Cost from B Szamboti

Straightpool_99 said:
I agree, but don't forget you can't get on that list. The price is 5500 dollars in the marketplace! I believe the word I would use is a direct quote of Brigadier General McAuliffe, in his reply to a German ultimatum to surrender his troops during the battle of the bulge. You history buffs will know..
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Shane (almost) always has them.
 
Consider just for a moment that Searing and Barry and Showman are willing to hand over one of their creations for (to pick a number) $3,500 that they know could be flipped immediately in the secondary market for (again just for example) $5550. I've asked both Dennis and Barry why that is and gotten two different answers and seeing that both answers are personal choices made by them I won't share them here.

But what is clear is that in doing so, neither is making a smart business decision. I think one of the main rules of business would be to extract the maximum monetary value for your goods (especially when you consider the length of these people's waiting lists). Really the only thing I conclude from this is these guys choose to see themselves as something other than businessmen and are making a conscious decision to conduct their lives in ways not dictated by "business rules".

I for one, respect these craftsmen and their decisions and think we as a community might keep that in mind when we are hopping up on our collective soapboxes and railing on one of these guys for not making smart business choices.

They don't. They choose not to.

Thanks

Kevin
 
kvinbrwr said:
Consider just for a moment that Searing and Barry and Showman are willing to hand over one of their creations for (to pick a number) $3,500 that they know could be flipped immediately in the secondary market for (again just for example) $5550. I've asked both Dennis and Barry why that is and gotten two different answers and seeing that both answers are personal choices made by them I won't share them here.

But what is clear is that in doing so, neither is making a smart business decision. Thanks

Kevin
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Can you please keep your opinion to yourself until AFTER I get my cue?
 
TATE said:
Can you please keep your opinion to yourself until AFTER I get my cue?
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Please call me the day it is due to arrive and I will be there with cash to take it off your hands for Barry's price. Deal?

All that stuff I said was me just trying to soften Barry's heart and get on his list and have Dennis move me up on his.

I know a cue maker who does exact the maximum price he can for his goods. He has a much shorter waiting list and when he's in stroke (and not hindered by some 1/2 a million dollar cue project) prices his stuff perfectly in the supply and demand chain so he sells everything makes exactly in the time he takes to make it.

Different strokes for different folks. We all know what decisions I'd be making if it were me. Its probably why TAD decided to only deal through brokers so he could straddle both worlds. I tried (I was at least the 100th) with Ernie and he laughed at me.

Kevin
 
kvinbrwr said:
Please call me the day it is due to arrive and I will be there with cash to take it off your hands for Barry's price. Deal?

All that stuff I said was me just trying to soften Barry's heart and get on his list and have Dennis move me up on his.

I know a cue maker who does exact the maximum price he can for his goods. He has a much shorter waiting list and when he's in stroke (and not hindered by some 1/2 a million dollar cue project) prices his stuff perfectly in the supply and demand chain so he sells everything makes exactly in the time he takes to make it.

Different strokes for different folks. We all know what decisions I'd be making if it were me. Its probably why TAD decided to only deal through brokers so he could straddle both worlds. I tried (I was at least the 100th) with Ernie and he laughed at me.

Kevin
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Fine, but the cue I will never get is not for sale. It is my next lifetime player.
 
TATE said:
Fine, but the cue I will never get is not for sale. It is my next lifetime player.
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Let me amend that statement into KevinSpeak:

Fine, but the cue I will never get is not for sale (OBO). It is my next lifetime player (OBO).

Kevin
 
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kvinbrwr said:
Consider just for a moment that Searing and Barry and Showman are willing to hand over one of their creations for (to pick a number) $3,500 that they know could be flipped immediately in the secondary market for (again just for example) $5550. I've asked both Dennis and Barry why that is and gotten two different answers and seeing that both answers are personal choices made by them I won't share them here.

But what is clear is that in doing so, neither is making a smart business decision. I think one of the main rules of business would be to extract the maximum monetary value for your goods (especially when you consider the length of these people's waiting lists). Really the only thing I conclude from this is these guys choose to see themselves as something other than businessmen and are making a conscious decision to conduct their lives in ways not dictated by "business rules".

I for one, respect these craftsmen and their decisions and think we as a community might keep that in mind when we are hopping up on our collective soapboxes and railing on one of these guys for not making smart business choices.

They don't. They choose not to.

