Pete Tonkin Screwed Me

[subdude1974]

I am not one that complains but i cant let this go. Pete Tonkin absolutely screwed me.

Pete was needing money to pay for some treatment for his wofe and offered a cue to me that was near completion. Even hadbthe inlays cut. I paid him for the cue as well as adding on his silver lattice in the handle. I was told it was near completion. July it wasmt ready. “It will be ready in a few weeks.” 6 weeks later still not done. October, still not done. Was told i would get it at the first of the year. That didnt happen. After a couple more stints of waiting, i tell him to return my money if he cant get it to me soon.He tells me he will give the money back. On June 14 i ask about the cue again. Finally on July 6 he refunds me money. I wasnt happy but i needed the cash. Then low and behold, as i am still waitingnon the refund to clear, which as of now it atill hasnt, i see he sold, shipped, and the cue was received by another person. In other words, the cue I paid for 21 months ago was READY and COMPLETED when he refunded me the money, but he finished the cue so he could make another $2500 off of it. Look at the last message. The cue he is gonna sell to refund my my moneynis the cue i had paid for. To think I actually shared intimate info with the man about my stepmother dying from pancreatic cancer and my wife passing away. Even messaged him just to ask how his wife was doing before i ever bought the cue. I thought he was a friend. Boy was i wrong.

 

[measureman]

You paid in full before getting the cue?
You should know better.

 

[Gatz]

You paid in full before getting the cue?
You should know better

Any cue I've ever bought I've always had to pay for it in full before I received the cue. I bought an Eddie Cohen, put a deposit down. When he said it was finished I had to pay the balance before he shipped it out.

 

[measureman]

Any cue I've ever bought I've always had to pay for it in full before I received the cue. I bought an Eddie Cohen, put a deposit down. When he said it was finished I had to pay the balance before he shipped it out.

Thats fair to do,pay deposit and pay the balance when finished and ready to ship.
Paying in full before it's complete is a big no no for anything that has to be made or built.

 

[subdude1974]

You paid in full before getting the cue?
You should know better.

It was a specialnoffer. He needed the cash at the moment and he offered a deep discount on the cue if i could pay him immediately. I was supposed to make moneynon the cue, instead he kept my money for 20 months, sold my cue to someone else so he could make more money on it. I know for a fact that he made an extra $2500 selling to them.

 

[Kickin' Chicken]

It was a specialnoffer. He needed the cash at the moment and he offered a deep discount on the cue if i could pay him immediately. I was supposed to make moneynon the cue, instead he kept my money for 20 months, sold my cue to someone else so he could make more money on it. I know for a fact that he made an extra $2500 selling to them.

You said in your first post that “l thought he was a friend. Boy was I wrong”

You were aware his wife was sick and needed some sort of treatment and so you gave him much less $$$ than the cue was worth thinking it was almost ready and that you could make a score but Pete Tonkin strung you along you say until you asked for your money back and so he did give it back then according to you he sold the cue for $2500 more than he was selling it to you for. Did i get sll that right?

If i did get it right l think there’s a lot of room for examination on both sides regarding the definition of “friend”

Jmo

 

[Texas Carom Club]

You said in your first post that “l thought he was a friend. Boy was I wrong”

You were aware his wife was sick and needed some sort of treatment and so you gave him much less $$$ than the cue was worth thinking it was almost ready and that you could make a score but Pete Tonkin strung you along you say until you asked for your money back and so he did give it back then according to you he sold the cue for $2500 more than he was selling it to you for. Did i get sll that right?

If i did get it right l think there’s a lot of room for examination on both sides regarding the definition of “friend”

Jmo

says in the first sentence of the paragraph he was offered a cue by the seller

 

[subdude1974]

says in the first sentence of the paragraph he was offered a cue at a discount by the seller

Exactly. And the friend aspect came through all our conversations that took place over the 20 months. Truth of the matter is Pete never made good, and after telling me countless times the cue was shipping in a week, he never did. And low and behold, the cue is finished, sold, shipped, and received by new customer for more money while i am still waiting for my refund to clear. If you dont think that is dishonest and shady then you need to reexamine your morals.

