Will a low deflection shaft help me?

M

maxeypad2007

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I'm an experienced player (I've played off and on for over 20 years).

I play pretty often on my home 7' table (diamond). Right now I play with a capone or a southwest with a normal shaft that is cut down significantly (like 12.5 with a less chunky taper) and moori tips.

From what I can tell most, if not nearly all top players are using low deflection shafts? At least the top rotation game players (I've not seen a lot of 1P and banks players using low deflection shafts but that seems to be more of a demographic based observation).

About ten years ago I tried using one of the early predator shafts and absolutely hated it which partially was caused by the fact that I was using a le pro tip on the cue.

I'm not opposed to gadgets. I own ten jump cues at least and around that many different break cues. I've tried $30 chalk cubes, magic racking templates and own almost every piece of instructional material on the market.

So now comes the questions.

1. Will a low deflection shaft help my game? I'm a decent B+ player.

2. Can someone show me a few shots that are EASIER to make with a low deflection cue.

3. How long will it take me to adjust? I know this is variable.

4. Which low deflection shaft should I go with? I'm leaning toward predator 314-2 because I did not feel like the OB shafts had any significant hit to them.

5. Will a low deflection shaft HURT my game in any way? I've heard a lot of statements from bank players that some "trick" banks are harder to shoot with a low deflection shaft.
 
maxeypad2007 said:
I'm an experienced player (I've played off and on for over 20 years).

So now comes the questions.

1. Will a low deflection shaft help my game? I'm a decent B+ player.

2. Can someone show me a few shots that are EASIER to make with a low deflection cue.

3. How long will it take me to adjust? I know this is variable.

4. Which low deflection shaft should I go with? I'm leaning toward predator 314-2 because I did not feel like the OB shafts had any significant hit to them.

5. Will a low deflection shaft HURT my game in any way? I've heard a lot of statements from bank players that some "trick" banks are harder to shoot with a low deflection shaft.
Click to expand...

Mine is perhaps an unpopular opinion. But since you asked here are my thoughts.

1. The low deflection shaft in my opinion will reduce the amount you need to adjust your aim, how much reduction will depend on the characteristics of your current shaft.

2. I can't think of any.

3. One of the questions I would ask about adjustment is this. If it takes you say 6 weeks of play with the new shaft to fully adjust (i just made up that number btw.) It's difficult to know how much the LD shaft helped your game versus some dedicated practice with your current shaft for the same amount of time.

4. If you decide to buy a LD shaft my suggestion is that you try them out and chose the one that feels the way you like. Personally I don't like any LD shafts that I've tried. (Predator 314 and Z, McDermott G-Core and OB-1)

5. The biggest risk I see with a LD shaft is that if you spend a good amount of time getting used to the new shaft and decide after a few months that you don't like it, you may have to get used to a different kind of shaft.

With that said, I've tried LD shafts and prefer my regular maple shafts with a stiff taper and 12mm Triangle tips and ivory ferrules. It works for me and your challenge is to identify what works for you. Everyone will have different things they like. I think of pool cues and shafts like the old saying about shoes. If they don't feel good when you first try them on, don't buy them.

Try before you buy and good luck in whatever you choose.
 
Last edited:
I offered awhile back to let you try a z2 and you never got back with me. I still have it; if you want to try it let me know.
 
yes,yes and yes

maxeypad2007 said:
I'm an experienced player (I've played off and on for over 20 years).

I play pretty often on my home 7' table (diamond). Right now I play with a capone or a southwest with a normal shaft that is cut down significantly (like 12.5 with a less chunky taper) and moori tips.

From what I can tell most, if not nearly all top players are using low deflection shafts? At least the top rotation game players (I've not seen a lot of 1P and banks players using low deflection shafts but that seems to be more of a demographic based observation).

About ten years ago I tried using one of the early predator shafts and absolutely hated it which partially was caused by the fact that I was using a le pro tip on the cue.

I'm not opposed to gadgets. I own ten jump cues at least and around that many different break cues. I've tried $30 chalk cubes, magic racking templates and own almost every piece of instructional material on the market.

So now comes the questions.

1. Will a low deflection shaft help my game? I'm a decent B+ player.

2. Can someone show me a few shots that are EASIER to make with a low deflection cue.

3. How long will it take me to adjust? I know this is variable.

4. Which low deflection shaft should I go with? I'm leaning toward predator 314-2 because I did not feel like the OB shafts had any significant hit to them.

5. Will a low deflection shaft HURT my game in any way? I've heard a lot of statements from bank players that some "trick" banks are harder to shoot with a low deflection shaft.
Click to expand...

Yes. And the pros way outnumber the cons.

It's not even close to a maybe..........
 
1. Will a low deflection shaft help my game? Maybe.

2. Can someone show me a few shots that are EASIER to make with a low deflection cue. The ones you don't have to correct for deflection.

3. How long will it take me to adjust? When I went LD from conventional--it took 6 hours before I could even pot balls normally and maybe another week to get it dialed in.

4. Which low deflection shaft should I go with? flip a coin

5. Will a low deflection shaft HURT my game in any way? probably ONLY durrent the adjustment period.
 
You would have to adjust your aiming a bit to get used to the LD shaft. If you are smart enough and adjust your mindset, you can get used to it and benefit from it. If you keep hitting the ball as if you are using a regular shaft, and get mad and think LD shafts suck, then you would not benefit from it. The point is, you have to be open minded when playing the first few times, because believe it or not, you will miss balls; you must observe and change, not a lot of people like "change", especially for people who play pool for 20 years with regular shafts, so it takes some dedication. With that said, for me LD shafts are "better" than regular shaft because it takes less amount of energy to control to cue ball.

