How Many Cues Are Too Many To Own????

[gregnice37]

I have 6 right now, all custom and they all play damn well. Next week I'll have 2 more customs added to my collection. After that, I think I only want 2 or 3 more but I'll probably end up with 5 more.

To be honest with you, I probable don't shoot good enough to justify having any cusrom cues, but I like collecting. Most cues don't leave the house anymore because I only have time to shoot 1 night a week and it's in a bar league. I do enjoy looking at them all the time though.

 

[Bavafongoul]

****I've Changed My Mind***

Last October, I started this thread and posted......"So I'm thinking I'm going to cap off my small collection at six (6) pool cues and my last cue will have to be either a monster Richard Black, Ed Prewitt or Joel Hercek cue, at least a level 5 cue. But then I'm done."


I meant it when I wrote that post but I was mistaken,,,,,flat out wrong........I am already at 6 cues and I'm not done by any means or stretch of one's imagination......got 2 more in the oven right now that are still a year away.........what's that bring it to....8 cues........and I am still intent on adding a Joel Hercek cue so I guess that makes it 9........hate odd numbers........so its got to be 10 cues........yes that's it's......that's the number....10 it is.....I am freezing,my collection 10 cues indeed.

But wait......I have 4 children and it was always my intention to pass along my collection to them and I know with 10 cues there are bound to be squabbles over who gets the extra cue......nope, that won't work......so if I cap my collection right now at 8 cues......that's perfect......2 cues per child.........but then I'd never get to own that Hercek cue I have longed for and waited so long.......that's blows......nope, gotta have that Hercek cue..........I mean, it's really more about me than them.....right?

See how hard this can become........still need to add a Hercek cue.......9 cues doesn't work, nor does 10 cues either so I guess the only logical solution is I have to cap my collection at a dozen....Yup, that's it, 12 cues.......the perfect number.......3 cues per child and so this means I have room for 3 more cues......less one Hercek cue.......that males it two mores cues I can add..........uh oh, I'm holding one spot for Cuenoisseur's cue so I am really down to adding 1 more cue-maker since the other 2 spots are reserved (Hercek & Prewitt cues).........Hmn......aside from Barry Szamboti, I need to figure out whom that cue-maker should be......maybe it's time to take a chance on a newbie.....anyway, I stand corrected.....the new number is 12 cues..........more than 12 seems like too many.......how's that for rationalization.........I know.......perverse logic but it keeps getting me a few more cues so I guess it works.

Matt B.

 

[Awizzzy]

Owning 150+ cues is not too many in my opinion, at least you can play with them once in a while.
The problem is what to do with all of the cases.

Yeah, I have seen the cases you bring. That would be confusing... 1st world problems. lol.. :thumbup::thumbup:

 

[63Kcode]

See how hard this can become........still need to add a Hercek cue.......9 cues doesn't work, nor does 10 cues either so I guess the only logical solution is I have to cap my collection at a dozen....Yup, that's it, 12 cues.......the perfect number.......3 cues per child and so this means I have room for 3 more cues......less one Hercek cue.......that males it two mores cues I can add..........uh oh, I'm holding one spot for Cuenoisseur's cue so I am really down to adding 1 more cue-maker since the other 2 spots are reserved (Hercek & Prewitt cues).........Hmn......aside from Barry Szamboti, I need to figure out whom that cue-maker should be......maybe it's time to take a chance on a newbie.....anyway, I stand corrected.....the new number is 12 cues..........more than 12 seems like too many.......how's that for rationalization.........I know.......perverse logic but it keeps getting me a few more cues so I guess it works.

Matt B.

Three is an odd number. You wouldn't want want to leave you kids an odd number cues! Looks like you need to shoot for 16. That will leave 4 for each child!

Larry

 

[Bavafongoul]

Larry.....I hate to say this but you're right....that damn odd number again.....4 children....4 cues each......Hmn.....that may be the answer.........but damn....that strategy is going to become very costly.

Boy, it would be great to also acquire four 4x8 leather cue cases and leave each child a fancy leather case with 4 cues inside..........You know that's a darling plan but kinda expensive to accomplish.



Matt B.

 

[DaveM]

N+1, where N is any number that you like.


Mike
cardit

Or N is the number you currently own + have on order. There's always a next one.

 

[Straightpool_99]

How many fishing rods/reels/lures is too many? The answer is that there is no such number. The same is true for pool cues. However I do believe that you are better off playing with one cue only, if you are talking about getting to know a cue well, that takes time.

 

[Type79]

If you're a player, one is too many.

There's a guy at our local hall that kicks everybody's a** with a house cue.

 

[tc in l a]

Question about levels

Hi Bava - I found this very interesting and have a question or two...

Do you count the number of pieces in a ring one inlay, or is the ring itself one inlay, or does a ring even count an inlay? Same for an ivory point with an inlay or outline, is the inlay or outline an additional piece or do these the point and inlays count as one only?

Also, are you aware of an expanded description or definition for cue levels anywhere on the internet?

Thanks
Tony C

Yup....cues always have. The number of points and inlays in a cue's design, not veneers, determines a cue level rating. The higher the level rating, typically and customarily speaking, the greater the market vaue, all things being equal, of course.

