Cuemaker quality standards.

lenoxmjs

lenoxmjs

Brazilian Rosewood Fan
Silver Member
Are different cuemakers held to different standards?

Why do some established cuemakers or even legandary makers get a pass for less than perfect work while some newbie gets raked over the coals?

I have seen really big name cuemakers get a pass for shoddy inlay work or puddles of filler around an inlay why do you feel that is?
 
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lenoxmjs said:
Are different cuemakers held to different standards?

Why do some established cuemakers or even legandary makers get a pass for less than perfect work while some newbie gets raked over the coals?

I have seen really big name cuemakers get a pass for shoddy inlay work or puddles of filler around an inlay why do you feel that is?

Sorry I ment to post in Main Forum > Please have the MODS move . Thank you!
Click to expand...

They don't from me, but I don't get it either.... I've made it known many times that one of the top "elite" cue makers has some of the worst quality I've seen, but somehow it's still ok....
 
lenoxmjs said:
Are different cuemakers held to different standards?

Why do some established cuemakers or even legandary makers get a pass for less than perfect work while some newbie gets raked over the coals?

I have seen really big name cuemakers get a pass for shoddy inlay work or puddles of filler around an inlay why do you feel that is?

Sorry I ment to post in Main Forum > Please have the MODS move . Thank you!
Click to expand...

It's all about perceived return on investment.

When you invest in the "name" only, you get a name on a cue.

The cue ceases to matter in regards to quality of construction.

Enough of these kind of "name" cues get out on the street,
and then the name starts to fade in prominence.

AZB's darling cuemaker of today can easily be the ebay pimped
cue of the season tomorrow after the AZB pimps can no longer
find tricks for their ho's.
 
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DELETED MY COMMENTS.

I don't want to post in the thread since it's in the wrong forum. This just stirs things up. See below.


EDIT: I just realized this thread is in the wanted/for sale forum. Wrong place I would think.
 
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after a certain point of work, these cues become functional art. once they are valued for form over function, then prices get weird. such is art.
 
its life

why does lamborghini that is known for oil leaks on the delievery truck and electric problems and ferrari that at 20,000 miles need overhaul and belts required by farrari . and they sell over 200,000 and corvette zo6 out preform them and and only pull 65,000 , its all about the name , in any investment name is 9/10 th the law. and this industry is no different . this is art and the better the work does not constitute higher price
 
cornerstone said:
why does lamborghini that is known for oil leaks on the delievery truck and electric problems and ferrari that at 20,000 miles need overhaul and belts required by farrari . and they sell over 200,000 and corvette zo6 out preform them and and only pull 65,000 , its all about the name , in any investment name is 9/10 th the law. and this industry is no different . this is art and the better the work does not constitute higher price
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Good point Bill,

Lamborghini, Ferrari, and Corvette all offer
similiar lousy return on investment.

Big name cues are not much different than the housing industry.
The entire premise is under the bigger fool theory. Unless you
are an industry insider, you are the bigger fool.

See how tanked most mortgage holding americans are in their
homes these days, and you get my point in reference to "investment"
The bankers got bonus checks, and the homeowners got screwed.

After all what is an investment, if it is not a gamble ?

So when it comes down to it, the strongest investments
would be in God, gold, guns, and ammunition.

Not sticks and stones.
 
sweatinNbettin said:
I agree, but shouldn't even functional art have quality standards?
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I would like to think every cue maker has standards, some higher than others. But then again, us buyers should create our own standards when buying a cue. If your buying a cue as an investment, then follow the market.

If you want to beat a Ferrari or Lamborghini, spend 10-20k On a motorcycle or if you want to be in one, pony up the cash. I'm sure more than a few of us have lost to someone using a house cue when we where packing our pride and joys in a nice case to the pool hall.

What I don't understand are cues that have round points or floating points that are over 1k. To me they are nothing more than inlaid plain janes. I just play with my cues, so what do I know.
 
One would think that quality would be higher when going with a US cuemaker instead of a mass produced China cue.

Unfortunately, that is not the case.

I have seen and have/had cues made by reputable cuemakers that simply don't live up to the hype.

In fact some of the worst work has come out of one man shops in the US, go figure.
 
silver ginacue

The silver ginacue is one of the most valuable and most desired cues in the world. Stories vary but hundreds of thousands have been offered for it. If we really look at it, it is a beautiful example of hand craftsmanship and like all hand craftsmanship far less than perfect.

If an unknown cue builder made it today and it was blown up to ten times true size on this forum as many cue images are it would be slammed for the very heavy lines where they should be invisible and the badly out of line inlays in places. The "crude" hand carving on the silver would probably be attacked too. My true opinion is revealed by the quotes.

http://forums.azbilliards.com/showthread.php?t=192545

Until the cue gets to the level that it isn't intended primarily to be played with I kinda feel the fit and finish should be judged by the same standard I judge straight. If the naked eye can't find flaw, flaw doesn't exist. I can borrow some equipment that I have sold and blow images up to a hundred times true size or more. I blew up something less than a half inch in diameter to over dinner plate size and discovered things I would have once never learned without a microscope. Chromed finishes that appear glass smooth looked more like sandpaper! I doubt that one percent of cues made today regardless of the cue builder can stand that level of scrutiny, nor should they have to in my opinion.

