Update : I've joined the affiliate program at JFlowers Cues. I stand behind this product. I play with the Dante 2 now with the new SMO carbon fiber shaft. I use their cue extension full time and carry it all in a JFlowers case. If my words and videos convince you to take the plunge, please consider using my affiliate link. It's no cost to you and it gives me small discounts on future products I can order and review here. Cheers my friends! jflowerscues.com/ref/HereAfter_Billiards/
I can’t recommend j. Flowers cues. I bought a carbon fiber cue from their official site. My shaft came with a slight imperfection when they turned down the taper only which you can detect when stroking. The customer support never reached back to me after three emails. I just wanted a replacement for the shaft, not a full refund or full cue replacement. I did not use the cue until after six weeks of no response from j. Flowers. I should have bought the cue from Amazon instead because the customer service is prompt. If you want to convey my message to them then please do so. I’d rather buy my next premium cue from a more reputable company from now on.
@@thegayfrogs8031 Yes it's a pro taper and I have used it. If you're married to the idea of a 12.9mm shaft then the Crown is probably the answer. Otherwise I'd just go with the SMO. Both are amazing.
@HereAfterBilliards good to know! The SMO is out of my budget (I'm only just about to start playing APA next season), but the better tip, white sight line, and pro taper make sense for me, so it's probably what I'm gonna pick up when I get the Saber 1. Really love the colors on the blue one with the white leather wrap! Though in all honesty I'm looking at the 11.8mm model.
@@thegayfrogs8031 What diameter shaft do you play with now? Just be aware that if you go down to an 11.8mm any stroke issues you have presently can be magnified.
Just got the JFlowers SMO and I had a Revo before. For anybody wondering if it is Lower deflection than the Revo, it is slightly and it is definitely noticeable, which I love. Ive now switched all of my cues to JFlowers including Break and Jump Cue 😎🎱
You can't go wrong with a JFlowers Cue. 💪👍 I had to retreat from the SMO...I couldn't wrap my hear around the deflection factor. So weird. Still hit with a low deflection CF shaft...just not as extreme as the SMO
@ Haha that’s interesting I’m trying to minimize the deflection in this cue as much as humanly possible so I took the weight bolt out of the butt and the small weight bolt out of the shaft so the cue weight is 17.2oz and I’m going to put a tiger sniper tip on it right now and I think that will be a pretty solid combination for the lowest deflection cue at 12.5 mm 👌🏼
I watch quite a few of your videos and appreciate that you give an honest opinion without bias. My friend and I have embarked on the subject of cue deflection and how can we work with deflection, for over ten years now. We both bring certain skill sets to the endeavor. These skills include Math degrees, Vibration Analysis training for aircraft use and a decent understanding of how things work in the world (Engineering - Physics through life skills not actual training). I instructed how to deal with and understand vibration in aircraft for years. Any test of deflection in a cue that does not include how far the bridge is from tip and how hard it is shot, is flawed. Bridge length and power greatly affect deflection and to date I have not seen a deflection test that keeps these factors in mind. While we have developed a way to spin the cue ball that keeps these factors in mind, my comment is based on how to test a cues deflection characteristics. We developed a test on any table with nothing but a 20 inch ruler. This is an easy shot on a table that uses back hand frozen bridge English to find a result. Simply place the cue ball on the head string center, aim to the far center diamond, then freeze the bridge (very important that the bridge not move even a 32nd of an inch after aim), use the back hand to apply center ball equator spin, 1 or 1.5 tips works well, and watch the tip hit the cue ball at that spin during the shot. Shoot at a medium hard pace. Measure how far you need to bridge from the tip to have deflection send the cue ball straight to the far center rail aim point. I can't stress enough how important it is that the bridge be absolutely frozen during the pivot application of spin and shot. If you bridge to short the deflection will not be enough and if you bridge to far back the deflection will be to much. This means there is a spot that will deflect just right to the center diamond. Apply this distance from tip value to the shaft as a numerical representation of that shafts deflection characteristic. The Huebler cue you showed will be around 14 inches from tip. Most standard shafts will be in this area. A Revo will be around 18, or 19 inches back, a true low deflection shaft. This long pivot point is required in order to have low deflection. All Predator shafts since the original 314 in 1994 have this long bridge point behavior except their latest shaft for carom players. It is called a standard deflection so I assume it will be around 14 inches like your Huebler. I have never had one to test. When I think about how much a carom player wants to spin the cue ball, this makes sense. The shorter the numerical value of a shaft, the more it will spin the cue ball. Our goal here is to give players a way to understand the shaft they have and be able to quickly and accurately measure any cue for it's performance factor. We have a video that explains this in better detail if you want to check it out. th-cam.com/video/dNI6eQFB5-s/w-d-xo.html When you learn to properly freeze the bridge during the application of spin, this really does work. It is hard for Parallel players to freeze the bridge during the application of spin since they spent their life moving the bridge to apply spin so you may need to work on this or at least be aware of it. The world needs something that will give a real and accurate value to a shaft that clearly states what the shaft is. Around 14 inches from tip is where standard deflection shafts are and most normal shafts will be in this area. Around 18 or 19 inches back from tip is a full blown low deflection shaft, this long bridge behavior is required. The further back the bridge point the more low deflection the shaft. I call a normal shaft a 14 inch and a true low deflection shaft a 19 inch. The shaft my friend and I shoot with is only 11 inches back and creates a great deal of deflection. This is not for the faint of heart🙂 and not recommended for the way most of the world spins the cue ball. Give us an opinion if you will, we look forward to it. Thanks
Hey guys. I linked your video in the description of my newest Rhino Retro video and mentioned your channel as well. You certainly have done a lot of thinking and experimentation on this topic. Good luck with your future endeavours 👍
CUTEC AVID 11,75mm taped shaft (on 14") basic user. Had a normal good quality Maple coned shaft Cuetec for 30 year before going to lowest deflection shaft. I like very much your Review! It makes me happy of my cue, as I am not yet enough good to appreciate a better cue ! As you said, it is working at improving our skill that matters ! Thanks again!
I forgot something to say: There is no best or worst low deflection shaft on the market. A pool player needs an equipment which fits to him/her and to the ability to play. The "best" shaft will not make an APA2 to an APA5. No way. But does it help? Yes it does. People are different and thank God that it is like it is. Life would be boring when we were all the same. The cue has to fit to the player not the player to the cue. Once I tested an aftermarket CF shaft for 50 $. The taper was weired but it was playable. I have some friends in my Club and they baught Mezz Ignite, Revo ans Pechauer Rogue. Half a year later I can't see no improving in their ability to play. I hope most players have the chance to test cues before they buy. This is important. A great weekend to you all!
Yes, it's mostly the player and not the stick. However, I think once a player gets to the point of knowing where he wants the cue ball to go, and understand the approximate english to move the cue to where it's needed...at that point, a decent Carbon Fiber stick is worth the money. I don't think you needs to pay $1500 for a predator with revo shaft, but a cheap $330 JFlowers with a Kamui tip probably wouldn't be a bad investment.
This is so true,I can do just as much with a house cue that I can do with my jflowers cue, I just like the feeling of the carbon fiber and not having to worry about warping in the heat
I'd recommend trying them all in person. Pooldawg and seyberts have great return policy. I personally love revo but Jacoby Black v4.0 is a close second. It all comes down to personal feel. Can get 100 opinions but we aren't you.
Yeah to each their own. A cue truly is a personal item and we all have different tastes for sure👍🔥. I've hit a few balls with the Crown. I wouldn't want to really render an opinion as I haven't had much time with that shaft.
