I would absolutely, positively say it is NOT OB Cues. They are still made in Texas. McDermott and Viking as well as others already import some of their cue lines from China.
Open Question: Does it matter to you if a manufacturer moves "US" product overseas?
- Thread starter jrsamples3
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I would absolutely, positively say it is NOT OB Cues. They are still made in Texas. McDermott and Viking as well as others already import some of their cue lines from China.
But, in the case of McDermott anyway, not the ones that are actually McDermott branded. Only the lines labeled "Star" and "Lucky" are imported. They are100% up front about this and could not be more clear. No possible chance for misinterpretation.
Well, maybe not any "chance" of misinterpretation
No country of origin anywhere that I could see. I guess the new terminology of the day is "globally manufactured" which apparently means China. Sure a lot less wording in the word China... I mean, if they don't want to confuse anyone Star cues are designed, engineered, exclusively distributed and guaranteed for life against manufacturing defects by McDermott Cue. They feature premium maple and exotic woods mixed with intricate 4-color overlays. Manufactured globally using McDermott's technology, Star cues provide the highest quality pool cue in the under $200 price range.
Lucky cues offer a mix of premium maple cues and intricate graphic overlays. These features give you an exceptional value for one of the most solid hitting globally manufactured cues in the industry. Lucky cues are designed, engineered and exclusively distributed by McDermott Cu
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Well, maybe not any "chance" of misinterpretation
Star cues are designed, engineered, exclusively distributed and guaranteed for life against manufacturing defects by McDermott Cue. They feature premium maple and exotic woods mixed with intricate 4-color overlays. Manufactured globally using McDermott's technology, Star cues provide the highest quality pool cue in the under $200 price range.
Lucky cues offer a mix of premium maple cues and intricate graphic overlays. These features give you an exceptional value for one of the most solid hitting globally manufactured cues in the industry. Lucky cues are designed, engineered and exclusively distributed by McDermott Cu
I suppose the term "Globally Manufactured" now has become code for made in China; at least that's how I see it. And I don't think anyone would expect a line of cues priced from $35 to $99 to be made in the US.
To me anyway, there doesn't appear to be any real attempt at subterfuge here. If anyone wants to think that a $35 cue said by the manufacturer to be "globally manufactured" is made in the USA I'd say it was just the law of natural selection at work. But the OP's inference was that there were cues being directly represented as US made now being made overseas. To me, that would be like McDermott sourcing parts of it's "McDermott" branded line overseas. Whole different deal and I for one would be extremely disappointed if that were the case.
Again, this is why I think the OP owes it to us to clear this up. He certainly had no problem in starting it in the first place!
Made in U.S.A
A loophole even Sam was guilty of in the Nafta agreement was the labels were made in the USA. That made it ok .I personally have never shopped at that store and wont.But i dont believe foreign is better .It isnt about labor ,its about taxes and no E.P.A or safety rules.
A loophole even Sam was guilty of in the Nafta agreement was the labels were made in the USA. That made it ok .I personally have never shopped at that store and wont.But i dont believe foreign is better .It isnt about labor ,its about taxes and no E.P.A or safety rules.
People who say they won't buy a cue that is made in China, but will buy every other product from China are hypocrites.
I would think that if you went into just about any store in the USA and blindly picked up 100 items (excluding groceries) that the majority of them would be made in China or some other country.
Everything from underwear to fans to electronics to car parts to dishware, etc., etc., etc. is made in China.
If you don't buy something made outside the USA, you are spending 10 times what it costs to buy the item or you are just one frugal SOB who doesn't buy anything.
I lived in Taipei way back when you could buy cues there for $2 each and I never bought a single one. They were junk for the most part, but they had a few lines that actually had maple shafts with wood imported from the USA. Today, they can, and do, make cues that can compete with most any that are made in the USA.
Many of the companies that manufacture things in China are actually outsourcing of products from countries other than China. Taiwan has thousands of factories in China because it is cheaper than making their stuff in Taiwan.
I can remember back in the early 60's when everybody laughed at shit made in Japan and said it was junk. For the most part, it was. But now they make shit that is highly prized around the world. Mezz cues are a prime example.
