Cue collectors

qghunter

qghunter

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
When I got back into pool, I was a little shocked by some of the prices. Makers should definitely get paid for their work. I own my own business, so I have nothing against market value. But my question is, are most of these cue being paid for with credit cards? I pay cash and it took me a while to consider that a lot of people probably don’t. Is that how most of these $2,000-$10,000 sue are being sold?
 
No one? I have seen several post complaining about the price of cues. I think credit cards are the explaination.
 
I always pay cash in person, or send a cashier's check if its mail order.
 
I think the big time collector can afford what they want. Some of these threads about prices are ridiculous. Value is determined by what someone will pay. I doubt people are investing in cues on credit. That would be insanity.
 
The only way I could understand it is if someone bought a $2,000 cue, with a credit card, paid it off and then bought another. I think that probably happens often. It would still have an affect on the market. It is alot different than forking over $2,000 at once.
 
I use a credit card every time I purchase a new cue. Especially online...it is safer that way. But I also have a set price limit and I pay off the credit card completely each time.
 
I dought many are bought on credit/credit cards. The high dollar cues that I have seen for resale have never been played with. So I think they were either bought as art or for investment.

What business do you have in Prosper?

Larry
 
The Appraisal Company, Inc.

We do residential appraisals. My work is about value. Value is what the market is willing to pay. That's why I don't have a problem with the prices. I just wonder are there that many loaded people on this forum. Or is it like housing? Alot of people bought houses in a market that was inflated with buyers who couldn't afford it.
 
I sold 9ballgod a Shick I bought when I first started playing pool in 1992...I bought it in atlanta and paid 900.00 for it. I sold it to him for 4700...he knows what I paid for it so its all good there....he paid for it with cash....when i buy my cues, i usually pay with my debit card..sometimes cash, but usually debit card
 
qghunter said:
The Appraisal Company, Inc.

We do residential appraisals. My work is about value. Value is what the market is willing to pay. That's why I don't have a problem with the prices. I just wonder are there that many loaded people on this forum. Or is it like housing? Alot of people bought houses in a market that was inflated with buyers who couldn't afford it.
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You do appraisals in Prosper and wonder about were people get thier money to buy cues. That's funny I do construction and wonder where people get thier money to buy/build a house in Prosper.


Where do you play around Prosper. It's 30 minutes for me to get to the closest pool hall here in Anna?

Larry
 
Careful what you say!!! Trust me - folks don't take kindly to having their work called over priced! :)

qghunter said:
When I got back into pool, I was a little shocked by some of the prices. Makers should definitely get paid for their work. I own my own business, so I have nothing against market value. But my question is, are most of these cue being paid for with credit cards? I pay cash and it took me a while to consider that a lot of people probably don’t. Is that how most of these $2,000-$10,000 sue are being sold?
Click to expand...
 
hdgis1 said:
Careful what you say!!! Trust me - folks don't take kindly to having their work called over priced! :)
Click to expand...

I don't think anything is over priced. I have read threads were others have complained cues were over priced. I think they are priced at what they are worth. I am more wondering about the market in general. What type of transactions are going on and does it have a significant effect on market value.
 
I know many makers don't accept credit cards. Ernie Gutierrez for example takes no credit cards and sells every $2,000 to $50,000 cue he can build (except that dog the "Silver Gina" which he has been trying to sell for over 40 years).

Thanks

Kevin
 
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Cue are cheaps compared to other "collectibles". Look at the cars being auctioned. Watches are another high price item. Cues don't require storage or maintenance. A used cue can increase in value over time as compared to bowling balls, golf clubs, tennis rackets and etc. You can always get most of your money back unlike other "collectibles" that people buy at a reduced price compared to it true value such as a limited edition that is valued at $2000 and being sold for $799 plus S and H.

For the most part people that buy them can afford them. Those that can't use playing cues that are cheaper. Nothing wrong with that either. I have gotten beat by many players using house cues. It is just a hobby and can be profitable.
 
buying custom cues is easy, if you know the market. $10,000 is not a high end cue-thats a entry level price in cue collector world. Most(80%) of the collector cues are around $12,000 to $30,000, there are a few that are $100,000 and higher but thats a very narrow market, but it exists. Most of the collectors know each other and thats where the transactions happen, and its usually cash. Often entire collections are sold for well into the 6 figure range. I bought a collection once and did a bank wire.


