Do's and Dont's Guide To Ordering Custom Cues

Ekojasiloop said:
Do's for me... go to a cuemaker that is reputable for their quality and yet does not have an egregious waiting list which essentially allows them to treat customers however they'd like (which usually results in them making all decisions favoring cue collectors mind you).
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Reputation, quality, rarity, etc.. IS the reason for most "egregious" waiting lists...The last part makes no sense and eludes that you haven't had much experience with many, if any, reputable-egregious waiting list-collector favoring decision making, cue makers....

Ekojasiloop said:
Don'ts for me... don't go to a "cue collector maker" with an egregious backlog that won't listen to a thing you have to say or work with you one iota because there is a cue collector willing to pay ten times the amount you're paying for a cue he'll never hit a competitive ball with.
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Chances are you wouldn't be able to get a cue made anyway by, as you describe it, a "cue collector maker" with an "egredious" backlog so I guess you're already into your Dont's... :wink:
 
cubswin said:
I'm all for paying for the costs. If I"m ordering a unique cue, then a deposit is just fine in my opinion. Problem is that there is a system in place where time lines are just suggestions, and most all of the issues are after a deposit has been paid. Most of the issues also seem to be where it takes a deposit to just hold your spot in line. If it is a year or 2 out, and I've paid 50% in any other market I'm going to get progress updates, and more than likely there is a penalty for going over the time line. With some cuemakers it just seems to be normal business.

There are plenty of well established cuemakers that take deposits, there are also plenty that don't. In the cue world, most of the issues is with the very fast growth that happens with a new maker who has shown he can make a great product.

The beauty of buying toys is that you can buy them from who you want. I'm just a customer, don't have ties to any cuemaker after all.

And the biggest thing is asking for reviews of the cuemaker you are dealing with before you pay a deposit. And even doing that, there is at least a couple of stories a year of someone having a problem.
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There are VERY few makers with long waiting lists that require a deposit at the time of order. In fact, as of today, I personally cant think of any. Some only require THAT at the start if the build.

As for the makers that do, the reputable ones do so for the reasons I've already stated. The ones that don't, I'm going to make an educated guess, either don't rely on building cues as their primary source of income AND/OR build what they want with little available customer input. Some may even be very popular in their general area and have a good feel if their cues would sell regardless of a cutomer defaulting.

Still for BOTH of those scenarios, when talking timeline for delivery, there are a miriad of things that can affect delivery time so though there are a lot of makers that have been able to stick relatively close to the quoted timeline, you just have to understand if a build doesnt quite go as planned, get an explanation and be patient until it's past time for another inquiry. Hopefully multiple inquiries arent necessary. At least if you REALLY want a cue from a particular maker you'll do just that. I will, have, and will again...:)
 
Greetings,
Great article, other than my first custom cue I ordered from Paul Huebler for which was just a sketch on an 8.5x11 piece of paper, I've modeled my cues in 3D and provided a detailed powerpoint presentation in regards to the design.

I also believe in just leaving them alone at this point.

My last custom came from BCM and he does a great job of keeping everyone updated via his facebook page and website.
 
Bavafongoul said:
We need a Cue-Makers Review Section sans any cue photos.
Pictures of any cues can continue being posted in the Gallery.

Customers can post comments about their "buying" satisfaction
with cues they've ordered. Comments that go awry can be deleted
by the House Pro and if need be, the posting Az member warned.

If people have a great experience, tell everyone via this new section
but the reverse is true as well. Cue-makers that disappoint one of
their actual new customers will have negative comments posted.

Az members can read about the praise or criticism about specific
cue-makers and a cue-maker doesn't have to join in on any fracas.
All they have to do is make the problem go away by resolving it or
defend themselves why the allegations made are not true.

If a cue-maker has a lot of alleged problems that he always refutes,
isn't that worthwhile to consider before placing an order as opposed
to reading about a cue-maker that gets compliments from his clients?

A Cue-Maker Review section is worth the attempt in my opinion because
the status quo is just unacceptable. Cue-makers need to know that their
reputations are at risk when the Az Community has a Cue-Maker Review
Section. We just had another incident pop up with a cue-maker I happen
to like, Robert Harris. It's a current example of the status quo I referred to.

Mr. Harris has given away a free cue via a raffle on this Forum at Christmas
for the past 5 years. By all appearances and measures, he looked to be one
of the nice guys around these parts. I hadn't read anything negative about him
as a cue-maker except when he was trading barbs & insults with another Azer.