I mean all these shafts are so close now. I don't think you can really differentiate and say one has less than another by a fair margin. Even depending on the length of your bridge from the end of the shaft will affect deflection. Just experiment and see if you like the feel👍
@@HereAfterBilliards yeah I think the SMO is great but I think for me I like the bigger shafts. 12.75 and 12.9 but it could just be all in my head lol. Haven’t seen many reviews on the crown in 12.9 so wondering whether to try it out or go with a Revo
@@USMCKoontz No it's not in your head. Larger diameter shafts introduce a larger margin of error in regards to unintended side spin. Its a real thing. One way of testing this is going down to an 11.8mm shaft. I can tell you're like me...I hated it but it also exposed some weaknesses in my stroke that I could work on.
The advantage to pro taoer is very apparent when playing on 9 ft tables. The drastic difference in conical taper or even a taper like the revo drives me crazy. The reason i found my self watching this video is because I have a P3 with a revo and hate the taper. Have tried cynergy and had significantly more deflection. Tried Jacoby and it's pretty damn good. Im tempted to try this smo to see if it bests the jacoby.
It's a fantastic shaft but I couldn't tell you if you'd prefer it. Like I said the video...a pool cue is a personal item (got that off my buddy)... But he's right. Cant go wrong with this shaft
regarding the "leaked" video i just think it´s strange they don´t say what kind of revo or cynergy and why are they testing the carom ignite or is it supposed to have less deflection than the pool one?
I wonder what the diameter of the SMO shaft is. But not the tip, the other end. The one that is screwed onto the queue butt. Thinking of just ordering the shaft but not sure if it will fit flush.
21.26mm. I just measured for you brother. If you do decide to pull the trigger please use my link. It costs you nothing and it helps my channel out. jflowerscues.com/ref/HereAfter_Billiards/ Hope this helps and it fits!
Im new to exploring the technology side of cues and shafts so it seems any analysis or outcome from a shaft would depend on what cue it's being played with? If not than whats the relevance of the cue? When you weighed the two shafts the smo weighed more coming in at 3.3 ounces vs 2.7 on the classic, which you said the smo was lighter. Wondering how the smo is lighter
This is the debate. There literally are companies that just sell shafts. They'll have many different pin configurations and just sell shafts. In my opinion the most important aspects to a cue are the shaft and then the tip. Lagging behind is the joint. I personally believe that the butt is very inconsequential. For example I shoot with a Rhino cue now. The butt of my cue isn't even wood... Its composite. I don't feel the difference. If I was you I wouldn't get caught up in the numbers. I did that because that's what reviewers do. What a more significant thing to concern yourself with is understanding your game and your tendencies. If you understand those things you'll know which product is right for you.
@@HereAfterBilliards After watching your review and furthering my research I'm leaning towards the Dante 2 with white lizard, SMO shaft and Taom Pro Medium Tip (Not sure of the fusion since it's medium/hard), 12.5 tip, 19.5 oz. Will probably pull the trigger Monday and use your link. Enjoying your channel. Any discount codes available?
@@flaron352 Thanks my friend🔥👍Coincidentally I use the Taom Medium Pro right now and love it. After a month and a half I'm not seeing any mushrooming or compression (but I'm sure it's on it way). Before that I had a Taom Pro Soft and while I felt I could shape the cue ball well, I just couldn't handle the loss in power on my medium to long range shots. Happy shopping 🔥👍💪Enjoy the new equipment.
@@flaron352Oh and as for discount codes I'm not sure there are any. However when you order the equipment there is a checkbox in your cart section where you request a coupon on your next purchase I believe. I just pulled the trigger in the new Tactical case and RPG Jumper. Both are on sale but so new they're on back order. Hoping to get them before Christmas 🤞
What about the $300 JFlowers cue. I haven’t played for about 45 years and I have only ever played with a maple cue and am thinking of getting a carbon fiber cue.
Honestly you can't go wrong with one of their entry models. The Classic shaft is low deflection and probably the best choice for you considering how long it's been since you played. Starting with an SMO would be too much... Work yourself in slow👍 JFlowers is a super solid choice and the cue I love myself. If you do decide to pull the trigger use the channel affiliate code. Helps the channel out and doesn't cost you anything. Now get playing again!!! 👍😂 jflowerscues.com/ref/HereAfter_Billiards/
I've tried a REVO 12.9mm. There's a lot of local players that are very loyal to Predator. Everyone these days claims to have the lowest deflection. Both the REVO and the SMO are amazing. It's too close to call for me which one has less deflection. However the price for the REVO is twice as much over the SMO. I really don't know how anyone can justify that fact.
@@HereAfterBilliards that’s cool and I have one coming in the mail next week to try out myself, but no point in saying the Revo costs double and in actuality the prices are very close. I hope it’s similar to Revo with better feel.
@@masonhoughland4011Ok. Few things. I believe the REVO has come down in price since the making of this video which is good. Also my meaning when I say twice as much is more pointed to the fact that if I order a JFLOWERS cue with an SMO it easily can be twice as cheap as if I were to order a Predator cue with the REVO shaft. Sorry for the confusion 🙏
Today I received a delivery from JFLowers, a SMO shaft. The only difference is a weight bolt which was already installed with the shaft so I had not to do anything.
Did you get the Alan Key as well? You should have. I mean we all have them at home but you definitely should have received one with the shaft. Take the screw out and make sure everything is good with the threads. You may like the shaft without the weight. That being said I truly don't understand the logistics behind the weight screw. It's so light. I really don't know how much of a difference it's making. Congratulations on your purchase. The shaft is amazing. 👌👍
@@HereAfterBilliards No, alen key was not a part of the packaging. If JFlowers just forgot to send it to me, I can reach out the customer service for th assistance.
@@HereAfterBilliards Here is the most recent response from JFlowers support: *The weight bolt for the SMO was a beta test that was discontinued. We have made the weight of the SMO permanent, and it no longer has a bolt to be removed or added.*
Love the ignite and thinking of taking the plunge toward the smo. Really wish they would have stuck with the weight bolt system on these smo’s. After using the Mezz Avant twin bolt system and now the McDermott h series, I’ve come to like a more front weighted cue. Be awesome if Jflowers would release a front weighted cue in their line up.
Well as you saw in this video that weight bolt weighed so little. I really don't think it made that much of a difference. They must have had some kind of plan but that's donzo now I guess. I find the SMO to be fantastic and I enjoy every minute with it. Sounds like you've shot with quite a few shafts. I'm curious as to why you're looking to switch? In any event... If you do decide to go with the SMO consider doing the channel a solid and use my reference code. Costs you nothing👍 jflowerscues.com/ref/HereAfter_Billiards/
Yea have quite a few from the revo, cynergy, ignite and the defy. Revo is too hollow and tingy sounding for my taste, cynergy is not bad and love the ignite and defy. I honestly just like trying stuff out and the smo with its “lowest deflection” claim has peaked my interest. I’ll certainly use the link if I decide to go with an smo. Only thing stopping me at the moment is the lack of front weighted cues in their lineup and no pin options for the front weighted butts I have. (I tried the front weighted cues a few months ago and love them, will be tough to go back to rear bolt cues)
Actually curious now on the flowers cues balance point. If u get a chance, would you mind balancing it with the shaft on with your finger and letting me know how many inches the balance point is from the rear of the cue? Under 19” and it’s a rear weighted cue, 19.5+ inches and it’s more front weighted. You wouldn’t think a few inches make a difference but, in my opinion of course, feels so nice with less weight in your rear hand and more downward pressure on your bridge hand.
@@VetteWay2Fast Yes JFlowers doesn't have many joint configurations. I just did a Rhino review a while back but their shafts feel like the JFlowers Classic shaft...but they've got tonnes of joint options
I agree you should reach out to them and ask why they've gone with the joint configuration they have. I'm sure each cue company will give you their sales pitch on why their joint is the best 😉
I'm deciding on buying between a brand new cuetec svb ghost with cynergy 12.5mm or jflowers earl strickland butt with SMO shaft. The jflowers is being sold to me by my friend and its the same price with a brand new cuetec svb ghost. Any recommendations on what i should buy?
