What are the playing characteristics of a stiff, low deflection shaft and how does it differ from a whippy shaft. Does it differ as in jumping, masse, deflection, English, breaking, etc.?
Stiff, low deflection shafts
- Thread starter Tennesseejoe
- Start date
Been playing for over 40yrs and i've yet to see/play a 'whippy' cue. The Meucci was a tad more flexible than some but FAR from whippy. Virtually every lo-d shaft i've hit has been fairly stiff. The Jacoby laminated seemed a bit softer but not much. All the cf shafts are stiff and they play great, some feel better than others but playability has been good on every one i've tried. I don't jump or break with a playing cue, i like my tips better than that. You just have to try a bunch til you hit the one you like.
The 314 shafts are a bit on the whippy side. So is the SMO from JFlowers compared to most CF shafts.
On the other hand, the Revo 12.9mm is stiff.
My guess in order to make a stiff low deflection shafts, the diameter has to be bigger to enable lower front end mass. Or use conical taper to obtain stiffness, like the Z shafts and Revo 12.4 (that have a sort of hybrid taper).
Fvalstounge
Member
I've been playing with a vintage Meucci for 40 yrs and had my bullwhip long before that. Never did get the "whippy" characterization. It's not like some flimsy noodle out there. Rather, I always felt is was a bit softer of a hit. Feels like the cue strokes through the ball, whereas firmer sticks always felt like they want to bounce off it. I get more "feedback" with a stiffer cue. Can't say it's excessive vibration, just different.
I don't shoot particularly hard, so it complements my own playing style, but the tip has just as much to do with the feel. In the end, I think the greatest impact comes from having your own, personal cue that you use until it feels like an extension of yourself. That consistency and trust factor is more important than tiny measurements in deflection.
Play characteristics shouldn't differ a whole lot. It's mostly a feel thing.
That said, back in the day I tried an OB shaft and I would have no confidence in that thing to do any full-cue jumps. It did feel like a wet noodle. But otherwise, it's just how it feels. For me, I like stiffer shafts as they give me more confidence. But to each, his own.