Research
First off Flooded by like 4 cues a day? He has one other person working with him. Your right he can list dealer price whatever he wants, and so can everyone else. Do you honestly think that a joss with no points and very little inlay should have an msrp higher than 300? If all joss cues were sold exclusively through ebay they would be dirt cheap, because they make tons. Fact of the matter is, you buy directly from their shop, you have no middle man, or multi middle man mark ups. How much do you honestly think a cueshop pays for their cues? If you think its even near retail, you are wrong. If you think its near 80%, you are still no where near the ballpark. Why is it to be a McDermott rep you have to only sell them for what they tell you you can sell them for. Its because, and wait for it, ARTIFICIAL VALUE. If everyone could sell them for whatever they want, the would be what they are, an overpriced mass produced cue where any wood grain/quality works.
Isn't this the same as comparing a Jim McDermott Custom to a production McDermott after he wasnt in control anymore?
You are 100 percent right, no cue shop would pay that, but no one in their right mind would either. But let me ask you this, does any other shop have the balls to sell directly instead of through retailers, and cut you the deal? None. People who own the olds ones have a right to be upset, but they are not the newer small production models. The fact of the matter is, he can make about as much on a cue as he did before selling it directly to the consumer instead of going through a cue shop.
Dont get me wrong at all, it sucks for the old owners, and the cueshops. I buy stuff at my local cue shop all the time. I also spend alot more on items there just to support them instead of going online for everything.
The fact of the matter is, the older the cue, the nicer the inlays and materials, the more expensive. Also since you do this awesome research, how much do the showcase cues go for? I would also bet all of them change the shaft to a DPR, you get that choice. Extra shaft, costs more too. Im just saying to you that there is more to a value of a cue than what the new ones go for, or the real number of real custom DP's that you have seen go on ebay.
You wrote no offense and then wanted to through it in my face. Learn about what makes a cue valuable more than just demand. Southwest has a waiting period for the same looking cue, because thats how they want it. They could make more, but then the value would go to hell. Its all about keeping a hypothetical price in peoples minds, and creating artificial demand.
You are not comparing apples to apples in your comments at all. Not only that, you are shooting your mouth off and it could be an azer's cue.
PS: The person who only got a 10 percent return missed the boat. I am also gonna hit the challenge button. If he only got 10%, that was his fault. I have never, ever, ever seen an old dp custom for under 300 dollars.
Note: Southwest makes beautiful cues, so does joss, and mcdermott. They were just used as representation. By no means are any of those cue makers make a shotty product, well maybe the newer lower end mcdermotts are shotty, but thats just from what I have seen.
sorry for the long reply, but the preface is so insane.
Jmizzo,
No offense but I really think that you are the one who has no idea what he's looking at or for that matter what he's talking about. I look at Ebay on a regular basis, and by regular, I mean everyday.
There hasn't been a DP cue that has sold on Ebay for over $500 in years regardless of what woods are used and how many inlays are in it. If you look at all of his auctions you will see he lists the "dealer" price of around $1700. Let me ask you this...... If you were a dealer of his and paid $1700 for any of the cues he offers on Ebay and then saw them selling for $200-$300 on Ebay would you be happy? I would guess not.
The reality is Dale can advertise "dealer" price as anything he wants but I don't know one dealer on the planet who would pay that. Not one.
The problem is that Dale has flooded the market with his cues and in doing so has completely devalued everything he has ever made.
I know people that bought one of his cues years ago and have tried to sell them recently and got less than a 10% return on their investment.
The reason why cues hold their value is because they are hard to find and/or exceptionally well made. Unfortunately DP cues are neither. I will agree that they are a great value for the money but that's only when they sell for $200-$300.
Do some research and get back to me. Okey Dokey?
