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

BmoreMoney

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
For some reason, I never liked the way they played. Maybe it was the taper of the shafts. I never cared for anything that did not have a nice long pro taper. I actually always preferred an extended pro taper (like 18 inches I think, like Meucci for example).

So what exactly was the whole point of this thread again JJ? As your response to my post, I have zero doubt that's true. I've seen you have a problem with EVERY LAST cue that you've ever had in your hands, so why would a Mali be any different ? I have a serious question for you Justin, do you like girls? Do you have a girlfriend? Please don't take offense as this was not oriented - I could insert guys in there too, my only point is possibly if you had other interests or hobbies in your life you might actually find more happiness in pool. I definitely you become all absorbed in one particular thing, you can easily become over critical and I think this may have happened to you. I'm giving you the benefit of the doubt that you're not just screwing with us with all of these threads and I'm also giving you the benefit of the doubt that's there's not something wrong with you and with that said it leaves me at what I just said. That maybe you're in too deep bro! get out while you still can!!! lol. I just hear you talk about what is wrong with this cue, that cue, all cues basically. What is your deal brother, what exactly is it that you DO want? Jus trying to help my man!
 

mortuarymike-nv

mortuarymike-nv
Silver Member
Mali cues

Red Neck Mali in progress . I got sick ( dizzy tired ) and ended up in the hospital neck surgery.
Was working on it a week after I had surgery .
My friend came over visiting with his dog , his dog bit the power cord to my lathe and took off running and jerked the controller box onto the floor and broke the controller.
I am having dust issue, dust is getting into the finish .
My property is next to train tracks and the train shakes my land and shop 40 times a day .
In the mist of making some kind of turning cabinet to deal with the dust and switching to a UV finish .
Changed the joint to a 3/8x 10 from a 5/16x 18 and made a new solid maple shaft for it .
Put elk antler ferrules and butt sleeve and joint collars on it and deer antler ferrule .
Had to add 4 to 5 oz of weight to the butt because its African Mahogany and the cue started at 15 OZ cue
 

Chopdoc

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Red Neck Mali in progress . I got sick ( dizzy tired ) and ended up in the hospital neck surgery.
Was working on it a week after I had surgery .
My friend came over visiting with his dog , his dog bit the power cord to my lathe and took off running and jerked the controller box onto the floor and broke the controller.
I am having dust issue, dust is getting into the finish .
My property is next to train tracks and the train shakes my land and shop 40 times a day .
In the mist of making some kind of turning cabinet to deal with the dust and switching to a UV finish .
Changed the joint to a 3/8x 10 from a 5/16x 18 and made a new solid maple shaft for it .
Put elk antler ferrules and butt sleeve and joint collars on it and deer antler ferrule .
Had to add 4 to 5 oz of weight to the butt because its African Mahogany and the cue started at 15 OZ cue




I love this.


It's sort of an emerging genre of cue. Taking the old production cues and using them for blanks when they might not be worth restoring. I think they provide a nice canvass for the cue makers art. It's not that it wasn't done before, but I think the supply is increasing. We're seeing an increasing number of such cues hit the market that are beat up, 70's and 80's cues mainly. They can often be had pretty cheap. Unless you have the ability and equipment to do something with them they aren't worth much. Having them restored generally costs far more than they are worth.

Solution? Use it for a blank for a new cue.

Many of those old cues had some nice wood and/or nice splices. An original shaft can be a bonus but isn't necessary.

Mali, Adam, Viking, and others have been used. I have seen some cool ones from Mr Baxter.

I have even seen a couple that were made from Kao-Kao "Taiwan" cues that were really very nice.

We all know that many spliced blanks were bought from Asian suppliers in the 90's and we see cues made from them surface occasionally that provide challenges for identification.

Titlists are great...but getting scarce and expensive. It can be a chore to find a good one for conversion.


Mike: That cue you are making looks really cool!



