Best Buys Of Todays Qmakers
- Thread starter BLACKHEARTCUES
- Start date
I play with Sailor, Brick, Schuler, Nitti, Tragger, Ned Morris cues.
The Sailor cue has been used most as of lately....kind of a medium soft hit. Brick cue hits solid like a brick, Schuler is not as stiff as the Brick but stiff none the less, Morris is a medium stiff hit and Nitti a medium hitting cue...comparisons are made based upon the Brick as being wayyy solid.
When I get into a real funk I change cues. I think the change makes me really refocus on the fundamentals.
ruk
The Sailor cue has been used most as of lately....kind of a medium soft hit. Brick cue hits solid like a brick, Schuler is not as stiff as the Brick but stiff none the less, Morris is a medium stiff hit and Nitti a medium hitting cue...comparisons are made based upon the Brick as being wayyy solid.
When I get into a real funk I change cues. I think the change makes me really refocus on the fundamentals.
ruk
1pRoscoe said:
I think Dale Perry is making a living...which is probably what he was trying to do with his cue making. I think his cues are very reasonably priced and are a great value. I highly recommend them to people as playing cues, he seems to be producing more for the player than the collector. I can not truly understand why anyone would pay more than 1000 for a cue, and then go play with it. Why risk banging up or damaging a cue worth so much? The butt of a cue is strictly looks for the most part anyway. The shaft and weight are much more important than whether a cue has four points or no points.
I play with a Schon LTD. Why? Cause I knew how they were balanced, knew how they played, and I wanted a somewhat unique cue because I am a unique guy. I also knew they were somewhat expensive for a playing cue, but still hold their value pretty well to a collector. It seem to be the best of both worlds.
That's just this short guy's 2 cents...take it or leave it.
Shorty
Shorty said:
So you actively play with an $800 cue? You are contradicting yourself.
Yes, I believe that Dale makes cues for the player rather than the reseller, however, his cues used to be a "coveted" cue rather than plain jane production cues.
I feel sure I'm not the only one with this opinion.
Russ espiritu....Paul Dayton, Ted harris, Black heart cues and you gotta put Mike Webb in there also along with capone. problem is, just to many cue makers out there to have an honest personal best. just my opinion....mike
1pRoscoe said:
I second that. I paid full retail (over $1000) for one of his cues before he started blitzing eBay with some of the ugliest cues I've ever seen. That is one of the main reasons I sold my cue.
IMO Dale is a fine cuemaker regardless of how he decided to make a living. He is, and always has been a bussiness man, and wants to make a living just like anyone else. He is also a very nice guy, and has even offered to take time out of his busy scedule to show me his new shop in the past, to give me ideas in my own cuebuilding, even though I was not buying a cue, and he had nothing to gain. I think that takes a very unselfish person to make such an offer. Most could not even afford one of his cues had he not moved into production. Atleast he is not importing them under his name,and still builds them himself.
IMO Wholesellers that had his cues must have had a hard time moving them with the high markups they had to make, therefore were not reordering as often. Besides those that feel like it hurt their cues value, I don't see nothing wrong with what he is doing, he is passing the savings on to the customer/player. In the process he is making his on the production aspect of it. Seems like a win win situation for him and the consumer. He has to know this will hurt the value, but he is putting a decent cue in more hands this way. The only way I know to satisfy previous buyers would have been to stop production of all designs prior to the change in sales.
I do feel for anyone that felt this devalued their cue, I can understand that, but to me If the cue did not play well for me, I would have sold It well before this even happened, as I am a player Myself, and the hit is the most important thing to me. If one is more of a collector, then they know they take a gamble just like any other investment If they hold on too long.
I am one of the lucky ones, and own a basic 4 point design I found with 2 shafts in a pawn shop for $200 that he built in his tiny shed of a shop before he moved into the bigger facility. It is a great hitting cue that would never get rid of, even at a profit.
Another guy that I feel is unselfish, and has offered to open his doors is Murray, have not had the pleasure to shoot with one of his, but if his character is any indication, I imagine He makes one heck of a fine cue. And seems as if they will hold their value due to his low production, as mentioned. Probably well worth the wait IMO. This would be more on My level of production, as I plan to keep It small Myself and only turn out 10- 20 a year. Ofcoarse I still have a ways to go before I will be able to, but moving in that direction. Greg
IMO Wholesellers that had his cues must have had a hard time moving them with the high markups they had to make, therefore were not reordering as often. Besides those that feel like it hurt their cues value, I don't see nothing wrong with what he is doing, he is passing the savings on to the customer/player. In the process he is making his on the production aspect of it. Seems like a win win situation for him and the consumer. He has to know this will hurt the value, but he is putting a decent cue in more hands this way. The only way I know to satisfy previous buyers would have been to stop production of all designs prior to the change in sales.
I do feel for anyone that felt this devalued their cue, I can understand that, but to me If the cue did not play well for me, I would have sold It well before this even happened, as I am a player Myself, and the hit is the most important thing to me. If one is more of a collector, then they know they take a gamble just like any other investment If they hold on too long.
I am one of the lucky ones, and own a basic 4 point design I found with 2 shafts in a pawn shop for $200 that he built in his tiny shed of a shop before he moved into the bigger facility. It is a great hitting cue that would never get rid of, even at a profit.
