My Day With Bob Meucci, One of the World's "Good Guys"

CJ Wiley

CJ Wiley

ESPN WORLD OPEN CHAMPION
Gold Member
Silver Member
It's a rainy day in Dallas, and it couldn't be more perfect. We just got back from a weekend trip to see Bob Meucci just outside Memphis (in Mississippi) to design Mary Avina's new line of Meucci Custom Cues. I drove us there because Mary was so excited to design her own line and I hadn't seen Bob since the 90s when he was sponsoring many of my friends on Tour.

Bob understands things about the Game, and certainly pool cues that amazed me. We had an in depth conversation about the 'Touch of Inside' and he brought to my attention some information that will add an effective tool to my "pool box". Through some of my greatest gambling days I used a Meucci, and in my early 20s I actually wore one of the wraps out I played so many hours gambling all over the United States, and rarely booked a loser.

I told BOB what I thought was ideal about a pool cue's design, and he said "hold on for a moment".....he then went back to a pool cue locker and took out a cue and brought it to me. It was exactly what I had described (steel with a "wood to wood" joint), and I took it to the nearest table....immediately I knew this cue had "supernatural" sound and feel.

Mr. Meucci said "This is my personal cue, the one that I play with, and if you like it you can have it, I'll even make you two new spare shafts"......I froze for a moment, taken back, thinking to myself "I'm getting offered the personal playing cue of one of history's greatest cue makers....I wonder if he would pick out the "best" Meucci cue for himself?.....LoL
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WOW, what a generous man, and truly one of the most brilliant men in the industry. Bob has given cues to some of the all time greats like Larry Hubert, Mike Sigel, St. Louie Louie, Buddy Hall, Earl Stickland, Mike Massey, Reid Pierce, Jimmy Rempe, David Howard....on and on. I feel honored to be in this quality of company and for him to give me his own, personal cue makes it even more special.

After driving 9 straight hours home this morning I couldn't wait to get to the table and try out the new shafts. BINGO, it wasn't a dream, this cue is incredible and it's stirred up a feelings I haven't experienced in a while, like I kid with a new toy....now I remember my first Meucci I received when I was 15 years old, it had the "royal flush" design and playing with it made me "feel like a Pro" - I practiced with that cue relentlessly. I suppose "the rest is history".

Life and the Game of pool has taken me a long way, from the small town of Green City, as a 15 year old waiting anxiously for a new pool cue, all the way to the factory that sent that cue....and the man that was responsible for making it giving me with his own personal cue. It really makes me grateful to have followed this path and I look forward to seeing where it leads. Whatever happens I'll always remember my "day with Bob Meucci".

Thank You, BOB, you are one of the world's "good guys" - I'll always remember and appreciate your unexpected generosity - though the years you've done so much for this game and the people that love it. We're very grateful indeed. 'The Game{and Bob}is the Teacher' AMEN:-)
 
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CJ Wiley said:
It's a rainy day in Dallas, and it couldn't be more perfect. We just got back from a weekend trip to see Bob Meucci just outside Memphis (in Mississippi) to design Mary Avina's new line of Meucci Custom Cues. I drove us there because Mary was so excited to design her own line and I hadn't seen Bob since the 90s when he was sponsoring many of my friends on Tour.

Bob understands things about the Game, and certainly pool cues that amazed me. We had an in depth conversation about the 'Touch of Inside' and he brought to my attention some information that will add an effective tool to my "pool box". Through some of my greatest gambling days I used a Meucci, and in my early 20s I actually wore one of the wraps out I played so many hours gambling all over the United States, and rarely booked a loser.

I told BOB what I thought was ideal about a pool cue's design, and he said "hold on for a moment".....he then went back to a pool cue locker and took out a cue and brought it to me. It was exactly what I had described (steel with a "wood to wood" joint), and I took it to the nearest table....immediately I knew this cue had "supernatural" sound and feel.

