Are pawn shops worth it?

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sifu

Registered
Is it worth it to patrol pawn shops for a possible under-priced quality cue? I suspect they don't deal in many quality cues, and if they do, they probably know what they have. Just curious what other people's experiences are.

Follow up question, I haven't ever really followed cue makers much, is there a good resource for being able to recognize some of the better customer cue makers?
 
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CocoboloCowboy

Cowboys are my hero's
Silver Member
Any decent Pawn Broker worth their salt is an expert at knowing, or find out the value of items for sale.

People I know who find thing of value for cheap, hit Thrift Stores, were people donate stuff.

Friend found a "George Case 1 X 2", like new for $7.00, clerk said today is 20% off everything, so the case was under $5.00.

Goodwill find.

Also hit Garage Sales, people have just for sale cheap, and sometimes you will find a gem. Krazy stuff.
 
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gogg

gogg

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I have bought several nice cues in pawn shops. The brokers around here don’t like to loan on cues, so they don’t seem to know values very well... my first Mezz came in a JB case w we 900 shaft for 250$
 
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Geosnooker

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Pawn shops are hit and miss. They don’ want to carry inventory so you can definitely get a better deal rather than new,

Best place to cruise are thrift stores. I have about 40 cues and never paid more than $15 for one,...and that one only because it had a brass eagle butt. Our nearby Value Village sells all cues for 9.99. Could be a $1000 cue or $ 20 cue. Cues with cases usually $20 or $25. Last week I snagged a Marvel Spiderman cue and case...Made by Dufferin. I’ll give it to a friend for his grandson.

In addition to cues, I also get ball sets. Usually about $15 or so but they vary. I collect older balls and Always on the look out.
 
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goin2bepro

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Traded a faded Meucci that I got fo $80 and $170 cash for a custom with 4 shafts and a tooled case one time. I think I made out on that deal.
 
Chili Palmer

Chili Palmer

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I just picked up an older Joss for $100. It's beat up but once finished I'm hoping to resell for $200.

They had a Mali but wanted too much for it for the condition it was in.

25 years ago I purchased a Huebler at a local cue shop for $150, 30 days later I bought an identical cue for $60 at a pawn shop, sold it to my buddy for $60 and he still plays with it today.

Pawn shops are hit and miss.
 
mikemosconi

mikemosconi

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
For more than 25 years one hobby i have enjoyed is tag sales, estate sales, garage sales, thrift, antique, and pawn shop picking for items of all types for resale and personal enjoyment- including billiard related items. I had scored on billiard items at times in pawn shops- but in the age of the internet it is more difficult to find true treasures at way below market prices in pawn shops. Pawn shops, of all the above listed places to "find" real deals- are the most profit motivated venue in which "pickers/hunters" search for hidden treasures at great prices.

So the Pawn shop owners are the least likely to severely underprice something or fail to identify an item of value- as one other mentioned- pawn shops offer the possibility of good used prices on cues; but less likely to find a hidden gem.
 
alstl

alstl

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Yes it is worth it - at least where I live it is. I found an nice D series McDermott a few years ago and made a nice profit on it.
 
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Geosnooker

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Ken_4fun said:
I think the finding is more of hobby than the "goldmine" you find.

Ken
Click to expand...

Agree. We are rather well off but I’m old school... Collected pop bottles, had a paper route, etc.

I wouldn’t miss $1000k from my bank balance but still walk to the other end of the mall where beans are 25 cents less a can.

I just enjoy thrift stores. It’s the anticipation of the hunt when I walk over To the tool and sporting goods section. I snagged a collector’s fishing reel last week for $4...don’t need ‘another’ antique reel but can’t resist. Might be worth $125 or so but rather give it away to some fishing buddy.
 
Z

Z-Nole

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Geosnooker said:
Agree. We are rather well off but I’m old school... Collected pop bottles, had a paper route, etc.

I wouldn’t miss $1000k from my bank balance but still walk to the other end of the mall where beans are 25 cents less a can.

I just enjoy thrift stores. It’s the anticipation of the hunt when I walk over To the tool and sporting goods section. I snagged a collector’s fishing reel last week for $4...don’t need ‘another’ antique reel but can’t resist. Might be worth $125 or so but rather give it away to some fishing buddy.
Click to expand...

What kind of reel? I didn't really realize there's a .market for old reels, my wife went back to school and I probably have enough old stuff in the garage to pay a semesters tuition.
 
lakeman77

lakeman77

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Guys who run pawn shops are smart. It's a hard business. They all have the internet. They know how to use it better than you or I. Look for fun but the juice has gone out of it.
 
Black-Balled

Black-Balled

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Dollars are use for buying thigs and out fun because their just pauper bit agreed values. able

CocoboloCowboy said:
Any decent Pawn Broker worth their salt is an expert at knowing, or find out the value of items for sale.

People I know who find thing of value for cheap, hit Thrift Stores, were people donate stuff.

Friend found a "George Case 1 X 2", like new for $7.00, clerk said today is 20% off everything, so the case was under $5.00.

Goodwill find.

Also hit Garage Sales, people have just for sale cheap, and sometimes you will find a gem. Krazy stuff.
Click to expand...
 
classiccues

classiccues

Don't hashtag your broke friends
Silver Member
Pawn shops now think they are Walmart. You may get a good buy, but you'll have to work for it. I always look cues, guitars and amps, and they are usually right in the hi end of Reverb pricing. (Guitar sales sight)

My usual question is is this a Pawn Shop or Guitar Center? For that money I expect a very low setup, and non scratchy pots on any amp I buy.

But go to the Pawn shop with low expectations....

JV
 
PDX

PDX

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
The last good cue I got at a pawnshop was probably a Schon for $100. Before that was a Scruggs for $40. An original meucci in a centennial for $170 was cool as I sold the Meucci for $325 a few days later and kept the case. Realistically, few and far between. You need to go everyday to find a score. I’ve got better scores on guitars, Watches and amps at pawnshops versus pool cues.

Guitars:
American strat $235
Gibson J45 $400
5 different real martins, ie standard series, between $225 to $550
Dean prototype $35
A few Standard Les Pauls for $700
Too many to really recall. Way more people play guitar than pool.
 
J

Johnson

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I don't really mess with pawn shops but have a 1000+ trips to thrift stores each year. I buy and resell shoes, clothes, accessories, sporting goods and electronics and I've never found a cue in 5-6 years that would sell for over $30. In that same amount of time I've found 100+ tennis rackets that would sell for $25+ and 10,000+ other items that will sell for $20+. I have found 3 or four low end single cue cases (no name brands) and I did find one set of aramith balls but they have yellowing. I found a new APA polo shirt that I sold and a few other pool clothing items most of which I gave away.
 
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