If you dont know the market, you just have to learn it. Its very similar to the gray market watch market. Watches are dead these days, the cue market is soft but far from dead.
 
I carry a zero balance on my cards but in days gone by, would go so far as taking a cash advance just to acquire a cue. Thankfully I am a bit more sensible now. I have learned to live with the fact that I must be selective about what cuemaker's work I can afford.

One aspect of collecting has already been touched upon, the cues hold or even increase in value over time. This allows one to roll the money invested in a cue into the next higher cue with little loss if any. I too bought a Schick cue and sold it for thousands more years later, thus enabling me to break into a higher level of cue (a much fancier Schick in that case).

The difficulty I have today, however, is that I have learned what I like and formed a short list of cuemakers I want to own. So now, as a "keeper" who does not resell his cue to move into the next, I must front cash for each new cue.

Fortunately, I don't mind Ramen noodles or Mac n cheese when the cue budget is too tight.

As I write this reply, I've really got to say thanks to cue builders like Andy Gilbert or Pete Ohman who build magnificent cues for prices that production workers like me can still afford.
 
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Cues as investments

qghunter said:
When I got back into pool, I was a little shocked by some of the prices. Makers should definitely get paid for their work. I own my own business, so I have nothing against market value. But my question is, are most of these cue being paid for with credit cards? I pay cash and it took me a while to consider that a lot of people probably don’t. Is that how most of these $2,000-$10,000 sue are being sold?
Click to expand...

There are all kinds of investments. Some collectibles are investments, and some investors recommend holding a percentage of wealth in collectibles such as coins, stamps, antiques, firearms, etc.

I did an informal study a few years back with some other collectors here. We tracked values of cues over 10 years based on old dealer flyers and came up with this:


http://www.palmercollector.com/CuesAsInvestments.html

It's may be flawed, but I had a lot of input from other members and it's definitely worth looking at. Basically, the only cues worth buying in those days were the more expensive, custom cues, which became collectible.

It's a heck of a lot more fun investing in cues than putting the money in a CD, but a lot more involved!


Chris
 
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my first interest in cues is from a players perspective, if it plays good and its going to be my "player" I will take the worst of it on the price, as its a tool for me.


Regaurding custom high $$$ cues one thing i failed to mention in my post a hour ago is the investment perspective on cues. I dont buy cues to earn a living, years ago I flipped enough cues(before the internet) to pay my rent and then some. But it is possible to make good $$$ buying and selling cues. I buy cues that I like-thats my first priority, second is the value in the deal, unless I just like the cue so much $$$ isnt a issue I make sure I'm paying a fair market value for the cue. I have lost my azz on some cues, and made good $$$ on others. It dosent really matter as I rarely trade or sell any of my collection.


I was speaking to a friend/cue dealer/collector who has perhaps $700,000 in cues, one thing thats nice is they are a bearer assett-no paper trail, so when you sell its tax free income. Its invisable $$$ because 99.999% of the people think cues all cost $29.00 at K-Mart. The fine art biz is the same for the real rich guys, is a Piccaso picture really worth $50,000,000? NEVER in a million years, the reason the fine art biz exists is its just a place to park excess $$$.


I Took a look at what I had and put a certain % in to cues for that reason. And since the realestate crash in Vegas I wish I would have put more into cues, they are about the only things I havent lost on(overall) I have lost alot of $$$ on a few cues but I dont care cause i'm not selling them ever.
 
Hi Fatboy,

Is what you said here

"I was speaking to a friend/cue dealer/collector who has perhaps $700,000 in cues, one thing thats nice is they are a bearer assett-no paper trail, so when you sell its tax free income. Its invisable $$$ because 99.999% of the people think cues all cost $29.00 at K-Mart. The fine art biz is the same for the real rich guys, is a Piccaso picture really worth $50,000,000? NEVER in a million years, the reason the fine art biz exists is its just a place to park excess $$$."

legal?
 
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