Cue makers whose brand value has decreased the most..

Bavafongoul

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I think cues made by the cue-makers that have suffered reputation damage from their abysmal behavior
and literally larcenous acts based upon undisputed complaints publicized on this Forum and elsewhere lost
a great deal of appeal. Consequently, it has depressed overall interest and demand reducing market value.
 

TATE

AzB Gold Mensch
Silver Member
The McDermott Masterpiece cues. $6,500 but it does come with 2 shafts, looks like
a copy of a Filipino cue.

http://www.mcdermottcue.com/m9m6.php

The original ones sold for $3,000 but lost two thirds of their value out the door.
 
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cubswin

Just call me Joe...
Silver Member
Wheat, Robert Harris, Krown, and more than a few others have gone down due to the makers attitudes toward customers.
 

Kobachi

Scarred but Smarter
Kevin Varney (RIP) I remember had a rough go for a while, not delivering after promising. I also want to say it was during that time when AZ was still allowing cuemakers (or cue sellers) to use the “raffles” in the for sale section.

Who remembers those? They were fun, I won a couple. But I want to say that Kev was listing too many raffles too often and got behind, and his reputation took a crap.

I believe he recovered from that shortly before he tragically died. He put out a bunch of cues that were owed to people...and then he was gone.

Not sure how the above affected his cues values. I have one of his break cues and it is a sledgehammer. The finish could’ve been better (started crazing).
 

cuesblues

cue accumulator
Silver Member
Kevin Varney (RIP) I remember had a rough go for a while, not delivering after promising. I also want to say it was during that time when AZ was still allowing cuemakers (or cue sellers) to use the “raffles” in the for sale section.

Who remembers those? They were fun, I won a couple. But I want to say that Kev was listing too many raffles too often and got behind, and his reputation took a crap.

I believe he recovered from that shortly before he tragically died. He put out a bunch of cues that were owed to people...and then he was gone.

Not sure how the above affected his cues values. I have one of his break cues and it is a sledgehammer. The finish could’ve been better (started crazing).

Kevin Varney cues have actually held their value.
The cues were only $400 to begin with, so there is not a lot of value up or down.
Compared to some of these internet cue builders out stealing money, Kevin was pretty good, and seemed like a good guy just under financed.
 

ideologist

I don't never exaggerate
Silver Member
I think cues made by the cue-makers that have suffered reputation damage from their abysmal behavior
and literally larcenous acts based upon undisputed complaints publicized on this Forum and elsewhere lost
a great deal of appeal. Consequently, it has depressed overall interest and demand reducing market value.

A succinct and relevant answer to the question
 

JusticeNJ

Four Points/Steel Joints
Silver Member
Kevin Varney (RIP) I remember had a rough go for a while, not delivering after promising. I also want to say it was during that time when AZ was still allowing cuemakers (or cue sellers) to use the “raffles” in the for sale section.

Who remembers those? They were fun, I won a couple. But I want to say that Kev was listing too many raffles too often and got behind, and his reputation took a crap.

I believe he recovered from that shortly before he tragically died. He put out a bunch of cues that were owed to people...and then he was gone.

Not sure how the above affected his cues values. I have one of his break cues and it is a sledgehammer. The finish could’ve been better (started crazing).

I remember those! I got a sweet 3 x 6 Instroke Leather case for $14 and a Schon STL4 for $11.

I remember the insane meltdown from BPG24 that nuked the raffles permanently too.
 

Snooker Theory

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Wheat, Robert Harris, Krown, and more than a few others have gone down due to the makers attitudes toward customers.

Those posts from Harris is why I wouldn't by a Sly or Diveney, initially didn't give much credence to what he said, but after Leon jumped on here and flipped out, and the screenshots posted, well, that sorta sealed the deal for me.
 

Buster8001

Did you say shrubberies?
Silver Member
I loved the raffles. I took home a Ron Thomas 1x2 for like $20 bucks. I was pissed about them being nixed.