So now we have this current situation that will hopefully be rectified very soon.
Nonetheless, in the interim, for the sake of potential new customers of Mr. Harris,
I submit they might want to know about the situation at hand and obviously, if it
gets resolved, that's much to Mr. Harris's credit, depending upon how he handles
matters. If he doesn't, that would be his first black mark in this new Cue-maker
Review Section. It will not help his new business and if there are more complaints,
well, you get the picture.

Anyway, I think this would be a good thing to have, as well as a pool cue registry.
That's a horse of an entirely different color and a subject for another thread & time.



Matt B.


p.s. Terrific thread by skins.......well thought out......great advice..
Click to expand...

This is a spectacular idea.
 
Bavafongoul said:
We need a Cue-Makers Review Section sans any cue photos.
Pictures of any cues can continue being posted in the Gallery.

Customers can post comments about their "buying" satisfaction
with cues they've ordered. Comments that go awry can be deleted
by the House Pro and if need be, the posting Az member warned.

If people have a great experience, tell everyone via this new section
but the reverse is true as well. Cue-makers that disappoint one of
their actual new customers will have negative comments posted.

Az members can read about the praise or criticism about specific
cue-makers and a cue-maker doesn't have to join in on any fracas.
All they have to do is make the problem go away by resolving it or
defend themselves why the allegations made are not true.

If a cue-maker has a lot of alleged problems that he always refutes,
isn't that worthwhile to consider before placing an order as opposed
to reading about a cue-maker that gets compliments from his clients?

A Cue-Maker Review section is worth the attempt in my opinion because
the status quo is just unacceptable. Cue-makers need to know that their
reputations are at risk when the Az Community has a Cue-Maker Review
Section. We just had another incident pop up with a cue-maker I happen
to like, Robert Harris. It's a current example of the status quo I referred to.

Mr. Harris has given away a free cue via a raffle on this Forum at Christmas
for the past 5 years. By all appearances and measures, he looked to be one
of the nice guys around these parts. I hadn't read anything negative about him
as a cue-maker except when he was trading barbs & insults with another Azer.

So now we have this current situation that will hopefully be rectified very soon.
Nonetheless, in the interim, for the sake of potential new customers of Mr. Harris,
I submit they might want to know about the situation at hand and obviously, if it
gets resolved, that's much to Mr. Harris's credit, depending upon how he handles
matters. If he doesn't, that would be his first black mark in this new Cue-maker
Review Section. It will not help his new business and if there are more complaints,
well, you get the picture.

Anyway, I think this would be a good thing to have, as well as a pool cue registry.
That's a horse of an entirely different color and a subject for another thread & time.



Matt B.


p.s. Terrific thread by skins.......well thought out......great advice..
Click to expand...

I think this is a good idea.

If there are any cue makers out there who oppose this, I'd like to hear their rationale.
 
Ekojasiloop said:
Don'ts for me... don't go to a "cue collector maker" with an egregious backlog that won't listen to a thing you have to say or work with you one iota because there is a cue collector willing to pay ten times the amount you're paying for a cue he'll never hit a competitive ball with.
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The term "cue collector maker" , as you call it, would cover a great percentage of all cue makers with a reputation. Most of these makers do listen to exactly what the customer is asking for. As for collectors, I am yet to meet one that will pay multiples of the amount a regular customer or even a dealer would pay. Silly post.
 
CJH said:
The term "cue collector maker" , as you call it, would cover a great percentage of all cue makers with a reputation. Most of these makers do listen to exactly what the customer is asking for. As for collectors, I am yet to meet one that will pay multiples of the amount a regular customer or even a dealer would pay. Silly post.
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That is your opinion.

What is silly to me is it is actually difficult for a pool player to get a pool cue. That's not silly to you and I understand that, notice I don't call your post silly though. I'd agree in that it's not necessarily the cue makers causing the "problem" but the collectors. And, I was talking about the fact that most collectors order extensive inlays while many players may be more apt to order simple cues.
 
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Ekojasiloop said:
That is your opinion.

