Are Mali cues decent playing cues (compared to other lower end production cues)?

I am looking for opinions about Mali cues (the ones with the flat faced 3/8x10 Mcdermott style joint).

Are they good quality (in comparison to other lower end production cues), and are they good hitting cues?

I am guessing that Mali cues are/were made in China, so how would you all rank Mali cues compared to all of the other production cues that are from China?

Thanks for your help.
 

Saturated Fats

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I could be wrong, but I think the 3/8 x 10 Mali's were made in the USA and the later Asian cues have a metal joint color and a different pin. I have had several of older ones and I think they are great for the money.
 

Cornerman

Cue Author...Sometimes
Gold Member
Silver Member
I could be wrong, but I think the 3/8 x 10 Mali's were made in the USA and the later Asian cues have a metal joint color and a different pin. I have had several of older ones and I think they are great for the money.

My first cue was a Mali from the Trophy Series purchased in 1987. It had an SS collar. I would find it hard to believe that it was made somewhere other than the USA.
 
Thanks for your replies. I recently learned that very few production cues are made in the USA these days. The only ones that I know of that are made in the USA (not including the custom cue makers that are production, like J Pechauer cues for example) are the ones below.

Schon
Joss
Meucci
Viking
McDermott
Schmelke

I have no idea where Mali cues are/were made, but I never knew that they are/were american made cues. If they ever were made in america, than they must have been decent quality cues (I am guessing). I see that they have (or had) a Vintage series (that retailed for the $200 and over range) in the link below.

http://www.billiardwarehouse.com/cues/mali/mali_pool_cues.htm

I am mostly curious about their playability, and quality. Are the onder ones (with the 3/8x10 joint pin) better quality? Are the Mali cues even being made anymore? Thanks.
 
I meant to note "Are the older ones (with the 3/8x10 joint pin) better quality" (than the newer ones with the stainless steal joint)?
 

thuglife520

thuglife520
Silver Member
I had a Mali v9 playing that I loved and used for many years until I regretabily shattered after a loss. Wish I could have that one back.
 

nancewayne

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Mali cues WERE made in the good ol' USA (now China!)

I don't know exactly when the U.S. production stopped (or perhaps transended to import)...probably around when the "Asian Invasion" came in the mid-late 80's. The early Mali's were VERY WELL MADE and some even have collector value! F.Y.I.
 
That is interesting. I am very curious how I would be able to identify the well made american made Mali cues. Are all of the older 3/8x10 (with wooden threads in the shaft) Mali cues American made? Some of the older Mali cues look very nice, and I am just surprised that they are worth so little (if they are not cheap Asian imports). I never thought much about Mali cues in the past (always thought that were cheaply made junk cues), but now I am very curious about them. I guess that I may have been very wrong about the cues. Thanks for the info.

I don't know exactly when the U.S. production stopped (or perhaps transended to import)...probably around when the "Asian Invasion" came in the mid-late 80's. The early Mali's were VERY WELL MADE and some even have collector value! F.Y.I.
 

Chopdoc

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
There were different mali logos. The first was a green logo that was boxed in, and it was sideways. Then the green logo without the box, then the same style logo but different color in the late 80's, then the gold logo. The green was around in the late 60's, 70's, and the gold showed up about the latter part of the 70's, or early 80's. The logo information was collated from various posts on AZB, so I cannot say for sure it is perfect.

The Mali company has been in business since 1826, 19 years before Brunswick started. I believe they started their cue making operations in a barn in 1961. Some of their mid-sxties cues were made under the name Cuesport. Rarely you can find one of their very early cues still with the logo on it. There was one recently on Ebay.

Mali began importing cues in 2001. Before that heir US made cues had various different joint types and ranged from inexpensive plain cues to fancier cues with splices and veneers. In general Mali did make good cues and may people treasure their old Mali cue. The old ones are considered collectible by many, but not generally those that collect the "custom" cues.

Personally, I think a good collection is incomplete without a good example of each Mali "era".


.
 
That is very interesting info. Reminds me of Huebler cues (with the sideways logo in their very 1st line of cues), but I know that Huebler cues are much more valuable. Thanks for posting that very interesting info.

