So, what is your "THE ONE" ?????????????????

cueaddicts

cueaddicts

AzB Gold Member
Silver Member
As in "the one cue that got away". And maybe you've had a few sleepless nights and/or regrets over not picking it up....or letting it go?

I'm sure there are some interesting stories.....

Mine was a loaded up 4pt Gus. At the time (a long time ago), just couldn't justify it. Boy, did I need a crystal ball. :embarrassed2:

Pretty sure that Mars has that one now, lol. :thumbup:
 
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Sean, I wanted this Ed Young really bad a few years back. After picking up a 2006 one from you I was hooked on these; but like usual, lack of available funds at the time.

Ed Young.JPG
 
Will's Box Gus.

Could have bought it for 12K in Mobile Alabama years ago from Joe Salazar. Later sold for 56K.
Sold a couple and got them back though!
Nick :)
 
"The One's" are still right in front of me and I'm still trying to find the "key" to making them MY "one's".... 2 80's Kersenbrock Duality cues.. No.1, Ebony base with Coco inlays and No.2, Pau Ferro base and Tiger Maple inlays... holdin out hope in cracking that safe someday.. lol :)
 
Several "ones". 1) Runde-era Schon R-12, because it was my first custom cue. 2) 4pt Gus 4 window cue, just because it's a Gus. 3&4) Searings, 'nuff said. 5) SouthWest fancy cue. I'm sure I could name a few more, but I'm trying to refrain from jumping off the ledge of the Sears Tower.
 
I just have one. It's really more of a I wish I knew story. To say it got away would mean I knew it was potentially worth something and I just didn't have a clue.

Late 80s Chicago. Spent a lot time at the UIC student union (called Circle back then) where I was attending. They had a dozen GCs and arcade games. Ed Young was around too. He didn't play much, but enjoyed the game nevertheless. So much so, he got into cues. Started driving across town to a cue maker in Indiana. One day, my friend Ken said we ought to get in on this 'custom' cue thingy with Ed. He can help us place an order, etc... So I asked how much? $400-$500 for a fancy 4 pointer was what I remember. Well, I said I'll pass as I'm happy with my $100 McD that I felt was already highly priced.

The end of the conversation was, alright - but keep an eye on this cue maker and his cues, it's going to be a hot ticket item... cue identified with the initials CP.
 
It was a Gus cue that I missed out on from a road player in KC in the very early '80s. I have been very lucky and Barry made one in the same veneer pattern for me a few years ago.

Scott
 
Had a chance to buy this ivory handled Gina at the U.S. Open years ago before it was restored by Ernie. Could have gotten it for $9000 but I was unsure of it because the butt sleeve seemed a little weird to me. Wish I had bought it!!!




2940569330_0c2a5922a4_o_zpse1d59fb3.jpg
 
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branpureza said:
Had a chance to buy this ivory handled Gina at the U.S. Open years ago before it was restored by Ernie. Could have gotten it for $9000 but I was unsure of it because the butt sleeve seemed a little weird to me. Wish I had bought it!!!




QUOTE]

You and I both buddy. I was on the phone with a friend who was at the open and I tried to close the deal. By the time my buddy found him again it was scooped up by Rick.
Best,
Ken
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I was in the mix as well... Shoulda woulda coulda... Wish I dida..

HighEndCues said:
branpureza said:
Had a chance to buy this ivory handled Gina at the U.S. Open years ago before it was restored by Ernie. Could have gotten it for $9000 but I was unsure of it because the butt sleeve seemed a little weird to me. Wish I had bought it!!!




QUOTE]

You and I both buddy. I was on the phone with a friend who was at the open and I tried to close the deal. By the time my buddy found him again it was scooped up by Rick.
Best,
Ken
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 
Should have never sold this one..

