What's Going On With Custom Cue Prices?
- Thread starter knifemakermike
- Start date
Learn What You Really Like Before Spending The $$$$$
I think every diehard pool player deserves to treat themselves to a custom cue made the way they want,
not the way the original owner ordered the custom to be made or the way that cue-maker decided to make
the cue. Cues, just like golf clubs, are better tools when tweaked to your preference because everyone is
different. That’s why loft and lie get fitted to your swing with all custom fit golf clubs. Don’t settle for some
other player’s specs when you get your first, and maybe only, custom made cue...Do it right the first time.
Matt B.
I think every diehard pool player deserves to treat themselves to a custom cue made the way they want,
not the way the original owner ordered the custom to be made or the way that cue-maker decided to make
the cue. Cues, just like golf clubs, are better tools when tweaked to your preference because everyone is
different. That’s why loft and lie get fitted to your swing with all custom fit golf clubs. Don’t settle for some
other player’s specs when you get your first, and maybe only, custom made cue...Do it right the first time.
Matt B.
If you're buying cues because you want a "tool" to play your best game with, or because you appreciate the history, craftsmanship, and artistry of the cue - then I think you're applying the correct approach.
If that is the case, you will find a maker or brand that you like, and is within your budget and enter the world of collecting. There's a cue at every price point for potential collectors. While doing so, you will stay in-tune with the values and become able to identify diamonds in the rough, and undervalued properties. If you're smart you'll snatch them up. I'm not a cue collector or cue speculator, but I like cues....and I don't pass up free money.
Many of the cue collecting diehards I know of amass large, wonderful, legendary collections because they love the cues they are buying....whether it's Meucci Originals or Szambotis. It doesn't matter to these guys if they happen to appreciate, well...because they aren't selling.
The newby flippers only in it for fast profits are the ones who might be in the wrong line of work.
If that is the case, you will find a maker or brand that you like, and is within your budget and enter the world of collecting. There's a cue at every price point for potential collectors. While doing so, you will stay in-tune with the values and become able to identify diamonds in the rough, and undervalued properties. If you're smart you'll snatch them up. I'm not a cue collector or cue speculator, but I like cues....and I don't pass up free money.
Many of the cue collecting diehards I know of amass large, wonderful, legendary collections because they love the cues they are buying....whether it's Meucci Originals or Szambotis. It doesn't matter to these guys if they happen to appreciate, well...because they aren't selling.
The newby flippers only in it for fast profits are the ones who might be in the wrong line of work.
My guess? Probably because cues are such a small (really small), niche market. There is very little liquidity and the market can be dominated by a a small group of cue market players, with low barriers to entry.
Eric
What's going on with custom cues as "playing" cues.....lol....something that needed to happen..... huge price drop!
Customs with elaborate this and that special made for "x". Well, that cue should cost accordingly.....but......when/if "x" sells said cue.....lol......huge price drop!
It's about time!
EXACTLY!!!!!
Niche market for custom cues is getting smaller everyday.
Everytime and older player dies....well, that's one less person in that niche market to buy a cue.
It's simple, the pool mass nowadays play with production cues. I dont blame them since a few hundred dollars buys what would cost a few K in a custom.
If I had thousands of dollars tied up in custom cues I wouldn't like the way things are going either but, what I/you feel/thinks will not change the fact that production cues are stomping the hit out custom cue makers.
Having said that.....I'll be the first in line to buy a good custom cue at good prices. Lol....good prices is where we lose most resellers....lol...
I'm off the crack, well.... at least one of them
Same here!
Stopped chasing one of them. But damn, the other type crack will always have me wondering.
There's NOTHING simple about LOGIC! Maaman...
Or the first 8 times....
Always love your cues. I wouldn't want to have to buy them but they shownuff... pretty as hell.
People are stubborn and don't want to accept the fact that a cue is not worth as much as they paid for it. Some would rather sit on a cue instead of sell it at a loss.
The people who have all these cues are not hurting for money either. If they were, then they would keep lowering the price until it sells.
Maybe the cue holds sentimental value, so they will hold onto it until they get what they want for it. I have a cue like this. It would take a very big number to get the cue into someone else's hands. I probably wouldn't even sell it then.
You make knives from start to finish or do you put custom stone handles on production knives?
Howdy All;
Awhile back, last year, I had a conversation on a different forum with a guy that was
starting out in the cue making 'biddness'. He's being mentored by 1 or 2 experienced
makers and when I asked what kind of prices he was going to ask ... well let's say the
prices he stated were including a comma to the left of the dot as in $x,xxx.00. Now,
what he was showing in photos sure looked nice, very nice, but, I don't see why he
should be commanding as much as he thinks he should. Granted the start-up costs and
materials are a huge hit to his wallet but why does he think he should get it all back
from the first 2 or 3 buyers??? His product had zero reputation at the time and as far
as I know is still refining his style.