Well in this video I got the shaft into the hands of Usama and he plays with the cynergy. He said he couldn't tell the difference. My only recommendation would be to get both in your hands and try them. Also be cognisant of the tip that each cue has as that plays into feel. In the end only you can make this decision as its personal preference. Also enjoy the buying process...you're the master of your own domain😊
The SMO is not only in the conversation, it is just an OUTSTANDING shaft. For real, we are talking about top quality equipment. If somebody is thinking about going for it, do it, it’s a total yes.
Agreed...but you have to respect it. It'll sting you if you don't put it through the paces. It hits just like a REVO IMO. You'll dog shots if you over-compensate. It's a wonderful shaft👍
Switched to synergy because I can't stand the taper on my revo. The deflection difference is significant. Which is why I am thinking about trying this smo.
Be advised. I ordered a cue from their website. I believe it came from Florida. I won't say the name of the seller. I received a totally different cue and they wouldn't do anything to help. So I went and bought a Whyte's Raw Carbon fiber shaft. I have 4 different joints for it that allow me to use on 4 different cue brands(joints). It is worth every penny and makes my previous Jflowers Cue pretty much useless. And I really like it. Never again with Jflowers.
Hey Mike. I'm glad you found something that makes you happy. I really didn't know what you were talking about when you mentioned the joints so I had to look it up. Really interesting. I guess that's for if you have multiple butts with different joint configurations. Cool idea. I'm curious how the metal on metal joint feels. Any different? As for your JFlowers experience I'm sorry that happened. Really weird as customer service has always been outstanding with me. What I don't understand is you saying you won't name the name of the seller? I don't get that. You bought if from the website right? What other seller are you referring to? Makes me wonder if you bought a JFlowers on the JFlowers Facebook group. The private sales on there definately are not solicited by Jflowerscues.com I'm just glad you found something you like.
nice, the shaft really helps me when i am too lazy to aim carefully on shots from the bank 😂. Btw Cynergy has quite higher delections compared to Revo, or SMO. Its all up to your liking though
@@tmangan327 Honestly I can only speak to what I've tried in the past. I've tried the REVO and Ignite. I strongly believe that the technology that's going into these shafts is getting streamlined and refined to the point where they are all very competitive with each other. I guess then it just comes down to feel. If you're in an urban area try to track those shafts down and physically try them. All I can say is I've chosen to stay with the SMO. It's super solid👌
Good Video, but there is one fact that most People who are testing shafts never mention. The lower the deflection of the shaft, the more it is nearly impossible to learn the fundamentals of Billiards at all. These shafts are trying to work against the physics. Just think about Efren in his prime. The kind he was playing would have never been possible with a CB shaft. Today, the sport changed a bit. Other Balls, faster Cloth, tighter Pockets and so on. And most of the top players, play the same style. Compare the styles of Fedor, Filler, Tyler, Morra, FSR and many more. They all play great but not as in motion as players do in the 90's. I play for about 33 years and I am still improving. I also switched to a CF shaft. Tested Revo, Ignite, GO and finally landed on the Cinergy. Just because it has not the lowest deflection but the other benefits of CF like durability and ding resistence. But it plays closest to wood, at least for me.At the end of the day, it's the indian and not the arrow! I'm from germany and I just described to your channel.
I truly appreciate your words. In fact I used to completely agree with them. Many many people agree with your opinion. My opinion however has changed. Let's look at other sports. Hockey players used to play with wood sticks but have since moved on to carbon fiber graphite. There's more whip in their shots and more accuracy. Even Boris Becker when he was playing in his hay day played with tennis rackets that were vastly superior to the tennis rackets used by players in the '60s and '70s. Sports evolve and the equipment evolves with the sport. As I said in the video just because this is a low deflection shaft, it doesn't mean that it's a no deflection shaft. So players still have to understand the concept of deflection and compensating for deflection when using english. Yes it's different but the concepts are the same. I think people are going to argue about this for quite some time and that's what's beautiful about the game because healthy debate is good. I honor your opinion! PS: I love it when someone tells me they subscribed from Germany. My father grew up in Germany in a small town called Lindau in southern Germany on the Bodensee. My childhood was filled with German tennis and football. But his number one love was British Snooker. We played hundreds of hours down in the basement on the snooker table and those times were some of my most fond with him. Cheers from Alberta Canada!
THX for your kind answer! In my case, it's just my personal opinion. 10 years ago I said to my wife: I play pool for almost 20 years and now I need a break. Just a season or two. So after 10 years I went back on pool. Took some weeks but I am back. Stronger as I have ever been. But I feel like a bit of Beauty of the game has been lost due to new equipment. I will not say that it's bad it is different. And yes, many shots are much easier with CF shafts. Back in the days I used to play tennis for about 12 years. And I grew up during Becker's prime. I watched the Wimbledon final against Curren and started myself. Born in 1975! But you know what, I'm still feeling "young" and beating many players who had no season break and playing higher than me makes me happy. Billiard is a fantastic sport. Greetz to Canada and stay healthy. I am working on my YT channel and it will be a bit parodic. People should not take everything so serious in sports or hobbies. First Vid comes soon an my channels name is NSSB - not so serious billiards!@@HereAfterBilliards
@@HereAfterBilliards Looks like I may have found another tennis and billiards fan, like myself. Germany produced some world class players in Becker and Stich. Like you said, all sports have evolved and the equipment evolves along with them. Golf clubs from 30 years ago will no longer work in today's game. Even the tennis racquets that Becker played with, although cutting edge during his time, are considered ancient now. Pool is not immune to these changes. Back in the day, some of the best balls were Brunswick. Now Aramith has come along and made the balls even better. Even the tables (diamond, rasson) have evolved. Not to say they are much better than older gold crowns, but they have definitely changed. The same goes with the CF shafts. Even the technology for woods shafts have changed. They are better than what was used in years past. I'm glad I found this channel, and I look forward to more content.
Not sure what do you mean by "(CF) shafts are trying to work against the physics". The sentence is totally incorrect as it implicates possibility that somenthing cheats the physics, but it is not. Also, a billiard fundamental, the very essential part of it is to hit a straight shot with the centre of the cue ball. I have to be able to hit s straight shot even with a broomstick. If the straight shot goes off, the stroke to be fixed, or stance, or grip, or vision center... Once I got totallt confident with the straight shots, only then I can think about spins and deflections, but never before.
There is no way the speed is right on that video. Looks more like breaking speed at 16-20 mph. I use low left to break from the left side, hitting the second ball. If it deflected right as much as they show, I would miss the rack. I don't think I ever hit a shot that hard using English. I'm a master level, and shoot with a pechauer and rogue shaft. My Reeves custom has a Jacoby black shaft. Both shoot great. At the moment I'm breaking with the predator BK Rush, but thinking about the blackout, Becue naked, or pechauer rogue break.
I was told by JFlowers Cues after this video came out that they flew in an independent engineer from Thailand to authenticate the results. In the end though it'll come down to personal preference. Sounds like you have a very personal feel for your cues worked out and you know what you like. That's awesome.
I wouldn't call 14" a pro taper, my Jacoby black has a 19" pro taper. It comes standard with a kamui black soft, flowers charges $50 more for the same tip, putting it about $25 more than the Jacoby.
Yes. Apparently they flew in an impartial judge from Taiwan I think it was. Doesnt really matter. I'm sure it was purposefully leaked it😜😂. After playing with the thing for over 6 months I can honestly say I love it
@@HereAfterBilliards one thing that bothers me about pool cues is how they keep pumping the technology aspect. It seems to me they keep solving the same problem over and over but the length of the pool cue they haven’t figured out yet. I picture a bunch of scientists sitting around an office smoking cigarettes, crunching numbers and stressing over deflection. When someone mentions cue length they all start to panic. I also wonder why I can buy a whole set of golf clubs for less money than one pool cue. I purchased a Cuetec cue from one of those small billiards stores that disappeared in the late 80’s and early 90’s for $75 and it’s the same cue I still shoot today. Now, that I’m old and wider I’m going to try a joint extension on it and I’m still pretty upset that I’ve had to drop about $500 on 3 cues a bag and the little maintenance items. I might depart with a few extra dollars if they made the a few different lengths up to 65 inches.
