Last night in 8 ball league, I played with my friends Predator Z shaft. I ran out from the break with it. I brought it home to experiment with it some more on my table. Is it just me or do these really magnify the spin coming of a rail when you are kicking, or is it the deflecton factor. What are some things that I can do to really see a difference in it compared to a normal shaft. I would appreciate any input.
Z Shaft
- Thread starter irock
- Start date
They definitely make it easy to put spin on the ball, and it can get you in trouble if you're not careful. If you have a good stroke and are consistent, then the Z can make the game easier at times. With that said, I still prefer 12.75. An OB1 or 314 can do almost the same thing and are a little more forgiving.
I play with a Z2, switched about 2 years ago from my stock shaft, I really went with the Z2 because it was closer in diameter to my old shafts (which were about 12.1), and having played a lot of 3-cushion I liked the stiffer taper as well.
There is definitely less deflection than a normal stock shaft, and I can shoot certain types of shots with no allowances at all, but maybe that's because the minimal deflection and minimal swerve cancel out.
Several players in my room swear that the Z2 is "hard to control", they feel with a standard 12.5 or 12.75 shaft they can hit center better. They also say or think that the Z2 puts a lot more spin on the ball.
In my opinion, the smaller tip does give you the feeling that you have more pinpoint position, but ultimately only a small portion of the tip actually comes in contact with the cue ball, and I don't think that portion is that much different (if at all) with a smaller shaft. It's more perception I think. And as far as spin, I can put a lot of spin on the ball, and I didn't find it got any better necessarily with the Z2. I can grab a 314-2, or my old stock shaft, and draw the ball just as far or spin it just as much, I think it's more stroke or tip dependent than anything particular to the shaft. Maybe for beginning or intermediate players something like the Z2 would put more spin on the ball because they end up hitting more to the outside edges of the cue ball (or feel more comfortable doing so), or maybe the smaller amount of deflection gives them confidence to use more spin.
Either way, the Z2 and comparable shafts (OB2 etc.) are great shafts, and if you like them and play well with them then by all means go for it!
Scott
There is definitely less deflection than a normal stock shaft, and I can shoot certain types of shots with no allowances at all, but maybe that's because the minimal deflection and minimal swerve cancel out.
Several players in my room swear that the Z2 is "hard to control", they feel with a standard 12.5 or 12.75 shaft they can hit center better. They also say or think that the Z2 puts a lot more spin on the ball.
In my opinion, the smaller tip does give you the feeling that you have more pinpoint position, but ultimately only a small portion of the tip actually comes in contact with the cue ball, and I don't think that portion is that much different (if at all) with a smaller shaft. It's more perception I think. And as far as spin, I can put a lot of spin on the ball, and I didn't find it got any better necessarily with the Z2. I can grab a 314-2, or my old stock shaft, and draw the ball just as far or spin it just as much, I think it's more stroke or tip dependent than anything particular to the shaft. Maybe for beginning or intermediate players something like the Z2 would put more spin on the ball because they end up hitting more to the outside edges of the cue ball (or feel more comfortable doing so), or maybe the smaller amount of deflection gives them confidence to use more spin.
Either way, the Z2 and comparable shafts (OB2 etc.) are great shafts, and if you like them and play well with them then by all means go for it!
Scott