Level 2: 0 points, 0 - 25 inlays
Level 3: 2-6 points, 0- 6 inlays
Level 4: 4 - 10 points, 9 - 25 inlays
Level 5: 0 - 12 points, 26 - 50 inlays
Level 6: 0 - 12 points, 51 - 75 inlays
Level 7: 0 - 12 points, 76 - 125 inlays
Level 8: 4 or > points, > 125 inlays

The difference in value for some esteemed cue-makers can involve several thousands of dollars difference between simply a Level 2 cue and a Level 5, let alone a Level 7 cue or Level 8 where the price difference can be amazingly huge. When the cue-maker has passed or is retired from cue-making like Tim Scruggs, Paul Mottey, Bill Stroud, Verl Horn, or say recently passed Tad Kohara just to name a few, the cue acquires a much greater intrinsic value than when the cue-maker was still actively making cues. And then supply and demand take over which are totally influenced by the scarcity and rarity of the specific cue in question.........amplifly that by the Level rating of the cue which is essentially a base line value for that particular cue-maker's cues in general.

Yup, there are levels for pool cues and it's very, very, very important......you could spend $1800 on an Ed Prewitt Merry Widow cue or $7-8,000 for a Level 7 or 8 Ed Prewitt cues. A used Ed Prewitt in excellent condition that's a Level 5 cues typically will fetch between $4500 -$6000. A Level 2 Ginacue is worth at around two grand but a Level 6 Ginacue is worth more like seven thousand and that's just the general price difference and actual can be even much greater. Richard Black's fanciest cues fetch tens of thousands of dollars and he's still actively making cues.

I know about the price of Ed Prewitt cues with some certainty since I've been looking for a Level 5 cue the past 2 years. It could be my final, ultimate cue purchase after my custom gets finished next year.......Prewitt is just a spectacular cue-maker in my opinion........and the price difference in various Levels of Ed Prewitt cues can be friggin' enormous, as it is for a lot of other greatly heralded cue-makers. There's a lot more to a cue's value than just some points and a few veneers......Yup, Level ratings are involved too.

 

[Bavafongoul]

Tony C.

This is a tar baby issue since there's widespread disagreement among cue owners as to what constitutes an inlay. I think the cue-makers section is the ideal forum to have this debate but regardless, I'll toss in my opinion to get things started.

Inlays.....what the heck are they? Personally, I do not consider veneers.......in the forearm or sleeve, boxed or otherwise, to be inlays.

A lot of cue owners will disagree, usually those that don't have dozens of other actual inlays in their cues. And then the debate becomes is a boxed veneer 1 inlay since it was pre-assembled outside of the cue and subsequently added as a single inlay or do you count every veneer on each side of the box.....which seems absolutely silly and also would be wrong.

I consider the veneers to be part of the wood work inherent to the construction of the cue's design in many instances. Inlays are those foreign materials actually laid into the wood penetrating the surface which are rendered perfectly smooth and flush with the cue's final finish. I do not think round rings which are added as a component during assembly of the cue count as inlays....that's why full splice cues don't have them.....but if the rings were stitched, i.e, segmented or broken, ivory or nickel like on Prewitt & Szamboti cues where each one had to be laid into the cue, that counts as inlays. And all of the Pau Lau abalone dots & diamonds between the stitched rings are inlays........

Let's see what the rest of the Forum has to say about this. It was discussed a couple of years ago on the Forum and some cue owners that had player cue designs were lobbying for veneers to count as inlays but it didn't go over. I submit that wood does not count as a inlay regardless where it was added.........please don't tell Messrs. Wayne or Black what I wrote because both of make stupendous designs with elaborate wood patterns, almost mosaic, which is startling to behold.

I've attached two pictures....... let's see if we can get common agreement on what constitutes an inlay.


Matt B.

 

[9Ballr]

"How Many Cues Are Too Many To Own?"


93.
92 is ok. 93 is too many.

 

[tc in l a]

Tony C.

This is a tar baby issue since there's widespread disagreement among cue owners as to what constitutes an inlay. I think the cue-makers section is the ideal forum to have this debate but regardless, I'll toss in my opinion to get things started.

Inlays.....what the heck are they? Personally, I do not consider veneers.......in the forearm or sleeve, boxed or otherwise, to be inlays.

A lot of cue owners will disagree, usually those that don't have dozens of other actual inlays in their cues. And then the debate becomes is a boxed veneer 1 inlay since it was pre-assembled outside of the cue and subsequently added as a single inlay or do you count every veneer on each side of the box.....which seems absolutely silly and also would be wrong.

I consider the veneers to be part of the wood work inherent to the construction of the cue's design in many instances. Inlays are those foreign materials actually laid into the wood penetrating the surface which are rendered perfectly smooth and flush with the cue's final finish. I do not think round rings which are added as a component during assembly of the cue count as inlays....that's why full splice cues don't have them.....but if the rings were stitched, i.e, segmented or broken, ivory or nickel like on Prewitt & Szamboti cues where each one had to be laid into the cue, that counts as inlays. And all of the Pau Lau abalone dots & diamonds between the stitched rings are inlays........

