What is Pro Taper?

jgpool

Cue ball draw with this?
Silver Member
What is Pro Taper? As opposed to what? Someone please explain what Pro Taper means.

Thanks much:confused:
 
jgpool said:
What is Pro Taper? As opposed to what? Someone please explain what Pro Taper means.

Thanks much:confused:
The pro taper will remain the same diameter size for some distance before gradually increasing for the remaining distance to the joint.
For what is considered a pro taper, there are small and large pro tapers. A “small taper” is considered to be four to eight inches of cylindrical shape, while a “large taper” is considered to be ten to fifteen inches of cylindrical shape. With this being said cuemakers all use there own "pro taper". The stiffness of the shaft can be greatly affected by the taper. There is also Euro and straight tapers.
 
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I think Cuetech actually has a 20" in their lineup.

I just ordered a Predator because of it's 15" taper.

Anyone know any custom cue makers whose standard shaft is a long taper?
 
Pro taper

hoosier_cues said:
The pro taper will remain the same diameter size for some distance before gradually increasing for the remaining distance to the joint.
For what is considered a pro taper, there are small and large pro tapers. A “small taper” is considered to be four to eight inches of cylindrical shape, while a “large taper” is considered to be ten to fifteen inches of cylindrical shape. With this being said cuemakers all use there own "pro taper". The stiffness of the shaft can be greatly affected by the taper. There is also Euro and straight tapers.

I just ordered a Dominiak cue and this is what thier web site said about thier taper.

"The ferrule is threaded to the shaft and tipped with a medium hard leather tip. CNC machined to our Custom Protaper profile. All hand sanded and sealed beautiful white straight grained hard maple."

I just did not know what it meant. Thanks for your very descriptive insight. I have about 8 cues now, but I don't know if any of them have this. I guess I wait and see what the Dominiak compares too.

Thanks
 
pro taper is mostly a buzz word now

jgpool said:
What is Pro Taper? As opposed to what? Someone please explain what Pro Taper means.

Thanks much:confused:

There is another thread or three on this from not long ago. "Pro taper" generally means that there is a section of very little or no taper shaft at the tip. The taper and length of this section varies widely between makers and the shaft shape between the pro taper and the joint has a world to do with how a shaft hits and the balance of a cue. When someone says pro taper without providing more information they really haven't told you much.

The shaft I am cutting now is a pro taper for twelve inches with a gentle transition to a parabolic section which then transitions into the same taper as the butt for the final shape. The shape and length of the parabolic section varies depended on if the shaft is a playing shaft or break shaft. No way to readily explain the shape of the shaft in words and I wouldn't if I could. Shaft shapes are highly proprietary to all shaft makers.

Pro taper is opposed to straight taper which pretty much remains a constant angle from the tip to the joint or near the joint.

Hu
 
smashmouth said:
I think Cuetech actually has a 20" in their lineup.

I just ordered a Predator because of it's 15" taper.

Anyone know any custom cue makers whose standard shaft is a long taper?

If its a custom cue maker they will usually make shafts to your specs if you ask for it
 
the taper will have huge effect on your cue/game. it takes along time to find what works best for you, how you stroke the ball, what games you play etc. Pro dosent mean its something special for the pros its just a description of a certain type of taper.

Snooker cues made fron ash with 9mm tips really dont have a straight taper they just start getting fatter right fron the brass ferrel. Billiard cues have big fat tips and are similar because billiard balls are heavy and a pro taper is too filmsy, 9 ball shafts are best suited with a long straight taper(Pro taper) before they get fat so you can get more english in the ball,

dont let the name "pro" through you off, its just a descriptive word nothing to do with the level of play of the people who use them its dependent on the game and personal preference.
 
jgpool said:
What is Pro Taper? As opposed to what? Someone please explain what Pro Taper means.

Thanks much:confused:

Here is a website with a little info on it.

http://www.ravencues.com/shafts.html

I have been in the business for around 20 years. At one time I had two big binders with just about every cuemaker's catalog and literature available. If I remember correctly Meucci was the first to advertise a feature of their cues called a "Pro Taper". And this referred to the shaft diameter going from 13 to 14mm over a distance of about 15" on a 29" shaft. The claimed benefit was less deflection and more "power".

Now there is what is called a "modifed" pro taper which has the diameter of the shaft going from 13 to 14mm in about 12 inches.

The newest things are the parabolic tapers and the compound tapers. I have no idea what either of these are as I have stopped caring about HOW cues are made so much as I care about how they feel.

The thing with all of these is that you won't know what you like until you hit with it. A lot of cuemakers claim to have found "the secret". What they really mean is that they have found what they like and are comfortable with making.

My advice: Hit with the cues you like whenever you can. The more the better. Don't worry too much about WHO made it or HOW they made it. The best cue for you might be a $50 import or it might be a $1500 domestic one.

Confused as well :-)
 
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there's all kinds of descriptive terms for shaft tapers, but hoosier _cues is succinct about it.

don't get caught up in all the other terms used for the more conical tapers. shuler has 6 or so tapers and gives each it's own name, and it'll just drive you batty. plus,,,the quality of the shaftwood makes a huge difference as well.

unless you're keenly aware of such things, the only thing you should concern yourself with is how comfortably a certain tapered shaft runs through your bridgehand as you stroke.
 
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