At the end of this post is a link to a really decent cue that I own with the same joint rings as the Adam in first pic. Mine rolls straight & true, has proper/real spliced points with four very nice looking natural-black-red-black veneers. This is a generally very well made cue with no strange vibrations and tuning-fork like feel when you give it the whack test. If I were to nitpick, the visual negative is that the points on mine are a little off in length from point to point, but I can live with it as none are more than 1/2" off from each other.
I have had mine over a year now and it is still straight as an arrow, so the wood hasn't moved. Adding to that, the cue spends extended periods in my car trunk in hot weather as it has turned into the cue I leave in the car as my "just in case cue" for when I am out and about and find myself with spontaneous free time to play pool and I don't want to play off the house cue rack. Or when going to pool halls with known questionalbe clientele. I break with it, too.
I remember when I screwed mine together for the first time because I proceeded to run two racks of 9-ball with it. Cue feels and hits great as is... but the only initial drawback (if you want to perceive it as such) is that the shaft is "fat" with a very generic, non-sexy gradual conical taper such that the cue feels a bit front heavy. Personally, I think that is actually a good thing... because when there is enough meat left on the proverbial bone, one can then have the shaft customized by a pro (or turn it yourself) to the specific taper and diameter you prefer. There is plenty to work with.
Bingo, assuming you order one with your desired weight and had the shaft turned to your liking.... now you basically have hooked yourself up with a quasi-custom cue (from a set-up perspenctive anyway) for around $200, that looks like a much more expensive stick.
Buy one, try it out.. If you like it... you win! And if you don't like it, sell it on craigslist or to a friend in your pool hall and I'm pretty sure you'll get most if not all of your money back. Either way, its a very low risk situation.
http://www.goodcuessf.com/apps/webstore/products/show/7041838
