I'd like to know your thoughts on Viking Cues

Chopdoc...I'd have to disagree here on the bolded point. Two of the three "new" owners of Viking are 40 yr employees with the Harts. That tells me a lot about how much they care, and how much they want to keep the "originality" of the company intact.

Scott Lee
http://poolknowledge.com

Chopdoc said:
Viking, JOSS, McDermott, Meucci, Mali, Huebler, etc are all legendary companies that were/are principally individual and/or family owned and run businesses. Viking is no longer that. How much of the tradition remains? I believe the company was shut down for more than a year. Are they again what they once were? I don't know.
Click to expand...
 
Scott Lee said:
MFB...I'm with on the "designs" thing. That said, Palmer was an early adopter (along with Paradise) of those "pearlized plastic" rings, and they were quite successful with them. Viking has been around for 50 years...most of their cues are pretty solid. They still have the coolest looking sneaky pete, imo, ever made!

Scott Lee
http://poolknowledge.com
Click to expand...
This one?

Viking_V117_CF___4e6ea10cb499c.png
 
I have a really plain maple F-98 plain jane, with no points, inlays or anything. It's been my only playing cue for about five years. I like it. But, I have a predator 314-2 on it, so my opinion might not be worth much.
 
Here's mine

I used this in the early 80's. Loved mine! :) It's a model Z90 or N160 not sure?
 

Attachments

  • Viking_0001.jpg
    Viking_0001.jpg
    45 KB · Views: 733
Scott Lee said:
Chopdoc...I'd have to disagree here on the bolded point. Two of the three "new" owners of Viking are 40 yr employees with the Harts. That tells me a lot about how much they care, and how much they want to keep the "originality" of the company intact.

Scott Lee
http://poolknowledge.com
Click to expand...

I was aware of the new owner and read an interview he did. I was unaware any employees were now owners. I thought there was a single new owner that came from outside the industry.

I am glad to know of this continuity as I think it speaks volumes about the company.

I was aware that they hired back as much of the old staff as they could. That was promising. This additional information is only more promising I think.

Thank you. :)




.
 
i have 5 older ones they all play good.not to sure about the newer ones.i hate that valhalla line,
 
I have a Viking from their millenium series. vm-8, i think. anyway, i like it but the taper is very thin. takes some getting used to.
 
Bought one, a merry widow, for a cousin just before they went out of biz...she loves it. I played with it a bit before I bought it...shot pretty darned well as far as I was concerned.
 
Really haven't

tried one since the 80's, but then, they all had fat butts, and were butt heavy.
 
dnixon said:
i have 5 older ones they all play good.not to sure about the newer ones.i hate that valhalla line,
Click to expand...
The Valhalla line is an imported line of cues aimed at the weekend barbox player who just wants their own cue. They are well made, and have the same lifetime warranty as the US made Viking Cues. Some come with exotic inlays and hard wood, but are not customizable as with the Viking Pro line. Even though they are very well made, and look really nice, they are not specifically made to capture the eye of an experienced, high end player.
 
Webbs Billiards said:
I've posted a few threads about Vikings lately, and received no comments whatsoever. So please tell me your thoughts on the matter.
Click to expand...

Pre-90's Vikings are cool and have personality.....the more recent offerings remind me of cheap budweiser cues....had a late 70's, early 80's model I bought second hand, wish I still had that cue today.....bought another one in 2005, couldn't sell it quick enough....
 
Big Perm said:
Pre-90's Vikings are cool and have personality.....the more recent offerings remind me of cheap budweiser cues....had a late 70's, early 80's model I bought second hand, wish I still had that cue today.....bought another one in 2005, couldn't sell it quick enough....
Click to expand...
I don't think you can really say that a 2005 model is a recent offering...
 
Webbs Billiards said:
I don't think you can really say that a 2005 model is a recent offering...
Click to expand...

You win....you are much cooler and better looking than I am, in addition to being the keeper of reading comprehension.....

I give up.....I have nothing to live for and it's all over.....Elizabeth, I am coming to the big house baby, it's time....
 
I have an old Viking from the 70's, and I recently purchased a new one. I've always liked them, but I think they are maybe viewed by some as being a bit outdated because they've been around so long. People are always looking for the hot new thing. And Viking isn't it.
 
Webbs Billiards said:
I've posted a few threads about Vikings lately, and received no comments whatsoever. So please tell me your thoughts on the matter.
Click to expand...

While I am definitely no pro, I have done a ton of research on cues and have played with a variety of cues in my day. With that knowledge I could make the argument that Viking has one of the best Production cues on the market.

I just bought my second Viking cue and am excited to use it. I currently have it shelved because while it plays good out of the box, to make it a competitive player that can handle a good stroke, enhancements need to be made. (I plan on thinning down the taper on the stock shaft and adding a sniper tip - which will be my back up, and purchasing a 30" Pred 314-2 to be my playing shaft).

My first Viking I purchased in 2007 which I used to finish 6th in the 2009 Texas ACUI Regional Tournament where I lost to the ultimate winner of ACUI that year (Adam Maloney). I then used that same cue to compete at TAP Nationals where I finished 8th in H/C 4 singles (I was definitely under ranked but I swear I wasn't trying to sandbag).

The point is that I was able to play with it, and play well. It was a Viking G-08 with a Tiger Sniper tip and stock shaft (which I still use today). I decided to purchase it because I was a college student and couldn't afford anything for more than $200 or so but wanted the best possible cue for the value. It was certainly worth the investment and I still love the way it plays.

I do agree that it has a fatter butt and may be a little balanced towards the rear, but that suits my grip and stance, so no complaints about how it plays. I do appreciate the fact that it is an American made product and while my future cues will most likely be customs because I hope to afford them... (hoping Dennis Searing will still be making cues by the time I can afford one), I have absolutely no plans of selling my Vikings and will most certainly advocate for them in the future. If you don't believe me, come to Arlington, VA and I'll let you play with mine.

So now as I step off this soapbox, I'd like to say thanks to Viking and whoever there made my cues. Your attention to detail and appreciation for the craft did not go unnoticed. My cues may not be considered works of art like some cue craftsmen can create, but they have played pretty damn good for me.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top