Rhino full cue test hit

[skor]

I own couple of Rhino CF shafts but I never got to play a full cue from them.

A guy that plays with me in a weekly tournament just got one from the Retro line.
So I’ve asked him to test hit it.

First, the cue looks really nice. Upon close inspection, it’s really hard for the non professional cue enthusiasts to tell that it’s all overlays and not real wood and not real inlays and real ring work. The finish is very nice and a perfect fit with the shaft.
The extension also looks like it’s made of wood like the butt, nice detail not leaving it bare carbon or just black.
The grip feels very nice, compared to another cheap leather grip like on my JFlowers, I like the Rhino’s grip better.

I only took a few shots as I don’t need to test the shaft as I own two of them so I know how it plays and perform.

The cue feels butt heavy in my hands with a more rear balance point. I didn’t like that. I didn’t check to see if there is a weight bolt that can be removed so I don’t know if it could be improved and make it more forward balanced. I’ll try to check it next time I see the owner. If it can’t be changed, that a deal breaker for me right there.
Their website says that it does support a weight adjustment system but if it’s like that with no weight bolt then it doesn’t help.

The hit feels very soft, I didn’t expect that at all, as most CF shafts feel stiffer and firmer than wood, I expected that a full carbon cue would feel like using a metal rod… but it doesn’t and the hit is very soft.
Personally I prefer a more firm hit and feel.
It’s not the tip as I have a Rhino shaft with the same default tip and it plays firmer on various butts that I own.
Maybe with a different tip it could feel firmer but I doubt that it could by much.
Not my cup of tea, strike two…
My JFlowers cue balance point is at 18 inches from the bumper which is as butt heavy as I feel OK with (I prefer 18.5 to 19 inches)

It gives a good value for the money but only if you like a butt heavy, soft hitting cue. The guy that owns it really likes it. Me, not so much.

So for $350 to $400 budget for a cue with a CF shaft and overlay butt, I prefer the JFlowers but those Rhino Retro cues look better design wise, at least for me.

 

[boogieman]

I own couple of Rhino CF shafts but I never got to play a full cue from them.

A guy that plays with me in a weekly tournament just got one from the Retro line.
So I’ve asked him to test hit it.

First, the cue looks really nice. Upon close inspection, it’s really hard for the non professional cue enthusiasts to tell that it’s all overlays and not real wood and not real inlays and real ring work. The finish is very nice and a perfect fit with the shaft.
The extension also looks like it’s made of wood like the butt, nice detail not leaving it bare carbon or just black.
The grip feels very nice, compared to another cheap leather grip like on my JFlowers, I like the Rhino’s grip better.

I only took a few shots as I don’t need to test the shaft as I own two of them so I know how it plays and perform.

The cue feels butt heavy in my hands with a more rear balance point. I didn’t like that. I didn’t check to see if there is a weight bolt that can be removed so I don’t know if it could be improved and make it more forward balanced. I’ll try to check it next time I see the owner. If it can’t be changed, that a deal breaker for me right there.
Their website says that it does support a weight adjustment system but if it’s like that with no weight bolt then it doesn’t help.

The hit feels very soft, I didn’t expect that at all, as most CF shafts feel stiffer and firmer than wood, I expected that a full carbon cue would feel like using a metal rod… but it doesn’t and the hit is very soft.
Personally I prefer a more firm hit and feel.
It’s not the tip as I have a Rhino shaft with the same default tip and it plays firmer on various butts that I own.
Maybe with a different tip it could feel firmer but I doubt that it could by much.
Not my cup of tea, strike two…
My JFlowers cue balance point is at 18 inches from the bumper which is as butt heavy as I feel OK with (I prefer 18.5 to 19 inches)

It gives a good value for the money but only if you like a butt heavy, soft hitting cue. The guy that owns it really likes it. Me, not so much.

So for $350 to $400 budget for a cue with a CF shaft and overlay butt, I prefer the JFlowers but those Rhino Retro cues look better design wise, at least for me.

I had one of the USA themed playing cues, along with the break cue, jump cue and extension from the set. The playing cue played good but I also found it butt heavy. I figured, no big deal, I'll just take the weight bolt out or put in a smaller one. There was no weight bolt in it by default.

I ended up selling the entire set to a friend for $500. I think I had something around $900-1000 in the set. The set was still in minty condition. I sold it low because he was a friend, and just starting to get serious about his game. He really liked the cues and their balance point was similar to how he likes them. They were/are good cues but I just didn't care for the rear balance after playing with a Diveney.

 

[skor]

I had one of the USA themed playing cues, along with the break cue, jump cue and extension from the set. The playing cue played good but I also found it butt heavy. I figured, no big deal, I'll just take the weight bolt out or put in a smaller one. There was no weight bolt in it by default.

I ended up selling the entire set to a friend for $500. I think I had something around $900-1000 in the set. The set was still in minty condition. I sold it low because he was a friend, and just starting to get serious about his game. He really liked the cues and their balance point was similar to how he likes them. They were/are good cues but I just didn't care for the rear balance after playing with a Diveney.

I also have their jump cue.
I like it, works well and a good value

 

[RidgeRaider]

I've gone through the gambit of trying cheap CF cues I bought myself, or friends bought.

Compared to my McDermott Mach1 (all CF) they all just feel "cheap". Like they're the toy version of what you want it to be.

Are they useable cues? Absolutely, but they just don't give you the full carbon fiber experience if that's what you're looking for.

I make carbon fiber shafts, and there's a very obvious quality difference in the blanks I can order. The $25 blanks are the type of carbon these places use to build their cues, the kind that is more carbon than fiber, leaves black residue on your hand. Minimum I go for is the $75 blanks, because the quality is wayyy better as are the tolerances.

Do you need the most expensive carbon fiber cue? No, but you don't want the cheapest, that's for sure.

 

[Paul_#_]

I expected that a full carbon cue would feel like using a metal rod… but it doesn’t and the hit is very soft.
Personally I prefer a more firm hit and feel.
It’s not the tip as I have a Rhino shaft with the same default tip and it plays firmer on various butts that I own.
Maybe with a different tip it could feel firmer but I doubt that it could by much.

It appears you found that with Retro's butt, the Rhino shaft hit softer than a similar Rhino shaft with some other butt. Also, that this soft hit is not likely due to Retro cue's tip.

Rhino may agree or, at least, it has tried to fix that soft-hit problem in its newer Nebula series. It claims Nebula 2 has now maximum-force transmission by improving the butt AND SHAFT. Rhino writes:

More than just an upgrade, the new Nebula 2 is a breakthrough in both technology and design. It features a fully reengineered carbon structure in both the shaft and butt, delivering unmatched flexibility, power, control, and precision with every shot.​

For the Retro cue, Rhino writes about its power:
Supreme Power

• Premium carbon fiber shaft for unparalleled strength and durability.
• Exclusive carbon fiber bonding formula enhances force transmission, delivering powerful, solid shots

Rhino claims the Nebula 2 cue has improved power and better force transmission than Nebula 1:
IMPROVED POWER

• Superior power transfer by comprehensive carbon structure upgrades replacing standard construction
• Maximum force transmission through premium joint finishing technology, improving upon basic joint connections
• Increased energy efficiency via advanced manufacturing techniques over conventional

As far as changing the butt and shaft for Nebula 2, did Rhino have a cheaper CF or fiberglass shaft in Nebula 1? No fiberglass or a cheaper CF shaft on their site now.

It appears Nebula 2 has a new butt (and maybe an improved Rhino CF shaft?) that may make for a firmer hit than the Retro butt did for you.