@@realchicagophill I agree. I compare it to tooth paste. How can tooth paste keep getting better?! It's amazing LOL. Oh by the way, I play with an extension on my cue full time. I love the extra weight and how it steadies me when I roll forward on shots. Juicing back takes some getting used to however.
@@HereAfterBilliards I’ll be giving it a go. These tables feel a lot shorter and longer than I remember them being. As a young man, the 9 foot tables were a real treat for me and a little stretch wasn’t a big problem. As long as the extension fits the stick the right way, I think it’ll be a nice change. We used to eat 3 piece cues for breakfast. They didn’t last a day or a week for the good ones. We’ll see how it goes. These JFlowers cues do look interesting I must admit.
I had bad experience with the cue and JFs service. Its just another chinese cue that start selling in america by american. Pick a cue with a trustworthy brand. U will soon know why it is cheap.
I've played with their products for well over a year now. I'm quite happy with their performance...that being said I value your input but am also saddened that you had a bad experience. Hope you found something that works for you and you're kicking ass! 👌👍
Well then you are lucky they sent you a cue that exactly weight as ordered. I got one that was completely out of balance very butt heavy and not the weight I ordered. I ordered 19 ounce got 19.2 ounce. But with a butt heavy as 15.6 ounce which is way to much for a 19 ounce cue. So be warned when onderring at this company they will not solve the issue best you can get is get your money back, but then they do not want you anymore as customer. You have to accept the cue as is. If you are a serious player I advise stay away from this. They said to me their butts and shafts all have different weights and get combined to be roughly the weight you order. So If you are lucky the cue has good balance or very bad if you are not.
John this was quite the comment. Before I reply I'm going to state a few things about myself. I'm 48 years old and have been playing this game my whole life. I'm not an ambassador to JFlowers but I am an affiliate. I don't owe this company anything. I can say what I want to. For the first time in my life I'm actually working a job thats close to consumer customer service. So I'm learning on the fly what it means to deal with unhappy customers. OK. Here we go. You're obviously mad and unhappy with your experience with JFlowers. This is unfortunate but all I can do is relay my experience. The SMO is the 4th product I've used from JFlowers and everytime I've been over the moon with the quality of the product. I can promise you that I classify myself as a 'Serious Player'. Truthfully I don't know how much deviance other cue companies allow in their weights but I can honestly tell you that if your cue is 0.2 Oz too heavy you can't feel it. Now I'm a person who plays with my 6" extension on full time...so at this point I could care less about the balance point...I'm looking for other things to jive with my stroke. Now let's talk about your tact. I've noticed that you've copied and pasted this comment on a number of videos. I understand you're trying to send a message but after seeing this I can honestly say you're looking like a perverbial Karen...and yes that's an actual adjective in society now. I've learned through the years that cues are a tool and you customize and experiment with them until you're happy. I'll end it here by saying I honor your journey and wish you best of luck in your search for the perfect magical cue. Peace.
Dude I wish I was. I like money. Not going to lie. If you actually listened to me you'd hear me say multiple times that a cue shaft is a highly personal item. Buy whatever you want. This is my honest opinion and to this day is the only shaft that goes on my cue. I'm a huge fan of their products. I'm certainly guilty of being biased to a certain degree. I love the quality of their products for the price that they're offering them. But don't call me out as a paid shill. It ruins my morning and quite frankly pisses me off.
@@perfectiom3718 I wish I had one to give you but JFlowers doesn't give one. But if you do pull the trigger on one using my code doesn't cost you anything 😉 Wink wink nudge nudge.
For me the answer is yes. But I don't know if I can answer that question for you. Do you currently play with a low deflection shaft? Depending on that answer I could steer you to an educated decision for yourself...but we're all different...
All marketing gimmicks..Classic I guarantee is no different than the SMO except a different ring around the joint collar, laser etchings on the shaft itself, and tip selection.
The biggest difference is the pro taper. With both the shafts I have having the Taom Fusion on them I can tell you they hit differently. I did try to get JFlowers to divulge the secrets...but to no avail. IMO it hits great and has less deflection than the classic.
You can tell exactly the same marketing gimmick claims about any shaft on the market. Plus, you can guarantee absolutely nothing neither your anonymous reputation, cos there is none.
No I'm sorry. At present the SMO only has three configurations. 3/8 *8 Radial, Uni-Loc Quick Release and a 3/8*10. I will say that if you're looking into getting A Carbon Fiber shaft and you're married to the idea of staying with your MEUCCI, check out Rhino Billiards. One area they shine is their shaft joint selection. rhino-billiards.com/HEREAFTER_BILLIARDS Use this link for 5% off Or if you have the money, invest in a JFlowers Cue and upgrade to an SMO shaft. My personal favorite is the Dante 2 or the JF20-EBF jflowerscues.com/ref/HereAfter_Billiards/
Update : I've joined the affiliate program at JFlowers Cues. I stand behind this product. I play with the Dante 2 now with the new SMO carbon fiber shaft. I use their cue extension full time and carry it all in a JFlowers case. If my words and videos convince you to take the plunge, please consider using my affiliate link. It's no cost to you and it gives me small discounts on future products I can order and review here. Cheers my friends!
jflowerscues.com/ref/HereAfter_Billiards/
I can’t recommend j. Flowers cues. I bought a carbon fiber cue from their official site. My shaft came with a slight imperfection when they turned down the taper only which you can detect when stroking. The customer support never reached back to me after three emails. I just wanted a replacement for the shaft, not a full refund or full cue replacement. I did not use the cue until after six weeks of no response from j. Flowers. I should have bought the cue from Amazon instead because the customer service is prompt. If you want to convey my message to them then please do so. I’d rather buy my next premium cue from a more reputable company from now on.
Did you figure out if the Crown has a pro taper? Have you ever used it?
@@thegayfrogs8031 Yes it's a pro taper and I have used it. If you're married to the idea of a 12.9mm shaft then the Crown is probably the answer. Otherwise I'd just go with the SMO. Both are amazing.
@HereAfterBilliards good to know! The SMO is out of my budget (I'm only just about to start playing APA next season), but the better tip, white sight line, and pro taper make sense for me, so it's probably what I'm gonna pick up when I get the Saber 1. Really love the colors on the blue one with the white leather wrap! Though in all honesty I'm looking at the 11.8mm model.
@@thegayfrogs8031 What diameter shaft do you play with now? Just be aware that if you go down to an 11.8mm any stroke issues you have presently can be magnified.
Just got the JFlowers SMO and I had a Revo before. For anybody wondering if it is Lower deflection than the Revo, it is slightly and it is definitely noticeable, which I love. Ive now switched all of my cues to JFlowers including Break and Jump Cue 😎🎱
You can't go wrong with a JFlowers Cue. 💪👍 I had to retreat from the SMO...I couldn't wrap my hear around the deflection factor. So weird. Still hit with a low deflection CF shaft...just not as extreme as the SMO
@ Haha that’s interesting I’m trying to minimize the deflection in this cue as much as humanly possible so I took the weight bolt out of the butt and the small weight bolt out of the shaft so the cue weight is 17.2oz and I’m going to put a tiger sniper tip on it right now and I think that will be a pretty solid combination for the lowest deflection cue at 12.5 mm 👌🏼
@@MagicMikeBilliards Wow we're going in opposite directions. I've preferred an 18 Oz cue my whole life and now I add weight to the butt lol
I watch quite a few of your videos and appreciate that you give an honest opinion without bias.
