Pool Cues now made in China?

Pinocchio · Dec 23, 2006

?????????

I own zero Chinese pool cues but I would like to bet my house that over half of my cues were crafted on Chinese lathes. Oh by the way I use Sniper tips an have no idea where they are made. I would buy 100% American but its almost impossible to do.
Pinocchio

Craig Fales · Dec 23, 2006

If you buy one of my cues they are 100% American made....

________

cuejoey · Dec 23, 2006

People of the Republic of America now is the time to unite..everything anymore is made in China..Buy American..there are many fine American cuemakers..thank you for listening..i love lamp..Merry Christmas

Dr. Dissent · Dec 23, 2006

tedkaufman said:
I believe Lucasi cues are made in China. If they are, that's fine with me. I have a SP Lucasi for bar play and think it's an incredible value. Other Lucasi cues I tried were remarkably good for the money, too.

I purchased one several years ago and it had a tiny sticker saying it was made in China. There are some tiny flaws but it doesn't matter. Can't ask for more because they are affordably priced.

ratcues · Dec 23, 2006

I'm sorry but I beg to differ about the quality of import cues. I see hundreds of cues a month that come to me for repairs. I see all of the wonderful manufacturing techniques used. Buy an American cue. Its a few more dollars but worth it in the long run. I'd much rather have a plain jane American-made cue than the "inlays" in the imports.

Jack Flanagan · Dec 23, 2006

?? can't believe the cue snobbery on AZ and around the USA,,,sure it is nice to own a $1000+ cue, but the new blood/lifeline/new players coming up in the pool world, can't afford them,,,and just like the old joke about how a medium pizza and a pro pool player are alike (neither one can feel a family of four),,,most of the up and coming players will never be able to afford one...

GIVE IT A REST, my guess is that 90% of the cues in the USA are from China, Taiwan, and Japan,,,,most never bring up the question of a stick's origin; and if they did it is only to ask if they got it from wal mart or somewhere else ( there's even snobbery in the lower priced cues),,,I've even seen kids make fun of another's wal mart cue (they bought theirs from sears, so it must be better!)

if you have time to "beat up" someone over where they got their cue, search the net,,,lots of foreign sites that manufacture/sell cues,,,most of you would be surprised that Turkey, Afganistan, and others manufacture cues (high priced ones, at that)...

just my night before, night before Christmas rant !,,,,,,,,,,

CUE SNOBBERY; BAH HUMBUG........ J

StevenPWaldon · Dec 23, 2006

tap tap tap

Everyone here seems to be comparing apples to oranges. You can't honestly compare an inexpensive import to an expensive domestic product and then discount the imported cues based not on their own merit.

And has been mentioned earlier, Lucasi is manufactured in Taiwan. Poolsleuth, is that one of the third world countries you mention? Their eyes are funny and they have different colored skin, so it may fit your definition. Regardless, pros like Buddy Hall and recent Artistic Pool World Champion Tom Rossman seem to be doing fine with these 'cheap' Taiwanese cues.

Jack Flanagan said:
?? can't believe the cue snobbery on AZ and around the USA,,,sure it is nice to own a $1000+ cue, but the new blood/lifeline/new players coming up in the pool world, can't afford them,,,and just like the old joke about how a medium pizza and a pro pool player are alike (neither one can feel a family of four),,,most of the up and coming players will never be able to afford one...

GIVE IT A REST, my guess is that 90% of the cues in the USA are from China, Taiwan, and Japan,,,,most never bring up the question of a stick's origin; and if they did it is only to ask if they got it from wal mart or somewhere else ( there's even snobbery in the lower priced cues),,,I've even seen kids make fun of another's wal mart cue (they bought theirs from sears, so it must be better!)

if you have time to "beat up" someone over where they got their cue, search the net,,,lots of foreign sites that manufacture/sell cues,,,most of you would be surprised that Turkey, Afganistan, and others manufacture cues (high priced ones, at that)...

just my night before, night before Christmas rant !,,,,,,,,,,

CUE SNOBBERY; BAH HUMBUG........ J

curly · Dec 23, 2006

Retail prices don't reflect the labor costs

PoolSleuth said:
Too BAD all the Products that are Made in China do not refelect the price of Chineese Labor.

