Cue maker Mfg/Sponsors

[JoeyA]

I'm just wondering that since most of the professional players can actually play with just about any cue that you put in their hands, if it might not be a better idea for cue makers to sponsor lesser players.

And no, I don't need a sponsor as I a have what I think is the best playing cue in the world. That's not boasting, it's just a conclusion until I find something better.

I was just thinking that if professional players can overcome most any idiosyncrasies of a cue, wouldn't the cue makers be better off sponsoring lesser players who can't overcome most any idiosyncrasies of a cue?

I suppose that professional players have a finer taste for what suits them best but shouldn't the cue makers be building cues that fit the average player? If you say that's low deflection cues, so be it.

I also suppose that the cue makers wouldn't get the name recognition association that comes with sponsoring a professional player and maybe I just answered my own question but I think not.

In summary, I'm wondering if a cue maker would get better feedback from sponsoring average players than from professional players?
Especially since average players have greater needs and greater deficiencies than do professional players.

Perhaps the average player would misdiagnose the problem with the cue?
JoeyA

 

[JoeyInCali]

Well, the pros bring a little more credibility .
Except most of them "lose" their sponsored cues unless they have a contract. :grin:
Believe it or not, the pros are actually not a great source of feedback for cues' playability. I know of a world champion who had absolutely no clue what his cue specs is. He gave me the wrong numbers . And they were not even close .
Another world title challenger came to my shop one time . He was using the Brunswick tip. It's even softer than Elk Master . I don't know of any other person who likes that tip. And his cue had 2MM thick wrap and it was light as a feather .

Cue makers are better off sponsoring or giving deals to local league players. Most cue makers develop local following ( if they are decent ) and that's where they get their bread and butter .

Internationally known makers don't bother with the locals as much.
The international market is more lucrative and are a lot less headache than dealing with the locals who come to the shop and waste hours and hours of time . I know of one great cue maker who still deals with the locals . I saw two of them was his WHOLE DAY. I kid you not . One came in for a re-tip and check on his cue in the making . One came in to kick tires and consult with the maker about HIS GAME. I wanted to kick him in the knee so he'd leave .

Also most competent maker really knows how he likes his cue anyway. He doesn't need as much feedback from players . I have a friend who is a very good player and has been dealing cues for two decades . He tells me what he thinks sells . I mostly brush off whatever he says . And I've told him flat-out, I have no use for his ideas .

 

[tommyhill]

little Alex wins the derby playing with an Arial Carmeli cue and now no one can keep them in stock, every body wants one. that's why cue makers sponsor popular players. When I played on the PBT and the Camel Pro Tour I was sponsored by Bert Schrager. I was never a world champion but I did have a couple of good years winning a few tournaments and I sold quite a few cues for Bert. now days there are so many great cues being produced by little known cue makers I do believe they should sponsor the town hero or league heavy hitter to endorse their cues. I have been talking with Leon Sly and he is going to sponsor my 15 year old son who competes nationally. I think that's a great idea for a good but smaller cue maker. take a chance on a kid who might grow up to be a champion and it only costs you a cue. my son is so excited ill bet he never plays with anything else so if nothing more happens leon has created a customer for life... and of course I had to order one too

 

[KRJ]

I was just thinking that if professional players can overcome most any idiosyncrasies of a cue, wouldn't the cue makers be better off sponsoring lesser players who can't overcome most any idiosyncrasies of a cue?

JoeyA

Joey, do you truly believe its the cue that is holding lesser players back? Or is it their poor mechanics, bad patterns, weak breaks, lack of safety play, mediocre banking and kicking skills, and just don't have the time, or inclination to practice more?

Heck, I've noticed the lesser players usually have some of the more expensive cues. And there is NOTHING wrong with that. Buy the cue you like if you can afford it. Some are real works of art. But the APA 4 that I know is playing with a COG, and he is not getting any better till he fixes his stroke. He just got it a few weeks ago.

Guy on my state team this year has won back to back ACS state titles. He plays with a low end Diveney butterfly SP with a Predator shaft.

 

[JoeyA]

If you're trying to suggest in any way that a "low end Diveney butterfly SP with a Predator shaft" is a piece of shit or even mediocre; well I'm not buying that.

Diveney has too many top players playing with his cues for anything of his to be mediocre. He knows how to build cues and so do a great many cue makers for that matter.

Some cuemakers are extremely anal about building cues and a few others could just as well be turning out wooden ashtrays, except that some people will pay decent money for mediocre product.

Of course lesser players are being held back because of all the things you mentioned. (That's there main problem) But I think that lesser players OFTEN know more about equipment than do some of the professional players. At least SOME of the lesser players know a LOT more about cue performance than do some of the professional players.

I think that lesser players come in a wide assortment and if the cue makers would listen to the "lesser players", they just might find a larger market because of the differing needs of the "lesser players".

Sure, some of the "lesser players" will have bogus claims but that can easily be debunked by the cue makers.

JoeyA

Joey, do you truly believe its the cue that is holding lesser players back? Or is it their poor mechanics, bad patterns, weak breaks, lack of safety play, mediocre banking and kicking skills, and just don't have the time, or inclination to practice more?

Heck, I've noticed the lesser players usually have some of the more expensive cues. And there is NOTHING wrong with that. Buy the cue you like if you can afford it. Some are real works of art. But the APA 4 that I know is playing with a COG, and he is not getting any better till he fixes his stroke. He just got it a few weeks ago.

Guy on my state team this year has won back to back ACS state titles. He plays with a low end Diveney butterfly SP with a Predator shaft.

 

[gregnice37]

Joey, I agree 100% with you, but I think the cue sponsors are close to even between pro's and us regular joes.

I know Diveney, Dunkel, Sly, Iorgov and a few others sponsor regular joes and up and coming juniors. I'm sure there are a ton of cues doing the same thing.

I don't see too many pro's sponsored by custom makers. I know Alex has AC, Efren uses a Diveney & Justin has a Lomax, but I really don't see many other pro's being sponsored. Yes, they may use other custom makers cues, but are they sponsored or where they bought. I know Emily uses a Klapp, Dawn Fox uses an AC but not sure if they were bought or sponsored.

So i'm going to assume that the sponsorship is about split between pro's and non pro's from custom cue makers.

I think the production cues favor only pro's and I really don't know any non pro's sponsored by the production companies.


On a personal note, I think it would be cool to be sponsored by a cue maker to show off and promote his product. The only problem I forsee is that I don't think it would help the cue makers sales in my area. I shoot in a league and every time I get a new custom cue in, I always bring it to league and show it to all the good shots. They all enjoy them immensely, but would never see them spending the money on one.


EDIT: I did forget to mention Bob Meucci, I think he sponsors the most pro's custom maker wise, but I also knows he does sponsor a couple non pro's too as well as up and comers. So he does both.

 

[KRJ]

If you're trying to suggest in any way that a "low end Diveney butterfly SP with a Predator shaft" is a piece of shit or even mediocre; well I'm not buying that.


JoeyA

Did I say it was a POS or mediocre but surely not the holy grail like that almighty SW (as the most recent thread on the subject seemed to say)

I would love to hear the feedback of these "lesser" players to the cue makers. I would then love to hear the cuemakers response back to the lesser player