So is a 314 shaft the best or are custom 1 pieces better?

S

sneaky_pete

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I recently got back into pool and had a stealth cue that I had kinda messed up the shaft on so I decided to get a new cue and use the stealth for breaking. After some research I got a predator sneaky pete with the metal joint and 314 shaft for $250 shipped in like new shape off ebay. I was under the impression that 314's were the best shaft around but after reading on the forum all you guys love your $2000 custom cues so it made me think about the shafts. From what I've read the shaft is 95% of the playability of a cue, I came to this conclusion after seeing the Meucci "broomstick model" video that performed near as well as the same shaft with a decent butt. Predator swears by the 10 piece pie design of their shafts while I have a feeling most custom shafts are one piece maple. Anyone wanna explain this to me? Do some people just prefer the added deflection of a one piece? I don't consider myself a good enough player yet to be able to notice deflection but got the predator as a good cue to grow into.
 
I played with a Lucasi sneaky pete. With the regular shaft. Then we put on a "Smart Shaft" and it made the biggest difference in the world. I think the shaft is a lot of the cue.
 
Well to many players, the "name" on the butt, the rare and expensive wood used, how much the cue cost, and fancy designs are what is important to them.

Me on the other hand... I eventually want to take a Kmart cue I bought...

[It has blue water in the end in a plastic tank and little pool balls floating in the water. When you hit a ball with the cue, a light flashes on and off lighting up the tank.]

...to my cue maker and have him install a Uni-Loc joint and a Predator 314 shaft to this thing. Adjust the weight to my 19.5 oz preference, then install my Moori tip.

Then perhaps glue the barcode sticker back on the cue with the $19.95 price and carry the thing to the pool room in a plastic Kmart bag.:D

I think anyone looking at me carrying in this thing would laugh. And I think that is more desirable than carrying in a $2000 stick.

Anyway forget about what the butt looks like, put your money in the shaft and tip. I prefer a Predator 314 with a dime shaped Moori Q (hard) tip.

I also prefer radial laminated because I can use any side (Don't have to shoot with one side up).
 
You are right, the shaft of the cue holds most of how well the cue plays. I'm not going to go into tips or anything, but comparing butt to shaft, yes it's in the shaft. Now, does a laminated play better than a custom maple? I really think this is individual preference. I play with the OB-1 shaft. I like the low squirt shafts. A friend of mine plays with a nice custom. We can't get used to each others cues, however we play pretty good with our own cues. I think in time you get accustomed to your shaft. Which shaft is better is really a subjective question. The correct answer is.... it depends. I'll say this though, usually custom makers select high quality woods for shafts i.e. the wait for nature to make a good shaft. Laminated shaft companies kinda side step mother nature and try to manufacture a better shaft. This is how I like to think about it.

On another note. The people on this forum are not a representative sample of the pool comunity. These are the die hard fans and such. The number of people with customs vs production in this forum is not the same as if you went to a pool hall and saw who plays with customs or laminated. Likewise if you go to Seyberts forums you'll see a large number play with predators and believe that 50% of the pool population plays with predators. I think your predator is a good buy. You'll definately grow into it.
 
OB-1 huh. Any relation to Obe Wan Kanobi from star wars lol. Either thats a huge coincidence or the makers of the OB-1 shaft are crazy star wars fans.
Kanobi.jpg
 
I'll take a good,hard,straight grained maple shaft over any shaft that is laminated. It doesn't have to be snow white or be without any sugar or iron markings, as long as it's hard and straight grained. I'll put a taper on it that will satisy me much better than a gimmick shaft! That being said, I have about 8-10 shafts in the shop now that were given to pro players to have fitted to their cues. Some people like them, I just don't happen to be one of those people!

just more hot air!

Sherm
 
so is a 314 shaft the best.......

cuesmith said:
I'll take a good,hard,straight grained maple shaft over any shaft that is laminated. It doesn't have to be snow white or be without any sugar or iron markings, as long as it's hard and straight grained. I'll put a taper on it that will satisy me much better than a gimmick shaft! That being said, I have about 8-10 shafts in the shop now that were given to pro players to have fitted to their cues. Some people like them, I just don't happen to be one of those people!

just more hot air!

Sherm
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I'm with you Sherm, I just don't like the Predator shaft...JER
 
Its my belief that any shaft that comes with a custom cue, should be good enough for someone to use, and not have any problems with it.

That being said, i have always said that shafts are all personal preference.

weather it be a 314, Z shaft, OB-1, I-2 or I-3 or blackdot, or what ever it maybe.

I have played with a 314 shaft, and it was nice, expecially on a SS joint. I have also played with a Schon, and a Meucci, and a Joss.

All of them had good shafts. its just personal preference.

If i was to go and buy a JossWest, Bender, or samsara, and drop 2000$ i would hope thier shafts are build good enough to be able to make balls with.

I myself wouldnt go and drop 2000$ and then put a 314shaft on the cue, all it does is make it hit and play like a Predator that i could have bought for 500$ lol.

dave
 
StormHotRod300 said:
Its my belief that any shaft that comes with a custom cue, should be good enough for someone to use, and not have any problems with it.

