Last year I was planning on either getting a brand new cue or upgrading my Tiger with a refinish, stack leather wrap and a CF shaft. Well, for a few hundred less than upgrading my old Tiger and a couple thousand less than a new custom cue, I just got myself on of these Aspirant cues plus the J Flowers break cue.
The break cue is the best hitting break cue I've tried. Better than the BK Rush IMO.
The Aspirant - I figured I'd try just to see if I would like the CF shaft. Figured worst case I would have a decent house cue. Well I haven't touched my Tiger since. I hated the tip at first as I was used to a Kamui SS (I think it's a Moori M but not sure), but after a week or so it was great.
I struggled with the "overlays" vs inlays as I've always had fairly high end production cues, but then I asked myself "why do I care?". I like a good looking cue, which to me this is - the fact they are stickers rather than inlays? My wallet thanks me for no longer really giving a crap about that.
Honestly, for $300, you can't go wrong. Here are a couple of pics of the player and the break cue (wrap on the break cue is embossed leather, not vinyl). They come with joint protectors, and when I got them last summer each cue came in these old school "briefcase" style wooden cases (though I think they have since stopped shipping them in those).