Barry Szamboti Cues

  • Thread starter Thread starter ChatTownBanger
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Hey Azer,s ,,
I never really post here on this kind of thread but ,,,those of you who know me know how i feel about Barry. As for price and the market ,,In the last two years i have not seen any of barry cues sell for under 5000.00 even the plain ones as for the lowest i have seen was 4600.00 cue that was sold with not org finish and maybe one shaft not org,,,as for the rest of the market all i know i am having one of my best years ever and i think people have to learn more about pricing and how to sell,,,lets try not to hit a grand slam or home run ,,how about a few doubles every now and then,,,I have sold over 50 High dollars cues in the last three months,,,,,PM and emails are nice but cell phones are almost free now ..how about trying to call a guy and close a deal sounds easy to me,,,

Back to Barry,,All I can say he is one of the BEST MEN I HAVE KNOW<<<much RESPECT!!

BR
Little Kenny

Just my top five cuemakers,,in no order,,

Hercek,
showman,
Searing,
Szamboti and Schick,,I can give my top ten if you like also,,LOL
 
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1. Searing
2. Haley
3. G. Szamboti
4. Hercek
5. (I'm really torn between several here)

6-10 - Several cuemakers that I think are all at a tie and a few that may be in the top 5 in a few years.
 
> I'm more of a fan of his dad's cues for this reason. I've hit balls with 10-15 of his dad's cues,and honestly preferred the steel jointed ones. I've only hit a ball with ONE steel jointed Barry,all the other 5 of his cues were ivory jointed.

That being said,the one steel jointed cue was among the very few cues I've ever wanted for pure playability other than my Schon.

I think the bottom line is Barry would be an upper-elite cuemaker if his last name was Diggler...:thumbup:

How many other cuemakers are there that are backed up 10 years,have like a 5 year wait for new shafts,and have their plain 4 pointers selling for 6k? Tommy D.
 
kvinbrwr said:
Hey everybody has a right to think whatever they think and say whatever they want to. However, this thread sucks.

OP, as Jack Nicklaus is fond of saying, you just aren't thinking right. If you think that smart people with money buy Barry's cues out of some blind allegiance to Gus, well, to sum it up simply, you are wrong. There are Guses and their are Barrys, 2 different products with 2 different values. If you think a Barry is the same product as a Black, well again, you just aren't thinking right.

Thanks for posting (I guess)

Kevin
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the first post sucks, the rest(i think I read them all) are great, Barry is one of the greatest people I have ever know. Knocking Barry is like going to church and knocking the bible.
 
ChatTownBanger said:
Why do people get so gaga over Barry's cues? He's not the legend, his father is. Yes, they are well made and hit good, but if you are going to spend the kind of money his cues command, I'd rather get one from somebody who in my mind IS a legend in their own right, i.e., Ernie Guttierez, Richard Black, etc.
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Why people get Gaga over Barry's cues?
Well, did you ever play with one?
If you are a player you could appreciate this point.
If your a collector, having a Szamboti (Barry or Gus) is the bench mark of any collection.
As for the investment part of the equation, Barry's cues have tripled in retail value over the last 10 years. I guess the only reason not to own a Barry Szamboti, because you hate your money.

Barry was lucky enough to be taught by the greatest cuemaker ever. Thats not a negative last time I checked. That was a great stepping stone for the start of his career.
He's been making cues for 20 years now....
Do you think that just might be long enough for someone to get a reputation for their own work..
I guess over a 10 year waiting list tells the story.. Someone on that list might know what the fuss is about..
Hard to find someone that has a bigger passion for what he does. Also doesn't hurt being one of the nicest guys I know.
This is what LEGENDS are made from..
Best,
Ken Kerner
 
ChatTownBanger said:
Why do people get so gaga over Barry's cues? He's not the legend, his father is. Yes, they are well made and hit good, but if you are going to spend the kind of money his cues command, I'd rather get one from somebody who in my mind IS a legend in their own right, i.e., Ernie Guttierez, Richard Black, etc.
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Your knowledge of cues is legendary! To say that Richard Black is a better cue maker than Barry is funny. Good luck with your cue collecting. BTW I have a Black that I will make you a great deal on.
 
Fatboy said:
the first post sucks, the rest(i think I read them all) are great, Barry is one of the greatest people I have ever know. Knocking Barry is like going to church and knocking the bible.
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Yep, you aren't gonna make too many friends knocking a guy as nice or as talented as Barry.

Hope you are well.

Thanks

Kevin
 
i was just doing the math here in this thread, there are about $3,000,000-$4,500,000 worth of cues owned buy the guys who are saying nice things about Barry to perhaps $1200 worth of cues owned by the knocker in the OP. I know $$$ aint everything but it does say something when a hand full of people who own million's of dollars worth of cues stand up for one man. And I never even bought a cue from Barry.
 
