Cue Collecting Criteria Question??

[tksix]

I recently sold a cue that I have owned and played with since '91. About 4 years ago put it away in a case upright in a closet. The buyer (an AZer and good guy) called and said that the butt had a lift (slight warp), which I had no idea. No harm, no foul......gave the money back and got the cue back. When I got the cue back it did have a lift about a 1/16"+

Then I thought to check some of my other cues, that I have recently purchased. Notice that some also had a slight lift. Nothing that would not be playable......when the shafts were on they roll straight. So.........here are the questions.

How badly does a slight lift affect value? Of course terribly warped I know all bets are off.

Storage of cues?? In a case in a closet or what else??

Purchasing future VINTAGE cues, stay away from any lift at all or slight is O.K.?

Interested in any insight here before I add to the collection.

Thanks,

Mike

 

[manwon]

I recently sold a cue that I have owned and played with since '91. About 4 years ago put it away in a case upright in a closet. The buyer (an AZer and good guy) called and said that the butt had a lift (slight warp), which I had no idea. No harm, no foul......gave the money back and got the cue back. When I got the cue back it did have a lift about a 1/16"+

Then I thought to check some of my other cues, that I have recently purchased. Notice that some also had a slight lift. Nothing that would not be playable......when the shafts were on they roll straight. So.........here are the questions.

How badly does a slight lift affect value? Of course terribly warped I know all bets are off.

Storage of cues?? In a case in a closet or what else??

Purchasing future VINTAGE cues, stay away from any lift at all or slight is O.K.?

Interested in any insight here before I add to the collection.

Thanks,

Mike

Hello Mike with Collectable cues this will detract from there value if they are from a current maker. Everything depends upon the cues rarity, What type of cues are you collecting?

 

[Drawman623]

Just an opinion

Custom cue buyers are often emotional; a warp may have no effect on playability yet it can profoundly affect a buyer's emotion and sour a deal. Many sellers post detailed accounts of any and all flaws so that there can be no buyer's remorse following the discovery of something trivial...or significant depending on who you ask.

Shafts can be replaced on most collectable cues and thus minor shaft warpage isn't usually bad; butt warpage is an entirely different matter though.

The cue is worth what someone is willing to pay for it...that being said, some cues will be almost worthless if warped while others will still be desirable. I saw a Gus Szamboti cue with a warped butt sell for $9000. I saw a Ginacue with a cracked ivory handle and warp sell for $8600. Some "old cues" are great investments and some cuemakers are miracle workers at fixing them. The question of what cues to avoid is not a simple one, and in my opinion, cannot be answered based solely on the criteria of warpage.

I store my cues in Whitten cases and I keep them in a climate controlled environment. I don't even let them stay near an outside wall for fear of warpage. For me, it's not about protecting my investment, or keeping my cues marketable...I just don't want to be the one to damage them.

Richard Black made my Snap cue...Art Cantando built my ebony and ivory box cue. These cuemakers built masterpieces that will endure beyond them and their customers. I want to be part of the process that has these men remembered and respected for their art well into the future. Some "buyers" don't appreciate that.

I see collectors as custodians of a great tradition. Investors, on the other hand, may be essential to keep cuemaking alive but many accumulate rather than appreciate the art. No disrespect is intended to either party but one man's treasure is another man's warped return.

 

[Subsonic2u]

I have my entire collection of over 100 Qs on display in wall racks in my pool room. All are stored vertically as u would find them at a pool room. They live in the same tempature range as me. So far, no warpage problems. It is so nice to c them each day, rather than having them stored away in cases.

I know someone that stored a few Qs horizontally over doorways. They all warped.

Charlie

 

[tksix]

CueTable Help

Hello Mike with Collectable cues this will detract from there value if they are from a current maker. Everything depends upon the cues rarity, What type of cues are you collecting?

I do not have an extensive collection, just dabbling. Ha, probably famous last words, of all cue junkies. My player is a Hercek.........I am storing a few Palmers, a few Adams, McDermott, and a Richard Black. They are all in hard cases standing vertically.

I am not too concerned with value.............I have purchased them for their traditional look, and to preserve a piece of something I am passionate about. That being said..........I certainly don't want a pile of kindling wood in 10 years.

I may look into a better way of storing them for now. Any suggestions on a climate controlled environment? Gun safe??

Mike

 

[manwon]

CueTable Help

I do not have an extensive collection, just dabbling. Ha, probably famous last words, of all cue junkies. My player is a Hercek.........I am storing a few Palmers, a few Adams, McDermott, and a Richard Black. They are all in hard cases standing vertically.

I am not too concerned with value.............I have purchased them for their traditional look, and to preserve a piece of something I am passionate about. That being said..........I certainly don't want a pile of kindling wood in 10 years.

I may look into a better way of storing them for now. Any suggestions on a climate controlled environment? Gun safe??

Mike

Mike temperature control is a major factor due to the different rates of expansion and contraction of material used in building cue. If you keep your cues in an environment of plus or minus 5 degrees of 70 degrees you will not have a problem. No matter what you do though some form of the above problems will occur to a minor extent. But this to be expected and is totally acceptable.

Have a good day!!!

 

[ridewiththewind]

CueTable Help

I do not have an extensive collection, just dabbling. Ha, probably famous last words, of all cue junkies. My player is a Hercek.........I am storing a few Palmers, a few Adams, McDermott, and a Richard Black. They are all in hard cases standing vertically.

I am not too concerned with value.............I have purchased them for their traditional look, and to preserve a piece of something I am passionate about. That being said..........I certainly don't want a pile of kindling wood in 10 years.

I may look into a better way of storing them for now. Any suggestions on a climate controlled environment? Gun safe??

Mike

Radio Shack sells a hygrometer in the $20 range. It is used to measure the relative humidity in any given room in your home. The idea is to try and keep that relative humidity somewhere in the 42% to 47% range...which is ideal for storage of not only cues but acoustic guitars as well. You also want to keep cues out of any area where there are vents for central heating/air, as these can be horrible little culprits for drying out wood.

If you find that conditions are too wet (high humidity), then a little silica gel pack in the bottom of the case should do the trick...but make sure to remove that the minute things begin to turn dry...as an overly dry cue can not only suffer from warpage, but it can create cracks in the wood, ivory, not to mention ruin finishes and exotic wraps, such as monitor lizard.

Also, definitely the more upright the better, with regards to storing in a case. If you can find an old It's George or similar type case, these are usually pretty airtight, which will also cut down on excessive moisture issues.

Lisa