Cues - how much is too much?

fast&loose designs

fast&loose designs

Chris Santana
Silver Member
I haven't owned a cue worth more than $300, and I was curious about what the general consensus was in regards to costs.

Specifically, at what point does the cost of a cue exceed performance, engineering, and playability, and just become cost for ornamentation, styling, and design?

In my opinion, it is around $700. That is a broad guesstimate. Hopefully this thread will spark discussion among players only, not cuemakers, who are generally biased and will insist that a larger percentage of cost is practical.

What do you think?
 
SkyscraperChris said:
I haven't owned a cue worth more than $300, and I was curious about what the general consensus was in regards to costs.

Specifically, at what point does the cost of a cue exceed performance, engineering, and playability, and just become cost for ornamentation, styling, and design?

In my opinion, it is around $700. That is a broad guesstimate. Hopefully this thread will spark discussion among players only, not cuemakers, who are generally biased and will insist that a larger percentage of cost is practical.

What do you think?
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Anything over $5,000 makes me feel a bit unsettled in the stomach. Of course there are several cues that are much more costly that look very nice. Like anything else, they are only worth what people will pay for them. Find a cue that you like how it plays(balance, hit, sound etc). If you like the way it looks, all the better. Fair Warning: Buying Cues/Collecting Cues can become addictive.
 
$100.00


...my best pool investment was a $5 tip shaper. Using that on a bar cue has made me thousands. :)
 
Think it is like if you can afford to drive a Posche, why drive a YUGO. Both will get you to your destination, but if I had the GREEN, it would be a Porsche 4 ME!
 
I like the 314-2 shaft and sneaky pete no wrap butt with the steel joint. I bought it new for $300 shipped to my door from a sponsor on this site. I thought that was too much for any stick!
For $5,000 it better have new tires and cold A/C :D
 
SkyscraperChris said:
I haven't owned a cue worth more than $300, and I was curious about what the general consensus was in regards to costs.

Specifically, at what point does the cost of a cue exceed performance, engineering, and playability, and just become cost for ornamentation, styling, and design?

In my opinion, it is around $700. That is a broad guesstimate. Hopefully this thread will spark discussion among players only, not cuemakers, who are generally biased and will insist that a larger percentage of cost is practical.

What do you think?
Click to expand...

I'm with you on the guess. I would say anything over $600 and you are just paying for craftmanship, design, ivory, etc.

I'm not one of those cue guys that drools over cues. If it's straight, balanced, good joint/shaft/butt/wrap/etc., then I'm cool with it. I don't think any $4000 cue is going to give you special shots that you can't pull off with a $400-$500 cue.
 
CocoboloCowboy said:
Think it is like if you can afford to drive a Posche, why drive a YUGO. Both will get you to your destination, but if I had the GREEN, it would be a Porsche 4 ME!
Click to expand...

Been there-done that with Porsches....but I see your point.

To the original question, I'd say it all depends on the wants of the buyer. At what price level? Again, depends on the buyer, what "feels good" to him.
 
stuckart said:
I'm with you on the guess. I would say anything over $600 and you are just paying for craftmanship, design, ivory, etc.

I'm not one of those cue guys that drools over cues. If it's straight, balanced, good joint/shaft/butt/wrap/etc., then I'm cool with it. I don't think any $4000 cue is going to give you special shots that you can't pull off with a $400-$500 cue.
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Although I am one to drool over really nice cues, and I have a few myself, I can not argue with you about what the cue will do. You won't be able to make balls any better with a $10,000 cue than you will with a $100.00 cue. Some of my best games, while I was moving up, were played using a standard Cuetech Earl Strickland model that cost me about 150 bucks. I still have that cue today and enjoy breaking it out every once in a while and shooting some with it.
MULLY
 
I think over $600 you are just paying for decorations from the average cue maker. Now if you get a cue from a maker that walks on water you will pay a lot for just the name.
 
No cue is going to give you a stroke you don't have, no matter the price. I play with nice cues but every so often I'll grab a house cue with a decent tip and it does the job. It's really a matter of preference and what your willing to pay.
 
Whatever you can afford, that you like, I guess.

I have some cues that I consider collectible, and will probably buy some more (I'm a cue drooler). But, my everyday player is a plain jane birdseye maple Nitti.

-J
 
I just want to hear a vendor say the product was produced with parts from America, processed in America and wrapped and finished in America.


Too often people advertise big but buy Chinese made components then repackage it with MADE IN THE USA signs.

