collectables are they done ?

[ericdraven]

me and my friends used to play alot in the 8oties we were 15 to 16 ,still got 9 foot table , but back then all you had were billiard brick and mortar stores or billiard magazines to check​

out cues . with the internet there are so many cue builders i personally think that there wont be any big collector cues that out go themselves. obviously
there will always be szamboti , bushkas few others that hold and rise in value ,

but i dont see any maker now going to those same heights , i mean think
for a second remember back before the internet , hell i would not have half the guns , stuff without the net because you didnt know about it . the internet
has cost me alot of money lol . we lived in the sticks near fayetteville ,nc , they had a billiard store me and my buds would go down hang out , the owner
was super cool just to sit around . i remember the wall of cues , they went in order from mcdermotts all the way down to schon , that was the holy grail to us
at the time .

just a general question do you think there is another szamboni out there or has things evened out and those times are gone ??? just a thought

 

[cuenut]

I think there will be some. I think there are a few guys who make some really nice stuff compared to most others. Not going to mention names, but I see many cues nowadays that seem to be ill planned or designed, even by some of the better known newer guys. A lot of cues being pumped out by guys who make some inlay templates and crank out a bunch of very average stuff. I still like cues that are mainly traditional in make: merry widows, spliced (sharp) points and veneers, sharp inlays, nice ringwork, etc. I too grew up around nothing but production cues and only found out about customs in my late 20's. Glad I did. I think the main reason you see so many "average" cuemakers is due to the availability of relatively inexpensive lathes out there. Easier to get into cuemaking as a hobby nowadays. When we grew up, you had to buy a traditional lathe and accessorize it yourself. It was too expensive for most, and you had to have a lot of room.

 

[Buzzard II]

There's some stuff competition out there. I have a Mezz that can run with anyone.

 

[garczar]

From what i can see younger players don't care about collectible/classic cues. They just want a good playing cue. I guess hi-end fancy cues will always be around to some extent but i see the demand for them fading every year.

 

[boogieman]

From what i can see younger players don't care about collectible/classic cues. They just want a good playing cue. I guess hi-end fancy cues will always be around to some extent but i see the demand for them fading every year.

Carbon Fiber is what the younger folks I talk to want. Not much artistry in that currently.

 

[Quesports]

I live west of Raleigh and know of quite a few high end collectible cues in this area. No one is looking to sell that I know of, not that they wouldn't if the money was right. I do know of one high end Tonkin which should be delivered before Christmas here. Saw the pics and it is a keeper, the gal receiving it is unlikely to ever part with it. So I do believe there is a market for collectible cues, I have a couple myself and another good friend has over 40 cues in his collection. Lots of players in his plus a couple expensive cues..

The only thing thing that seems to be changing with cues is carbon fibre shafts. Since those can be fit to an expensive beautiful butt I still see cues being collectible. Covid will be controlled and things will return to normal---- eventually!

 

[Kickin' Chicken]

Carbon Fiber is what the younger folks I talk to want. Not much artistry in that currently.

in large part the younger players of today are taking their cues (see what I did there) as to what they buy from the pros who they want to emulate. Look at this years Mosconi Cup; were any players playing plain maple shafts?

Bottom line is that smart sponsors put the cues they want to sell into the hands of the sports superstars so all of the up and comers, and even many of us old fogies will buy one thinking our games will go up a ball or two. Truth is, SVB, Sky, Joshua, Jason etc etc can all shoot at world class speed with whatever cue is in their hands. They may have preferences but sponsorship money typically dictates what they shoot with.

The demographic that shoots with, collects, or genuinely appreciates vintage custom cues is getting smaller.

best,
brian kc