Why so much hate for McDermott cues?

slide13

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Yeah, I don't hear a lot of McDermott hate on here at all, actually, for a production company they seem to have retained a fair bit of respect from their older cue and most people seem to think that the current stuff is at least good for the money.

I have had experience with two McD cues and I have to say I wasn't impressed with either, both were brand new and neither was straight. But I can accept that those were likely just anomalies because most people seem to have decent experience with them.

I think if you are looking for a decently priced cue that will play nice McDermott or Viking is the way to go (I started with a Viking many years ago and I still have it and it's still reasonably straight after being in some pretty poor stoorage conditions. Have to image it would be straighter if it wasn't for the winter it spent in an unheated storage unit.

That being said it seems it takes $200 to get into any decent production cue these days and that is for a very base model. Once you get up to the fancier stuff you're in the entry level custom range. I would rather spend my money on an entry level PJ or SP custom than a production model. I believe they get more attention put on them during construction and more time spent selecting quality woods. Plus, I like supporting small craft builders like that in many things, not just cues.
 

Thepip

David
Silver Member
Big McDermott Fan I shot with them back in the late 80 and early 90 and always wished I had one of my own.

One thing we tend to forget today is that with the internet and media exchange of information we are all more educated on what is out there.More and more people wright reviews test products posts video on you tube. People we have never met or will even talk to.

Back in the day I picked up a cue and either liked it or did not like it. No one could tell me the joint pin, shaft diameter, ferrel type, weight. We shot pool and loved it for what it was. Beat a guy with a pool cue off the wall you had mad skills.

Today it's about low deflection shafts, layered tips, type of chalk, and manufactured cues is giving back to the man and it's bad.
 

Hircine

Larry Byrd
Silver Member
I like all my mcdermotts no problem with any of them.with that being said I hate the lucky line

30-40 bucks for an alright cue? What's bad about 'em? First one I ever bought.

I love my current one, I have no idea what it is, bought it off the ebay for the butt so I could slap my i3 shaft on it, but yeah I agree about joint diameters it doesn't fit 100 percent correctly, although I think from playing with it, it kinda got broken in and sits better than it did before. I used to be able to see light through the joint and it was sorta slanted.
 

Lesh

One Hole Thinkifier
Silver Member
I have been shooting with McD cues for a while. My first cue I got was a D-19 and I still own it. Its a bone crusher and I will never get rid of it. I have owned and shot with many different cues from many different makers. I have concluded that new or old, cheap or pricey, McDermott cues hit just as well or better than any cue on the planet in the history of billiards. Doesn't matter if it's a B/C/D or G-series cue, they have kept the recipe fairly consistent throughout the decades and they all hit well. I have never heard a bad thing about McDermott cues in my life.

I'm rather interested if anyone can honestly say that they know of any bad McDermott Cue that they know for sure has existed. To me, it would be like hearing about how someone got a Bentley that turned out to be a lemon. I heard all kinds of stories about Predator, Meucci, Lucasi, and even a few custom cue makers who will go unidentified here by my hand that have had issues in the past. Im sure McD has let a couple slip by, everyone does.... but I would rather play with a McDermott cue than anything else BC it is so many of the things I value. Made in the USA, Cheap, Well made, and it really works well.

Best cue maker in the history of billiards.

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Lesh
 

Doug

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
From 1970 thru mid 1990's I owned several motorcycle dealerships representing many different franchises; one of which was Harley Davidson. In the late 1980's McDermott obtained liscense permission from HD to us their logo on three cues which were D series at the time. That established my interest in pool in general and cues specifically. At the annual HD dealer meeting that year being held in Milwaukee all interested dealers could visit the McDermott factory (brand new state of the art that year) and be given a tour of their production facility, which is what I did. My interest in cues led me to visit Richard Black in Humble, Tx, Tony Scianelli (Black Boar Cues) College Pk, Md, Danny Tibbits, Marietta, Ga, among others and I bought one or more cues from each. For snob appeal I like my customs best. Of course, saying they are the best keeps me from appearing so dumb too, having spent so much money buying them. I still have them all and from time to time play with them all and my performance level doesn't vary from one to the other. The shaft wood, mostly, is what determines the precision with which each cue plays and overall I am of the opinion after talking with these cuemakers that the custom builders will usually provide shaft wood that has the clearest and tightest grain. Certainly not because they have more money than production companies but because they look at and select each piece of shaft wood before deciding it has the highest quality they are looking for. Production companies can't take the time and in reality it won't make a discernable difference except to the few people who know what to look for. After seeing McDermott's wood selection, manufacturing tools, and finishing process I'm convinced individual cuemakers can't match production companies in those areas but do excell in value retention due to their limited availability.
 

desi2960

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
mcD good inexpensive cue

lot of people use mcd's because of the cost and warranty's, and are verry happy with the cue. i for one cannot make 2 balls in a row with a mcd. can't really put a finger on it, something just dosen't feel right.
i flew into seattle for some fly fishing and pool playing with my best buddy, and did not want to take my cue on the plane [ 1976 josswest ]. he told me not to worry he had just won a cue in a tournament i could use. it was a mcd. first 2 nights we were playing in tournaments i did NOTHING, finally out of desperation, i put away the mcd and started playing off the wall, in the next 5 days i had won enough to pay for my vacation. i also popped a tip off my cue in league play and used my buddys mcd, never won a game that night. they might be great cues but I CANNOT PLAY WITH ONE OF THEM.
 

