Quick Answer: Choose Predator if you want technology-driven, low-deflection performance — its 314 shaft pioneered the category and more than half of the world’s top-20 pros play Predator, with complete cues now running $449 to $3,500+ (entry-level POISON Maelith up through the premium Blak5 line) and a standalone REVO carbon shaft alone costing $549–$609. Choose McDermott if you want handcrafted value and long-term comfort — family-owned since 1975 in Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin, with G-Series cues (its low-deflection G-Core shaft included standard) running $420–$1,140 MSRP and a lifetime warranty on its core lines. Most competitive players lean Predator for the shaft technology; most players who want a trusted cue for years lean McDermott.
Predator and McDermott are the two names that come up most often once a player outgrows a house cue, and they represent genuinely different philosophies — one built around shaft engineering, the other around handcrafted consistency. Here’s how they actually compare.
Updated August 2026: re-verified current pricing against Predator’s and McDermott’s own listings — Predator’s complete-cue range had drifted well past this page’s original figures (now $449–$3,500+, not $300–$900+) as its premium Blak5 and P3 lines have climbed; McDermott’s G-Series range is essentially unchanged.
By the numbers
- Founded 1975, still family-owned 50 years later: McDermott was started by Hall of Fame cuemaker Jim McDermott, who began repairing cues at home before founding the company; it remains family-owned and hand-builds every cue in Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin through more than 150 separate procedures, per McDermott’s own company history.
- Over half of the world’s top-20 pros play Predator: Predator reports that more than half of the top-20 ranked professional players compete with its low-deflection shafts, which is why the original 314 shaft remains the industry benchmark players compare every other low-deflection shaft against.
- McDermott’s G-Core shaft is a $240 value bundled into every G-Series cue: McDermott’s own pricing lists G-Series cues from $445 to $1,140 MSRP, each including its top-selling G-Core low-deflection shaft standard rather than as a paid upgrade — a triple-layer carbon fiber core that stabilizes the first seven inches of the shaft.
Predator vs. McDermott at a glance
| Factor | Predator | McDermott |
|---|---|---|
| Founded | 1994, technology-first | 1975, handcrafted heritage |
| Shaft tech | 314 / 314-3 / REVO (carbon) | G-Core (carbon-fiber core, standard on G-Series) |
| Joint | Radial or Uni-Loc | 5/16x14 (American standard) |
| Price range | $449–$3,500+ complete; REVO shaft alone $549–$609 | $420–$1,140 MSRP (G-Series); entry lines from ~$200 |
| Warranty | Manufacturer defect warranty | Lifetime on core lines (Star/Lucky exclude warpage) |
| Best for | Competitive, technology-focused players | Players who want handcrafted value and comfort |
Shaft technology
This is the real dividing line between the two brands. Predator built its entire identity around the low-deflection shaft — the original 314 shaft made low deflection mainstream, and today’s lineup (314-3, Vantage, and the carbon-fiber REVO) each tune stiffness and taper differently for a specific feel, with REVO the stiffest and lightest at the front end. McDermott’s answer is the G-Core shaft, which runs a triple-layer carbon fiber core through the first seven inches for a similar deflection-reducing effect, and it comes standard on every G-Series cue rather than as a separate purchase. Both are legitimate low-deflection engineering; Predator sells the technology as the headline feature (and prices accordingly), while McDermott bundles it into the cue’s base price.
Joints and feel
Predator’s modern cues use either its own Radial thread profile or the newer Uni-Loc quick-release system (found on the P3, BLAK, and Throne lines) — both engineered to remove the joint as a variable shot to shot, which is a big part of why the brand feels so consistent under pressure. McDermott’s production cues typically use the 5/16x14 joint, the classic American standard also found on Schon and older Joss and Meucci cues, which plays with a slightly more traditional, cushioned hit. Neither joint is “better” in an absolute sense — see our full pool cue joint types guide for how each affects feel and aftermarket shaft compatibility.
Price and where the money goes
Predator’s pricing reflects a technology-first approach: the entry-level POISON Maelith line starts at $449, mid-tier cues like the SP2 and 10K run roughly $859–$1,298, and the premium P3 and Blak5 lines climb to $1,289–$3,513 — or you can buy the REVO shaft alone for $549–$609 to upgrade a cue you already own. McDermott spreads its lineup wider — entry-level cues start under $300, while the G-Series (with the G-Core shaft included) runs $420 to $1,140 MSRP, and limited-edition inlaid cues climb well past that. The practical takeaway: with McDermott, a meaningful chunk of the price at every tier goes into wood, inlay work, and hand-finishing; with Predator, a meaningful chunk goes into the shaft engineering itself.
Warranty
McDermott’s core lines — McDermott, Stinger, and Sledgehammer — carry a lifetime warranty that explicitly covers warpage, which is a strong guarantee for a wood shaft. That said, it isn’t universal across the brand: the Star and Lucky lines carry more limited warranties that exclude warpage, covering manufacturing defects only. Predator backs its cues with its own manufacturer defect warranty, though — as with essentially every cue brand — damage from extreme temperature, humidity, or normal wear typically isn’t covered. Whichever brand you buy, a hard cue case protects against impacts, not climate — don’t leave either cue in a hot car.
Which should you buy?
- Buy Predator if: you’re a competitive or improving player who wants the most predictable spin control money can buy, you already know low-deflection technology matters to your game, or you want to upgrade an existing cue with a standalone REVO shaft.
- Buy McDermott if: you want a cue built to last decades, value handcrafted fit and finish over the newest shaft tech, or want the reassurance of a lifetime warranty on the line you’re buying (just confirm it’s not Star or Lucky if warpage coverage matters to you).
- Want a specialty cue from either brand? If you break hard and often, see our best break cue guide — both Predator’s BK Rush and McDermott’s Star S2 make that list.
Our Predator pick: 314 / REVO Series
- Low-deflection shaft technology played by more than half the world's top-20 pros.
- Radial or Uni-Loc joint for a firm, repeatable hit shot after shot.
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Our McDermott pick: G-Series (G-Core shaft)
- G-Core low-deflection carbon-fiber-core shaft included standard, not a paid upgrade.
- Hand-built in Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin through 150+ separate procedures.
Not sure a $449+ cue is the right first step? Our full best pool cues roundup covers budget options from Players and Lucasi too, our dedicated best budget pool cue guide ranks four picks under $155, our carbon fiber cue guide digs deeper into Predator’s REVO shaft against Cuetec and Lucasi, and our pool cue weight guide covers the other spec that matters just as much as the brand you pick. Want to see how Predator’s own lineup breaks down tier by tier, from the $449 POISON Maelith up to the Blak5? Read our best Predator pool cues guide.
The bottom line
Predator and McDermott are both excellent, and the right pick comes down to what you’re optimizing for. Go Predator for cutting-edge low-deflection shaft technology and the pedigree of pro-tour adoption. Go McDermott for handcrafted American craftsmanship, a wider price range, and a lifetime warranty on its core lines. Either way, you’re buying from a brand that’s been building cues for decades — not a house cue.