Best All-Around Production Cue for ~$1000 (Value, Playability, Durability, Support)?

[manwon]

There is no accounting for the depth of ignorance certain individuals reveal on the internet. My belief it is related to anonymity. I try to not engage with such folks because they are beyond help -- they will not, or cannot, learn. GB Shaw said it all, "Never wrestle with a pig because you'll both get dirty and the pig likes it."

I try to give everyone a chance if they at first show their ass, but after that, I will never respond to them again. Every one makes mistakes, god knows I have made my share. I will say I totally agree with your sentiments on the subject.

Take care.

 

[DJKeys]

The Mezz website is not updated.
Better to reach out to dealers and see what they got in stock

I have done this. There are literally no Mezz play cues available, just Carom, Snooker, Break, and Jump. Of course, you can find some on Ebay. For example, one Japanese dealer has a new Ace 2184 for $4K. Price on Mezz USA is $1415 (sold out). Other used Mezz are going for very high prices.

On MezzUSA, one of the banners says they are limiting purchase to 2 cues per month per household!

-dj

 

[garczar]

View attachment 845647


All EC-9 models have been sold out since Mezz put them on sale a year (2 years?) ago. And, all their other offerings have been listed as sold out for awhile.

sold out doesn't mean discontinued. they still make them.

 

[Glenee]

Predator P3

 

[JPB2]

I have done this. There are literally no Mezz play cues available, just Carom, Snooker, Break, and Jump. Of course, you can find some on Ebay. For example, one Japanese dealer has a new Ace 2184 for $4K. Price on Mezz USA is $1415 (sold out). Other used Mezz are going for very high prices.

On MezzUSA, one of the banners says they are limiting purchase to 2 cues per month per household!

-dj

This is in part what I meant about availability. Mezz to me is just unavailable. Only one I hit with seemed great. I am more of a production cue guy because the customs I have had didn’t overwhelm me with how great they played or how they were miles ahead of production cues. Disadvantages of custom have been availability, wait times, price vs play ratio. But in this situation I have seen some customs for 1500 I’d rather have than a Mezz. Once we get to unavailable or what I view as too expensive for a given production cue, I’d start looking a lot harder at going to Manwon’s “side.” I guess it depends on the individual, but 3-4 k for a Mezz, Predator, etc…. No.

 

[891014+1]

- Predator: a lot of good butts and you can apply some of the best shafts to it.
- Mezz: very solid, high end construction and favorite from several pro players.
- Cuetec: for me, they have some good cues for the money. Not to expensive.
-Peri: go to asia and see how many Chinese, Pinoys and other use them. Fabrication process is one of the best at use. The best peri cues are not the cheapest

 

[manwon]

- Predator: a lot of good butts and you can apply some of the best shafts to it.
- Mezz: very solid, high end construction and favorite from several pro players.
- Cuetec: for me, they have some good cues for the money. Not to expensive.
-Peri: go to asia and see how many Chinese, Pinoys and other use them. Fabrication process is one of the best at use. The best peri cues are not the cheapest

I am a retied soldier / expatriate living in South Korea and you certainly right Peri cues are top shelf. I am actually thinking about buying one of their 3-Cushion cues later this week.

Great information.

 

[KagedWest]

- Predator: a lot of good butts and you can apply some of the best shafts to it.
- Mezz: very solid, high end construction and favorite from several pro players.
- Cuetec: for me, they have some good cues for the money. Not to expensive.
-Peri: go to asia and see how many Chinese, Pinoys and other use them. Fabrication process is one of the best at use. The best peri cues are not the cheapest

I have a high end peri love it

 

[maha]

pretty much any cue at any price, that is solid and tight, that has a shaft you like or can take a shaft you prefer.

everything else is mostly fluff.

 

[CocoboloCowboy]

CoCo is absolutely correct, but 1000 now delays an update for quite a while.

Will say it again, and Mike Howerton knows the guy who won Mikes Desert Classic events all the time.

His Cue was a McDermott price point Plane Jane, a Merry Widow.

 

[Rackaday]

Then you would have a reason to not buy American.

I'm not sure I know what a "perfect" cue is though. My Joss hits balls. I love the damn thing. It isn't perfect, it's just perfect for me.

Perfection is a belief, not a measurement. There is also no one size fits all cue.

