Thank you. You’ve taken all the romance in paying someone the outrageous cost to replace a cue tip.
Custom and High End Cues on the Decline?
- Thread starter Logandgriff
- Start date
So it occurred to me that another reason for the younger generations shying away from customs is they’ve become accustomed to not waiting for anything they want anymore. Even I have become so used to quick delivery from amazon that if it says more then 3 days I’m looking for another seller. Waiting 6 months or even years (18 years right now if you want a south west 
) for cues may seem crazy for a society that expects to get everything quickly.
) for cues may seem crazy for a society that expects to get everything quickly.
Honestly, all the players I know under 38 have zero disposable income. Don't get me wrong there not broke ass, they all have great paying white and blue-collar jobs. It's just that they spend every dime they make on and are all living paycheck to paycheck.So it occurred to me that another reason for the younger generations shying away from customs is they’ve become accustomed to not waiting for anything they want anymore. Even I have become so used to quick delivery from amazon that if it says more then 3 days I’m looking for another seller. Waiting 6 months or even years (18 years right now if you want a south west
They could afford a nice cue, but in the grand scheme of things, they would just rather spend the money in other places that are more important to them while banging balls around with their $800 Predator.
My hope is that when they hit their late 40s, they get the bug and come back around to the customs
He certainly enjoys the challenge.
Eddie makes some amazing cues. This one has 1052 inlays: https://eocues.com/collections/cues/products/chintz-snake-four-pointer
My break cue is a EO cues BEM into ebony nose full splice.
And I had these cues made for my wife and me two years ago
I know plenty that have disposable income they just spend it on other stuff then complain they are broke.
That was sort of my point
They could buy custom cues they just don't feel a need nor do they have an appreciation for the art form.
They look at their predator and it looks pretty enough and shoots as good as they need.
So they could buy a Black Boar or for the same amount of money, they can go to Prague for a week.
One thing i really like about his cues, most are so unique, and one of a kind.
He obviously does more standard work, (like some of his full spliced) but you get the feeling, he really likes building these very intricate cues. Crazy amount of design work!
Flakeandrun
Well-known member
I used a Barenbrugge last night, and it was without a doubt the nicest hitting, and sweetest balanced cue I have ever used.
I have been lucky enough to hit several SW, Searing, TAD, Tascarella, BB, Banhart etc living here. Hit with just about every production cue brand, local and overseas customs, factory customs etc Yes, there was some variance, and some better than others. But I can honestly say, I was gobsmacked by just how nice that cue felt to play with.
Sadly, I don't have the 6万rmb (8,000$+) to spare on a cue - and that was the 'friend price' which was 20% cheaper than he's listed it on platforms here.
Last edited:
I had a similar experience with a kenny murrell cue, just played amazing. Though yours is hell of a price tag,
I dont quite get, these comments about modern production cues, play better than a customs.
I've played with a meucci BMC series 3, it hit very nice. but i would still, choose a custom.
One thing i have noticed is the prices are through the roof, for what is a factory made cue.
I would say the prices, are now inline for the most part, with many customs around now, but like many have said, the younger generation doesn't want to wait.
There will always be a place for custom cues, even if it is, just for the lucky few, still interested!!
Flakeandrun
Well-known member
China equates $$$$$$ = good - cash is king here
I've had the fortune to play a rack or two with cues that are the same price as a years salary, some even the price of a house (really makes you question what money is, or how some people must live, or what the point in being alive is haha)
I agree with you. Mezz, Cuetec and others can get the job done (and bloody well too). Do they look or truly feel as nice as a cue made well to your spec? no. Can they perform just as well? yes.
Yes, and they will keep rising, and more fake tech jargon words will be created to justify the price tags. Also, you will see 'custom' becoming more like choosing which parts you want from a huge warehouse and being assembled (as is becoming the case with Zen and others) rather than one dude/small team slogging his/their guts out to make something to spec.
