Serious problems with new Predator?? Help!!

You need some local help.....

graemeham said:
I got a problem guys!!!

After playing pretty much all my life with a basic Bison cue, I decided to go for it and splash out out £600 on a top of the range cue. I went for a Predator because they have a strong following and appear to be one of the best brands. I went for an Ikon 3 with the Z2 shaft. I went Z2 because I find the 13mm tips a little too thick and sometimes find myself playing with a snooker cue (10mm) for more accuracy. So the 11.5 Z2 sounded like perfection!!!

I have played around for it for a couple of hours and I am mortified!! I am miscueing like hell and generally having a really really tough time adjusting to it. After a while of struggling through some 9 ball racks I switched back to my Bison with 13mm and played a flawless rack, spinning the ball all over the place and playing so smooth.

Can someone offer some advice and opinion. Why the heck is this supposedly top of the line cue, causing me so many problems to do even the most basic of spin shots. I am very close to putting it up on Ebay

ARgh
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I switched to a 314-2 about 2 years ago. I got help learning how to use it before I bought one. I couldn't believe how much easier it was to play with.

I have used the Zshaft also. It plays simular but has some distinct differences.

You need someone that plays with one of these on a local level to give you some one on one instructions. I't too bad that there isn't instructions on how these play different when you buy one. It sure would make allot of players allot happier with the results.

Once you know all the differences and how it play it's a no brainer as far as playability.

Maybe I should talk to predator about making a video like that. it would for sure boost sales?

I think I will.........
 
The best advice I can give you is "LESS IS MORE" Forget about everything that it's supposed to do and just play pool as you normally would. The only adjustment needed is stay more to the center of the cue ball and shoot where you think you should. Work your way to the "OUTER REGIONS" as you get more comfortable with the new power of that this shaft brings.

Black Cat :cool:
 
mortuarymike-nv said:
The very first predator shaft that I put on my cue repair lathe was so warped that it made me never want to own one..................................................

I would be looking for a good soft layered tip.


MMike
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Odd... Just purchased a NEW 314-2 and it's flawless, unlike my overpriced mezz WD 700..
 
OP, let me be one more voice of encouragement here.

I use a Z², but I still remember when I switched from my 314²...

For about two weeks I found it much harder to make shots. The only thing that stopped me switching back to the 314² at first was that it was away being re-tipped. Very glad I persisted with the Z² though. ...Now I wouldn't swap it for the world.

Had a go with the 314² again a few weeks back and couldn't send a ball down the rail to save my life. Now I'm dialled into the Z² anything else feels weird and unwieldy.

Don't be put off by anything that happens in the first two weeks. Just play and play and wait for the cue to become your friend. ;)
 
I just switched to a predator 314 LD shaft about 2 weeks ago. One of the better things I found is that when applying english(spin), I can cue to more of the center of the ball for 90% of shots. Instead of having to apply a tip 1/2 of english, now I only have to apply 1/2 off from center to get the same result. I definately recommed to stay with the predator shaft. It allows you to get out of certain situations that other shafts dont have the power to do.
 
graemeham said:
I got a problem guys!!!

After playing pretty much all my life with a basic Bison cue, I decided to go for it and splash out out £600 on a top of the range cue. I went for a Predator because they have a strong following and appear to be one of the best brands. I went for an Ikon 3 with the Z2 shaft. I went Z2 because I find the 13mm tips a little too thick and sometimes find myself playing with a snooker cue (10mm) for more accuracy. So the 11.5 Z2 sounded like perfection!!!

I have played around for it for a couple of hours and I am mortified!! I am miscueing like hell and generally having a really really tough time adjusting to it. After a while of struggling through some 9 ball racks I switched back to my Bison with 13mm and played a flawless rack, spinning the ball all over the place and playing so smooth.

Can someone offer some advice and opinion. Why the heck is this supposedly top of the line cue, causing me so many problems to do even the most basic of spin shots. I am very close to putting it up on Ebay

ARgh
Click to expand...


It sounds to me like you have a harder tip than your bison cue. I would be willing to bet you just need to install a soft tip.
 
TheNewSharkster said:
It sounds to me like you have a harder tip than your bison cue. I would be willing to bet you just need to install a soft tip.
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How did you get 'too hard tip' from that post? Nothing to do with hardness and everything to do with the Everest being a poor match for Predators.
 
Lil_Kasper said:
I just switched to a predator 314 LD shaft about 2 weeks ago. One of the better things I found is that when applying english(spin), I can cue to more of the center of the ball for 90% of shots. Instead of having to apply a tip 1/2 of english, now I only have to apply 1/2 off from center to get the same result. I definately recommed to stay with the predator shaft. It allows you to get out of certain situations that other shafts dont have the power to do.
Click to expand...

Again, where for art thou, Patrick?
 
TheThaiger said:
How did you get 'too hard tip' from that post? Nothing to do with hardness and everything to do with the Everest being a poor match for Predators.
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The Everest is a poor tip all around, in my experience. I've just taken one off of my OB Classic Pro, as I hated the hit, and I had one on a non-LD shaft on a previous cue and didn't like it either, although it was better suited to that than it is the OB.
 
SakuJack said:
The Everest is a poor tip all around, in my experience. I've just taken one off of my OB Classic Pro, as I hated the hit, and I had one on a non-LD shaft on a previous cue and didn't like it either, although it was better suited to that than it is the OB.
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I think there's a cultural difference here - I've never known a Brit do anything other than rip an Everest off in disgust, but plenty of Americans appear like them.
 
TheThaiger said:
How did you get 'too hard tip' from that post? Nothing to do with hardness and everything to do with the Everest being a poor match for Predators.
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He mentioned he had some miscues with the new stick. Usually that is directly related to the hardness of the tip.

Really the shaft and butt of the cue have little to do with a miscue. Its more about the ability of the tip to hold chalk.

You can go on about Everest and Predators being a bad match. That is fine if you want to spout a bunch of BS like that. Its your call.
 
I have been playing with predator cues for many years, definitely give yourself time to adjust to it, the ld shaft plays a lot differently, I think that once you get used to it you will be very happy with your predator and will not want to use anything else, han g in there! It will be worth it in the end.
 
TheNewSharkster said:
He mentioned he had some miscues with the new stick. Usually that is directly related to the hardness of the tip.

Really the shaft and butt of the cue have little to do with a miscue. Its more about the ability of the tip to hold chalk.

You can go on about Everest and Predators being a bad match. That is fine if you want to spout a bunch of BS like that. Its your call.
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Cheers. I will. :rolleyes:

What you are referring to is glazing - something crappy Everests do all the time.
 
Glad to hear others are having problems with Everest tips. I read good reviews and put it on my Joss instead of a Moori. I hate it. Doesn't hold chalk.
 
everest not the greatest

i've been playing with a predator for a few months. I promptly replaced the Everest tip. wasn't too crazy about it.
 
Hector3cushion said:
i've been playing with a predator for a few months. I promptly replaced the Everest tip. wasn't too crazy about it.
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The Everest tips value may be of personal preference but it certainly is not bad enough to cause misces itself or the trouble he is complaining of. Jacoby puts these on his shafts as do others routinely and you don't hear mass complaining about them. I have hit them some, and while I like the onyx better, the Everest was no problem to hit with. 13 mm to 11.75 might be more likely. Not to mentio that an LD shaft like this one is much more less stiff than most 13 mm shafts which may also be part of the problem if his stroke is not straight enough.
 
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