South West Cues-Why $$$ ????
- Thread starter dacue
- Start date
It's a combination of a very good cue and one of the best marketing models in the history of the industry. The long wait list (10 years) puts the secondary resale market into high orbit...the primary retail market gets dragged up with it. So long as people are willing to pay $4K plus for a new SouthWest that they didn't actually order from scratch or wait more than 10 years for one made to their order, then that's what they're worth.
I figure since you have owned 5 or 6 of them you would be in a better position to answer that than I!
Personally, if considered as playing cues, I think the South West's and several others all way over priced. Not to say that they aren't good cues that command a premium, I just think the premium is higher than it should be.
But keep buying them if you like, as DD said, you have become the demand.
I'm sensing a little buyers remorse not unlike the way LA Angels feel now after paying $254,000,000.00 for Pujols.
The important thing to remember is that SW builds 300+ cues a year and STILL has a 10 year wait list. Barry Szam, Hercek and Searing all have 10 year lists but they build a max of 15 cues a year, so that's 150 people willing to wait for their product. SW has 3000!
You can call it hype (which I personally have never seen SW hype or advertise at all) or whatever, but "overpriced" is a serious misunderstanding of how markets work. If SW RAISED the price by $1000 each across the board do you really think all those people would drop off the list? Let's say 1/2 bailed, so then they'd only have a 5 year wait list and be making an extra $300,000 a year. If I was Laurie, I'd do it in a NY second. She's doing pool players a favor by pricing them where she does.
As far as why? Well, it can't be the looks. What does that leave as a reason? Its not the looks, its not the price, it just can't be their marketing campaign because I don't think they have one. What's that leave ? Hit? Hit as a factor in pool cue demand? Maybe.
Thanks
Kevin
You can call it hype (which I personally have never seen SW hype or advertise at all) or whatever, but "overpriced" is a serious misunderstanding of how markets work. If SW RAISED the price by $1000 each across the board do you really think all those people would drop off the list? Let's say 1/2 bailed, so then they'd only have a 5 year wait list and be making an extra $300,000 a year. If I was Laurie, I'd do it in a NY second. She's doing pool players a favor by pricing them where she does.
As far as why? Well, it can't be the looks. What does that leave as a reason? Its not the looks, its not the price, it just can't be their marketing campaign because I don't think they have one. What's that leave ? Hit? Hit as a factor in pool cue demand? Maybe.
Thanks
Kevin
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Cues
If half bailed, they would be making an extra 150,000 a year.
And while we are at it, to me, no plain Jane is worth more than $700.
No Merry Widow (where SW falls into) is worth more than $1,500.
I find it hard to believe that SW builds 300 cues a year. That has to be right up there with many production lines.
If half bailed, they would be making an extra 150,000 a year.
And while we are at it, to me, no plain Jane is worth more than $700.
No Merry Widow (where SW falls into) is worth more than $1,500.
I find it hard to believe that SW builds 300 cues a year. That has to be right up there with many production lines.
not 300+
I think SW only builds 100-150 per year....don't think they've been building at much of a high pace, though, for quite a few years. It would stun me if they ever made 300 in a given year. You've got to remember, they're still a small shop and busy too with repair work, shafts, etc. Must say, though, it is pretty amazing what some people are prepared to pay for their cues in today's market !! I would really like to see them get the capability back to do intricate, inlaid cues.
I think SW only builds 100-150 per year....don't think they've been building at much of a high pace, though, for quite a few years. It would stun me if they ever made 300 in a given year. You've got to remember, they're still a small shop and busy too with repair work, shafts, etc. Must say, though, it is pretty amazing what some people are prepared to pay for their cues in today's market !! I would really like to see them get the capability back to do intricate, inlaid cues.
Yeah no. They would still make 300 (if that is the number Sean says I'm high) they would just have a 5 year wait instead of 10.
Thanks
Kevin
Many of them are warped but people don't seem to care and buy them anyway like Lemmings going off of a cliff.
Ernie makes 100 cues a year with greater variation than SW all by himself. However, I can't remember where I heard the 300 from. I could for sure be wrong. Even if its 150, that's 1500 cues on the wait list. I can't think of a cue maker anywhere close. Can you?
Thanks
Kevin
My opinion
I WOULDN'T wait 10 years for a cue to be made even if GOD made the cue.
