Can someone explain to me why searing cues draw the $$$ that they bring as I see a plain one on ebay going for almost $3500 with plenty of time remaining for more bidding. I have collected many cues over the years however I have never played a searing and workmanshipwise things seem to be clean however the price baffles me. this is not a knocking of the cues just looking for the reasoning behind the prices as at this point the plain cue is bringing more than a new southwest?? I look forward to a education in this line of cues.......
searing cues??
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Supply and demand.
I was wondering the same thing. But I'm a player, not a collector. I want a cue that meets my play needs and I like the way it looks. Searing may be a great player, but a $4k cue is not going to make me play 4x better than my $1k (retail) cue that I purchased.
http://forums.azbilliards.com/showthread.php?t=309626&highlight=searing
Do a forum search for his name, you will find threads like "what is the best cue maker" "what is the best hitting cue"
Do a forum search for his name, you will find threads like "what is the best cue maker" "what is the best hitting cue"
Searing cues are up there with the absolute best built cues possible. He takes everything to the limit, the shaft wood, veneers, tolerances are as close to perfection as humanly possible. everything is precision to the limits of technology. And this all takes time, lots of time. Searing cant hire people to do what he does, so there just inst lots of his cues being built. So its a time and supply thing that makes them cost so much, are they worth it? depends on who is buying them, for me yes.
A quick story about searing cues... I had wanted one for years but unfortunately, many are in the hands of "cabinet collectors" so to find one that has not been kept in angel breath at a temperature and humidity controlled environment since birth is getting harder and harder.
I ran across a guy in my regular pool room that had bought two Searings years before and following a marriage, quit playing and in to the closet they went. Well, following a divorce he started playing again but when he found out what they were worth he was afraid to take them out of the house. One thing led to another and I bought both, a jump-break conversion and a ground up 5 point player.
I spoke with Dennis and he took both in, reconditioned and refinished them and now they are my daily players. For the time being, I have parked my Southwest, Nitti and Dayton that I used to rotate through.
If you don't know why they demand what they do, play with one for a month solid and you be looking for one like a "hobo on a hotdog." (Props to an AZB buddy who recently used that line and just cracked me up)
His cues are a result of a very high level player with a tremendous understanding of the game and physics combined with craftsman skills and a healthy dose of OCD... Perfection over production.
I ran across a guy in my regular pool room that had bought two Searings years before and following a marriage, quit playing and in to the closet they went. Well, following a divorce he started playing again but when he found out what they were worth he was afraid to take them out of the house. One thing led to another and I bought both, a jump-break conversion and a ground up 5 point player.
I spoke with Dennis and he took both in, reconditioned and refinished them and now they are my daily players. For the time being, I have parked my Southwest, Nitti and Dayton that I used to rotate through.
If you don't know why they demand what they do, play with one for a month solid and you be looking for one like a "hobo on a hotdog." (Props to an AZB buddy who recently used that line and just cracked me up)
His cues are a result of a very high level player with a tremendous understanding of the game and physics combined with craftsman skills and a healthy dose of OCD... Perfection over production.
I have been playing with Searings as my daily player since 2007, and am absolutely and totally satisfied with the cues in every way. First and foremost is the playability, unparalleled is a good word here. As others have said, the quality and accuracy in tolerances, fit and finish just cannot be improved upon. His shafts are monster players, outstanding in every way. Because Dennis is such a perfectionist, his output production is low. But perfect. And elegant. Hence, with high demand and low production, a higher price follows naturally.
At Shooters in Olathe I let anyone hit balls with my cue that asks, and am pleased to widen the base of understanding and awareness.
I am sure that when Stradivarius was making his violins there were others making fancier ones for a lot of money, but none played better. None.
Will Prout
At Shooters in Olathe I let anyone hit balls with my cue that asks, and am pleased to widen the base of understanding and awareness.
I am sure that when Stradivarius was making his violins there were others making fancier ones for a lot of money, but none played better. None.