My friend and I have embarked on the subject of cue deflection and how can we work with deflection, for over ten years now. We both bring certain skill sets to the endeavor. These skills include Math degrees, Vibration Analysis training for aircraft use and a decent understanding of how things work in the world (Engineering - Physics through life skills not actual training). I instructed how to deal with and understand vibration in aircraft for years.
Any test of deflection in a cue that does not include how far the bridge is from tip and how hard it is shot, is flawed. Bridge length and power greatly affect deflection and to date I have not seen a deflection test that keeps these factors in mind. While we have developed a way to spin the cue ball that keeps these factors in mind, my comment is based on how to test a cues deflection characteristics.
We developed a test on any table with nothing but a 20 inch ruler. This is an easy shot on a table that uses back hand frozen bridge English to find a result. Simply place the cue ball on the head string center, aim to the far center diamond, then freeze the bridge (very important that the bridge not move even a 32nd of an inch after aim), use the back hand to apply center ball equator spin, 1 or 1.5 tips works well, and watch the tip hit the cue ball at that spin during the shot. Shoot at a medium hard pace. Measure how far you need to bridge from the tip to have deflection send the cue ball straight to the far center rail aim point. I can't stress enough how important it is that the bridge be absolutely frozen during the pivot application of spin and shot.
If you bridge to short the deflection will not be enough and if you bridge to far back the deflection will be to much. This means there is a spot that will deflect just right to the center diamond. Apply this distance from tip value to the shaft as a numerical representation of that shafts deflection characteristic.
The Huebler cue you showed will be around 14 inches from tip.
Most standard shafts will be in this area.
A Revo will be around 18, or 19 inches back, a true low deflection shaft.
This long pivot point is required in order to have low deflection.
All Predator shafts since the original 314 in 1994 have this long bridge point behavior except their latest shaft for carom players. It is called a standard deflection so I assume it will be around 14 inches like your Huebler. I have never had one to test. When I think about how much a carom player wants to spin the cue ball, this makes sense. The shorter the numerical value of a shaft, the more it will spin the cue ball.
Our goal here is to give players a way to understand the shaft they have and be able to quickly and accurately measure any cue for it's performance factor.
We have a video that explains this in better detail if you want to check it out.
th-cam.com/video/dNI6eQFB5-s/w-d-xo.html
When you learn to properly freeze the bridge during the application of spin, this really does work.
It is hard for Parallel players to freeze the bridge during the application of spin since they spent their life moving the bridge to apply spin so you may need to work on this or at least be aware of it.
The world needs something that will give a real and accurate value to a shaft that clearly states what the shaft is.
Around 14 inches from tip is where standard deflection shafts are and most normal shafts will be in this area.
Around 18 or 19 inches back from tip is a full blown low deflection shaft, this long bridge behavior is required.
The further back the bridge point the more low deflection the shaft.
I call a normal shaft a 14 inch and a true low deflection shaft a 19 inch.
The shaft my friend and I shoot with is only 11 inches back and creates a great deal of deflection. This is not for the faint of heart🙂 and not recommended for the way most of the world spins the cue ball.
Give us an opinion if you will, we look forward to it.
Thanks
Hey guys. I linked your video in the description of my newest Rhino Retro video and mentioned your channel as well. You certainly have done a lot of thinking and experimentation on this topic. Good luck with your future endeavours 👍
@@HereAfterBilliards Thank You so much.
I just recently started watching WhyFiles and saw your shirt and was mindblown hahaha amazing
😂😂😂😂😂This comment just made my day! If you just started watching you have so much amazing Heckle Fish ahead of you!!!
Thanks for the great content.
Liked, subscribed.
Thank you very much! 👌
Amazing review, thanks mate!
Thanks for that🔥❤️
CUTEC AVID 11,75mm taped shaft (on 14") basic user. Had a normal good quality Maple coned shaft Cuetec for 30 year before going to lowest deflection shaft.
I like very much your Review! It makes me happy of my cue, as I am not yet enough good to appreciate a better cue ! As you said, it is working at improving our skill that matters !
Thanks again!
Absolutely! It's a journey!
I forgot something to say: There is no best or worst low deflection shaft on the market. A pool player needs an equipment which fits to him/her and to the ability to play. The "best" shaft will not make an APA2 to an APA5. No way. But does it help? Yes it does. People are different and thank God that it is like it is. Life would be boring when we were all the same. The cue has to fit to the player not the player to the cue. Once I tested an aftermarket CF shaft for 50 $. The taper was weired but it was playable. I have some friends in my Club and they baught Mezz Ignite, Revo ans Pechauer Rogue. Half a year later I can't see no improving in their ability to play. I hope most players have the chance to test cues before they buy. This is important. A great weekend to you all!
I completely agree and I say this in the video. A pool cue is a highly personal item👍👍
Yes, it's mostly the player and not the stick. However, I think once a player gets to the point of knowing where he wants the cue ball to go, and understand the approximate english to move the cue to where it's needed...at that point, a decent Carbon Fiber stick is worth the money. I don't think you needs to pay $1500 for a predator with revo shaft, but a cheap $330 JFlowers with a Kamui tip probably wouldn't be a bad investment.
@@JohnBowl14690 Well said👍✊
This is so true,I can do just as much with a house cue that I can do with my jflowers cue, I just like the feeling of the carbon fiber and not having to worry about warping in the heat
Where do I order a jflowers cue that gives free shiping to Miami?.
Wow I think you're super close to the US distribution center. www.JFlowerscues.com
I think it's in Florida😲
Thanks buddy, this came at a good time as im weighing up between a Z3, Revo and now SMO :)
Cheers man and have fun with the purchase👍
I'd recommend trying them all in person. Pooldawg and seyberts have great return policy. I personally love revo but Jacoby Black v4.0 is a close second. It all comes down to personal feel. Can get 100 opinions but we aren't you.
@@donkeydiehard879 Yup. You said it👍
Thanks all :) as you said and we all come to learn, it's a very personal thing. Which ever one I go for I'll look to do another low deflection video 👊
I have the SMO. Great Shaft, although I prefer the 12.9 Revo over it. SMO is only in 12.5 at the moment
I have the SMO and enjoy it but I much prefer the 12.9 revo. I have wondered how the 12.9 Crown would compare to the 12.9 Revo.
I have the Revo 12.4. You think it’s lower deflection than that?
Yeah to each their own. A cue truly is a personal item and we all have different tastes for sure👍🔥. I've hit a few balls with the Crown. I wouldn't want to really render an opinion as I haven't had much time with that shaft.
I mean all these shafts are so close now. I don't think you can really differentiate and say one has less than another by a fair margin. Even depending on the length of your bridge from the end of the shaft will affect deflection. Just experiment and see if you like the feel👍
@@HereAfterBilliards yeah I think the SMO is great but I think for me I like the bigger shafts. 12.75 and 12.9 but it could just be all in my head lol.
Haven’t seen many reviews on the crown in 12.9 so wondering whether to try it out or go with a Revo
@@USMCKoontz No it's not in your head. Larger diameter shafts introduce a larger margin of error in regards to unintended side spin. Its a real thing. One way of testing this is going down to an 11.8mm shaft. I can tell you're like me...I hated it but it also exposed some weaknesses in my stroke that I could work on.
The advantage to pro taoer is very apparent when playing on 9 ft tables. The drastic difference in conical taper or even a taper like the revo drives me crazy. The reason i found my self watching this video is because I have a P3 with a revo and hate the taper. Have tried cynergy and had significantly more deflection. Tried Jacoby and it's pretty damn good. Im tempted to try this smo to see if it bests the jacoby.
It's a fantastic shaft but I couldn't tell you if you'd prefer it. Like I said the video...a pool cue is a personal item (got that off my buddy)... But he's right. Cant go wrong with this shaft
regarding the "leaked" video i just think it´s strange they don´t say what kind of revo or cynergy and why are they testing the carom ignite or is it supposed to have less deflection than the pool one?
