Cost of a shaft

[qbilder]

How much is everybody charging for shafts? Reason i'm asking is due to another thread here about some hack charging $200 for a shaft, and a relative newb builder in another thread charging $300 for his top grade shafts.

I charge between $150 & $200 for shafts depending on rings and whether it's for one of my cues or another. My shafts are the shizzle, all top quality. I won't sell what I perceive to be less than top grade. And they're accurately built. I know I don't charge as much as I can but i'm charging what I feel is fair, honest. So my question is am I raping myself on pricing or is there just an abundance of rip-offs out there? I will say that I see nothing wrong with respected & revered builders getting $200+ for shafts & don't see that as a rip-off. My personal pricing is what I calculate to be fair. But the newbs & hacks getting big bucks for shafts makes me wonder if i'm living in times past or are they just ripping folks off?

I would have posted this in one of the private forums but thought maybe it could be beneficial to all the builders & repair guys who sell shafts. Maybe a good reference for helping decide prices. All constructive input appreciated

 

[poolcuemaster]

I think your prices are fair Eric and I think $200 to $300 is too high just like $220 is too high for a predator shaft. If you feel like it's fair and you are happy then stay in the $150 range and sell twice as many, and by the way the two I have from you play great.--Leonard

 

[blackpearlmaker]

How much is everybody charging for shafts? Reason i'm asking is due to another thread here about some hack charging $200 for a shaft, and a relative newb builder in another thread charging $300 for his top grade shafts.

I charge between $150 & $200 for shafts depending on rings and whether it's for one of my cues or another. My shafts are the shizzle, all top quality. I won't sell what I perceive to be less than top grade. And they're accurately built. I know I don't charge as much as I can but i'm charging what I feel is fair, honest. So my question is am I raping myself on pricing or is there just an abundance of rip-offs out there? I will say that I see nothing wrong with respected & revered builders getting $200+ for shafts & don't see that as a rip-off. My personal pricing is what I calculate to be fair. But the newbs & hacks getting big bucks for shafts makes me wonder if i'm living in times past or are they just ripping folks off?

I would have posted this in one of the private forums but thought maybe it could be beneficial to all the builders & repair guys who sell shafts. Maybe a good reference for helping decide prices. All constructive input appreciated

Shafts for me is the most important part of the cue, even though the butt is well constructed but still the shaft has a big role when it comes to playability. I do believe that all cuemakers select the best quality shafts for their cues but when regards to pricing, i charge my shaft from 125 to 180, thats a fair price for me as Eric said, it also depends to the ringworks specially when the butt was not made by me.
As for newb and hacks, well everyone is living in a free country, i guess let the customers decide because they are the one will mostly absorb of the impact on those prices. And there's nothing wrong with that as long as the buyer satisfied of what they pay then life goes on..

 

[rhncue]

How much is everybody charging for shafts? Reason i'm asking is due to another thread here about some hack charging $200 for a shaft, and a relative newb builder in another thread charging $300 for his top grade shafts.

I charge between $150 & $200 for shafts depending on rings and whether it's for one of my cues or another. My shafts are the shizzle, all top quality. I won't sell what I perceive to be less than top grade. And they're accurately built. I know I don't charge as much as I can but i'm charging what I feel is fair, honest. So my question is am I raping myself on pricing or is there just an abundance of rip-offs out there? I will say that I see nothing wrong with respected & revered builders getting $200+ for shafts & don't see that as a rip-off. My personal pricing is what I calculate to be fair. But the newbs & hacks getting big bucks for shafts makes me wonder if i'm living in times past or are they just ripping folks off?

I would have posted this in one of the private forums but thought maybe it could be beneficial to all the builders & repair guys who sell shafts. Maybe a good reference for helping decide prices. All constructive input appreciated

I feel this is a very good subject. I don't know if some people are amazed that someone can build a good shaft and don't mind paying the price or maybe they feel if they are paying an absorbent price they are getting a better shaft or what. When a builder or mechanic makes a shaft I don't know if they have very limited equipment so it takes them forever to build and charge accordingly or they are paying way to much for raw materials or maybe they just believe they deserve to make a 100.00 an hour. A mechanic in a high economy such as New York or San Fransisco would of coarse have higher operating expenses so would need to charge accordingly.

I turn my own shaft blanks from scratch, make my own deco-rings and have the components to make 1000's of combinations. I also make my own ferrules. I have all the equipment needed to complete a shaft in a very timely fashion. This means that I can take a shaft blank, usually put on the correct deco-rings, ferrule, turn to final size, put on a tip and be ready for the finish in less than an 1.5 hours. I charge around 50.00 an hr. for shop time so this means around 75.00 plus materials and finish. I charge 125.00 for most shafts unless it has some complicated deco-ring that I must special make or if they want an up-graded tip. I believe this is fair. Some guys whom don't have the experience or equipment may have much more time invested in the shaft and they charge much more but I don't feel this is fair to the customer. Why should the customer pay for the mechanic's extra hours from limited experience or equipment.

