I think that the thread about LD shafts showed some considerable bias regarding custom cues. Almost like confirmation bias.
I have seen some custom cues that I absolutely hate the look of them. I would not pay a penny over material & labor costs for them & probably not even that.
That said, if in my hands it played noticeably better or exceptionally better than say a production Adam made when Helmstetter was there, how much value would I place on it? It might be invaluable to me or another.
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder & if one likes & wants a certain look then a custom cue may be the only way to go.
That said, how does one ever know how it will play until they get it into their hands? To me, that makes them a crap shoot for how they will play.
So... to me a custom cue is a personal thing & I do not see how one would or should hold or increase in value other than driven by the hype & the want of a potential buyer. Is it stamp or coin collecting or is about how well a cue plays?
Obviously I am not a collector or an investor. That said I have an Old Players, a Meucci Original, a Helmstetter Adam, & 1/2 dozen or so cheaper cues because I liked how they felt & played.
I regret that I do not have a certain production cue. When I was in the market for my first 2 pcs. cue I went to a local shop & after holding every cue in the place & 'trying' many, the only one that I really liked had pink accents on it. I left because I could not make myself buy a cue with pink accents. I decided that night, what the hell, & went back the next day to get it. It was not there & when I asked about it, the counter person told me that a little old man came in after I was there & he bought it. I wish I had that cue today. I don't know, but I have seen a couple of Adam cues with pink vaneers & it well could have been one but that may have even been before Adam was in business. I don't know.
A player in my area has a Jensen cue that I love how it looks. The owner has hit with my Helmstetter Adam & OB Pro & said it hit nearly the same as his Jensen with the Z2. They both have the same joint & are spiced.
Anyway, that's just my take & food for thought. I don't really get the market since playing the game is very personal & so is the implement IMO. That said, I would think that custom cues should play well but playing well is, as I said, a personal assessment & one will never really know until the cue is in hand.
There is no need to roast me at the stake, but informative info is certainly welcome.
Best Wishes 2 ALL.
PS The original George Balabuska was an Import. The man that is.