Yeah it is what it is. All I know is how it feels in my hands. And it feels pretty awesome. I've loved every minute with it!! Highly recommended!
I wonder what the diameter of the SMO shaft is. But not the tip, the other end. The one that is screwed onto the queue butt. Thinking of just ordering the shaft but not sure if it will fit flush.
21.26mm. I just measured for you brother. If you do decide to pull the trigger please use my link. It costs you nothing and it helps my channel out.
jflowerscues.com/ref/HereAfter_Billiards/
Hope this helps and it fits!
Hello,
I have a muccie cue with a pin size of 5/16x18 Will the SMO shaft fit??? Please help
See above comment.
Im new to exploring the technology side of cues and shafts so it seems any analysis or outcome from a shaft would depend on what cue it's being played with? If not than whats the relevance of the cue? When you weighed the two shafts the smo weighed more coming in at 3.3 ounces vs 2.7 on the classic, which you said the smo was lighter. Wondering how the smo is lighter
This is the debate. There literally are companies that just sell shafts. They'll have many different pin configurations and just sell shafts. In my opinion the most important aspects to a cue are the shaft and then the tip. Lagging behind is the joint. I personally believe that the butt is very inconsequential. For example I shoot with a Rhino cue now. The butt of my cue isn't even wood... Its composite. I don't feel the difference. If I was you I wouldn't get caught up in the numbers. I did that because that's what reviewers do. What a more significant thing to concern yourself with is understanding your game and your tendencies. If you understand those things you'll know which product is right for you.
@@HereAfterBilliards After watching your review and furthering my research I'm leaning towards the Dante 2 with white lizard, SMO shaft and Taom Pro Medium Tip (Not sure of the fusion since it's medium/hard), 12.5 tip, 19.5 oz. Will probably pull the trigger Monday and use your link. Enjoying your channel. Any discount codes available?
@@flaron352 Thanks my friend🔥👍Coincidentally I use the Taom Medium Pro right now and love it. After a month and a half I'm not seeing any mushrooming or compression (but I'm sure it's on it way). Before that I had a Taom Pro Soft and while I felt I could shape the cue ball well, I just couldn't handle the loss in power on my medium to long range shots. Happy shopping 🔥👍💪Enjoy the new equipment.
@@flaron352Oh and as for discount codes I'm not sure there are any. However when you order the equipment there is a checkbox in your cart section where you request a coupon on your next purchase I believe. I just pulled the trigger in the new Tactical case and RPG Jumper. Both are on sale but so new they're on back order. Hoping to get them before Christmas 🤞
What about the $300 JFlowers cue. I haven’t played for about 45 years and I have only ever played with a maple cue and am thinking of getting a carbon fiber cue.
Honestly you can't go wrong with one of their entry models. The Classic shaft is low deflection and probably the best choice for you considering how long it's been since you played. Starting with an SMO would be too much... Work yourself in slow👍
JFlowers is a super solid choice and the cue I love myself. If you do decide to pull the trigger use the channel affiliate code. Helps the channel out and doesn't cost you anything. Now get playing again!!! 👍😂
jflowerscues.com/ref/HereAfter_Billiards/
@@HereAfterBilliards Thank you for your response and encouragement.
have you tried revo yet?which one have more less deflection revo or smo?
I've tried a REVO 12.9mm. There's a lot of local players that are very loyal to Predator. Everyone these days claims to have the lowest deflection. Both the REVO and the SMO are amazing. It's too close to call for me which one has less deflection. However the price for the REVO is twice as much over the SMO. I really don't know how anyone can justify that fact.
Revo/500 smo/400 wym twice as much?
@@masonhoughland4011All I can say is I'm an SMO guy. I prefer it to the REVO.
@@HereAfterBilliards that’s cool and I have one coming in the mail next week to try out myself, but no point in saying the Revo costs double and in actuality the prices are very close. I hope it’s similar to Revo with better feel.
@@masonhoughland4011Ok. Few things. I believe the REVO has come down in price since the making of this video which is good. Also my meaning when I say twice as much is more pointed to the fact that if I order a JFLOWERS cue with an SMO it easily can be twice as cheap as if I were to order a Predator cue with the REVO shaft. Sorry for the confusion 🙏
Today I received a delivery from JFLowers, a SMO shaft.
The only difference is a weight bolt which was already installed with the shaft so I had not to do anything.
Did you get the Alan Key as well? You should have. I mean we all have them at home but you definitely should have received one with the shaft. Take the screw out and make sure everything is good with the threads. You may like the shaft without the weight. That being said I truly don't understand the logistics behind the weight screw. It's so light. I really don't know how much of a difference it's making. Congratulations on your purchase. The shaft is amazing. 👌👍
@@HereAfterBilliards No, alen key was not a part of the packaging. If JFlowers just forgot to send it to me, I can reach out the customer service for th assistance.
@@HereAfterBilliards Here is the most recent response from JFlowers support:
*The weight bolt for the SMO was a beta test that was discontinued. We have made the weight of the SMO permanent, and it no longer has a bolt to be removed or added.*
@@danender5555 Well now isn't that interesting! Thanks for the update!
@@HereAfterBilliards BYW, net weight of my new SMO shaft (with permanent weight bolt) is 101g (3.56oz)
Love the ignite and thinking of taking the plunge toward the smo. Really wish they would have stuck with the weight bolt system on these smo’s. After using the Mezz Avant twin bolt system and now the McDermott h series, I’ve come to like a more front weighted cue. Be awesome if Jflowers would release a front weighted cue in their line up.
Well as you saw in this video that weight bolt weighed so little. I really don't think it made that much of a difference. They must have had some kind of plan but that's donzo now I guess. I find the SMO to be fantastic and I enjoy every minute with it. Sounds like you've shot with quite a few shafts. I'm curious as to why you're looking to switch? In any event... If you do decide to go with the SMO consider doing the channel a solid and use my reference code. Costs you nothing👍
jflowerscues.com/ref/HereAfter_Billiards/
Yea have quite a few from the revo, cynergy, ignite and the defy. Revo is too hollow and tingy sounding for my taste, cynergy is not bad and love the ignite and defy. I honestly just like trying stuff out and the smo with its “lowest deflection” claim has peaked my interest. I’ll certainly use the link if I decide to go with an smo. Only thing stopping me at the moment is the lack of front weighted cues in their lineup and no pin options for the front weighted butts I have. (I tried the front weighted cues a few months ago and love them, will be tough to go back to rear bolt cues)
Actually curious now on the flowers cues balance point. If u get a chance, would you mind balancing it with the shaft on with your finger and letting me know how many inches the balance point is from the rear of the cue? Under 19” and it’s a rear weighted cue, 19.5+ inches and it’s more front weighted. You wouldn’t think a few inches make a difference but, in my opinion of course, feels so nice with less weight in your rear hand and more downward pressure on your bridge hand.
@@VetteWay2Fast Yes JFlowers doesn't have many joint configurations. I just did a Rhino review a while back but their shafts feel like the JFlowers Classic shaft...but they've got tonnes of joint options
@@VetteWay2Fast I'll head downstairs in the second intermission. My Oilers are trying to win the Stanley cup right now😂 I'll measure then
Why does the JFlowers not have a metal screw in for the shaft but a carbon fiber screw in?
Would you address the question to JFlowers instead?
I agree you should reach out to them and ask why they've gone with the joint configuration they have. I'm sure each cue company will give you their sales pitch on why their joint is the best 😉
Meant Cuetec.
Also when I did call to ask if metal...they said the screw-in was carbon fiber.
@@tedmallen3139 Yeah it is. We'll see on durability I guess. Time will tell👍
I'm deciding on buying between a brand new cuetec svb ghost with cynergy 12.5mm or jflowers earl strickland butt with SMO shaft. The jflowers is being sold to me by my friend and its the same price with a brand new cuetec svb ghost. Any recommendations on what i should buy?
