Things to think about before giving a cue away for free.

Michael Webb

Michael Webb

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I don't ever blame the players for asking for a free cue, But I do hold them accountable for their actions, if they get one and what they do with it.
A Cue maker wants to make cues and sell them, Players want to win tournaments and have a Sugar Daddy sponsor so they get a steady paycheck. That's natural in every sport. But unless the Cue supplier operates on huge numbers, there is no paycheck available for a Pro player. So for the Custom guys, Before you give anything away, ask yourself a couple of questions.
1- If your proud enough to give a Pro a cue, Shouldn't you show yourself enough respect to get paid for the cue.
2- Discounts are acceptable but shouldn't you give the guy who has supported you for years the same courtesy.
3- If you think you are going to sell 1000 cues and be on easy street because so and so is playing with your cue, Can you make 1000 cues? Have a life? Get rest? Leave your shop once in a while?
4- Do you think Cue building is just a hobby now?
5- This one is my favorite sayings that was shared with me from a man I truly respect and admire and 20 years later from the time I use to cut shafts for him and sweep the shop floor, His first rule he taught me was:
Every Craftsman knows what his product and himself is worth. If you are so ready to give it away for free, What do you really think of yourself? That is the only thing from his shop, that I have ever shared.

I didn't listen at first but I learned the hard way just as some of you will. I don't give cues to players anymore or tours that give the cues to players. I've been a loyal friend and co-sponsor to the Joss Northeast tour since it was born. We give the cues to the rooms that host the tourneys, they can do what ever they want with them, Keep them or sell them to help with the money they add to the tournaments they host. This was a great idea that Dan Janes and Mike Zuglan came up with. It happens way to often that the Pool room owners are forgotten about with their efforts in Hosting a pool Tournament. Just some thoughts I wanted to share with you, Nothing else.
 
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Find this ad in some of the old Snap magazines from Wayne Gunn cues;

'We don't pay players to play with our cues. If you see anyone playing with a Gunn cue, they paid us.'

Frankly I can't stand the idea of giving away product and then shamelessly using a person's name because of it. In my early years I gave away a lot of cases as well but the ONLY players whose name I used were the ones we had a sponsorship relationship with. If I was paying them somehow with more product then I would list them as a sponsored player.

If I give away a case to a player now then it's purely out of respect for the player because I want to do something nice for them.

I was standing beside Thomas Wayne when a shall not be named semi-famous player came up to him to ask him for cues. Thomas said no. They player said, 'do you know how many cues you could sell if I played with your cue?', Thomas answers, "could it be more than I can make which is what I am selling now?"
 
6. If they can run more than 3 balls, you're gonna get hosed. :thumbup:

Gave a cue to a Pro one time..... I did it knowing full well that it would eventually end up being sold, "stolen", whatever. So I wasn't disappointed when I eventually caught back up with him and heard it had been stolen.

I am more disappointed that the person no longer talks to me. (Their choice)
 
All very sad but true.. Most Pro's make cues disappear very quickly, and free has no value so who can blame them. Things are not easy financially for them therefore desperation sets in and kick starts the gaming attitude.

Mario
 
I think if a Cuemaker & Player make a deal for the Pro Player to use a Case or Cue, it should only happen with a Written Contract.

Then if said player looses, sells, or the Case or Cue is stolen during the contract period, the Pro is liable for the cost of the given item.

Also the contract could spell out in writing when the Cue or Case become the property of the player, and they can do with it than as they please.
 
Good post Mike.

Dave <--- will never ask for a free cue again
 
CocoboloCowboy said:
I think if a Cuemaker & Player make a deal for the Pro Player to use a Case or Cue, it should only happen with a Written Contract.

Then if said player loses, sells, or the Case or Cue is stolen during the contract period, the Pro is liable for the cost of the given item.

Also the contract could spell out in writing when the Cue or Case become the property of the player, and they can do with it than as they please.
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And then what ?
You're gonna sue him?
Which ambulance chaser would take that case ?
 
Yeah, good luck with that.... the guys that will take advantage of their cuemakers usually owe money to so many people, you have to get in line. :thumbup:
 
What better advertisement is there than having a top pro using your product? Happens in all sports. Football, Basketball, Golf etc. Look at Nike.
 
