Pros:- Off the bat, the cue looks great out of the box. Nice cherry finish on maple wood (stain is a bit darker in person than the photo), rubber bumper with the Dufferin leaf logo on the end to cover the weighted bolt, comfortable Irish linen grip and a nice, grippy clear coat, shaft is smooth through the hand and has no unnecessary finish to stick to your hand, perfect ferrule fitment and tip is nickel-shaped** (CORRECTION: Tip is QUARTER-shaped).- Hits feel positive (no weird hollow or 'clicky' feeling)- Comfortable all the way through stroke -- easy to find your gripping sweet spot- Shaft and butt end connect firm and tightGripes:- DID NOT come with the signature blue Elkmaster tip (looks more like a Triangle tip; same company, but different hardness -- rated at medium/hard, which is just about how it feels when playing) -- I don't mind this since I prefer harder cue tips, but something to be aware of- Shaft has a fair amount of deflection and is not very forgiving to anyone with a sub-par stroke -- certainly a cue stick that has a learning curve to get used to its quirks -- but will reward you once you understand how the shaft behaves- Weight bolt works its way loose over time if you are a heavy hitter (bumper comes off easy to re-tighten bolt -- can be solved with a SMALL dot of Loctite blue)- Joint threads feel a bit gritty, sloppy, and imprecise, but is more a minor annoyance than anything that would impact the playability of the cueSummary:- Great cue stick at this price point from beginner to enthusiast. The butt end is something I can see one owning for quite some time as it has very little-to-no faults; the shaft leaves more to be desired but is easily replaced with others (has a 5/16"-18 joint; Katana & Players both make great shafts for this joint size). At this price point, would make a great choice for someone tired of playing with house cues that wants a simple-looking cue that performs well, with room to change shafts down the road as you progress.