How long have Mezz cues been around, and have they always been high end cues?

J

justinb386

Banned
I am curious how long have Mezz cues been around (when the company started making cues), and have they always been high end cues?

They are a Japanese company, right?

I remember seeing one back in maybe 2004 (I forget exactly what year), and a friend thought that it was a cheaply made cue (I guess because he never heard of Mezz cues at the time).

I am just curious if they did not start getting really popular until they starting sponsoring pro players (like Alex Pagulayan)?

Were they really expensive from the very beginning (before anyone ever heard of them)?

I am just curious.

Thanks
 
J

justinb386

Banned
Thanks for the link. Very interesting to learn that they were the actual cue maker (at one time or another) for many American cue companies. So have Mezz cues always been high end end production cues (since 95 when Mezz cues started their own brand name), or were they priced much cheaper back in the 90's (like compared to the prices of Joss cues for example)? I say high end, because the cheapest Mezz cue that I can find has a retail value of $434 (for the Mezz CJ-500 cue). I also see them retailing for over $1,000 (like for the Mezz CP0408/DB cue). So, I am just curious if their cues have always started in the $400 price range (for a plane jane Mezz cue)? Please do not make fun of me if my questions seem stupid to you. Thanks.

Manoman2444 said:
http://www.mezzcues.us/history/img/miki.jpg
Click to expand...
 
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Hidy Ho

Hidy Ho

Missed 4 rail hanger!!!
Silver Member
I think it's more fair to compare Mezz (cue and shafts) to Predator, although Mezz does sell cues with conventional shafts. Neither are considered "cheap".

Also, Mezz products are priced in JPY and converted to USD (so I have been told) so a portion of the price increase is due to weakened USD.
 
N

Nitrous

Registered
personally I've never even heard of the cues til very late 2000's. Like many people, we probably all turned a blind eye to Mezz until the recent sponsorships for pros.

They probably make a good cue, but personally I just don't see the use in spending more than a couple hundred dollars for any mass manufactured cue
 
T

Taco

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
You can get one for cheaper than $400, but not much. High 300’s maybe.

They’re very well made cues. I’ve never had a tighter joint than on my low-end Mezz. And they play great.

If they’re good enough for Mika, they’re probably good enough for you.
 
JB Cases

JB Cases

www.jbcases.com
Silver Member
justinb386 said:
Thanks for the link. Very interesting to learn that they were the actual cue maker (at one time or another) for many American cue companies. So have Mezz cues always been high end end production cues (since 95 when Mezz cues started their own brand name), or were they priced much cheaper back in the 90's (like compared to the prices of Joss cues for example)? I say high end, because the cheapest Mezz cue that I can find has a retail value of $434 (for the Mezz CJ-500 cue). I also see them retailing for over $1,000 (like for the Mezz CP0408/DB cue). So, I am just curious if their cues have always started in the $400 price range (for a plane jane Mezz cue)? Please do not make fun of me if my questions seem stupid to you. Thanks.
Click to expand...

http://www.mezzcues.us/history/

In addition to making the Mezz line of cues the company also displays as an INVITED cue maker at the International Cue Collector's Show annually. They have a very high end brand called Exceed that in fact is every bit as custom and high end as any cue made by anyone else.

Kaz Miki has taken this brand to new heights and while they stayed in the background for a long time everyone that has claimed to love a Helmstetter or an Adams cue already loves the quality that Mezz now exceeds.

I have NOTHING to do with them, don't sell anything to them or for them, and have no financial interest, nor do I own a Mezz anything. I simply admire their work and admire Kaz Miki's dedication to his father's business. He has become a truly great cue maker in his own right in my opinion.
 
JB Cases

JB Cases

www.jbcases.com
Silver Member
Cornerman said:
An additional view on Mezz that if you combine all the stories, you can make up your own mind on how and why. Today, they're innovators and leaders.

http://forums.azbilliards.com/showpost.php?p=1990670&postcount=9

Freddie
Click to expand...

