I went on the WWW and was disappointed by an article that stated only a handful of Cue Makers were making money.
Though I don't believe those numbers being an ex cue maker I understand where low numbers come in. I call it, keeping up with the Jones's. I will name a few Cue Makers as an example, please don't be insulted if I did not use your name in example list. You have your Thomas Wayne's, Barry Z and Dennis Searing's (and MANY others) that have gotten to the point the cues they build are put through a Microscope and sell to very rich people. They have this market and it is very hard to break into. Due to love of functional art the average Cue Maker forgets he is also a businessman and keeps pouring money into equipment like its water, I have been there and done this.
IMO however your Bar League and also weekly ball hitter is the majority of the market. They have love of game but many or most are Blue Collar workers. Your production Cue Makers know this and this is why they flourish. To have a cue that was built for them is like their dream.
I would like to make an example and breakdown of what I feel is a Money Maker. http://forums.azbilliards.com/showthread.php?t=278156 This is a Rick Howard and sold so fast you would have gotten whiplash trying to buy it.
Please note the wood on this was probably $1.00 an inch for the butt and lets say $8.00 for the joint pin. One of the many great tricks on a cue such as this is the Ring Work matches yet does not go up to the joint. This saves a TON of time as you don't have to marry up the ring work on both shafts. If Carbide Sanding arbors were used it almost becomes pick a shaft, any shaft.
I have played with an 8 point tulip wood into ebony of Rick Howard's and a Rick Howard Mace. I have also hit balls with quite a few of his cues. They are put together in the same fashion and tapered in the same fashion and balanced in the same manner. To me, this means the 8 point I bought years ago which would probably go for about 2K would hit about the same as this for $550.00. As a Wood Nut this cue is Jam up beautiful. I however don't see where he had to V grove it, put veneers and other wood in as he would have to carefully cut and perhaps off set some cuts to bring the points dead nuts even. Also if you offset and recut you should wait longer between passes to prevent movement, JMHO.
I don't think Irish Linen is called for on this cue and to me would lose value if it was used, another time saver. One of the Big M production companies puts on linen than gives it a total wrap less feel so your Bar League and Ball Hitters still love that feel.
I also believe getting involved with the associations in the cue making trade are a great way to learn help give you input on being a better more profitable cue maker
In closing I believe there are way more than 10 Cue Makers making a living, they are not well known, probably secretive. This all brings me to memories of my prized Harvey Martin Cue. He made a handful of cues with points but other than that it was "How much Birdseye do you want?"
Though I don't believe those numbers being an ex cue maker I understand where low numbers come in. I call it, keeping up with the Jones's. I will name a few Cue Makers as an example, please don't be insulted if I did not use your name in example list. You have your Thomas Wayne's, Barry Z and Dennis Searing's (and MANY others) that have gotten to the point the cues they build are put through a Microscope and sell to very rich people. They have this market and it is very hard to break into. Due to love of functional art the average Cue Maker forgets he is also a businessman and keeps pouring money into equipment like its water, I have been there and done this.
IMO however your Bar League and also weekly ball hitter is the majority of the market. They have love of game but many or most are Blue Collar workers. Your production Cue Makers know this and this is why they flourish. To have a cue that was built for them is like their dream.
I would like to make an example and breakdown of what I feel is a Money Maker. http://forums.azbilliards.com/showthread.php?t=278156 This is a Rick Howard and sold so fast you would have gotten whiplash trying to buy it.
Please note the wood on this was probably $1.00 an inch for the butt and lets say $8.00 for the joint pin. One of the many great tricks on a cue such as this is the Ring Work matches yet does not go up to the joint. This saves a TON of time as you don't have to marry up the ring work on both shafts. If Carbide Sanding arbors were used it almost becomes pick a shaft, any shaft.
I have played with an 8 point tulip wood into ebony of Rick Howard's and a Rick Howard Mace. I have also hit balls with quite a few of his cues. They are put together in the same fashion and tapered in the same fashion and balanced in the same manner. To me, this means the 8 point I bought years ago which would probably go for about 2K would hit about the same as this for $550.00. As a Wood Nut this cue is Jam up beautiful. I however don't see where he had to V grove it, put veneers and other wood in as he would have to carefully cut and perhaps off set some cuts to bring the points dead nuts even. Also if you offset and recut you should wait longer between passes to prevent movement, JMHO.
I don't think Irish Linen is called for on this cue and to me would lose value if it was used, another time saver. One of the Big M production companies puts on linen than gives it a total wrap less feel so your Bar League and Ball Hitters still love that feel.
I also believe getting involved with the associations in the cue making trade are a great way to learn help give you input on being a better more profitable cue maker
In closing I believe there are way more than 10 Cue Makers making a living, they are not well known, probably secretive. This all brings me to memories of my prized Harvey Martin Cue. He made a handful of cues with points but other than that it was "How much Birdseye do you want?"
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