Mr. Meucci said "This is my personal cue, the one that I play with, and if you like it you can have it, I'll even make you two new spare shafts"......I froze for a moment, taken back, thinking to myself "I'm getting offered the personal playing cue of one of history's greatest cue makers....I wonder if he would pick out the "best" Meucci cue for himself?.....LoL

WOW, what a generous man, and truly one of the most brilliant men in the industry. Bob has given cues to some of the all time greats like Larry Hubert, Mike Sigel, St. Louie Louie, Buddy Hall, Earl Stickland, Mike Massey, Reid Pierce, Jimmy Rempe, David Howard....on and on. I feel honored to be in this quality of company and for him to give me his own, personal cue makes it even more special.

After driving 9 straight hours home this morning I couldn't wait to get to the table and try out the new shafts. BINGO, it wasn't a dream, this cue is incredible and it's stirred up a feelings I haven't experienced in a while, like I kid with a new toy....now I remember my first Meucci I received when I was 15 years old, it had the "royal flush" design and playing with it made me "feel like a Pro" - I practiced with that cue relentlessly. I suppose "the rest is history".

Life and the Game of pool has taken me a long way, from the small town of Green City, as a 15 year old waiting anxiously for a new pool cue, all the way to the factory that sent that cue....and the man that was responsible for making it giving me with his own personal cue. It really makes me grateful to have followed this path and I look forward to seeing where it leads. Whatever happens I'll always remember my "day with Bob Meucci".

Thank You, BOB, you are one of the world's "good guys" - I'll always remember and appreciate your unexpected generosity - though the years you've done so much for this game and the people that love it. We're very grateful indeed. 'The Game{and Bob}is the Teacher' AMEN:-)
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Bob is without a doubt one of the good guys:thumbup::thumbup:


notice a TOI below?
 

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Before you do all the back slapping you might want to talk to some former employees.....

I have. ;)

Ken
 
Luv My Meucci Cues

I've been using Meucci Cues for a long time.
 

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Meucci's are probably the most overpriced, overated cues on the planet. Plus, aren't they currently made by slave labor in China? Every inlay, collar, butt cap, and ferrule are cheap plastic. Although I do like the way Meucci's play, my cue guy told me if I bought one he wouldn't work on it.
 
CJ, thanks for sharing. Your story of a 15 year old and a cue immediately reminded me of a time many years ago when I had put an ad in our local town paper regarding one that I was trying to sell. I had several calls on it but the one that struck me most was a youngster who had called to inquire about the cue. I recall that he struggled to get the words out and I could hear his mom in the background as she tried to help him in asking about the cue. He sure appeared shy and I really think that his mom was using this call as a way of growing her son. When I told him that I was firm on my price, the poor kid was speechless. I politely thanked him for his call and we hung up. For most of that afternoon, I continued to think about that call and the real possibility that this kid was likely hoping to spend what little allowance he may have had on a dream of being a pool player. The young lad called again that day in the evening and again struggled for the words to tell me he could offer me $5 more if that would make the deal. This time, without any hesitation, I told him he could have it as a gift from me if he promised to take good care of it and to return it to me if he ever didn't want it anymore. I got the biggest laugh as I heard him yell out to his mom while still on the phone. I never heard from him again but never regretted doing what I did. Gosh that was so long ago. Funny how events can stay hidden until something triggers your mind. Thanks for that.
Paul
 
CJ Wiley said:
It's a rainy day in Dallas, and it couldn't be more perfect. We just got back from a weekend trip to see Bob Meucci just outside Memphis (in Mississippi) to design Mary Avina's new line of Meucci Custom Cues. I drove us there because Mary was so excited to design her own line and I hadn't seen Bob since the 90s when he was sponsoring many of my friends on Tour.

Bob understands things about the Game, and certainly pool cues that amazed me. We had an in depth conversation about the 'Touch of Inside' and he brought to my attention some information that will add an effective tool to my "pool box". Through some of my greatest gambling days I used a Meucci, and in my early 20s I actually wore one of the wraps out I played so many hours gambling all over the United States, and rarely booked a loser.

I told BOB what I thought was ideal about a pool cue's design, and he said "hold on for a moment".....he then went back to a pool cue locker and took out a cue and brought it to me. It was exactly what I had described (steel with a "wood to wood" joint), and I took it to the nearest table....immediately I knew this cue had "supernatural" sound and feel.