My biggest regret.. Not my only, my biggest! A buddy of mine found an auction site somewhere in NY and he called me to see if I was interested in any of the cues they were selling.. There were 3 of them if I remember correctly.. One was a Meucci, one was unmarked, and the 3rd was unmarked also, but one of the shafts was crudely marked Szamboti.. The auction description said "Attributed to Gus Szamboti".. This obviously peaked my interest, right? So... after looking at the pictures and the ringwork, pilots, etc, I decided it probably was most likely a Gus.. I signed up to bid on it and a week later the auction called me and said "The cue you were interested in is selling in a few minutes, do you still want to bid?" Well, I ended up buying the cue and when it arrived I was more than surprised to see that it was pristine, complete with 3 shafts and absolutely awesome.. I sent pictures to Barry and he verified it was one of "Dad's" cues.. I regret ever selling the cue.. I was in it right and it played outstanding.. Sure, I made good money on it but in hindsight it was the one to keep simply because of the way I acquired it.. The End!
 

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There were two cues that I missed buying and still regret.

The first was a new steel jointed 4P4V Gus with arrowhead inlays in the ebony points. I don’t remember if there were inlays in the butt sleeve. It was the fall of 1986 and the price was $1250. I was just about to move to NJ at the time and needed to save my money for a down-payment on a house. By 1990, I started to save some money and called the guy (Barry Bettencourt) to see if he could order a Gus for me. He told me that he had the same cue that I had wanted in ‘86 for sale as a used cue. But then he also told me that Gus had passed away and the same cue was now $5000. Again, I had to pass and it wasn’t until 2006 that I finally acquired one of Gus’ cues.

The other cue was this one. (http://forums.azbilliards.com/showthread.php?t=187240) I knew the owner just previous to Peter who let me play with it. I think it is one of the prettiest cues I have ever seen and it is an exceptional player. Each time I saw the guy, I told him that I would buy the cue from him whenever he was ready to sell. Unfortunately, he sold or traded it without letting me know it was available. Like other Showman cues, each time they change hands, the price goes up and it got out of range for me. There is another current thread in the Gallery asking about favorite veneer combinations. This cue is my absolute favorite. Last I heard, rigmaster has it.
 
Different

I guess I am different from you guys.

I have bought and sold tons of cues, and how I have done it was buying some purely to flip and then some that I wanted to keep.

The ones I bought to keep, I have generally kept, unless I have a cue that I have wanted pretty darn bad.

I got my first Gus from Ken at High End Cues, and sold and traded to get the cash to get the cue. In that trade with Ken, I let go the best playing Southwest cue I have ever played with. It was Jason Miller's cue that I had refinished and it was incredible. It really doesn't bother me, as I would much rather have the Gus.

The second Gus cue that I picked up, I paid cash for it from a friend, and then sold about (4) of my "keeper" cues to pay for it. My friend wanted cash and the cues I sold, sold for more that what I could have traded.

So when I look back on cues I let go, I look at what I wanted a little more. I have been lucky in selling cues and making a little or trading and adding a little cash to get something a little better.

Ken
 
Iike an idiot, I let these 2 go:

Tucker Titlist conversion (middle cue in photo)

TUCKERS.jpg

Mike Lambros ultra II non-radial pin, standard shafts

lambros_ebony_snake.jpg
 
I don't have a photo, but the one that got away that I regret the most is a mid nineties Fancy Jerry Franklin South West. The price was good for a spell, but every time I wanted to seal the deal, the price got a little higher. The cue was finally sold a few years ago and the new owner isn't interested in selling it.

Wish I would have got that cue, but maybe I'll get a Fancy JF SW one day.

Hope all is well with you and the family Sean, Jerry
 
My very first Andy Gilbert kingwood a deal curly maple southwest style cue 3 shafts leather wrap I sold that cue back in the mid 2000, too a cue dealer for PA I really wish I can get that cue back. The cue was made in. 97
 
Realizm said:
My very first Andy Gilbert kingwood a deal curly maple southwest style cue 3 shafts leather wrap I sold that cue back in the mid 2000, too a cue dealer for PA I really wish I can get that cue back. The cue was made in. 97
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Nice cue. I would regret that. Kingwood is on par with Brazilian rosewood and many don't know it.

Kd

Sent from my XT907 using Tapatalk
 
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