There were different mali logos. The first was a green logo that was boxed in, and it was sideways. Then the green logo without the box, then the same style logo but different color in the late 80's, then the gold logo. The green was around in the late 60's, 70's, and the gold showed up about the latter part of the 70's, or early 80's. The logo information was collated from various posts on AZB, so I cannot say for sure it is perfect.

The Mali company has been in business since 1826, 19 years before Brunswick started. I believe they started their cue making operations in a barn in 1961. Some of their mid-sxties cues were made under the name Cuesport. Rarely you can find one of their very early cues still with the logo on it. There was one recently on Ebay.

Mali began importing cues in 2001. Before that heir US made cues had various different joint types and ranged from inexpensive plain cues to fancier cues with splices and veneers. In general Mali did make good cues and may people treasure their old Mali cue. The old ones are considered collectible by many, but not generally those that collect the "custom" cues.

Personally, I think a good collection is incomplete without a good example of each Mali "era".


.
 

OTB

I DIDN'T DO IT!!!!
Silver Member
rather have a Mali than a Meucci...........hey that rimes.;lol
 

JMW

Seen Your Member
Silver Member
Thanks for your replies. I recently learned that very few production cues are made in the USA these days. The only ones that I know of that are made in the USA (not including the custom cue makers that are production, like J Pechauer cues for example) are the ones below.

Schon
Joss
Meucci
Viking
McDermott
Schmelke.

Don't forget OB Cues. Made in Plano, Texas.
 

Roy Vadas

Baby Seal Clubber
Silver Member
Mali's were made in the US all the way prior to the Vintage Series in 2001. I have a bunch of them and play with them all the time. 3/8x10 and SS joints. I love em all. Don't think any Mali has ever felt cheap to me, though their market doesn't show that.

Roy
 

DavidMNienow

Glamour Dave
Silver Member
I used to sell Mali cues when I was in college, and when I worked for my local pro shop. The USA made Mali cues were and remain one of the best values when you can find one. I would pass on any of the modern import Mali cues. But definitely I would look for a USA made Mali cue through Ebay if your wishing to add to one's collection.
 

jbcueman

Registered
Yes,Yes,Yes. I do not know about the ones made in China.I have a mali prototype from 1993? that I have been playing with since then.Made in Massa chusetts.It is a one of a kind.I love it.Prior to that I always had a Mali.I have a brand new one,never used,put away.It is from the late 90's. If Mali would like to give me a few of their China models(top of the line,middle of the line & cheapest)I would be glad to try them out,make comparisons to each other as well as to the old Malis. They were a really nice cue.
 

malidave

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I have a mali sneaky pete, I am thinking it was one of the last American made models, I think it is from the 99 series.

The newest models are made overseas, but seem like nice quality.

Mine is really nice, points are perfect, nice finish, nice wood grain (rosewood) and plays well. I think it might be be a 5/16 x 14 pin.

MaliM2.jpg
 

HawaiianEye

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
There were different mali logos. The first was a green logo that was boxed in, and it was sideways. Then the green logo without the box, then the same style logo but different color in the late 80's, then the gold logo. The green was around in the late 60's, 70's, and the gold showed up about the latter part of the 70's, or early 80's. The logo information was collated from various posts on AZB, so I cannot say for sure it is perfect.

The Mali company has been in business since 1826, 19 years before Brunswick started. I believe they started their cue making operations in a barn in 1961. Some of their mid-sxties cues were made under the name Cuesport. Rarely you can find one of their very early cues still with the logo on it. There was one recently on Ebay.

Mali began importing cues in 2001. Before that heir US made cues had various different joint types and ranged from inexpensive plain cues to fancier cues with splices and veneers. In general Mali did make good cues and may people treasure their old Mali cue. The old ones are considered collectible by many, but not generally those that collect the "custom" cues.

Personally, I think a good collection is incomplete without a good example of each Mali "era".


.

