Scruggs Sneaky Price conspiracy!

[Shooter08]

Who pays $780 for a Scruggs butt with a non original unknown shaft. I’m seeing these listed from $1200 or so in places. Is someone trying to inflate the market? I thought $650 was high a year ago, personally. I have a friend with a Scruggs butt and not matching Scruggs shaft if anyone is interested in continuing the trend. Shooter08.

I’ve owned both a Scruggs and Frey sneaky and I liked them both but WOW!

 

[Shooter08]

Next a Satin will be 4k, I think they were 1500 when I joined AZ maybe less. These prices are nuts.

 

[Colonel]

Next a Satin will be 4k, I think they were 1500 when I joined AZ maybe less. These prices are nuts.

Perhaps, then again you’re a Schon aficionado of sorts aren’t you? I recently have seen older Schons at $2000 and higher for basically a production cue. Is there sanity in that? At the end of the day people like what they like and pay what they’re willing to pay for it.

 

[EasyMoneyIzzy]

Maybe someone who has a spare Scruggs shaft would want the butt only.

 

[LHP5]

Inflation. Everything is up. Schon STL1 basic birdseye Merry Widows were $475 10 or so years ago. In 2024? $836 from major retailers. Player production cues that used to top out $100 are now $180+. Entry level customs that used to start at $700 are now quoted at $1200-$1500 minimum. Smh but the cue world is pricing itself out.

 

[Shooter08]

Perhaps, then again you’re a Schon aficionado of sorts aren’t you? I recently have seen older Schons at $2000 and higher for basically a production cue. Is there sanity in that? At the end of the day people like what they like and pay what they’re willing to pay for it.

Runde Schons are getting up there for sure and Scruggs Cues have been and I have no issue. It’s the sneakies that are insane, people are way over paying for what they are. If they only new they were all for the most part built by Bob Frey, and they could get one of his for half the price,until he left and than another person not named Scruggs after. Cues by Tim and Mike are beautiful carry TS logos but several were sent out of the shop, down south, to another respected builder to do inlay work on them. Schon was no different than Scruggs in the beginning, Tim offered a brochure full of cues just like Schon did. Bob built every cue at Schon in those years, I am unaware of that aspect of Scruggs. Both builders are well respected and valued as they deserve.

 

[shooter_Hans]

Just don’t buy if you don’t like the prices. That’s what I do but this week I almost spent 6k on two cues. One I am contemplating on getting build but too long of a wait. Got pricing and design picked out.

One I like but I’m not so sure on price. It is getting out of hand. The one being built is reasonable due to builder and I will forget about cost by the time it arrives. Just not sure where I will be at in pool when the cue is done.

Scruggs sneaky Pete is controversial because if a sneaky is worth X amount then surely a 4 pointer is worth 5k lol. It’s dictating the prices because a sneaky is like a base model.

Not all Scruggs are the same. Some are old and look like a cheap cue. His later stuff with new techniques and material is worth the price it commands. His later stuff is like his cues entering the modern world and showing he is very capable of building a nice cue. His older stuff is a time warp of the past.

Look past the name and most vintage cues are horrible cues. Tell me a balabushka is worth it?

Look at young builders like Cohen and many unknowns out there. He’s making stuff that will blow away a lot of builders of the past.

Now do you want to say you paid 5k for a 2k cue but knowing if you spent that amount you will have a gorgeous cue built?

 

[axejunkie]

They have certainly appreciated in price, maybe 5% annualized over 10 years or so. But heavier appreciation with the inflation the last few years.

I think they have a reputation as some holy grail of playability, and thus are coveted. I have never hit with one. But I did sell a sneaky here a few weeks back in less than a few hours, which surprised me, as I thought it would take a few days. The point is, players love sneaky petes, and if a highly-valued maker's name is on one, it can fetch a big price.

