Importance of shaft vs. butt

A lot of posts in this and other forums seem to tout the Predator 314 shaft as the great equalizer. This suggests that a cue's playability is primarily in the shaft. So if I have, for example, a Viking and Schon butt with the same weight and balance point, would they basically play the same if I put identical Predator shafts on them?

Bob Jewitt has this to say about the importance of the components of cue (taken from the rec.sport.billiard FAQ):

Bob Jewett says:

1. The plainest butt is probably also the most solid. If you want
fancy inlay work, consider Baroque antiques, not cues, unless you
are collecting rather than playing with them.

2. Beyond being solid and the right weight and length, and perhaps
having the style of grip you prefer, there is little the butt does
for the cue.

3. The tip is important. Many tips are no good. Tips can be
replaced; learn how to do it yourself. The tip has more effect on
how the cue plays than the butt.

4. The shaft is the most important part of the cue. Shafts are
relatively cheap. Some highly regarded cue makers make unusable
shafts.

[Sid]

It has been my experience that any cue with the Predator shaft plays remarkably similar. I have had Predator cues and have had a $13.00 house cue with a predator shaft put on it and they both played great. If I am ever in a position where I might have to borrow a cue from a buddy, my only concern is that it has a Predator shaft.

[Kokopuffs]

IMHO the shaft determines playability; how much spin, throw and "control" is imparted to the cueball. The butt determines weight and balance. The Predator Sneaky Pete gave me the most improvement in my game and it's the simplest looking cue that I've ever owned.

Should I ever go to a custom cue, it'll have a very hard hardwood forearm like ebony or cocobolo with a maple butt and maple buttsleeve - all this to achieve fowrard weighting. The shaft will be very stiff to reduce throw.

[Kokopuffs]

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