Sometimes it takes some help to gain knowledge that you don't have. The point I was making is that if the cue was built by them after the time Richard went there then that factory was still responsible for the quality.

Jim Lucas doesn't mention Bill Stroud's contribution to Lucasi anywhere that I have seen. Bill told me when he got there that they didn't even know how to center a joint pin or find the center.

I personally think that Mezz SHOULD acknowledge any help from Richard Helmstetter. It's a part of their history and a shame that they don't at least mention it. After all without the worldwide distribution and the help of an experienced cue maker would they be where they are today? Probably not.
 
Hidy Ho

Hidy Ho

Missed 4 rail hanger!!!
Silver Member
I break with Mezz PB-2 with DI Pro shaft and I love this cue.

I also own 3 Exceed cues that I traded for or picked up in the secondary market. I think they are well made cues although I'm not that crazy about some of their design work. The cues play well though and I think they play better than my other Mezz cues. On the other side, I think their retail price is a bit strong, IMHO.

I used to love the WD700 shafts and probably played best pool when I used to play that shaft on a wrapless Schon butt. Now, I play with 30" Hybrid Alpha shafts on all my butts including my SW cue.

My only complaint is Mezz is that they weren't very customizable on shaft orders. When I ordered my Alpha shafts (it was relatively a large order), they wouldn't/couldn't make me a shaft that was sized or threaded for SW cue (3/8x11 thread sized to .835 joint). And they wouldn't sell me a partial shaft after refusing to make me a 3/8x11 thread shaft. I bought 3/8x10 thread shaft and had to another cuemaker plug/thread and size it for my SW.

Also, the 3/8x10 threaded shaft was very tight on the conventional 3/8x10 shaft and wouldn't fit on the flat threads (smaller ID). I had to fix this myself. I've not encountered such issue with other LD shafts.
 
ctran

ctran

You watch me.
Silver Member
Hidy Ho: I fully agree with you. a friend of mine has a McDermott cue of the year but he loves the WD700 shaft. He even sent the butt to Mezz to make him a couple of shaft that fits perfectly with the McDermott butt, but they refused.
 
A

AAplayr

Banned
Price controls

They...like Predator...are very good at price controls. When the sole USA distributor won't sell to me at 30% off retail it's a little ridiculous. So I just fold my money up and walk away. Of course you can see examples where deeply discounting cues has permanetly devalued a brand or cuemaker, so I get it. I just don't have to like it.
 
jhanso18

jhanso18

Broken Lock
Silver Member
Taco said:
You can get one for cheaper than $400, but not much. High 300’s maybe.

They’re very well made cues. I’ve never had a tighter joint than on my low-end Mezz. And they play great.

If they’re good enough for Mika, they’re probably good enough for you.
Click to expand...


On that same note, Shane plays with a $150 cuetec...
 
Grilled Cheese

Grilled Cheese

p.i.i.t.h.
Silver Member
Mezz is the best made production cue out there. No debate about it. They are better made than most average custom cues. You need to go to an elite cuemaker to get better precision and quality.
 
Dunnn51

Dunnn51

Clear the table!
Silver Member
Mezz

Grilled Cheese said:
Mezz is the best made production cue out there. No debate about it. They are better made than most average custom cues. You need to go to an elite cuemaker to get better precision and quality.
Click to expand...

No arguement there!
Mezz makes high quality Limited production cues in batch-order fashion. There is a limited market for each specific model. Their designs can vary quite a bit. Some I like,.... others ,......... eh, not so much. :) They base a lot of their designs off of more famous made cues. The reasons above MAY justify their pricing. The reasons I mentioned may also be why their re-sale prices are strong as well.
 
Apocdave

Apocdave

New member
Love my Mezz Cue

I bought my first Mezz Cue in 1996/97 best joint that has ever been produced in my opinion. When you put it together it was like no other joint on the market, was a bit pricey at $840 but it hit very solid and just felt right.
 
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