Why buy a cue that is over $300?

First off let me say that McDermott makes junk. None of their cues hit right and the gcore shaft has horrible deflection. I play with a $3k+ ariel Carmeli cue. It was custom built specifically for me and helps differentiate me from the standard fish in the pool hall playing with a production McDermott. Your question is rhetorical and ironic. Would you rather drive a Ford focus or a Ferrari?

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MSchaffer said:
Another reason...that $200 cue you bought will be worth maybe $75 when you are ready to sell it. Buy a $3000 custom, and you will be able to sell it for $3500.

Who really spent more money in the end?
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Not sure about that because with the $2925 I saved, I bought gold and silver and sold them for $8000. :)

Anyway, if the reason for buying an expensive cue is resale profit, I think there are many better options.

On the other hand, where is it written that expensive cues are supposed to make you play better? They are works of art and appreciated differently by different people.

I've been playing about 50 years, owned a poolroom, played and owned many many different cues. The best one of them all is the one I currently play with. It was 75 bucks, came with 2 shafts, joint protectors and free shipping.
 

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I read this whole thread :thud: And there are a lot of good answers.
Except for the one about McDermot making junk.Not true.
I have nothing to add except I took a look at the cue you bought and I think it's a great looking cue and you will be fine with it.
 
Ares49 said:
I have heard great things with the G-Core...but I understand if you dont like them.

In regards to LD shafts, you are obviously a fan since you have an OB2 on everything...once again, why?

Masconi didnt play with one, Efren doesnt. So why should scrubs like us play with them?

Im not trolling or anything, I am really curious what you guys think.
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If LD shafts are nonsense,then why the G-Core shaft?If Efren didn't eat
burgers and preferred dog,should I nibble on my Shih-tzu for dinner?

Just because some great players use different equipment,why is
everything invented after them junk?
I'm sure if you compare Efren and Mosconi,they both had different tapers
on there shafts,different tips and used different chalk and both used different weights.
By what your saying, we all should use the same equipment or
all this other stuff thats on the market is just marketing junk.

If this is the case you better throw that G-Core shaft out the window
cause your going against your own thoughts imo.:)
 
waylander said:
Example...

Sex is sex... why would you pay for a $300 hooker when a $20 one will do? Think about it... which will you enjoy sex with more?

We all enjoy having "pretty" things rather than plain jane things. Houses could just be cubes but all square rooms, and all white wall with no paintings or pictures on them... etc.

Square cars with 4 bangers and all painted black.

We could all wear plain khakis with white shirts.

Why have a 40" or larger TV when that 24" tube still works?

We spend more money on things to stand out, to look different than the other 50 guys there and because we all appreciate aesthetics.

Will a more expensive cue perform better? Certainly, $300 is not the point at which you don't gain any more performance IMO, it's more like $500 or $600, after that it's aesthetics and there is nothing wrong with that.
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Problem is..........with a $300 hooker, I may enjoy the sex more, but for a considerably shorter amount of time!:eek:
 
Ares49 said:
Can someone send me links to information or explain to me the benefit of spending a couple hundred dollars or even thousands on a cue stick?

I just recently bought a McDermott G204. It ran me $209

It is a well made American cue, G-Core shaft.

It should do me very nicely for being an intermediate player....

In fact this cue will be better than me for years to come.

But what I notice is that there are a lot of amateur pool players who are shelling out $300+ for these cue sticks that wont make them play any better...

Back in the day people were pocketing balls with straight sticks and maple shafts...

Now we have this predator LD nonsense.

Whats the point? Pool is a very simple game, with a simple wooden tool.

If anyone can give me some insight...I am just recently taking the game more seriously
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Because it's so simple, you should have no trouble with pred player reps Melling or Hatch. Quite something you are...
 
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Ares49 said:
Well, maybe it is my lack of experience...but from watching pool on tv, at the halls and asking questions. It seems there is no real advantage to buying really expensive cues.

I am just hoping someone could steer me in the right direction regarding cue sticks.

Maybe explain the benefits that some of these custom cue makers or really expensive cues have over the cheaper production cues.
Click to expand...

The advantage for sure will not come through better *quality*. A more expensive cue will not make you play better. How Bender_Lu shown up-finally it s more love for the details (wood, design etc)

The only advantage would be perhaps a mental advantage, because YOU trust your material. That s it :-)
 
These days it's actually difficult to buy a bad cue. Even the second tier factories in China are staffed with experienced cue makers who are turning out decently made cues. The top factories are turning out great cues edging into world class.

The domestic factories in the USA are still putting out great cues and the prices are still relatively low.

Some custom cue makers are also in the sub-$300 category for a lot of what they make. In fact, when it comes to brands of cues there might be more choice for the consumer than in any other sport out there.

Even the Kmart cues have gotten better on average since China banned the use of Ramin wood.