 

[mikemosconi]

The current market on anything is always what a willing and able buyer will pay today. I paid $1100 about 3 years ago for an ivory jointed Scruggs SP in mint condition / I no longer own it - traded it away - but someone would pay more than that today for the very same cue - I’m sure - yes it played great.

 

[shooter_Hans]

They have certainly appreciated in price, maybe 5% annualized over 10 years or so. But heavier appreciation with the inflation the last few years.

I think they have a reputation as some holy grail of playability, and thus are coveted. I have never hit with one. But I did sell a sneaky here a few weeks back in less than a few hours, which surprised me, as I thought it would take a few days. The point is, players love sneaky petes, and if a highly-valued maker's name is on one, it can fetch a big price.

Come to think about it you are on to something.

These sneaky pete's are a relic of the past and it was made to deceit and deceive an opponent. There's a cool romanticism to the idea of old world hustling. Especially if made by a well known cue maker because today's well known cue makers will not make them. There is no market for them. People are not going to wait 18 months for a sneaky pete and being charged thousands for them. I suppose this allows them to be desirable today especially from a known maker.

I always equated sneaky pete as the very first cue, a cue maker would make. It's easy.

I have a sneaky pete that was made for me by a friend. His first and only. He doesn't make cues but he can say he made one. LOL

 

[mikemosconi]

I’ll add that 2 weeks ago I paid $425 for an ivory jointed - big pin ‘04 Jim Odom - Rambow/ Hoppe style SP - also in mint condition - with 3 shafts including a Predator Z shaft / this cue compares very favorably in hit to my former Scruggs SP.
So can one find Scruggs type playing cues at huge discounts to a Scruggs price? YES - but the market is still the market for many varied reasons.

 

[mikemosconi]

Was anyone Truly hustled bc of an SP? I doubt it - they are good bar cues and travel cues - and the better playing ones are fine on the big table too. I never met any player who lost money bc a guy had a SP and he thought the guy could not play - never!

They are more a cue of choice when one uses an SP in tight playing areas where a nice cue may get dinged around quite a bit, or when the worry about nicer looking cues walking off may occur, also most people today don't want to bring nicer cues into smoking environments esp. cues with linen wraps.

Come to think about it you are on to something.

These sneaky pete's are a relic of the past and it was made to deceit and deceive an opponent. There's a cool romanticism to the idea of old world hustling. Especially if made by a well known cue maker because today's well known cue makers will not make them. There is no market for them. People are not going to wait 18 months for a sneaky pete and being charged thousands for them. I suppose this allows them to be desirable today especially from a known maker.

I always equated sneaky pete as the very first cue, a cue maker would make. It's easy.

I have a sneaky pete that was made for me by a friend. His first and only. He doesn't make cues but he can say he made one. LOL

 

[Shooter08]

Was anyone Truly hustled bc of an SP? I doubt it - they are good bar cues and travel cues - and the better playing ones are fine on the big table too. I never met any player who lost money bc a guy had a SP and he thought the guy could not play - never!

You call that Sneaky, this is Sneaky?

McDermott “My Michelle” D8 Bar Beater

Better than a sneaky, put a rubber band on it for a case and keep it in your trunk. (Trunk storage not advised in extreme temp change environments) D8 model made from 1984-1990. Butt cap has several chips and some dings and is inscribed...

forums.azbilliards.com

 

[Shooter08]

They have certainly appreciated in price, maybe 5% annualized over 10 years or so. But heavier appreciation with the inflation the last few years.

I think they have a reputation as some holy grail of playability, and thus are coveted. I have never hit with one. But I did sell a sneaky here a few weeks back in less than a few hours, which surprised me, as I thought it would take a few days. The point is, players love sneaky petes, and if a highly-valued maker's name is on one, it can fetch a big price.