Some mechanics or builders can charge a higher price because of their fame or known good work and high demand. This is called "supply and demand". In the early 90's Billy Stroud was getting 300.00 for a shaft when they could be had at most places for 50-100.00. The reputation can be worth a lot of money.

Dick

 

[qbilder]

Some guys whom don't have the experience or equipment may have much more time invested in the shaft and they charge much more but I don't feel this is fair to the customer. Why should the customer pay for the mechanic's extra hours from limited experience or equipment.

That's a big part of the point I wanted to make.

I appreciate the responses thus far.

 

[Barioni Cues]

How much is everybody charging for shafts? Reason i'm asking is due to another thread here about some hack charging $200 for a shaft, and a relative newb builder in another thread charging $300 for his top grade shafts.

I charge between $150 & $200 for shafts depending on rings and whether it's for one of my cues or another. My shafts are the shizzle, all top quality. I won't sell what I perceive to be less than top grade. And they're accurately built. I know I don't charge as much as I can but i'm charging what I feel is fair, honest. So my question is am I raping myself on pricing or is there just an abundance of rip-offs out there? I will say that I see nothing wrong with respected & revered builders getting $200+ for shafts & don't see that as a rip-off. My personal pricing is what I calculate to be fair. But the newbs & hacks getting big bucks for shafts makes me wonder if i'm living in times past or are they just ripping folks off?

I would have posted this in one of the private forums but thought maybe it could be beneficial to all the builders & repair guys who sell shafts. Maybe a good reference for helping decide prices. All constructive input appreciated

I do believe this pertains to me. What I sale with my cues are known to the industry as Performance shafts. Preditor, OB, McDermott and a few others all sale low deflection performance shafts. The retail on these shafts are from $225 to $275. The public is paying for performance. I agree ring work increeses the value. The more time that goes into it raises the price. A regular run of the mill deflecting shaft usually goes for $150. Ivory ferrule and joint adds to the cost. Atlas sales great shafts in final stage for $21.00. I am sure most of you already know this.

 

[Sheldon]

Standard maple shafts start at $125. I buy top quality wood.

 

[JoeyInCali]

................................

 

[rhncue]

I do believe this pertains to me. What I sale with my cues are known to the industry as Performance shafts. Preditor, OB, McDermott and a few others all sale low deflection performance shafts. The retail on these shafts are from $225 to $275. The public is paying for performance. I agree ring work increeses the value. The more time that goes into it raises the price. A regular run of the mill deflecting shaft usually goes for $150. Ivory ferrule and joint adds to the cost. Atlas sales great shafts in final stage for $21.00. I am sure most of you already know this.

Excuse but just what industry are you talking about? I just read your questionnaire this afternoon and other than that I've never heard of you but since there are about 2 new people a day making cues that would be understandable. I wasn't referring to your prices as I have no idea what they are. I did read some of your comments on why you believe that your cues have less deflection and I immediately surmised that you have little clue about physics. You seem to be adamant that you are the first to use a wood ferrule but so what. You are better off with no ferrule what's-so-ever and that's been around for well over a hundred years.
Just more hype about specialty cues with little fact behind the claims.

Dick

 

[qbilder]

edited.......thanks for the responses so far

 

[Hidy Ho]

From cue-ho perspective, if I approach a cue maker from whom I purchased a cue to make me another shaft, I expect to play less (as repeat customer and since I already bought the full package).

Otherwise, if I just wanted a cue maker to make me a shaft for his cue I bought second hand or for other cues, I expect to pay a bit more.

 

[WilleeCue]

Sounds like the guy that bought the $200 shaft really did get shafted.

I could tell you I make the best shafts in the world from the best wood in the world using the best methods in the world giving the best performance of any shaft in the world ... but what cue maker dont.

 

[Barioni Cues]

Excuse but just what industry are you talking about? I just read your questionnaire this afternoon and other than that I've never heard of you but since there are about 2 new people a day making cues that would be understandable. I wasn't referring to your prices as I have no idea what they are. I did read some of your comments on why you believe that your cues have less deflection and I immediately surmised that you have little clue about physics. You seem to be adamant that you are the first to use a wood ferrule but so what. You are better off with no ferrule what's-so-ever and that's been around for well over a hundred years.
Just more hype about specialty cues with little fact behind the claims.

