Star vs Elite vs Universal cues, any advice?

M

mistamikel

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Hey all,

I'm looking for a cheaper option for a butt end to mate with an I3 (McDermott) shaft.
Here's where I'm currently at, have an old Lucky cue and a McDermott Stinger jump/break.
When I pair the i3 with the Lucky, I get a wobble and the tip rolls off the table. When paired with the Jump/Break, it rolls straight, but the feel is just off for me (probably in my head, just it just doesn't feel solid, if that makes any sense)

So, after looking at the bank account, and doing some shopping around, it looks like these brands might be the way to go for me (I'm needing a 3/8x10 joint pin and these brands offer some half decent looking cues with that pin)

What I'm wanting to know is if anyone had any input on these brands?
How's the feel, hit, overall experience?

Quite honestly I'm leaning towards a Star cue just because of the lifetime warranty (I have a Lucasi in my cue bag sit for a couple years and the butt cap seems to have swole and messed with the rings, no warranty=sad me)
And yes, I'm well aware that the Star line is an overseas product (not made in the USA like McDermotts usually are)

Ps: I have been in touch with Schmelke cues and they are a viable option, but if I'm gonna get something made, it's gonna be on the expensive (well, what I consider expensive, lol) and I'm looking to keep within budget.

Sorry for the long post
 
A very reputable person in the billiards industry told me that universal makes like 90% of the mass produced cues out there.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
str8eight said:
A very reputable person in the billiards industry told me that universal makes like 90% of the mass produced cues out there.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
That factory makes: ADAM, Lucasi, Players, Predator, Buffalo, Riley, Dufferin to name a few. They make THIRTY THOUSAND cues a month. I don't think Universal branded cues are still being made. It was basically the house brand of that factory. Omega Billiards has their remaining stock on sale. https://www.omegabilliards.com/Universal_Cues_s/555.htm
 
having tried all three, i would rank universal way above the other two. it's probably more expensive too. i know a guy who placed 5th in the world 8-ball championship playing with a universal (yea, the archer and the arrow etc). i don't know how the brand has evolved since but their LD shafts back then were good compared to the competition.
 
skogstokig said:
having tried all three, i would rank universal way above the other two. it's probably more expensive too. i know a guy who placed 5th in the world 8-ball championship playing with a universal (yea, the archer and the arrow etc). i don't know how the brand has evolved since but their LD shafts back then were good compared to the competition.
Click to expand...
Thanks for this.

The price points between the 2 I'm looking at are around $100usd, with the Universal being more expensive (but I'm guessing it's more due to inlays)

Does anyone have any experience with an I-shaft on a Star cue butt? I just dont want to have the same wobble/roll problem I have with the Lucky butt I currently have.
 
skogstokig said:
having tried all three, i would rank universal way above the other two. it's probably more expensive too. i know a guy who placed 5th in the world 8-ball championship playing with a universal (yea, the archer and the arrow etc). i don't know how the brand has evolved since but their LD shafts back then were good compared to the competition.
Click to expand...
Uses same tech as Lucasi. They are good cues. Soquet was their staff player for a while.
 
mistamikel said:
Thanks for this.

The price points between the 2 I'm looking at are around $100usd, with the Universal being more expensive (but I'm guessing it's more due to inlays)

Does anyone have any experience with an I-shaft on a Star cue butt? I just dont want to have the same wobble/roll problem I have with the Lucky butt I currently have.
Click to expand...

yea but for that price you can get a JOSS or maybe an OB cue?
 
mistamikel said:
Thanks for this.

The price points between the 2 I'm looking at are around $100usd, with the Universal being more expensive (but I'm guessing it's more due to inlays)

Does anyone have any experience with an I-shaft on a Star cue butt? I just dont want to have the same wobble/roll problem I have with the Lucky butt I currently have.
Click to expand...

Any cue paired with a shaft not made with it can have a wobble. It won't affect how it makes the ball one bit. My son just put on a shaft on a higher end predator cue, and the shaft is a higher end shaft, separate and with other equipment they roll just about prefect, when combined they have a wobble. No biggie. Unless the shaft is actually crooked don't worry about it.
 
hang-the-9 said:
Any cue paired with a shaft not made with it can have a wobble. It won't affect how it makes the ball one bit. My son just put on a shaft on a higher end predator cue, and the shaft is a higher end shaft, separate and with other equipment they roll just about prefect, when combined they have a wobble. No biggie. Unless the shaft is actually crooked don't worry about it.
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Having a wobble (where the tip lifts off of the table) to me, is a problem.
It takes the consistency out, and at that point, why am I even using a "high performance" shaft? Might as well use a house/bar cue.
 
mistamikel said:
Having a wobble (where the tip lifts off of the table) to me, is a problem.
It takes the consistency out, and at that point, why am I even using a "high performance" shaft? Might as well use a house/bar cue.
Click to expand...

That wobble is in the facing of the joint, it's not nearly enough to affect anything. There is a huge difference between a good shaft and a house cue, but there is really no difference in a perfectly even rolling cue and one that has an issue with the facing. Your bridge and hands will still make the shaft go straight, it won't shift anywhere because the shaft itself is straight. I play with several cues and shafts that have this wobble when together, and I tend to play around with maybe 3 shafts that I like. My performance with all 3 is identical, given normal variances in my game week to week. I've won tournaments and matches with all of them, never felt the shaft was doing anything weird.
 
hang-the-9 said:
That wobble is in the facing of the joint, it's not nearly enough to affect anything. There is a huge difference between a good shaft and a house cue, but there is really no difference in a perfectly even rolling cue and one that has an issue with the facing. Your bridge and hands will still make the shaft go straight, it won't shift anywhere because the shaft itself is straight. I play with several cues and shafts that have this wobble when together, and I tend to play around with maybe 3 shafts that I like. My performance with all 3 is identical, given normal variances in my game week to week. I've won tournaments and matches with all of them, never felt the shaft was doing anything weird.
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If a wobble in the shaft doesn't bother you, then more power to you.
I'm not being sarcastic, I honestly wish my game was good enough to where a wobbly shaft wouldn't matter.
But I'm not, andthat's the honest truth.
Now, maybe I'm going a bit overboard in using a house cue as a reference, but if I'm paying a few bucks (modest bucks at that) I'd expect a straight roll (shaft roll is okay as long as the tip stays flat to the table) but nothing more.

On a side note, I ended up with a nice McDermott, curly maple with a lizard wrap. Tip stays on the table when rolled :)
 
mistamikel said:
If a wobble in the shaft doesn't bother you, then more power to you.
I'm not being sarcastic, I honestly wish my game was good enough to where a wobbly shaft wouldn't matter.
But I'm not, andthat's the honest truth.
Now, maybe I'm going a bit overboard in using a house cue as a reference, but if I'm paying a few bucks (modest bucks at that) I'd expect a straight roll (shaft roll is okay as long as the tip stays flat to the table) but nothing more.

On a side note, I ended up with a nice McDermott, curly maple with a lizard wrap. Tip stays on the table when rolled :)
Click to expand...

I don't think it's a matter of your game being good but rather you paying attention to the wobble. My son can't stand some ferrule and tip colors, does not bother me at all. It's a mental thing more than anything to do with the performance of the equipment. If you take the metal capacity to focus on it, you are not focusing on the other tasks.
 
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