Having read through 'all' of the posts, a couple of things have struck a cord with me. As for daily use, I have used a Scruggs, Whistler, Schon, older McDermott, older Meucci and can play pretty well with all of them (althought I do cheat and use Predator shafts with some). But, depending on the day, and when my game is 'on', they do fall into different rankings.
If I'm stroking well, the Scruggs played exceptionally well, but if 'out of stroke', even a little, I needed to put it on the wall because if I asked it wrong, even a little, it gave it wrong. If I asked it right, it was great.
The older Meucci plays ok if I put a Predator shaft on it, but I can't 'trust' it. The 'b*tch' will turn on me and just laugh and laugh when I miss a shot.
The older McDermott plays better with the original shafts, but the weight/balance is a little off for me. Can't trust her either unless I'm in perfect stroke, and then if I ask her for draw, she'll only put out half as much as the others. She's sort of a 'b*tch' also.
The Schon SR16 is a sweetheart, all the time, ask, get, consistant, with orginal shaft or Predator.
The Whistler full splice is my mainstay, great solid feeling, consistant, get what you ask for, can depend on it every time to please. But only use it with a Predator shaft. Ivory ferruled original shafts just don't do it for me.
I've never owned a Szam, Bushka, Cog, but they probably all have similarities to my less expensive cues. Some cues just 'work' better, some cue/shaft combinations just hit better, some combinations just go together better. Each cue has it's own feel, touch, hit, and even attitude.
IMHO, I just need the cue to show up when it's supposed to and do what it's supposed to, and some do it a little better, and some do it a little worse.
One last thought. I once had a Cuetec. God must have hated me at that time.