.
 

mortuarymike-nv

mortuarymike-nv
Silver Member
Cues

I love this.


It's sort of an emerging genre of cue. Taking the old production cues and using them for blanks when they might not be worth restoring. I think they provide a nice canvass for the cue makers art. It's not that it wasn't done before, but I think the supply is increasing. We're seeing an increasing number of such cues hit the market that are beat up, 70's and 80's cues mainly. They can often be had pretty cheap. Unless you have the ability and equipment to do something with them they aren't worth much. Having them restored generally costs far more than they are worth.

Solution? Use it for a blank for a new cue.

Many of those old cues had some nice wood and/or nice splices. An original shaft can be a bonus but isn't necessary.

Mali, Adam, Viking, and others have been used. I have seen some cool ones from Mr Baxter.

I have even seen a couple that were made from Kao-Kao "Taiwan" cues that were really very nice.

We all know that many spliced blanks were bought from Asian suppliers in the 90's and we see cues made from them surface occasionally that provide challenges for identification.

Titlists are great...but getting scarce and expensive. It can be a chore to find a good one for conversion.


Mike: That cue you are making looks really cool!



.

Thanks Doc .

I wouldn't ever do it again . the forearm was warped and I didn't know that before I started to machine on the cue . .
I would of been leaps and bounds ahead if I would of tossed the old cue away and started with a fresh piece of wood .

Anyway I hope to be back on it soon, I am down to one lathe and feel like I am going through a drug addiction withdraw without my other one online .

The bad part is in reconditioning these cues is if they are warped , and this one piece bottom mali was warped and when I drilled it to add weights I think it warped more .

But re-tapering the butt left me with putting a thick finish .

Its been some what of a nightmare because I hadn't done a epoxy finish before and I am kind of learning on my own .

I have got good support from the guys in the cue maker section.

Stuff like this would be good for you because you like the older production cues.
Where I rather just make a new cue.

You need a good lathe doc ..


It is a learning experience
 

Nine ... corner

BANNED
Silver Member
That is really beautiful. I never seen a Mali that nice before.

Thanks justin ... here's a look at the rest of it.
2005-01-01 00.00.00-3.jpg
 

Chopdoc

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Thanks Doc .

I wouldn't ever do it again . the forearm was warped and I didn't know that before I started to machine on the cue . .
I would of been leaps and bounds ahead if I would of tossed the old cue away and started with a fresh piece of wood .

Anyway I hope to be back on it soon, I am down to one lathe and feel like I am going through a drug addiction withdraw without my other one online .

The bad part is in reconditioning these cues is if they are warped , and this one piece bottom mali was warped and when I drilled it to add weights I think it warped more .

But re-tapering the butt left me with putting a thick finish .

Its been some what of a nightmare because I hadn't done a epoxy finish before and I am kind of learning on my own .

I have got good support from the guys in the cue maker section.

Stuff like this would be good for you because you like the older production cues.
Where I rather just make a new cue.

You need a good lathe doc ..


It is a learning experience



A learning experience. I would think so.


Obviously one would want a straight example for a blank. But you don't really know until it's in a lathe.


Yeah, I need a lathe. I'll get there. :smile:




.
 

Johnny Rosato

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I hope u got my joke ( it was directed at Justin - not nuts Tasca ). Love me some Dundalk, my second home lol - I'm right across the bridge in the Dirty Dena! lol. I have WAY WAY too much fun in Fells Point! Is the Silverton the old Beltway Motel? And I stay away from 40 at all costs lol! You do know the area brother!
LOL,I did get it. I said more than a few times 'he's a nut', referring to Justin. Absolutely nothing to do with Nuts4Tascarellas !!!
 

Johnny Rosato

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Hey 2ball - just wanted to check in here. I am a very active buyer and seller on here. Been here since 2007. I'm also a cuemaker. One of the few that doesn't take deposits. I make the cue - if the buyer doesn't like it - no strings, no problem. I also give people a 24 hour period to return any cue that I sell if they are not satisfied. That would be the case with the Mali. By the way - the cue is 19 oz, 13mm at the ferrule end of the shaft, and dead straight.

