I've never owned or shot with both. What do you think? I'm curious on your opinions.
Do you think Viking and McDermott are on the same level?
- Thread starter Thunder Thighs
- Start date
Of what? No sacrasm, and my opinion is mostly unqualified anyway. I have a Valhalla and the Macs I've tried were too dolled up to GAF about. That ventured, My Valhalla is the cheapo plain white and came dead friggenstrate. I mean seriously, on the table, 2/3 in the air: it was like looking at a photograph. The equivalent Luckies had wiggles.
Put an Elkmaster on, lengthened the taper somewhat - they do need a better taper stock, and it plays fine.
Put an Elkmaster on, lengthened the taper somewhat - they do need a better taper stock, and it plays fine.
Viking makes a pretty decent quality cue, or at least used to. McDermott has always made a good quality product both in actual quality and in looks. The biggest problem with Viking that I am aware of is that their design and especially their material choices make them appear to be incredibly cheap quality even if they aren't. Too much cheap looking plastic everywhere that is often gaudy, tacky, loud and obnoxious and bright and completely unrealistic in look and colors, but incredibly cheap looking in any case. Most companies try to make their products look like quality even if they are actually junk. Viking is the complete opposite. I've never seen anybody try so hard and go to the lengths that they do to make their products scream "junk" even if they aren't.
I have not shot with a Viking I would take over a McDermott yet.
Buy an old house cue that is mostly straight. Take the money that you'd piss away on a new cue and buy a $200.00 table on Craigslist. Set it up yourself and spend the next three years practicing 5 hours a day. If you ever get good, buy a nice, modestly priced cue with all the money you would have pissed away at the pool hall.
You'll thank me.
You'll thank me.
I think McDermotts are better than Vikings. Less plastic, 3/8 x10 pin in a lot of them, and better shape of the butts. But I'd play with a merry widow Viking and be happy.
My Viking is 35 years old, pre-proprietary joint w/ a Euro taper so I can't compare it to what they are producing today, but I don't care for it compared to my Predator or Players cues that came w/ my table. I've never played w/ a McDermott for any length of time but you will find plenty of people that like and do well w/ both brands.
TLDR- I think they are on the same level.
TLDR- I think they are on the same level.
IMO they're on same level quality-wise. Viking for some reason continues their love affair with gaudy designs-n-colors. For an entry level(and up) American made cue i'd go Pechauer. Every time. I used to tout Schmelke but that was before two shafts warped in a year.
In what regard and why do you ask?
I've owned them both (older models) and, generally speaking, feel McDermott is just a step ahead of Viking in the design and quality.
I have owned both as well, though been awhile. McDermott has WAY better designs, quality wise I much preferred the older Vikings to McDermott cues.
Best advice on the site.
Just to add. Go to a thrift store and pick up a decent cue for under $8. I have about 25 brand name cues and never paid more than $10 for one. Cases run about $6.
Re one brand vs another, opinions are meaningless unless someone has played with both for everyday for a few months..
Back in the 90's I owned a Viking and worked in a pool room that rented out McDermott's. I loved my Viking and always felt every McDermott I've ever tried was really back weighted. For that reason I would never suggest a McDermott but quality wise, I would say they are about the same.
Used to do the pawn-thrift shop rounds and NEVER found a cue worth buying. Mostly crooked, beat-to-shit junk. I've heard the stories but have never seen a decent find in all my stops. I'm just not going for the 25 'name brand' cues under 10bux each much less a $200 table that's nothing more than firewood.
Yeah....I love reading stories of thrift stores, yard sales, pawn shops...I've never had any such luck. With pool cues, or music gear (and both past times have people showing off their "scores" all the time).
I have no McDermott cues so I won't comment on them, but do own many Viking cues....and they (and my experience with them) is recent and not 30 years old. I realize to many here Viking was frozen in time with gems like the bottom picture from 30-40 years ago.
First of all, the current Valhalla line is their imported low cost line and not worth even considering.
The USA Viking line does still have quite a few somewhat dated style cues for reasons I'll never understand, but fortunately they have hundreds of options including basic sneaky, classic, merry widow and other designs to choose from. Their basic shafts (V-Pro, V-Crush break shaft, V-Spin which seems to simply be a smaller diameter) are just OK but the Vikore shafts are in my experience as good as the competing Jacoby Edge Hybrid, Predator 314 and others I own.
If you stick to the Vikore shafts and wade through some of the strange designs still offered, and especially if you are willing to wait out Ebay for the right one being clearanced, you can get a really nice Viking for under $300. The 4 on left are the Vikings I sometimes use. Far right is my wife's cue...not as bad as the dated designs Viking is known for ...and it was a NOS $700+ retail cue I snagged for her for $200 on Ebay.
First of all, the current Valhalla line is their imported low cost line and not worth even considering.
The USA Viking line does still have quite a few somewhat dated style cues for reasons I'll never understand, but fortunately they have hundreds of options including basic sneaky, classic, merry widow and other designs to choose from. Their basic shafts (V-Pro, V-Crush break shaft, V-Spin which seems to simply be a smaller diameter) are just OK but the Vikore shafts are in my experience as good as the competing Jacoby Edge Hybrid, Predator 314 and others I own.
If you stick to the Vikore shafts and wade through some of the strange designs still offered, and especially if you are willing to wait out Ebay for the right one being clearanced, you can get a really nice Viking for under $300. The 4 on left are the Vikings I sometimes use. Far right is my wife's cue...not as bad as the dated designs Viking is known for ...and it was a NOS $700+ retail cue I snagged for her for $200 on Ebay.
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The Valhalla sneaky is actually a lot of cue for the money. A friend paid around 90bux for one a couple yrs ago and it plays fine and is still DEAD straight unlike my Schmelke that had a warped(not bad but still) shaft in a years time.
I suppose they are as good as any other 75-100 factory cue. I just think for anyone with a little bigger budget they can get a whole lot more for $200ish.
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All you're gonna get for 200bux is a little fancier but won't really play much different. The Players HXT cues are one heck of a sub-200 buck stick.