Original green-logoed US-made Malis
Afternoon ya'll... Does anyone have opinions on the quality or playability of the older Mali cues? I't is my opinion that the new ones are complete crap, but I have a chance to buy 2 older cues and not sure about them.. They both are the same with no points, a green Irish wrap, looks to be birdseye or curly maple butt and forearms with the smaller green Mali logo.. Any help would be appreciated!!! Thanks all!!!!
Thebigtexan:
I have a 26 year old Mali that I bought new from Q-Masters in Norfolk, VA in the early 1980s when I was stationed there (it was at Q-Masters' old Sewell's Point Road address which I hear burned to the ground many years ago). Barry Behrman himself sold it to me. It has the small green Mali logo, white-with-green-speckles Irish Linen wrap, 3/8-10 pin, wood-to-wood joint, no points, and an
absinthe-green-stained curly maple forearm. It's actually in fantastic condition for its age; near mint, in fact, even though it was my main player for many years. I took care special care of it, and it still has the original shaft, although it's at least a diameter or two smaller than when I bought it, obviously from cleaning it over the years.
I would go on record as saying that, when I originally purchased this cue, I chose it specifically because of its playability and feel. I even chose it over a bunch of Meuccis -- which at that period of time [early- to mid-1980s, remember] were considered "the" cue to have. I never thought I'd have this cue for as long as I have -- thought for sure I would've lost it in a pool hall by now (e.g. it would "grow legs" because everyone that saw it said it's an attractive cue). However, remarkably, it's made it through the years, and I now don't take this cue out anymore because of its sentimental value.
These green-logoed Malis were made in the US, unlike the newer ones which are made overseas. And they had a rearward balance (at least mine does) that I absolutely love -- sort of like a carom cue.
Given the opportunity to buy another original/genuine US-made Mali like this one, I certainly would!
-Sean
P.S.: As an aside, isn't your handle a bit redundant? I thought "everything in Texas = big," therefore saying "the big Texas [something]" is like saying "the unintelligent government" or "the little bacteria." J/K!
