Question for custom cue owners

[Palmerfan]

12mm

I've noticed that most custom cues come with 13mm or larger shafts. Some of these shafts are quite "meaty" as well. Do you use the original shafts the way they are, or do you have one or more of them retapered? Perhaps you use aftermarket shafts (ld)?

The reason why I ask is that I recently purchased a custom cue (that I do not want to name at this time) and the shaft is very thick and heavy. It weighs about 4,5 ounces. While the cue makes a wonderful sound and feels very solid, the thick shaft and and taper makes the cue deflect quite a bit and I also feel like I sometimes get less action on the ball with this shaft than even cheap production cue shafts.

It seems that many people don't care much about deflection at all, but what about the action on the cueball? Yes, yes I know you are supposed to get good action even with this kind of shaft, but I find more difficult than with "whippier" shafts. It just seems like the shaft won't help you at all. If you hit the ball even slightly bad with this shaft you get no action at all on the cueball, while a similar stroke with a different shaft will get you enough action to get the job done. I am kind of frustrated right now, but I don't want to chuck out or retaper the shaft just yet.

I have all the shafts from custom cues that I've used "pro tapered" and reduced from 13mm to 12mm... I like a longer bridge and have big hands so on a closed bridge I like the feel of 12mm for about 12 inches from the ferrule back, also from what I am told..on non LD regular maple shafts, a 12mm will deflect less then a larger size.

 

[desi2960]

do you want a bench or bucket seats

not any one taper is for everyone. i build cues and of the 400 i have made most had a pro taper, 12.5 to 13 mm with 12-15 inch cut. mucci was one of the first to promote that taper, but a few years back a customer wanted me to build a cue that had a carom style taper on the shaft. carom shafts can be from 9 to 12 mm in diameter and have a constant [ european- russian taper ] after hitting a few with this shaft, i decided to try to build a cross between a carom and pool shaft for my wood pin cues. i now make a shaft that has a varation of the constant taper as i think it plays stiffer and gives a more solid hit. i for one cannot play with the whippy shaft, i believe if you have any stroke at all you will get more action on the ball that really nessary.
i personally can pocket balls better with the constant taper.
my personal choice would be the varation of the constant taper, high ring count, and very dense,, 12 3/4 mm

 

[ridewiththewind]

I've noticed that most custom cues come with 13mm or larger shafts. Some of these shafts are quite "meaty" as well. Do you use the original shafts the way they are, or do you have one or more of them retapered? Perhaps you use aftermarket shafts (ld)?

The reason why I ask is that I recently purchased a custom cue (that I do not want to name at this time) and the shaft is very thick and heavy. It weighs about 4,5 ounces. While the cue makes a wonderful sound and feels very solid, the thick shaft and and taper makes the cue deflect quite a bit and I also feel like I sometimes get less action on the ball with this shaft than even cheap production cue shafts.

It seems that many people don't care much about deflection at all, but what about the action on the cueball? Yes, yes I know you are supposed to get good action even with this kind of shaft, but I find more difficult than with "whippier" shafts. It just seems like the shaft won't help you at all. If you hit the ball even slightly bad with this shaft you get no action at all on the cueball, while a similar stroke with a different shaft will get you enough action to get the job done. I am kind of frustrated right now, but I don't want to chuck out or retaper the shaft just yet.

Going from a 'whippy' playing cue to a stiff playing cue can take a while to get used to...and for some longer than others. Odds are, once you get used to the way a stiffer shaft plays, you will be able to move the rock way more efficiently. Stiffer shafts are less forgiving, IMHO.

 

[9Ballr]

Do you use the original shafts the way they are, or do you have one or more of them retapered? Perhaps you use aftermarket shafts (ld)?

When you order your cue you usually specify the width of the tip and all the makers I know of match that very precisely.
I do all of the above.

Since I LOVE the 13mm shafts I order them like that and usually play with the original shafts although I do have some OB's too.

Just wish OB (or Pred) made some shafts that are 13mm.
All OB does is 12.75mm, and I don't particularly care for those although I will use them, they also do 13.2 mm which I really really like and have a couple of those.
But 13 is definitely my preferred width so I just order my cues with those measurements.

I mostly use a rather old Richard Black cue.
He made both shafts 13.00mm right on the dot!

 

[PistolPat]

The myth is that 4 oz, or better, tight grain is a "premium" shaft. So most cuemakers try to obtain that. That was George and Gus' standard shaft weights. They of course would make a shaft to whatever you liked, but standard because 13mm, 4.0 oz. When I say myth, its because I have had lighter shafts that have played great, I think there is much more to shafts, tips and ferrules than 4.0 oz and a million ring count...

If you find a shaft you really like, use it as a model. OR keep it and just get butts to fit. But in resale scenarios, 12.75+ are good shafts. It allows the buyer some flexibility for his desired size.

JV

given that low deflection shafts are low ld due to a lighter endmass and some being cored and hollow to make even lighter, well what if the entire maple shaft is lightweight including tip end? id say lighter shafts should b better than a heavier shaft right?

Sent from my SPH-D710BST using Tapatalk 2

 

[Mitchxout]

given that low deflection shafts are low ld due to a lighter endmass and some being cored and hollow to make even lighter, well what if the entire maple shaft is lightweight including tip end? id say lighter shafts should b better than a heavier shaft right?

Sent from my SPH-D710BST using Tapatalk 2

I'd say you're right. :thumbup:

 

[Frankenstroke]

Thank you for your reply. If you don't mind me asking: Do you keep the tip at 13mm?

I don't reduce the tip (13mm - 13.5mm). The shaft is pretty constant for the first 6 to 8 inches as delivered. I have shafts tapered so they a constant for 10 to 12 inches.

 

[DAVE_M]

When I order a cue, I specify exactly what I want... If the cuemaker isn't willing to allow that, then I find another cuemaker. Simple as that. Custom means custom, I don't want "semi-custom".