Predator Shafts Pro's & Cons

iowa_player

iowa_player

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I am getting a new Predator 314 2nd gen shaft made to fit my playing cue.
Was kind of wondering what some of the pro's & cons are of these shafts and is there a certain way to get the most out of these shafts when at the table ? Any advise would help !

Thanks in advance !

Larry
 
Hi Larry;

I had Kevin Varney modify one for my cue, and it plays exceptionally well. I have not liked the hit of the original 314. Sabre-t ferrule and Sniper tip. Works great.

Mike
 
I got the second generation a couple months ago and my game defenitely went up a level. Enough to where I'm getting comments from other players that have known me a while.

Somebody told me they put a medium moori tip on theirs and that did wonders. I have kept the standard tip on mine.
 
I know something about the 2nd generation 314's that not many people know...the hollow hole is quite a bit larger diameter than on first generation shafts. Right at about 5/16 now. The taper is also a bit fatter & less Meucci like as well. Some have had issues with the new ferrule coming off is the only negative I've noticed. The standard Everest tip is a nice upgrade. Enjoy Larry...they play wonderful.
 
Thanks and good rep for everyone who has replyed except Kevin :D
I got this mess. vBulletin Message
You must spread some Reputation around before giving it to Varney Cues again. :D

Thanks again and please keep the opinions comming !

Larry
 
I'd be happy to tell you my experience with the 314-2, but ya gotta git yer own avatar first!!!:mad: :D
 
iowa_player said:
Ok now tell me !!! :D :D :D
Click to expand...

LOL! I can't criticize your taste!


Varney is right as usual about the ferrule thing, and it's not a common occurance.

While I would probably describe it as a firm hit, I wouldn't call it hard. I have been able to draw the ball more with this cue than any other cue I've played. The two friends of mine who have muecci's didn't like it and said it was too firm for them. The friends who have traditional harder hitting cues like Scruggs, Pechauer, who have tried it kind of liked it. The Pechauer user, who is the best player I personally know, thought it was okay but just a little too "whippy" for him.

I would say it doesn't have that traditional hit that many players like, but it does have a unique character that I have grown into and have become very comfortable with it.

I'm completely fine with the Everest tip for now. I can see getting a harder one for a slightly more traditional feel.

If you haven't used a low deflection before, there is a relearning thing. At first, the cue ball seems to defy physics, and I guess this is the moment of truth for most people and those that get comfortable with it, including myself, seem to be very happy with it.

One aspect of my game that has kicked up exponentially since I got my 314-2 are the mini masse shots. You just aim almost exactly where you want the ball to start and it will move left or right very smoothly and consistently depending on how much you elevate your cue. These shots seem so effortless now to me for some reason.

Any really really bad things? No. Any really good things? Yes.


Anyone else want to jump in, I'm all ears. :D
 
Pros:
1. Squirt is easier to judge since there really is less of it. In my opinion this is the biggest pro
2. Forward thinking: the shafts are all pretty consistent. If you buy a new cue later that has a different thread/joint, you can buy a Predator shaft for it and have a very similarly-hitting cue -- no worries about a new cue, taper, pivot-point / squirt level, etc. Screw it on and play with minimal adjustment.
3. Always available. No wait time, if you're normally buying from custom makers.
4. Good warantee and customer service.
5. Good resale value.

Cons:
1. (subjective) The hit isn't that 'good' to me and many others.
2. There's still a learning curve. Instead of squirt, u have to learn to regulate throw, especially with inside englis.
3. Not cheap.
4. Ding easily.
5. You can't have custom specs, as opposed to ordering a shaft from a cuemaker specifying everything from taper, to tip size, ferrule material, etc. You can take the diameter a bit but it affects the structural integrity of the shaft and you void the warantee.
 
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Varney Cues said:
I know something about the 2nd generation 314's that not many people know...the hollow hole is quite a bit larger diameter than on first generation shafts. Right at about 5/16 now. The taper is also a bit fatter & less Meucci like as well. Some have had issues with the new ferrule coming off is the only negative I've noticed. The standard Everest tip is a nice upgrade. Enjoy Larry...they play wonderful.
Click to expand...

while Mr. Varney only listed 1 con with the new shaft i myself would consider my ferrule comming off a pretty serious problem. for what the shafts cost i'd be angry as a moe foe if my ferrule came off during a game
 
If you are worried so much about the ferrule coming off- just see if KV has some time to do his mods to it. :p

I just got a 314-2, haven't had a lot of time to play with it yet, but I like it. I feel it will help step up my game once I'm used to it. Only thing is I hope I don't become dependent on it like some of the guys I know that have Pred shafts are :(
 
I've played with a 314 ever since I got my own cue so I really know nothing outside of the predator world. I did however buy a z shaft last year, and to much dismay, could NOT for the life of me get used to it. It's now collecting dust in my apt somewhere, but predator's been good to me since day one. Dumb question, but have you shot with the old 314 before for comparison?
 
iowa_player said:
I am getting a new Predator 314 2nd gen shaft made to fit my playing cue.
Was kind of wondering what some of the pro's & cons are of these shafts and is there a certain way to get the most out of these shafts when at the table ? Any advise would help !

Thanks in advance !