Mr. Meucci said "This is my personal cue, the one that I play with, and if you like it you can have it, I'll even make you two new spare shafts"......I froze for a moment, taken back, thinking to myself "I'm getting offered the personal playing cue of one of history's greatest cue makers....I wonder if he would pick out the "best" Meucci cue for himself?.....LoL

WOW, what a generous man, and truly one of the most brilliant men in the industry. Bob has given cues to some of the all time greats like Larry Hubert, Mike Sigel, St. Louie Louie, Buddy Hall, Earl Stickland, Mike Massey, Reid Pierce, Jimmy Rempe, David Howard....on and on. I feel honored to be in this quality of company and for him to give me his own, personal cue makes it even more special.

After driving 9 straight hours home this morning I couldn't wait to get to the table and try out the new shafts. BINGO, it wasn't a dream, this cue is incredible and it's stirred up a feelings I haven't experienced in a while, like I kid with a new toy....now I remember my first Meucci I received when I was 15 years old, it had the "royal flush" design and playing with it made me "feel like a Pro" - I practiced with that cue relentlessly. I suppose "the rest is history".

Life and the Game of pool has taken me a long way, from the small town of Green City, as a 15 year old waiting anxiously for a new pool cue, all the way to the factory that sent that cue....and the man that was responsible for making it giving me with his own personal cue. It really makes me grateful to have followed this path and I look forward to seeing where it leads. Whatever happens I'll always remember my "day with Bob Meucci".

Thank You, BOB, you are one of the world's "good guys" - I'll always remember and appreciate your unexpected generosity - though the years you've done so much for this game and the people that love it. We're very grateful indeed. 'The Game{and Bob}is the Teacher' AMEN:-)
Click to expand...

Bob not only knows a lot about cue making but he can also play. He knows for example a method of calculating masse shots that is pretty damn accurate.

He so very rarely gets the accolades he deserves for pioneering the era of the "art" cue. To this day no one has done much that tops the Taj Mahal in my opinion as far as cue art goes.
 
Mitchxout said:
Meucci's are probably the most overpriced, overated cues on the planet. Plus, aren't they currently made by slave labor in China? Every inlay, collar, butt cap, and ferrule are cheap plastic. Although I do like the way Meucci's play, my cue guy told me if I bought one he wouldn't work on it.
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Not to my knowledge. Meucci had explored it and samples were made, samples that were better than the originals, but they could not come together on price so the deal never came off.

Also the slave labor comment is way out of line. Why do you need to say that? No one who works for the cue factory is a slave in any sense of the word. Real slavery still exists in the world and casually using this to put down China when Chinese people are NOT slaves cheapens the term and makes it harder to combat REAL slavery.
 
JB Cases said:
Bob not only knows a lot about cue making but he can also play. He knows for example a method of calculating masse shots that is pretty damn accurate.

He so very rarely gets the accolades he deserves for pioneering the era of the "art" cue. To this day no one has done much that tops the Taj Mahal in my opinion as far as cue art goes.
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Don't forget the early work he did on LD shafts (not that it was super effective in the long run but at least the man saw it as an issue and was willing to don the thinking cap).

Kevin
 
kvinbrwr said:
Don't forget the early work he did on LD shafts (not that it was super effective in the long run but at least the man saw it as an issue and was willing to don the thinking cap).

Kevin
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Well I think he was the inspiration for Predator and others to follow. Without Meucci talking about the subject first it's doubtful that anyone else would have thought to get into it. As far as I see it Bob paved the way for a plethora of "performance" shafts to have a place in the market.

I have seen players who were sponsored by name cue makers put down the cue they were sponsored by and go to their old Meucci when gambling. I personally can't stand Meucci cues, the ones I have played with. I only had one that I really liked and when it was stolen I ordered the exact model and when it arrived it felt completely different.

But, there is no denying the amount of championships won with Meucci cues. Once at a show Mike Sigel was holding court talking about his cues and pool and how great he is and at one point he said something like 'I have won so many world championships' and a voice from the back of the crowd said, "and what cue were you using when you won those championships Mike?" - predictably Bob Meucci got no answer to the question.
 
tommyceilings said:
Good for you, CJ was telling a story and it was pretty cool.

