I don’t think there’s anything mythological about a custom cues hit. I’ve played dozens of aftermarket shafts. They all played really good, but hit like crap.
I think a lot of players care more about ld performance.
Not only do you need a large initial investment, you need to maintain your machinery. That costs money. Cue parts also cost money… so does wood, space to store wood, having shop space to work, etc. Or did you think all those things were free?