Dick

Mr. Neighbors,
Do you claim to be a physics genius? Or did you just figure it all out working with Sherm. How many ferrule-less cues have you made. You say "you are better off not to use a ferrule at all". Wow that's funny, why do so many cue makers use them? I'll tell you why. The shaft will splinter apart as soon as the tip gets a little low. Tried it several times back in 2002 and 2003. Just curious, how much you know about Refinishing. Maybe we can go head to toe on that subject since I have a custom auto body shop established in 1990. Ya you want to see articles and some of the hot rods I did for Truckin Magazine. Try march of 1993. Just google John Barioni and you might learn that I have been in papers for my painting skills. Coker cues even spent some time at my shop in Atwater back in 1998. Tom and Grady both. You want to bet on refinishing skills for cues. I'll give you the 7 out Bro when it come to refinishing!!!! You keep building your cues the way you do and I'll keep building mine the way I do.

 

[nksmfamjp]

oke: popcorn :killingme: :withstupid:

 

[rhncue]

Mr. Neighbors,
Do you claim to be a physics genius? Or did you just figure it all out working with Sherm. How many ferrule-less cues have you made. You say "you are better off not to use a ferrule at all". Wow that's funny, why do so many cue makers use them? I'll tell you why. The shaft will splinter apart as soon as the tip gets a little low. Tried it several times back in 2002 and 2003. Just curious, how much you know about Refinishing. Maybe we can go head to toe on that subject since I have a custom auto body shop established in 1990. Ya you want to see articles and some of the hot rods I did for Truckin Magazine. Try march of 1993. Just google John Barioni and you might learn that I have been in papers for my painting skills. Coker cues even spent some time at my shop in Atwater back in 1998. Tom and Grady both. You want to bet on refinishing skills for cues. I'll give you the 7 out Bro when it come to refinishing!!!! You keep building your cues the way you do and I'll keep building mine the way I do.

Well I'm no physics genius but I do understand Newton's 1st, 2nd and 3rd laws of motion. Read them sometime, they are short. I have made a couple ferrule less shafts thank you. If you would like you may look at Brunswick's early catalog and you will learn that Brunswick cues were built without ferrules for a number of years. If you wanted one it was an option that they charged extra for but of coarse they knew nothing about building cues. A number of people use shafts with out ferrules. Once you've been around the block you will learn some things that have been going on in the cue building industry.I could absolutely care less about your experience in doing body work. Do you spray grey primer on your cues as a base? Big difference between wood and metal. By the way I've been refinishing cues for over 40 years and have done many, many more than you I would bet. Well now we know you've been in the body business, Can you post some articles on how long you've been building cues? Let me guess. Just how many have you built "The way you do". One thing different between us, I've got a history.

Dick

 

[Trent]

Mr. Neighbors,
Do you claim to be a physics genius? Or did you just figure it all out working with Sherm. How many ferrule-less cues have you made. You say "you are better off not to use a ferrule at all". Wow that's funny, why do so many cue makers use them? I'll tell you why. The shaft will splinter apart as soon as the tip gets a little low. Tried it several times back in 2002 and 2003. Just curious, how much you know about Refinishing. Maybe we can go head to toe on that subject since I have a custom auto body shop established in 1990. Ya you want to see articles and some of the hot rods I did for Truckin Magazine. Try march of 1993. Just google John Barioni and you might learn that I have been in papers for my painting skills. Coker cues even spent some time at my shop in Atwater back in 1998. Tom and Grady both. You want to bet on refinishing skills for cues. I'll give you the 7 out Bro when it come to refinishing!!!! You keep building your cues the way you do and I'll keep building mine the way I do.

I think this is a battle you will forsure lose, Dick has more rep than most anyone on here and you sir are at 33 posts talking about body work :ignore:.... i went to school for auto collision and custom painting and trust me its a whole diffrent world, 2 seperate skills completely.

do your self a favor and try and keep yourself in check, or you will get nothing from this site but a hard time.:bash:


now to get back on the subject of shafts as a new builder with not a ton of equipment i usually charge 75-100 for a shaft depending on the options.

 

[sliprock]

Base price for my shafts is $100. Shafts for other butts are $125. Tip ugrades etc, are extra.

 

[Mase]

I charge $125 to $160 for my shafts.

 

[ratcues]

Am I that underpriced at $90 with matching ringwork? I need to adjust my prices.....

 

[hangemhigh]

I love the ferrule-less shaft, and have sold many without 1 issue, including the one mentioned by the self professed Physics expert. I charge more for the ferrule-less design than I do for regular shafts.

Matching ring-work, Ivory ferrules, and high dollar layered tips can escalate the price very quickly.