Really how important is a spare (2nd) shaft???

If you spend money on a custom cue or any cue that costs you a lot of moola,
it is a mistake not to have at least two shafts. Why? Aside from having a
backup shaft in case the playing shaft became damaged which to deny as a
real possibility is naive, if you ever want to sell your cue, having an original
2nd shaft (preferably unused) helps secure the best price.

I have several cues with 3 or more original shafts and all of my cues, even my
old Palmer, has 2 shafts and only one shaft on my cues has seen play, All of
the other matching shafts are original, new and unplayed which adds value &
appeal for the next owners of my cues that I've previously written are my children.

Do you need a second shaft for your cue? Absolutely not and nowadays, with
players using carbon shaft, that makes a lot of sense with the price of Revo shafts.
 
While a second shaft is certainly NOT a must have for everyone, for me it is. I seldom even look at a cue with one shaft and if a cue has two shafts and one has not been played, I'll pass most of the time. If you're comfortable with one after reading all these posts, fine. But, I'd have two.

Hello Pushout.

May I ask what is your reasoning for this?
 
I could get by easily with one shafts, as long as Dr Doug does the tip work they will never fall off, but I like a variety.
From a resale standpoint I have 2 really nice vintage cues with only one shaft which will hurt the value far beyond the cost of a shaft.

Some cuemakers are talking about making the second shaft lighter for use during a long tournament, to use the lighter shaft when your stroke gets fatigued after several hours of play.
Apparently they are getting good feedback from that decision.

Is Dr. Doug in Colorado?
 
Time to close this thread.

A spare shaft is like a spare tire! Only useful when you really need it. I have a late model Audi with brand new tires, good for 40,000 miles. I was turning one day and hit a curb. A hundred yards or so later, I heard a distinct thumping sound up front. When I pulled over, my left front tire was flat. The side wall had ruptured from a 10 MPH impact. AAA came to my rescue. They put on my tiny spare tire and I went directly to the nearest tire store. $160 later I was back on the road with four good tires. Bummer! :frown:
 
Give me three!

I am and old guy that plays for fun and I enjoy pool. My Diveney player has three shafts that are almost identical. I take two with me if I leave the house to play.

If a tip pops off I have a spare in the case. If a ferrule breaks I have a spare shaft at home for back up while I wait for Pat to replace the ferrule. I can replace my own tips, I don't do a ferrule.

But, if one is really good just grab a house cue and beat every one, like the pros could!
 
Hello Pushout.

May I ask what is your reasoning for this?

As I prefer to have two shafts with any cue I own, if I'm going to play with it, unless it's a very, very good deal on something I can flip in a hurry I'm not interested. Depending on whether the cue maker is still living and working makes a difference in acquiring a second shaft if I should/would want one. As I told someone else in a pm, just a quirk, I guess. I've only owned a very few cues that I've kept with one shaft, usually sneaky pete style cues.
 
As I prefer to have two shafts with any cue I own, if I'm going to play with it, unless it's a very, very good deal on something I can flip in a hurry I'm not interested. Depending on whether the cue maker is still living and working makes a difference in acquiring a second shaft if I should/would want one. As I told someone else in a pm, just a quirk, I guess. I've only owned a very few cues that I've kept with one shaft, usually sneaky pete style cues.

That makes good sense. I misunderstood your earlier post.

Thanks for the qick reply.
 
It has been so many years since a tip popped off (that has more than 1 week of playing time) that I don't carry a back-up shaft any longer.
 
Congrats and best to you both.

We cant do too much, mostly conversions, but he won his Vnea matches last monday night using our first cue.
Are you in Denver?
Over the past few years Doug has become one of the go to guy for many players for tips and ferrules, shaftwork, certain types of repairs.
Denver and the front range, now northern Colorado.
Goes to Mile High and Felt quite often.
 
Back in the 80's i bought a R.Black Hoppe with 2 shafts. Hit a few with each, one felt better and i NEVER hit another ball with second shaft. Damn, wish i still had that pole. Cue w/ both shafts (ivory ferrules) AND a Fellini cost me $375bux in '82.

Thats not unusual for cue’s like that. Plenty of cues I’ve seen or bought have a 2nd shaft they never touched.
 
Of all my cues, just two of them have two shafts. Funny thing is, I do not ever play with either of those cues. So for me, one shaft works fine. Never had a tip pop off in over 30 years.
 
I have 2 cars and don't get far from home so I use the spare,I feel safe
but if I were driving across the desert to Las vVgas I might carry 2 or more

same thing if my pool playing was as important as ionce was,I was playing for large amounts
and far from home,I might want at least one spare

John Hagar Sr ,used to carry a little bucket with 6 or 8 shafts to fit his Balabushka back when he was playing on the road with Jack Cooney

When Larry Vigus was perfecting his techniques he used to make me
some very plain cues with only 1 shaft,I played for years with only one shaft


I always end up selling everything,and lately I always get 2 shafts from Larry

Jack Potter,the maker of Libra cues ,and one of the best players I ever knew
uses only one shaft,says its all you need
 
I guess, from seeing some posts today, that I need to clarify something. I've never ordered a cue with a spare shaft. I've always played with both, from the time I started ordering with two shafts in the mid '70s. As I've said before, my Dishaw currently has four shafts and they all get played. And, again, I've never found it necessary to not play with one shaft in order to sell the cue later on. Nobody ever said to me "Gee, if you had one shaft that hadn't been played with I'd buy this." I would usually sell a cue within days if not hours. People who know me know the quality I care about and that I take good care of what I have.
 
I’m trying to settle something with an ego maniac.

Is it really important to have a second shaft for your playing cue?

I was explaining that as long as you have a good tip installed the chances of something happening to the shaft/tip during a tournament is pretty minuscule...

Am I way off? Isn’t a spare shaft a luxury or is it really that important?

Thoughts?
How many of you have had a tip pop off (playing cue) during an important event?

When I travel, I always make sure I carry a spare tire and tire tools.
 
Last edited:
I've always carried two, you never know if you'll have a misfire.

Oh, we're talking Cues?!.. Oops, my bad!

I always have two shafts, same kind of tips, but different heights.. sometimes
the thinner tip is perfect on a fast table for 1P. And yes, I've had a tip pop off.

$.02
 
Have 4 shafts for my player.
All solid maple.
All with hard pressed Triangles.
Same taper and thickness.
About as identical as you can get.
I rotate them.
Play them all.

I carry an LD shaft with soft tip. That didn't last too long though. Don't even know why I carry it.
 
I won't buy a cue without a second shaft.

Having said that, I don't remember the last time I used my second shaft. Some I have had for over 20 years and are brand new.

But better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it.
 
Back
Top