That being said, i have always said that shafts are all personal preference.

weather it be a 314, Z shaft, OB-1, I-2 or I-3 or blackdot, or what ever it maybe.

I have played with a 314 shaft, and it was nice, expecially on a SS joint. I have also played with a Schon, and a Meucci, and a Joss.

All of them had good shafts. its just personal preference.

If i was to go and buy a JossWest, Bender, or samsara, and drop 2000$ i would hope thier shafts are build good enough to be able to make balls with.

I myself wouldnt go and drop 2000$ and then put a 314shaft on the cue, all it does is make it hit and play like a Predator that i could have bought for 500$ lol.

dave
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That's your opinion, and a valuable one. I have a Samsara, and the two shafts it came with along with the 314 custom I purchased from Samsara that I discussed in a thread a day or two ago. I prefer the 314, but that's my judgment of what I like. It's all about feel, and everyones feel for the cue is going to be different.
 
sneaky_pete said:
OB-1 huh. Any relation to Obe Wan Kanobi from star wars lol. Either thats a huge coincidence or the makers of the OB-1 shaft are crazy star wars fans.
Kanobi.jpg
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I think their last names begin with "O" and "B" and the "OB-1" is the first shaft, hence the one. The next version, whenever that is (a few years?), would probably be the OB-2.
 
There is no "best" shaft, only what's best for you. Try out all the different shaft offerings you can, maybe one will stand out to you. I for one don't put much stock in equipment at all, I believe more in the power of strong fundamentals and pool knowledge than in a piece of wood, no matter how it's laminated. Any pro could pick up a warped house cue and beat someone who owns a $2000 cue with a predator shaft, does that mean the warped house cue is superior?. A lot of people with more money than brains try to compensate for bad technique by buying expensive toys. A few lessons and a $100 Dufferin cue would benefit them much more.

I guess what I'm getting at is your cue is fine, just like it would be fine if it was a solid shaft. Don't think yourself into a tizzy, just get out there and play. Sorry for the rant.:D
 
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Predators are nice, but...

there is more out there than just Predator now. Mcdermott's Intimadator shafts, OB Cues' shaft, the Smart shafts (RS and LS), Annie O's shaft (don't remember the name of it though), etc. Me personally, I'm really leaning towards the OB-1. Haven't tried it yet but I will soon as I can. Notice I said "I" haven't tried it. I realized too that you have to hit a lot of cue and shaft combinations in order to find what you like. There's no way around this one. :(
 
The question doesn't make much sense. The multi-piece construction has nothing to do with "deflection."

Fred
 
Nico said:
A lot of people with more money than brains try to compensate for bad technique by buying expensive toys. A few lessons and a $100 Dufferin cue would benefit them much more.
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You got it all wrong.

I rather be a crap "D" player with an expensive cue than a crap "D" player with a junk cue.

At least with the expensive cue, there is some hope!:)
 
Gregg said:
You got it all wrong.

I rather be a crap "D" player with an expensive cue than a crap "D" player with a junk cue.

At least with the expensive cue, there is some hope!:)
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I hope your just being cute. Anyone who thinks an expensive cue has the potential to make a crap player get better is a million miles from home. Expensive cues aren't what make the pros so brilliant, it's what they have in their heads that makes them better than 99% of the other poolplayers. They only use expensive cues because either they get them at a deal, get them free, or they can afford them because they profit at pool.

Look at tennis as an analogy, those guys all have top notch rackets, but why do the same few players always dominate?. Are their rackets so much better than the 150th seeds?.
 
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Nico said:
I hope your just being cute. Anyone who thinks an expensive cue has the potential to make a crap player get better is a million miles from home. Expensive cues aren't what make the pros so brilliant, it's what they have in their heads that makes them better than 99% of the other poolplayers. They only use expensive cues because either they get them at a deal, get them free, or they can afford them because they profit at pool.

Look at tennis as an analogy, those guys all have top notch rackets, but why do the same few players always dominate?. Are their rackets so much better than the 150th seeds?.
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Yes, I was just being cute, and just having fun with it. I though my smile guy conveyed that, sorry if it did not come across that way.

I have never seen a fancy inlay on a cue win a game or pocket a ball for anybody.
 
Different, yes, better maybe?

I have to giggle a little as I see myself in some the responses.

But points I'd make.

1. While few cuemakers will admit it. They make some cues that hit great and make some that hit.....less than great. Same cuemaker.

2. I have played with a 314 and without it. Frankly, they do play different. Better? maybe?. Different? yes, better? maybe. I think part of it is because I buy a couple high end cues each year, I play with alot of different cues.
I just bought my first Southwest, (I swore I would never buy a Tad or Southwest, I did both) it is a 1994, a holy of the holy Jerry Franklin model. How does it play? About like the Gina and the Tad I already have, slightly different. Different, yes, better? maybe.

3. When I bought the Southwest at DCC, I teased a friend of mine that now I need a predator shaft for it. He went balistic, (my purpose of course). He said it would then hit like a predator and I should have just bought a predator cue. He began to get red in the face and the viens started popping out. Later that day he bought a Barry Szamboti cue, and when I suggested a predator shaft for it, I just walked off. (Smiling of course)

Just my thoughts,

Ken
 
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