Well in this video I got the shaft into the hands of Usama and he plays with the cynergy. He said he couldn't tell the difference. My only recommendation would be to get both in your hands and try them. Also be cognisant of the tip that each cue has as that plays into feel. In the end only you can make this decision as its personal preference. Also enjoy the buying process...you're the master of your own domain😊
The SMO is not only in the conversation, it is just an OUTSTANDING shaft. For real, we are talking about top quality equipment. If somebody is thinking about going for it, do it, it’s a total yes.
Agreed...but you have to respect it. It'll sting you if you don't put it through the paces. It hits just like a REVO IMO. You'll dog shots if you over-compensate. It's a wonderful shaft👍
@ for sure, you have to respect every shot with every shaft, there is no “easy” in pool!
Mezz ignite ,). Love that cue
Yup I know a few fellows that feel the same
I love my cuetec synergy. I tried Rhino's 30" shaft. Very well made. I've been pleasantly surprised by the quality
Cool 🔥
Switched to synergy because I can't stand the taper on my revo. The deflection difference is significant. Which is why I am thinking about trying this smo.
Be advised. I ordered a cue from their website. I believe it came from Florida. I won't say the name of the seller. I received a totally different cue and they wouldn't do anything to help. So I went and bought a Whyte's Raw Carbon fiber shaft. I have 4 different joints for it that allow me to use on 4 different cue brands(joints). It is worth every penny and makes my previous Jflowers Cue pretty much useless. And I really like it. Never again with Jflowers.
Hey Mike. I'm glad you found something that makes you happy. I really didn't know what you were talking about when you mentioned the joints so I had to look it up. Really interesting. I guess that's for if you have multiple butts with different joint configurations. Cool idea. I'm curious how the metal on metal joint feels. Any different?
As for your JFlowers experience I'm sorry that happened. Really weird as customer service has always been outstanding with me. What I don't understand is you saying you won't name the name of the seller? I don't get that. You bought if from the website right? What other seller are you referring to? Makes me wonder if you bought a JFlowers on the JFlowers Facebook group. The private sales on there definately are not solicited by Jflowerscues.com
I'm just glad you found something you like.
nice, the shaft really helps me when i am too lazy to aim carefully on shots from the bank 😂. Btw Cynergy has quite higher delections compared to Revo, or SMO. Its all up to your liking though
To each their own 👍. Cheers mate
What does SMO stand for?
Strickland...Morris...Orcollo. All three pros had a say in the shafts construction. 👍
@@HereAfterBilliards that makes perfect sense....lol
@@tmangan327 For sure 😊
@HereAfterBilliards I'm on the fence with the SMO , Tiger fortis or Jacoby gen4 carbon shafts, you have any suggestions?
@@tmangan327 Honestly I can only speak to what I've tried in the past. I've tried the REVO and Ignite. I strongly believe that the technology that's going into these shafts is getting streamlined and refined to the point where they are all very competitive with each other. I guess then it just comes down to feel. If you're in an urban area try to track those shafts down and physically try them. All I can say is I've chosen to stay with the SMO. It's super solid👌
Good Video, but there is one fact that most People who are testing shafts never mention. The lower the deflection of the shaft, the more it is nearly impossible to learn the fundamentals of Billiards at all. These shafts are trying to work against the physics. Just think about Efren in his prime. The kind he was playing would have never been possible with a CB shaft. Today, the sport changed a bit. Other Balls, faster Cloth, tighter Pockets and so on. And most of the top players, play the same style. Compare the styles of Fedor, Filler, Tyler, Morra, FSR and many more. They all play great but not as in motion as players do in the 90's. I play for about 33 years and I am still improving. I also switched to a CF shaft. Tested Revo, Ignite, GO and finally landed on the Cinergy. Just because it has not the lowest deflection but the other benefits of CF like durability and ding resistence. But it plays closest to wood, at least for me.At the end of the day, it's the indian and not the arrow! I'm from germany and I just described to your channel.
I truly appreciate your words. In fact I used to completely agree with them. Many many people agree with your opinion.
My opinion however has changed. Let's look at other sports. Hockey players used to play with wood sticks but have since moved on to carbon fiber graphite. There's more whip in their shots and more accuracy.
Even Boris Becker when he was playing in his hay day played with tennis rackets that were vastly superior to the tennis rackets used by players in the '60s and '70s.
Sports evolve and the equipment evolves with the sport.
As I said in the video just because this is a low deflection shaft, it doesn't mean that it's a no deflection shaft. So players still have to understand the concept of deflection and compensating for deflection when using english. Yes it's different but the concepts are the same.
I think people are going to argue about this for quite some time and that's what's beautiful about the game because healthy debate is good. I honor your opinion!
PS: I love it when someone tells me they subscribed from Germany. My father grew up in Germany in a small town called Lindau in southern Germany on the Bodensee. My childhood was filled with German tennis and football. But his number one love was British Snooker. We played hundreds of hours down in the basement on the snooker table and those times were some of my most fond with him. Cheers from Alberta Canada!
THX for your kind answer! In my case, it's just my personal opinion. 10 years ago I said to my wife: I play pool for almost 20 years and now I need a break. Just a season or two. So after 10 years I went back on pool. Took some weeks but I am back. Stronger as I have ever been. But I feel like a bit of Beauty of the game has been lost due to new equipment. I will not say that it's bad it is different. And yes, many shots are much easier with CF shafts. Back in the days I used to play tennis for about 12 years. And I grew up during Becker's prime. I watched the Wimbledon final against Curren and started myself. Born in 1975! But you know what, I'm still feeling "young" and beating many players who had no season break and playing higher than me makes me happy. Billiard is a fantastic sport. Greetz to Canada and stay healthy. I am working on my YT channel and it will be a bit parodic. People should not take everything so serious in sports or hobbies. First Vid comes soon an my channels name is NSSB - not so serious billiards!@@HereAfterBilliards
@@NSSB75 I'm going to subscribe...and 1975 was a good year cause I was born then too lol. Can't wait to see your content👍
@@HereAfterBilliards Looks like I may have found another tennis and billiards fan, like myself. Germany produced some world class players in Becker and Stich. Like you said, all sports have evolved and the equipment evolves along with them. Golf clubs from 30 years ago will no longer work in today's game. Even the tennis racquets that Becker played with, although cutting edge during his time, are considered ancient now. Pool is not immune to these changes. Back in the day, some of the best balls were Brunswick. Now Aramith has come along and made the balls even better. Even the tables (diamond, rasson) have evolved. Not to say they are much better than older gold crowns, but they have definitely changed. The same goes with the CF shafts. Even the technology for woods shafts have changed. They are better than what was used in years past. I'm glad I found this channel, and I look forward to more content.
Not sure what do you mean by "(CF) shafts are trying to work against the physics". The sentence is totally incorrect as it implicates possibility that somenthing cheats the physics, but it is not.
Also, a billiard fundamental, the very essential part of it is to hit a straight shot with the centre of the cue ball. I have to be able to hit s straight shot even with a broomstick. If the straight shot goes off, the stroke to be fixed, or stance, or grip, or vision center... Once I got totallt confident with the straight shots, only then I can think about spins and deflections, but never before.
sadly there is no 11.8mm S.M.O.
Yeah that's true. If that's your bag then you're out of luck.
At 17.33 I didn't hear a word...
'The'... 🤔
Pause it at 11:17. What're you doin there bud? Lol jk jk
😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂 That's about the girth of it😅
@@HereAfterBilliards sorry I'm bit immature lol
@@jtluttermoser Don't be sorry. It was hilarious 😜
There is no way the speed is right on that video. Looks more like breaking speed at 16-20 mph. I use low left to break from the left side, hitting the second ball. If it deflected right as much as they show, I would miss the rack. I don't think I ever hit a shot that hard using English. I'm a master level, and shoot with a pechauer and rogue shaft. My Reeves custom has a Jacoby black shaft. Both shoot great. At the moment I'm breaking with the predator BK Rush, but thinking about the blackout, Becue naked, or pechauer rogue break.
