the best pool cue brand?

try a Predator or a Schon. Good cues with good resale value.
keep design and price simple. Prices go up with more inlays. Does not improve the cue.

popularity depends on what part of the country you are in. There are many good brands out there.
Given that, I think Predator and Schon are good choices.

Doesnt anyone look at the dates on threads anymore?

double post, deleted

ron808 and 12pac...You guys aren't paying attention. LOL You're responding to an 8 1/2 year old thread. Read the thread dates BEFORE hitting the reply button! Instead of dredging up an 8 yr old thread, and reposting it as new, via your responses...at least acknowledge that you know it's an old thread, but thought it had relevance today...and why. The way you two are posting makes you look dumb, because you're expecting the OP to respond to your post (and they're likely not even on the forum anymore). Just trying to help you fit in here. :thumbup:

Scott Lee
http://poolknowledge.com

abe said:

I didn't see this one in the Star line.

McDermott M11B Tournament Series Hustler Cue

http://www.billiards.com/pMCTHU/McDermott_M11B_Tournament_Series_Hustler_Cue/product.htm
The Tournament Series Hustler cue, true to the Sneaky Pete cue style, is designed to look like a regular house cue. The Hustler is actually a premier playing two piece cue with a hidden, wood-to-wood joint, that features a brass insert for added strength. Made of Premium Michigan Maple with five coats of "High-Luster" urethane to dramatically increase the cue's scratch resistance, the Tournament Series Hustler packs quite a punch. Made in China


Ok, I will retract my statement from "Most McDermott Cues are made in China" and change it to "SOME McDermott Cues are made in China, but it is hard to know for sure exactly which ones are made in China.

Edited to Add:
Mr. Larry Johns
President
McDermott Cues
Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin
source: http://www.zoominfo.com/Search/PersonDetail.aspx?PersonID=16071941

Johns said his company imported a line of cues from China "for a couple months" in late 1995 or early 1996 but sold them under the "Sabre" brand, not the McDermott name. Johns said he scrapped the arrangement because of quality problems.

Made in China? Mcdermott "Star" Brand, "Sabre" brand or McDermott "Tournament Series", lots of conflicting stories here. Whats a buyer to think?


"Star cues are designed, engineered, distributed and most importantly, GUARANTEED FOR LIFE, by McDermott Cue - the true American icon in the world of billiards."

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It's simple as it can get which are made in China. Take note; Google "McDermott Cues", when page opens, just below Mcdermott Cues at the top left you will see a horizontal row of choices. Hover your cursor over the 1st choice, (pool cues). Scroll down that column and you'll notice our flag is to the right of McDermott Cues, those are made here. Star Cues, Lucky Cues, and the J/B and Break cues are made in China. Hope this helps!

Whatever you think you like and plays. No buddy Else’s opinion on here matters

sneaky_russian said:

I was looking everywhere but didn't find any information about pool cue brands.So I'd like to ask you to write your opinions about "what pool cue brand is the best?".If you want to you can make "TOP 10".I'd also like to know your opinion about the best cuemakers and their prices(if it's possible).
Thanks

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Mezz... everything else is second by a long margin. Mezz has the best hit, best quality and consistency and decent value for money even if they are expensive If all you care about is deflection, look no further than Predator. They're the best by far in that aspect. Their cues have lousy value for money, though.

Production Cues:
Mezz
Schon
McDermott
Viking
Tiger
Predator

Customs Cues:
You'll get a hundred different answers

Customs Cue makers that are in high demand and in some cases are nearly impossible to get a cue from:
Searing
Barry Szamboti
Hercek
Southwest
Sugartree
Manzino
Mottey
Scruggs
Tascarella
Bender
Ginacue
Ed Prewitt
Black Boar

Made in China today (correct me if I'm wrong):

Dufferin, Predator, Cuetec, McDermott Star, McDermott Lucky, Viking Valhalla, Lucasi, Players, Adam, Action, AB Earth, every cheesily-named brand ("Rage," "Fury," "Cuesoul," etc.), and every cue sold new for less than $100 (Shmelke has a few that hover around $100).

Made in USA today (correct me if I'm wrong):

Jacoby, Joss, Shmelke (although they have a few sub-brands made in China), Schon, Meucci, OB, Tiger, Pechauer, McDermott (not Star or Lucky), Viking (not Valhalla).

Made in Japan: Mezz

Note that many billiards companies seem to misrepresent their products so that they appear to be made in the USA. For instance, on McDermott's homepage they brag about Made in USA cues, then sell the "OCC Choppers" cue on the same page - I'm pretty sure that particular cue is made in China. There are a lot of Lucky, Star, and Valhallas sold on Ebay as simply "McDermott" or "Viking," which suggests they are made in the USA, when they are really made in China.

Cue companies seem to love putting American flags and patriotic themes on "Made in China" cues.

I don't know how they get away with failing to label the origin of their products, but for some reason the billiards industry is incredibly shady when it comes to disclosing where their cues are made. It it's new and it's not stamped "Made in," then it's probably made in China. On Ebay, some sellers just straight-out lie about where the cues they are selling are made.

Because I don't like switching from cue to cue based upon how well I might be playing, and I prefer to stay with one cue for at least 2-3 years, I've played for extended periods of time with Joss, McDermott, Schon, Viking, Mezz, and Predator. I think all of those cues have played well. However, in my humble opinion, none of those have played as well as Mezz. So much so that I would put Mezz as the clear front runner and in a class by itself, and then the others in no particular order.

sneaky_russian said:

It’s my post lol saw this in 2022 hahaha man I’ve been here a long time.

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And if you look at the "new" reply back from 2017, it was a new member back then that replied to an old post. Happens every time. I see a thread from years ago replied to, in 95% of the time it's a new member that did it. At least I don't think the answers have changed from 2009 or 2017 to now as to the better cuemakers. Can't think of any new ones since then that cropped up although I think Predator cues have gone quite a bit to make them more popular in that time. For some reason people are looking to spend $1,000 + on Predator cues, not even looking at the Revo cost, that's some good marketing there.

pechauer. Small company and made in usa

sneaky_russian said:

It’s my post lol saw this in 2022 hahaha man I’ve been here a long time.

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And people are still responding!

Just out of curiosity, what did you finally settle on way back then?

Flatfoot said:

Because I don't like switching from cue to cue based upon how well I might be playing, and I prefer to stay with one cue for at least 2-3 years, I've played for extended periods of time with Joss, McDermott, Schon, Viking, Mezz, and Predator. I think all of those cues have played well. However, in my humble opinion, none of those have played as well as Mezz. So much so that I would put Mezz as the clear front runner and in a class by itself, and then the others in no particular order.

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Any particular Mezz shaft you prefer?

skiergd011013 said:

pechauer. Small company and made in usa

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does DP fit in that category??

EddieBme said:

does DP fit in that category??

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Dale Perry made good Cue.