Inflation is a ***** and every time the minimum wage gets raised UP go ALL the prices.
hank
Awhile back, last year, I had a conversation on a different forum with a guy that was
starting out in the cue making 'biddness'. He's being mentored by 1 or 2 experienced
makers and when I asked what kind of prices he was going to ask ... well let's say the
prices he stated were including a comma to the left of the dot as in $x,xxx.00. Now,
what he was showing in photos sure looked nice, very nice, but, I don't see why he
should be commanding as much as he thinks he should. Granted the start-up costs and
materials are a huge hit to his wallet but why does he think he should get it all back
from the first 2 or 3 buyers??? His product had zero reputation at the time and as far
as I know is still refining his style.
Inflation is a ***** and every time the minimum wage gets raised UP go ALL the prices.
hank
So why have 90% of collectibles fallen in price, some up to 80% or so, in the last 10-12 years? Not to mention, the best economic minds currently think we don't have enough inflation. We have less than 20-30% of what we had at times during the 70's/80's
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I think the collectibles side of cue collecting will always have a following. Players generally don't collect cues. Also, I haven't heard of anyone collecting Revos. They play with a Revo shaft on whatever cue it will fit on. I think many collectors start out playing and enjoying pool as a hobby, then they join a league and maybe start to compete as they get better and buy a cue along the way. Lets call it their starter cue. For me it was a Meucci in 1983. Continued to progress in the game and started to notice cues other "players" were shooting with. Started to go to tournaments where nobody played with anything off of the wall. The cues of the time were Meucci, Viking, Palmer, McDermott, Joss, and Schon was just coming out. There were custom cues out there, but in my neck of the woods there were no cuemakers. Probably the closest was Mike Johnson (Jensen) cues in Baton Rouge, and he was relatively unknown at the time. People back then would start collecting more intricate cues by these lower end production makers or switched to a "higher end" production cue. At that time, it was Joss and Schon, and Schon was the Mack Daddy cue to own. I amassed a few of each then one day came across a guy in Dallas who had a really beautiful cue. Wanted to trade him for it, and when he told me it was a custom by Richard Black, I had no idea who that was and turned down the offer of a straight up trade for it with my Joss 4 pointer with inlays, by this time Joss had transitioned to CNC. Over the years I have tended to buy lower end production cues, then do a small bundle trade up for a nice custom, then bundle up 2-4 customs for something high end that I really like. 25 years later I am good. I have always kept up with market value on ebay and the internet in general. AZ has been great for that as well. Met some great people along the way. I have only lost money when selling/flipping cues 3 times. I have kept track of what I have owned/traded, etc. on a spreadsheet. That spreadsheet shows a total of 312 cues I have owned, sold, and/or traded; and my current stable consists of about 50 cues and a dozen cases. If I were to list and sell everything I have (some cues I have owned for over 15 years), I know I would not be at a loss compared to what I have into them, and I was buying to keep when the market was high (early to mid 90's). Just depends on what you by, not necessarily when. Sorry for the long post, but that is my take on the cue collecting market from my personal perspective. Most people consider playing cues separate from collecting. If you buy what you like you will always be a winner.
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Yeah, those stamp collectors are really rolling in it right now.
At least they can use the stamps for postage :grin-square:
knifemakermike
Registered
I make them start to finish, knife modders make "stone handles" on production knives. Even though there is a trend of fake makers that have knives made for them and only do "finish" work.. which would be a modder.
As a former custom knife collector, this statement is partly correct. An example, AgRussell knives has a standing order for a certain number of every Randall knife that leaves their shop (I get that they are not true custom and they use a "team approach") They will then sell those knives for a hefty profit. But they will tell you, yes, you can get this knife cheaper from the maker, but you will have to wait for on their waiting list (5 years last I heard).
But a major problem with custom knives, for me at least, is that it seems every new maker, regardless of rep., experience, training, etc. several years ago started pricing basic, entry level knives at the same price point of more established makers. Something is off when a new maker whether it be by grinding, CNC, or forging, charges the same price you can get a custom Dozier or Bob Loveless.
And as I imagine is true with cues, production knives got much better. Is there a maker who can make a frame lock knife with the same precision and tolerances of a Chris Reeve production knife? Can a custom cue maker make functionally better cue than Mezz can?
When you get into cues ordered to your exact specs, then that is really a different category than many "custom cues" discussed on here.
When the knifemakers (not custom but better stuff) started outsourcing to China, I bought a bunch of 'Made in America's' maybe 10 years or so ago thinking they would increase in value. Probably have 2-300 of them easily.
If i sell them one at a time, after fees, postage etc,l i wont even break even. My heirs will probably wind up selling them for $5 apiece at a yard sale and prrobably not sell out either!.
Now my Firby's on the other hand........ (just kidding)
Even my favorite alternte investment has done nothing
Thankfully my orthodox investmeents have worked out well.
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