Comments about these cues, only if you have tried them or own them?

RackOnTour said:
If you are choosing the cues based on price and looks you might be disappointed even if you get what you want. Our minds work in strange ways and you will look at parts of answers provided and elevate that point to substantiate a previous notion that you already hold.
A blindfold test of all the cues is the only way to get the cue that FEELS THE BEST in your hand when you strike the ball.

I will still offer a review to assist you.

Lucasi LH 10 - is probably going to feel the best for the money.
This is a great all around hitting cue. It is easy to adapt the feeling of the hit by adding your tip of choice.
I have yet to hold a Lucasi that was not able to be placed in the 'useable' category. Great quality control when a product is manufactured is the only way to ensure a uniform feeling in an item like a pool cue. There is a reason why they are the biggest seller in the marketplace.

Poison - I have had mixed reactions from buyers of ALL the Poison range. Some love them and some hate them. I have also conducted tests with a couple of unhappy buyers - and participated myself.
Poison VX Play - We played with 2 of the same cue (VX Play) and they hit completely differently. The customer changed brands after learning that this is a common factor in the Poison range.
Poison AR 1 - I have played with the AR 2 but they are supposed to be the same item with cosmetic differences only.
It seemed forgiving and the balls all went in the direction they were supposed to. Experimentation with some harder/forced shots were unsuccessful. This may be due to the tip but I have enough testing knowledge to say that both the tip and shaft do not react well under those more 'difficult' shot conditions.
Poison N 1 - I picked it up and hit 3 balls. Did not feel comfortable at all. To be honest the octagonal butt is uncomfortable to hold for me. It may suit others but 40+ years of playing with round butts may have a bearing on this. No puns relating to the last line please...LOL

It is important that I state that I do not hate Predator/Poison. I actually play with a Predator butt although it was made under licence by Mezz. Most previous special editions were made by Falcon or Mezz.
I have become aware over the years of some issues with the manufacturing process that occurs under Predator's watch. It is likely to be due to a lack of QC at the factory. I say this because some other brands are also made in the same factory and their quality ranges vastly based on whether or not there is a 'hands on' role by the company whose cues are being produced.
I am not talking out of school here. Others in the retail cue industry are well aware of this shortcoming.

Pechauer JP 04L - I have not tried this specific cue. I have played with a high end Pechauer and it was great. Hits correctly under soft or hard/forced conditions. I have also never heard of any major issues with manufacturing. They have been in the business long enough for any issues to surface...which hasn't happened.

Viking V 105 - I have not tried this specific cue. I have played with other Vikings and some were good and some not so good.
Viking do make a quality product but the 'technology' that other brands build into their products sometimes makes Viking look expensive for a basic item. My view is that manufacturing costs in USA are restrictive to some brands in pricing to match some offshore manufacturers. This seems to be an issue at Viking.

Mezz SA Series - This range is the starter range for Mezz. Very popular with League level players in a lot of countries. I have played with a few of these. Hits great and the feel changes suitably with any change of tip - a trait that is usually only apparent in higher end cues rather than a basic range. The shaft is a basic one piece maple and does not quite have the feel of the WD700 shaft from Mezz. This can also be said of other basic series when compared with higher priced models.
Mezz is probably the benchmark in manufacturing standards within our industry. Their QC is second to none.

It is important that I state that I am an agent for Mezz. I rated the Lucasi honestly as a great cue for the price and would probably rate the SA series from Mezz the same but the Mezz is a little pricier. I try to be impartial because if a customer is disappointed due to my advice, then I have an unhappy customer and that is NOT GOOD for me!

I hope this info has helped in some way.
I still stand by the statement that the 'feel' of the cue is the most important thing to a player. I urge you to try as many cues as you can in your price range to get the best idea of what is right for you.
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Thanks for the detailed answer!
One problem about the LH10 would be what an earlier answerer mentioned about the wrap wearing off. Other than that I'm sure it plays like most Lucasi Hybrid cues(Which is great) and it looks appealing cosmetically.
I've only tried Poison AR5, but only for like 2 shots. Felt great and all, but didn't try any harder/forced shots. As for the different quality of the same model of Poison cues, I really do not know, because I've only hit with 1. What's good here though, if I go for a Poison or Lucasi, it's likely that I'll get them from a dealer here, so I will get to try them before I buy them. I can also try a Mezz like that.
As for Pechauer, I've only heard positive things about that brand as well. Only problem is, I don't know anyone who has one and the retailer doesn't sell them either, so I can't try one.
Same goes for Viking. Can't try one. By the way, can you please tell me which model of Viking you have tried that was good? How good is the Vikore shaft?
And Mezz, definitely understandable that the shaft isn't as good as on the Mika Immonen models hehe... I have tried the MI-1 and it felt AMAZING. Best cue I have ever tried, but I guess that's in a way higher class. Again, I'll be able to try a Mezz SA, so yeah - I will see how it feels for me.
 
Harold Smith said:
You really owe it to yourself to put your hands on a Jerry Olivierbefore you buy anything. They hit great and feel great in your hands.---Smitty
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I'd love to get a hand-crafted cue, but definitely can't find one in my price range(Which is up to 350$).
 
