pin and keeps trying to tighten it after each shot then maybe--- just maybe you've damaged the pin in the process after yrs of playing, then your scenario may happen. But for me, I'm confident it's connected properly as I screw it once before the match and never re-tightening as a preshot routine as you said. Give that a go, uni-loc pin is a great innovation. I'm still searching for that bill stroud post about it, can't find it
What I will say is that I stripped-out the threads on one of them after a few years of use. A local (but reputable) cuemaker that changed the joint to a G2 radial said he has seen more than one Uni-loc with stripped threads. He told me that you have to be careful not to over-tighten.
Yes, I believe the Revo specific P3 models have slightly thinner butts, which I prefer. I'm not sure if there are any internal construction differences, you could probably email Predator and ask as they don't seem to publish it on their website. They have the "R" logo for Revo on the butt in addition to the normal Predator markings and are sold as new with Revo shafts, but you can of course swap them out for wooden ones. For example in their current models they have the P3 Grey (CP PRE P3 REVO GRY CUS LL) that is not a Revo edition, and the P3 Mélange (CP PRE P3 REVO GLP LL) that is. The Mélange has the Revo logo on the butt.
I had the original special edition P3 REVO GW with the 12.9 Revo shaft and Quick Release joint when it first came out with the factory Victory Soft tips. I really liked it and played with it for nearly two years. It was my first time playing with a soft tip and in combination with the CF shaft it really added something to my game. However I ended up moving to a Mezz Ignite 12.2 Wavy joint setup after trying both of them side by side.
I never had a problem with the joint loosening, although I had on a much older Dale Perry I had years ago, so there seems to be some level of variability. The special edition Predator P43 had a dark "Balinit" coating on the pin, not sure if this made any difference to how well it works but it looked nice.
I briefly had a Predator "Willie 526" cue when they came out which had a Radial pin but the Revo shaft I had with it felt too loose, It went on way too easy and had a slight vibration when hitting off-center shots. As they were sold separately I have no idea if it was the cue or the shaft to blame but I returned both. Hopefully QC is better now.
FWIW A few months ago I decided to try out a regular Cobalt Blue "Racer" P3 (non-Revo edition) with a 12.9 and could not stand it, felt mushy and imprecise after playing with my Mezz Ignite for over a year. The "Racer" versions have plain coated woods and a cheaper price but other than that I believe they are built the same way as standard non-Revo P3s. Some models do come with Radial pins.
A few other things to be aware of about the P3 model:
The matt finish is just a surface coating. It looks cool but can easily wear off or get scratched over time. I have not come across anyone who can re-finish one with the matt finish. Predator themselves explicitly state they do not provide refinishing services for P3 cues "because the metal butt cap shape does not allow sanding on a lathe", not sure if this also applies to the models with wooden butt caps.
The butt and joint have multiple Predator logos and markings that are etched into the surface then painted. The paint can wear off and I disliked feeling the edges of these when handling the cue, especially the ones at the joint that I could feel through my fingers on a deep follow-through shot. Makes no difference to how it plays of course, just a personal thing. Also cosmetic, but it always bugged me that they could not match the angle or height of the chamfer on the butt on their extension insert. It looks silly sticking out so far, several after market ones I tried had much nicer looking inserts.
They all come as standard with their "Lux" leather wrap. Personally I liked this even though the surface is vinyl and not leather, but had one fail after a month where glue started coming out of the seam. Took me months to get Predator to repair it under warranty. (That was on an SP2 butt that has the extended length wrap that was apparently very hard for them to get replacements for at the time) On my P3 it took me about 18 months to wear it down to the point it needed to be replaced, most real leather wraps will last longer that that but YMMV. (I have quite sweaty hands that I think contributed to this.)
None of their own extensions fit flush on the butt. Due to the chamfered edge, there will always be a little gap. Also for the models with wood butt caps I was always worried about it getting scratched up using extensions.
The internal threads for their weight bolts run through a plastic insert at the end of the butt. Be very careful when inserting the metal weight bolts not to strip that thread, use hand tools only. (Not sure if that is every model or just the one I had.)
While I could not agree more about the quality and the soundness of the UNI-LOC joint let me take this opportunity to set the record straight about the creation of the UNI-LOC joint . . . IF "you" know anything at all about United States Patents then you know that for the submission to ultimately be successfully upheld that ANYONE who had any direct involvement with the creation of the "product" MUST be named in the "INVENTORS" section. Bill Strouds name is NOT there on the May 21, 1996 Patent Number 5,518,455 document . . . NOR is it on ANY subsequent Patent that has anything to do with "QUICK COUPLING CUE STICK". Bill Stroud, did NOT invent the UNI-LOC - PERIOD. The two (2) names that are on the Patent are Paul Costain, then owner of PDC Machine and Gary Fumarola, General manager of PDC Machine, so despite rumor and popular opinion, they and only they invented the UNI-LOC.
Mustanglee
Member
Try the Cutec Synergy. I had the Revo and Synergy both for a 30 day trial. I have a great table and played almost every day switching from the revo to the synergy back and forth. I kept the Synergy and sent the revo back to the Predator group. The Synergy has the white ferrell, a nicer finish and is quieter. As far as shooting accuracy, I really couldn't tell a difference. I will say the new Predator tips in medium are great low maintenance tips.
After playing with my friend's Predator Roadline SP I had to have one; fantastic cue for $480, comes with the 3rd gen. 314 shaft - impossible to find now all sold out everywhere.
My 2003 P2 and new P3
a whole lot of stuff for under $3000
a whole lot of stuff for under $3000
You're going to miss shots by a mile if you you go from a standard "high deflection" shaft to a Revo, or any Predator shaft for that matter. You'll have to re-learn your aim.
The reverse is also true. I've been playing Predator shafts since the lates 90's. When I shoot with an old school shaft now, I can't make a ball in the ocean.
The reverse is also true. I've been playing Predator shafts since the lates 90's. When I shoot with an old school shaft now, I can't make a ball in the ocean.