the over on the % he sold is 69
Meucci Cues
- Thread starter Robert Meucci
- Start date
the over on the % he sold is 69
Budget Billiard
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Yes. It is pretty much like that for any pool cue review..even Joss. "(Brand) Pool Cue Review" etc. Sorry for leaving that out.
Can you respond to post #17 please?
It's been made clear on this forum "Budget Billiards" is owned and operated by Bobs daughter... Anything posted by that username is just chest pounding about the family product.
Chopdoc, send it anywhere but back to the factory. There's too many "lost and not found" or month long turnarounds that actually take a year or two.
Bob, in my opinion having junk go out the door might happen. Wood is wood, it will move at times with pressure, humidity, etc. No one can fault you for that. These forum members have see it happen all too often. I've been in manufacturing my whole life. When big orders are placed we get them out the door. I'm sure you're no different. Just saying a true custom cue maker who really cares about quality will put it in the new owners hands when they are happy with the finished product and not in a hurry because this order must ship! Pretty simple and you're trying....... but I'm not buying.
Chopdoc, send it anywhere but back to the factory. There's too many "lost and not found" or month long turnarounds that actually take a year or two.
Bob, in my opinion having junk go out the door might happen. Wood is wood, it will move at times with pressure, humidity, etc. No one can fault you for that. These forum members have see it happen all too often. I've been in manufacturing my whole life. When big orders are placed we get them out the door. I'm sure you're no different. Just saying a true custom cue maker who really cares about quality will put it in the new owners hands when they are happy with the finished product and not in a hurry because this order must ship! Pretty simple and you're trying....... but I'm not buying.
Yes, very true.
The reviews are generally very good, with a few that bash. And they, Joss, have been accused of importing cues and/or importing forearms from China. Which of course they have not.
It is kind of a pattern we have seen for just about any US cue maker.
Meucci has received a lot of criticism for poor quality control and poor customer service...more than the others it seems. There have even been those complaining they did not get their cue back.
Some might say where there is smoke there is fire.
You ave seemed to suggest there is some kind of conspiracy at AZB. There are almost 5.9 million posts here. The entire forum is indexed by Google, and searchable without a logon. It is a tremendous resource. Like any such resource it has issues.
Such resources require the reader to pars the value of information presented. We have people here that are collectors, cue makers, and more. Some are very serious Meucci collectors. We have people that had one bad experience with a Meucci 20 years ago for example and now are very vocal about it. That happens in any business. The reader has to decide the relative value of what is being offered.
Meucci has had an inordinate amount of complaints, but not just here.
Yes, there are other places where product reviews posted, bit linked to individual businesses and at large on the internet.
Product reviews have been a major source of market manipulation. Companies specialize in providing fake reviews and other companies pay for those services.
In medicine, doctors and hospitals get reviews. There are special web sites for it. Honestly, it's 90% crap, bad information.
Sadly, in spite of this, many buyers are very driven by such product reviews.
Some other buyers are driven by what the pros use. Mr Meucci addressed that in his original post very thoroughly. Cue makers can boost that profile with sponsorship deals. They can even write into the deal that the player will use their shaft and not an aftermarket shaft.
Nobody can deny that Meucci has been a major player in the industry, very prominent at all levels for decades. Many pros have used a Meucci, and some famously so.
One of my mentors back in the eighties used a Meucci Original.
What remains is that there have been complaints about the quality. They were not addressed on Mr Meucci's post, and they were not addressed on yours other than to imply that there is some kind of conspiracy.
I am a collector, not a dealer. Although I still play I consider myself a former player. I love my Joss because I have owned it since 1985 and played serious pool with it for years. But I have many cues now.
I enjoy the AZB community. Personally, I was thrilled to see a post from Mr Meucci. I hope to see more from him or a representative. One of the ways makers maintain a presence is by engaging communities such as this.
Dan Janes and his son both occasionally post here. There is a Viking rep that posts here.
Viking was and is a great come back story. Yes, they have an import line. But their cue making facility was re-opened mostly with the original workers.
OB is represented here.
Many are represented here.
Now, I would never pretend to tell somebody how to run their business. But I honeslty think that having a presence in the online community is a good move in today's market.
Meucci cues have a place in the heart of many. I think you need to believe that. In fact Budget Billiards seems indelibly tied to it.
When somebody says publicly they didn't get their cue back from Meucci, or they were sent the wrong cue three times, or there was something wrong with it and it wasn't fixed, it really looks bad when the complaint is met with silence from the maker and/or the distributor.
Most such posts invite comment from the maker or distributor.
Meucci and those that sell Meucci have an opportunity here in that regard.
This thread will not change what is seems to be endeavoring to change. An honest and forthright presence here will.
I can promise you this, I will continue to applaud Mr Meucci for posting. And I will continue to applaud you for posting. I will also be honest in any response that I might make to such posts.
