What's the deal with Meucci?

From what I understand the quality control has gone waaaay down. Distributors are rejecting batches of cues and people in my town are getting cues in that have bubbles in the finish with warped shafts and Meucci doesn't seem to be very helpful about making things right. A friend of mine has a Meucci and he babied it, the shaft is like the letter J now. I am sure there still are good Meucci's being made but it is the luck of the draw.

Eric.A.

Shane the quility went down hill fast..i know of one pool hall 3 years ago that went thru at least 60 (sixty) shafts everyone of them warped.he quit selling them..i had 2 of the newer cues they were terrible.they look great in a catalog..if you really like Meucci's so much keep an eye out here in cues for sale ..get yourself a Meucci ORIGINAL..about 20 years old..good luck

And on top of the bad quality control..... their customer service seems to have declined also
Chuck

smokeandapancak said:

Just quick question ...... with a little background first....
I grew up with a pool table in the house.. with more than a few of my father's friends dropping by to play from time to time.. pops sold the table when i was 16 or so and my playing time dropped to nothing.. I picked the game back up a few years later but then dropped it again after a while// wiht in the last year i have gotten back into it full bore...however I live in Germany now and feel somewhat out of the loop .... See I remember Meucci as THE STICK ... seems like all of the better players had one including my father's friends .. i myself picked up on a few years back .. HOF Rempe i think .. red dot shaft ... loved that stick.. mainly loved the taper.. played with it until the shaft was broken at a Fashungs party when I was a soldier.. (long story)...
long story short.. (well almost)... it seems that everywhere I look now ..everybody is bashing Meucci... like I said I am out of the loop over here so
what happened ... i was looking to purchase one but I must say that I am a bit scared with all of the bad pub floating around...

sorry for the long winded post... I am new here so I am just trying to give all of you a little background in order for you all to "get to know me"

Shane Napier

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Meucci sticks have ALOT of deflection. Meaning when you put english on the cue ball the cue ball deflects out more than a solid hitting cue. Most players these days prefer a low deflection cue. For instance on a long straight in shot you would be more accurate with a solid hitting cue rather than a Meucci that will detect the slightes off center hit. Meucci was the IT cue for me as well when I was a kid and everyone had one. If you like juicing a ball to no end and playing by feel while sacrificing low deflection than buy one. If you want a more accurate cue than don't buy one and get a custom.

smokeandapancak said:

Just quick question ...... with a little background first....
I grew up with a pool table in the house.. with more than a few of my father's friends dropping by to play from time to time.. pops sold the table when i was 16 or so and my playing time dropped to nothing.. I picked the game back up a few years later but then dropped it again after a while// wiht in the last year i have gotten back into it full bore...however I live in Germany now and feel somewhat out of the loop .... See I remember Meucci as THE STICK ... seems like all of the better players had one including my father's friends .. i myself picked up on a few years back .. HOF Rempe i think .. red dot shaft ... loved that stick.. mainly loved the taper.. played with it until the shaft was broken at a Fashungs party when I was a soldier.. (long story)...
long story short.. (well almost)... it seems that everywhere I look now ..everybody is bashing Meucci... like I said I am out of the loop over here so
what happened ... i was looking to purchase one but I must say that I am a bit scared with all of the bad pub floating around...

sorry for the long winded post... I am new here so I am just trying to give all of you a little background in order for you all to "get to know me"

Shane Napier

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Shane, I am a Billiard equipment retailer who up to 3 years ago handled Meucci cues.

Shane the quality of this product has gone in the toilet along with their customer service.

This is directly due to many factor's but I think the Major one is that Bob Meucci has not maintained hands on control of the product of this product.

Three years ago, when I stopped selling these cues, production and the companies inspections process was terrible. When I placed an order for lets say ten cues, I would have to return at least four, if not more due to defects in manufacturing.

Then it would take months to get the cues back so called corrected and even then there was no guaranty they they would done correctly, sometimes I would have to send them back again. For all this trouble, they never offered a discount on my next order or any other benefit.

