i ran into some guy in the army, while i was in iraq, that had a $900+ predator cue. i think if i had brought a cue with me i'd have just brought a cheaper viking
Dale perry rant
- Thread starter ILgrizz
- Start date
i ran into some guy in the army, while i was in iraq, that had a $900+ predator cue. i think if i had brought a cue with me i'd have just brought a cheaper viking
John Barton
New member
Yes and no.
From the perspective of his reputation among serious cue buyers he made a huge mistake and he also did wipe out some serious value among collectors. That's why collectors are generally better off to collect things that are no longer made as the supply of those things is finite if they intend to ever sell their collection. If they are collecting for their sheer joy then it doesn't really matter where the value of the things in your collection go. Of course I'd be pretty pissed if something I own went from $3000 to $300 over night even if I never planned to sell it.
From the perspective of a production facility cashing in on a brand by selling to a massive market he made a good choice because he can always point to those Robb Report cues and get a reputation boost with new buyers.
I do agree with you though that it would have been much better to set up a second brand and pump those out. But it's easier to build on an established brand than to set up a new one. And it's also easier to be yourself when doing it, meaning that you don't need to invent a whole new story about the brand.
I have a friend that bought one of his earlier cues in the 90's and he paid in the $1700 range it's a nice cue but with what Dale has turned his cue market into he maybe able to get $150 for it.He has no plans on selling but it's something that's hard for him to forget.I'm sure it would have held it's value if not for the actions of Dale Perry himself.I guess live and learn and I'm just thankful I didn't buy mine:smile:Not saying I'm smart just got lucky!
I wonder if Dale is doing this with his cues because he got sick of seeing 10,000,000,000,000 lower quality cues selling like hotcakes from overseas and here he was making a good quality American cue and only selling relatively few a year due to the huge price.
If it puts more American products in the hands of American Players, it can't be all bad. And if he has "helpers" (apprentices?) doing a lot of the work, then he probably put a few Americans to work.
What would everyone think if he started mass producing cues in a sweatshop in China or Taiwan and calling them DP Customs and selling them for $99.95?
If it puts more American products in the hands of American Players, it can't be all bad. And if he has "helpers" (apprentices?) doing a lot of the work, then he probably put a few Americans to work.
What would everyone think if he started mass producing cues in a sweatshop in China or Taiwan and calling them DP Customs and selling them for $99.95?
John Barton
New member
I talked with Dale a lot about this and that is exactly what he did. He didn't intend to become a semi-production shop but he found that he didn't have enough dealers stocking his cues and not enough high-end buyers after the Japan bubble burst.
So he started selling on Ebay and IF you want to truly sell a lot on Ebay you have to have rock bottom prices.
So if Dale uses the true auction format then the market will set the prices for his cues as to what they are willing to pay. And they did.
So Dale had to find a level that allowed him to sell at these prices and keep the shop running. Hence the production format.
As to the "custom" and "1 of 1" designations that's no different than when another cue maker does the same thing by making two cues with the same inlay patterns and different wood/inlay combinations. IF Dale never makes another one with exactly the same combinations then it IS a 1 of 1.
There is no difference for example in a case maker who uses the same pattern over and over and just changes the colors on each case he does.
As for the reports of rudeness and poor service. Well, we all know that something has to give when your prices are low compared to your costs. 3 people pumping out 100 cues a month as has been reported (I don't know if that is true) means a lot of humping no matter how you look at it AND managing Ebay auctions is a real chore even if you have most of it automated.
Still though, it would take the same amount of time to be nicer. Good advice for me to follow myself.
John Barton
New member
No, he is doing it for the same reason every other person does what they do, self-preservation.
I don't really understand why the economics of business is so hard for people to understand.
DP invested in all the equipment he needed to make cues. He quickly was able to find buyers for his cues at high prices DURING a boom time for cues and when the boom was over he found himself without buyers and without dealers willing to invest in high priced cues.
So if the dealers weren't going to stock his cues he had two choices, get out of the business or find another way to keep his machines running and revenue coming in.
Did he want to end up as the lowest priced "custom cue maker" on Earth? No. He thought he could sell his cues for less than his retail but more than his dealers would pay him and so it would be good. But the market has a way of setting it's own level on Ebay if you sell in true auction format with no reserve and so Dale's average sale price got lower and lower until it's leveled out where he is now.
Maybe if more cue makers did follow Dale's method then there would be less imports on the market. He is definitely showing everyone that it IS possible to compete in this segment of the market and be a US based producer.
As I said in another thread, I can't believe that it's not possible to compete in the lower end of the market. And Dale Perry is proving me right.