What is silly to me is it is actually difficult for a pool player to get a pool cue. That's not silly to you and I understand that, notice I don't call your post silly though. I'd agree in that it's not necessarily the cue makers causing the "problem" but the collectors. And, I was talking about the fact that most collectors order extensive inlays while many players may be more apt to order simple cues.
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I think what he is reffering to as "silly" is that you dont understand that the maker himself owes YOU nothing. If they dont want to make a cue for you or anybody that's their prerogative. The ones that can do THAT and still have, as you called, egregious waiting lists, say a lot about just how sought after those makers are which is what makes getting on their list difficult if not impossible. Its the same with any well know custom maker of anything. The amount of "expensive inlays" has nothing to do with it. It's obvious youte not well versed in the cue market which is ok. Thete are plenty of makers who ARE accessible to you. Choose one of them.
 
the other thing I thought was silly was that cue collectors will pay ten times the amount others will.
 
CJH said:
the other thing I thought was silly was that cue collectors will pay ten times the amount others will.
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Well I think I get what they mean but it's the fact of WHY they might not thats silly. I mean I cant pay $250,000 for Ferrari GTB but at least I understand why others would and not knock them for doing so....

Skins --------------- likes GTB. :wink:
 
CJH said:
the other thing I thought was silly was that cue collectors will pay ten times the amount others will.
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Its all a matter of perspective as well as opinion.

For example,

I don't understand why someone would pay $1,200 for a cue made by someone who has yet to make ten cues.

I don't understand why someone would pay double the price of a cue that identical to a Schmelke Sneaky Pete.

I don't understand why every cue made outside of a factory is called a custom.

I don't understand why people criticize things that simply cost more.

But,

I do understand that people have tastes different than mine.

I do have an appreciation for things I will never be able to afford

I also know that my cues that cost thousands don't make me a better player than one costing only a few hundred.
 
So general etiquette question. Say a cue maker does give you a date for the cue to ship. At what point past that date does it become OK to follow up and ask for update. Cue maker is not the update type.
 
johnnysd said:
So general etiquette question. Say a cue maker does give you a date for the cue to ship. At what point past that date does it become OK to follow up and ask for update. Cue maker is not the update type.
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Ironic that this thread comes up again today - Dan Janes just emailed me this morning. That man has been absolutely exceptional in communication and every other aspect of the business.

I would say if it's past the due date with no input from the maker - yes definitely call/text/email them and ask.
 
Ched said:
Ironic that this thread comes up again today - Dan Janes just emailed me this morning. That man has been absolutely exceptional in communication and every other aspect of the business.

I would say if it's past the due date with no input from the maker - yes definitely call/text/email them and ask.
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I guess i will wait to the end of the week. Dan Janes is awesome. Too bad the perception of his custom work has been diminished by the production, but hand made cues they now do.
 
Towards the end of the build it should never hurt to ask "Are we still on schedule for delivery". Their answer should give you better insight to delays if any.

That said, with anything custom made, there's always the chance for delays. Sometimes things happen beyond anyone's control.

Being patient and strategically on top of things is a good way to deal with it IMO.
 
johnnysd said:
So general etiquette question. Say a cue maker does give you a date for the cue to ship. At what point past that date does it become OK to follow up and ask for update. Cue maker is not the update type.
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I so want to post on this thread right now but I am trying to be patient. I can tell you this right now though and that is my patience is running pretty thin right now.

Pretty soon some cue maker is going to be put on blast.

We shall see.

Kevin
 
Kevin Lindstrom said:
I so want to post on this thread right now but I am trying to be patient. I can tell you this right now though and that is my patience is running pretty thin right now.

Pretty soon some cue maker is going to be put on blast.

We shall see.

Kevin
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Just to clarify I am talking a specific date, not sometime like "in April". I am getting a cue from a cue maker that is sort of jamming me into his schedule and had stated "spring" which is now summer. I am completely Ok with that.
 
I take a deposit of !00 to 150 dollars when a cue order is placed. This amount covers the components of most cues. I do not ask for any further payment until the cue is completed. Some buyers will still send a payment from time to time during the construction process. I expect to be paid for my labor when the cue is delivered.

I have a build sheet that describes the cue to be built and also lists the purchaser, his/her address, and phone number. If I die, my wife will refund the monies of incomplete cues. At 72, headed toward 73, I want to take care of the customer if I cannot complete his/her cue.

Cuemakers should strive to meet their deadlines but if unable to, then he should contact the customer, explain the delay and give a reasonable estimate of the new delivery time. I say this because in 1994, I had a light stroke that gave me double vision. I contacted my customers and offered refunds. All told me to hold on to their deposit and finish their cue, if possible. It was 3 months before I felt confident enough to get back in the shop but the cues were completed and my customers were pleased with the results. The vision problem had cleared up and I was very thankful for the Blessing of restored and proper vision.
 
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