Who makes the best shaft for pool?

There is no BEST Cue or Best Shaft or Best Tip in the world. Just like there's no BEST Food or Most Delicious Food in the world.

There is only what SUITS YOU BEST.

Anybody that gives you a firm answer of what's best either wants to sell you something real bad or is the maker himself...

Hmmmm.... are you implying that Smith Wollensky wasn't delicious enough ? if so, I guess I just saved myself some money not to treat you to any highend steak house and next time when you in town i can just take you to some run down alley cheap steaks. lolz hahaha

I was thinking to treat you to Del Frisco's, Gallagher's, Wolfgang, and Peter Lurger's guess you just save me quite a bit of $$$$$ hahahaha.....
 
the thing to do is feel out the shafts of different cuemakes on friends cues. most players in a pool room may not let you shoot with teir cue but will let you examine the shaft. for taper,feel, looks etc. then go to that cue maker and order one how you want it. it will be good.
 
The question breaks down with the word "best". If you asked "what is the lowest deflection (LD) shaft available" you could at least get some progress on an answer - although as pointed out above, no one will have used every shaft to be able to truly compare everything.

My preference is the lowest deflection I can get with the exception of Meucci - I played with one for years and loved it, and it was a good way to get a low deflection shaft as part of a cue at a reasonable price - but after I switched I find that I can't go back. The Meucci is just too flexible for my tastes now.

After the Meucci I went to a Predator 314 shaft then to an OB Cue Shaft and now I'm using an I3. I still own a Meucci black dot, 2 OB Cue shafts, a schon shaft (never played with) and the I3. Just last night I was comparing them side by side on my home table. The I3 plays very close to the OB Cue Shafts which is surprising since the original OB Shafts I have are a considerably larger shaft (12.75 mm vs 11.75mm for the I3) so in theory the smaller diameter OB Shaft should have lower deflection than the I3. Now that I have adjusted to a smaller diameter shaft I want to get a Predator Z2 and at some point an OB2 to try as well... actually I'm in the pipeline for a new Ariel Carmeli with a Z2 currently so no new shafts until I get that cue in a few months.

In my experience, you can't really go wrong with an LD shaft with a soft tip - they all play very well and you have to adjust to whatever shaft you get (just less so when going from one LD to another LD). Unless of course you just can't live with the lack of feedback / feel -or- if you have been playing so long that getting rid of the deflection throws your aim off. The people at Predator have been very good to me so on a personal note I would plug them if anyone (hence the Z2 on my new cue order).

Good luck,
Craig
 
For a long time, everybody conceded that Tad had the best shafts. He bought thousands of dense old dowels in the early '60s, stored them in barrels, and is still using them. Tony Scianella, Black Boar, also has the reputation for being extremely highly selective for his shaftwood. Actually, all the high end cuemakers are very, very selective for their shafts... No single shaft will make you a better player, it's the arrow and the archer and the knowledge, the sword and the samuari and the knowledge, all working in unison, that makes it happen.
:D
 
there is no correct answer, who has the best piece of wood?


i have had amazing shafts on $200 cues and POS shafts from the best cue makers in the world, wood does funny things over time.
 
i wouldnt play with a LD shaft for anything, they are horrible things, i spent to many years playing with REAL shafts, i cant make the switch. Great for those who can. and the champions who can play with both. but thats not me.
 
For a long time, everybody conceded that Tad had the best shafts. He bought thousands of dense old dowels in the early '60s, stored them in barrels, and is still using them. Tony Scianella, Black Boar, also has the reputation for being extremely highly selective for his shaftwood. Actually, all the high end cuemakers are very, very selective for their shafts... No single shaft will make you a better player, it's the arrow and the archer and the knowledge, the sword and the samuari and the knowledge, all working in unison, that makes it happen.
:D

yes Tad did IMO late 80's to early 90's
 
Valley makes some good shafts. The one on my cue had been around for.. well.. probably a couple decades, beat to hell and back, yet still rolls straight. Try leaving a Predator shaft to be used in a bar for 20 years. :thumbup:

Just a few hundred away from saying goodbye to my Joss and Z shaft for good.
 
Hmmmm.... are you implying that Smith Wollensky wasn't delicious enough ? if so, I guess I just saved myself some money not to treat you to any highend steak house and next time when you in town i can just take you to some run down alley cheap steaks. lolz hahaha

I was thinking to treat you to Del Frisco's, Gallagher's, Wolfgang, and Peter Lurger's guess you just save me quite a bit of $$$$$ hahahaha.....

Dude...why are you awake still??? Shouldn't u be resting??

Ofcourse i LURVEEEE my Wollensky! What i meant was...it's the best food for me but doesn't mean it's the best for the rest of them honey :grin:
 
When talking about shafts, the big divide is whether you like LD or not. I like LD shafts, and have tried a number of them (Predator, OB, Gulyassy, Varney). The SS360 from Bob Danielson/BD Cues is the best I've found, and it has curbed my desire to look for anything better.
 
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