I hope so, and hopefully the price rises in line with inflation, as in 50 years, if my prospective grandkids aren't playing, I'll sell the cue and spend the money on hookers and blow.
it's been a niche market that is already led towards more mainstream and cue-making has become more saturated than it was eons ago. the availability of good-looking playable cues from different makers and accessibility to them is now much easier. as far as pricing goes, it depends on the person on how much he is willing to get suckered into paying. been offered a plain custom cue for 1k while some offer an intricate design for the same price. don't get me wrong, I'm still going to buy some customs but not for the overly inflated price that they make of it unless they are made out of rare precious materials.
I think most pool players today realize that the cue is not what makes a player, it is the stroke. Collectors still value high priced cues. A Szamboti or a McDermott with the same weight, same shaft, same tip. Does it make a difference other than in ones mind?
Rusty in Montana
Well-known member
I've enjoyed playing pool with my first very nice cue which was a C-18 McDermott which was much nicer than the Adams cue I first bought .
Now my main player cue in a Mike Gulyassy very plan cue compared to many but to me it shoots the lights out and I've got confidence enough to try shots that in the past I'd be hesitant to try .
My point to my rambling is to find our happy place while playing pool , yes I'd still want to shoot with a Tascarella cue with ivory all over it but if it doesn't happen I'll be ok then I'll just have to start saving up to own it .
Now my main player cue in a Mike Gulyassy very plan cue compared to many but to me it shoots the lights out and I've got confidence enough to try shots that in the past I'd be hesitant to try .
My point to my rambling is to find our happy place while playing pool , yes I'd still want to shoot with a Tascarella cue with ivory all over it but if it doesn't happen I'll be ok then I'll just have to start saving up to own it .
Last edited:
Absolutely……at least the comparison of a McDermott & Samboti cues.
Is there a difference between a top of the line BMW with a Chevy Malibu?
Quality truly does matters when it comes to some items like watches, cars,
guns, gemstones, jewelry…..the list can become rather long…..but it’s real.
Does a Citizen Quartz Chronograph costing $400 keep track of time? Sure
does so it fulfills its purpose. A Rolex Daytona also does & much higher quality.
Yes, a Mc Dermott cue fulfills its purpose and the player’s skills is always more
important than the cue he uses. Same applies to a Szamboti cue custom built.
However, the choice and quality of the materials chosen to build the cue, the time
and effort required to construct it, the exactness of the tolerances and design itself,
the weight distribution of the cue’s anatomy. Custom cues take a longer to construct.
IMO, the similarity is aligned with both cues doing the same thing which is stroking the
cue ball. In the hands of a good pool player, a house cue also works fine because of skill.
Do you need a custom made cue to meet your requirements? Gosh, not by a long shot.
What you need is a cue made to how you like it to be. The cue specs decide the outcome.
Great video.........
8intheside
Well-known member
Because unless you’re a collector there’s no point in spending thousands on a cue.
an analogy of a classic rolls royce on how it's made doesn't seem to apply with a product that is somehow mass-produced nowadays regardless of exclusivity or one of a kind design. while custom cues seems to be reliant on quality material specs and possibly personal design, the amount of time, labor and skill would be reliant on how much the cuemaker charges for it. it didn't help that the advancements on cue-making and modern tools for it made it possible for more people to produce or make cues as per specification, so the competition of cuemaking made the market more saturated. I believe established and well-known custom cuemakers command a price basing on their brand rather than exclusive quality of their products, imo. I believe we are long past the years where spending on a good playing cue with great design means you have to spend over 1k. of course, collectors will always have money to burn but for the typical pool players, they have now more affordable options to get what is a good looking quality cue made out of the same materials used as that of a typical custom cue.
I guess it depends on what you mean by quality of the materials chosen, a CF cue transfers power more efficiently than MOST but not all wood cues, however the wood cue is dependent on the quality of the wood, the same type of wood can transfer power very differently, CF manufacturered by companies like Predator, Mezz, Becue will have consistent quality, I can't speak for cues/shafts coming from places that do zero testing and are selling on were the cheapest but generally products like those don't stand the test of time, the quality of materials in CF is going to be more consistent.