You have that right on the money. I only wish I'd learned this years ago. I've trusted many a pro player by giving them a cue to play with, always with the stipulation that the cue

was "on loan". I don't want to keep you from getting a sweet sponsorship deal, so if you get such an offer don't feel obligated to me, just return the cue and we'll be fine. I've

probably put 25 cues in the hands of pro players over the years and have only had 2 returned. I even saw one of them listed here in AZ recently for sale by the player. A lot of

them were _"stolen"_ over the years and a some were kept by the family of the player after they passed away, such as Gary Spaeth, Cornbread Red and Steve Cook. I have no

problem with that. But when they change to another maker or tell me the cue was stolen, or sell the cue, I do have a problem with that. I'll never give a player another cue due to

these issues.
 
JoeyInCali said:
And then what ?
You're gonna sue him?
Which ambulance chaser would take that case ?
Click to expand...


Some people still do business on hand shake, with both parties honoring the deal they made.;) Some people have scruples, and other have no scruples.:D

Best advise I would give a person like the Cue, or Case maker who is giving a Pro a Cue or Case to play with, choose your Pro carefully.:wink:
 
Bigjohn said:
What better advertisement is there than having a top pro using your product? Happens in all sports. Football, Basketball, Golf etc. Look at Nike.
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The problem with your statement is that the next time you see the cue you gave them, they won't be playing with it, it will be in the hands of a fan or some lower level player that bought it from the Pro because they thought or were told that it was his playing cue!!!!!!!:(

So I guess everyone is happy, the player made a few dollar's and there is always another cue maker to get a cue from, and the individual who bought the cue thinks he really has something special, and the cue maker feels like an ass and doesn't want to tell the new owner the truth about his new cue, which he could take back because it wasn't the Pro's to sell!!;)

JIMO
 
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Bigjohn said:
What better advertisement is there than having a top pro using your product? Happens in all sports. Football, Basketball, Golf etc. Look at Nike.
Click to expand...

Those pros sign contracts and can be sued . And it's worthwhile suing them if they don't live up to their end of the deal.
How are you going to sue a pro-pool player who is broke and claims his cue was stolen ?
 
The tough lesson learned is that most of the perspective pool cue buyers out there don't know many of the pro level players.

If your potential customers don't know the player, then they sure aren't going to buy your cue because someone they don't know uses it.
 
Michael Webb said:
I don't ever blame the players for asking for a free cue, But I do hold them accountable for their actions, if they get one and what they do with it.
A Cue maker wants to make cues and sell them, Players want to win tournaments and have a Sugar Daddy sponsor so they get a steady paycheck. That's natural in every sport. But unless the Cue supplier operates on huge numbers, there is no paycheck available for a Pro player. So for the Custom guys, Before you give anything away, ask yourself a couple of questions.
1- If your proud enough to give a Pro a cue, Shouldn't you show yourself enough respect to get paid for the cue.
2- Discounts are acceptable but shouldn't you give the guy who has supported you for years the same courtesy.
3- If you think you are going to sell 1000 cues and be on easy street because so and so is playing with your cue, Can you make 1000 cues? Have a life? Get rest? Leave your shop once in a while?
4- Do you think Cue building is just a hobby now?
5- This one is my favorite sayings that was shared with me from a man I truly respect and admire and 20 years later from the time I use to cut shafts for him and sweep the shop floor, His first rule he taught me was:
Every Craftsman knows what his product and himself is worth. If you are so ready to give it away for free, What do you really think of yourself? That is the only thing from his shop, that I have ever shared.

I didn't listen at first but I learned the hard way just as some of you will. I don't give cues to players anymore or tours that give the cues to players. I've been a loyal friend and co-sponsor to the Joss Northeast tour since it was born. We give the cues to the rooms that host the tourneys, they can do what ever they want with them, Keep them or sell them to help with the money they add to the tournaments they host. This was a great idea that Dan Janes and Mike Zuglan came up with. It happens way to often that the Pool room owners are forgotten about with their efforts in Hosting a pool Tournament. Just some thoughts I wanted to share with you, Nothing else.
Click to expand...

Mike, so....when do I get my free cue?? Just kidding, keep smiling man, keep smiling.
 
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