Sorry, this isn't the Ken thread. You're a bastion of negativity
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Maybe.

And then maybe some folks don't want to hear the truth.

Whatever lets you sleep at night.

Best of rolls my ruskie friend,

Ken
 
A couple of my buddies and me stopped by there on the way to Tunica to pick up a few things. Mike Massey was there, first time I had seen him in over 20 years. I still use a Meucci with a custom shaft and have tried many cues from different makers and always go back to the Meucci..
 
Ken_4fun said:
Maybe.

And then maybe some folks don't want to hear the truth.

Whatever lets you sleep at night.

Best of rolls my ruskie friend,

Ken
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I think it shows that people can be "good guys" in one aspect of their lives but not so good in other aspects.

As far as the industry goes Bob has definitely supported a lot of players and events, pioneered and influenced a whole generation of cue design and practically invented the concept of the performance shaft.

How he has handled his business with his wholesalers, quality issues and company internals is another issue.
 
Don't forget Bob perfected the wico blanks (synthetic veneers) on a challenge from Burton Spain who could not get it done. If you have never seen a wico blank they are about perfect.

To the guy that asked if Bob really made a good playing cue, Yes he did but I can only state this about his Origonal's 1975-1988 Great playing cues.

CJ, I must add Bob is for sure a good man and a icon in the cue industry.
 
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Pool is the MASTER GAME, and it's just a matter of time before.......

PocketSpeed11 said:
Is it true that Meucci cues used to actually be good?
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Of course you'll hear everything's "bad" if you talk to enough people. Some people will tell you the color "blue" and The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, and Elvis were "bad".

The world of people always have an agenda, and it's usually negative......I AM just telling a real, positive experience I had with a very talented man that was on the cutting edge of cue making. Meucci has been a house hold name in pool cues since I was a little kid. My first cue was a Viking, and then I graduated to a Meucci which I used to win the National High School Championships in Chicago in 82.

I've won over a hundred thousand dollars using a Meucci, Earl Stickland has won numerous tournaments using them, not to mention Larry Hubert who was one of the most dominant players of his era. Larry beat many other Champions who used Meucci's like Mike Sigel, "St. Louie Louie", Buddy Hall, David Howard (Two Time US OPEN Champion) Jimmy Rempe, and many, many more. Larry also beat David Matlock on a bar table when Matlock was considered the best bar table player in the world.

I don't work for Meucci in any way, shape or form, I'm just telling the Truth from my perspective from the trip this weekend. This cue Bob gave me has an incredible hit, it's immediately taken me back many years to a much better time in my personal game.

Something happened this weekend at the Meucci Factory, something I can't really explain, all I know is I LIKE IT. My stoke was so "out of whack" in Tunica it was impossible to enjoy the game. All I want to do right now is get that enjoyment back and whatever happened in Mississippi this weekend gave me what I had wished for.

Who knows, I may never play like I did in the 90s, so it's just a good feeling to want to play again, and be around positive influences. I still believe the Game of pool will rise again to national popularity and make the cut to ESPN and/or other major media.

Right now I'm even more certain the cycle of negativity in pool has been broken and the "right" influences will appear in the near future. There's better outside games, and there's better day games, however Pool is the MASTER GAME, and it's just a matter of time before it has it's time again in the spotlight. imo
 
THX a lot CJ Wiley - good posts

best from Germany

love all my six Meucci cues , three originals and three newer ones :-))
 
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Ken_4fun said:
Before you do all the back slapping you might want to talk to some former employees.....

I have. ;)

Ken
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Great. Let them come on here and tell their own tales of misery.

In the meantime, I can say that I have had hundreds of employees under my command over the years. I'm sure many of them have little good to say about me, but I can't think of a single one who was a good and honest worker that ever felt mistreated or abused by me in any way. Most of the shit talkers were shown the door because of bad attitude and piss poor performance records.

I'm not saying this is the case with your friends, but why not show some respect for an industry pioneer and let them come on here and speak for themselves?

Anyway, nice story, CJ.:smile:
 
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