Will Prout
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Dennis is a perfectionist, and it does show in his work. He spends a lot of time with R & D to make them even better. He started out years ago making a players cue for real world players, and was a well kept secret for a while. Sadly, most of the real world players will never be able to afford one these days, making it being the ultimate players cue kinda moot.
His production is very low, and thanks to those who hyped the cues through no other reason than to raise their value through the roof....demand among collectors is high. And no, a PJ cue is not worth 3.5K plus....you still need to be able to pot the balls on your own.
They are unobtainium cues for most folks.
His production is very low, and thanks to those who hyped the cues through no other reason than to raise their value through the roof....demand among collectors is high. And no, a PJ cue is not worth 3.5K plus....you still need to be able to pot the balls on your own.
They are unobtainium cues for most folks.
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Searings are a complete illustration of supply and demand. The demand in high for all the aforementioned reasons. The supply is low because Searing is a perfectionist and takes forever to build a cue and is constantly looking to change or perfect his process.
Its important to know Searing doesn't charge the money his cues go for. Its the market that controls that. Searing charges what he feels is fair and hands guys cues they can immediately double their money on. And yet, many decide to hold them.
When he makes me mine, you can bet I'll be selling it in a New York Minute (just kidding Dennis it will be my lifetime player OBO).
Everybody is calling his plain janes 3.5K cues. The cue at auction is going higher.
Kevin
Its important to know Searing doesn't charge the money his cues go for. Its the market that controls that. Searing charges what he feels is fair and hands guys cues they can immediately double their money on. And yet, many decide to hold them.
When he makes me mine, you can bet I'll be selling it in a New York Minute (just kidding Dennis it will be my lifetime player OBO).
Everybody is calling his plain janes 3.5K cues. The cue at auction is going higher.
Kevin
I know if I could get one from Dennis I would buy it today. I have never cared about making money off a cue, I just want to play with it. Sadly that will never happen though. They have been priced out of being a regular mans playing cue. I am definitely a player and not a collector.
My point exactly!! But, I'm okay with it. There are lots of things I'll never be able to afford...just the way of the world for most of us. I see it this way...it's one less thing I have to worry about being stolen from me...LoL!!
I have a pitch for someone buying Colin's eBay cue as a player. I realize that 4.5K is a lot of money to invest in a cue to play with, but they do play great, its not like with some collectibles where all you are paying for is ivory and beauty.
Plus, in a way they are cheap. You can buy a great playing cue for say $700. When its time for a change maybe you end up selling it for $450, so it cost you $250 to own that cue.
The Searing you have to fork out more money initially, but if you ever do decide to sell it (like I do constantly with my lifetimes players), you make money.
So which cue is really more expensive?
Kevin
I would agree with you wholeheartedly.
I strongly believe that Jeff Olney cues are going to have the renown of Dennis's someday.
He builds his cues to unbelievably exacting standards and playability. Anyone who has ever screwed one of his cues together can testify to this. I say this to the folks out there who would like to own a cue that will last the test of time as a player and yet still appreciate in value. His cues are still affordable for most of us. I don't have the $$$ for a Searing but my next cue will be a pointed, veneered Olney.
Tommy
Kevin I absolutely understand what you're saying, and I agree. However, I'm sure you can understand how many of the people who can afford to buy the $700 cue are priced out of owning the $4.5k one. There are many who would consider a $700 cue to be high end.
I have enough cash technically to afford most any cue, but to me it seems unecessary to spend $10,000 on a Szamboti. I don't fault anyone for buying what they do. I have a nice car and a house bigger than what I need. Really, beyond food, shelter, and clothing, everything else is just semantics. I guarantee that almost everyone can think of something they've bought they don't need.
I guess everyone has a price point for certain items before they are what that person would consider excessive. Whether that's an arbitrary number or not can be argued. My price point for cues is well under what the market commands for Dennis' cues. If they were $1500-2000, I would be much more likely to purchase one.
its all about priorities, I had a $1000 Tad when i was dead bust and never thought of selling it. I couldnt afford a Fancy SW Jerry said he would build me one for $2750, i didnt buy it. Wasnt right at that time.
never say never, ya never know....