Dance? Anyone Like A Dance?
There are some things I just don’t get. I don’t understand why people cut me off on the freeway and then give me the finger when they slide in front of me. I don’t get why deep frying a Twinkie makes it taste better (next time you’re in Vegas, head over to Mermaids in the Fremont Ghetto and you’ll see what I mean). But what I really don’t get is why a company would intentionally devalue their brand.
McDermott used to be a very respected brand that developed attractive, high quality production domestic cues. Over the past couple of years, the McDermott name has become a bit, well lets just say confused. First they roll out the Star Cues line. These cues retail for 100 to 180 bucks and are by all reported accounts, made over in China. This immediately made people question the value and integrity of the McDermott line. Then they rolled out the Lucky line of cues, priced at 60 to 100 bucks. Now they’ve taken it a step further: Nitro cues. The latest line from McDermott retails for under 50 bucks and seems to have been made to compete for shelf space at places like Dick’s Sporting Goods, Big 5, Sports Authority, Wal-Mart, etc.
I’m curious McDermott pool cue owner. Next time you go and play leagues and have a conversation that goes something like this, how will it make you feel:
Nitro Guy: Dude, that cue is really nice. What is it?
McDermott Guy: Its a McDermott.
Nitro Guy: Seriously? That’s awesome! I play with a McDermott too! (Nitro guy pulls out his Nitro cue)
McDermott Guy: That’s a McDermott? I don’t think it is.
Nitro Guy: Sure it is. I just got it over at Dick’s. It was tough deciding between this one and a Minnesota Fats, but I think I made the right choice. I didn’t see your McDermott there though. Are you sure yours is a McDermott?
McDermott Guy: They don’t sell McDermott cues at Dick’s, man.
Nitro Guy: The guy at the store said it was a McDermott. Got a great price on it too. I only paid $39.95! How much was yours?
McDermott Guy: There’s no such thing as a new McDermott cue that sells for 40 bucks.
Nitro Guy: No, the guy at Dick’s said these were brand new. You should head over there and check it out.
The way I see it, pool cues are like strippers and hookers (yes, I just compared pool cues to hookers… just deal with it and go with me here). You’ve got your Ashley Dupre quality where you’re paying a ton of dough, but you’re getting a one of a kind, customized experience. Then you’ve got places like the Spearmint Rhino. You know you’re getting something that other people are getting too, but you’re paying a little premium because the quality is still pretty damn fine. What McDermott has done with Star, Lucky and now Nitro is they’ve tried to be that awful club that tries to be everything to everyone. We’ve all been there, with the combination of hot girls, average girls and the over the hill stripper with the raspy voice that should’ve hung up her g-string about 10 years ago. You know, this one:
Now don’t get me wrong. I like McDermott cues. I really do, the real (domestic) ones anyway. The designs are beautiful, the workmanship is quality and they stand behind their products. I just don’t get why they would choose to turn their brand into the industry’s whores of Babylon.
You could buy 5 Nitros for the price of one “real” McDermott. Then you have one to play with, and you can give four friend a cue to beat you over the head with.
As a proud owner of a 25-year-old McDermott D-19, I, too, am appalled at what they are doing to a once top-shelf company and cue line, going from a cutting edge, industry leader to a bargain basement mass volume importer in record time! I would not trade my cue for any amount of money, partly because of quality and absolute playability, partly because it was given to me by my late uncle. But, having said that, I honestly don’t think I would purchase anything McDermott is producing now.
from a business point of view it’s kind of a smart move. if they make $500-$1000 cues then they, a production brand, are competing with custom cues and most people, for that kind of money, i would assume would go the custom cue route. also the market for cues in that price range is very small.
now cues going for $50-$150…that’s in everybody’s budget. i’ve been to vegas in august for the apa’s and i see tons of people using stealth, cuetecs, outlaw, etc. and there’s thousands of people in the apa league and it’s growing. i guess mcd’s going the quantity over quality route i guess and trying to appeal to the masses.
I understand that the company has changed hands and is under new management perhaps that is on reason – also note that Dale Perry (cue maker of custom cues )has done the same thing unloading cues for $200 and less on e-bay causing great concern for those who ordered cues from him in the past for much higher prices as this will diminish future value of the high priced cues.
@Robber
diminishing it’s past and future cue’s value is why i think mcdermott created the other brands to sell the cues under. is a nitro the same as a mcdermott?
Nitro, Star and Lucky may be other brands, but they’re not doing a very good job of separating the brands from McDermott. Predator is doing this with Poison, but in Predator’s defense, they’re at least not whoring their cues out at Wal-Mart at infomercial prices. I think this is going to rub the core players the wrong way, however they may be able to make it up selling quantity at the big box stores (assuming of course that the big box stores decide to pick these up).
well i think the people that those cues are marketed to really don’t care one way or another. it’s the small percentage of people who are really into pool and cues that make the connection.
Okay. I’m new to the APA, I’ve been playing with a borrowed cue for a year. I personally think these things are a great idea. Yes there low end. I’m not trying to say that they are the same quality as a true McDermott. What I am saying is that I’d rather buy a starter cue marketed by a company I know, and that has an established reputation. It’s better than using a beat house stick either way.
The shaft can always be replaced later on down the line. After all that is the part that truly counts.
Ok, I see your point. The problem I have with this is that these cues shouldn’t be branded as McDermotts. It totally kills the aftermarket for their higher end line since it will give peeps the impression that all McDermott cues are made overseas. It also is going to make a lot of people think that the Star and Nitro lines are the same level of quality as the true McDermott line. Having seen and played with both, I can tell you that they’re really different. Still better than a Wallabushka though.