Thanks

Kevin
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I've done some custom knife buying/selling and you run into the same thing there. Some of the top makers sell knives at a price that is about 1/2 of what they go for on the secondary market. Their lists are at 5+ years easily. I've often wondered why they don't raise prices. Sometimes I wonder if having a strong secondary market is really good in keeping the value of their product high and demand strong and without that there would be an overall fall in the value of what they produce which just wouldn't suit them. It's a curious phenomenon, for sure.
 
slide13 said:
I've done some custom knife buying/selling and you run into the same thing there. Some of the top makers sell knives at a price that is about 1/2 of what they go for on the secondary market. Their lists are at 5+ years easily. I've often wondered why they don't raise prices. Sometimes I wonder if having a strong secondary market is really good in keeping the value of their product high and demand strong and without that there would be an overall fall in the value of what they produce which just wouldn't suit them. It's a curious phenomenon, for sure.
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Its curious to guys that think like us (look at you trying to find a smart business reason a guy would let his demand outstrip his supply that much and not raise his prices and profits) but fact is, they don't think like us.

Kevin
 
Correct

slide13 said:
I've done some custom knife buying/selling and you run into the same thing there. Some of the top makers sell knives at a price that is about 1/2 of what they go for on the secondary market. Their lists are at 5+ years easily. I've often wondered why they don't raise prices. Sometimes I wonder if having a strong secondary market is really good in keeping the value of their product high and demand strong and without that there would be an overall fall in the value of what they produce which just wouldn't suit them. It's a curious phenomenon, for sure.
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You are correct in my opinion. When you eliminate the secondary market it is just a short time before there is not really any market.There are case's where the wait period is said to be long, but someone comes up and offers a large $ amt. and moves to the front of the line , when that happens there is now no need to buy on the secondary market.The cues for sale in that market sit, there is no real sense of urgency. I say that is my opinion but I have seen that happen.Talking to two high profile collectors at Derby City one year a certain cue makers name came up and the one collector said just that " I know if I will pay a certain $ amount I can get a cue anytime " . Maybe he was telling the truth or just boasting but it seemed there never really was a hot secondary market on those particular cues.
 
I think my Searing is almost done. Dennis was just starting to shape the tips 5 years ago, when he decided he wanted to build the perfect shaping abrasive and when he finished that he decided that he needed to re-engineer the perfect tip shape pattern and when he was done with that he decided that really with his new shaper and pattern, he needed to invent the perfect tip material from scratch.

I'm thinking about 8 more years (as soon as he gets done inventing the perfect shaft finish material and of course his custom applicator). I know he's hurrying mine along because I sincerely promised him I would never sell my Searing EVER (OBO)

Kevin
 
kvinbrwr said:
I think my Searing is almost done. Dennis was just starting to shape the tips 5 years ago, when he decided he wanted to build the perfect shaping abrasive and when he finished that he decided that he needed to re-engineer the perfect tip shape pattern and when he was done with that he decided that really with his new shaper and pattern, he needed to invent the perfect tip material from scratch.

I'm thinking about 8 more years (as soon as he gets done inventing the perfect shaft finish material and of course his custom applicator). I know he's hurrying mine along because I sincerely promised him I would never sell my Searing EVER (OBO)

Kevin
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LOL forgive me but that's funny stuff right there!!!
 
Koenigsegg said:
no way I would ever wait years to get a cue. There are several cue makers that make just as good a cue without the long wait.
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If only new you can double your money if ever decide to sell as with any top dogs in cue making business! you can always play with any cue dude til its done true?
 
cajunbarboxplyr said:
LOL forgive me but that's funny stuff right there!!!
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I kid around about Dennis because I really dig Dennis. He is all about the pursuit of perfection in an imperfect world. His cues have probably the most cache of any living cue maker.

Kevin
 
these threads really make my day.. i laugh so hard when i see them..lol.. you guys are the best! lol..

i honestly dont think i have seen a szam for less then 5.5k

and if there ever was one, it for sure didnt last long!

someday i hope to own one.. and hopefully i will still have all my cues when i do.. i dont like selling them much anymore..

chris
 
kvinbrwr said:
I kid around about Dennis because I really dig Dennis. He is all about the pursuit of perfection in an imperfect world. His cues have probably the most cache of any living cue maker.

Kevin
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Agreed...


:smilewinkgrin:
 
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