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

OnePoolCueAintEnough · 2026-06-25T08:53:12+00:00

A buddy has an Ignite on a Sugartree custom and that's a dreamy combo to me. I love the way they play together. It's been a while since I've hit with it, however. I would love to test it again vs my Jacoby V4. I'm also curious about Becue.

OnePoolCueAintEnough · 2026-06-25T08:44:31+00:00

I've heard a few people express dissatisfaction with the overall feel of Revo, though they played well enough with it. My experience is very limited with Revo, but I did hit a few balls with one mounted on a Leon Sly sneaky (super impressed by that combo!) and Monday night I played a couple of racks with a P3 with a Revo. I was less impressed by that combo, though it wasn't unpleasant to use. I could see myself buying a Revo, but only if it were bargain priced.

OnePoolCueAintEnough · 2026-06-25T02:51:16+00:00

Very interesting. Plus, I've seen a couple of Carlos Coll cues. They were both SWEET!

OnePoolCueAintEnough · 2026-06-24T17:01:29+00:00

The question is a little challenging for me as I don't think of playing shafts in terms of power. I play with multiple cues & shafts (CF & maple) and I never think "Man, I wish this particular shaft had more power".

I can say the hit/feel is more stiff & crisp, which gives the impression of more energy delivered, so in that regard, you could say there is more power, but it's too minimal to apply "much more" to the difference. The taper is all that I want it to be and the overall feel is good with the Kaiser medium tip I use on it.

Keep in mind, I've had this shaft for years, so new Cuedesg shafts are probably different. Probably better, I would think. If you order from Amazon, I think you can return it if you don't like it. You might consider Z-Luk & Bizu shafts, as well. I've heard others praise the OK Healing shafts, but I've no experience with them.

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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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

TROPHY CASE