SW Cues

Spimp13

Spimp13

O8 Specialist
Silver Member
I did a search and only found one short review on these cues in this section. I am seeing these pop up a lot in the for sale section, many of them "new". Why are people waiting 5-10 years to have one made only to turn around and sell them right away? Are they junk? I see multiple $1500-$3000 being put up for sale. Do an advanced search for the wanted/for sale section and you will see a bunch within the last few months. Just curious...
 
I have not shot with one so I cant say anything about playability of the cues,but I would lean more to the economy being the cause.The workforce seemed much more stable 5-10 years ago.People orderded them and now cant or dont want to afford them.If I had orderded one in 2000 I was making apx.40,000 this year between lay-off with unemployment I'll be lucky to make 18,000
 
Southwest Cues

I own a couple of Southwest cues and from what I can tell, the balance & beauty is a huge part of the Southwest mistique, as well as the taper and the low deflection solid hit.
They really are great cues, no hype.
One of my SW cues is 20 oz. but it's balanced so well it doesn't feel like a heavy cue at all.

They have recently gone up in price due to material costs, so they are expensive but it seems like if a player wants a Southwest cue to play with, they only want a Southwest.

There are a lot of nice cues out there for those prices, but I wouldn't trade my Southwest cues for any other cues in their price range or even a little more.
The fact that there are a few available is partly due to tough economic times like triley mentioned.
It's a great time to pick up a Southwest...JMO
 
cuesblues said:
I own a couple of Southwest cues and from what I can tell, the balance & beauty is a huge part of the Southwest mistique, as well as the taper and the low deflection solid hit.
They really are great cues, no hype.
One of my SW cues is 20 oz. but it's balanced so well it doesn't feel like a heavy cue at all.

They have recently gone up in price due to material costs, so they are expensive but it seems like if a player wants a Southwest cue to play with, they only want a Southwest.

There are a lot of nice cues out there for those prices, but I wouldn't trade my Southwest cues for any other cues in their price range or even a little more.
The fact that there are a few available is partly due to tough economic times like triley mentioned.
It's a great time to pick up a Southwest...JMO
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Ted...I applaud you in that you got your SW cues, and actually play with them...and wouldn't want to part with them!! I'm afraid there may be more closet queen SW cues, than there are player SW cues.

Sadly, I feel part of the reason we are seeing more 'new' SW cues available is because when many of these were ordered years ago, the pricing quoted was much lower than it is now if you were to order. It's a means in which to turn a not-so-quick, but solid buck from the initial investment. And, to the right buyer...it's an easy sell.

Lisa
 
I'm relatively new to the "cue game" so if more experienced and knowledgeable cue gurus see something mis-stated in my post please fix it.

The way I've learned it is that SW cues began in the early 1980's and David P. Kersenbock and Jerry Franklin incorporated some new ideas into the cues they were making. Immediately SW cues became known among better players as being very solid playing, well constructed cues made from superior (at that time) products. The cues, and the cue makers, became revered among better players and eventually collecters.

Today there are many more cue makers out there than were present in the early 80's and the design and building techniques of SW cues have been copied by a lot of makers so that there are a lot of cues on the market that probably play as well SW cues play but there are devotees who swear by SW.

The company has not expanded much if at all since its early beginnings and has never, despite it's great success, tried to keep production up to the demand. The waiting list grew and grew and eventually it required an approximately 10 year wait in order to get a new SW. People began ordering two SW cues, paying one price for a cue ordered in 1990, for instance, and in 2000 were selling them for a very tidy profit to people who were willing to pay a premium and not have to wait 10 years. SW now has started chargeing a price more reflective of the market value of the cue at delivery time rather than the time the cue was ordered.

Older SW cues, Franklin era cues... cues made prior to Mr. Franklins untimely and early death, are very collectable and bring more money than other SW cues.

All SW cues are very well made of the best possible materials and their design has never been changed since the early days... as far as I know. I'm a very definite fan of SW cues and I am very happy and proud to have two Franklin era cues that I still play with and a couple others that I keep for investment cues and to just admire and cuddle with :groucho:
 
the cue market isnt what it once was and may never be again
it is hard to ever figure out why poeple do what they do....
 
The meaning of your post escapes me Lee... but I'll assume by the huge font, it was very important. Who are "these people" and what have they done that you can't figure out?
 
design change?

JimS said:
and their design has never been changed since the early days...
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there have been a couple of SW cues posted that have been labeled as new. one by benefica "halloween cue", i believe (correct me if i'm wrong) and another one that was on the wanted/for sale forum.

both of these cues appear to have recut short points, as in no veneers, in the classic sense. therefore, i guess you would call them 9 point cues.

not only was the veneer recut, but it was much thicker.

is this a new thing that they are doing? or have i just not seen it before.
 
