Vikings and McDermotts

puckdaddy

puckdaddy

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I was curious, does these cue companys inlay their cues? And if so how do they keep them cheap? Also do they use nice woods like Ebony, purpleheart, etc?
 
Yes they are inlayed, and with nice woods etc. The are cut by CNC machines (computer numerically controlled). You have a button monkey loading blanks into a machine and pushing a button...... so the man hours are low compared to a small shop doing the work with manual tools and machines.
And really, when buying cues..... materials play a part in cost, but you are really buying the makers expertise and time it takes to make the cue.
Chuck
 
RiverCity said:
Yes they are inlayed, and with nice woods etc. The are cut by CNC machines (computer numerically controlled). You have a button monkey loading blanks into a machine and pushing a button...... so the man hours are low compared to a small shop doing the work with manual tools and machines.
And really, when buying cues..... materials play a part in cost, but you are really buying the makers expertise and time it takes to make the cue.
Chuck
Click to expand...
Lots of very small "custom" shops also have cnc machines! AE, Thomas Wayne,Bill stroud,Its in the shops of just about any major name in the business! and the list is very long.
McDermott and viking got an early start in cue making, and were able to continue to expand from very humble one man shops, they both have tremendouse stocks of well aged hardwoods. in fact the new owners of McDermott are making some new cues from some old stock, spliced forearms. in many ways the most noteable difference is the small shops dont make twenty thousand of the same model, For the most part the big shops stay on the cutting edge of technology with wood stabilization,adhesive technology, finish methods etc...I might make an exception with meucci though, they seem to be going from mediocre to lousy in my opinion. But McD and Viking, Pechauer,joss, shon, are ,well aware of anything technology wise that the smaller buisnesses are and then some no doubt. They truly cant spend as much time with certain methods of assembly perhaps?
There are so many new cue makers any more that just dont have the well aged properly handled wood to work with, that in some cases i would much rather have a cue made by one of the old mass producers.
if you invest in a high dollar custom, just see if theyr a member of the aca or at least are a well known respected maker
 
If you have a Viking, and you don't like it, fair enough.

Viking_Pool_Cues_F76.jpg

I have a VM28 with a custom 314 shaft and ring, and play with it almost every day.
 
I have a $780.00 Viking and a $250.00 McDermott. I like the hit of the McDermott better. That's just personal preference though. Both of them play well. They both have CNC work inlayed in them.
 
RiverCity said:
Yes they are inlayed, and with nice woods etc. The are cut by CNC machines (computer numerically controlled). You have a button monkey loading blanks into a machine and pushing a button...... so the man hours are low compared to a small shop doing the work with manual tools and machines.
Click to expand...

CNC Machines Do not:

Ask for a Raise

Want Days off

Get Pregnant

Go on Vacation

Require Employeer contribution to Social Security

Take Vacations

Require Overtime pay under Frederal Law.

LOL LOL :D


P.S. One of the Top Players in arizona plays with a McDermott, and LePro tip. I wish I had his Stroke & Ability to Control the Cue Ball Post Hit.. His initials are DH
 
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PoolSleuth said:
One of the Top Players in arizona plays with a McDermott, and LePro tip. I wish I had his Stroke &Aability to Control the Cue Ball Post Hit.. His initials are DH
Click to expand...

I thought Don Ho lives in Hawaii?:D
 
I love my Viking P6 with a leather wrap. I have won many tournaments with it. It is ebony and ivory, inlaid, just gorgeous.

I also have a McDermott D14? It is too fat and bulky, but hits ok.
 
I think it's funny how far off people are when it comes to these two manufactures.

I don't want to use extremes, but I love my Viking, and hated the few McDermotts I've shot with.

To me, personally, the McDermotts balance point seems way off, and I'll assume most McDermott guys feel the same about Viking.
 
Gregg said:
I think it's funny how far off people are when it comes to these two manufactures.

I don't want to use extremes, but I love my Viking, and hated the few McDermotts I've shot with.

To me, personally, the McDermotts balance point seems way off, and I'll assume most McDermott guys feel the same about Viking.
Click to expand...

Although I don't shoot with either, I would think that McDermotts would be butt heavy with no stainless joint and a butt like some chick you don't want to be seen with. TBFM
 
Warranty

Well for me the choice for McDermott was the warranty. It is a lot better than the Vicking, but I like both cues. I like the hit and feel of the McDermott better, but the Vickings to me are a good cue as well. I think again it is just personal preference like everything is in this sport. Shoot with both and see which you like better, then stick with it. Both have great cues, and both are close to the same price. The reason they are so cheap is cause it isn't a custom cue built only once by one person. What is that law? The law of supply and demand? LOL
 
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