I have owned old Scruggs and a Frey sneakies and they both played fine. I know I will get hammered for this, but based on my memory, neither hit as well as the full splice maple/maple and coco/maple Jackpot sneakies that I have owned. Shooter08

 

[mikemosconi]

I have owned old Scruggs and a Frey sneakies and they both played fine. I know I will get hammered for this, but based on my memory, neither hit as well as the full splice maple/maple and coco/maple Jackpot sneakies that I have owned. Shooter08

My newly acquired Odom FS Maple ivory jointed cue hits as well as my former Scruggs ivory jointed SP too!

 

[Black-Balled]

Runde Schons are getting up there for sure and Scruggs Cues have been and I have no issue. It’s the sneakies that are insane, people are way over paying for what they are. If they only new they were all for the most part built by Bob Frey, and they could get one of his for half the price,until he left and than another person not named Scruggs after. Cues by Tim and Mike are beautiful carry TS logos but several were sent out of the shop, down south, to another respected builder to do inlay work on them. Schon was no different than Scruggs in the beginning, Tim offered a brochure full of cues just like Schon did. Bob built every cue at Schon in those years, I am unaware of that aspect of Scruggs. Both builders are well respected and valued as they deserve.

The one with Timmy s name on it is always gonna be on top.

 

[shooter_Hans]

I have owned old Scruggs and a Frey sneakies and they both played fine. I know I will get hammered for this, but based on my memory, neither hit as well as the full splice maple/maple and coco/maple Jackpot sneakies that I have owned. Shooter08

I'm actually looking for a Jackpot cue but it must have the Jackpot brand on it. I have read the story you told me about and love it!

Jackpot cue made by a Jack Potter? I must have one but it has to have the brand.

If anyone has one let me know.

 

[Shooter08]

They have certainly appreciated in price, maybe 5% annualized over 10 years or so. But heavier appreciation with the inflation the last few years.

I think they have a reputation as some holy grail of playability, and thus are coveted. I have never hit with one. But I did sell a sneaky here a few weeks back in less than a few hours, which surprised me, as I thought it would take a few days. The point is, players love sneaky petes, and if a highly-valued maker's name is on one, it can fetch a big price.

I have owned old Scruggs and a Frey sneakies and they both played fine. I know I will get hammered for this, but based on my memory, neither hit as well as the full splice maple/maple and coco/maple Jackpot sneakies that I have owned. Shooter08

I'm actually looking for a Jackpot cue but it must have the Jackpot brand on it. I have read the story you told me about and love it!

Jackpot cue made by a Jack Potter? I must have one but it has to have the brand.

If anyone has one let me know.

They don't exist. Lol. I know the ones I had were real, they came directly from Dean, ah lemme think about that for a minute. JK

 

[pwd72s]

Seem to me that Scruggs Cues have left the cue to play with world and entered the collector cues world. Happens in cars as well. Having owned 4 of them, I can assure you that the prices of early ('67-'73) 911 Porsches cannot be justified by the experience of driving one.

I haven't played with a Scruggs, but can't imagine them being so magical that you couldn't find an equally good playing cue for less.

 

[shooter_Hans]

I have a Scruggs story....a guy down on his luck in the early 2000's had a Scruggs. He said he paid $1200 for it and I remember it being a very nice looking cue. He offered to sell it to me for $500. He let me use it for a few days and I didn't like it. He had put a soft tip on it and I think that's the reason.

Anyways, it is crazy how much they demand. Like I said, his later work is the stuff that is worth every penny. The older stuff not so much. It's like he suddenly got modern equipment and started pushing his cues to another level.

You see that with a lot of cue makers. From their early stuff to their new stuff. It is on another level and that could be due to experience and newer equipment.

An example is Blackboar, their early cues which commands a high price, but is nothing special. Their current stuff is amazing. Therefore, its not wise to buy those early AS for thousands and thousands of dollars because of the current lineup.

It's like a top chef. He started off cooking shit sandwiches. Now that he is a famous renown chef, are you going to pay $100 for a ketchup and mustard bologna sandwich made by him?