Do you play with “collector” cues or are you concerned about hurting their value?

[DWoods6354]

I have seen many older cues here that “have never been chalked”. I must then assume they were originally purchased for collection / investment purposes. I saw a remark in another thread that sparked my interest where one poster indicated he had “too much cue to play with”. The funny thing is – he only paid like $30.00 for his cue and it’s worth maybe $250. But his view did cause me to reflect upon my own opinions and behavior.

What value or price point do you use to determine if a cue should be put away, or at a minimum used very sparingly?

 

[junkbond]

If I was collecting for business, then I certainly wouldn't play with a cue bought for trade. But since I only buy cues for playing, and they all cost less than $2,000, I play with all of them.

___________________
There are strange things done in the midnight sun

 

[gunzby]

I would never buy a cue that wouldn't be chalked up and played the same week (at the latest) that it was in my hands.

Actually I will take that back. If I bought one of the old cues that were around before tips were made I wouldn't chalk it up since chalk wasn't around then either, but I would attempt to use it.

 

[VinnieJones]

Unless it was an original Balabuska, I'm buying the cue to play with. I now own something - or will in a few days - that actually has a decent price tag, but it's what I'm going to be playing with.

 

[gunzby]

An example I can make is a Scruggs I recently bought. I bought this cue specifically to sell later on. I got the cue Friday and nearly called into work, but went in and got off Saturday morning. I was playing with it all day Sunday.

The only issue I have now with playing with it is that this cue has "the hit" for me. I'm thinking that I may not resell it now

 

[teedotaj]

cant you just use them, replace the tip and say never been chalked? lol

 

[gunzby]

Unless it was an original Balabuska, I'm buying the cue to play with. I now own something - or will in a few days - that actually has a decent price tag, but it's what I'm going to be playing with.

The only cue I would be a little skittish about playing with is a bumperless Hoppe, or bumperless cue. Doesn't matter who made it I would be a little off playing with it as I would fear forgetting that it doesn't have a bumper on the butt.

 

[gunzby]

cant you just use them, replace the tip and say never been chalked? lol

Hhmmmm I can't imagine that has ever happened. LoL heck I'd put money on a lot of ppl not even changing the tip and just scuffing off all the chalk.

 

[jetlau3]

I'd play with anything that I could afford to own. I don't think I'd ever own a pool stick that cost more than 5K though. I draw that line at collectible versus player. I'd love a $4500 Tasc though

 

[cyrex]

Fancy cues

Generally speaking, if you play with a bumperless cue regularly you're probably used to them. Most guys with these types of cues that I know rest the cue on their shoe out of habit. Or, they're playing in a carpeted room.

As far as cleaning the chalk off the tip, that doesn't get the chalk out of the shaft. Especially if you're using blue chalk or something similarly dark.

Of course, if you're buying a $5000+ cue, chances are you know the seller or it's someone very reputable.

 

[Hidy Ho]

I have seen many older cues here that “have never been chalked”. ...

Oh .. I didn't know people actually believed this??? What about "hit a ton" and "best hitting I've ever owned" ... do people believe this too???


Hidy Ho <--- glass half empty guy

 

[pwd72s]

I have a Palmer model M from the 2nd catalog. Hardly a top dollar collectable, but a collectable. I bought it to play with back in the early
70's.

I still play with it on ocassion, but not very often. Mainly because it hits like a piece of pipe. My Josey is a much better playing cue.

 

[Thunder Thighs]

If I was a cuemaker, I would be quite dissapointed if a cue I built was not played.

If I owned a Balabushka, Szamboti or Black Boar... I'd play with it. There's just no way I would restrict myself to just reading on the internet about how they play, if I actually owned one.

 

[gunzby]

Generally speaking, if you play with a bumperless cue regularly you're probably used to them. Most guys with these types of cues that I know rest the cue on their shoe out of habit. Or, they're playing in a carpeted room.

As far as cleaning the chalk off the tip, that doesn't get the chalk out of the shaft. Especially if you're using blue chalk or something similarly dark.

Of course, if you're buying a $5000+ cue, chances are you know the seller or it's someone very reputable.

Yea but if you play a day with it the shaft isn't going to be blued. Just clean up the tip and sell as never used. Personally I would never be able to do it simply because it would have a lot of play in it. If I did sell one as never played it would be put up to sell before it even made it to me. This way I would feel forced to keep my word.

 

[cyrex]

Oh .. I didn't know people actually believed this??? What about "hit a ton" and "best hitting I've ever owned" ... do people believe this too???

I don't know any cue makers that don't test hit their cues before shipping them out of their shop. Even a 'new' car has a few miles put on it.

 

[poolplayer2093]

cues are meant to be played with! i won't own a cue that i wouldn't play with. these days i try to stick to "players" cues but even when i owned a few 1k+ cues i'd play with 'em.

 

[PaulieB]

I'm still waiting to see the for sale post that says "I'm selling this cause I can't hit a straight in shot with it, this cue plays like crap for me".

The best posts however, are the ones that say, this cue "has a sweet hit" and next line says "has never been played"....

 

[Drawman623]

Oh .. I didn't know people actually believed this??? What about "hit a ton" and "best hitting I've ever owned" ... do people believe this too???


Hidy Ho <--- glass half empty guy

I have an early Crown Jewel Meucci inlayed in ivory, a Palmer box cue and a Huebler box cue that are all unchalked. Everything else I own, I play.

I'm sure they all "hit a ton.":grin-square:

 

[Tommy-D]

> Unless it was just too sweet,like the Crown Jewels cue Drawman mentioned. That cue is probably the finest known example on the planet in all honesty except for Rempe's actual cue,which we'll never get to see again,or an unhit Szam,if I buy it,it's getting used.

On the other hand,if I had the cash to buy something along the lines of my choice of Tikkler's Boars,or a high end Cognoscenti,I wouldn't be playing with it out in the bars I currently have to go to so I can actually play. I'd keep those at home to use when the Diamond gets installed and big tournaments.

The cue I want more than any cue in the world is the Joss Mike Sigel used in the 80's. John Wright sold that and his Kersenbrock break cue combo for 13k with his case. Cash willing,that would be my daily player. Tommy D.

 

[TheBook]

Oh .. I didn't know people actually believed this??? What about "hit a ton" and "best hitting I've ever owned" ... do people believe this too???


Hidy Ho <--- glass half empty guy

I like "this is the best looking ......... (brand of cue) that I have ever seen or played with." The question is how many have you seen or played with?