Frankenstroke said:
Meucci has brought back the old "Meucci Originals" logo on a limited edition of 50 cues.
http://www.budgetcues.com/meucci-pool-cue-84-8.htm
Has this ever been done before? Don't you think these cues should be dated?
I think this will cause confusion down the road, or even foster larceny.
What do you think?
I have an orininal "Meucci Original" 84-8. Strickland played with this model before Cuetec.
IN MY PROFESSIONAL OPINION :
I've owned a Meucci original since 1988 model 88-3 and before that a model DH-4 that I bought in 1988 "the ebony one with the sword and maces with ivory shield"... I bought both new sold the DH-4 out in texas back in 93' but played with the 88-3 since 1988 until I built my own and even then when someone would offer me more $ than I could refuse, I would sell my cue and then go back to the Meucci, until I built myself another one.
I have been in many marathon matches from anywhere from 12 to 23 hrs. and that cue has always played consistant over the years and never ever let me down... if anything, I let the cue down...
I now consider it an investment...but by todays standards, Meucci's craftsmanship completely sucks!!! "THAT'S RIGHT BOB, YOUR CUES SUCK !" the Meucci cues being produced nowadays are a pitiful example and a direct insult to the quality that went into them back in the mid 80's era....
My buddy and former employer Joe Cagnina of Auroroa Road Billiard Supplies pretty much owns half of Meucci Cues, and when I use to work there he would cut the payroll check for Bob....
I used to inspect all the Meucci's that came in for stock,. and the craftmanship was shoddy, not only could you feel the rings but there ARE cracked tenons where the collars are installed and even the ferrule does not seat flush against the shaftwood....
I asked Joe his input on this and he said "Meucci has made a name for themselves so the quality doesn't matter anymore they're selling a name".
The irony of it all is that I was an avid pro-meucci supporter back in the 80's to very early 90's and now I would suggest a "Players Cue" before I would tell ANYONE to invest in a nickel in a now poorly built Meucci cue
So to sum it all up... unless Bob Meucci decided to build the "new" meucci originals with the same technique and quality.. this incudes counter-balancing the cue under the wrap.. then I would say he's insulting his own existance and intial success....
Meucci is in financial trouble and bob is looking for one more clever way to market his firewood, just as he did with the "red dot" shafts back in early turn of the century when he was stuck with all the C-grade ugly shafts and couldnt get rid of them becasue they kept being retuned back to him, so he comes up with this red dot crap and unloads all of them to the distracted public... and if you look the red dot shafts, the grain is lousy.... "brilliant marketing strategy"
I know all of this to be very true... I have inside sources/resources that verify what I just said... the reason why Joe Cagnina owns atleast half of Meucci Cues today is becasue Bob Meucci needed financial backing earlier this decade to keep from going under partially due to the fact that the production market is saturated with better cues for less money... and we have the Chinese to thank for that !
Sincerely, Eddie WHeat