Classic Cue Market Dying Off

Fast Lenny

Fast Lenny

Faster Than You...
Silver Member
I have always enjoyed the history of pool cues and of course the artistic side of it from the great craftsman. I have been looking at the cue market and prices lately. It seems like its either flat or dropped off a bit. I am guessing its because the newer players dont have the interest in collecting or playing with vintage cues. I also am guessing most of the generation of great cue collectors is aging out sadly. Hopefully some of the younger collectors if they exist will keep it going.

This kind of happens with the classic car market at times with values hitting a peak and dipping off with the generation that had interest. All of a sudden some cars will double in value as that generation wants to obtain those cars they grew up with. I think if you asked many players at a big league event if they ever heard of Szamboti or Paradise they would have no clue who you were talking about. Has anyone else noticed this?
 
The market price for cues is whatever a cue would sell for within a reasonable time from listing when all possible prospects can view it - say 30 days max.
Most custom and many production branded cues from 1960 to 2000 will sell for more than original purchase price if in reasonable condition.
Market is there but the seller must be understanding of true market worth to sell within 30 days.

I find that the asking price for most used cues today has gotten out of hand - 30 to 40% above true market value is a joke - either folks don’t know how to sell or cue sellers are overly greedy IDK - every cue that I list anywhere has sold within 15 days - every one for 25 years now - and I was satisfied with each sale.
 
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There is a huge market for custom cues, just not at the inflated and unrealistic prices that most sellers think they're going to get.

20% to 30% profit is fucking nuts, and yet I constantly see people trying to get that above a reasonable/historical price daily.

Case in point, I'm sorry but your Joss West merry widow is a $1200 to $1300 cue, not $1800 or $1850. I know maybe in the distant past they would command those prices, but in this market, with the real collectors looking for Ivory peacocks and not simple players, you need to readjust your pricing model.

And yet we see the same cues constantly being bumped and never selling...

And I love it when the seller threatens to "put the cue back in the closet" if no one pays their shit price, as if the market is going to suddenly turn and everyone is going to realize that the inflated, unrealistic price, is a HUGE bargain!
 
For me, the nice hand-made cues have become a liability and therefore collector items only.
I don't own any expensive cues (over $2k), but my custom Hearns cues stay in the closet. I had one knocked over and damaged at a pool hall days after I had it refinished and vowed never to take that risk again with any of my custom cues. I bought a couple Cuetecs and take one of those to the pool rooms because they can be replaced in a couple days if damaged or stolen. If I want to buy something that never leaves the house, I would rather buy some other form of artwork than a pool cue so all could enjoy it rather than just me. Would I like to own a Southwest? Sure. Is having another cue on the wall I never take out of the house worth $5k to me? Absolutely not.
I do not expect my take to be popular here but it is why I no longer look for nice cues to buy as I once did.
 
JolietJames said:
For me, the nice hand-made cues have become a liability and therefore collector items only.
I don't own any expensive cues (over $2k), but my custom Hearns cues stay in the closet. I had one knocked over and damaged at a pool hall days after I had it refinished and vowed never to take that risk again with any of my custom cues. I bought a couple Cuetecs and take one of those to the pool rooms because they can be replaced in a couple days if damaged or stolen. If I want to buy something that never leaves the house, I would rather buy some other form of artwork than a pool cue so all could enjoy it rather than just me. Would I like to own a Southwest? Sure. Is having another cue on the wall I never take out of the house worth $5k to me? Absolutely not.
I do not expect my take to be popular here but it is why I no longer look for nice cues to buy as I once did.
Click to expand...
I hear you and understand but that sentiment just makes me so sad...

These cues were built to play, it's why they exist except the new high-end peacock cues (looking at you black boar) and when we deny.them their purpose they loose what makes them special.

I get so much enjoyment playing with my Balabushka and Richard Blacks that if I stopped playing with them it really would change my relationship with the game.
 
besides having a 5000 dollar or more cue is just fine unless you don't have eating money.
and if it goes up some or down some so what. people that have these cues are not living hand to mouth.

just many of those that knock them, buy a car that depreciates many thousands the first year, and keeps getting worth less
while still paying interest on the money they borrowed to get it.

and for listing them higher than someone else thinks is realistic. thats on the seller. and if no one buys it, the seller keeps it or can lower his price. that is his chose to do.
 
I don’t know much about the cue market but I do know that generational tastes have a lot to do with it. Currently 10000 baby boomers die everyday in America and that number is set to grow larger. This is causing the largest transfer of assets in world history. A great many things other than cues are seen as worthless to the younger crowd like old antique furniture, antique silverware, memorabilia from pop culture of the 50s and 60s, the list is lengthy. Collectible items have always been boom and bust. Who knows maybe 30 years from now the next wave of players might take an interest. But for now younger people being disinterested is what it is.
 
mnorwood said:
I don’t know much about the cue market but I do know that generational tastes have a lot to do with it. Currently 10000 baby boomers die everyday in America and that number is set to grow larger. This is causing the largest transfer of assets in world history. A great many things other than cues are seen as worthless to the younger crowd like old antique furniture, antique silverware, memorabilia from pop culture of the 50s and 60s, the list is lengthy. Collectible items have always been boom and bust. Who knows maybe 30 years from now the next wave of players might take an interest. But for now younger people being disinterested is what it is.
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Definitely what I have noticed. When I talk pool cues with the younger guys they dont know anything about classic cues. They do know about carbon fiber and low deflection. 😂
 
Benelli said:
I hear you and understand but that sentiment just makes me so sad...

These cues were built to play, it's why they exist except the new high-end peacock cues (looking at you black boar) and when we deny.them their purpose they loose what makes them special.

I get so much enjoyment playing with my Balabushka and Richard Blacks that if I stopped playing with them it really would change my relationship with the game.
Click to expand...
Does anyone notice when you pull your balabushka out the case?
 
Fast Lenny said:
I have always enjoyed the history of pool cues and of course the artistic side of it from the great craftsman. I have been looking at the cue market and prices lately. It seems like its either flat or dropped off a bit. I am guessing its because the newer players dont have the interest in collecting or playing with vintage cues. I also am guessing most of the generation of great cue collectors is aging out sadly. Hopefully some of the younger collectors if they exist will keep it going.

This kind of happens with the classic car market at times with values hitting a peak and dipping off with the generation that had interest. All of a sudden some cars will double in value as that generation wants to obtain those cars they grew up with. I think if you asked many players at a big league event if they ever heard of Szamboti or Paradise they would have no clue who you were talking about. Has anyone else noticed this?
Click to expand...

Antique market did the same thing. Stuff is cheap now compared to 40 yrs. ago.

One day things will change.
 
How is the market doing in other countries? If it's still big in certain countries where cash-flush collectors are known to scarf them up, that's probably sustaining cue makers and driving up the domestic prices.

For the current generation, I suspect the technology of makers like Predator or Cuetec is more attractive than expensive old-school cues made with some secret sauce.
 
tastes change with the times.
i still have all old solid oak, mahogany, or maple furniture instead of the cheap paper board and fiberboard stuff you get at the furniture stores that have a 400% markup.
old school cues
25 plus year old harleys
old american made tools
etc.
and happy as a pig in shit
 
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