Was Butt to Shaft Extensions a fad with the Pro's

Wedge

Wedge

WO Wedge Lock
Silver Member
I use a 2.5" butt to shaft extension and have been for about 2 years. I started using it because I saw Mika, Jayson, Zion, WIlkie, Corr and other pro's using one. Now I see almost no pro's using one with the exception of Wilkie and Corr.. I see a lot of local players using them but the pro's are now back to no extensions with a few exceptions.

I'm going to try my cue for the first time in a long while without the extension.

Do you think it was a passing fad with the pro's? I would appreciate any opinions.

Thanks

Wedge
 
Have any of the pros that were using shaft extensions switched to longer cues? I started using a 60" cue and really liked the extra room it gave me. I found that having my hand on the buttcap was distracting. After using the 60" cue I bought a shaft extension for my 58" cue and I'm really liking it. Any cues I buy from now on will be 60"

Ben
 
I feel like I've seen thorsten use it recently. It's a good a idea for those shots that are just out of reach. Snooker players have been using a range of extensions for quite a while. I think most pros have three different extensions for their cues.
 
I've experimented a lot with different extensions for pool and snooker alike, because I tend to keep my grip hand on the very back of the cue, I thought it would be a good idea to extend the cue to get a better balance. My opinion is that they screw up the hit. The added length makes the shaft flex differently, especially with the fashionable extension between the butt and shaft and makes the cue hit soft, in a bad way. I've never tried a cue over 59 inches that I liked the hit of. There are good reasons why carom players use the shorter cues and I do in fact prefer a 57 inch cue for snooker (tends to firm up the hit a bit and a 58 inch for pool). I have an extension for my pool cue (and of course several for the snooker cue), but I use them only when necessary.

I never understood what benefit the pros were getting from using the extension all the time. I believe they claimed it helped them cue straighter, but it doesn't square with my observations (I'm not a pro obviously, but I actually found it more difficult to cue well with longer cues, especially bridging on the rail).
 
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I saw Stevie more use one today I don't think there gone. You could play a match or two and not need one . Some just use the extension that looks like piece of a vacuum cleaner
 
Over here in Asia, it seems like most players don't know about the extensions, but many players seem to be very interested in mine when I use it in a tournament. I think it's slowly starting to catch on over here as I'm starting to see some good players using them (they look shorter than balance rites, black and maybe 2" long). No pros I know of have started using them yet, though.

Personally, I love mine and can play fine with or without it. The only drawback I've found is that it makes jumping with the full cue a lot more difficult but the extra reach more than makes up for that imo. (Also playing in a cramped pool hall can be frustrating as well, but then I just take it off)
 
Wedge said:
I use a 2.5" butt to shaft extension and have been for about 2 years. I started using it because I saw Mika, Jayson, Zion, WIlkie, Corr and other pro's using one. Now I see almost no pro's using one with the exception of Wilkie and Corr.. I see a lot of local players using them but the pro's are now back to no extensions with a few exceptions.

I'm going to try my cue for the first time in a long while without the extension.

Do you think it was a passing fad with the pro's? I would appreciate any opinions.

Thanks

Wedge
Click to expand...


Just one of the many pool myths out there.
No 1 is still that LD shafts are somehow better for your game.
But those cue extensions certainly are on the list.
Just get a good bridge, something that doesn't scratch up your shaft, and you're set for life.
I use the Just-a-Bridge. It's excellent in every way.
 
fat Albert said:
I saw Stevie more use one today I don't think there gone. You could play a match or two and not need one . Some just use the extension that looks like piece of a vacuum cleaner
Click to expand...

Not those... They are temporary for the end of the cue to slide over the butt for hard to reach shots.

This thread is about the little 2-3" extensions, that go between the shaft and the butt, people were touting as the next big thing in pool.. I am amazed at how fast these gimmicks pick up speed.. (almost all of them die off pretty fast too when people realize it didn't really help their game. :)
 
Wybrook said:
Not those... They are temporary for the end of the cue to slide over the butt for hard to reach shots.

This thread is about the little 2-3" extensions, that go between the shaft and the butt, people were touting as the next big thing in pool.. I am amazed at how fast these gimmicks pick up speed.. (almost all of them die off pretty fast too when people realize it didn't really help their game. :)
Click to expand...

Bingo! :grin:
 
Wedge said:
I use a 2.5" butt to shaft extension and have been for about 2 years. I started using it because I saw Mika, Jayson, Zion, WIlkie, Corr and other pro's using one. Now I see almost no pro's using one with the exception of Wilkie and Corr.. I see a lot of local players using them but the pro's are now back to no extensions with a few exceptions.

I'm going to try my cue for the first time in a long while without the extension.

Do you think it was a passing fad with the pro's? I would appreciate any opinions.

Thanks

Wedge
Click to expand...

Same here Wedge.
I bought the "Balance Rite" when I saw Mika using one.

Been using it for a 1-1/2 years now and like it.

I'm 6'2" tall. For me the BR moved the balance point of the cue from approx. 18-1/2" to approx. 22-1/2" and added almost 4" to the length of the cue. Now over 60" long and my hand is now on the wrap using a 12" bridge.

The weight of my cue w/o the BR is 17.4oz. I kept changing the weight screw in the butt until the cue felt good. When the BR is installed the total cue weight is 19.4oz. (the BR weighs 2oz.)
I have another butt that when attached has the cue weighing in at 18.4oz. when the BR is added the total cue weight is too heavy for my tastes. 20.4oz.

I like the BR. For me it makes the cue feel more balanced and not too butt heavy. I plan to keep using it because it feels good.

I did have to take the BR to our local cue maker to have it trued.

John
 
Extensions

As an older player my mechanics get all messed up sometimes. I found that at the end of my stroke the cue tip was veering off to the left and I was missing shots, position ect. I tried the Balance Rite and liked it as changed the forward balance and helped me go through the cue ball better, but it added a little too much weight.

I changed to a 30" shaft and now use a 2" extension I got from Fach Garcia at Hard Times when I feel my stroke getting out of whack.

The way I have been playing lately, I am going to put the extension back on again.:D
 
Many of the shorter pros gave extensions a spin and didn't find it particularly helpful for their game.

Several of the taller pros (Rodney, Moore, and Shane) still use them regularly.

Adam Wheeler is the tallest pro ever and it doesn't seem like he's a fan.

However, one should try to get Earl's extended cue out of his hands and see what happens.
 
Thanks for the input

Thanks for sharing your thoughts. This thread is about butt to shaft extensions. It appears some folks are confusing it with extensions that attach to the end of the butt by the players they are mentioning.

Thanks

Wedge
 
I'm 181cm tall and I always play with a 3" extension and 30" shafts and it has improved my game alot, my stance, stroke and hand position is way better now that I play with a longer cue.
As for the pro's some use an extension, some don't
Calling it a fad might not be the correct word.
 
I'd have to say it's either a gimmick or fad for one reason - coming up all the top players seemed to run out just fine, if not better than those of today EVEN WITHOUT any type of extensions.
 
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