Fatboy said:
i was just doing the math here in this thread, there are about $3,000,000-$4,500,000 worth of cues owned buy the guys who are saying nice things about Barry to perhaps $1200 worth of cues owned by the knocker in the OP. I know $$$ aint everything but it does say something when a hand full of people who own million's of dollars worth of cues stand up for one man. And I never even bought a cue from Barry.
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enough said...
 
I think you are wrong!

ChatTownBanger said:
Why do people get so gaga over Barry's cues? He's not the legend, his father is. Yes, they are well made and hit good, but if you are going to spend the kind of money his cues command, I'd rather get one from somebody who in my mind IS a legend in their own right, i.e., Ernie Guttierez, Richard Black, etc.
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Barry helped his dad(GUS) make cues and he is good at it! You buy Ginacue I'll buy SZAMBOTI!Ron
 
It's impossible to make a comparison imho between a Szam and Ginacue. The methods for making the cues, designs, approach, etc. are vastly different. And the same can also be said for a Black....you simply cannot compare the two. Three things are a guarantee: (1) Barry has paid his dues and is carrying on the Szamboti tradition, (2) I have personally never worked with a someone so pleasant (Barry is a very warm, kind man), and (3) he absolutely is a cuemaking legend in his own right.

Sean
 
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rigmaster said:
Barry helped his dad(GUS) make cues and he is good at it! You buy Ginacue I'll buy SZAMBOTI!Ron
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lets not knock Ernie here...he is a legend has been building cues for a VERY long time...keep in mind he has built just over 2300 cues since he came out of retirement.
I am a fan of his work - he is a pioneer and his cues play VERY well.
I am also a fan of Szams - they play well too...
 
Birk1 said:
lets not knock Ernie here...he is a legend has been building cues for a VERY long time...keep in mind he has built just over 2300 cues since he came out of retirement.
I am a fan of his work - he is a pioneer and his cues play VERY well.
I am also a fan of Szams - they play well too...
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Hey Ryan,
Ernie is one of the greats. I hope no one starts to knock him also.
As stated in this thread, you can't compare the two cuemakers.
Two completely differerent methods of making cues.
They are excellent at what they do.
Both make an unbelieveable product.
Both have excellent reputations.
Best,
Ken Kerner
 
Barry is a man of integirety , a family man , a hard worker and extremely talented in his field. making cues for 20 years ! so lets break it down.
a humble family man with more talent and expertise than 95% of the field hew is in. he deserves all the praise that he gets. he is honest and credible. and his cues are some of the most sought after on the planet.
yes his father is a legend, but that did not make him a legend ! He did that all on his own!
kudos to barry as not only a great cuemaker but a great man!
he has my stamp of approval as tops in my book for all he has done in the industry and outside the industry
 
I would never speak ill of Barry Szamboti and his cues. I just won't. Largely because so many people here will be quick defend their friend and to call me a moron for expressing my opinion. Opinions are a tricky subject. If people agree with yours, they'll be more than happy to let you share it with anyone and everyone. If they disagree, well you have no place here!

I WILL say that having played with a couple Barry Szamboti cues here and there, the hit isn't for me. Way too stiff. But again, hit is subjective. Lots of people LOVE stiff. Lots of people LOVE Barry's cues. What's good for the goose ain't necessarily good for the gander and maybe I'm just a wuss who prefers a softer hit! (I am kind of a wuss so, maybe there's some truth to this. lol)

Tons of people LOVE Barry's cue! Tons of people think he's one of the greatest of all time. This may be so. And his contribution to cuemaking can't really be questioned. He has both honored and carried on the legacy his father left behind and built on it some to make his OWN contributions to cuemaking. But there really is only one means by which you can measure the value of his cues. Its not playability. That is WAY too subjective. Its not aesthetic/design. Everyone has different tastes. Its not execution because some people have different standards and ideals as to how things should be done.

The bottom line is... the value of a cuemaker's cues is established by the buying public. What does he charge and will people pay it??? Even more important... what do people charge on the second hand market and again, will people pay it???

If the average 4 point Barry is bringing in well over $5k, guess what? Its worth that much!!! Whether its your taste, my taste, his/her taste, etc.. Sure there are probably a slew of people out there buying it based on last name or market value alone. There are a ton of people who probably want it 'because its a Barry'. But if it brings that kind of money amongst collectors, its worth it. And people don't want a 'Barry' or a 'Searing' or a 'whatever' unless that cuemaker has done something to warrant that desire for his work. So I guess he's doing something right. ;)

I don't know Barry at all so I can't really say that he's a great guy or a great family man or that he has a heart of gold. Frankly, I don't think any of that matters when assessing his work. I mean, what difference does it make that he has kids? That he's a super nice guy? His work should stand on it's own merits. Would I list him in my Top 5? No. Does that make my Top 5 picks wrong? Nope... But it doesn't make your or anyone else's Top 5 wrong either. Doesn't matter what Szam fans or Ernie fans or Haley fans say... you like what you like. You BUY what you like. No one else should decide what you like except you.
 
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