Cuemakers......REAL...or.....PHONY ?

tikkler said:
I think that when anyone is buying a so called custom cue, they should be told exactly what they are getting. With the huge influx of cue parts being available to anybody these days, it seems rather easy to make anything from a partial cue to a complete cue out of bought pieces. I myself have nothing against either way as long as I know what I am getting. If I wanted to buy a cue and the maker said he couldnt do a particular thing and he would have to get that somewhere else, I would be fine with it. The peoblem is I dont want to be led to believe that the entire cue was made by someone, and in actuality they bought almost the entire cue somewhere else and put there name on it.
Balabushka I dont believe ever claimed to make his own points, and look where it got him. I think when we are talking custom cues, we have a right to know the truth.....cant wait to hear what you guys think of this
Steve
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I agree with many various points. But, I have to ask, are there a lot of cuemakers that have a reputation for making their entire cue but actually are "just assemblers?"

The ones that are major builders that buy their parts (forearm blanks, particularly) are open about it. They may not put it on their business cards, but I wouuldn't say they're leading anyone to believe anything else.

That's not to say there are cuemakers that I dont' know about that don't do the deception thing. I just don't think it's rampant.

And I agree with the people who are saying that just because they do the parts buying thing, that doesn't mean the cue is any worse.

Fred
 
tikkler said:
I think that when anyone is buying a so called custom cue, they should be told exactly what they are getting. With the huge influx of cue parts being available to anybody these days, it seems rather easy to make anything from a partial cue to a complete cue out of bought pieces. I myself have nothing against either way as long as I know what I am getting. If I wanted to buy a cue and the maker said he couldnt do a particular thing and he would have to get that somewhere else, I would be fine with it. The peoblem is I dont want to be led to believe that the entire cue was made by someone, and in actuality they bought almost the entire cue somewhere else and put there name on it.
Balabushka I dont believe ever claimed to make his own points, and look where it got him. I think when we are talking custom cues, we have a right to know the truth.....cant wait to hear what you guys think of this
Steve
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Think you hit a nail on the head. Good Thread.
 
Michael Webb said:
This does not apply to everyone but it does apply to most. Of all my customers only about 10 are allowed in while I work, most of them are members here, they can come check the status of their order or their friends order or just to hang out, I don't care, I trust them so I might even put them to work, I had one of my friends cutting ivory inlays, that was funny, I had another help glue veneers, but again they have earned my trust and most important, their not stupid. I like making everything myself and for the most part I'm a real bastard when it comes to my work, if you know anything about cues, every mans work has something that makes it his, not to hard to see. Want to own a business and pay insurance, How many people do you want there that could possibly sue you because they want a vacation and free money. This ladies and gentlemen is the real world.
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I would guess I am in that 10 but I would NEVER touch machinery, especially when running. I'm too much of a pussy and would be scared to death I would lose a finger :D
 
Travis Niklich said:
Here is a link to what the ACA has to say about it and ...the problem comes when people try to say that they did the work them self...
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That is the only time I take issue. If I ask the 'maker' if he made it, he says he did and didn't- I want my $back.
 
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Koop said:
I would guess I am in that 10 but I would NEVER touch machinery, especially when running. I'm too much of a pussy and would be scared to death I would lose a finger :D
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you'd still have 9 more....
 
At some point, most good cuemakers either bought parts or converted a cue. That is how you cut your teeth. "Today's" cuemakers are buying machines and building "cues" without any of the background knowledge of how different makers' techniques affect the playability. I feel the "greats" gained there knowledge by experimenting with conversions and repairs. IMO, that is what will separate "greats" from "wannabes," not where there parts came from.

Buying blanks vs buying hardware is also a distinction that should be made. I have the resources to build my own pins, inserts, and bumpers but why hassle with it when I can buy them from TM and get a great product at a reasonable price and not use my TIME which, to me, is better spent building.

Buying blanks is fine as long as you are upfront. Maybe you are still learning. Maybe its the route you want to take. Maybe you do not have the capabilities to produce them yet. Honesty is always the best policy.
 
GOD I LOVE THIS CUE! I don't know what I like more...the classic lines or the weathered and beaten case!

Nick


junksecret said:
Well, if you are referring to Titlist conversions as "conversions", you will have to add Ginacue to the list, as this 40 year old one of mine will attest.

oldgina1.jpg


oldgina2.jpg


Joe
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ribdoner said:
C,
FOREARMS that TASC used were mf'd in ASIA (ADAMS/HELMSTETTLER) for many, many yrs.


