Just got my cue back from McDermott :)

Got my favorite shooter back from refurbishment and it looks like new from when I first bought it from them in 1985. It is a C-14 from the 1980-1984 catalog.

The darker shaft is the original and I had them cut it down from a 14mm to a 13mm and I got a new 13mm shaft made too. Can't wait to try it out.

HawaiianEye said:

Got my favorite shooter back from refurbishment and it looks like new from when I first bought it from them in 1985. It is a C-14 from the 1980-1984 catalog.

The darker shaft is the original and I had them cut it down from a 14mm to a 13mm and I got a new 13mm shaft made too. Can't wait to try it out.

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Figured I'd wipe off my old case to carry it in. Bought this case from Richard Black in 1981 when he made me a Casino model cue and shipped it to me in the Philippines.

david(tx) said:

Nice looking cue . At 26 years , does the butt roll out straight ?

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Yes it does. The butt and original shaft roll perfectly straight..same goes for new shaft.

I baby my cues and take good care of them.

This cue was in perfect condition before it was refurbished...I just wanted a new shaft and figured I'd get it a new shine while I was at it.

After reading deanoc's post about wanting some McDermott cues and some old McDermott fiber ferrules, it made my want to get this cue out of the closet and knock some dust off of it.

I took it for a spin today and put some miles on it.

After shooting with the Becue for quite a while now, it took a bit of practice to get back some of the feel of using a regular non-LD maple full 13mm shaft.

I was using the original shaft that came with the cue and it hits damn solid. I don't know how many thousands of balls this shaft has hit and I've broke with it thousands of times and it still plays lights out.

This cue weighs 21 ounces, is .850 at the joint, 1.03 at the beginning of the wrap, 1.15 at the center of the wrap, 1.22 at the end of the wrap, and 1.30 at the end of the butt cap.

It is "meaty" and it will put some "juice" on the ball.

This cue is one of the best hitting cues I've ever owned and I've turned down many offers to buy it. I was using a custom cue that Richard Black made for me when I bought this cue. I bought it with the intention of selling it, but after playing with it, I sold the Richard Black and this became my playing cue for years and years.

After having fun with it today, I may let it see more light and take it out more often.

Aloha.

hitman22 said:

Real nice cue looks super...i am a big mcdermott fan..have e series that i had ned morris redo and make another shaft and a sweet d series.both awesome players..

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I have another McDermott that I may have to take out for a spin next week. It is an RS-11.

You can see it in this video. CJ used it to beat Earl Strickland in the finals of the Million Dollar Challenge match in 1996. He is using it here in the semi-final against Paul Pottier.

It still has the same tip on it from this tournament.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2BnTHfZ-tMk

You can see Jay Helfert here. Announcing the finals.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MFYhtmTdza4

deanoc said:

Your mc dermott is really looking good
i know you have many fine cues and when you choose to play with this one
it says a lot

Jerry Franklin and I discussed mc Dermott cues and both of us really liked them,he said they were a quality cue. Since Jerry made south west cues,he should know quality


I recently bought one for my grandson and ended up plaaying with it
I liked it so much,I bought 5 more when
a friend offered them to me

If anyone wants a good playing cue for $135 shipped
contact me

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Dean,

I may be a bit partisan, because I have one, but I think the C-series of McDermott cues were the best they ever built.

They were all made with a "traditional" sort of look and they are solid and built to last. After this series, they started getting a bit more "main stream" and strayed away from the "old school" look.

This cue was the first cue I ever spent any time with that had an implex joint. When I first started playing with it, it felt quite a bit different than my steel-jointed cues. It hit very, very solid because of the big pin and the flat wood-to-wood joint, but it had a bit of "flex" to it, even though I was using a 14mm shaft with it.

I don't know what it is about this cue that makes it hit so good, but everybody who tries it always asks me if it is for sale. It may be a bit heavy for most of today's players, but I like the feel of a heavier cue, especially for long straight in shots. It is easy to just "flick your wrist" a bit and roll the cue ball table length without having to get a lot of motion in your arm that will maybe pull you off line.

I haven't really played with any of McDermott's newer cues, so I don't know how they play, but I know that some of the cheaper models are now made in China. I think they have a different "brand" on them, but are sold by McDermott.

Anybody who wants a good hitting cue that is built to last, I'd suggest picking up one of the old McDermotts if you can find one in good condition at a good price. I think you'll like how they play, unless you are one of those people who insist on "new technology" and space-age looks.

Aloha