Bob Frey's Side Of the Story

Colonel said:
So do I. In the original thread that was pulled I posted pics of a Frey I had been chasing for 2 years & finally got my hands on. I took it to Bob for a refinish, new leather wrap & 2 new 31" shafts. I picked it up from his shop right after he had surgery & Bob told me I was the last work he'd done before going under the knife. The work was perfect & I'm a picky SOB.
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thanks Colonel. Everything I have heard about BOB is fabulous. He has a stellar reputation in every way. I missed the original thread and have no idea who the OP was however, it was bad thing and he should own it. Can you imagine this cue with the wraps under the filler? Then his guy rejects shafts?

I can't imagine. He should be ashamed.
 
Kickin' Chicken said:
IMO, I think Bob Frey enjoys a following that keeps him busy enough that he doesn't need to use a computer for sales and if he figures he can take care of all communication needs with a phone then why shouldn't that be okay?

Seems reasonable to me.

Old school doesn't = bad business.

best,
brian kc
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Tapity Tap Tap
 
You should have seen the first home computer I set up for Tim Scruggs.

I had him write all of his passwords in a little black notebook. I set up the computer for him, set up his email and web browser with him (which is all he wanted to do). I was with him for about 9 hours.

I no sooner leave, and he shut down the computer to go to dinner with a friend, when I get a frantic phone call from him an hour later that he could not log into the computer any more. I had to remind him of the notebook.

Great man, great cuemaker, but not a good computer user.....and he did not have to or need to be. Phones work great.




Kickin' Chicken said:
IMO, I think Bob Frey enjoys a following that keeps him busy enough that he doesn't need to use a computer for sales and if he figures he can take care of all communication needs with a phone then why shouldn't that be okay?

Seems reasonable to me.

Old school doesn't = bad business.

best,
brian kc
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kickin' chicken said:
old school doesn't = bad business.

Best,
brian kc
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.. / -. . ...- . .-. / ... .- .. -.. / .. - / -.. .. -.. .-.-.- / -... ..- - / .. / - .... .. -. -.- / .. - / .. ... / .- / -- .. -. .. -- ..- -- / .-. . --.- ..- .. .-. . -- . -. - / ..-. --- .-. / .- -. -.-- / -... ..- ... .. -. . ... ... / --- .-- -. . .-. / .. -. / ..--- ----- .---- -.... .-.-.-
 
Kim Bye said:
.. / -. . ...- . .-. / ... .- .. -.. / .. - / -.. .. -.. .-.-.- / -... ..- - / .. / - .... .. -. -.- / .. - / .. ... / .- / -- .. -. .. -- ..- -- / .-. . --.- ..- .. .-. . -- . -. - / ..-. --- .-. / .- -. -.-- / -... ..- ... .. -. . ... ... / --- .-- -. . .-. / .. -. / ..--- ----- .---- -.... .-.-.-
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I've translated your morse code message for reader's convenience:

"I NEVER SAID IT DID. BUT I THINK IT IS A MINIMUM REQUIREMENT FOR ANY BUSINESS OWNER IN 2016."

I respectfully disagree because there are niche markets like custom cuemaking, where a very talented guy like Bob Frey, for instance, can have enough orders to keep himself happy without the need for a computer.

In fact, Bob has a very nice gentleman, Gene, az member gkloop, who sells cues for him online so he (Bob) doesn't have to deal with that aspect.

And as I posted earlier, Bob uses his telephone for communications so maybe he has determined what his "minimum requirement" is. :wink:

I will agree with you though that any business who is looking to do big volume biz with a wide reach should probably have an online presence.

Apparently, Bob is happy with how he has things set up.

best,
brian kc
 
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Kickin' Chicken said:
I've translated your morse code message for reader's convenience:

"I NEVER SAID IT DID. BUT I THINK IT IS A MINIMUM REQUIREMENT FOR ANY BUSINESS OWNER IN 2016."

I respectfully disagree because there are niche markets like custom cuemaking where a very talented guy like Bob Frey can have enough orders to keep himself happy without the need for a computer.

In fact, Bob has a very nice gentleman, Gene, az member gkloop, who sells cues for Bob online so he (Bob) doesn't have to deal with that aspect.

And as I posted earlier, Bob uses his telephone for communications so maybe he has determined what his "minimum requirement" is. :smile:

I will agree with you that any business who is looking to do big volume with a wide reach should probably have an online presence. But apparently Bob is happy with how he's doing things, I would guess.

best,
brian kc
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Thanks :thumbup:
 
Kickin' Chicken said:
I've translated your morse code message for reader's convenience:

"I NEVER SAID IT DID. BUT I THINK IT IS A MINIMUM REQUIREMENT FOR ANY BUSINESS OWNER IN 2016."

I respectfully disagree because there are niche markets like custom cuemaking where a very talented guy like Bob Frey can have enough orders to keep himself happy without the need for a computer.