Larry
Click to expand...

They come with an Everest cue tip by Tiger! A defininte pro!

The 2nd generation is much improved over the first in terms of "hit/feel".
 
iowa_player said:
Thanks again !
Anymore thoughts on these shafts anyone ?

Larry
Click to expand...
Regarding the 2nd generation shafts, when I recently went to upgrade from my 2yr old Z to the new Z2, I was surprised when the dealer told me not to buy the Z2 shaft right now. He said that there had been a problem (bad batch of glue) in the initial factory run (314 and Z both) and that while the flurry of broken shafts returned to him had since slowed to a crawl (1 a week), he still didn't recommend purchasing one yet. Since I couldn't figure out why he would be making this up even though I hadn't heard about this problem anywhere, I went w/a replacement Z shaft (mine had gotten too thin).

That was 3 weeks ago, and I finally heard the same story from a second source just this past weekend. This dealer recommended buying a new Z2 (he really likes the way it plays) and then immediately sending it back to Predator to guarantee that you would have one of the non-defective shafts, as they have fixed the problem.
 
Endymion said:
This dealer recommended buying a new Z2 (he really likes the way it plays) and then immediately sending it back to Predator to guarantee that you would have one of the non-defective shafts
Click to expand...

I would recommend finding a new dealer who actually knows something.:rolleyes:
 
Varney Cues said:
I would recommend finding a new dealer who actually knows something.:rolleyes:
Click to expand...
Believe me, I really wanted to buy the Z2, and at some point I will. However, I've heard this information from two independent sources now, the first being a large Predator dealer w/no reason to steer me away from the more profitable sale, and the second one hailing from two states away.

I would love to know for sure what (if anything) exactly happened, and one way to find out is to post here. I posted the gist of this on EPT when I bought the shaft 3 weeks ago and didn't really get much feedback, but this board has a lot more visibility so hopefully some info will shake out. It would also help if a Predator rep saw this and would either issue a blanket denial or acknowledge some issue that may have started this.

I just did see a thread here on AZB where people were talking about some problems w/the Z2, so apparently there is some kernel of truth. I'm contacting Darrin at Predator to find out what the deal is/was.
 
Predator 314-2

I actually just got my 314-2's about a week and a half ago and I am a big fan. I used a 314 on a Schon two years ago but didn't really care for it on a bar box. I was a huge fan on the big table but I really liked a normal shaft on the barbox. I switched back and bought a JossWest and used that for the past year. I have recently converted to the 314-2 on D-series McDermotts.

I am still in the transition period of getting used to it, but I am liking what it does. I don't have the confidence on a lot of shots and I am missing shape a bunch, but that is due to the transition. I remember it being frustrating on when I converted last time. I also like how the action from the cue ball is right at a point of contact. It seems that there was always a little reaction before all the action with the shot with a normal shaft.

I like the high confidence of inside and outside english on long shots, especially on the big table that the Predator gives you. I understand they are expensive, but if you do some shopping, you can find a good deal. I paid $320 for 2 shafts, $160 a piece.

The only reason I didn't want to switch to a Predator is that it is either with or without one. I can't switch to a normal cue and back to a Predator. Lately, It always seems I have my cue and it became a no brainer. I also bought two shafts in case anything happened to one of them, you aren't out any time while waiting for the other to get fixed.

Collectors: Keep an eye out, I have a feeling my JossWest will be on here or Ebay or both within a few weeks.
 
StevenPWaldon said:
Pros:
1. Squirt is easier to judge since there really is less of it. In my opinion this is the biggest pro
2. Forward thinking: the shafts are all pretty consistent. If you buy a new cue later that has a different thread/joint, you can buy a Predator shaft for it and have a very similarly-hitting cue -- no worries about a new cue, taper, pivot-point / squirt level, etc. Screw it on and play with minimal adjustment.
3. Always available. No wait time, if you're normally buying from custom makers.
4. Good warantee and customer service.
5. Good resale value.

Cons:
1. (subjective) The hit isn't that 'good' to me and many others.
2. There's still a learning curve. Instead of squirt, u have to learn to regulate throw, especially with inside englis.
3. Not cheap.
4. Ding easily.
5. You can't have custom specs, as opposed to ordering a shaft from a cuemaker specifying everything from taper, to tip size, ferrule material, etc. You can take the diameter a bit but it affects the structural integrity of the shaft and you void the warantee.
Click to expand...

Perfectly said.

I'm glad you mentioned the dinging thing. I thought it was just me being careless. :D I've started avoiding scooping the balls and promptly putting the cue back in the bag when I am either finished playing or taking a break. That seems to have helped.
 
Varney Cues said:
I know something about the 2nd generation 314's that not many people know...the hollow hole is quite a bit larger diameter than on first generation shafts. Right at about 5/16 now. The taper is also a bit fatter & less Meucci like as well. Some have had issues with the new ferrule coming off is the only negative I've noticed. The standard Everest tip is a nice upgrade. Enjoy Larry...they play wonderful.
Click to expand...

Kevin, do you have an opinion or perspective concerning the playability of 314-2 & Z2 shafts? I am considering getting a Z-2 or a 314-2 and would appreciate your input.
Thanks,
JoeyA
 
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