 

[vintagecollectibles831]

I would say, probably the Mezz ASTR-231, for $965.

Mezz AXI cues

Mezz Cues, J&J Cues, Tad Cues, Schon Cues, Joss Cues, Gilbert Cues, Nitti Cues, Josey Cues, Josswest Cues, DP Cues, Espiritu Cues, AC Cues.

www.jjcue.com

I believe that Mezz is the best Production cue on the planet, and there is a good reason why they have such strong resale values. Because they are the best. Super solid hitting cues. Made in Japan.

In the under $1,000 price range, I do not think you could find a more solid, and nicer hitting cue, then a Mezz.

 

[vintagecollectibles831]

Mezz. Hands down the best prod. cues out there. Nothing wrong, AT ALL, with Joss/Schon/Pechauer/etc i just think Mezz's QC is the best in the business. I don't like their Mezz-only pins bit other than that i'm all in.

The United Joint is basically 5/16x14, I believe. Mezz shafts will fit non Mezz cues, and maybe vice versa?

 

[vintagecollectibles831]

Some of the specs that you're asking about can't really be addressed, such as:
- Long-Term Durability - really up to the user; a $50 cue could last a lifetime if cared for, and a $5000 one would not survive a year if not cared for.
- Consistent Quality - that will require owning a few cues from the same brand for a few years. No one can promise you or assure you that the quality of a maker from 10 years ago still holds with today's cues. Take a look at Meucci, which had quality issues at certain eras. Today's Schon is not up to par with what they used to be. McDermott and Viking have lines of cues made in Asia that are not up to par with their reputation, etc.


For about $1000, you have good options like:
1. Pechaur - you can find a nice cue for under $1000; if looking to upgrade the shaft to a low deflection, carbon fibre or kielwood, then you'll have to look into a more basic butt. They have extensions available and a weight screw system. They have a proprietary joint which will make it harder to match a 3rd-party shaft.

2. Joss - Pretty much as the Pechaur, they have a whole section of cues under $800, and they have a weight system and extensions available. The Joint is more standard than the Pechaur, so you can get it with any of the Joss shafts or save $100 and get it without a shaft and match any 3rd-party shaft that you may like.

I was looking for the same thing a few months ago. I was getting back to the game, and I have a bunch of nice cues, but none of my "players" could take an extension. I was looking into Joss, as I have a bunch of shafts (314 & CF) that will fit a 5/16x14 joint. But I really didn't find a design that I liked at my price point.

I ended up going with a JFlowers cue; I got the JF10-22F, I like its design (not crazy) and that it has inlays and not overlays. It has a bumper that is ready for their extension, and they offer 6 lengths to choose from, and they are stackable. They have a weight system (I don't use or change it); it comes with a radial pin. I've upgraded the basic CF shaft to the SMO, which is one of the best CF shafts on the market, and added an 8-inch extension, and the total was just under $700 – great value!! It's been my main player for the last 3 months or so; it has a nice, solid hit and plays great. The build is really nice. I wasn't a big fan of the wrap at first, but I got used to it.

As for service, some manufacturers offer a lifetime warranty for warpage or other defects; I don't care too much about it. I live overseas, and it's a pain in the butt to send stuff back... I just take care of my cues, and most of them served me well for many years (some custom cues failed).

So to summarize the JFlowers with your template:
Cue Brand / Model: JFlowers JF10-22F
Butt: Ebony cored with maple and carbon (look at their website to see the costruction) with abalone and white zuma inlays
Wrap: Genuine leather
Shaft: SMO CF shaft + $219 upgrade
Tip: Default Taom Fusion (med-hard) - I didn't like it and replaced it with the G2 medium which is great for me
Extension: Yes, I got the 8 inches
Joint: radial
Weight Adjustability: Yes but I think that the lowest is 19oz
Approx. Price: $693

​

Joss cues are so generic looking. Most of them, in my opinion. The wood they use in their forearms looks like very low grade Curly Maple, and their Points remind me of a DP cue, lol. Overall, they just look very generic, and ugly. I am sure they hit good though.

Pechauer cues, I do not like that they use the term Ebonized Maple a lot, in their cues. Just sounds so cheap. I hate the thought of stained cues, to make them look like Ebony. Just seems cheap to me. Their designs also look not that great to me.

