Demonstrator cue--good idea or folly?

[Barry C.]

I tell every person that I sell a cue to to test drive it for a week or so and if it's not your cup of tea then fine, return it and I'll give your money back. Every body has their own tastes in what they like in the feel in a cue and I would rather take it back and clean up than have someone bad mouthing the hit.

Been doing this since I first started building cues about 15 years ago.

Dick

I agree Dick.... Everyone has there own opinion as to how a cue hits, if you don't like the hit, feel etc; then return it or we'll change it.

Barry

 

[jazznpool]

I have one maker right now that only cores heavy or unstable forearm woods (Ned Morris). A prospective buyer would be able to get a feel for the dimensioning of his cues and his shaft taper. Even without coring the cue feel/performance shouldn't be drastically different cue to cue assuming shaft quality is fairly consistent. Glad to hear you like your Joey cue!


Martin

Martin, I know that you rep for several different cuemakers, I was just wondering if they all core their cues? Would each cuemaker make a demo cue in the event that they don't all core their cues?

By the way I got my cue from Joey and I really, really like the hit. PM me the next time you plan on going to Hard Times and I'll stop by.
Charlie

 

[jazznpool]

Thanks for the excellent suggestions guys--keep them coming. Hey Bru, you can be among the first to road test a cue if you like! It may take a few months but were headed full steam toward Demoville!

Martin

$500 deposit.

1. If the cue is not returned in such and such time, the $500 goes to the cuemaker, minus possible small expenses?? to the dealer, and the cuemaker makes another plain jane and considers that a sale.

2. If the cue comes back with a problem that requires it to be sent back to the cuemaker for repair before it can be loaned to another prospective buyer, $350 of the deposit is returned, and $150 is sent to the cuemaker with the cue for repair. (or $400/$100, whatever cuemaker and dealer think is fair)

3. The buyer signs the form, any finish scratches, marks, shaft dings, etc are noted on the form he signed. The form says the buyer has looked over the cue and agrees with what is detailed regarding the condition of the cue.

4. The cost of the borrow is $20. If the cue comes back with no problems, $480 is returned. If the buyer buys a cue made by that cuemaker from that dealer, the $20 is credited towards the purchase ofcourse. In other cases, the $20 is to cover incidental expences such as shipping, and possible shaft tune up by the cuemaker every so often.

Just my thoughts,
Kelly

 

[bruin70]

Thanks for the excellent suggestions guys--keep them coming. Hey Bru, you can be among the first to road test a cue if you like! It may take a few months but were headed full steam toward Demoville!

Martin

great!
i still believe $500 sounds low. the deposit should should be commensurate with the value of a similiar cue or greater. it amounts to this,,,,,,you don't know the borrower, everyone knows you. it has to do with an established rep and references. you can't be sending out a prewitt for $500 to some abner from podunk city.

 

[rhncue]

great!
i still believe $500 sounds low. the deposit should should be commensurate with the value of a similiar cue or greater. it amounts to this,,,,,,you don't know the borrower, everyone knows you. it has to do with an established rep and references. you can't be sending out a prewitt for $500 to some abner from podunk city.

Well, if a cue maker is getting more than 500.00 for a plain Jane Merry Widow with one shaft he doesn't need to have his cues out getting trial runs from potential customers as he is busy enough already.

Dick

 

[rhncue]

Years ago when Sherm Adamson and myself were partners we would sell our cues, that had cosmetic flaws that we wouldn't normally sell, to the pool hall and they would use them for rental cues. For a dollar, a person could play all day with a custom cue and if they liked the hit we could build what they desired. This was a win, win, win situation as the pool hall got custom cues to rent at a low price, we got a little money plus sales from lumber that would have been burnt and the customer gets to use a real custom cue at a low price. Everybody happy!

Dick

 

[1pRoscoe]

I used to skydive a lot and a good main would run you $1300-$2000. All manufacturers have a program set up that you can pay $25-$40 to "demo" a parachute for 14 days (including shipping both ways). You had to supply a credit card number, and if the item wasn't returned within 21 days, the full amount of the retail price was charged to your credit card.

What made the program so effective was you still got to get the feel of the parachute, but it was used and not worth what you would be charged should you decide to keep it.

 

[bruin70]

I used to skydive a lot and a good main would run you $1300-$2000. All manufacturers have a program set up that you can pay $25-$40 to "demo" a parachute for 14 days (including shipping both ways). You had to supply a credit card number, and if the item wasn't returned within 21 days, the full amount of the retail price was charged to your credit card.

What made the program so effective was you still got to get the feel of the parachute, but it was used and not worth what you would be charged should you decide to keep it.

ya know,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,i'm reading halfway through your second sentence and this rather gruesome scenario reared its ugly head............

 

[pdcue]

I used to carry a plain jane Birdseye Q with me & let people shoot with it at tournaments & leagues. It did get me a few orders, but in a very short time I had to refinish it. Scratches, dents & ever a cigarette burn. If you grew up in a pool hall like I did, you found out quickly, that none of those guys had any money. So I didn't sell many, that way. Things must not have changed that much, because I constantly see posts for "the best pool Q, UNDER $100- $200 or some other rediculous price range...JER

OK, how did you know the story of my life?

Dale