If the American workers didn't price themselves out of competition (not in just cue making), then people wouldn't be buying most of their shit from foreign manufacturers.
Everything is relative. You want high wages because you want a car, a house, etc. So does the Chinese guy. The cost of living there is cheaper than it is here. They can afford to make it cheaper and live in the same life style that you gave up because you wanted something even higher.
There is nothing wrong with that, but everything goes in a circle. We were at the top and now the circle is turning. People are catching up. We aren't the only kid on the block anymore. There are others. You have to come up with a new game to stay ahead.
I would think that if you went into just about any store in the USA and blindly picked up 100 items (excluding groceries) that the majority of them would be made in China or some other country.
Everything from underwear to fans to electronics to car parts to dishware, etc., etc., etc. is made in China.
If you don't buy something made outside the USA, you are spending 10 times what it costs to buy the item or you are just one frugal SOB who doesn't buy anything.
I lived in Taipei way back when you could buy cues there for $2 each and I never bought a single one. They were junk for the most part, but they had a few lines that actually had maple shafts with wood imported from the USA. Today, they can, and do, make cues that can compete with most any that are made in the USA.
Many of the companies that manufacture things in China are actually outsourcing of products from countries other than China. Taiwan has thousands of factories in China because it is cheaper than making their stuff in Taiwan.
I can remember back in the early 60's when everybody laughed at shit made in Japan and said it was junk. For the most part, it was. But now they make shit that is highly prized around the world. Mezz cues are a prime example.
If the American workers didn't price themselves out of competition (not in just cue making), then people wouldn't be buying most of their shit from foreign manufacturers.
Everything is relative. You want high wages because you want a car, a house, etc. So does the Chinese guy. The cost of living there is cheaper than it is here. They can afford to make it cheaper and live in the same life style that you gave up because you wanted something even higher.
There is nothing wrong with that, but everything goes in a circle. We were at the top and now the circle is turning. People are catching up. We aren't the only kid on the block anymore. There are others. You have to come up with a new game to stay ahead.
I back OB products because they are in Texas, plus I like the fact they are pretty active on the forums. Anyone see any other major cuemaker rep or owner come on AZB?
Not that I ever bought one before, but that thing with Carrier moving production overseas after talking to Trump and saying they would not will make me stay away from that company.
Cars is not much of an issue since many cars from Japan are made in US factories with US workers getting jobs there.
Electronics, clothing, pretty much impossible to keep to US made products and many of the Chinese cheap stuff you can find on eBay or Amazon are the same products US companies buy and rebrand but with a 200% markup.
Guitars are big with having product made overseas and in the US both, and all of mine are overseas made mid-range models from US companies.
Not that I ever bought one before, but that thing with Carrier moving production overseas after talking to Trump and saying they would not will make me stay away from that company.
Cars is not much of an issue since many cars from Japan are made in US factories with US workers getting jobs there.
Electronics, clothing, pretty much impossible to keep to US made products and many of the Chinese cheap stuff you can find on eBay or Amazon are the same products US companies buy and rebrand but with a 200% markup.
Guitars are big with having product made overseas and in the US both, and all of mine are overseas made mid-range models from US companies.
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Yeah, many overseas companies got smart as American shoppers learned about where some products were made. They simply purchased the brand name from an American company and re-branded their own. My ex refused to buy an off brand mini-fridge because there was a Whirlpool available from BJ's. After getting it home, she discovered it was the exact same unit she refused to buy under a different 'unknown" name.
Any of you buy a Buick Encore? Check to see where it is manufactured? Chevy Trax? Same builder! Buy a Volvo? Owned by Geely of China. Horror of horrors, so is Lotus Cars. Jaguar / Land Rover? Owned by an Indian company. Oh well.
Lyn
Any of you buy a Buick Encore? Check to see where it is manufactured? Chevy Trax? Same builder! Buy a Volvo? Owned by Geely of China. Horror of horrors, so is Lotus Cars. Jaguar / Land Rover? Owned by an Indian company. Oh well.
Lyn
I don't care where a product is made. Provided that the product is of good quality and is "ethically produced" (i.e. no child sweatshop labor), it's stupid imo to care about where it's from.
That being said, shame on the company for misrepresenting their product as "made in the USA".
