What is your favorite SHAFT and WHY? (Predator, OB, Venom2, Gcore, other)

No LD for me either!

9Ballr said:
With my two Lambros cues I like the Lambros shafts
With the four Richard Black cues I have I like the Richard Black shafts.
With the Carmelli I like the Carmelli shaft.
With the three Rundi cues I like the Rundi shafts....
With the.....oh well, you get it.

No LD's for me, thank you very much.

As to the why part of your question, I prefer the shafts that
come with each cue because I'm playing the cue the way it's
designed to be played and felt and I like solid maple shafts
because they have the feel I am used to and like.
Click to expand...

I was a huge advocate of this same line of thinking. I had never run across a shaft I liked better than Bobs with a micarta ferrule and wizard tip and they play great, but the Searing is just different in a really good way, I guess you'd have to try one to understand. There is one for sale I believe if you like 12.25 or so in the for sale section by a great seller.
Or who knows maybe I just got one of the best Searing shafts, I've only tried one, so I'm no expert.
 
Last edited:
Kickin' Chicken said:
hate's a pretty strong word, RJ. :D

I'm guessing most people, me included, don't really give much thought to what shafts others are using, as far as passing judgement on them. With that said, I'm also sure there are a smaller % of folks who think people who feel they need to play with LD shafts are kool-aid drinkers.

I had a very well known pro player over my house recently who uses predator 314 shafts and he started out playing with a cue I have with a standard maple shaft. He was missing *a lot* of shots by 1/4 to 1/2 diamond, no kidding. We we both amazed at his inaccuracy.

He then switched over to a setup with a 314 and he immediately began drilling center pocket shots from everywhere. We both figured that this showed just how dialed-in and comfortable and confident he is with using a 314 shaft.

I think it's all what you get used to. I imagine he could be just as dialed in (or very close) if he used standard maple shafts exclusively.

He obviously prefers shooting with a predator 314 and will get no argument from me. :smile:

best,
brian kc
Click to expand...

So, folks that use LD are all "kool-aid" drinkers? So how is buying one shaft over another, that does not cost a penny more drinking kool-aid? It's as silly as thinking a custom cue shoots better than a production cue.

One shaft deflects less than another.... what's not to like about that ? Hell, if there was a cue with ZERO deflection, that would be bad or good ?

And no, you don't know if the pro could have "dialed" in with a maple shaft of not.
But he was drilliing it with a LD though :thumbup:
 
Truce?

ChicagoRJ said:
So, folks that use LD are all "kool-aid" drinkers? So how is buying one shaft over another, that does not cost a penny more drinking kool-aid? It's as silly as thinking a custom cue shoots better than a production cue.

One shaft deflects less than another.... what's not to like about that ? Hell, if there was a cue with ZERO deflection, that would be bad or good ?

And no, you don't know if the pro could have "dialed" in with a maple shaft of not.
But he was drilliing it with a LD though :thumbup:
Click to expand...

Maple shaft vs LD? It's like believing in God or not, nobody is gonna agree until they see the light!! Just depends on which bulb goes on. I'm done with this subject, a wise man told me, "you are going to hell", I said "I can't, I don't believe in it", although I can't say I'm not there now, lol.
 
Lol

ChicagoRJ said:
Heretic, put down the kool-aid before someone gets hurt ;)
Click to expand...

Maybe you should donate Ken a OB!! I tried one on a Schon, didn't hate it, but was t for me. If I used LD it would be a Jacoby Edge or Pechauer. Although I happen to sell both and you sell OB, makes sense to me! Seriously though, everybody I know who likes LD, swear by The Edge! Just my two cents, not my thing though.
 
I likem all. I have dozens and dozens of cues with old Maple. I have Predator 314 shafts and OB classics. I have started using a Lakewood shaft that I made myself. I left it near a Bluegill bed until it sank and then started using it immediately. It splashed for the first hour and I had to wipe it down once the moss dried. The cue stills smells a bit like fish but that's cool.
With it soaked with water I believe it sprouted a small branch and is starting to
leaf-out but its near the joint so its not a problem.....yet.
 
Last edited:
PoolChump said:
What is your favorite SHAFT and WHY? (Predator, OB, Poison Venom2, McDermott G-core, other).
Click to expand...

Tiger Pro X. I adapted to the 11.75 mm tip. It's low squirt but feels like a solid maple shaft. I like the taper a lot. The Pro X is solid but laminated. Everything feels just right to me. Plus it looks great with my Apple watch.
 
TATE said:
Tiger Pro X. I adapted to the 11.75 mm tip. It's low squirt but feels like a solid maple shaft. I like the taper a lot. The Pro X is solid but laminated. Everything feels just right to me. Plus it looks great with my Apple watch.
Click to expand...

I've heard great things about Tiger shafts.
 
I have cues that use both LD & non-LD shafts. The taper and tip determine how well the shafts will move whitey around.
When playing "when it counts, " I like having the Predator Z in my hand. I also like OB2 and the Mezz WD-700 , but they deflect a little more than the Z .
 