And, JFlowers, and others, like Cuetec for example, they just seem very cheap to me. Probably made with Overlays.

For under a $1,000, I would just get a Mezz. Best production cue on the planet.

 

[vintagecollectibles831]

Cheapest Mezz is around $600 with a standard wooden shaft. If looking for LD or CF + add extension and you are past the $1000 mark.
I've hit a Mezz with Ignite shaft next to my JFlower, I don't think that the Mezz feels better, both have a nice solid hit.

There is not a single production cue on the planet that hits as solid as a Mezz with Wavy joint. Just my opinion. Amazingly solid hit, and feel. There is a reason they are sold out everywhere. Because they are the best.

 

[vintagecollectibles831]

CueTec Avid and pop for the Cynergy shaft. $700 give or take a bit.

I keep hearing that Cuetec products are very cheaply made though.

 

[vintagecollectibles831]

Setting aside fancy custom builds and expensive limited production cues, what’s the best production cue overall if you want the whole package: great value, solid playability, consistent quality, long-term durability, a design that doesn’t look too crazy, easy maintenance, good manufacturer support, and it has factory-made accessories like extensions?

Looking to spend around $1000, shaft included. Would love to hear from people who’ve owned or played with cues in this range for a while, not just what hits nice out of the box, but what holds up over years of use. You can use below template if you would like, or just shoot your comment.

Cue Brand / Model:
Butt: (Material, weight etc.)
Wrap: (Irish linen, leather, no wrap, rubber grip, etc.)
Shaft: (Standard maple, low-deflection, carbon fiber, model name if known)
Tip: (Brand, hardness, diameter)
Extension: (Factory extension available? Yes/No, length)
Joint: (Type, pin size, material)
Weight Adjustability: (Yes/No)
Approx. Price:

Comments on Playability & Durability:
Post pictures of your cue if possible:
View attachment 844050

I am just going to say this one more time. You want the highest quality, and the best value for your money? Get a Mezz.

 

[skor]

There is not a single production cue on the planet that hits as solid as a Mezz with Wavy joint. Just my opinion. Amazingly solid hit, and feel. There is a reason they are sold out everywhere. Because they are the best.

I doubt that you will tell the difference in feel between the wavy joint to radial or 3/8x10 or any wood to wood joint for that matter, it you had the same butt and shaft or at least as close as possible in materials construction and specs of weight and balance.

Have you ever done side by side comparisons?
I'm not saying that Mezz are bad cues, far from it, I do think that you can get just the same quality for less money.
And other options will provide lower deflection to those that this matter to them

 

[vintagecollectibles831]

I don’t know how well all the imports do on the support part of the question. There have been threads on different brands. I like CueTec as far as the import brands for playability, value, accessories etc…. As they say in football, the best ability is availability. Some of the imports seem to be less available or have stuff out of stock more often.

For support I would think Pechauer and McDermott would be up there. I like how the new Meuccis play though. Pechauer quality is great. I haven’t had to send anything to Meucci for repair. I think the new management has improved that situation from what I hear.

so for support and availability I would go with one of their American companies. Some depends on what you want as far as how they play and design.

Support: Surely Mcdermott. Value, and the highest quality? Mezz.

 

[vintagecollectibles831]

I doubt that you will tell the difference in feel between the wavy joint to radial or 3/8x10 or any wood to wood joint for that matter, it you had the same butt and shaft or at least as close as possible in materials construction and specs of weight and balance.

Have you ever done side by side comparisons?
I'm not saying that Mezz are bad cues, far from it, I do think that you can get just the same quality for less money.
And other options will provide lower deflection to those that this matter to them

Okay, lets just talk value alone. You buy a Mezz, and use it for a year, and want to sell for an upgrade, or for whatever reason. You are going to lose very little money on the cue. You buy an Ignite shaft for $575, and take good care of it. You will never lose more then $100 on your investment. That is guaranteed.

You buy any other Production cue on the market (Schon included), and you will probably lose 50% of what you paid, if you paid retail.

The Wavy joint is the most solid joint that I have ever experienced. It really makes me feel like I am playing with a 1 piece cue. The Mezz is just so freaking solid, in my opinion. No other production cues come even close to comparing.