Tap,tap,tap....you're 1 million percent right!! That's probably they're profit making on what they sell for and what they pay for labor. Materials are very resonable and so are labor costs but the retail costs which seem reasonable are very high percentage-wise! I recall buying a GE coiled flourescent light bulb many years ago at Sams Club for almost $14. Then I read on the label that it was made in Peoples Republic of China. Wow, the profit on that lamp was astronomical to say the least. The B.S. that we're told is to keep the cost of products competetive but I think higher profitability is the real reason.

elvicash · Dec 23, 2006

I would pay more for a cue, light bulb etc to buy American. We have higher labor costs. High labor costs means they will usually spend more money on raw materials as well

No matter who makes the product I purchase I ultimately want to purchase Quality

X Breaker · Dec 23, 2006

elvicash said:
I would pay more for a cue, light bulb etc to buy American. We have higher labor costs. High labor costs means they will usually spend more money on raw materials as well

No matter who makes the product I purchase I ultimately want to purchase Quality

If we don't support American cue makers, a few years' later, most of our cues will be made in China in the same factory under different brands. We will then have no one to blame but ourselves.

Pool cue making is a part of the American history, I agree that quality does not come cheap, and it is up to the consumers to spend their money on those who build quality products so they can continue to do so.

A cue made in the USA usually has a higher resale value than one made overseas, although it is more expensive to buy.

Just my 2 cents,

Richard

will8834 · Dec 23, 2006

The major problem in my opinion with industries moving there operations to China is they are fueling the the chinese military. The bulk of the profits from industries in china go to funding there military and not to feeding there people. This is one reason I feel china should never receive favorite trade nation status.

Jack Flanagan · Dec 23, 2006

X Breaker said:
If we don't support American cue makers, a few years' later, most of our cues will be made in China in the same factory under different brands. We will then have no one to blame but ourselves.

?? not later, now !..........just looked at a Cuestix Intl catalog, only 4 out of 17 branded cues from this company alone are USA made,,,,the rest :China, Taiwan, Japan,,,,,

not knocking their products, just stating the facts,,,,and I can guarantee that those 4 brands (Joss, McDermott, Schon & Viking)make up less than 10% of their total stick sales; I'm talking volumn, not dollars...

just got in from shooting pool; used two sticks from my bag tonight : a Lucasi sneeky with a 'smart shaft' and a Mike Erwin (apprenticed under Meucci),,,,only 1 of 4 in my bag is USA made and it's a matter of economics,,,,,,,,JMHO

bandido · Dec 23, 2006

PoolSleuth said:
Too BAD all the Products that are Made in China do not refelect the price of Chineese Labor.

It actually did but the selling price that you're complaining of is after the US Importers' mark-up. This mark-up is what goes back into the US Economy.

You really can't put blame on the Chinese Manufacturers nor the US Importers. Labor Expense has always been the tricky part of running a business. When another slice is added to the pie and causes the Product Sales Volume figure to decline that has to affect an expense area of the manufacturing. And more often than not, it's the Labour expense part.

US Manufacturers needed to find a way to be competitive between themselves in order to offer or maintain the retail cost of their product that's acceptable to the buying public. If all of the products are forced to reflect the high cost of any manufacturing stage then the buying public may double-take on the decision to purchase or cry out for a wage increase to maintain their standard of living. A viscious, viscious cycle indeed!

Jack Flanagan · Dec 23, 2006

manwon said:
I recently re-wraped a Preditor 4K7. After removing the wrap, I found Chinese writing on the under wrap.

I read and write Korean, however, can not translate Chinese, however, I am familar with the text style and I am certain that it was Chinese.

Wow, I suspect that now that these cues are made in China, the prices should come way down.

Craig

who led you to believe Predators were ever made anywhere else except China ?.....lots of Chinese websites, check them out, lots of different brands have specific sticks mfg. in Japan, their complete line of cues are not all mfg. in the same place,,,just the facts; jack...

manwon · Dec 24, 2006

Jack Flanagan said:
who led you to believe Predators were ever made anywhere else except China ?.....lots of Chinese websites, check them out, lots of different brands have specific sticks mfg. in Japan, their complete line of cues are not all mfg. in the same place,,,just the facts; jack...

Well Jack, those are not the facts. All Predator cues are now made in China, and the difference between those cues and cues manufactured in Japan( All Adam Custom Cue Products) is that the Adam products are marked as such, and they are also advertised as such, since the 1970's.

While you are right, that not all products are manufactured at all times at one single location, there is no deception involved and know one has to guess where they are made, unlike other manufactures who play the guessing games about where their products are made and by the way also charge a great deal of money for products that cost little to make!!

Now those are the facts Jack!!

