Meucci Originals Question???

[Addicted2CuesRU]

I used to own a Meucci Originals cue back in the day that was my favorite playing cue (at the time...). I had such fond memories of that cue that I decided to buy one on ebay... it was a basic model and I won it for $150... Not too bad a price a little higher than I hoped, but it came with a 2x4 cheap case that goes for $30-$40, so what the hey right.

My question: Are they counterfeiting Meucci Original cues???

Anyone here know about this happening... I know that meucci production quality has slipped recently, but I thought the Meucci Originals line was a little higher quality... there are some serious issues I have with the cue... The forearm wood looks like a freaking Shellacked broomstick... The inlays are popping all over the cue... and one more thing...

My old Meucci Originals cue had the logo stamped into the Butt I believe (so that it was recessed)... The "logo" on the cue I bought is embossed lettering with a sealant... which looks like you could easily scratch it away... That is really the thing that made me wonder.... hmmm, is this an older cue... if that embossed lettering was on there, based on its current overall condition the lettering woulda got scratched off prob...

My first impression is that this is a copy made in china currently with cheap parts for like $20-$40 and sold on secondary market hoping to get people to pay $150 for a cue that they think was retail $250-$300 originally...

Am I right, anyone know... If anyone knows for sure I will publish the seller on this forum...

Here is a pic of the embossed lettering...

 

[Addicted2CuesRU]

Broomstick Maple Forearm...

And here is a pic of the forearm...

 

[cueball1950]

I used to own a Meucci Originals cue back in the day that was my favorite playing cue (at the time...). I had such fond memories of that cue that I decided to buy one on ebay... it was a basic model and I won it for $150... Not too bad a price a little higher than I hoped, but it came with a 2x4 cheap case that goes for $30-$40, so what the hey right.

My question: Are they counterfeiting Meucci Original cues???

Anyone here know about this happening... I know that meucci production quality has slipped recently, but I thought the Meucci Originals line was a little higher quality... there are some serious issues I have with the cue... The forearm wood looks like a freaking Shellacked broomstick... The inlays are popping all over the cue... and one more thing...

My old Meucci Originals cue had the logo stamped into the Butt I believe (so that it was recessed)... The "logo" on the cue I bought is embossed lettering with a sealant... which looks like you could easily scratch it away... That is really the thing that made me wonder.... hmmm, is this an older cue... if that embossed lettering was on there, based on its current overall condition the lettering woulda got scratched off prob...

My first impression is that this is a copy made in china currently with cheap parts for like $20-$40 and sold on secondary market hoping to get people to pay $150 for a cue that they think was retail $250-$300 originally...

Am I right, anyone know... If anyone knows for sure I will publish the seller on this forum...

Here is a pic of the embossed lettering...

I had a similar meucci with 2 points with veneers. after maybe a year or so use i had a similiar experience with it. the rings had expanded, the points and veneers you could feel with you finger if you rubbed it over them. So maybe it is just a problem with that style cue by them.
P.S.... i sent mine back and they refinished it. but only after ALOT of complaining. they said i must have let it sit in a hot car during the summer and other excuses. but in the end they fixed the problem and i sold it right away..............................................................mike

 

[TATE]

Chuck,

Under that bad finish lies a solid cue. The lacquer finish is just crappy, that's all and there has been movement in the woods, expansion and shrinking, that cracked the finish.

You have a "Hi- Run" from the Starter collection circa mid 1980's. Some came with the natural forearm but I think it looks better with an amber stain and should bring out the figure in the maple.

Here's a link from the flyer:

http://www.budgetcues.com/archive/meucci-starter-collection.htm

I would spend the $75 - $100 to get a refinish by Proficient. Once it's refinished you will have the cue you want, however, you will not get your money back out of it. You do this for love of old cues, not investment. I get a lot of satisfaction out of bringing these beat up cues back to beauty. The new urethanes work great on these cues. The logo is rolled on and inked, so it is indented. Your cue does not look like it's been refinished, which is good.

This is a problem with buying older, relatively inexpensive cues. They almost always need work but there is no "value" to paying for all the work. I had a Hi -Run in nice shape I sold for $200.


Chris

 

[Addicted2CuesRU]

Chuck,

Under that bad finish lies a solid cue. The lacquer finish is just crappy, that's all and there has been movement in the woods, expansion and shrinking, that cracked the finish.

You have a "Hi- Run" from the Starter collection circa mid 1980's. Some came with the natural forearm but I think it looks better with an amber stain and should bring out the figure in the maple.

