Did the cue market fall apart?

starting around covid 2020
i decided it was time to sell my cue collection
my reasoning the people who like scruggs /josswest/gilbert/tad/nitti/gina to name a few
were dieing and the young guns wanted mezz/predator/cuetec/etc
so i sold my collection except for a few favorites
and
I AM GLAD......:)
yes i see some scruggs asking price alittle higher than i sold them for
but
they are no longer sitting in a case and i have the money to use for other things
the flippers will still be there FOR A WHILE
eventually it will be carbon fiber cues ,,,,,,,,,,, ( doesnt mean i dont have a cue on order).....😂 ..but its for me nit an investment
so accept it and move on
jmho
icbw
 
snookered_again said:
I bet a lot more gets spent on golf clubs than pool cues, because are lots of rich golf players and fancy pants golf courses. Most of the pool players I know are not swimming in money. Of course there are exceptions. It doesn't seem uncommon that many like playing both. Ive never met anyone that joined a pool club for the sake of creating business contacts. Maybe to buy weed ;-)
Click to expand...
Funny thing about golf vs pool for me. One set of PXG's and I don't find myself wanting or needing another set. For Pool, I seem to like to have a larger collection that I can switch between depending on my performance or desire that day. Sometimes I want plain and simple, sometimes a larger tip, sometimes smaller, sometimes wood, sometimes CF. Strange that so similar but so different for the two. I play both but my attitude towards equipment is completely different.
 
snookered_again said:
I had a quick look, here are 5 examples that are currently posted. is that one in Langley a GC or just a similar looking table?

vancouver.craigslist.org

Pool Table - free stuff - craigslist

I got this pool table off fb marketplace a year or so ago and it doesn't get used enough to justify the space it takes up in my apartment. I'd like to have it gone by the end of the week. Comes with...
vancouver.craigslist.org

vancouver.craigslist.org

Pool table - free stuff - craigslist

Free national pool table needs new felt.
vancouver.craigslist.org

abbotsford.craigslist.org

Pool table FREE - free stuff - craigslist

Free pool table First come first serve. Please TEXT Kyle Not good with emails. Includes Ques and Balls
abbotsford.craigslist.org

seattle.craigslist.org

FREE full size POOL TABLE with Accessories - free stuff - craigslist

See pics, table is in good condition considering age, but has a few minor flaws. It is HEAVY, you must lift and load it.
seattle.craigslist.org

Pool table - free stuff - craigslist

7’ Pool table One piece slate Needs new felt.
olympic.craigslist.org
Click to expand...
i don't ever go there. a buddy got robbed doing a CL deal. i'm out.
 
bbb said:
starting around covid 2020
i decided it was time to sell my cue collection
my reasoning the people who like scruggs /josswest/gilbert/tad/nitti/gina to name a few
were dieing and the young guns wanted mezz/predator/cuetec/etc
so i sold my collection except for a few favorites
and
I AM GLAD......:)
yes i see some scruggs asking price alittle higher than i sold them for
but
they are no longer sitting in a case and i have the money to use for other things
the flippers will still be there FOR A WHILE
eventually it will be carbon fiber cues ,,,,,,,,,,, ( doesnt mean i dont have a cue on order).....😂 ..but its for me nit an investment
so accept it and move on
jmho
icbw
Click to expand...
I think carbon fiber cues are the future with the young players.
Carbon fiber butt and shaft much more stable then wood.
Probably in 20 years or less custom cue makers will be a thing of the past.
 
garczar said:
i don't ever go there. a buddy got robbed doing a CL deal. i'm out.
Click to expand...
craigslist may be more popular in some areas than others. what I do is watch the free section as a bit of a side hobby. I've gotten so many nice things, many materials for my house restoration, much of my furniture, may tools etc. countless items, it would be a really huge list. If I need materials of any sort I look there first, if it's not free I can often buy things like excess materials, roofing, insulation drywall etc etc.
Ive also donated whatever I have back to the system, never had any argument or concern, actually met a lot of really nice people that way.
a lot of people here are so kind and generous and also just don't Like taking something someone else may use, like a pool table, to the dump. I'm able to fix stuff , enjoy restoring things, use lots of different materials. so I really benefit from it. pool tables and accessories are the tip of the iceberg.
some use facebook marketplace, I don't support facebook due to their personal data collection policies.
I benefit from this throwaway society and I contribute by not buying everything new, no tax, no pollution as the stuff already exists, but of gas to pick stuff up but even if I get it new I have to buy gas and pay tax on it.

I got a bunch of cues, nothing really spectacular or expensive. I bought a used snooker cue from a buddy, 100 bucks, its fine. came with case , extensions etc. my girlfrinend spent 300 on a nicer one made in england. I bought a 100 dollar new sneaky pete for 9 ball , its good enough for me.

Both of mine might be made somewhere overseas, not sure, but they are straight. I couldn't shoot any better with a thousand dollar cue. I can see how its nice to have something beautiful if you use it lots.

There is also something nice about supporting these private home based cuemakers rather than big factories .. many like to have a nice watch or custom jewelry or other fashionable items because they like pretty things and it's something close to them that they cherish. Nothing wrong with that.
 