The defects amounted to warped shafts(I only ordered Red Dot Shafts), loose wraps, inlays that were sticking through the finish, along with inlays and points that were so poorly executed that they looked like they done by a child.

I really think this company is on the way out!!! Unless they bring in some professional people to due the work. But, I do not think this will occur, so if I were you with the product that is currently being made and the fact that their customer service is no better I would stay away from their product.

However, if you choose to continue with a purchase, do not by a cue with their black dot shaft, they do not stay straight, and they also de-laminate.

Have a nice day

Manwon

Meucci is the answer to the question: What happens if you put sales, marketing, and production ahead of quality control?

Meucci was all about salesmanship, marketing, and tricked up designs. Their cues had flash but are poorly built. They literally fall apart. They use too much plastic and their shafts warp like cut flowers.

When management refuses to listen to quality issues, this is what happens. Why are Ford and GM laying off substantial parts of their work force? The easy answer is because they cannot compete with cheaper imports. The difficult answer is the imports are now more expensive, and we are buying them anyway because they are better.

I have some old collectible Meucci's. Many of these used high integrity materials like real abalone, ebony, etc. They're switched over to synthetics and plastics - weak stuff that chips and breaks. The ferrules and joints are just slipped on. Nothing is threaded so it all unglues. I had them make some replacement shafts for my old Meucci's. They warped in two months sitting in a climate controlled house straight up and down in a dry box!

Sorry, but that's the truth. Their reputation is well earned in my book.

Chris

smokeandapancak said:

should i just hang it up and go for something else ?

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After seeing a table full of factory seconds (Fac Sec stamped into the forearm) at the Super Billiards Expo in Valley Forge Pa last year, I would Never buy one. This is probably one of the biggest billiards trade shows where everyone shows their best stuff, except Meucci. How can you go there and expect to sell a table full of junk.

Get a McDermott, you'll be happy with it and the company has great customer service, but that's just my personal experience.

McCue Banger McCue

smokeandapancak said:

Just quick question ...... with a little background first....
I grew up with a pool table in the house.. with more than a few of my father's friends dropping by to play from time to time.. pops sold the table when i was 16 or so and my playing time dropped to nothing.. I picked the game back up a few years later but then dropped it again after a while// wiht in the last year i have gotten back into it full bore...however I live in Germany now and feel somewhat out of the loop .... See I remember Meucci as THE STICK ... seems like all of the better players had one including my father's friends .. i myself picked up on a few years back .. HOF Rempe i think .. red dot shaft ... loved that stick.. mainly loved the taper.. played with it until the shaft was broken at a Fashungs party when I was a soldier.. (long story)...
long story short.. (well almost)... it seems that everywhere I look now ..everybody is bashing Meucci... like I said I am out of the loop over here so
what happened ... i was looking to purchase one but I must say that I am a bit scared with all of the bad pub floating around...

sorry for the long winded post... I am new here so I am just trying to give all of you a little background in order for you all to "get to know me"

Shane Napier

Click to expand...

suggestion>you might put a wanted to buy ad (free) in the for sale cue section here on AZ ,IF you really want an old one...one thing for sure there are some real experts on here that you can learn Alot from ..good luck

smokeandapancak said:

Hey dont be sorry the truth hurts sometimes... i am thankful for the info.. though I am a new member I have been reading this forum for a while now and I trust what alot of you have to say
so how about this....
the older cues apparntley had something going for them.. when did the products take the nose dive? Is there a break point where it is ok to own one or should i just hang it up and go for something else ?

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If you are going to buy another Meucci cue, buy an Meucci Original, these cues were made well. There also seem to be allot them still around.

I think they were manufactured up till 1990!!