HawaiianEye

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
One of the BEST hitting cues I have played with is my C-14 McDermott that I bought new back in the early 80s. It hit so WELL that I sold one of my custom Richard Black cues and used the McDermott as my player.

I just had it refinished by McDermott about a year or so ago and it looks like brand new.

Aloha
 

mmedford

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I'm a McD slut... for several reasons listed already. (see signature)

But my biggest complaint is the interchangeability of the shafts...just never happens.
 

measureman

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
If there are some people that put down McDermott's now and then try owning a Lucasi like I do.
I caught hell on here from a few posters when I bought it.
Also there is nothing wrong with McDermott cues. Good production cue.
 

West Point 1987

On the Hill, Out of Gas
Silver Member
No hate here...My first three cues were all McDermott D models, they all hit like a freight train and did anything you could ask of any cue, production or custom. My brother still has his after 25 years, and I love to shoot with it everytime he's in town. I've hit with a few of the newer ones, not quite as good, but still rock solid. Any new player or friend asking for a recommendation on a cue for their kid gets "McDermott" from me.
 

frankiecl

Registered
I bought a G503 about 2 years ago, I love it. Mine was ordered through a dealer but was made by hand and shipped directly from McDermott.
 

JG-in-KY

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
One of the BEST hitting cues I have played with is my C-14 McDermott that I bought new back in the early 80s. It hit so WELL that I sold one of my custom Richard Black cues and used the McDermott as my player.

I just had it refinished by McDermott about a year or so ago and it looks like brand new.

Aloha

I have owned Southwests, Gus Szamboti, Joss, Richard Black, old school Schons, Omens, etc., but my favorite cue of all time...McDermot C-14. My friend who owned a bar had Shannon Daulton's dad's cue (C-14). He propped it up in the corner behind the bar for about a dozen years. I won more money with this cue and another cheaper 90s McDermott than all the other cues I have owned, combined.
 

NINEBALLART

NINEBALLART
Silver Member
I've had and still do some very expensive cues...Right now I play with a McDermott g702 I bought in Vegas in July at BCA...My friend bought the g903..He loves his and I love mine.....Last year I bought the g405 in Vegas and loved it also...I think they are a good production cue...
 

Maniac

2manyQ's
Silver Member
I agree with the consensus that I don't think there is a lot of McDermott hating on this site. Meucci...yes.... McDermott...no

Don't forget the Cuetec as the most hated cue brand on the face of the Earth!!! And like the McD's, Lucasi's, and Players HXT's...the Cuetec R360 is a decent playing cue at a very affordable price.

Maniac
 

klone

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Nothing wrong with a McDermott! One of the first cues I bought when I was just into the game was a McD. Also had a Viking. Both were good cues for the price (especially for a poor college kid back then).
 

CMarshall

D player at best
Silver Member
Maybe "hate" was the wrong word? It's nice to hear that so many people love their McD's! I get a little overwhelmed with all the custom cues and their names? I wouldn't even know where to BUY one! LOL

I guess it's an online thing? Or maybe at a tournament, people are selling them? I'm not in the market for one, just an observation...

Anyways, I appreciate the responses!!

I love my G303 and I'm looking forward to July, when I get my G603....
 

r9ball

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I was not employed by McDermott and this is only my experiences/opinions.
I have been around the McDermott cue buying/selling since the C line. Owned C and D models. Still own 2 C-1 sneaky petes and wish I could get my D-21 back. Even parted with a B model.
Over the years, I have seen some of their process of their cue making change. I was in their plant when the D line was current line and we got to see everything in the making ot their cues.
Their cues still had sharp points back then, which to me, makes a cue look so much better. I have seen nice CNC cues.
Nowdays, it is pretty easy to have a CNC machine cut designs much faster.
Make them faster and cheaper by new machines does not necessarily mean they are better cues. I understand why a mass production facility has to be more efficient.
The plastic materials they started using made the cues look cheap to me. And also the quick dry UV finish - yuk.
We had people that had new McD cues after these changes, bring their cues in with a "tick" when they hit the cue ball. Upon removing the tip, we found that there were air pockets around the tenon and some tenons had small chunks missing. They didn't bother to fill these gaps with epoxy. I think they got that resolved.
Yes, their joint diameters were not consistent.
I also have no desire to own a McD after the D line, but that does not mean they are bad cues. When someone asks me for a affordable, decent quality cue, I still tell them McD as an option.
I want my McDs to be old school materials and production.
Anyway,, they are still good production cues and I have never heard anybody totally bash McD cues.
 

Pushout

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I guess it's an online thing? Or maybe at a tournament, people are selling them? I'm not in the market for one, just an observation...

Anyways, I appreciate the responses!!

Nope. Word of mouth more than anything else. I've been playing with custom cues since long before the Internet became available to most everybody. At rooms, tournaments, leagues, whatever. You see something you like and ask to hit a few balls with it. I did this with both Allen Hopkins and Lenny Loder in order to try the Southwest cues both were playing with at the time and it's why I ordered my first one. I'd already had a Joss East and a Scruggs and was actually playing with a Meucci at the time, back when they still played decent. I've probably said this a couple dozen times in the last few years, if I could find a production cue that played any where near my custom cues, I'd buy it and play with it but it ain't happened yet and I don't expect it to.
 
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dirtvictim

Ignore the entitled they haven't earned respect
Have a B13 1978ish

simply a fantastic cue. fit and finish are as good as it gets and plays very well
 
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