I don't care for the looks of the butt section on most of their cues.
That being said I do think that Southwest has a very good product and a very consistent hit to their cues.
Kevin
I WOULDN'T wait 10 years for a cue to be made even if GOD made the cue.
I don't care for the looks of the butt section on most of their cues.
That being said I do think that Southwest has a very good product and a very consistent hit to their cues.
Kevin
i dont understand it they are plain for the $$ you can get a super schon that i think will play just as good and to me there is no difference in the 2 if schon is a production cue so is south west they are way overpriced and the waiting list is crazy but to each his own i guess
dom_poppa
Banned
Everyone I know that owns a SW didn't like the weight and they sold it.
There's one guy that bought a spot from a guy on the waiting list and he designed everything from scratch and swears by it. It's pretty plain looking cue for the price he paid.
It's kind of bad business practice because for all we know, for everyone one cue that SW sells to a customer, they may be selling 2 cues to a dealer. The dealer can mark up the price and it will affect SW by causing a demand and SW can raise it prices too.
In this instance, I think people are buying into the hype of the cue because I have yet seen a SW that is worth the money that someone paid for.
There's one guy that bought a spot from a guy on the waiting list and he designed everything from scratch and swears by it. It's pretty plain looking cue for the price he paid.
It's kind of bad business practice because for all we know, for everyone one cue that SW sells to a customer, they may be selling 2 cues to a dealer. The dealer can mark up the price and it will affect SW by causing a demand and SW can raise it prices too.
In this instance, I think people are buying into the hype of the cue because I have yet seen a SW that is worth the money that someone paid for.
dom_poppa
Banned
Also, if there's a 10 year waiting list...in those 10 years, people would have more SW than any other cues.
If they make 300 cue a year and all those get sold....I don't see another cue maker selling that many cues in a year. We are basing this from beginning to finish product to the customer and not selling it to dealers and distributors.
It would make it less special to me.
If they make 300 cue a year and all those get sold....I don't see another cue maker selling that many cues in a year. We are basing this from beginning to finish product to the customer and not selling it to dealers and distributors.
It would make it less special to me.
There are many cue builders that presently build a better made cue and better hitting than the SW cue. Their worth is subjective perception.
SW cues are like diamonds...........
Diamonds are actually worthless. They serve no purpose but for adornment and industrial grinding/cutting.
You can't eat them. They don't cure disease. They don't prolong life.
Their worth is simply man made because they are unique.
They are only worth what people will pay because of desire to own them along with supply and demand.
In the words of the late Billie Jean..... It'S All Make Believe Isn'T It?
Kim
SW cues are like diamonds...........
Diamonds are actually worthless. They serve no purpose but for adornment and industrial grinding/cutting.
You can't eat them. They don't cure disease. They don't prolong life.
Their worth is simply man made because they are unique.
They are only worth what people will pay because of desire to own them along with supply and demand.
In the words of the late Billie Jean..... It'S All Make Believe Isn'T It?
Kim
You beat me to the punch on the "over 300 cues a year" statement. Maybe because the numbering system for SW cues starts a 300 each year is where the confusion came from. I believe you are right on the money with your estimate of 100 to 150 cues a year. They have a small shop and they also do repair work so I don't think they could build over 300 cues a year and keep up their quality.
I've kicked myself for selling the SW cues i've owned over the years (at least 6 SW cues with the AB rings and triple veneers), but at the time I was ready to move on to something else.
James
another reason
I've owned two Southwest/Kersenbrocks-still have one for near 20 years now. The HIT yes but also, I've left in car in 10 below weather and 105 degree weather (no choice with the jobs I've had) and the butt nor the shafts have not warped the slightest. Still plays as good as the day I bought. Many people have asked me to try there sticks and nearly all hit stiffer than my Southwest. I hear they hang the shafts and the butts from the ceilings and work a little at a time rehanging as they go--no rush.
I've owned two Southwest/Kersenbrocks-still have one for near 20 years now. The HIT yes but also, I've left in car in 10 below weather and 105 degree weather (no choice with the jobs I've had) and the butt nor the shafts have not warped the slightest. Still plays as good as the day I bought. Many people have asked me to try there sticks and nearly all hit stiffer than my Southwest. I hear they hang the shafts and the butts from the ceilings and work a little at a time rehanging as they go--no rush.
