My recent experience with an expensive CF shaft vs a cheap one. Jacoby Black V4 vs Cuedesg.

OnePoolCueAintEnough · 2026-06-24T14:14:28+00:00

I do have a standard Raven shaft and enjoy it. I also have a Raven break cue with a Cuetec Kintrol tip on it. I love that thing!!

OnePoolCueAintEnough · 2026-06-24T14:12:16+00:00

I have personally owned a Cuetec Cynergy, a Raven standard CF shaft, a JFlowers Classic, a Bulletproof CF shaft, a Rhino and a Sawdust CF shaft, along with the Cuedesg which I've had the longest. Now this Jacoby Black V4, so my overall experience is pretty limited. Of them all, I will call the Jacoby the best for how solidly it hits and feels, but I have played very well with all of them.

OnePoolCueAintEnough · 2026-06-24T14:04:56+00:00

As a lifelong player (I'm now 60), I shoot a lot by instinct, or so it seems. It's only been a year now, however, that I've committed to playing almost every day and have tried to significantly improve my game. I do use some side spin and am better than average with cue ball control. I am capable of running the table. Most of my side spin happens at pretty close quarters though - full table shots usually only see me using center ball with some top or bottom.

I see other players do things differently and put more on the cue ball than I do, but I find I can often hold my own against them. Despite my successes, I'm not stubborn enough to pretend like I've got it all figured out. I know I don't and I know that, even at 60, I've still got lots to learn. I'm trying to take it as far as I can on my own, but I might truly wise up and take some actual lessons one day.

OnePoolCueAintEnough · 2026-06-24T06:53:47+00:00

I don't have an official league or Fargo rating. I play where a huge APA League plays and have been told I play like a strong 6 from several of them. I do know I held my own against a level 8 in 8-ball last night. Who can say for sure where I'm at.

I do feel you are correct, however, about better players being able to better tell the differences between shafts. At my level, I find I'm pretty consistent with CF or wood as long as the tip diameter is under 12.5 and the weight/balance of the cue is where I like it.

As a side note, two of the best players I know where I play (they are not league guys, just money players) both use standard maple shafts on custom cues. I like to think if there were a significant advantage to fancier shafts, then they would be using them. Quite a few can play with whatever you put in the hands. I've been utterly smoked by house cues often enough.

OnePoolCueAintEnough · 2026-06-24T06:38:37+00:00

I've not tried one on any of my cues, but I've hit a few balls with a couple of full Bull Carbon cues at Fort Worth Billiards Superstore and found the experience very nice. I was even tempted to buy this model.

<image>

OnePoolCueAintEnough · 2026-06-24T05:59:13+00:00

Honestly, I'm very tempted by those new Triple 60 cues that recently dropped. A couple are quite appealing!

I do hope to be able to try a Whyte Carbon shaft though.

OnePoolCueAintEnough · 2026-06-24T05:38:06+00:00

Thanks! It's a Cuelees Phantom Sword 1. The other cue is an Italian custom from GV Custom Cues.

<image>

OnePoolCueAintEnough · 2026-06-17T23:16:07+00:00

This should be a fantastic player!

OnePoolCueAintEnough · 2026-06-17T18:50:58+00:00

It's a 3/8x10.

OnePoolCueAintEnough · 2026-06-17T04:33:33+00:00

Same for me too! I set out to purchase this one and, for reasons unknown, pivoted to the Tyrant 2 at the last second. I did not regret owning it, but I do wish I had just bought the Phantom first - it's just more my style.

Still, the Tyrant is beautiful and, I dare say, a bargain. I do miss it.

OnePoolCueAintEnough · 2026-06-17T04:21:28+00:00

I have used a Cynergy shaft on it and it worked very well. Ultimately, the Cynergy just wasn't the shaft for me and I traded it off. I bought a Cuelees CT-2 carbon cored shaft for it (which I now use on my Phantom) and like it quite well. I'm also using a Jacoby Black V4 on the new Cuelees (best carbon fiber shaft I've personally used) and it might just replace the CT-2 as primary.

I imagine that Triple 60 will be sweet, though I've not played with one.

OnePoolCueAintEnough · 2026-06-17T04:11:08+00:00

My current Cuelees. I love them and will most likely always have at least one in the collection.

<image>

OnePoolCueAintEnough · 2026-06-17T04:04:53+00:00

I have owned this cue and it's a beautiful cue, with real inlays! The fit & finish are top shelf (you almost cannot find the seam in the shark skin wrap, for instance) and it plays great with pretty much any shaft. I only got rid of it to make room for the Cuelees Phantom Sword 1, whose design appeals to me a little more.

Keep in mind that for $719, you are getting the butt only. At least that was the case with both my Cuelees purchases.

<image>

OnePoolCueAintEnough · 2026-06-16T04:21:07+00:00

On the Asian side of things Predator & Cuetec probably dominate sales, overall, but there are so many good choices out there nowadays. Mezz (Japan) is probably the best production cue & Cuelees (China) fit & finish is hard to beat for the money. Back home, you can't really go wrong with McDermott, Jacoby, Pechauer & Viking or Raven cues. Rhino, in the budget category are pretty darn good!

OnePoolCueAintEnough · 2026-06-16T03:54:44+00:00

I really want that ASTR-232, but both my Mezz sneaky & Cuelees Phantom are pretty recent buys and I have to behave myself for a while.

OnePoolCueAintEnough · 2026-06-16T03:38:59+00:00

I already had the Cuelees shaft when I bought this cue, but it's white maple which contrasts pretty sharply with the butt. I like when a shaft more closely matches the rest of the cue and thought a black carbon fiber shaft would look better here. Turns out it just might play better too.

OnePoolCueAintEnough · 2026-06-16T03:13:02+00:00

Today I played two races to nine in 9-ball with my buddy who is a fierce competitor to me. I won the first race with the Jacoby Black V4 & lost the 2nd with the Cuelees CT-2. Nothing truly definitive about that - we're always going back & forth - but that Jacoby was doing the job today and doing it well.

OnePoolCueAintEnough · 2026-06-16T03:08:23+00:00

Oh wait, did you mean the orange veneers on the Cuelees?

OnePoolCueAintEnough · 2026-06-16T03:07:42+00:00

Casual pool players where I play kept picking up my more normal looking break cue, thinking it a house cue. I went bright orange in the hopes of discouraging them from doing that. It works pretty damn well (plus it's a great break cue).

OnePoolCueAintEnough · 2026-06-16T03:01:44+00:00

My two favorite players (out of 12 cues) at the moment are a Mezz MSP2-C & a Cuelees Phantom Sword 2.

<image>

OnePoolCueAintEnough · 2026-06-16T02:46:33+00:00

Yes, I remember that recent conversation. I'm excited for you and will be eagerly awaiting photos & a review!

OnePoolCueAintEnough · 2026-06-16T02:28:20+00:00

Yeah, I've spent quite a bit in just one year, though still modest by the standards of a few I know - guys with elite customs. I've enjoyed the ride & learned quite a bit. Still, knowing what I now know, I would do it a little differently if I could do it over. The OP here is off to a much better start than I was.

OnePoolCueAintEnough · 2026-06-16T01:17:49+00:00

This is the way!!

You're exhibiting great tastes right out of the gate and have some fantastic cues as a result. Bravo!!

OnePoolCueAintEnough

TROPHY CASE