OK Gus Szamboti made playing cues that he sold for $1000.00 dollars that are now worth 7 to 10 times that. This is a subjective question and only time will answer it but who out thier makes a players cue not works of art or collectable you that you believe will in the future appricate. Hercek,Bender,Tas,Barry,Scruggs,Stroud are all givens as are some of the others but you cant buy them for a $1000.00 now. OK I may have to raise the price to $1500-$2000.00. Blackcreek makes some nice cues that may one day climb I believe they will always retain value. What do the rest of you think.
Cue Value Apprication
- Thread starter AK-Stick
- Start date
jerry-r- for sure
Ron Hailey, could possible be the next Balabushka, Szamboti, or even Rambo. His work is under stated and completely outstanding in design, execution, and playability.
You can take that to the bank!!!!!!
Zinzola :yes:
I think it is getting hard now because of the machines available. Inlay machines etc give all makers much cleaner work. I think the artistic guys probably will have the increasing cues of the future.
Art Cantando made fewer than 100 cues yet he is known world wide. Of those cues, many were sneeky petes or simple 4 point players. If you have a fancy Cantando, especially one with engraving, the value has and will continue to increase IMO. The work is great and the supply is finite.
Manwon makes a good point about Ron Haley. Years ago, no one knew his name. His work has done all the talking though and he is now in super high demand.
Manwon makes a good point about Ron Haley. Years ago, no one knew his name. His work has done all the talking though and he is now in super high demand.
Paul Fanelli.. his stuff is so mindboggling it'll convince you he has the nuts in CNC equipment however....
The only computer he uses is for e-mail...
JV
The only computer he uses is for e-mail...
JV
I would say the less machinery involved, the more it's going to appreciate, from a craftsman-type point of view.
Anyone can operate a CNC machine, but not everyone can do it without one.
Anyone can operate a CNC machine, but not everyone can do it without one.
I didnt read this thread past your first sentance, Gus didnt sell many cues for $1000, $300-$700 was more the range in price, and those cuse now are trading around $5,000-$8,000 and still going up. Gus is a ledgend, Barry his son is a living ledgend-As long as you buy a Szam at the correct price you will make $$$, if you pay too much-you wll still make $$$, it will just take longer.
The reason is because of guys like me and many others, we dont sell the Szams so the supply avaliable to purchase is very small and will remain so, additionally If I was going to sell my cues I would call a friend of mine with a big collection of Gus's cues and he will buy them all, He said he would do the same for me, so we have a pact. I'm sure were not the only guys doing that. I'd guess 80% of the Gus cues out there are in big collections. In technical economic terms its called demand pull inflation, the demand exceeds the supply. Cost push inflation is the oppsite if wood goes up 1000 times in price cues would go up because the cost to build them goes up. That wont happen with cues until inflation kicks in in America then everything will go up in price.
Back to cues, Cue makers who make alot of cues every year will never see the apperication in their cues like the cue makers who build 10 cues/year. Demand pull inflation. Its actually good biz for a established cue maker to make less cues/year. He can charge more and do less work.:wink:
Now to answere your question, Barry Szamboti. anything else is speculation. I dont want any cue makers to die and I would never speculate like that. Not saying you would either, none of us wants anyone to die, we just lost Mr. Cantando, I have 3 of his cues-which I will never sell because he was a friend and I love his cues. I have a couple SW's Jerry made me I will never sell thise either. I dont look at cues as a biz, i look at them as little bank accounts(that I wont ever have to tap into, so far in 24 years I havent).
Cue prices across the board are going to increase in price soon as inflation kicks in, cost push(the worst kind of inflation). I'll explain, cue makers need to feed their familys so when groceries cost more they will have to charge us more for their time to build a cue. The "Real value" of the cue will be the same but the price will be higher-just bigger numbers on EVERYTHING, whick makes the trillion $$$ deficate smaller, the Govt lets inflation pay off past debt by minimizing its real value. follow me? I had a lot of economics classes in college.
there are 2 kinds of inflation,
1. demand pull-the demand of the consumer is greater than the supply. (good inflation) Buy right sell right, and you'll make $$$
2. cost push-the costs of oil, commoditys, labor etc. etc. etc. are more $$$ for the same amout. Let me give you a example, When a economy has cost push inflation it usually starts with oil, it costs the truck drivers more $$$ for a load, the store who recieves the load has to pay more, then they charge the consumer more$$$, the consumer has to ask the business for a raise, now that business has to charge more for deliveries, and pay-roll is higher. The store got hit twice, they guy who ownes the store has to eat too, so he raises prices again. It all happens fast and is bad real bad. It happened in the 70's and will here again in 1-3 years. There is little oppertunity to make $$ in a cost push economy, keeping up is the name of the game. But as I noted before the Govt likes it cause it makes the deficate smaller, or people in long term debt. If you borrarowed real $$$ 5 years ago and can still service the debt, the principal will be the same number like the deficate but you will use inflated dollars to repay the real dollars you borrowed. Thats my play currently on one deal im in, I lost $500,000 on a 2nd deal, its a dangerous play.
Not bad for a fat, lazy, dumb guy...huh? I hope Penguin my #1 hater reads this and sees that I'm not dumb as I appear. and hell yeah i'm proud of what I know, If i'm wrong I love critizem, that affords me a chance to learn, being wrong only means i'm going to be smarter soon. now if I could just learn to spell.....
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Joe, that is a great point and for me that is very important. Ron Hailey doesn't use CNC equipment either and his designs and inlay work are second to none. In my opinion to be the cream that rises to the top CNC equipment is a very big consideration when some ones asks me who is the best or in the top 10. While I believe that CNC Equipment can compliment some ones work, if that same person is unable to preform with out it they can never be considered a Top Tear cue maker.
JIMO
It is a short list, and Ernie Gutierrez is on it.
Without exception, I think cue values will continue to lower or just keep up with inflation.
Ernie makes a ton of cues. So I dont agree they will significantly increase.
Barry is the only one that might have a chance, IMO.
Like the chance of buying a 1970 Hemi Cuda, the day significant difference between buy and sell on cues is but a memory my friends.
LOL
Ken
Ernie makes a ton of cues. So I dont agree they will significantly increase.
Barry is the only one that might have a chance, IMO.
Like the chance of buying a 1970 Hemi Cuda, the day significant difference between buy and sell on cues is but a memory my friends.
LOL
Ken
assume you're referring to secondary market only!?
that could be true is if the economy completely tanks . . . but then we'd ALL be fk'd! : (
you can buy most makers on the secondary market relatively cheap at the moment, compared to the last few years.
if economy turns round, prices will eventually be restored.
depends on how long it takes, and how much it turns.
ak stick . . . don't sell that super D!
though you could flip it for a profit the day you got it, even in this economy.