In fact, Bob has a very nice gentleman, Gene, az member gkloop, who sells cues for Bob online so he (Bob) doesn't have to deal with that aspect.

And as I posted earlier, Bob uses his telephone for communications so maybe he has determined what his "minimum requirement" is. :wink:

I will agree with you though that any business who is looking to do big volume biz with a wide reach should probably have an online presence.

Apparently, Bob is happy with how he has things set up, I would say.

best,
brian kc
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I knew you had it in you Brian! :D
My point is that technology is evolving and that if we didn't see the point in using technology that makes communication so much easier, we would be stuck at morse code or smoke signals...
If he does not need to use internet, he is in a privledged position indeed :-)
 
I was thinking about ordering a cue from Bob. Then I would have to pay for it, wait for it to made and shipped. Then I would find something to ***** about and have to start a thread on here to tell everyone what a bad guy Bob is. A day or two of posting my complaints and then having Bob ship me a new butt and 4 new shafts would be too time consuming. Also, I would be out what paid in the first place.

To make things easier on all of us, Bob should just ship me a cue for free and we'll call it even. What do you say Bob? Time is running out for you to do the right thing before I have to trash you on the forum for not delivering something that was never ordered.

JoeyM


This is a poor attempt at a joke
 
From what I have heard about the OP and his "elevator" that apparently does not go above the ground floor, I would not hesitate to order a Bob Frey cue. There are people out there who just cant be pleased.
I just went thru shoulder surgery myself (rotator cuff) about 5 weeks ago, I do not blame Bob Frey for taking the time off to heal, even if that means not answering his shop phone and not posting on AZB. When you are sore and physically limited you are not always in the greatest of moods, it is best not to communicate with customers at times like this.
 
Poolplaya9 said:
I didn't say we haven't heard from both sides. I said we haven't heard enough to know what if any legitimate complaints the customer has. He was very poor at giving his side and explaining anything. For example I don't recall it being said what his issues were with the first two sets of shafts. Nor do I recall hearing from Frey's rep what the customer's complaint about the shafts were. None of what the customer said was clear at all. And Frey himself hasn't even given his side, only second hand info from a rep and that wasn't even fully involved.

Like I said, in my opinion there isn't enough info for anyone to know who dropped the ball where. We know next to nothing. We don't what time line was promised for the repairs and first set of shafts and whether it was met or was grossly late or not (obviously the second and third repairs are a different story, we just don't know whose fault they were). The customer made it sound like maybe they initial repairs were not done in the time promised. About the only thing we really know is Bob didn't use the customer's piece of ivory as requested and apparently didn't bother to clear that with the customer first which is a big no no IMO (although Bob's rep never specifically confirmed whether it was true that they didn't run it by the customer first, this is only the customer's claim).

Again, we know almost none of the important details to know who was at fault how much. For all we know this could totally be a difficult customer who is 99% at fault for all the hassles, or it could be that Bob didn't do what was requested or at decent quality even though he normally does. Even the greatest can have the occasional hiccups and we have no clue what really happened here.
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You look to the internal evidence. On the one hand you have a guy with an impeccable reputation (notice that unlike some of the other cases there aren't 6 guys coming along saying "yeah he screwed me too") and on the other hand you have a incomprehensible unreasonable rant. You can CHOOSE to give them comparable credibility, but most folks won't.

But on a side note, cuemaking must be way more dangerous that I ever thought because every time a cuemaker issue comes up the guy was going into surgery, just came out of surgery, is fighting cancer, etc. Cuemakers seem to be having a bad run of luck
 
Kim Bye said:
Could we have a Picture of the shafts the customer rejected?
I must say that running Your own business and saying "I don`t do the internet" is not good enough. If you can make cues, you have the technical ability to use a computer.
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It isn't necessarily about technical ability, it can be a choice.
 
Colonel said:
Last weekend a thread was posted by a member regarding his experience with Bob doing work on his cue. The Op was banned & the thread disappeared.

Before it did disappear I stated that both sides of the story needed to be heard & that I would call Bob on this. I just got off the phone with him & with his permission I bring you his side of this.

Bob stated that he gave a quote over the phone for the work the OP wanted done. He said when he received the cue & started to cut a channel for the wrap he discovered a linen wrap under some sort of wood filler that had been used to make it wrap less. That when he took off that linen he found another linen wrap under that. That the cue had been worked on by several people previously. The Op was contacted and told it would have to be linen as Bob was afraid to take it down any further. The other work he requested was done which included a pair of shafts & was sent to the OP. For this Bob received $500.

The Op complained about the shafts and was asked to return the first pair and another set would be made. 2nd set of shafts was made and sent right. Op complained again and was asked to return 2nd set of shafts & a third set would be made. This occurred right around the time Bob went in for surgery. Op threatens he wants shafts immediately or will go on AZB & blow Bob up. Bob was fresh from surgery & tells OP his shafts will be first work done when Bob can work again. Op comes here & blows Bob up.