Pechauers

Gogafem said:
Alright, so I've narrowed down my new cue choices to the following 5. If you have ever tried or owned any of the following cues please tell me your comments about them.
I can get the Viking for 200$ through a local dealer easily. (Also I may go for the custom version, which would add to the price)
I can get the Lucasi Hybrid LHSP from another city here any day, but it's more expensive than on the site.
Poison and Mezz I can also get through a dealer nearby.
Only Pechauer I will have to order myself. I have never tried a Pechauer cue.
1) Lucasi Hybrid LHSP
http://www.ozonebilliards.com/luhyfulh.html
-Lucasi Hybrid LH10
http://www.ozonebilliards.com/luhycuel.html
2) Poison Arsenic AR1(Or any Arsenic)
http://www.ozonebilliards.com/poison-cues-2nd-gen-arsenic-1.html
-Poison Nitro NI1(Or any Nitro)
http://www.ozonebilliards.com/poison-nitro-cue-ni1.html
-Poison VX play(This one is kind of cheap, is it good?)
http://www.ozonebilliards.com/pocuvxplto.html
3) Pechauer JP04L
http://www.ozonebilliards.com/j-pechauer-pool-cue-jp04l.html
(Or any Pechauer of same quality of course)
4) Viking V105 Blue(Or any Viking of same quality with a Vikore shaft)
http://www.ozonebilliards.com/viking-cue-v105-bl.html
5) Any of the SA series Mezz cues(Like SA-K, SA-1A...). Those seem to be pretty cheap at a local store(About 300-400$ or so).

What do you think?
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I've owned eleven Pechauers, and I wish I still had all of them.

To be totally honest, since I couldn't use that many, I'm glad I sold them to folks who would appreciate them as much as I did.
 
Gogafem said:
Oh wow, didn't know that grip could wear off like that from playing...
So you would recommend LHSP over LH10?
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Yeah, it took around three years for the wrap to wear off. I got hooked really fast though, and I played a lot.

I brought up the point about the LHSP because it has a wood-to-wood joint. the LH10 has a steel joint. Different joints have a different feel, if you have the opportunity to try playing with different joints I would recommend it it. It also looks different as well.

Overall I think Lucasi makes a pretty decent cue for the amount you pay. I love the hit of my LH10, so much that the cost of rewrapping the cue far outweights replacing it, but i'm going to do it regardless. There's some sentimental value there, and I think when i'm old it'll be a good relic to have :grin:

I could be wrong, but I think some Lucasi's are made at Predator factories, or some of the Hybrid's, I can't remember. You can't go wrong with Lucasi, they use the same joint as Predator and if you want to stick with an LD shaft a jump to a 314-2 from a Zero Flex shaft is a nice change.
 
Donny Lutz said:
I've owned eleven Pechauers, and I wish I still had all of them.

To be totally honest, since I couldn't use that many, I'm glad I sold them to folks who would appreciate them as much as I did.
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Good comments about Pechauer just keep coming. I seriously doubt I could go wrong with it... Wish I could find some here though.
 
evanlockhart said:
Yeah, it took around three years for the wrap to wear off. I got hooked really fast though, and I played a lot.

I brought up the point about the LHSP because it has a wood-to-wood joint. the LH10 has a steel joint. Different joints have a different feel, if you have the opportunity to try playing with different joints I would recommend it it. It also looks different as well.

Overall I think Lucasi makes a pretty decent cue for the amount you pay. I love the hit of my LH10, so much that the cost of rewrapping the cue far outweights replacing it, but i'm going to do it regardless. There's some sentimental value there, and I think when i'm old it'll be a good relic to have :grin:

I could be wrong, but I think some Lucasi's are made at Predator factories, or some of the Hybrid's, I can't remember. You can't go wrong with Lucasi, they use the same joint as Predator and if you want to stick with an LD shaft a jump to a 314-2 from a Zero Flex shaft is a nice change.
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Oh, well, 3 years time isn't bad. Who knows, in 3 years I may get another cue hehe...
 
FWIW... I have a Pech. ph2 that I've had for a while. I think it is out of production now. I really like the way it plays, but it was meant to have as a travel cue when I didn't want to bring my JossWest along. It plays quite different from the JW so I never made it my player. Some things it helps me to do better and some not as well. Tip selection may account for some of the difference.
I haven't tried to differentiate them in a meaningful manner, and they are quite different cues, so I really can't get into specific pros and cons. I can tell you that the Pech. has a narrower butt and a shorter taper on the model I have. Also, when I am feeling stale with my game I pull it out (Pech) and it helps me play better, then when I switch back to my JW my game improves again. Not sure what that means, but I hope it helps in some way.
IMO the Pech. is a great hitting and playing cue! Good luck with your choice.

td
 
cues

Nope havent tried any of the cues you guys have listed.
I have been trying this cue out for 7 years.
IMG_4667.jpg

MMike
 
Decision

Hey everyone and thanks a lot for all your recommendations and comments. I have finally made a decision and I ordered Poison AR1(The second generation Arsenic) along with a Poison case and a bunch of other stuff. The cue was only 220$ and in total it cost 440$ including shipping. Expect a review on the cue !
 
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