Another guy that I feel is unselfish, and has offered to open his doors is Murray, have not had the pleasure to shoot with one of his, but if his character is any indication, I imagine He makes one heck of a fine cue. And seems as if they will hold their value due to his low production, as mentioned. Probably well worth the wait IMO. This would be more on My level of production, as I plan to keep It small Myself and only turn out 10- 20 a year. Ofcoarse I still have a ways to go before I will be able to, but moving in that direction. Greg
Cue Crazy said:
Greg,
Its not the high markups wholesellers had to make. When you deal with items such as cues there is a retail number and a wholesale number. But when a dealer gets, lets say 30% off and the maker is selling them for 50% off or less, then there is no way a dealer can reorder or even compete with the maker. This is what happens with Dale and his cues. But he does have to make money and if ebay affords him that oppertunity, then good for him.
He is a nice guy, and I have met him on a few occasions at Hopkins.
Joe (---would need 90% off to be a Perry dealer
classiccues said:
Yes, i aggree any exclusive dealers would probably be effected, and that part is a shame, as i have dealt in cues myself, mostly good quality lower cost cues though, as that is all alot of My customers can afford for their first or second cue, ocassionly I have a higher dollar cue, of a high quality brand name sell, but not my main sales here. Bad assumption I admit, but i guess i was assuming that he is no longer selling to them, and strickly auction & local sales, as most major wholesellers that I have seen carry his line in the past had the same old models for years, and years it seemed. this was well before he went into auction sales on us. Naturally I assumed that dealers were not turning enough cues for him, so he made the desision to go straight to the public through the largest form of advertisement to increase sales. All I'm saying is that this actually benifits the lower budget guys at the same time as him, but I guess either way someone gets left feeling like they got the bad end of It, and as I said I do feel for those, but there are other good cuemakers out there also. I guess it depends on how much stock they were holding.
I just figured the guy was trying to increase his sales, but don't know how one could keep the dealers and collectors happy at the same time. Luckly I don't think I'll ever build enough a year to sell that way, because i am more on a one on one kind of guy myself, but if i was in his shoes able to do that kind of production, It would be very tempting to advertise that way, alot cheaper then many other sources, therefore bringing overhead down allowing for better costs to be passed on. also everything is run through ebay, and automatic notices are sent out cutting down on alot of book work here and there, possibly like having another employee. Ofcoarse first you would have to make a name for yourself through good quality, or they would be taken for granted at auction, because no one had heard of them. i guess those left feeling unhappy will do no good for his name, but the guy does make some decent playing cues IMO.
I am sure he did not intend to leave anyone feeling like this, was just a bussiness desision, plain and simple. This happens everyday, and is part of survival in the bussines world, as you already know, I am sure. I have heard of alot worse. Either way I guess it was good for some, and not so much for others. Wish i had the answer, but really don't.
Cue Crazy said:
Hey Cue Crazy,
I agree that he should be able to whatever he wants with his products. I only feel bad for the people who bought them a while ago at high prices, only to see them decrease in value dramatically because of the EBay thing.
JMO,
Koop
1pRoscoe said:
I purchased a fancy ebony cue with 5 points, fancy burl rings and the whole nine for $1200 and was only able to sell it for $600!
Hey, I really do feel for you guys, and anyone that felt they took a loss, I can see why, so I do understand, and guess I would feel the same way if I had not got such a good deal on mine at a small investment the way I found it. Thanks for understanding my point, and not taking It the wrong way. I know it's probably a sore issue with some.
Mine is just a 4 point design pressed linen wrap of his from way back with a plain butt sleeve. Don't even see anything new of his like It anymore, so probably no mistaken when It was made. the thing even has an old style 5/16x18 steel joint, even before he used the uniloc design. I believe they sold for only around $900 new, it also came with an extra shaft and nice case to fit them all, even had some tip tools and stuff in the pouch. Best $200 I ever spent on a cue. It is a player that's for sure, and at that price don't have to sweat beating the thing up.
Mine is just a 4 point design pressed linen wrap of his from way back with a plain butt sleeve. Don't even see anything new of his like It anymore, so probably no mistaken when It was made. the thing even has an old style 5/16x18 steel joint, even before he used the uniloc design. I believe they sold for only around $900 new, it also came with an extra shaft and nice case to fit them all, even had some tip tools and stuff in the pouch. Best $200 I ever spent on a cue. It is a player that's for sure, and at that price don't have to sweat beating the thing up.
best buy
I would have to vote for Raven cues. I have owned mottey, schon, DP, coker, runde, kikel, diviney, and a bunch of others and his cues are fantastic. You tell him what you want and he makes it. He has a 7 month wait list. I need another cue and am in the process of building my second cue from him. He also makes the best break cue hands down. There is no question on his hits. They are amazing. Next to the mottey which was a 3500 dollar cue, he makes an amazing cue and walks you through every step of the way in the making process.
Sorry if it sounds like a plug but they really are great cues.
Jordan
I would have to vote for Raven cues. I have owned mottey, schon, DP, coker, runde, kikel, diviney, and a bunch of others and his cues are fantastic. You tell him what you want and he makes it. He has a 7 month wait list. I need another cue and am in the process of building my second cue from him. He also makes the best break cue hands down. There is no question on his hits. They are amazing. Next to the mottey which was a 3500 dollar cue, he makes an amazing cue and walks you through every step of the way in the making process.
Sorry if it sounds like a plug but they really are great cues.
Jordan