The Miki Co. made some of the BEST production cues in the world! The Helmstetter line is just one of the examples! A very fine example indeed!
Why anyone would buy a Meucci, Viking, or Lucasi is beyond my comprehension. Even Perchauer, Schon, Predator, or McDermott can't compare to the quality and value of these cues!
Miki did not make those. They made some forearms on occasion, They also made house cues and the low end raminwood shaft cues for Adam. The Helmstetter line was made in Japan at the Adam factory. all the higher end Adam cues were made in there factory but some times using blanks made by other vendors in order to keep up with high production demands.
Here is a quote from Dick Helmstetter,
Adam alive and well - 01-29-2011, 12:31 PM
this is Richard Helmstetter replying to the question regarding the Adam Ritz cue.
this model began about 1970 and continues today---but only special order. it is mage by Adam Japan in their factory in Saitama, Japan. they currently make the butt splice there, also, but at different times the splice was made by sub-contractors, like Miki.
Miki's speciality was one piece house cues made out of ramin wood and Adam was their exclusive world-wide distributor. later Miki made various low-end cues for Adam.
at this time there is no connection between Miki and Adam.
adam has a very nice, modern factory just outside of Tokyo and makes pool cues, including all of the Balabushka and Helmstetter lines, snooker cues, and three cushion and balk-line billiard cues.
they have a joint venture in China where they make cues for the asian market and some parts for other cues.
i am alive and well in SoCal thinking about making a few cues again.