I don't want to see American cue makers suffer in this market. There is much competition from Asia. I support the American makers.
More than that I support Mr Meucci as much as I do the other great names that built the American cue making industry.
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After reading comments here, I was quite reluctant to send my MO 84-4 to Meucci for a refinish. Stories of long waits, cues never returned, etc. I had every reason to send to Proficient instead. But I sent to Meucci anyway.
My experience was excellent. Returned in 2 months, excellent finish, ringwork on a 314 partial was perfect line-up. Great customer service on the phone, especially the guy who was doing the work, very responsive and patient with my inquiries. This was in mid 2014.
I'm sure the other folks weren't lying, and the above is just one person's experience - but I couldn't read where this thread is likely going, without sharing it.
Good luck Bob and Budget. It's good to see you here.
My experience was excellent. Returned in 2 months, excellent finish, ringwork on a 314 partial was perfect line-up. Great customer service on the phone, especially the guy who was doing the work, very responsive and patient with my inquiries. This was in mid 2014.
I'm sure the other folks weren't lying, and the above is just one person's experience - but I couldn't read where this thread is likely going, without sharing it.
Good luck Bob and Budget. It's good to see you here.
I've been repairing and refinishing Meucci cues for 14 years now. I buy and flip quite a few, others are customers who want to see their Meucci look brand new again. I also work on many other cues, cheap and expensive along with building my own LM Cues.
One thing is for sure, I can ALWAYS sell a Meucci Originals cue. I really don't even try to flip Meucci's after 1988 with the script logo, they just don't sell. Other cue brands (production and/or custom) are a hard sell due to the prices and the fact that their aren't too many pool players that are willing to throw down $3500 for a refinished cue.
One thing that I would like for Bob/Budget to do is expand their Meucci archive to include more of the low production cues i.e. 1/2 horse 1/2 man(forgot the mythylogical name), clover leaf, tournament champion models, early cues(before the first brochure) etc...
I was sad to see the Meucci Originals block lettering come back for a brief time as retro cues. They are not made the same as before with the butt sleeve that is separate from the handle. I've cut up dozens of old meucci originals to put a full new STRAIGHT handle on them but when the forearm is warped, there is not much I can do. That being said, I've seen some other (production/customs) mid to high end cues that are just as warped as some old Meucci cues.
I took a tour of the factory when they were in Sledge,MS. and I believe his name was Rock who gave me the tour. He said that back in the day when they were getting big orders, they were pumping out several hundred cues a week! Being a cuemaker myself, I know there is not much of a chance that all of that wood could be correctly dried and slow turned to keep up with that kind of volume. That is why I understand that when you find an Originals that is straight, its few and far between. The implex plastic that was used obviously ran from different suppliers, some good some not. Seems like some yellowed, some froze and cracked and some stayed intact. The dyes were not as bad but did have a period where they ran.
The old Meucci cues do have a nice hit but too flexable for most today. Back then they were playing on thick cloth that didn't take spin as easy so the meucci shaft was a perfect match. Now a Schon shaft, which I consider to be stiff, can get you around the table with ease on Simonis 860.
Like it or not, Meucci Originals will always have collectors buying them up and just about anyone who shoots pool knows the name.
Just my 2cents worth.
One thing is for sure, I can ALWAYS sell a Meucci Originals cue. I really don't even try to flip Meucci's after 1988 with the script logo, they just don't sell. Other cue brands (production and/or custom) are a hard sell due to the prices and the fact that their aren't too many pool players that are willing to throw down $3500 for a refinished cue.
One thing that I would like for Bob/Budget to do is expand their Meucci archive to include more of the low production cues i.e. 1/2 horse 1/2 man(forgot the mythylogical name), clover leaf, tournament champion models, early cues(before the first brochure) etc...
I was sad to see the Meucci Originals block lettering come back for a brief time as retro cues. They are not made the same as before with the butt sleeve that is separate from the handle. I've cut up dozens of old meucci originals to put a full new STRAIGHT handle on them but when the forearm is warped, there is not much I can do. That being said, I've seen some other (production/customs) mid to high end cues that are just as warped as some old Meucci cues.
I took a tour of the factory when they were in Sledge,MS. and I believe his name was Rock who gave me the tour. He said that back in the day when they were getting big orders, they were pumping out several hundred cues a week! Being a cuemaker myself, I know there is not much of a chance that all of that wood could be correctly dried and slow turned to keep up with that kind of volume. That is why I understand that when you find an Originals that is straight, its few and far between. The implex plastic that was used obviously ran from different suppliers, some good some not. Seems like some yellowed, some froze and cracked and some stayed intact. The dyes were not as bad but did have a period where they ran.
The old Meucci cues do have a nice hit but too flexable for most today. Back then they were playing on thick cloth that didn't take spin as easy so the meucci shaft was a perfect match. Now a Schon shaft, which I consider to be stiff, can get you around the table with ease on Simonis 860.