Let's see what the rest of the Forum has to say about this. It was discussed a couple of years ago on the Forum and some cue owners that had player cue designs were lobbying for veneers to count as inlays but it didn't go over. I submit that wood does not count as a inlay regardless where it was added.........please don't tell Messrs. Wayne or Black what I wrote because both of make stupendous designs with elaborate wood patterns, almost mosaic, which is startling to behold.

I've attached two pictures....... let's see if we can get common agreement on what constitutes an inlay.


Matt B.

Thanks for your thoughts on this Matt. After reading your response a few times and considering them from a purely common sense point of view (and with my limited knowledge of veneers) it would be difficult for me to disagree with you.

I look forward to other opinions.

Very nice cues too!

Tony C

 

[Bavafongoul]

Tony C.

I think I also missed a point in your query......"Same for an ivory point with an inlay or outline, is the inlay or outline an additional piece or do these the point and inlays count as one only?"

If the inlay has been completed external to the cue, like scrimshaw on a fancy peacock inlay or a diamond within some other inlay, ie., ex, malachite set inside of ivory, it counts as one inlay. The simple rule would be did the cue-maker complete the work before setting it into place.......like with boxed veneers. An ivory point with an inlay would have been completed most likely before the point was set to avoid needlessly risking the time and effort required to set the point to start with.....you know what I mean........imagine damaging the ivory point or inlay while trying to do another inlay set inside of it and having start all over again.....it makes sense to do that type of work external to setting the final inlay and I'm sure cue-makers undoubtedly burn through lots of inventory when they attempt that or any type of detailed work involving ivory, abalone and some types of precious metals.

Matt B.

 

[7forlife]

Well let's see. I know a guy who's rumored to have a collection worth over $700,000 so I guess he'd be the right guy to asked, but that collection consist of quite a few cues that could buy a brand new car (black boars etc).
I don't know if value matters but i'd say my decision is based on also having a table at home (i don't, but i'm saying). So let's see, since I gave away two cues I now keep one in the car and two in my case, I plan on having about 3 more made over the next 5 years or so. I want to have a cue at two of the rooms that I go too since they have lockers, this way I can show up without having my case with me and still play. One of my cues have two different shafts for it, one for straight pool and another for 9 ball. I like cues that say something and that's what I base my collection on. So right now I have my Tribute cue (kind of like a ode to the makers), I'm having a Patriotic one done, a Period or Nostalgia peace and like the OP mentioned a kind of fancy cue. I think 7-10 would be where I max out but this is based on my life and needs.

So that's 3 sneaky pete's one at each of my frequent rooms, my tribute, the period, the patriotic, the fancy (brown, always wanted one), a black and white (always wanted one of those too) and i'm sure at least two will come up over the rest of my life. So yeah about ten.

 

[Type79]

Inlays.....what the heck are they?

- Ornament (an object) by embedding pieces of a different material in it, flush with its surface.

- Materials, often colored, inserted into depressions in a base object to form ornament or pictures that normally are flush.

- Contrasting material set into a surface in pieces to form a design.

- a ​decorative ​pattern made of ​pieces set into the ​surface of an ​object.

 

[Bavafongoul]

Jay.....I was kinda in the neighborhood with my layman's interpretation.

"Inlays are those foreign materials actually laid into the wood penetrating the surface which are rendered perfectly smooth and flush with the cue's final finish."

 

[galipeau]

Bavafongoul- by your definition, you would say that this cue has no inlays because they are wood? Just hoping to clarify.

 

[Bavafongoul]

Galipeau.....from what I've seen........it can be debated.......obviously that wood was laid into the cue from my evaluation of the pics......only the purple heart in the forearm and inside the ovals in the butt can be viewed as inlays but since purple heart is wood, I would say it doesn't fit into the category of an inlay.......keep in mind what I earlier posted about Thomas Wayne and Richard Black cues.......some of the most ornate craftsmanship in wood.......as spectacular as any cue design around......but sans inlays because it was all done in wood.

 

[galipeau]

That's Pink Ivory and Koa inlaid into Ebony. I'm not sure how it's up for interpretation or debate at all.

Here's literally the first definition I came across when I googled the word "inlay". See the example sentence.

in·lay
verb
ˌinˈlā/
1.
ornament (an object) by embedding pieces of a different material in it, flush with its surface.
"mahogany paneling inlaid with rosewood"

I don't wan't to derail the thread, but I'm just confused how this part of your argument works. I can see some debate in slotted rings, etc as you mentioned, but this is clear cut and obvious to me. Inlays can be wood. The Kersenbrock below is another example. A pocket is cut, and an matching shape of material is added to create a design. Doesn't matter if it's wood, or ivory, mop, or silver.

 

[jackpot]

no such thing

I looked it up in my 1957 Encyclopedia Britannica and it said: "There is No Such Thing as Owning Too Many Cues".

I am content with that definition.

This is correct, just like your motorcycle can't be too loud. If it doesn't
annoy the s*** out of everyone it isn't loud enough
jack
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