Rheester, you initially stated the cues appeared to have recut short points and then went on to describe the cues as having thicker veneer recuts. This is actually a cue with six points, 3 high 3 low, and then they recut 3 shorter points into the 3 high points to get a 9 point cue. This is nothing new but it is rare. Most of the cues South West make are only 6 point cues.
In my opinion South West makes a great playing cue and that's why you see so many cue makers trying to copy their look. It's a classic design that has stood the test of time. Laurie Franklin is a wonderful lady and I applaud her for not turning her company into a mass production line. They have stuck to their plan from the beginning and, if it ain't broke...don't fix it.
 
RackRunner said:
...... for not turning her company into a mass production line. [COLOR]
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They are as close to a production line as any production cuemaker. They basically have one model, you can choose rings and woods but not much else.

IMO the Franklin cues ALL play good and most of the newer ones do too.

The long wait was "hockus pockus" and sounded great, but they didnt take a deposit, and most or at least many folks put their name on the list as a way to make a few bucks or whatever. If they had required a deposit, I would suggest the wait would have been cut in half.

They are no longer a bargin or great deal that they once were, and several cuemakers cues just as good if not better.

Resell has always been good, a little weaker (but all cues are weaker now).

ken
 
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I've never hit with a SW but have heard from many who swear by them.

From a pure investment point of view, a guy could place an order and be guaranteed a better return than any savings account. I think some may have done this, but I don't collect cues. I don't criticize those that do or that love their SW either.

If I owned one, I'd have to lock it up in a safe or something...........:grin:
 
Ken_4fun said:
IMO this was once true, but not true anymore.
Ken
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This is still true, even in today's economy, but it's not due to the quality of the product - It's due to the length of the waiting list.

With a waiting list approaching 10 years, players, collectors and even overseas flippers that picked up cues from the original owners, will STILL be able to get more out of a Brand New SW than they put into it.

People are impatient, and if somebody wants something bad enough, they'll pay for it!
 
Dakota Cues said:
People are impatient, and if somebody wants something bad enough, they'll pay for it!
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Sure they will..........if they have a job and their kids can eat..............Employment REALLY picking up new jobs, lately. <sarcasm off>

Not trying to be a smart ass:)
 
Misha said:
Sure they will..........if they have a job and their kids can eat..............Employment REALLY picking up new jobs, lately. <sarcasm off> Not trying to be a smart ass:)
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Yeah because EVERYBODY lost their job, and NOBODY has any money, right? <dumb ass reply off...>
 
I have two Southwest's that I play with, and I just received two that I waited over ten years for. They are the best hitting cues in my opinion, and numerous cue makers have tried to copy everything about them. Thank you to Laurie for keeping Jerry's dream alive-give the player a nice look and outstanding hit.
 
Southwest

Southwest cues are still selling for more than the out the door price and doing quite well on the secondary market, especially the new cues with AB rings, three veneers and full sized shafts.
Also, the new Southwest cues seem to be the more desireable than the old ones to someone looking for one to play with.
As far as a return on your "investment", you can still sell them for a profit but I guess all of the so-called cue brokers can't double their money anymore.
 
Here is what happens. You can put your name in every year for a SW. Many don't really want the cue they just want to flip it and make a fast $500 to $700. By putting their name in every year they will be getting a cue every year after their iniatial waiting period and this also makes the waiting list longer. A longer list makes the markup more. The problem is when your name was put on the list the cues retailed about $1500 and you could flip it for about $2200. Now they are getting closer to $2000 and it is hard to sell one for $2700. They are just too many other good cues out there that look nicer and feel just as good or better.

To simplify it the flippers to some extent are causing the long waiting list.

This is the same for some other cue brands that are in the lower price range such as Bluegrass, and Sugartree.
 
TheBook said:
Here is what happens. You can put your name in every year for a SW. Many don't really want the cue they just want to flip it and make a fast $500 to $700. By putting their name in every year they will be getting a cue every year after their iniatial waiting period and this also makes the waiting list longer. A longer list makes the markup more. The problem is when your name was put on the list the cues retailed about $1500 and you could flip it for about $2200. Now they are getting closer to $2000 and it is hard to sell one for $2700. They are just too many other good cues out there that look nicer and feel just as good or better.

To simplify it the flippers to some extent are causing the long waiting list.

This is the same for some other cue brands that are in the lower price range such as Bluegrass, and Sugartree.
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Bingo....that is exactly where I was going with the thread. They seem like nice hitting cues, and seem to get good reviews on the hit...but just was curious on what I thought was going on and you seem to concur with what I was thinking. Rep to you sir.
 
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