Like it or not, Meucci Originals will always have collectors buying them up and just about anyone who shoots pool knows the name.
Just my 2cents worth.
Hello mate, Black dot shaft was a great innovation, been out the game for a bit, will be interesting to see what you have been working on the last few years. I always thought your cues were nice.
I hope you hang around the forums and share some knowledge, can you do a tutorial on how to build one of them fancy pants deflection testing machines of yours? :grin-square: Bollocks, that thing is nice.
I hope you hang around the forums and share some knowledge, can you do a tutorial on how to build one of them fancy pants deflection testing machines of yours? :grin-square: Bollocks, that thing is nice.
I have first hand experience that the quality control at Meucci has been awful the last 15 years that I know of.
Things got better for a while around 2004 or 2005 when Barbara came back, but when cues are sent back for warranty repair Meucci should replace them but instead try to repair the cues.
These repairs take forever and are typically done poorly.
My suggestion in that I don't see the quality improving, would be to simply replace these defective Meucci cues, and don't try to repair them, you're not very good at it.
I just sold the Meucci original cue Meucci made for Danny Medina.
Terrific shafts
Welcome to the forum
Peace
Ted Brown
Things got better for a while around 2004 or 2005 when Barbara came back, but when cues are sent back for warranty repair Meucci should replace them but instead try to repair the cues.
These repairs take forever and are typically done poorly.
My suggestion in that I don't see the quality improving, would be to simply replace these defective Meucci cues, and don't try to repair them, you're not very good at it.
I just sold the Meucci original cue Meucci made for Danny Medina.
Terrific shafts
Welcome to the forum
PeaceTed Brown
Had a JR-1, Jimmy Rempe by Meucci, (Originals), until last year when I gave in to a friend that had been begging for about 25 years. He finally hit the right number and I sold it, ($350). Big mistake selling it even if I had gotten double that. I seriously considered buying a new BMC Pro Series 3 but they were all priced over $100 and that's the absolute most I would pay considering that I truly believe quality would be a crapshoot!
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As I've stated many times on this forum, I have always had great luck with all of the Meucci cues I've purchased over the years. I've bought them in pool halls, from personal friends at their homes, from Budget Billiards and from Bob, personally at his factory. Never had a problem with one of them.
Bob is a very friendly guy who is keenly interested in making sure his customers are satisfied. I own quite a few cues now and every once in-a-while I add to the collection.
The last time I saw Bob, Julia and Barbara, I played banjo and fiddle for them in the factory. We all had a little fun for a few minutes after Bob gave me a pool lesson.
They're wonderful people making a wonderful American product and I'm proud of them and their product.
Bob is a very friendly guy who is keenly interested in making sure his customers are satisfied. I own quite a few cues now and every once in-a-while I add to the collection.
The last time I saw Bob, Julia and Barbara, I played banjo and fiddle for them in the factory. We all had a little fun for a few minutes after Bob gave me a pool lesson.
They're wonderful people making a wonderful American product and I'm proud of them and their product.
Wow, that's great to hear Drawback, thanks. I'm sure a few others watching this thread will be tickled pink to know Bob is "keenly interested in making sure his customers are satisfied", especially a friend who bought a Meucci in the late '90's for about $450. He had owned Scruggs,Joss, Mali, Viking, and played only at home, (one-hole/straight pool). Cues never left yet the Meucci warped, rings, inlays popped within 2 years, he sent cue in & they "couldn't find it". Around Thanksgiving I'll be making my rounds at the graveyard & let him know about Bob's keen interest!
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I seriously doubt he's a chameleon rotating independently from a lousy cue maker/repairman to a talented cue maker/repairman in the blink of an eye. He's an artist and one hell of a good one at that. He knows wood having worked with it the better part of his life and he knows design. He's been able to create some beautiful masterpieces.
With the amount of cues that have been made there is bound to be some that have some defects. (Like I said, I've been lucky). Have there been times that the repair has dragged on, perhaps many times over the years. He's tried to service what he creates and sells. Most of the problems associated with his cues are from improper care from owners, I'll bet on that.
But, yes, I'll stand by what I said. He's keenly interested in making his customers satisfied with their cues. He wants the return business.
:deadhorse::deadhorse::deadhorse::deadhorse:
Sorry Mr. Meucci but you imply anything negative said about your cues is either false or part of some conspiracy and I have a difficult time believing that. I've never used one of your cues but I've read so many comments on this forum, from so many different people, that are so consistently negative that I would not consider a Meucci. I have some friends at my local pool hall that play with and swear by "original" Meucci's from many years ago and even they say your products aren't what they used to be. I have to assume there is some reason for what seems to be a broad consensus that for at least some period of time you simply weren't on top of QC. I've seen CEO's that seem to want to argue with their customers before and while I understand you're proud of what you do at some point listening to what customers are saying rather than disputing them and being in denial may be a better way to go.
