I have had lots of Rick's cues and they are some of the best players on the market. There are a lot of cue makers out there and some make an absolutely wonderful cue to look at. A cue coming from someone who was a player has a little more than just looks imo. Some of the best playing cues are the not so fancy ones. Look at the Tascarellas and the Szambotis, four points with veneers and thats it but they play with the best.