Last year, when I was at the BCAPL nationals, I was over at the OB Cues booth, talking with Royce, and he handed me a cue and asked me to hit a few balls and tell me what I thought. (My regular player is a Predator P2, from the very first batch Predator made.)
So I hit about a rack. Spun the cueball quite a bit, and it did pretty well. One of my favorite LD cue checks is to do a stop shot with straight side spin. It did that really well. After, Royce asked me what I thought.
I told him it hit pretty much like all the other OB products. He asked if it felt the same. This made me think. No.. it didn't feel the same as the other OB shafts... It felt.... stiffer. Not as soft of a hit. When I stated this, Royce smiled (as he does) and said "Okay".
I knew something was up.. so I started asking questions. He explained that they were starting to work on a shaft that was a stiffer feeling hit. At that time, I let him know that I would be really interested in one when they came out. Over the last year, I've been checking in with Royce every time I see him, asking him how things are going.. when could I get one to try etc..
Well.. they're out now. I've seen another review up here on it, but wanted to add mine.
Royce contacted me last week, and said he had one for me and I should be getting it this week. It came in on Wednesday. It's a 12.75 mm tip. Comes with an Everest tip. 5/16 14 joint to fit my phillippi. (I have an OB-1 on it usually) First night I just played with it on my home table. 9' Brunswick with 4 1/4 pockets. centennial TV balls with an Aramith measle cue ball.
It felt great. Cue ball was going where I wanted it right off the bat. Then I started getting a bit more extreme. Started juicing the cue ball a bit. Put an object ball on a spot above the corner pocket at the foot rail, and the cue ball half a diamond off the head rail. Drawing the rock full table + fairly consistently. Extreme kill shots. Killing the cue ball off the rail etc.
Shaft was performing great, and felt great.
Thursday, went to league. I play in DEL (Dallas Eight-Ball League). Our match was at Clicks Billiards on Marsh Ln.
When I get there, one of my team mates is there already, so we start playing. While playing, I'm noticing a little cue ball deflection. Big Doc, who works with Royce and OB Cues was there and we start talking about it. He's a little at a loss for why it would be doing this. It has me a little puzzled as well, when another team mate shows up.
Even before he knew what was going on, he asked a question about our cue ball. He asked if we had checked it, because the week before, when we were playing there, we noticed the cue balls were extremely worn, and actually smaller and lighter that then should be.
Sure enough.. the cue ball was smaller and lighter. So.. I take out my Aramith red circle that I carry with me, and viola.. everything is right with the world again. No more mysterious deflection with soft hits.
When the match started, it started off rather ominously for me. I got broke and ran on. Okay.. np. My next game, I returned the favor. Next, my opponent Broke dry. I ran out. Next.. I broke dry. My opponent ran 5 balls and missed. I ran out. My last game. I broke and ran.
Basically.. other than the dry break. I didn't miss a ball. Cue ball did exactly what I was telling it to do.
I am very impressed by the OB classic, and would highly recommend everyone give it a try. If you've tried OB shafts before, but didn't like the softer hit, you may want to give this a test spin. I think you'll be impressed as well.
Michael Voelkering.
So I hit about a rack. Spun the cueball quite a bit, and it did pretty well. One of my favorite LD cue checks is to do a stop shot with straight side spin. It did that really well. After, Royce asked me what I thought.
I told him it hit pretty much like all the other OB products. He asked if it felt the same. This made me think. No.. it didn't feel the same as the other OB shafts... It felt.... stiffer. Not as soft of a hit. When I stated this, Royce smiled (as he does) and said "Okay".
I knew something was up.. so I started asking questions. He explained that they were starting to work on a shaft that was a stiffer feeling hit. At that time, I let him know that I would be really interested in one when they came out. Over the last year, I've been checking in with Royce every time I see him, asking him how things are going.. when could I get one to try etc..
Well.. they're out now. I've seen another review up here on it, but wanted to add mine.
Royce contacted me last week, and said he had one for me and I should be getting it this week. It came in on Wednesday. It's a 12.75 mm tip. Comes with an Everest tip. 5/16 14 joint to fit my phillippi. (I have an OB-1 on it usually) First night I just played with it on my home table. 9' Brunswick with 4 1/4 pockets. centennial TV balls with an Aramith measle cue ball.
It felt great. Cue ball was going where I wanted it right off the bat. Then I started getting a bit more extreme. Started juicing the cue ball a bit. Put an object ball on a spot above the corner pocket at the foot rail, and the cue ball half a diamond off the head rail. Drawing the rock full table + fairly consistently. Extreme kill shots. Killing the cue ball off the rail etc.
Shaft was performing great, and felt great.
Thursday, went to league. I play in DEL (Dallas Eight-Ball League). Our match was at Clicks Billiards on Marsh Ln.
When I get there, one of my team mates is there already, so we start playing. While playing, I'm noticing a little cue ball deflection. Big Doc, who works with Royce and OB Cues was there and we start talking about it. He's a little at a loss for why it would be doing this. It has me a little puzzled as well, when another team mate shows up.
Even before he knew what was going on, he asked a question about our cue ball. He asked if we had checked it, because the week before, when we were playing there, we noticed the cue balls were extremely worn, and actually smaller and lighter that then should be.
Sure enough.. the cue ball was smaller and lighter. So.. I take out my Aramith red circle that I carry with me, and viola.. everything is right with the world again. No more mysterious deflection with soft hits.
When the match started, it started off rather ominously for me. I got broke and ran on. Okay.. np. My next game, I returned the favor. Next, my opponent Broke dry. I ran out. Next.. I broke dry. My opponent ran 5 balls and missed. I ran out. My last game. I broke and ran.
Basically.. other than the dry break. I didn't miss a ball. Cue ball did exactly what I was telling it to do.
I am very impressed by the OB classic, and would highly recommend everyone give it a try. If you've tried OB shafts before, but didn't like the softer hit, you may want to give this a test spin. I think you'll be impressed as well.
Michael Voelkering.
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