Shaft question

[metallicane]

I was at my local pool room yesterday talking with a guy that I respect for his pool knowledge. He was saying he did not like playing with Predator shafts. I am trying to figure out why. I have been playing with a Predator for the past year and playing much better. When I got home last night, I started playing with one of the shafts that was made for my cue. I couldn't make a freaking ball. I was ready to turn in for the night, but decided to put the Predator back on and started playing much better. What is the difference between these shafts? Any help understanding would be appreciated.

 

[andywho]

predator shafts has less deflection and the tapper size is most likely smaller than your original shaft. maybe 13 mm compared to your 12.75 predator shaft. someone can chime in and help

 

[andywho]

also your predator shaft is spliced. making it better for less oversquirt

 

[WesleyW]

I was at my local pool room yesterday talking with a guy that I respect for his pool knowledge. He was saying he did not like playing with Predator shafts. I am trying to figure out why. I have been playing with a Predator for the past year and playing much better. When I got home last night, I started playing with one of the shafts that was made for my cue. I couldn't make a freaking ball. I was ready to turn in for the night, but decided to put the Predator back on and started playing much better. What is the difference between these shafts? Any help understanding would be appreciated.

I can give you my experience on the Pred shaft. I don't like it, but I'm still gonna buy one and play with it. Sound strange, isn't it? Not really from my perspective. A Pred shaft got a lot of technology, like laminated and hollowed. It's not natural anymore. When I play with a Pred shaft, everytime I hit a ball, it gives me a dead feedback. It got no wood flexibility. It's like, toink, everytime. So, I dislike the feel/hit of the Pred shaft. You like it, or you don't. The funniest part is, I'm still gonna buy one. I know it can help my game. I've played with it, and I can do things that I can't do with my current cue. The reason why you can't make a ball, isn't because you are not playing with your Pred, but it's just a mental thing. When you put your regular shaft on your cue, you already made a statement that it's worser than your Pred. If you think that way, you will shoot that way.

 

[Patrick Johnson]

I was at my local pool room yesterday talking with a guy that I respect for his pool knowledge. He was saying he did not like playing with Predator shafts. I am trying to figure out why. I have been playing with a Predator for the past year and playing much better. When I got home last night, I started playing with one of the shafts that was made for my cue. I couldn't make a freaking ball. I was ready to turn in for the night, but decided to put the Predator back on and started playing much better. What is the difference between these shafts? Any help understanding would be appreciated.

The Predator is a "low squirt" shaft, meaning it doesn't "squirt" as much as the other one and therefore is slightly more accurate. It accomplishes this by reducing its weight near the tip (Predators are hollow there).

Does it matter? Yes and no. It's generally better (a little more accurate) to have less squirt, but players get used to playing with all kinds of cues, so you could probably get used to either one.

pj
chgo

 

[metallicane]

Thanks for the feedback. I certainly did not put the old shaft on hoping it was worse than a Predator. I just never imagined the deflection was that great. If I put on a tip of english it is a lot.

 

[WesleyW]

Thanks for the feedback. I certainly did not put the old shaft on hoping it was worse than a Predator. I just never imagined the deflection was that great. If I put on a tip of english it is a lot.

It's not like hoping to be worser, but it's subconscious thinking to be worser. You can make balls with every kind of cue, even with a broomstick. If you really give it a good try, it will not be a problem playing with your regular shaft. Only using english will be difficult.

 

[catscradle]

It's not like hoping to be worser, but it's subconscious thinking to be worser. You can make balls with every kind of cue, even with a broomstick. If you really give it a good try, it will not be a problem playing with your regular shaft. Only using english will be difficult.

I would say "using english will be different", but I'm a stock shaft bigot.

 

[JoeyInCali]

also your predator shaft is spliced. making it better for less oversquirt

Total myth.

 

[WesleyW]

I would say "using english will be different", but I'm a stock shaft bigot.

It's different, but also difficult if you are used to play with a low deflection shaft and changing to a regular shaft. Changing from a high deflection shaft to a low deflection shaft is more easier, because you already know what deflection will do.

Total myth.

True, it's only making the shaft more consistent, not lower squirt.

 

[rhncue]

Total myth.

I myself like a Predator shaft and am using one but I agree with Joey. The low deflection comes from the hollow end and lighter weight ferrule, the segmented shaft has no affect on squirt and is only a selling point. This is one reason why I wonder why so many other shaft companies are claiming low deflection just because they are using a segmented or plywood shaft.

Dick