Do you play them

A

AK-Stick

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
How many of you that own, Barry Szamboti, Hercek,Gina,Bob Manzino,Searing,Hayley,Bill Schick,actually play them. I would guess that a good number of them are put up not played and that you use another cue to play with. You may use Sugartree,Blackcreek,Southwest,Bender,Patrick,Kiekel,Jensen,Onley,etc. This is not to say the playing cue is any less in quality workmanship or playability than the others they have not for whatever reason reached that mythical realm. i am just curious as to how many of these makers cues are actually bread and butter and not put up.

Thanks
 
well, I can't speak for the other makers on your list, but I know it really pisses Barry off that his cues are very often not played. He makes a playing cue, and they often end up rotting in a safe somewhere.

I don't go for super-fancy cues, because I'm not a super fancy-pants guy! Maybe if I was a world-class player, I wouldn't mind having a fancier cue. But, you have to wonder about the guy who can't run 10 balls and has a $20,000.00 cue stick.... What's he making up for???:p

If I am ever fortunate enough to have a world-class cue like these mentioned, it will be plain or very mildly inlayed, and you bet your a$$ I'm going to play with it. That's what a cue is for. To pocket balls.

And, if I ever ascend to these levels as a cue maker myself, I will similarly be quite pissed off if they are purchased to rot in a safe somewhere. It is a ton of work to make a good playing and looking cue, and it is truly a shame to waste all the cue makers efforts like that in my opinion. Bordering on an insult to the maker... "yeah, thanks; looks great but I won't hit any balls with it". Might as well just kick the guy.
 
I think this is a very valid post, as most of us who are on this site double as cue collectors (at least those that I know on this site).

With that being said, it is hard to bring a cue that costs a couple thousand or more to a hall where it could get dinged or damaged.

I have a decently high end collector cue that I bought for the playability (much like a Barry S), but have not played with it because of its collectibility and value/cost.

I typically play with a much cheaper cue that doesn't hit as well (but still good enough), but is something that I would not develop an ulcer worrying about it getting damaged, etc.

On the other hand, I know some players who play with expensive cues --- only to see them get REALLY upset when some type of minor damage occurs (such as a casual player who accidently hits the cue somehow, etc etc).

It is said to hear that many of these really high end cues, who hit very very well, are not being played with, and will most likely not be played with much over a span of many many years.

Just my 2 cents, which might equal 1 cent with the amount of knowledge on these forums, lol.:thumbup:
 
Hi end cues

I play every cue that i own or have owned.If somehow you ding a cue ,it can always be repaired.
JMHO
 
Cue Guru said:
I don't go for super-fancy cues, because I'm not a super fancy-pants guy! Maybe if I was a world-class player, I wouldn't mind having a fancier cue. But, you have to wonder about the guy who can't run 10 balls and has a $20,000.00 cue stick.... What's he making up for???:p
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I can not beat the 3 ball ghost half of the time but I have a few nice cues and plan to buy a few more even nicer cues. They are an investment like anything else. Super fancy cues appreciate faster than plain janes and sneakys.
 
whatthehell said:
On the other hand, I know some players who play with expensive cues --- only to see them get REALLY upset when some type of minor damage occurs (such as a casual player who accidently hits the cue somehow, etc etc).

:
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I was playing my friend who just bought an 800 dollar Jensen and I had a Players. We were walking around the table and crossed paths and our cue butts hit pretty hard. His cue had a fair size dent in it and mine was fine. He was pissed. I can not imagine taking a Showman, Prewitt, Gina, etc. to my pool hall for fear of it losing value. How can you expect someone to take that big of a hit in cue value? If you dent a flawless cue it goes from 100% to 90% instantly in my opinion. If I ever bite the bullet and buy a more than 5000$ Gina, Tad, etc. it will not ever, under any circumstances, absolutely ever(I work for the department of redundency department) come out of my house.
 
I'm of the mind that it's foolish to buy an expensive cue like that and then stick it away somewhere. It was made to play. I have Paul Mottey, Jim White, and Tim Scruggs cues and I play with each and every one of them. If I could afford a Szamboti I'd play with it. I can understand in America though, with the way things get stolen. I wouldn't be too comfortable taking my cues around pool halls in the US.
MULLY
 
I know cues are compared to fancy cars all the time but here is another example. Cue collecting generally works the same way as car collecting. Suppose 20 years ago you bought a top of the line Ferrari and a top of the line Szamboti. Ten years from now you will be able to sell the car for 100K more than you paid and the Szamboti 10K or so more than you paid. People buy Lamborghini's and Ferrari's and they sell them with under 500 miles on them. Why? Same with cues. The less you use them and the closer to perfect they stay, the more you will be able to sell them for.Some people, including my self, buy cues for their potential to appreciate. Same reason people buy stocks, they expect to make a buck or two. If I could go back 20 years and tell my entire family to buy Microsoft and Apple stock. I could also tell them to buy a few extremely nice cues and put them in a safe somewhere. Both options will make you a boatload of money.
 
jensen_lover said:
I know cues are compared to fancy cars all the time but here is another example. Cue collecting generally works the same way as car collecting. Suppose 20 years ago you bought a top of the line Ferrari and a top of the line Szamboti. Ten years from now you will be able to sell the car for 100K more than you paid and the Szamboti 10K or so more than you paid. People buy Lamborghini's and Ferrari's and they sell them with under 500 miles on them. Why? Same with cues. The less you use them and the closer to perfect they stay, the more you will be able to sell them for.Some people, including my self, buy cues for their potential to appreciate. Same reason people buy stocks, they expect to make a buck or two. If I could go back 20 years and tell my entire family to buy Microsoft and Apple stock. I could also tell them to buy a few extremely nice cues and put them in a safe somewhere. Both options will make you a boatload of money.
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Collecting anything works that way. Anything truly collectable are items no one dreamed would ever be 20 years ago and few survived the era.

The modern car scenerio is wrong tho , people are able to turn modern high end cars because other people want that high end car without the 6 month or longer wait.Sometimes that works with cues but no nearly as often.
 
I play with all of my cues. I don't buy cues for investment. I have other avenues for gaining returns on my money. :smile:
 
I can only dream of owning the cues you ask about, but I can tell you. I don't drive my 66 Shelby to Wall Mart and I won't take my vintage TS to a bar anymore. I think it's just a shame.

Larry
 
My playing cue is a Gina, and I do take it out of the house. That's not to say I'd take it to any strange pool hall in any strange neighborhood, but I probably wouldn't take myself into either of those either. ;)

I won't travel with it though. I have a McDermott that I will take with me should I need to leave it in a car trunk all day, unattended in a hotel room, or want the airline to lose it for me.

I think it's a shame to not play with them too but I buy them to play with. I can understand the other side taken by those that are buying it strictly as an investment, but I'm not one of those guys. Yes, I plan on my cues appreciating but not for my benefit since I don't plan to sell any of them. My grandchildren can worry about that.
 
That's a great question. If somebody wants to give me one of those ques I'll answer the question. Until then I'll continue to use my Schon.
 
why wouldn't you..............

I got a friend that LOVES playing pool but can't even string up 3 balls but yet he plays with a 4k Ginacue and there aint anything wrong with that. He loves the sport despite his lack of skill and he loves beautiful cues. Never once have I ever thought that if you own an expensive cue , you better KNOW how to play. As long as you love playing, play with whatever cue you want, high end or not.
 
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