I also have one that I would part with, if you are interested contact by PM and I can send photo's. The cue has been refinished re-wrapped and is perfectly straight, the shaft is 13mm.

manwon

cuejoey said:

suggestion>you might put a wanted to buy ad (free) in the for sale cue section here on AZ ,IF you really want an old one...one thing for sure there are some real experts on here that you can learn Alot from ..good luck

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Tap Tap.....

And unless your heart is set on getting one there are sooo many other great playing cue's with higher quality from makers that will actually work with you incase you run into problems with your cue purchase. Whether you buy it direct or second hand.

Determine a price range, a style you like and shop around, or ask questions here.

ez

If you must have a Meucci....
www.billiardcue.com
...he usually has a few nice older Meucci originals & will represent them quite honestly. Take a look.

smokeandapancak said:

Hey dont be sorry the truth hurts sometimes... i am thankful for the info.. though I am a new member I have been reading this forum for a while now and I trust what alot of you have to say
so how about this....
the older cues apparntley had something going for them.. when did the products take the nose dive? Is there a break point where it is ok to own one or should i just hang it up and go for something else ?

Click to expand...

Older Meucci's have their own particular playing qualities that are pretty unique and I like the way they play actually. You might have to go through a few cues to find the right one.

My experience is they were using better materials, shaft wood and what have you, up until the 95 series. The 95 series they went with black plastic instead of ebony and plastic inlays, etc. Avoid any with a lot of plastic.

For example, the 95 series Airplane cue (95-19) which is nothing but plastic is unlike the original one which was real abalone, silver, and ebony. The older version has the old " MEUCCI=ORIGINALS" logo, not the script.

The 97 series really loaded up with plastic. Many of the designs are printed onto plastic - they're not even inlays, and they sand right off in a refinish. For example, the Olympian - the columns have lines drawn onto them, so the cue can't even be refinished. They were doing this for years, even on the old ones. If you go deep enough to cut through the yellow finish, the details sand right off!

I think you can do better. The old ones are more for collectors.

Chris

Here is a cue that I have for sale!!!









This cue is a two point, perfectly straight, completely refinished, points are almost perfectly even!!

Will sell for $410 shipped

Thanks

manwon

I love my Moochie Sneaky Pete!! It has a purpleheart butt and it is a very late 80's early 90's model before all of the red dot black dot bs started. Plays great

manwon said:

Here is a cue that I have for sale!!!

This cue is a two point, perfectly straight, completely refinished, points are almost perfectly even!!

Will sell for $410 shipped

Thanks

manwon

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Ummmm, think maybe you should have sold it first then told your opinion on Meucci's?

Chris

(this is a good one - I've always like this design and the veneer colors are excellent)

Here is a little known secret as to how to pick out a solid playing Meucci. Take a set of calipers with you when you inspect the cue. If it has a joint diameter of .840" or larger and is reasonably straight and has at least 12.75" tip diameter, buy it. .840" joints are hard to find so accept nothing less than .830". Meucci put out many cues with joint diameters smaller than .800" and that makes them real whippy.

TATE said:

Ummmm, think maybe you should have sold it first then told your opinion on Meucci's?

Chris

(this is a good one - I've always like this design and the veneer colors are excellent)

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Chris, I expect that you are right!!

However, these older models are completely different animals. Like you said Chris the veneer color's are really nice, they are also very tight, and almost perfectly even.

Chris even the shaft wood, is good quality. I buy these older cues when ever possible and completely refinish them. I just finished the cue pictured, and while I normally do not offer anything for sale on this form, if someone was looking for a older Meucci this is a real nice one.

Anyway it will sell locally very quickly!!

Have a nice night!!!!!

Manwon

cueman said:

Here is a little known secret as to how to pick out a solid playing Meucci. Take a set of calipers with you when you inspect the cue. If it has a joint diameter of .840" or larger and is reasonably straight and has at least 12.75" tip diameter, buy it. .840" joints are hard to find so accept nothing less than .830". Meucci put out many cues with joint diameters smaller than .800" and that makes them real whippy.

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Dear lord.