Predator True-splice (full splice)

[shooter_Hans]

I'm starting to dabble into professional equipment after years of playing with custom cues. I grew up before the days of professional equipment. All we had were customs to rely our game on. Well, this is 2024 and there are tons of professional equipment that hits very accurate. Manipulating the ball on long shots are amazing with the equipment today.

Anyways, Predator has a True Splice line and offering full splice cues with great performance, according to their site. Does anyone have one of their "sneakies"?

The forearm is described as matte finish so its plain raw?

Its a no brainer. Full splice from Predator for under 1k?

 

[Fore Rail]

I have a aftermarket shaft on a custom Treadway butt that plays just fine. Another buddy of mine plays with the same aftermarket shaft on a James White. How bout a Carmeli & Diveney combo with a Revo. Another with an Ernie Martinez butt & a Cuetec shaft. Countless others doing the same thing & some with full custom setups including carbon fiber shafts.

The accuracy is in the nut behind the butt perhaps aided by the shaft. The cue doesn't make the correct decisions leading to good play & never will.

You can call equipment "professional" all you want, doesn't make it true.

Slap a "professional" shaft on a custom butt & go play if that's what is desired.

IMHO stay away from the mass produced crap & poor follow through in customer service that Predator provides.

 

[JasonATX]

I have a 4 point Predator sneaky. It's a good stick but I tend to play with my P3 more often.

Simply from my point of view, the butt doesn't make as much difference as the shaft does. Both play the same with a Revo shaft on them.

 

[Shooter08]

I think most people will agree the shaft is the majority of the action, as long as, the butt is well built and the weight is distributed the way you prefer.

 

[ideologist]

I'm starting to dabble into professional equipment after years of playing with custom cues. I grew up before the days of professional equipment. All we had were customs to rely our game on. Well, this is 2024 and there are tons of professional equipment that hits very accurate. Manipulating the ball on long shots are amazing with the equipment today.

Anyways, Predator has a True Splice line and offering full splice cues with great performance, according to their site. Does anyone have one of their "sneakies"?

The forearm is described as matte finish so its plain raw?

Its a no brainer. Full splice from Predator for under 1k?

They are not full splice, they have some wood spliced together.

Don't fall for the hype

 

[Colonel]

They are not full splice, they have some wood spliced together.

Don't fall for the hype

I like how he says he’s now “dabbling in professional equipment after playing w/customs” somehow thinking anything Predator is professional

 

[DeeDeeCues]

I'm starting to dabble into professional equipment after years of playing with custom cues. I grew up before the days of professional equipment. All we had were customs to rely our game on. Well, this is 2024 and there are tons of professional equipment that hits very accurate. Manipulating the ball on long shots are amazing with the equipment today.

Anyways, Predator has a True Splice line and offering full splice cues with great performance, according to their site. Does anyone have one of their "sneakies"?

The forearm is described as matte finish so its plain raw?

Its a no brainer. Full splice from Predator for under 1k?

If the full splice performance is better, that means their other products are worse. Did they just discover this magical full splice construction method, or were they okay with putting out inferior products previously?

Just like everything predator, unsupported claims.

 

[DeeDeeCues]

They are not full splice, they have some wood spliced together.

Don't fall for the hype

Hype?!! Predator?

 

[shooter_Hans]

If the full splice performance is better, that means their other products are worse. Did they just discover this magical full splice construction method, or were they okay with putting out inferior products previously?

Just like everything predator, unsupported claims.

I don’t think so but for the price is worth a try.

If I wasn’t so committed a few being built right now then it’s worth to give a try.

Right now it’s the $99 cue till one arrives very shortly here.

 

[MmmSharp]

Just a quick note. True splice is not the same as full splice. Predator Marketing is specifically using the word "true" because of that. Marketing spin.

I wouldn't refer to them as professional equipment either. These are production cues, not professional cues. I am not sure i would call any cue "professional" specifically. I would say there are custom cues and production cues at varying in quality. And cost points are directly linear to quality.

Just my thoughts.

 

[shooter_Hans]

Just a quick note. True splice is not the same as full splice. Predator Marketing is specifically using the word "true" because of that. Marketing spin.

I wouldn't refer to them as professional equipment either. These are production cues, not professional cues. I am not sure i would call any cue "professional" specifically. I would say there are custom cues and production cues at varying in quality. And cost points are directly linear to quality.

Just my thoughts.

I’m aware of the difference but one of their videos showed a full splice and another showing “true” splice.

Either it’s marketing or certain models are full. I haven’t dwelled deep into it. I think it’s cool to see professional equipment incorporate some old techniques.

 

[fastone371]

I will take customs over "professional" equipment any day of the week. The only Predator item that holds my slightest bit of interest is their break cues, are those "professional"??

 

[Colonel]

I will take customs over "professional" equipment any day of the week. The only Predator item that holds my slightest bit of interest is their break cues, are those "professional"??

Get Mike Gulyassy to make you a custom Anvil break/jump with 2 shafts, 1 Anvil profile and 1 sledgehammer profile, you’ll never look at Predator again.

