Who says you cant play with the cue? My everyday player is probably $7 - 8kThere are alot of things that people collect that don't appreciate in value, I don't have the desire to collect cues, for me they are the most important tool I use in my pool game, I enjoy the art and precision in building a custom cue I just don't have the desire to invest in owning a cue that I won't use to play, I love the cue I own, it feels like it was built for me.