Custom and High End Cues on the Decline?

Dean Campbell is a friend and he turned me into 2 cue makers 15 years ago.
Both are people I became friends with. One has since retired and the other
has gone on to become one of the most heralded names in cue making today.

Deanoc is extremely knowledgeable when it comes to cue making & personally
knew the top named cue makers. I think he has done a lot to promote pool. I
know there will be naysayers that like to bring shit up. Screw ‘em……Dean was
always straight and true in all my dealings and I was involved helping him on the
Bushka I and Bushka II special projects that was lots of fun and some great cue
designs emerged from those projects. I know since I got to view every cue made.
Dean is one of my very good friends. He and his wife June have come to Kansas
City and stayed at our home. Over the years we’ve done over a dozen big
deals, always delighted and perfectly happy. Both ways.
Done with a handshake.

I appreciate your nice comments about Dean, they come no better.

Will Prout

Amazon perimeter style light

I've never seen the Amazon version in person so I can't comment on it.

The Arena light and the Perimeter light I'm very familiar with. The root problem on both of them is they don't have eggshell style grate diffusers. Those diffusers keep the light pointing down, and prevent it from going sideways. All the Brunswick lights (both home style and commercial GC light), all the Diamond lights (from their first ones in the early 90's thru today), and all the Littman lights have this eggshell style grate. It makes it comfortable for the player, and the spectator.

The Arena and Perimeter lights, in contrast, have a frosted plastic diffuser without any depth to it. It allows the light to escape sideways, in addition to downward. What this means is the player when down on a shot gets the light from the next table over in his eyes. Spectators walking around the room get light in their eyes from all directions. It's quite uncomfortable. It's like being in a hospital operation room. Those lights changed the entire atmosphere of the room from dim and comfortable to an operating room.

The Arena is worse than the Perimeter because its brighter.

As far as the dimming control, that was an extra cost option on both brands. It was not standard. You know how that goes... most room owners and homeowners bought the cheapest one, that didn't have it. Just like the metal wire ball tray on a Diamond was an extra cost option, and all the one pocket players put their balls on the floor by the legs, because the room owners rarely paid extra for it.

Now if this Amazon one still doesn't have the egg-crate diffuser, but does at least have a dimmer as standard, and as a bonus temperature control, I'd rather go with that unknown than 2 lights I know for sure are uncomfortable.
Arena light has a dimmer and color change remote. I have one. It is a great light.

Custom and High End Cues on the Decline?

Is it my imagination or do the younger (say under 40) pool players in general not care about custom or high end cues? My experience in Atlanta is that most anyone under 40 has no idea of Szamboti, Balabushka, Joss West etc. etc. or handmade custom cues in general. Most seem delighted to have any cue that comes in two parts. Decal points? No problem. Valhalla or Lucky etc. etc. cues no problem. The high end of their aspirations may be a painted Predator with a rubber grip.

If custom and high end cues were stocks on the NYSE, I'd short them.
Yea the younger generation , in ways, are smarter than they get credit for. You can ask who makes the best cue. Everyone has a different answer. Which has the best hit? Every cuemaker will get at least 1 mention. Revo shaft doesn't even get respect any more. Younger players just want it black. Three short years ago, a merry widow from a pretty good cuemaker was 750. Some as high as 1000. Now its 2000. Ive got several custom cues but finding it hard to pull the trigger on another. I can feel the difference from cuemaker to cuemaker and my revo collects dust because it has no feel. But I also know my wood to wood sneaky by pechauer plays just as well with great feel at 300 bucks.

Tournament fees are out of control

or are star struck like many are.

in most pool rooms you can find an old timer who for a pittance to take someone under their wing would give more and just as good advice as anyone.
except for just a small few things a top player cant tell or give or show you anything much over what is out there on the net or even right on this site.
No doubt. Many times such old timers are only willing to help those they see may have a little talent and the right work ethic to put their information to good use vs. those that are making a living giving lessons.
As far a Hunter goes, seems like he's very good at what he does.

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