Since you've tried the first generation of predator, and you did not like it, I think it's best to stay away from them, although I love to say that Predator is the best LD shaft out there. There are changes from the 2nd gen. to the 1st gen., maybe you will like it and maybe you will hate it even more. The point is nobody can promise anything....if there is a pool supply store near you somewhere, you should go and check it out; they usually have stocked LD shafts. Pool equipment are one of those things that everybody has different taste in. My best advice is that try a dozen before you are committed to one.

Thanks
 
Here's the answer to your question....

Anyone can adjust to anything... Will it make your game better, it depends...

Here's some scenarios. You are a total feel player you adjust to conditions automatically after practicing on those conditions for a little while.

In this scenario, it probably won't help or hurt your game in the long run.

Scenario two. You are used to using a regular shaft of Hard rock maple and you use BHE to adjust for spin.

A LD shaft will hurt your game. You would have to bring your bridge back really far to use BHE and it won't be comfortable or easy to adjust. You'll have to learn to manually compensate (it is easier to manually compensate with a LD shaft because you don't have to compensate any where NEAR as much).

If you rely on feedback to control speed a ld shaft will also hurt your game, they tend to have a hollow feel. I have been working on a LD shaft that gives better feedback and has more of a normal feel. I am also currently working on a semi ld shaft that allows for BHE with a much broader pivot point, like 6-9 inches instead of the typical 1-2 inches.

The last scenario, you have no idea how you do what you do on the table, you just do it, you've used a regular shaft and just wanted to check the hype out for yourself on the LD shaft tech.

Don't go by what pros use, they are often sponsored by the company who makes the shaft that they are using. You will likely have to try out various shafts to see what you are most comfortable with.

The lowest deflection, predator Z. The best feel in combination with LD, OB.

Well, mine as well. Then everything in between with all of the competitors out there. Mcdermott I-shafts etc...

It comes down to personal preference.

LD shaft tech allows for less adjustment necessary and it can be argued that the less the adjustment necessary, the less margin of error you will have, but it's still going to come down to what you feel most comfortable with.

Jaden
 
I would like to add, the only downside of predator shafts is that it will soften over the years.. it will bent easily after heavy use, but i think it will at least be 2,3 years of usage. and most likely you won't notice it.
 
Yes, they will help your game!

I've been using Predator shafts for years and they changed my game and made me a better player. I struggled using side spin on longer shots due to deflection, but not anymore. I use a Predator 314-2 with a Sniper tip and it has made a better player out of me. I'm not a world beater, but I don't play bad. The LD shaft helps more in 9 ball than 1 pocket because you are shooting shape in 9 ball to get on the next ball, but in 1 pocket you have so many options you usually can avoid long side spin shots so the deflection of a regular shaft isn't as much of a factor. Just my 2 cents on LD shafts.

James
 
The issue with most LD shafts are that they are hot on some parts of the ball and weak on others... case in point would be the original 314... worked great on the bottom of the cue ball but was really fickle on top of the ball... The OB1 was good on the top AND bottom but was impossible for me to load up pure sidespin on stuns.... Still have one and won't use it....

I have a custom Gibbs made here in TN and want to say that there were over a dozen prototypes made before coming up with something that was not hot and cold.... It does everything well....

Recently I tried the OB1 Classic Pro and I will admit that it seemed to not have any hot and cold issues but the small tip isn't for everyone....

Another thing I can promise you is that the LD shafts as far as feel and being hot and cold are more tip critical than anything I have seen...

The Ob1 Classic Pro I tried had a Kamui Med.... It worked well and felt good on that shaft... I have tried the Kamui Med on other shafts and up until the recent OB1 I would have called em junk for me.......
 
Zhero said:
I would like to add, the only downside of predator shafts is that it will soften over the years.. it will bent easily after heavy use, but i think it will at least be 2,3 years of usage. and most likely you won't notice it.
Click to expand...

The only times I have ever seen anything like you are describing have been issues of misuse... Either bowing the shaft on the table bed breaking... Leaving the shaft in the car in 100 degree heat or having some knucklehead heat the crap out of them on the lathe.....

As an engineered product the only real failure in the shaft would be from the failure of the glue lines.... as long as they retain integrity the shaft is going to stay consistent for years and years. This is an advantage over solid wood to me as I have broken spines on many maple shafts over the years.... Before anyone starts to argue I may have been bending the maple shafts on breaking and if this is what caused the spine failure it would have had the same effect on an engineered product....

You may split a ferrule on the predator but that should be about the only long term worry......
 
Until recently I would have said no, it won't help. I tried a 314 years ago almost every day for three months. I sold the cue with the 314 and swore I'd never use another one. In March of this year I tried a friend's 314-2 and it wasn't bad but I still wouldn't want to play with one. I also tried the Tiger demo that went around and didn't like it at all. No feel whatsoever. I recently got a new cue with the cue maker's ld shafts of his own design. Shorter ferrules, very gradual taper, 13mm. I love them! They react the way I always thought a ld shaft should and never did. It's up to you, if you switch you may have quite a period of adjustment. I'm still getting used to mine. I've never played with other after-market ld shafts other than those I listed and I didn't like them enough to buy.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top