I was sad to hear of Kevin's death. I don't necessarily think it was him, but his big-mouthed supporters that hurt his rep. He did get behind, but it was due to his illness and hospital stays. I could understand that. Then, like Kobachi said, he was just gone.

I've hit with one Varney player and one breaker. I would have definitely ordered one of each from him.

Josh
 

mikemosconi

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Scott Gracio comes to mind as a guy who made some fabulous looking and great playing cues, but he did not last long- I think he could have been on the top 5 list of all time if he stayed onboard- I own a box cue done by Gracio that is as nice in design and construction/finish as any custom cue I have ever seen and it plays better than any custom cue I ever owned- and I have owned some of the very best names. this cue is all ebony and ivory with an EE wrap- plays like a quiet symphony!
 

PRED

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Scott Gracio comes to mind as a guy who made some fabulous looking and great playing cues, but he did not last long- I think he could have been on the top 5 list of all time if he stayed onboard- I own a box cue done by Gracio that is as nice in design and construction/finish as any custom cue I have ever seen and it plays better than any custom cue I ever owned- and I have owned some of the very best names. this cue is all ebony and ivory with an EE wrap- plays like a quiet symphony!

c o r e d ?
 

Ken_4fun

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
This one is way too easy.

I paid a deposit on Showman cue and he never delivered it.

I defy someone could show me a cue that decreased in value more than that!

Ken
 

garczar

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Those posts from Harris is why I wouldn't by a Sly or Diveney, initially didn't give much credence to what he said, but after Leon jumped on here and flipped out, and the screenshots posted, well, that sorta sealed the deal for me.
Diveney? How did they get to be part of this? I've never heard one bad thing about Pat or his son. Great cues and stand up guys in my book. Also don't see any de-valuing of their cues.
 

Cadillac J

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
The McDermott Masterpiece cues. $6,500 but it does come with 2 shafts, looks like
a copy of a Filipino cue.

http://www.mcdermottcue.com/m9m6.php

The original ones sold for $3,000 but lost two thirds of their value out the door.

Regular production McDermotts have went up in MSRP over the last year or so, as I purchased my G513 for about $450 and it is currently at $612.

After falling in love with this mid-level McDermott, I used to drool over this one and was going to spend $860 to pick it up...but now it is $1,089.

https://www.seyberts.com/mcdermott-g902-pool-cue
 

jay helfert

Shoot Pool, not people
Gold Member
Silver Member
I actually bought Mikes last 5 cues. He made a very nice cue and they certainly decreased in value and now are getting hard to find for sale.

The cues Mike made personally with his real signature on them are great playing cues. They sold for $1,000 and more. Then he stopped making cues and licensed his name to some Taiwan company who put out a cheap line of Mike Sigel cues with his name stamped on each cue. Big difference! And it didn't do Mike's reputation any good either. He devalued the good cues he had made himself to make a few extra bucks by licensing his name. A very bad move imo.

I have an original Sigel cue he made for me close to 20 years ago. He made it to be a copy of his playing cue. I paid $1,600 for that cue and probably couldn't get $1,000 for it now. So I'll just hold onto it. :wink:
 

Snooker Theory

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Diveney? How did they get to be part of this? I've never heard one bad thing about Pat or his son. Great cues and stand up guys in my book. Also don't see any de-valuing of their cues.

So after the Hurricane, Robert Harris made a post on the ol facebook, on the post he said something about Sly, something to the effect of "no skill level, made a bunch of his cues, waiting to be paid", he mentioned two members from here(who have stellar Itrader), then in the comments of that same facebook post he also mentioned Diveney, saying he buys mitered boxes and other parts and was just an assembler, Diveney responded and said to Harris "drunk". Actually figured everything Robert said was BS,but then Sly came on here and flipped out, left the forums, and someone posted screenshots of conversation from sly, which looked like he admitted what Robert said was true.
 

brandoncook26

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I’ll add Bludworth to the list. I had a nice one that I ended up selling for like $250 with two shafts. Hell the shafts were probably worth as much as I could get for the whole cue! I think between the old man and the son and the attitudes it was hard for anyone to want to deal with him.
 
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