Bob was very upset hearing of this situation questioning his reputation. He reiterated he doesn't do the internet but understands how 1 person can do what happened here & ruin a rep earned over the course of a career.

Bob stated he was soon to send the 3rd set of shafts to the Op, that he'd done overall about $1500 worth of work for $500 in an attempt to please the Op but that it seemed nothing would please him & hopes this 3rd set he will send shortly will satisfy the situation.

As I stated in the pulled thread, there's always 2 sides to a story & what was put in that thread went against everything I know about Bob Frey which is why I went to him & with his permission & blessing bring his side of it to you here.

We hear so many horror stories about cue makers so perhaps it's easy to come to a snap judgement before all the facts are in. I think what I describe here validates my faith in my friend & cue maker Bob Frey considering the lengths he's gone to in this matter to honor his original quote. Thank you for reading.
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Bob Frey is a hell of a guy!!!!
 
The Cue was crap

It was a no wrap. But when he cut it to put a wrap it wasn't wood at the handle. And there was a wrap under the pure crap epoxy? handle. I told Bob send it back with a note. He was sick over it. Worst Cue repair he ever had to resolve and none of it was his work. I said wet the veneer wood and wrap it on the handle to make it big enough to wrap or use wall paper. He said he didn't want to do any of that.
There is no telling how many hours he spent fixing a piece of crap that was I suspect a trap from the start.
He fixed the unfixable.
Nick :)
 
Poolplaya9 said:
I didn't say we haven't heard from both sides. I said we haven't heard enough to know what if any legitimate complaints the customer has. He was very poor at giving his side and explaining anything. For example I don't recall it being said what his issues were with the first two sets of shafts. Nor do I recall hearing from Frey's rep what the customer's complaint about the shafts were. None of what the customer said was clear at all. And Frey himself hasn't even given his side, only second hand info from a rep and that wasn't even fully involved.

Like I said, in my opinion there isn't enough info for anyone to know who dropped the ball where. We know next to nothing. We don't what time line was promised for the repairs and first set of shafts and whether it was met or was grossly late or not (obviously the second and third repairs are a different story, we just don't know whose fault they were). The customer made it sound like maybe they initial repairs were not done in the time promised. About the only thing we really know is Bob didn't use the customer's piece of ivory as requested and apparently didn't bother to clear that with the customer first which is a big no no IMO (although Bob's rep never specifically confirmed whether it was true that they didn't run it by the customer first, this is only the customer's claim).

Again, we know almost none of the important details to know who was at fault how much. For all we know this could totally be a difficult customer who is 99% at fault for all the hassles, or it could be that Bob didn't do what was requested or at decent quality even though he normally does. Even the greatest can have the occasional hiccups and we have no clue what really happened here.
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PP; as you very well know, every single day in every single jurisdiction judges, prosecutors , and police make decisions on credibility based on their track ( record ) when no definitive concrete evidence is availing correct? If it's good enough for those folks why is that not good enough for a forum where at least hundreds of people either know, know of, or have done business with someone and TELL you what is up???
 
I've had several phone conversations with Bob going back to 1979 when he was with Tim Scruggs. Bob also made me a custom pointed cue about 14 years ago. What you have said here confirms what I've known--- that Bob is an honorable man. If anything it looks like he went too far trying to please someone.

It's unfortunate that stuff like this goes on here. Ive seen it time and again. I know what it feel like. I'm glad Bob is still in the cue business.
 
guys as old as Bob don't do internet, lol i get it

have you seen his website?

I sell digital advertising and work with old timers all the time, most of em can't transition to digital and their business suffers accordingly

Bob has a niche and pool is about 20 years behind the times so he's good on that front
 
Tony_in_MD said:
You should have seen the first home computer I set up for Tim Scruggs.

I had him write all of his passwords in a little black notebook. I set up the computer for him, set up his email and web browser with him (which is all he wanted to do). I was with him for about 9 hours.

I no sooner leave, and he shut down the computer to go to dinner with a friend, when I get a frantic phone call from him an hour later that he could not log into the computer any more. I had to remind him of the notebook.

Great man, great cuemaker, but not a good computer user.....and he did not have to or need to be. Phones work great.
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I couldn't help but relate to this, as I remember the old Web TV account that Tim had. Remember that one? Not bad, but all you could do was email. I still remember Tim emailing me from that Web TV email the day after 9/11, as I worked in the Pentagon. I think he got rid of that email soon afterwards. If memory serves me correct, Bob started with him late 1978. I've posted many a TS cue here, and many were made primarily by Bob. More reliable there couldn't be, so the whole original thread was nothing but a crock, as most of us know. Hope Bob recovers fully, and goes back to what he's good at. Making cues.

All the best,
WW
 
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