Anyone that knows me wanna chime in on what kind of person I am? Look up the post in this forum named "Polishing a turd". That may give you some insight. If there is no malice intended - nice to make your acquaintance 2ball. I hope we can have some good interactions and possibly some business deals in the future. I just like to let people to know that I am up front and direct...
Absolutely no malice intented,Just playing with Justin & responding to a sort of hidden joke to BmoreMoney,see my response to him on post # 50. I know you have a very good rep here. Take care !!!
Johnny Rosato,B'ham,Al
 
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Lesh

One Hole Thinkifier
Silver Member
I think Mali cues are okay. They have decent looks and play the part of a cue pretty well. But I do not like the hit, regardless of the pin you put on them... rather tinny. Unlike a good hitting cue such as the McDermott... which has a nice fat woody hit... WOODY, woody... yes, quite woody.

Lesh
 

9andout

Gunnin' for a 3 pack!!
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

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.

"Very few Made in U.S.A."
Don't use that as an excuse.
Get a cue from your list!
 

Chopdoc

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I think Mali cues are okay. They have decent looks and play the part of a cue pretty well. But I do not like the hit, regardless of the pin you put on them... rather tinny. Unlike a good hitting cue such as the McDermott... which has a nice fat woody hit... WOODY, woody... yes, quite woody.

Lesh

I do like the old McDermotts, back in the 80's and 90's my back up cue and break cue was a McDermott D series. But I think you have pigeonholed the old Mali cues.

They used a variety of joint styles and a variety of ferrule materials in addition to short splice and full splice constructions. Their playing characteristics varied more than McDermott's IMHO. Hard to pigeonhole them.


I have three old Mali cues, and I have several old McDermott's including back to the A series in 1975. So I have had numerous opportunities to compare them side by side.

Though hit is subjective, I believe I can say than none of my three Mali cues have a "tinny" hit....and all 3 have metal joint collars and 18 pins.


.
 

BmoreMoney

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I do like the old McDermotts, back in the 80's and 90's my back up cue and break cue was a McDermott D series. But I think you have pigeonholed the old Mali cues.

They used a variety of joint styles and a variety of ferrule materials in addition to short splice and full splice constructions. Their playing characteristics varied more than McDermott's IMHO. Hard to pigeonhole them.


I have three old Mali cues, and I have several old McDermott's including back to the A series in 1975. So I have had numerous opportunities to compare them side by side.

Though hit is subjective, I believe I can say than none of my three Mali cues have a "tinny" hit....and all 3 have metal joint collars and 18 pins.


.

I agree with you . When I picked up my old Mali with the brass joint, I had not seen a A Mali with brass nor after and was wondering if it was right - till I got schooled by wild wing. For the record, with Malis I prefer the phenolic joint with the big pin into wood.
 

UndercuTT

Registered
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)?

I can only attest to the one Mali I have, pictured in my avatar. It was the 1st decent cue I ever owned, and is still my baby (sentimental reasons). I've yet to see another like it, in any catalog, or in person. And I can't imagine any other cue, by any maker (in it's price range, or slightly above) that offers more bang for the buck. Having the shaft completely refurbished next week (new ferrule, tip, joint collar, and shaft reconditioned).
 

Chopdoc

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I can only attest to the one Mali I have, pictured in my avatar. It was the 1st decent cue I ever owned, and is still my baby (sentimental reasons). I've yet to see another like it, in any catalog, or in person. And I can't imagine any other cue, by any maker (in it's price range, or slightly above) that offers more bang for the buck. Having the shaft completely refurbished next week (new ferrule, tip, joint collar, and shaft reconditioned).

Responding to post dated 08-14-2012? :grin:

358k7d.jpg
 
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