If I was playing and not into buying and selling pool cues and had to pick
one shaft forever, it would be a first generation Predator shaft.
Its the only shaft that is about as close to a perfect hit as I could ever dream of.
 
ChicagoRJ said:
So, folks that use LD are all "kool-aid" drinkers? So how is buying one shaft over another, that does not cost a penny more drinking kool-aid? It's as silly as thinking a custom cue shoots better than a production cue.

One shaft deflects less than another.... what's not to like about that ? Hell, if there was a cue with ZERO deflection, that would be bad or good ?

And no, you don't know if the pro could have "dialed" in with a maple shaft of not.
But he was drilliing it with a LD though :thumbup:
Click to expand...

What have they done with you over on npr? :grin:

Here is exactly what I wrote:

"With that said, I'm also sure there are a smaller % of folks who think people who feel they need to play with LD shafts are kool-aid drinkers."

Now go back up to how you responded in blue...

Then come back again to what I originally stated...

If needed, reading my entire post where that sentence appeared should help with context. :)

best,
brian kc
 
Last edited:
So far I like the shaft that came with my cue or the Z2...great shaft. Haven't tried them all however.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G900A using Tapatalk
 
Kickin' Chicken said:
I had a very well known pro player over my house recently who uses predator 314 shafts and he started out playing with a cue I have with a standard maple shaft. He was missing *a lot* of shots by 1/4 to 1/2 diamond, no kidding. We were both amazed at his inaccuracy.

He then switched over to a setup with a 314 and he immediately began drilling center pocket shots from everywhere. We both figured that this showed just how dialed-in and comfortable and confident he is with using a 314 shaft.


best,
brian kc
Click to expand...

I want to emphasize this for those who may not know. Absolutely! I am also dialed into a low squirt shaft and I would absolutely have the same problem as this player did.

What this story demonstrates is that LD shafts are not BS. They really do reduce squirt over most conventional shafts and change the aim point when using English. I want to also reiterate something I've said in the past. In conventional shafts, there are great differences in how much each shaft squirts. I can pick up many conventional shafts and play fine but the really high squirt cues require too much adjustment to quickly overcome. I suspect the cue you gave him is high squirt.

Chris>>>> the question is not if but which color Kool-Aid?
 
Last edited:
I can`t claim to have played extensively with every shaft on the market. But I like to think I have tried more than most.
I have many hours of play with all the Mezz shafts, except the new EX Pro.
I have played alot with the i series shafts from McDermott, I have played quite a bit with the old series of OB shafts and a little bit with some of their new shafts. I have played enough with Lucasi and Tiger to have an opinion on their shafts. I played a season with Katana and like most here I have alot of hours with the various Predator shafts.
I settled on Mezz WX900. Great taper, nice feel, like you expect from a solid maple shaft, just the right amount of deflection and the 12mm tip diameter fits perfect in my closed grip.
 
Mezz

Mezz WD700.. Low deflection in a 12.5mm maple shaft with a regular length ferrule which I like. I tried a lot of LD shafts but have stuck with this one for the past 2+ years. Thanks to my buddy Zion Zvi for telling me I had to give this shaft a try.

Wedge
 
I choose 30 inch maple shafts with 12mm pressed Triangle tips and ivory ferrules.

I've tried Moris, Kamuis, Talismans, Le Pro, Triumph, old Chandivert tips, and one Outsville tip ( so i need to try more of these to give a fair opinion). The pressed Triangles give me a good consistent hit. I'm still using the same boxes I bought in the early 1990s.

Players can get used to just about anything once a decent quality standard is met. I'm convinced that you can't buy a game with equipment, you can only buy a better game with deliberate practice and plain ole hard work.

Far to often when people purchase a new shaft, tip, cue etc. they practice more and then attribute the gains made to the new product and not their increased practice and skill development.
 
I played with solid maple for close to 20 years before taking a short hiatus. What I found was that solid maple will go through the ball a great deal better than a LD shaft. In most cases if you're a player who can jump full cue you will either lose the ability or it will be very difficult. However, there are exceptions to the rule. During the transition to LD I found that the new OB+ Classic and OB+ Pro both go through the ball as well as anything I've used in my life and they will jump the ball.

I was always more concerned with the shaft being spliced (radial consistency) rather than the LD properties that come with it. I used 30" shafts cut to 12.5mm with a 15" or 15-1/2" pro taper radial pin.

Other shafts that I thought played well with the same specs would be 314-3, off the shelf Katana, and most of the Mezz line.
 
Shooter08 said:
Maybe you should donate Ken a OB!! I tried one on a Schon, didn't hate it, but was t for me. If I used LD it would be a Jacoby Edge or Pechauer. Although I happen to sell both and you sell OB, makes sense to me! Seriously though, everybody I know who likes LD, swear by The Edge! Just my two cents, not my thing though.
Click to expand...

The problem I had with the LD shafts is I couldnt "curve" the cueball with it. Seems like a lot of the time you are just slightly "hooked" and I need to masse just slightly. I found it nearly impossible with a LD shaft. Otherwise they were fine.

Ken
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top