I believe Maple is graded like beef. I don't know the exact grading system for wood, so I'm sticking with the grading system for beef.
In beef, the top grade is USDA Prime, then comes Choice, Select, Standard, Commercial and runs down to Canner grade. Prime makes up 2%, so it'll go to top restaurants, high end butcher shops. Your local supermarket is not going to get the same beef as Peter Luger's, or Gallaghers steak house. Your local supermarket will sell Choice. Walmart known for low prices sells Select, so that's why their prices are lower than the supermarkets.
The major cue production houses are not going to buy the very best quality wood (Prime). They'll buy quality wood (Choice and Select), and build to fit a price point. Due to profit margins, McDermott may not use the same shaftwood on their $1000 cues as their $100 cues.
A company like Predator can probably get away with using lower grade wood to build their laminated shafts. Their secret for quality control lies in the lamination process. Think how hamburger and sausage meat is created and how they can fine tune the quality and flavor. Their special sauce for limited deflection is patented 6 inches of space in the front, and light weight ferrule.
I'm guessing the buyers of Prime, or the best wood grade will be instrument makers and high end cue makers (Szamboti, Southwest, Balabushka). A couple of people here have stated if you wanted to get a custom maker's cue on a budget, get their sneaky pete or plain jain model. It should have the same shaft wood as the cuemaker's other offering.