I don't know if they're made on site as I type or if they're subbed (CCC?) out.

Regards, A
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WATCH WHAT YOU SAY WITHOUT GOOD INFORMATION.......

SOME.... NOT MANY, MANY YEARS WORTH WERE PURCHASED BLANKS. UNLESS YOU CONSIDER THE JAMES CANNON BLANKS AS PURCHASED.

THERE IS NO TASCARELLA/CCC AFFILIATION, AND THE FOREARMS ARE MADE IN HOUSE BY PETE SR AND JR.

I'M NOT TRYING TO BE A DICK, BUT DON'T SPREAD FALSE INFORMATION.
 
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ribdoner said:
C,
FOREARMS that TASC used were mf'd in ASIA (ADAMS/HELMSTETTLER) for many, many yrs.
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This is an awfully dangerous thing to say.

Pete Tascarella when he first started making cues, made them just like George Balabushka. Since Balabushka wasn't making forearm blanks, Pete purchased them as well from the same people George purchased them: Gus Szamboti and Burton Spain. That's all. Never did he tell me anything about buying blanks from Richard Helmstetter.

He soon thereafter with help from his brother-in-law ( a machinist) started making his own forearm blanks. Today, the Tascarellas continue to make their own blanks, some of the absolute best in the business. And, they're one of cuemakers who started along the recent trend of making full-spliced blanks for those customers who want that.

Maybe you're confusing the Karella Cue company, which had some connection with Tascarella, but nothing more than that.


I don't know if they're made on site as I type or if they're subbed (CCC?) out.
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The Tascarellas helped this fledgling company out (Carolina Cues) early on, but not tooday. Today, as far as I know, there is no business relation between the two companies.

Fred
 
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tikkler said:
I think that when anyone is buying a so called custom cue, they should be told exactly what they are getting. With the huge influx of cue parts being available to anybody these days, it seems rather easy to make anything from a partial cue to a complete cue out of bought pieces. I myself have nothing against either way as long as I know what I am getting. If I wanted to buy a cue and the maker said he couldnt do a particular thing and he would have to get that somewhere else, I would be fine with it. The peoblem is I dont want to be led to believe that the entire cue was made by someone, and in actuality they bought almost the entire cue somewhere else and put there name on it.
Balabushka I dont believe ever claimed to make his own points, and look where it got him. I think when we are talking custom cues, we have a right to know the truth.....cant wait to hear what you guys think of this
Steve
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When you buy a new car, do they tell you that the radio was made in China? That the carpeting was was made by a company in Illinois? Or that the engine was imported from Mexico? No. If you buy a Chevy, you get a Chevy, along with all of it's parts, from outside vendors. If you ask a Qmaker, if he has perchased premade parts to make your Q, he should tell you. If you don't ask, then I see no reason for him to divulge all of his vendors. I am just finishing 2 Qs today. One is an $800 Q with Ivory , ebony & Turquoise inlays. I made all of the parts, but the screws, tips & rubber bumper. The other is an Ebony handled 4 point full spliced blank, made for me by David Schmelke. It has 4 Turquoise inlays & 4 Imitation Ivory inlays, in the butt sleeve. I told the customer that the Tourquoise was re-engineered stone & that the white inlays are Micarta & not real Ivory. I feel no need to tell him that I purchased a blank, from a fellow Qmaker. If he were to ask, I would tell him. I'm not hiding anything, I just don't think I need to divulge all of my vendors to my customers...JER
 
Cornerman said:
This is an awfully dangerous thing to say.

Pete Tascarella when he first started making cues, made them just like George Balabushka. Since Balabushka wasn't making forearm blanks, Pete purchased them as well from the same people George purchased them: Gus Szamboti and Burton Spain. That's all. Never did he tell me anything about buying blanks from Richard Helmstetter.

He soon thereafter with help from his brother-in-law ( a machinist) started making his own forearm blanks. Today, the Tascarellas continue to make their own blanks, some of the absolute best in the business. And, they're one of cuemakers who started along the recent trend of making full-spliced blanks for those customers who want that.

Maybe you're confusing the Karella Cue company, which had some connection with Tascarella, but nothing more than that.


The Tascarellas helped this fledgling company out (Carolina Cues) early on, but not tooday. Today, as far as I know, there is no business relation between the two companies.

