A Masterful Cue Collaboration (Jerry Rauenzahn & Southwest Cues)

[or1pkt]

I used to own some Balabushkas with titleist Blanks
I owned Balabushkas with szamboti blanks
I owned some Balabushkas with Spain blanks


and I was happy to buy them knowing fully what they were

I knew what these are and I like them even more for the rarity

Once I talked to Barry and Jerry about doing something together like this
for one reason or another we didn't do it,now I wish I had

I like these projects,some people had a big thread of other cue makers who got together and had some fun

It is not the norm,but the exception,and that is what iI like about these

why would anyone feel a need to criticize a person for making,buying or selling anything they like?

If collectors find these as attractive as I do and the price soars,what would you think?

I see where Tascarella like to use original Balabushka parts on his cues ,nothing sneaky just fun,and I don't mind paying more to be part of that fun

You would be surprised how many cue makers bought Verl Horn points,some really famous cue makers,
Jerry Franklin,Craig Petersen,and several others,some of these are the most sought after of their works

Verl introduced me to tony at Gina while selling him parts

So as you can see,there is a long line of co operation among cue makers

And yet any one of these would be called 100% original,a real brand x

not that each part was made from scratch but the cue was finished and made ready and complete by Brand X

I am not being defensive,but I am explaining what we have here and why I called this cue 100% South West ,while at the same time acknowledging the fantastic contribution of my friend Jerry Rauenzahn

The cue is not on the market,I hope to keep it,but that doesn't mean I won't sell it
Before I opened the box I thought I would sell it for $16000 to Greg,but


Dennis Glenn the noted collector had seen it in Las Vegas at the south West Cue shop and he told me it was worth twice that , now

I think my reputation and practice has been to offer fair prices,many of you have thanked me
but I have the idea that this cue is so pretty that if I laid it aside for my daughter or grand kids,it might make their future more secure

What do you guys think? If it were your cue,would you sell it now,or hold for the future?

So you are saying the cue is valued at 2x 16k = 32k? And assuming that, your saying it would make for a "more secure future for grandkids" last I checked you can't pay for year of a college education for that. Just my opinion of course

 

[SSach]

Congrats Dean

I doubt many people would argue that this cue would be a premium compared to a 3hi 3 low Southwest cues (yes even Ebony on Ebony) currently on the market. I can only imagine how many SWC collectors would want to add this rare cue to their collection

The fact that you have the ability to get these collaborations into reality is truly special. Thanks for sharing.

Sanjay

 

[nick serdula]

Hay Deano

I doubt many people would argue that this cue would be a premium compared to a 3hi 3 low Southwest cues (yes even Ebony on Ebony) currently on the market. I can only imagine how many SWC collectors would want to add this rare cue to their collection

The fact that you have the ability to get these collaborations into reality is truly special. Thanks for sharing.

Sanjay

What he said.
Nick

 

[DJ66]

Dean, absolutely beautiful cue you have there! I wouldn't get rid of it for 10x the money, but if you decide you want to part with it, I know a guy with a striking -R- cue he might trade with you for!(lol).
I think Rauenzahn makes the best cues out there, but opinions do vary. This is just another testament to the amazing talent and workmanship Jerry puts into his cues, and the hit is just magical.

 

[skins]

What do you guys think? If it were your cue,would you sell it now,or hold for the future?

As a collector, what would interest me equally in a collaboration is both who finished the cue and what parts were provided and by whom. If this would have been a Szamboti, Searing, Scianella, Gutierrez, Schick, Tascarella, Herceck, Mobley, Manzino, or Kersenbrock blank for example THEN I would be VERY interested and inclined to keep it. My guess is it would most likely be worth more than a normal SW cue in the future most ( not an inlaid cue perhaps ). That said I would sell it now....

I doubt many people would argue that this cue would be a premium compared to a 3hi 3 low Southwest cues (yes even Ebony on Ebony) currently on the market. I can only imagine how many SWC collectors would want to add this rare cue to their collection

The fact that you have the ability to get these collaborations into reality is truly special. Thanks for sharing.

Sanjay

Personally I really like these collaborations a lot but, for investment, I would rather have an Ebony on Ebony or Ebony nosed SW built entirely in the SW shop all day long (especially an JF cue, which I do ) than any of the SW collaborations I know of to date. But that's me. To each their own.

 

[skins]

Well, if Southwest couldn't do a butterfly splice, and relied on Jerry Rauenzahn to do it, it seems that it's an upgraded Southwest.

All the best,
WW

I don't think it's a matter of SW not being able to do butterfly's though Hoot. I know they can if they wanted to. I'd be more inclined to think it's a matter of them not "fixing" what isn't broke....