Mali started making cues for A. E. Schmidt in 1965. Mali was one of the cues I was looking at when I decided to buy my A. E. Schmidt Titlist.

https://bluebookofpoolcuevalues.com/Pool_Cue_Values/Pool_Cue_Manufacturer.aspx?id=MALI_CUES

http://www.internationalcuemakers.com/?page=halloffame

*INTERNATIONAL CUEMAKERS HALL OF FAME*
For their outstanding contributions to the cuemaking art and industry, the following individuals have been elected into the International Cuemakers Hall of Fame:

Fred Mali Inducted 2014
Rarely does a man of Fred's educational background pursue cuemaking as a career. He was educated at Buckley, Groton, Yale and Harvard. He became the CEO of one of the oldest family run companies in New York, The Henry W.T. Mali & Co., Inc. (Mali Cloth) founded in 1826. Born in 1930 as Fredrick Johnston Mali, he was the fifth generation to be directly involved in the Billiard industry. He engineered many of the automated machines that manufactured the Mali brand of cues. His influence in the Billiard industry was wide spread as his company manufactured one of the most popular brands of table cloth and American made pool cues. He was also involved in the establishing of the Billiard Congress of America.
Fred first started manufacturing a line of cues for AE Schmidt Company in 1965 and named the cue manufacturing plant Cuesport. Shortly after this he started manufacturing his own line of cues under the Mali name. The Mali brand of cues never sought to enter the high end cue market, but always sought to provide quality cues in the player's price range. They continued manufacturing the cues in the United States until 2001 when they closed the factory. The Mali brand name continued on with imported cues. Fred passed away in 2007 and his influence on our industry still continues today.
 
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Chopdoc

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Mali started making cues for A. E. Schmidt in 1965. Mali was one of the cues I was looking at when I decided to buy my A. E. Schmidt Titlist.

https://bluebookofpoolcuevalues.com/Pool_Cue_Values/Pool_Cue_Manufacturer.aspx?id=MALI_CUES

http://www.internationalcuemakers.com/?page=halloffame

*INTERNATIONAL CUEMAKERS HALL OF FAME*
For their outstanding contributions to the cuemaking art and industry, the following individuals have been elected into the International Cuemakers Hall of Fame:

Fred Mali Inducted 2014
Rarely does a man of Fred's educational background pursue cuemaking as a career. He was educated at Buckley, Groton, Yale and Harvard. He became the CEO of one of the oldest family run companies in New York, The Henry W.T. Mali & Co., Inc. (Mali Cloth) founded in 1826. Born in 1930 as Fredrick Johnston Mali, he was the fifth generation to be directly involved in the Billiard industry. He engineered many of the automated machines that manufactured the Mali brand of cues. His influence in the Billiard industry was wide spread as his company manufactured one of the most popular brands of table cloth and American made pool cues. He was also involved in the establishing of the Billiard Congress of America.
Fred first started manufacturing a line of cues for AE Schmidt Company in 1965 and named the cue manufacturing plant Cuesport. Shortly after this he started manufacturing his own line of cues under the Mali name. The Mali brand of cues never sought to enter the high end cue market, but always sought to provide quality cues in the player's price range. They continued manufacturing the cues in the United States until 2001 when they closed the factory. The Mali brand name continued on with imported cues. Fred passed away in 2007 and his influence on our industry still continues today.

Very cool.


Lately we have seen more of the earliest Mali cues up for sale. I missed a nice example not long ago. This particular one was associated with a known player with a playing record, real provenance, so I hated missing out on that one. Three original shafts too.



It is sad that Mali is gone. But I think it's nice that you can get a nice example of an old one for not too much money and have a really cool playing cue.


I recently saw an import Mali that was maybe eight years old sell for as much as it did new. Amazingly, they seem to be holding their value.


.
 

Johnny Rosato

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I am looking for opinions about Mali cues (the ones with the flat faced 3/8x10 Mcdermott style joint).

Are they good quality (in comparison to other lower end production cues), and are they good hitting cues?

I am guessing that Mali cues are/were made in China, so how would you all rank Mali cues compared to all of the other production cues that are from China?

Thanks for your help.
A friend of mine bought one 10 or 12 years ago and I've never seen him make more than 2 balls in a row. I think it was 3/8x10.

I could not tell about quality,he's very hard on anything. It was pretty beat up at about 1 month old,(when I 1st saw it).

It didn't hit worth a shit,(IN MY OPINION). It could have been the tip,the diameter,the taper,the balance,etc.

I don't normally hit with or rate anything from China,buts he's a pal & begged me to hit a few & give him my OPINION,so I did !!!
 
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