Pete Tonkin is a Fraud

4

4railer

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I know all this has been discussed in length with in previous threads . I’ve personally know Pete since 2017ish . I’ve helped him out in the shop a bit in the past we’ve helped each other through the years . Having spent lots of hours with him I hear how he talks and thinks about his customers and fellow cue makers .


He doesn’t really care about any of his customers at all excluding J&J cues and some wealthy collectors and women he is trying to court . He purposefully holds back on customers who contact him about work in progress and also repairs (I’ve heard him say oh they called so their cue is going to the back of the shop ) . I paid in full over 6 years ago for a cue that was basically finished it just needed a day or two of work .


Countless excuses over and over . Bold face lies about what’s going on . After this much time has gone by and hearing how he handles his other customers I know I will never get what I paid for . He is cowardess a lair and a thief taking peoples money knowing full well he’s not going to deliver. He has lost all respect from locals in our area he only uses people to his benefit.


I hope people are aware of his shenanigans and do not buy from him . As good as a cue maker he is he doesn’t deserve to own a business doing so . There are so many similar stories about him out there .
 
yes much better to stick to modern production in 2024,
next gen youth on R&D, CNC tolerances, associated economies of scale influences, etc......
 
CanadianGuy said:
yes much better to stick to modern production in 2024,
next gen youth on R&D, CNC tolerances, associated economies of scale influences, etc......
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you make it sound like custom makers are hermits in caves with a lathe and a sharp knife. MOST MAKERS DO USE CNC in case you're wondering.
 
CanadianGuy said:
yes much better to stick to modern production in 2024,
next gen youth on R&D, CNC tolerances, associated economies of scale influences, etc......
Click to expand...

The problem with this assumption is that mass production often compromises some portion of the process in order to produce items faster.

In a custom shop, you have one guy who is choosing the wood, doing the inspection at every step, and putting his name on it.

In a production, you have several guys who can be replaced in hours, are there for a (small) paycheck, might not know anything about tolerances, and don't put their name on the cue.

I don't know what you think you know about production lines, or cuemaking, but CNC is not the path to a well built cue. It can certainly help, but it isn't some magical potion. In fact, CNC can be a huge problem when people rely on it and reduce QC inspections.

garczar said:
you make it sound like custom makers are hermits in caves with a lathe and a sharp knife. MOST MAKERS DO USE CNC in case you're wondering.
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Oh, and here I've been using a hand drill and a spatula. Huh.

Let's get this back on some sort of track.

Too many cuemakers have screwed over too many customers. I don't think this is a reason to stop getting custom cues--I love custom cues, I believe that a cue that someone loves, a prized possession, will make that person play better than any LD, CF, etc. will, just because of the care and pride they have.

I do believe cuemakers and cue buyers should learn a different lesson than, 'Don't buy a custom cue'. There are tons of cuemakers out there who will deliver the product they sell to the best of their abilities (shit happens, it's how they deal with it that counts). Some lessons (I'll rely on the reader to decide on who each lesson is for): Don't pay up front for work not done. Don't promise an unrealistic delivery date. Don't expect to jump the wait list. Don't let someone jump the wait list. Write some shit down--even if it isn't a notarized contract written by Dewey, Skruem, and Howe, write some shit down. In my professional life, I follow almost any phone conversation, meeting, or passing request with an email. This is so I don't forget, to clarify everything, and to eliminate much of the other person's ability to deny having the conversation. If you don't get a reply to the email, the builder/customer relationship should be terminated--that is not the way to start a project, it will only get worse from there.
 
I currently have 14 custom made cues, some to my specifications. Perhaps I am lucky but have never had the
slightest problem dealing with any of these cuemakers:
Larry Vigus
Bob Runde
Shelby Williams
John Nemec
Pete Tascarella
Ernie Gutierrez
Jerry Rauenzahn
I would have no problem giving any of them my recommendation
 
Terry Aeschliman said:
I currently have 14 custom made cues, some to my specifications. Perhaps I am lucky but have never had the
slightest problem dealing with any of these cuemakers:
Larry Vigus
Bob Runde
Shelby Williams
John Nemec
Pete Tascarella
Ernie Gutierrez
Jerry Rauenzahn
I would have no problem giving any of them my recommendation
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Cody Cash(PK Custom Cues) in Wichita is cut from same lumber. Great maker and all-around stand-up guy.
 
CanadianGuy said:
OP, it appears you knew the character of the seller and still proceeded

for everyone else,

production cues today are far better to actually play with, it's not even close

if you want shiny things to invest / collect / flip /...........get into watches
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No it took a lot of time to see this behavior. I held off on writing all this cause I had the slightest hope things would change . Every person has their idea of how different cues play . Pete’s cues play just as good or better than production cues . That’s just my opinion. But the true fact is production companies are sometimes easier to deal with .
 
maha said:
so if it only needed a day of work why didnt you just go pick it up since you hang around his shop or have him mail it to you.

there must be more about this than your cue.

and why do people still keep giving large deposits or full payment to someone who works out of their house and isnt even a business.

would you give a contractor full payment for work he hasn't even started yet.
p.t. barnum was dead on.
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It was 1k bucks and at the time that was easy to come by I had several opportunities to snag it with out him knowing . He would say things like oh I’m working on those shafts for your cue and then I would chicken out . Plus I always thought if I were to take it from his shop he would retaliate in a negative way . He would never let me just take it unfinished. When I gave him the 500 and then another 500 I didn’t know he was a con artist. Things progressed or time .
 