Merry Christmas

Manwon

Gerald · Dec 24, 2006

I was talking to a guy last night at Hard Times who now carries a line of cues made by a Taiwanese family. The cues are very impressive in their looks and hit amazingly well. He had one partially made cue that he was able to disassemble and what he called the "A" joint was all wood with a wood tenon. He said that they did have weight bolts. The kicker is that he says he can sell the cues for under a $100.00! The cues he showed me didn't have points but did have a butt design and 5 very nice rings. The family is comprised of a Grandfather, father 2 sons and a daughter and a few other workers who assist them. Quality of the wood is unknown but the quality of the cues beat the hell out of others that I have seen.

X Breaker · Dec 24, 2006

manwon said:
Well Jack, those are not the facts. All Predator cues are now made in China, and the difference between those cues and cues manufactured in Japan( All Adam Custom Cue Products) is that the Adam products are marked as such, and they are also advertised as such, since the 1970's.

While you are right, that not all products are manufactured at all times at one single location, there is no deception involved and know one has to guess where they are made, unlike other manufactures who play the guessing games about where their products are made and by the way also charge a great deal of money for products that cost little to make!!

Now those are the facts Jack!!

Merry Christmas

Manwon

I would like to point out that a cue built in Japan, such as a Mezz, is of very high quality. They were also in Vegas this year showcasing their cues. Mushashi sells their cues for over $1000+ and are getting lots of good reviews. Lots of pro players worldwide are using Keith Andy cues, which is a fine custom cue by any standards.

Unfortunately, not all Adam cues are built in Japan anymore.

I agree that some companies are trying to hide where their cues were built while others are very straight forward. I know some customers would certainly like to know this piece of information. Asking the customers to guess may seem like the company has something to hide.

In case anyone wonders, we build our cues with Samsara cues in North Dakota, USA, and then we install the tip and the leather wrap in Vancouver, Canada.

Richard

LWW · Dec 24, 2006

Jack Flanagan said:
most of you would be surprised that Turkey, Afganistan, and others manufacture cues (high priced ones, at that)...

just my night before, night before Christmas rant !,,,,,,,,,,

CUE SNOBBERY; BAH HUMBUG........ J

Turkey and Afghanistan are democracies and do not run their people down with tanks.

LWW

manwon · Dec 24, 2006

X Breaker said:
I would like to point out that a cue built in Japan, such as a Mezz, is of very high quality. They were also in Vegas this year showcasing their cues. Mushashi sells their cues for over $1000+ and are getting lots of good reviews. Lots of pro players worldwide are using Keith Andy cues, which is a fine custom cue by any standards.

Unfortunately, not all Adam cues are built in Japan anymore.

I agree that some companies are trying to hide where their cues were built while others are very straight forward. I know some customers would certainly like to know this piece of information. Asking the customers to guess may seem like the company has something to hide.

In case anyone wonders, we build our cues with Samsara cues in North Dakota, USA, and then we install the tip and the leather wrap in Vancouver, Canada.

Richard

Thanks for the information Richard, like I said above I am just tired of the deception in this market. Long term it will do no one any good, Richard I own a Billiard equipment retail store, a pool hall, and I build a limited number of conversion cues, along with many thousands of dollars monthly in cue repairs.

While some of these companies build a decent product most do not. The materials are substandard, especially the adhesives, which will break down in a short period of time, wraps come loose, butt caps come off, ferrules come loose, pins come out, and even forearms and the entire butts separate from the under wrap after the aluminum screws break.

I wish other retailers would step up and not be deceptive, it may not be good short term, but I think it would have a positive long term effect.

Merry Christmas and Happy New to you!!!

Manwon

buddha162 · Dec 24, 2006

will8834 said:
The major problem in my opinion with industries moving there operations to China is they are fueling the the chinese military. The bulk of the profits from industries in china go to funding there military and not to feeding there people. This is one reason I feel china should never receive favorite trade nation status.

LOL your cue money is fueling the Red Army!

Are you aware that China has had a free market/enterprise system for over 20 years now?

-Roger

Pool Cues now made in China?

AzB Silver Member

Registered bubinga user

25 mm chain guns matter

Best Doctor in Town

No yodeling, please.

P. T. Barnum was right !

AzB Silver Member

AzB Silver Member

AzB Silver Member

AzB Silver Member

Adcock Cues

P. T. Barnum was right !

Player Power!

P. T. Barnum was right !

"WARLOCK 1"

AzB Silver Member

AzB Silver Member

MEMGO5

"WARLOCK 1"

AzB Silver Member