Fred
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THANKS FOR ADDING MORE INFORMATION......

THE TASCARELLAS IN MY OPIONION MAKE BY FAR THE BEST VENEERED FULLSPLICE AVAILABLE. THERE ARE OTHER NICE ONES AVAILABLE, BUT THEY PRIDE THEMSELVES ON THE BLANKS, AND I THINK THAT'S WHY THE BLANKS ARE SO GOOD.

P.S. FULL SPLICE BLANKS WITH MAPLE BUTTERFLIED IN THE MIDDLE, IMO, SHOULDN'T BE MARKETED/SOLD AS FULL SPLICE CUES.
 
Please define me

First of all i dont take orders from customers. I build cues from scratch with 4, 6, 8 points with or without veneers, with or without inlays, and make them to my own design. I do make a small amount of sneaky pete or full splice cues (what ever you want to call them). The blanks come from various suppliers. I'm not sure at this point if i want to build my own full splice blanks. I'm sure sometime in the future i would like to build my own, but for now it doesnt seem realistic for me to make that jump. So basicly the only thing that i cant do is make a fancy house cue blank out of my shop. So i just curious which group i would fall into. I'm not in this for the glory or to be the next Gus, Its a really fun hobby that i make some money at. In the last ten years i have made aprox. 400 cues. So lets hear it guys where do i fall.

Hope everyone has a great day.
Jason
 
BLACKHEARTCUES said:
When you buy a new car, do they tell you that the radio was made in China? That the carpeting was was made by a company in Illinois? Or that the engine was imported from Mexico? No. If you buy a Chevy, you get a Chevy, along with all of it's parts, from outside vendors. If you ask a Qmaker, if he has perchased premade parts to make your Q, he should tell you. If you don't ask, then I see no reason for him to divulge all of his vendors. I am just finishing 2 Qs today. One is an $800 Q with Ivory , ebony & Turquoise inlays. I made all of the parts, but the screws, tips & rubber bumper. The other is an Ebony handled 4 point full spliced blank, made for me by David Schmelke. It has 4 Turquoise inlays & 4 Imitation Ivory inlays, in the butt sleeve. I told the customer that the Tourquoise was re-engineered stone & that the white inlays are Micarta & not real Ivory. I feel no need to tell him that I purchased a blank, from a fellow Qmaker. If he were to ask, I would tell him. I'm not hiding anything, I just don't think I need to divulge all of my vendors to my customers...JER
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So I guess you are saying that buying a chevy is the same as buying a so called custom handcrafted pool cue.....LOL...and its also okay to be deseptive to your customers. That is good info to know, Thanks...Steve
 
tikkler said:
So I guess you are saying that buying a chevy is the same as buying a so called custom handcrafted pool cue.....LOL...and its also okay to be deseptive to your customers. That is good info to know, Thanks...Steve
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I'm confused here.....What point are you trying to make here....Is your beef with cuebuilders buying pre maid forearms, and butts, and passing them off as their own, or is it the fact that they don't give you information if you don't ask? Are you taking this a step further, and talking about cuebuilders that don't make their own joint pins, inlays, and venners, or is it about the guy that puts a sneaky up forsale, and doesnt mention its a Schmelke blank? This same thread is listed in 3 different parts of the forum.....there must be a underlying story here? Did you find out one of your custom cues was made from pre made parts by a components dealer??
 
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tikkler said:
So I guess you are saying that buying a chevy is the same as buying a so called custom handcrafted pool cue.....LOL...and its also okay to be deseptive to your customers. That is good info to know, Thanks...Steve
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???
"I feel no need to tell him that I purchased a blank, from a fellow Qmaker. If he were to ask, I would tell him..."

Doen not read like 'hiding' to me. If something matters to the customer, the customer should ask. It is not the maker's responsibility to predict an individual's concerns.
 
makes everything ?

I do not believe i have ever seen a cue where all the parts were made by the cue maker. If you have ivory in a cue, unless the cue maker has an elephant then he used materials that he had to buy. If you do not make your own rubber bumpers, pins, the paint you use for a finish, grow your own animals for the leather tips. make from scratch the wax you use, then you are just like many others who assemble cues. I sometimes make cues doing all the woodwork from scratch then use a tip made by morri, use a rubber bumper, linen rings, and ferrule made by atlas, does this mean this cue was not made by me? I have used both schmelke and prathers products in my cues, and see no problems with doing so, they are both great. chuck starkey
 
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