Here's a link from the flyer:

http://www.budgetcues.com/archive/meucci-starter-collection.htm

I would spend the $75 - $100 to get a refinish by Proficient. Once it's refinished you will have the cue you want, however, you will not get your money back out of it. You do this for love of old cues, not investment. I get a lot of satisfaction out of bringing these beat up cues back to beauty. The new urethanes work great on these cues. The logo is rolled on and inked, so it is indented. Your cue does not look like it's been refinished, which is good.

This is a problem with buying older, relatively inexpensive cues. They almost always need work but there is no "value" to paying for all the work. I had a Hi -Run in nice shape I sold for $200.


Chris

Thanks bro, that is very helpful... I like old Meuccis, so I guess its ok that I overpaid for this cue by a little... Couldn't quite figure out why anyone would bother to counterfeit an old cheap cue (so my theory didnt make too much sense )... The old meucci I had must have had the logo worn down so much the ink was buffed down... Really I dont mind the inlays popping that much... I will just have a new ferrule and tip on it and it should play nicely...

I sorta just bought this cue to have a car cue anyway...


Addendum: That site is pretty cool... I just dug a little and found the old Meucci I had... It was a first catalog MO-1...

http://www.budgetcues.com/archive/meucci-1st-brochure.htm

I got the cue around 1989-90 while I was in the Navy.... The cue had been in a bar fight or something, because the butt was broken to the point that it just said "I-originals"... I bought it for like $30... I always kinda wondered what model it was...

That cue eventually got stolen from my apartment in Philly... after a party some of the attendees broke back in to the house after we were passed out...

 

[tom haney]

my 1st nice cue was a Meucci OLD1- "The Diamond"
that I bought new from Meuller in the mid 80's.
A few dings but still has original tip & ferrule. Dead
straight. Took me 3 months to get it. I kept calling
and they finally said "we have a message from Bob
' do you want a nice cue or don't you? ' " Sounds
custom to me. Shoots great. Has won me a lot of
money. Well , not a LOT.

Thanks bro, that is very helpful... I like old Meuccis, so I guess its ok that I overpaid for this cue by a little... Couldn't quite figure out why anyone would bother to counterfeit an old cheap cue (so my theory didnt make too much sense )... The old meucci I had must have had the logo worn down so much the ink was buffed down... Really I dont mind the inlays popping that much... I will just have a new ferrule and tip on it and it should play nicely...

I sorta just bought this cue to have a car cue anyway...


Addendum: That site is pretty cool... I just dug a little and found the old Meucci I had... It was a first catalog MO-1...

http://www.budgetcues.com/archive/meucci-1st-brochure.htm

I got the cue around 1989-90 while I was in the Navy.... The cue had been in a bar fight or something, because the butt was broken to the point that it just said "I-originals"... I bought it for like $30... I always kinda wondered what model it was...

That cue eventually got stolen from my apartment in Philly... after a party some of the attendees broke back in to the house after we were passed out...

 

[TATE]

if you decide against the refinish, if you have a cue guy just polish it out on a lathe, it will be 100% better and look pretty close to a refinish. Most of that stuff will buff right out. The Hi-Runs usually are a nice solid playing cue.

Chris

 

[runscott]

my 1st nice cue was a Meucci OLD1- "The Diamond"
that I bought new from Meuller in the mid 80's.
A few dings but still has original tip & ferrule. Dead
straight. Took me 3 months to get it. I kept calling
and they finally said "we have a message from Bob
' do you want a nice cue or don't you? ' " Sounds
custom to me. Shoots great. Has won me a lot of
money. Well , not a LOT.

I just sold a Meucci Originals (block letters) with the "pre-dot" shaft, that I bought because I heard they were much better than the current product, and I wanted to see how it hit (I'm trying to experience as many different cues as possible). The common design ones in nice shape go for $150-200 on ebay. A friend who sold these in the '80s said mine retailed at that time for around $249. I'm not crazy about Meucci design, but I loved the hit and the feel other than I couldn't control the heavy draw shots and decided to stick with a 314, since abandoned as well...I can feel the bold purple coming...

 

[cuenut]

Older Meucci Originals

I haven't seen any Chinese fakes out there, but I have run across a couple of Gambler cues (since they are apparently the most popular old design) that someone has put an old style butt on. The result, to a poorly educated player, is that they have a "really collectible" cue, and pay dearly for it. In one case, someone put the older style butt and also added the small round rubber bumper that was on their very first cues. One key that gave them away in my eyes, unless someone out there knows different, is that the really old stuff had brass screws and brass inserts, unlike the steel screws they use today.