I just bought a very nice DP purpleheart with ebony points and turquoise inlays last night. $180 with USD exchange to Canadian. This one will be my wifes second and I have 2. I've bought several others and flipped them to local players with not one complaint of any kind. Every DP I've owned plays consistent.
i have always found his wood quality among the best around and his cues well constructed.i also love the hit of my dp cues so if your looking for high quality and the best american made bang for your buck.you need look no further.hes done nothing different than j**s or any other maker starting out as custom and going to more of a production cue.look at the curly mape ,bocote or coco bolo in his cues verses j**s and tell me who uses high quality wood.just my 2 cents.ymmv
because he pissed off some folks doing his business his way. nothing wrong with that. but people act like babies , do you want some french cries to go with the waaaaaaaaaburger.
ps - i dont own any dp cues nor do i know who he is. some folks would be better to live by the words better to be pissed off then pissed on .
ps - i dont own any dp cues nor do i know who he is. some folks would be better to live by the words better to be pissed off then pissed on .
Dale Perry cues
Are you guys sure you have this right. Viking McDermott, Meucci, are all production cues that are mass produced. Do they go up in value. Yes they do. Do you really think that Dale's cues are not going to skyrocket when he isn't making them anymore. Those 2-3000 cues will probably be worth 4000 then. I have a Viking cue that I got in about 1986. It was 185 dollars new. You know how much it's worth now. at least 1000 it was worth 850 5-8 years ago. That means my mass produced Viking appreciated more % wise than that 1500 dollar cue you bought in 86. So maybe you should give the guy a break because I have had great customer service from him. Maybe that's because I want my taper specific and a better ferrule though. Who knows?
Are you guys sure you have this right. Viking McDermott, Meucci, are all production cues that are mass produced. Do they go up in value. Yes they do. Do you really think that Dale's cues are not going to skyrocket when he isn't making them anymore. Those 2-3000 cues will probably be worth 4000 then. I have a Viking cue that I got in about 1986. It was 185 dollars new. You know how much it's worth now. at least 1000 it was worth 850 5-8 years ago. That means my mass produced Viking appreciated more % wise than that 1500 dollar cue you bought in 86. So maybe you should give the guy a break because I have had great customer service from him. Maybe that's because I want my taper specific and a better ferrule though. Who knows?
You really should'nt talk about stuff you know nothing about. Good luck selling your Viking. If you find someone willing to buy your old $185 Viking for $1000 he would be the biggest sucker there is. You should take advantage of Mr. Perry's prices right now and buy all of the 1 of 1's you can make a lot of money. Oh and don't forget the letter of authenticity lol.
this is an awesome post...in a comical way.
if dps were to appreciate they would have done so by now. as it stands, u wont find anyone that will take one of his earlier cues for anywhere near what u seem to think they're worth. nothing will happen when he stops making cues.
Son you need to get a clue.
I personally think it is because Dale sells on E-bay, and honestly if you are playing with a DALE PERRY, and love it that is a GREAT THING.
Honestly I know people who play with a $15.00 SP made in China, and they are happy as could be with their Cue!
Honestly I know people who play with a $15.00 SP made in China, and they are happy as could be with their Cue!
Why would they? Large supply of cues out there from DP, so what would make them go up in value? Joss cues from the 80's still sell for what they sold for in the 80's, if not a little less.
If you got offered that much for your viking you should take it. If you want to buy some at that I'd be glad to broker the sales with you. Very few production based cues have gone up much in value. Early 70's joss cues, when they were still essentially customs. Brunswicks from the 60's and earlier (40-80 year old cues).
Palmers are about the only good example, and they didn't have anywhere near the volume of DP.
since there are so many opinions flying around...do any of you think it possible for DP to salvage its reputation and reclaim some value and desirability. Or is it too late?
I'm wondering this because, i know what DP is capable of in relation to what people want. He is capable of high quality and authentic designs.
Think that he probably began to make poor choices when his business began to grow but his knowledge of business was lacking. I'm sure he is not happy with the way things have ended up but is doing what he has too to survive.
I'm wondering this because, i know what DP is capable of in relation to what people want. He is capable of high quality and authentic designs.
Think that he probably began to make poor choices when his business began to grow but his knowledge of business was lacking. I'm sure he is not happy with the way things have ended up but is doing what he has too to survive.
I thought he was a business man to begin with. A banker of some sort. I think his desire to do this and make a fine living is why he sells so many cues. An abundance of business experience rather than a lack of same.
Robb Report?
Does anyone have a copy of what was in th Robb Report? Would be nice if we can see it along with this thread. Please PM me if anyone has this information, I wouldn't mind reading it. Thanks.
Does anyone have a copy of what was in th Robb Report? Would be nice if we can see it along with this thread. Please PM me if anyone has this information, I wouldn't mind reading it. Thanks.