I was told by JFlowers Cues after this video came out that they flew in an independent engineer from Thailand to authenticate the results. In the end though it'll come down to personal preference. Sounds like you have a very personal feel for your cues worked out and you know what you like. That's awesome.
I wouldn't call 14" a pro taper, my Jacoby black has a 19" pro taper. It comes standard with a kamui black soft, flowers charges $50 more for the same tip, putting it about $25 more than the Jacoby.
@richardclingempeel6111 Interesting. I wonder how much influence Earl, Rodney and Dennis had in the length of the taper? I hope you enjoy your Jacoby👌
A company video leaked out of china?
Yes. Apparently they flew in an impartial judge from Taiwan I think it was. Doesnt really matter. I'm sure it was purposefully leaked it😜😂. After playing with the thing for over 6 months I can honestly say I love it
@@HereAfterBilliards one thing that bothers me about pool cues is how they keep pumping the technology aspect. It seems to me they keep solving the same problem over and over but the length of the pool cue they haven’t figured out yet. I picture a bunch of scientists sitting around an office smoking cigarettes, crunching numbers and stressing over deflection. When someone mentions cue length they all start to panic. I also wonder why I can buy a whole set of golf clubs for less money than one pool cue. I purchased a Cuetec cue from one of those small billiards stores that disappeared in the late 80’s and early 90’s for $75 and it’s the same cue I still shoot today. Now, that I’m old and wider I’m going to try a joint extension on it and I’m still pretty upset that I’ve had to drop about $500 on 3 cues a bag and the little maintenance items. I might depart with a few extra dollars if they made the a few different lengths up to 65 inches.
@@realchicagophill I agree. I compare it to tooth paste. How can tooth paste keep getting better?! It's amazing LOL. Oh by the way, I play with an extension on my cue full time. I love the extra weight and how it steadies me when I roll forward on shots. Juicing back takes some getting used to however.
@@HereAfterBilliards I’ll be giving it a go. These tables feel a lot shorter and longer than I remember them being. As a young man, the 9 foot tables were a real treat for me and a little stretch wasn’t a big problem. As long as the extension fits the stick the right way, I think it’ll be a nice change. We used to eat 3 piece cues for breakfast. They didn’t last a day or a week for the good ones. We’ll see how it goes. These JFlowers cues do look interesting I must admit.
I had bad experience with the cue and JFs service. Its just another chinese cue that start selling in america by american. Pick a cue with a trustworthy brand. U will soon know why it is cheap.
I've played with their products for well over a year now. I'm quite happy with their performance...that being said I value your input but am also saddened that you had a bad experience. Hope you found something that works for you and you're kicking ass! 👌👍
Well then you are lucky they sent you a cue that exactly weight as ordered. I got one that was completely out of balance very butt heavy and not the weight I ordered. I ordered 19 ounce got 19.2 ounce. But with a butt heavy as 15.6 ounce which is way to much for a 19 ounce cue.
So be warned when onderring at this company they will not solve the issue best you can get is get your money back, but then they do not want you anymore as customer. You have to accept the cue as is. If you are a serious player I advise stay away from this. They said to me their butts and shafts all have different weights and get combined to be roughly the weight you order. So If you are lucky the cue has good balance or very bad if you are not.
John this was quite the comment. Before I reply I'm going to state a few things about myself. I'm 48 years old and have been playing this game my whole life. I'm not an ambassador to JFlowers but I am an affiliate. I don't owe this company anything. I can say what I want to. For the first time in my life I'm actually working a job thats close to consumer customer service. So I'm learning on the fly what it means to deal with unhappy customers.
OK. Here we go. You're obviously mad and unhappy with your experience with JFlowers. This is unfortunate but all I can do is relay my experience. The SMO is the 4th product I've used from JFlowers and everytime I've been over the moon with the quality of the product. I can promise you that I classify myself as a 'Serious Player'. Truthfully I don't know how much deviance other cue companies allow in their weights but I can honestly tell you that if your cue is 0.2 Oz too heavy you can't feel it. Now I'm a person who plays with my 6" extension on full time...so at this point I could care less about the balance point...I'm looking for other things to jive with my stroke.
Now let's talk about your tact. I've noticed that you've copied and pasted this comment on a number of videos. I understand you're trying to send a message but after seeing this I can honestly say you're looking like a perverbial Karen...and yes that's an actual adjective in society now. I've learned through the years that cues are a tool and you customize and experiment with them until you're happy. I'll end it here by saying I honor your journey and wish you best of luck in your search for the perfect magical cue. Peace.
HAHAHA i just got a shaft for free but im not on their payroll,,,,,BS
Dude I wish I was. I like money. Not going to lie. If you actually listened to me you'd hear me say multiple times that a cue shaft is a highly personal item. Buy whatever you want. This is my honest opinion and to this day is the only shaft that goes on my cue. I'm a huge fan of their products. I'm certainly guilty of being biased to a certain degree. I love the quality of their products for the price that they're offering them. But don't call me out as a paid shill. It ruins my morning and quite frankly pisses me off.
No faces are shown? How about the whole thing is obviously cgi 😂
You never know these days😂
They were testing a pool shafts, so if you wanna see faces, watch a beauty contest.
11.5 😂
Good technique hey?
@@HereAfterBilliards just sometines 😉
Pass along a shaft you’re not using please.
I got plans for my extra shaft as of right now👍
@@HereAfterBilliards thanks anyways brother. 🙏
too long!! cramp that up to 15 minutes vid
I'll try better next time.
how about a discount code?
@@perfectiom3718 I wish I had one to give you but JFlowers doesn't give one. But if you do pull the trigger on one using my code doesn't cost you anything 😉 Wink wink nudge nudge.
like shjt. Talk to much, but information like trash.
Thanks for your feedback. I'll try to be better in the future🙄
Its worth it to buy SMO shaft?
For me the answer is yes. But I don't know if I can answer that question for you. Do you currently play with a low deflection shaft? Depending on that answer I could steer you to an educated decision for yourself...but we're all different...
All marketing gimmicks..Classic I guarantee is no different than the SMO except a different ring around the joint collar, laser etchings on the shaft itself, and tip selection.
So so wrong....see the products for yourself. Different taper. Different weight. Better carbon tube quality.
Really cut the SMO open long ways and then a stand one open long ways and compare..bet it's the same.@@YaworskiPoolPractice
The biggest difference is the pro taper. With both the shafts I have having the Taom Fusion on them I can tell you they hit differently. I did try to get JFlowers to divulge the secrets...but to no avail. IMO it hits great and has less deflection than the classic.
@xdecemberguy1 Why would I ruin a shaft like that ? Not very smart lol.
You can tell exactly the same marketing gimmick claims about any shaft on the market.
Plus, you can guarantee absolutely nothing neither your anonymous reputation, cos there is none.
Hello,
I have a muccie cue with a pin size of 5/16x18 Will the SMO shaft fit??? Please help
No I'm sorry. At present the SMO only has three configurations. 3/8 *8 Radial, Uni-Loc Quick Release and a 3/8*10.
I will say that if you're looking into getting A Carbon Fiber shaft and you're married to the idea of staying with your MEUCCI, check out Rhino Billiards. One area they shine is their shaft joint selection. rhino-billiards.com/HEREAFTER_BILLIARDS
Use this link for 5% off
Or if you have the money, invest in a JFlowers Cue and upgrade to an SMO shaft. My personal favorite is the Dante 2 or the JF20-EBF
jflowerscues.com/ref/HereAfter_Billiards/