So, really the reason people pay whatever they pay for a cue is desire first and performance second. And as many others have said some people buy expensive cues because they can. Owning something that very few or even no other person on the planet has gives a person a special feeling.

But mostly it's just simply a matter of personal preference and desire.
 
MSchaffer said:
Another reason...that $200 cue you bought will be worth maybe $75 when you are ready to sell it. Buy a $3000 custom, and you will be able to sell it for $3500.

Who really spent more money in the end?
Click to expand...

You should spend some time in the FS forum. I would say this is untrue for 90% of the cues purchased today. 30 years ago...that's a different story.

-roger
 
When it comes to how a cue performs, I think there's a minimum range of standard beyond personal preference. I would translate that range to between 200 and 500 dollars.

This covers the quality "production" cues, with or w/o LD shafts, and the lower end of "custom" cues, both sneaky petes and plain janes, with (hopefully) the same fit/finish/tolerances/shaft wood as the maker's higher end offerings.

There are duds all along that range and beyond.

-roger
 
First off I think the OP meant that the IDEA of pool is simple, not the execution of excellent play. But he brings up a good line of questioning. I would feel more comfortable with the OP if he had actually played with cues that are custom and expensive, THEN had questions about the differences. Most people are answering his question incorrectly though. I believe he was after specifics as to construction, time, materials. Saying they play better because of feel is how the cue plays, but not why. I know there is a section on AZ for that...but its lame. The main forum is far more entertaining. There are lots of good responses, but none that satisfy the heart of the matter. For my opinion, I believe go with a reasonably priced custom cue maker, and go with the most striped down cue they have. I believe that is a wise way to strike the balance. Jacoby comes to mind.
 
I have never regretted owning something I wanted badly, even if something cheaper would have been sufficient.

You see, the fleeting memory of value saved or funds spent quickly evaporates, while the ambers of pride or regret of ownership are fanned with each reminder of the subject at question.

Except wives, of course.
 
Everyone has needs and wants.

You buy a Kia car because you need it to get to work in the morning. You could probably take a bus but that is another story.
You buy a BMW because you want it, period.

When it comes to cues, you don't even need a $150 cue. You can use a house cue. You may say house cues aren't straight and you need to buy a $150 cue becaues it will be straight, even though it may not stay straight for long.
You buy a $300+ cue because it is made better, from better wood, and it will stay straight longer.
You buy a $1000+ cue because you want it, period.

BTW, many of the guys who sell the high end cues became famous for making great playing cues. You don't only pay for a great looking cue. You pay for a great playing cue too.

There is nothing wrong with buying things you want.
 
So why spend $200 on a McDermott when you could have just bought a $65 cue tech or $80 Viking or whatever out of the mueller catalog?

Those are the same reasons people spend hundreds and hundreds on buying something nicer than a McDermott.

Congrats, this is how purchasing decisions are made. Different consumers have different priorities and budgets and ultimately make different choices.
 
Because they can

I have 3 cues. A Custom Ebony Hustler from Pat Diveney and one of his ebony jump/break cues and a Meucci sneaky Pete. The Diveney cue with 2 Lakesalvage shafts ran me around $670.00 and the jump/break around $400.00 with a Lakesalvage shaft. The plain Jane Meucci with the Black dot shaft ran around $350.00. The 2 Diveney cues are 61" long and the Meucci is 62" long. I gave my 58" McDermot to my son-in-law. I shoot better with the longer cue. One guy I play with occasionally has an original Balabushka he found in a pawn shop years ago. I see guys with Dale Perry cues, Herick cues, several old Meucci's, I see Mike Bender cue, etc. Do any of them cues shoot better then my $350.00 Meucci? Not yet. Some just like what I call a fancy cue and I love the way my Diveney Ebony Hustler looks, to each their own. If you got it, flaunt it.
 
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I buy expensive custom cues for a few reasons. One, I like pretty things. Two, I enjoy working with the cuemaker to design a unique cue as this gives me a creative outlet. Finally, I get to request things such as 60" length, forward balance, butt diameter, etc.
 
Ares49 said:
Can someone send me links to information or explain to me the benefit of spending a couple hundred dollars or even thousands on a cue stick?

I just recently bought a McDermott G204. It ran me $209

It is a well made American cue, G-Core shaft.

It should do me very nicely for being an intermediate player....

In fact this cue will be better than me for years to come.

But what I notice is that there are a lot of amateur pool players who are shelling out $300+ for these cue sticks that wont make them play any better...

Back in the day people were pocketing balls with straight sticks and maple shafts...

Now we have this predator LD nonsense.

Whats the point? Pool is a very simple game, with a simple wooden tool.

If anyone can give me some insight...I am just recently taking the game more seriously
Click to expand...



Why does a musician buy a guitar that costs over $200?
 
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