 

[shooter_Hans]

Why do you keep referring to this production schlock “professional equipment”? If your response is that “pros play with it” then here’s a cheat sheet for you, they play with it because they are signed to sponsorship deals paying them to play with it and giving them the equipment to play with, that’s the only reason they play with it. Some players are such “sponsor whores” that they’d play with a butt plug in with a 9 ball on the other end sticking out of their butt for the right money.

Yea professional equipment.

 

[oscargrouch]

I’m aware of the difference but one of their videos showed a full splice and another showing “true” splice.

Either it’s marketing or certain models are full. I haven’t dwelled deep into it. I think it’s cool to see professional equipment incorporate some old techniques.

Genuinely curious - why the insistence on referring to Predator as "professional" over and over? What do you mean by that?

 

[dendweller]

I'm starting to dabble into professional equipment after years of playing with custom cues. I grew up before the days of professional equipment. All we had were customs to rely our game on. Well, this is 2024 and there are tons of professional equipment that hits very accurate. Manipulating the ball on long shots are amazing with the equipment today.

Anyways, Predator has a True Splice line and offering full splice cues with great performance, according to their site. Does anyone have one of their "sneakies"?

The forearm is described as matte finish so its plain raw?

Its a no brainer. Full splice from Predator for under 1k?

I played with one of their sneakies a friend had. Not sure how old but it came with a 314-3 so it's not real old. Hit so good I tried on multiple occasions to buy it. Realized I was being a pain in the ass so I stopped.

 

[Zerksies]

I have one of them cues and i love it. The matte finish didn't hold up. Over the two years of having the cue it's no longer matte but shiny gloss to it. I constantly grab the forearm so it's shiny

 

[iusedtoberich]

I've played with Predator shafts exclusively since the late 90's, and their butts off and on, in between a few custom butts I had.

IMO, Predator quality is top notch on their butts. The only problem I ever had was on my BK1 from 2002 or so, the black paint flaked off the butt in spots. I know others had the same issue with the painted black cues of that era. That was solved a long time ago, as I have not heard of it happening after. Aside from that, they've been awesome.

Highly recommend.

 

[Zerksies]

I retired my 20 year old custom and i was looking for something more "modern" with all the fancy accessories. I've always shot with a predator shaft. I went with a Joss butt for a bit, but i wasn't liking the feel of it, also it didn't have all the extras i was looking into like an extension and adjustable weights. I never shot with a predator butt so i gave it a try. I went with one of the newer Matte sneakies you are inquiring about. I am able to adjust the weight of the cue and somewhat the balance point on the butt. I have an extension.

The matte finish is gone, oil from my hands has made the forearm shiny. It's a solid hitting cue. It took me a bit to get the weight and balance perfect for me. I had to put in two plastic weights to push the weight back for me. But this is just personal preffrence.

I eventually went with a carbon fiber shaft, which i really love. All the headaces i've had with wood are gone, because of the tempurature/humidirty issues because it's wood. I've had this cue for about a year and a half.

Unless their is some major break through in pool cue developement. I think i am going to be using this cue for quite sometime. I've been eyeballing a P3 but, it's just kinda plain for me. I do think their is possibilites with a carbon fiber butt.

Over all the new predator Sneakies are a good solid hitting professional hitting cue.

 

[slide13]

I've played with Predator shafts exclusively since the late 90's, and their butts off and on, in between a few custom butts I had.

IMO, Predator quality is top notch on their butts. The only problem I ever had was on my BK1 from 2002 or so, the black paint flaked off the butt in spots. I know others had the same issue with the painted black cues of that era. That was solved a long time ago, as I have not heard of it happening after. Aside from that, they've been awesome.

Highly recommend.

I have to agree. I've had my share of nice custom cues. Currently have a couple Rundes and a South West Satin.

I started the transition to Predator by getting a Revo for my Runde. Loved how it played but didn't match up at the joint which was slightly bothersome but I could get over it. Decided I'd go ahead an upgrade my break and jump cues so a BK Rush and Air Rush were acquired when they released the green colorway (I like green...both my Rundes have green veneers). I then felt like I was missing out on the whole screw on extension thing and Predator seemed to offer a nice options for that. So I acquired a 9K-1. Then I luckily stumbled upon a K Series Classic 1 that appears on the Predator website. This is a 4 pointer with green veneers, right up my alley, so I had to buy it. Must have been a random older cue they found in the back because it wasn't on the site when I originally shopped, it showed up and I bought it and immediately it was out of stock.

Anyway, I've been impressed with the quality on them. A little to my surprise. Especially their playing cues. The 9K-1 and K Series Classic feel like more expensive cues than they are really. The fit and finish is perfect and every cue I've had from them has been dead straight. Some people seem to like to hate on Predator and to some extent I can understand. They're the big tech focused company with a strong marketing budget. But they also have put on a lot of tournaments and sponsor players and really seem to have a hand in progressing professional pool and I appreciate that. They also have a great cue eco system with consistent feeling Revo shafts across play, break, and jump, a nice adjustable weight system, and a variety of well executed screw on extensions.

Plus, I like knowing if something were to happen, like my case got stolen, I could quickly be back up and running with a familiar feeling cue. That is a benefit of a production cue and carbon shafts