Last edited:
OldOrvis said:
It seems that earlier in the year I had 0 problems selling cues, but now it seems like its pulling teeth to get any kind of deals done. I know something has changed due to me getting a cue back I sold earlier this year in less than a day and had 8 PMs and legit offers about it and now I posted it again and haven't even got a "hello how are ya" lol Are others having the same experience? I have several cues I posted across different platforms and I don't try to Highball with my prices and even at low prices things don't seem to be moving.

Thanks :)
Click to expand...
Like antiques, a collectible pool cue is a luxury item. I heard that 60,000 small businesses have closed since the virus outbreak in 2019, and unfortunately, I think it's going to get worse.
 
snookered_again said:
craigslist may be more popular in some areas than others. what I do is watch the free section as a bit of a side hobby. I've gotten so many nice things, many materials for my house restoration, much of my furniture, may tools etc. countless items, it would be a really huge list. If I need materials of any sort I look there first, if it's not free I can often buy things like excess materials, roofing, insulation drywall etc etc.
Ive also donated whatever I have back to the system, never had any argument or concern, actually met a lot of really nice people that way.
a lot of people here are so kind and generous and also just don't Like taking something someone else may use, like a pool table, to the dump. I'm able to fix stuff , enjoy restoring things, use lots of different materials. so I really benefit from it. pool tables and accessories are the tip of the iceberg.
some use facebook marketplace, I don't support facebook due to their personal data collection policies.
I benefit from this throwaway society and I contribute by not buying everything new, no tax, no pollution as the stuff already exists, but of gas to pick stuff up but even if I get it new I have to buy gas and pay tax on it.

I got a bunch of cues, nothing really spectacular or expensive. I bought a used snooker cue from a buddy, 100 bucks, its fine. came with case , extensions etc. my girlfrinend spent 300 on a nicer one made in england. I bought a 100 dollar new sneaky pete for 9 ball , its good enough for me.

Both of mine might be made somewhere overseas, not sure, but they are straight. I couldn't shoot any better with a thousand dollar cue. I can see how its nice to have something beautiful if you use it lots.

There is also something nice about supporting these private home based cuemakers rather than big factories .. many like to have a nice watch or custom jewelry or other fashionable items because they like pretty things and it's something close to them that they cherish. Nothing wrong with that.
Click to expand...
what few tables i've ever seen listed as 'free' weren't much better than firewood. mostly worn-out home table that were pretty bad the day they were made.
 
garczar said:
what few tables i've ever seen listed as 'free' weren't much better than firewood. mostly worn-out home table that were pretty bad the day they were made.
Click to expand...
yes some are particleboard junk sold in department stores like sears. Often good stuff goes fast. Moving decent tables takes a few guys and a truck usually, so if a person sells their house and the new owners dont want it, then they often just want it to go away for free. It doesn't seem too uncommon to find free full sized great quality snooker tables as very few have available rooms big enough. Most snooker tables were of decent quality. I'm sure availability depends a lot of area and whats happening with rent prices.
 
Last edited:
nataddrho said:
I like this point, it is a good one. I’ve been playing for 15 years now and I have spent 100 percent of my pool time (besides making a product) practicing and improving “me” as a player. Never have I entertained the idea that the cue was to blame for my performance. I suppose it might have been the trend back in the day to get the latest fashionable cue to fix your game. That never crossed my mind.
Click to expand...
How you comin along Nate? Still challenges with the Digi Ball? What about tiny LED stick on lights to better see the diamond lines?
 
measureman said:
I think carbon fiber cues are the future with the young players.
Carbon fiber butt and shaft much more stable then wood.
Probably in 20 years or less custom cue makers will be a thing of the past.
Click to expand...

Not completely sure about this, only because CF does not carry the same material value as traditional wood based cues. CF cues are also mass produced items, so there is no collectability factor either. My guess is that traditional custom wood pool cues will follow Swiss watches and become more luxury item than disposable sports equipment. Also, you can always pair a CF shaft onto traditional cues to get the best of both worlds.
 
snookered_again said:
I bet a lot more gets spent on golf clubs than pool cues, because are lots of rich golf players and fancy pants golf courses. Most of the pool players I know are not swimming in money. Of course there are exceptions. It doesn't seem uncommon that many like playing both. Ive never met anyone that joined a pool club for the sake of creating business contacts. Maybe to buy weed ;-)
Click to expand...
Pool club wtf is that never heard of that .pool is dead here just bars and bars.and bars that call themselves a pool hall smdh?
 
measureman said:
I think carbon fiber cues are the future with the young players.
Carbon fiber butt and shaft much more stable then wood.
Probably in 20 years or less custom cue makers will be a thing of the past.
Click to expand...
So true it's already happened less demand .shops closing down for half the price of custom you can get a predator a schon .heard espirtu business sucks and no new orders they closing soon.who has the money for a 3 k custom you don't get much
 
there are more people with money than ever. and more people that have spent themselves broke as well and cant understand why they dont have money.

as with custom cues the best makers will always have demand but the average ones will fade away as in all things where technology prevails.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top