Hu

PS: I still wouldn't mind having the silver ginacue, flaws and all. I wouldn't even send it back to have it "fixed"!
(edit: Well to accept it as is I would expect them to throw in the case!)
 
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The cue maker I know would never let anything subpar leave his shop. His reputation is riding on every cue, and he takes pride in his work. He makes a living making cues, and to let products leave the shop that are inferior, would eventually ruin his business.

When I buy a cue, I buy it to play pool, not to collect or invest. I have to like the look and the hit. I personally don't care whose name is on the cue, if it is shoddy work, my cash stays in my pocket.
 
lenoxmjs said:
Are different cuemakers held to different standards?

Why do some established cuemakers or even legandary makers get a pass for less than perfect work while some newbie gets raked over the coals?

I have seen really big name cuemakers get a pass for shoddy inlay work or puddles of filler around an inlay why do you feel that is?

Sorry I ment to post in Main Forum > Please have the MODS move . Thank you!
Click to expand...

Hi,

I have noticed the same thing when viewing inlays even on award winning cues.

I have been doing cue repair at my pool hall for a long time and I have also seen warped cues from a certain high end cue making company that is very popular that make playing cue that are over 2 grand a pop.

Each time one of these cues come in to my shop I put them between centers on a lathe just to observe them and about half of them are bumping and about 30% don't roll flat on the table.

When I point out this to the owner they seem to make excuses for the cue as like it was OK that it is warped. I have seen the case where the player bought one the these cues knowing full well that it rolled funny on the table before the purchase. Duh! :barf:

Branding is a powerful thing I guess. In my opinion I think these cues that have warps are just junk and the people who settle for less are just rationalizers.

Seeing this stuff was the singular reason I when to full coring every one of the cues I build. I can sleep well at night.

JMHO,

Rick G
 
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SOULHASSORROW said:
Quality standards, what about CUSTOMER SERVICE standards, which hardly exist in the cuemaking world. The DMV provides better customer service than most cuemakers lol.
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bull feathers
not most
perhaps a few
how much time did i spend with you???
hmmmmmmmmmmm????????;)
 
scdiveteam said:
Hi,

I have noticed the same thing when viewing inlays even on award winning cues.

I have been doing cue repair at my pool hall for a long time and I have also seen warped cues from a certain high end cue making company that is very popular that make playing cue that are over 2 grand a pop.

Each time one of these cues come in to my shop I put them between centers on a lathe just to observe them and about half of them are bumping and about 30% don't roll flat on the table.

When I point out this to the owner they seem to make excuses for the cue as like it was OK that it is warped. I have seen the case where the player bought one the these cues knowing full well that it rolled funny on the table before the purchase. Duh! :barf:

Branding is a powerful thing I guess. In my opinion I think these cues that have warps are just junk and the people who settle for less are just rationalizers.

Seeing this stuff was the singular reason I when to full coring every one of the cues I build. I can sleep well at night.

JMHO,

Rick G
Click to expand...


Nice post, Rick. In this niche, branding is all powerful. What's funny is when you disclose that fact about the warpage, some people look at you like you've got two heads and call you a blasphemer. Guess folks should be burned at the stake for speaking the truth....lol. :)
 
lenoxmjs said:
Are different cuemakers held to different standards?

Why do some established cuemakers or even legandary makers get a pass for less than perfect work while some newbie gets raked over the coals?

I have seen really big name cuemakers get a pass for shoddy inlay work or puddles of filler around an inlay why do you feel that is?

Sorry I ment to post in Main Forum > Please have the MODS move . Thank you!
Click to expand...

I build my way and they build their way.that makes two sets of standards right out of the gate.

bill
 
scdiveteam said:
Hi,

I have noticed the same thing when viewing inlays even on award winning cues.

I have been doing cue repair at my pool hall for a long time and I have also seen warped cues from a certain high end cue making company that is very popular that make playing cue that are over 2 grand a pop.

Each time one of these cues come in to my shop I put them between centers on a lathe just to observe them and about half of them are bumping and about 30% don't roll flat on the table.

When I point out this to the owner they seem to make excuses for the cue as like it was OK that it is warped. I have seen the case where the player bought one the these cues knowing full well that it rolled funny on the table before the purchase. Duh! :barf:

Branding is a powerful thing I guess. In my opinion I think these cues that have warps are just junk and the people who settle for less are just rationalizers.

Seeing this stuff was the singular reason I when to full coring every one of the cues I build. I can sleep well at night.

JMHO,

Rick G
Click to expand...

A local player broke his shaft and asked me fix it. I cut out the joint with the rings and insert intact and left a 2 inch tenon. I bored a new shaft and put it in. I didn't have the butt but I made the joint finish the same size.

When he screwed the new shaft on his butt and rolled it on the table it had a horrible wobble at the tip. I separated the halves and rolled them on the table. My shaft rolled perfectly. His butt from a well known cue builder had a 1/4 inch run out at the joint.

Core them all and never worry..............

Because the cue had a big name on it, he didn't seem to care. go figure........ If I had made the cue for him, would he have been so happy?????

Kim
 
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