I have been shooting off and on for apx 15 years, I'm 31 now and got on my first league at 17, I've played bca and apa. I've recently gotten invited to a local 8 ball team in the apa division. For the last 8/9 years I've been shooting a joss cue, I have no issues with it, it has solid feel, great control all the way around, and good looks! I'm thinking of looking to ad another cue, something more updated and I'm intrigued to try something other than what I'm used to! I'm trying to stay under $500 shipped, I've been looking at the predator ikon series and love the looks but the prices are out of my range :/ wondering if anyone could give advice on what brand, type, and so on as to what cue i should be looking to get into, much appreciated any help!! Thanks guys!
What cue??
- Thread starter molitor11
- Start date
As far as being able to shoot better, it is hard for anyone here to give advice without more info.
Have you played with and/or do you want to get a low-squirt (low cue ball deflection, LD) shaft? The shaft is far more important than the butt in how the cue plays. If you get a new cue with a different kind of shaft than your current cue you should plan for a relearning period and you will not be able to switch easily between them unless side spin is not really part of your game.
Make sure that you have a chance to play with the cue before you buy it.
Chances are I'll be buying online, there aren't many places with any kind of selection near me. I am not sure if my shaft is low deflection, side spin is a big part of my game though. My joss just has stock shaft, I'd have to guess it is late 90s early 2000 model. I enjoy everything about the feel of this shaft for sure
Butts too thin n you mite not like adjusting to a dl shaft after a lifetime of maple shafts
thanks for the input so far guys!
Joss makes a very nice playing cue IMHO. You may, or may not, benefit from an LD shaft. Most Joss I've seen are 5/16 x 14 piloted which is a common size for LD shafts.
I'll say this differently. Joss is a quality cue such that, you're not likely to find another cue that is going to improve your game. You may find something with prettier wood, you may find something with feel that is more appealing to you. But you're not necessarily going to find a better quality cue that's going to significantly enhance your skill level.
With all the time you've spent playing with the Joss shaft, getting accustomed to an LD shaft would likely prove to be a formidable challenge.
If you want to improve your game, spend the $500 on some lessons from a qualified instructor. That will do more for you than buying a new cue.
I'll say this differently. Joss is a quality cue such that, you're not likely to find another cue that is going to improve your game. You may find something with prettier wood, you may find something with feel that is more appealing to you. But you're not necessarily going to find a better quality cue that's going to significantly enhance your skill level.
With all the time you've spent playing with the Joss shaft, getting accustomed to an LD shaft would likely prove to be a formidable challenge.
If you want to improve your game, spend the $500 on some lessons from a qualified instructor. That will do more for you than buying a new cue.
To the OP...You don't need a new cue. As Bob Jewett said, a new cue is not the answer to better play...some good instruction is. Save your money, and as nobcitypool said, invest in some quality time with a good instructor (one who uses video analysis). That will pay much higher dividends now and in the future. If you WANT a new cue, that's fine, but don't expect that it will dramatically change how you play. That is highly unlikely. Let us know where you live, and we can likely steer you to an instructor.
Scott Lee
http://poolknowledge.com
Scott Lee
http://poolknowledge.com
I'm in Michigan, got to try the Viking / 314 first gen combo today, also first time with a predator shaft... absolutely in love!!! Such an amazing soft yet solid feel on every stroke, the cue ball control and English control are insane! Absolutely sold on the predator shafts!