That being said, shame on the company for misrepresenting their product as "made in the USA".
Westinghouse, Polaroid, RCA, Nakamich (granted were overseas to begin with but were a quality brand at one point), are some other companies that are just known names that were sold to be used in cheap products.
It is getting so even if you buy from a known brand with a known quality, WHERE you buy is is important. If you get a TV on black friday or a lawn mower from WalMart rather than a garden store, you could be getting the brand name slapped onto a cheaper and less quality product. I read a while ago that you can get a mower from Home Depot that may look like and have the same brand as mower from a higher end place, but the Home Depot mower would be made with cheaper materials and less attention to detail. TVs you buy cheap can be made especially to be cheap, not sales on good models. You can have less HDMI ports,no computer port on the cheap model, cheaper screen, lower quality stand and plastic, etc...
I agree with this, but still recognize that generally a "Made in USA" product is worth more on the open market than a "globally sourced" counterpart. This would certainly be true with pool cues. Perceptions and stereotypes die hard and slow.
I'd have no problem buying and playing with an overseas built cue and I'd judge it on it's own merits against other choices on the market. I would however have a problem paying a "Made in USA" price for that same cue, and being lied to about it's origins.
It is NOT us (OB). We make all of our shafts and cues in our factory in Plano, Texas. Even our DigiCue electronic training aid is Made in the USA (Illinois).
The OP said:
"a notable cue manufacturer (who already markets import lines) that touts itself as "Made in the USA" has replaced previously US made products with imports and just simply omits it from the description and markets under their US made name. "
OB does not market import lines. If the OP's information is correct (and I have no idea if it is) it could only be one of a handful of companies and several of them have already been mentioned in this thread.
OB Cues and shaft are proudly Made in the USA.
Hang.
Know all about the Nakamichi thing. Had a Model 1000 cassette deck for years. Worked as their sales rep in NY/NE for seven years in the late 90's and early 2000's before I retired. Used to make GREAT equipment!
Excellent advice on "cheaper" products. Unfortunately some independent retailers have discovered the alternate model number thing. Still buyer beware.
Lyn
It would bother me..., if the company said it was made in the USA and wasn't. I know how my uncles furniture company suffered trying to compete against Chinese imports. He explained to me the why's and how's... and to this day it still bothers me how hard he had it.
The OP should just say who it is instead of being all vague.
The OP should just say who it is instead of being all vague.
Agreed. This would also give the company in question an opportunity to comment on this as the information may or may not be accurate.
I agree, which is why it's extra sh*tty for a company to misrepresent their products as "American made"
Totally correct, without a doubt.
With just 3 posts including this one, and after ignoring repeated calls for clarification one has to kinda wonder about the OP's intentions in the first place.
One can just do a direct labor / life cost comparison. All the info is online. Then you can see the obscene profits, as well as the disproportionate pay doled out, one can obtain by making items overseas.
Guitars, made in Korea, Indonesia, etc.. Epiphone, Squier, MIM Stratocasters all equate IMHO to a foreign made cue and or case. I don't buy over seas guitars and will not for a pool item.
But in the end, its a personal choice and a price choice I am sure. Its also the product of the American consumer, cheap and disposable is more convenient than pay more and take care of your stuff.
JV
Guitars, made in Korea, Indonesia, etc.. Epiphone, Squier, MIM Stratocasters all equate IMHO to a foreign made cue and or case. I don't buy over seas guitars and will not for a pool item.
But in the end, its a personal choice and a price choice I am sure. Its also the product of the American consumer, cheap and disposable is more convenient than pay more and take care of your stuff.
JV
I was looking at 1x1 cue cases in a local mom n pop store. I liked the Lucasi branded case over the Player branded case as it had Made in USA on the opposite side of the Lucasi tag. The Players were import. I understand they are the same parent company.
The case I purchased was not the floor model, but the same in every aspect except the Lucasi tag had an American flag on the opposite side. I thought it looked cool.
It wasn't until months later I found the Made in China tag inside the storage pocket.
The case I purchased was not the floor model, but the same in every aspect except the Lucasi tag had an American flag on the opposite side. I thought it looked cool.
It wasn't until months later I found the Made in China tag inside the storage pocket.