I absolutely was not saying there is a "conspiracy", but very good marketing. I am attempting to put context to those coming to look for honest reviews.
Fair enough. But I was not the only one to see your comments that way ans use that term to describe it that way.
this forum began to promote Predator products which was a major competitor of Meucci due to the fact that Meucci was the only cue maker whose claim to fame was that of reducing deflection and being on the cutting edge for technology in understanding how to accomplish this. He was the only manufacturer who addressed it at the time (since the early 70's).
This forum promoted it? I don't see it that way. My perspective might be different though as I havebeen here reading every day...for years.
In fact what you talk about regarding Mr Meucci and his shaft research has been discussed here extensively. Seriously, it has. Hand his work has been frequently duly credited.
As far as trying to tie Budget Billiards to issues regarding the Meucci repair dept or any other manufacturer's individual disputes (sold by other vendors) only because we also sell their product... is just silly
I was referring to the archive of brochures and catalogs that Budget maintains. It is the best online resource for identifying and researching old Meucci cues.
I was not referring to sales or repairs in any way.
You might want to consider the perceptive of those of us outside your company and how we see it rather than dictate to us what we should see.
To me and MANY others, Budget is indelibly linked to Meucci because of the archive. In fact many are referred to Budget for vintage Meucci matters rather that Meucci himself.
In almost any post here about identifying an old Meucci, Budget is brought up, not the Meucci web site nor even Bob himself. If that does not make Budget indelibly linked to Meucci, then what does?
I meant the comment in an extremely positive sense by the way, and you seem to have taken it as a negative.
I believe the free market has caused a major shift in the ability to manipulate reviews. If you know of reviews that are manipulated...I would sure like to know about it.
I am a former IT executive and still work a great deal with online resources. My own company is in fact tightly linked to internet. To that end I am very in touch with trends. Anybody in the web marketing industry knows that online review manipulation has been a real problem for years and there are in fact niche businesses that have been feeding that for years. It isn't anything new and has even invited federal attention and regulatory consideration.
I am personally unaware of specific incidents in the cue industry but it is in fact a widely known "dirty secret" in web marketing that online reviews are commonly and intentionally falsified. The general public remains swayed by them and generally unaware of the manipulation.
I don't have the time or resources to dedicate to researching the voluminous reviews in any industry, including pool cues.
Areas where I know such reviews have been heavily manipulated are in car sales, travel booking companies, hotel reviews, doctor reviews, hospital reviews, software reviews, PC reviews, and more.
In fact, Google rewards websites that use 3rd party reviews with higher ranking.
Yes, they do.
And they have had little success in putting a dent in the manipulation of the third party reviews.
For instance, I got a cue in from Saudi Arabia who wanted to have a Meucci shaft installed on a cue. The maker that is out of business. The cue was the thickest at the joint any of us had ever experienced (.910). Nothing would make this cue play better, it was a club... not even a Z3 or a The Pro Shaft. The cue needed to be cut down to a normal size. Meucci did not want to work on the cue. I told the customer I was going to send it back (our cost $70 shipping). Instead, we were instructed by the customer to send it to a small Cue maker. Two months later, the cue was returned to us to fit the new shaft. Looked beautiful, but warped as a snake. The small cue maker couldn't make it right. He did not have the acumen or the finances to correct his mistake (living hand to mouth). Rather, than worrying the customer. It was a $1200 cue. I took it back to Meucci, and they graciously helped us out...they took the cue apart below the wrap, recut the forearm and the cue is now perfect. Of course now we are coughing up the additional cost and are paying out more than we charged the customer...but it is a good customer. Still, the customer is frustrated with us, because the repair took 3 months.
I love this story.
There are numerous lessons here.
One is that when you stick your neck out in customer service you can easily get it lopped off. Sometimes knowing where to draw the line is hard. Personally, I go as far as I can. Rarely do I have any issue result, it ultimately pays off for me. But I am in a very different industry with a very different client base.
Another lesson is that often dealers get more attention from makers than those of us individuals out here. That can be a good thing or a bad thing. Meucci stepped up...but the customer was not happy in the end. As you say, it is a good customer, so in the big picture it may be worth the loss on the deal.
Do you think Meucci would have gone so far with that cue if some anonymous individual brought it to them? Less likely I think.
I encouraged Mr Meucci to post here and hope he will occasionally answer some of his competitors sneers as they applaud any bad review. He is not very computer literate and has only 2 people in his office. A bookkeeper and a sales rep. So, I doubt you will have an ongoing conversation on this forum. I only occasionally come to see what is on here when I hear from a Pro player, or a customer about a particular thread.
I understand we might not see Mr Meucci here much. Dan Janes is not big on internet use either. He has posted a little here. I would assume many of the "old timers" are not big internet users.
Frankly, I am just glad to see at least one post from Bob Meucci. I am glad this pot got stirred.
I think it is important for those new to the forum understand that this forum began to promote Predator products which was a major competitor of Meucci due to the fact that Meucci was the only cue maker whose claim to fame was that of reducing deflection and being on the cutting edge for technology in understanding how to accomplish this.
Regarding Predator. Well, as I said I am a collector now. But I am a former player. I think I know a thing or two about using a cue. I have had exactly one Predator. I won it off a guy while playing 9 ball with my old Joss. He didn't have the cash, so I took the cue. The cue is probably worth $500. I played it a couple times and then traded it here on AZB for a new condition McDermott from the mid-seventies as well as an old It's George case that needed refinished. I am sure the guy was thrilled with the deal. He felt he made profit. But I am extremely happy with the trade because in my opinion that Predator played like crap. It felt like crap. Nice 8 point full splice splice. Yes, it had low deflection. So what? I play with a Joss with ivory ferrules. I compensate for deflection. It is part of my skill set. And since there is no such thing as zero deflection it has to be part of everybody's skill set that wants to get anywhere in this game.
I am nobody really. Just a guy with an old Joss that digs cues. And I have about 85 of them now. I played. And I played such people in the way distant past with names like Nick, Mike, Efren, and such like that....but mostly not...
I am here for my pleasure. And I will keep it honest and keep it real. Why? Because it matters to me.
I have exactly one Meucci. A Meucci Original and it needs refinished. I am perhaps looking for another. But it has to be special, and it has to be a deal. I passed one up recently. It is a cool cue, but it is not "the one".
I look forward to Meucci being around for a long time. I expect the company to outlast me. I also expect there will be a few unsatisfied customers along the way, and I hope they post here. I enjoy the debate. Personally I don't get into it and bash Meucci as I have no reason to. But I certainly will support those who want to say what they have to say.
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