I will not be specific because I am not targeting anyone specific. I just want more honesty about Made in the USA.
 
justnum said:
I just want to hear a vendor say the product was produced with parts from America, processed in America and wrapped and finished in America.


Too often people advertise big but buy Chinese made components then repackage it with MADE IN THE USA signs.

I will not be specific because I am not targeting anyone specific. I just want more honesty about Made in the USA.
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What the hell does this have to do with what the OP was asking? He's asking about how much a cue costs, not where it is made.
 
SkyscraperChris said:
I haven't owned a cue worth more than $300, and I was curious about what the general consensus was in regards to costs.

Specifically, at what point does the cost of a cue exceed performance, engineering, and playability, and just become cost for ornamentation, styling, and design?

In my opinion, it is around $700. That is a broad guesstimate. Hopefully this thread will spark discussion among players only, not cuemakers, who are generally biased and will insist that a larger percentage of cost is practical.

What do you think?
Click to expand...



Chris in my opinion it is much less than $700, and allot closer to $250. I mean a good Full Spliced Sneaky Pete with excellent shaft wood could be bought in that price range. Not long ago when Huebler cues was in business before Paul retired he sold me a number his Sneaky Pete's that were signed for my customers. The cues were Spliced in the Huebler shop and they really played great, and with two shafts my whole cost was only $180.

In the end it all depends upon the builder, those who have earned a famous name can great much more for doing much less, than those who are trying to earn their place in this or any other business.

Oh and by the way, I am one of those guys trying earn the respect for my work and I am basing my comments on what it costs me for material.

JIMO
 
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Why dont you stop and think about it this way...For the most part MOST people consider cuetech one of the bottom of the barrel cues as far as cues go. But look who shoots with them, SVB, Allison Fisher, Earl for all those years and probably several others. And as far as I know both SVB and Allisons cues are off the shelf cues with probably a few minor modifications to them. Like its been said 100 times on this thread already, it all depends on what feels good for you.
 
Just as long as it is a straight stick with a tip and it doesn't give splinters when shotting ;-)

I play against a guy that modified his own cue by hand. The joints don't even line up, hell the cue doesn't even fit together properly. But, try beating him. if you leave him a shot, you better sit down for a while.
 
CocoboloCowboy said:
but if I had the GREEN, it would be a Porsche 4 ME!
Click to expand...

Most of my pool playing time (only about 6 yrs) I have played with a 2003 Bludworth Sneaky that I paid $250 for, due to an unfortunate incident it snapped about 4 inches BELOW the joint so I found an 80's Blud Sneaky & paid $200 for it. Both of these cues did what I wanted & expected out of a cue. I recently hit a pretty good lick with a $200 cue & now (being a cue drooler myself) I am considering investing in a Bill Schick Titlist, now I know everything over say.....$500 of that investment is because of the quality craftsmanship that Bill puts into each & every one of his cues. So I ask, does a Schick play better than a Blud??.....thats all in the individual player's opinion & style. So Im gonna have to agree with Cowboys comment on this one.

I have no idea if I answered your question, I just thought I would include my .02 cents & maybe brag a little about the opportunity to own a Schick :thumbup:
 
Just guessing I'd say on average most custom cues go for $400 to $800. Some are less, but many more are much higher.
One thing's for certain. Almost all of them will be made right here in the USA, with good American wood. :)
 
I think you can get a nice cue with veneers etc for well under 1000 from a cue maker that has a good rep for playability and craftsmanship.

I have a BBC and a Tru Balance, one slightly over 200 and one under.
I doubt you could find better playing cues than those two anywhere if you were to spend in the 700 dollar range. Those and a Leon Sly sneaky.

I currently use a Varney conversion mainly because I hate to take any of my nicer cues to a bar. Its unbelievable. Its the taper that Kevin uses that suits me. Gotta be because the butt is just a cheapo bar cue, nothing special. OK, it has one of my Super Milk Duds on it too.
I traded a Joss for it that I paid $100 for. The shaft even has a sugar mark on it so its not like it came out of Kevin's private reserve.

So yes, you don't have to spend a ton to get a cue that works great for you.

Not trying to be smart A or anything, but I'd like to put my Varney up against a Black Boar for playability and see if the difference in
the two is worth the thousands difference in money. I know there is a ton of difference in craftsmanship and quality, but I'm talking just from a playability point of view. Am I going to pot balls any better than I can now.
 
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