Bothering Cuemakers?

D

DrCue'sProtege

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
i have a guy around home here that claims you cuemakers dont like to be bothered. says its a pain in the rear to contact cuemakers and ask them questions, and talk to them about cues. says they would rather be at the lathe working on a cue than talking with someone.

this guy claims to be a pool god in this area, likes to tell people he is somebody and make it seem like people can "go through him" to make contact with a cuemaker.

seems like it would be a wise thing to me to want potential customers to contact you about your product. or is this "pool god" accurate here?

DCP
 
Bothering???

Well here are my $.02 on this subject. If you contact a cuemaker frequently (more than twice as far as I am concerned) just to ask several questions and do not intend on doing business with them then it is fair to assume that the cuemaker has better things to do than hold your hand so you can buy a cue from someone else.

However, if you are doing business with that cuemaker or are planning on doing business with them than there should be no reason that a cuemaker will think you are bothering him. Most are happy to talk about one of their favorite subjects.

I here this alot from seller of cues who say that they know the cuemaker and "he is too busy to deal with all the calls" so you are better off going through them. However, most have email and voicemail and return the call since you are considering sending them a couple of hundred if not thousand $$$ to get a cue made your way and they will not have to deal witha a middle man.

At the end every cuemaker is different so my opinion on this matter only comes from the few cuemakers that I have delt with.

By the way if these cuemakers don't have time for you than go to someone else...many great cuemakers out there... and I am sure many will agree w/ that!
 
defence

SSach said:
Well here are my $.02 on this subject. If you contact a cuemaker frequently (more than twice as far as I am concerned) just to ask several questions and do not intend on doing business with them then it is fair to assume that the cuemaker has better things to do than hold your hand so you can buy a cue from someone else.

However, if you are doing business with that cuemaker or are planning on doing business with them than there should be no reason that a cuemaker will think you are bothering him. Most are happy to talk about one of their favorite subjects.

I here this alot from seller of cues who say that they know the cuemaker and "he is too busy to deal with all the calls" so you are better off going through them. However, most have email and voicemail and return the call since you are considering sending them a couple of hundred if not thousand $$$ to get a cue made your way and they will not have to deal witha a middle man.

At the end every cuemaker is different so my opinion on this matter only comes from the few cuemakers that I have delt with.

By the way if these cuemakers don't have time for you than go to someone else...many great cuemakers out there... and I am sure many will agree w/ that!
Click to expand...


SSach,
I have to disagree to a point. Most cuemakers, do not have much time to visit with customers, or potenctial customers who call and just BS everytime they call. Most cuemakers can figure out who is wanting to buy, and who is not.

Cuemakers for the most part have not much time for the phone. Many do loose customers, because of trying to build cues for " real" customers, and getting rerady to go off to a new show, or whatevers..
However, if a customer is serious, the cuemaker will take the time to discuss the cue in detail.

If a potenctial customer calls over and again, and never makes a move to order, yes, he needs to find someone else to BS with.

I spend about 3.5 to 4.0 hours per-day talking with customers. This is just part of being popular and having a good product. I do my best to talk to all who call, it's impossible to do some times. But I try.
blud
 
An e-mail to the maker and asking him what time it's best to call him would be best.
I knew one maker who used to be here and became popular. Local players would go to his shop, get a tip change and then test the tip on his table and b.s. around for hours.
He moved to the boonies and has not regretted it.
Figure out the maker only has 10 hours or so to spend in his shop. If he fielded phone calls all day, he'd accomplish nothing. And, that would be unfair to those who already placed an order.
Nothing wrong with talking to the maker on his own free time. And, if you must call, have a checklist.
 
time

JoeyInCali said:
An e-mail to the maker and asking him what time it's best to call him would be best.
I knew one maker who used to be here and became popular. Local players would go to his shop, get a tip change and then test the tip on his table and b.s. around for hours.
He moved to the boonies and has not regretted it.
Figure out the maker only has 10 hours or so to spend in his shop. If he fielded phone calls all day, he'd accomplish nothing. And, that would be unfair to those who already placed an order.
Nothing wrong with talking to the maker on his own free time. And, if you must call, have a checklist.
Click to expand...


Hi Joey,

Cuemakers have no "FREE' time. If not building cues, were thinking about how to improve machines or methods we use, in cue construction.

Just like now, I'm turn-cutting butts waiting on the saw/lathe,machine to make it's cycle. Then re-load and go do something else, like, cutting female parts and pockets. I have 3 machines running on auto-matic, and now I'm starting up the ferrule making machine [4th running machine at the same time]. Just me in the shop, no one else.

Free time is sleeping, my friend.
blud
 
DCP, I've never been able to get a cuemaker to answer my email LOL

(Note: this does not include any cuemakers from this board)

I figure if they have a long waiting list they just don't care to take on any new business. I understand that. I ended up buying a production cue.

From what I have heard, if I were a cuemaker I would leave my phone turned off. :D
 
well, it appears from the comments here that cuemakers are about like any other businessman. that being if a customer calls and wants to do business he will field the questions and welcome the business.

however, as with anybody, if someone calls to BS, or just ask questions, and doesnt have much intention of doing business with said cuemaker, yes, they would rather not bother with someone like this.

this clown of a pool god around here makes everyone think no cuemaker wants to be bothered, that they should go through him for their cue needs and have him contact someone.

i just wanted some insight here, thats all.
thanks folks.

DCP
 
From what I have heard, if I were a cuemaker I would leave my phone turned off.
Click to expand...
The maker who's making me a taper machine had done just that.
He even locked the gate to his house.
He really has no time to talk to customers or surf the net to check the pool world. He has two dealers, he makes limited number of cue and enjoys what's left of his life.
 
Blud is right, not to much free time. I have a couple of people around here who also tell people to give him their work because I'm busy when his real reason is to try and get me to discount the work so he can make money off his friends. (Nice friend) I do the phone and emails.. The only place I have ever drawn the line is when some one says go look at another cue makers web site to see if I will build one of his designs. Didn't do it yesterday and not gonna do it tomorrow either.
 
I think you're bothering them if you're "kicking the tires" with no intention to buy a cue. It took me about a year to decide on a cue style and a maker. Any one who didn't email me back was out of consideration right away. I understand that they are very busy so I didn't take it personally. I'm completely happy with my choice, I just wish I could've spent more! :)

Andy
 
I guess there is a major difference if you have already placed an order and want to know the status of the cue or if you're in just for a chat. After you have ordered a cue, you should have connection to talk with the maker about the cue. Otherwise I think many cuemakers don't want to be approached but only if the person is about to place an order. I was visiting Florida in 1999 and was looking for a cuemaker to visit and one cuemaker offered some of his time, even though I told I wasn't there to buy cues... but unfortunately I didn't have time to visit him. Shame on me. In retrospect, I think I was stupid not to arrange time...

But, it's great we have this forum and cuemakers can share their knowledge when they have free time & will to do so. :D
 
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