Zerksies said:
This is alot easier for you than others. You're local to the guy take him to small claims court. Get things notated with the police. Hopefully you kept some sort of receipt or proof that you gave him the money.
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Small claims court is so easy for him to not have to pay . There is no repercussions if he doesn’t pay up . I’ve spoken with sheriff’s office and attorneys. It’s a losing battle the only benefit would be that he would have to embarrassment of being sued . As long as he’s got J&J and a few high end collectors he doesn’t care about negative reviews. I can prove I paid him money but I can’t prove which actual cue is mine . He has many unfinished cues in the shop . It seems like small claims court is an easy way to handle it but it definitely is a losing battle. At this point I don’t want the cue or money I just want his character to be exposed .
 
if you win in small claims court you can put a lien on his car or house. and he can never sell it without paying it off with interest.
 
maha said:
if you win in small claims court you can put a lien on his car or house. and he can never sell it without paying it off with interest.
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Thats not really how it works in California it’s his word against mine . He would literally destroy that cue before he hands it over . He smashed a family members cue in pieces over an argument (his family member) . He does not let go of grudges.
 
well you arent getting anything from him anyway after calling him all kinds of things. so you might as well ask for your cue as is or you will sue. if not then you know you arent getting it back so it doesnt matter what happens to it.
and in small claims court the judge looks at the evidence not word against word. if you have proof you sent him the money and no cue back you will win. you need to get some real advice on how to handle things like this.

sounds like you think posting is going to do any good. and if its without any proof, what you are calling him can get you sued and rightly so, and you would lose.
and much more than in small claims court.
 
maha said:
well you arent getting anything from him anyway after calling him all kinds of things. so you might as well ask for your cue as is or you will sue. if not then you know you arent getting it back so it doesnt matter what happens to it.
and in small claims court the judge looks at the evidence not word against word. if you have proof you sent him the money and no cue back you will win. you need to get some real advice on how to handle things like this.

sounds like you think posting is going to do any good. and if its without any proof, what you are calling him can get you sued and rightly so, and you would lose.
and much more than in small claims court.
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Maybe you could do all the research I’ve already done . If you have a law degree then you could give some real advice. Pete would destroy the cue before giving to me . I don’t want payment or the cue . I want this behavior of treating people like this exposed . And you are helping by responding so thank you .
 
i am all for getting your cue back and having the matter ended. i hate what independent cue makers are doing to their customers. that's why i repeatedly say, buy from someone who actually has a store and business and not working out of their garage, and don't give more than a token payment to anyone in advance. if they wont do it find another.

any good cue maker can resell a cue if the customer doesn't buy it. also can get some money along the way to completion in stages with the bulk when finished.

some cue makers have good intentions but cant get things finished. so having the bulk of the money coming in when done gives them the initiative to do the work.
 
maha said:
i am all for getting your cue back and having the matter ended. i hate what independent cue makers are doing to their customers. that's why i repeatedly say, buy from someone who actually has a store and business and not working out of their garage, and don't give more than a token payment to anyone in advance. if they wont do it find another.

any good cue maker can resell a cue if the customer doesn't buy it. also can get some money along the way to completion in stages with the bulk when finished.

some cue makers have good intentions but cant get things finished. so having the bulk of the money coming in when done gives them the initiative to do the work.
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Your point about paying in full or large deposits is understood and I agree . Our situation is significantly different he and I were playing lots of 1pkt together and I was helping in the shop I saw that cue and he knew I loved it . He offered it to me for 1k and said we could work on it together. It’s not like most stories we hear . His shop is full of extremely high end equipment it’s not like he’s in a garage . It’s a learning experience for sure about people and about how to handle business.
 
It’s all right 4railer. I’m out $1000 on an electrician that never showed when we were getting our house rewired. He was a friend of a friend and just disappeared. We sent him $1000 deposit for materials. My buddy owns buildings and that was his electrician too. He can’t get ahold of him anymore either. You aren’t the only one out some $$$. Shit happens sometimes.
 
I have no dog in this fight and i personally think Tonkin cues to be more on the gawdy side for me, but if you knew his so well why would you pay him in full?
 
tabi1 said:
I have no dog in this fight and i personally think Tonkin cues to be more on the gawdy side for me, but if you knew his so well why would you pay him in full?
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I knew him for a few months (2017) then he asked me to help out in the shop . I saw the cue he asked me if I wanted it and I paid cause he said it’d be done soon the cue needs a day or two of work . As time went on I learned how he handles business.
 
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