You said in your first post that “l thought he was a friend. Boy was I wrong”

You were aware his wife was sick and needed some sort of treatment and so you gave him much less $$$ than the cue was worth thinking it was almost ready and that you could make a score but Pete Tonkin strung you along you say until you asked for your money back and so he did give it back then according to you he sold the cue for $2500 more than he was selling it to you for. Did i get sll that right?

If i did get it right l think there’s a lot of room for examination on both sides regarding the definition of “friend”

Jmo

He actually made the offer open on facebook amd another person took the same offer. His cue was delivered in August of 2022.

 

[Thecoats]

From my perspective it definitely looks like you got played. Thanks for the heads up.

-don

 

[Z-Nole]

If you’re a friend be glad he got the extra money. Sounds like he needs it. Of course that’s only if you get your money back.

I assume you at least paid $1000 or so, right? Is that really a $3500 cue? I’m not familiar with that maker so I could be way off, but it doesn’t look that nice to me.

 

[Texas Carom Club]

If you’re a friend be glad he got the extra money. Sounds like he needs it. Of course that’s only if you get your money back.

I assume you at least paid $1000 or so, right? Is that really a $3500 cue? I’m not familiar with that maker so I could be way off, but it doesn’t look that nice to me.

3500 is cheap for a tonkin with that kind of work in it, can double easy

 

[subdude1974]

If you’re a friend be glad he got the extra money. Sounds like he needs it. Of course that’s only if you get your money back.

I assume you at least paid $1000 or so, right? Is that really a $3500 cue? I’m not familiar with that maker so I could be way off, but it doesn’t look that nice to me.

I paid $4000 which was a big discount. Pete said this would retail for $10k. The lattice in the handle goes for $2k by itself.

 

[subdude1974]

3500 is cheap for a tonkin with that kind of work in it, can double easy

Exactly. I was gonna make money on the cue. Instead, he never delivered the cue hut sold it for $2500 more. Then used yhe money he got from selling it to refund me. Which i al still waiting for it to clear.

 

[Z-Nole]

I paid $4000 which was a big discount. Pete said this would retail for $10k. The lattice in the handle goes for $2k by itself.

Damn. That's serious money. Wasn't aware...thanks.

 

[subdude1974]

To be truthful, he was never gonna finish the cue. He used my money as an interest free loan. Cue was supposed to be ready over a year ago. With many promises of shipping in the next week, weeks, end of the month. Then low and behold as soon as i say refund me, he finishes the cue within 2-3 weeks and sells it for more. Sorry ass.

 

[jasonlaus]

To be truthful, he was never gonna finish the cue. He used my money as an interest free loan. Cue was supposed to be ready over a year ago. With many promises of shipping in the next week, weeks, end of the month. Then low and behold as soon as i say refund me, he finishes the cue within 2-3 weeks and sells it for more. Sorry ass.

I wouldn't have posted this till the $$$ cleared, a guy that pulls that shit will definitely stiff you on the refund.

Good luck

 

[8-ball Rat]

Hope he, at least, took you to dinner and a movie, first....

 

[R2PQZ]

You paid in full before getting the cue?
You should know better.

Times have changed. In the early 80s a regular in the pool hall asked which cue to buy as an investment. I told him Szamboti. He called Gus and ordered a cue. Gus told him he would call when the cue was ready. Eight months later Gus called him to say the was done. He told Hugh he would ship him the cue, and when he received it please send a check for $275.00. This was for a 4 point ebony cue with veneers and 2 shafts. Will never forget this. Roger Pettit

 

[Hungarian]

I would say just try to look at it as if you loaned a friend in dire need some money interest free. Perhaps he was not is his best frame of mind with his wife's medical issues.

 

[7stud]

You said in your first post that “l thought he was a friend. Boy was I wrong”

You were aware his wife was sick and needed some sort of treatment and so you gave him much less $$$ than the cue was worth thinking it was almost ready and that you could make a score but Pete Tonkin strung you along you say until you asked for your money back and so he did give it back then according to you he sold the cue for $2500 more than he was selling it to you for. Did i get sll that right?

If i did get it right l think there’s a lot of room for examination on both sides regarding the definition of “friend”

Jmo

Friend, enemy, acquaintance, girlfriend, boyfriend, co-worker, ex-wife, whatever....if you agree to sell something to somebody, and they pay you, then you owe them the item.