Only to the buyer. All the theories on cue hitting, piloted steel being "dead". This is all just opinions. If the buyer likes 3/8 flat faced, for whatever his/her belief, then they will probably not like a steel jointed cue, so to them, it is a detriment and vice versa. Everything someone says regarding hit, is an opinion.
Example: I like iv. ferrules, 5/16-14 piloted joints, iv or steel, and they hit the best. See this is my opinion. That is the kind of cue "I" like. So at the end of the day, only the buyer's opinion, is going to make the cue more or less valuable.
That is my opinion.
JV