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

[classiccues]

Like a cuemaker realizing that after he took 2 dozen orders promising 6 month delivery he cannot do it.. then sends out that he is newly recognized family man and he is taking time off from cues to be with his newly important family... and your down payment is being applied to a time share in Orlando....

After a few weeks of no communication... just go to CVS and stock up on Vaseline... you're going to need it. :smile:

JV

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.

 

[lakeman77]

Don't buy new. NEVER. Buy used. You can try it out and not loose half your $$ if you sell it later. Saves a lot of drama.

 

[johnnysd]

Don't buy new. NEVER. Buy used. You can try it out and not loose half your $$ if you sell it later. Saves a lot of drama.

Thats true sometimes and not true others depends on the cue and the cuemaker. When you buy a cue you never get exactly what you are looking for, but you do with a custom. Customs are very very exciting to get, as they are pristine cues that are unique in the world to you. There are certainly many ways to get a feel for a makers cue before ordering a custom, and often times you buy a custom because you already own a used cue of theirs and want one thats your own. And that is only on the players side of the equation.

Collectible and really high end cues are an art form as well as functional,

 

[DJKeys]

These are all on point, but #4 is Crucial:

4. Once ordered, leave the maker alone!
Don't bother them wth progress reports or pic's or guesstimates for your cues completion even if these were discussed when ordering. Maybe a freindly note or reminder ONCE is ok but after that leave it alone. Leave the maker to do his job. If by chance your cue IS running over the date quoted, there will ALWAYS be a good reason with REPUTABLE makers and most will contact you about any delays or changes in delivery date. When your cue is ready YOU will know.

-dj

 

[asiasdad]

These are all on point, but #4 is Crucial:

4. Once ordered, leave the maker alone!
Don't bother them wth progress reports or pic's or guesstimates for your cues completion even if these were discussed when ordering. Maybe a freindly note or reminder ONCE is ok but after that leave it alone. Leave the maker to do his job. If by chance your cue IS running over the date quoted, there will ALWAYS be a good reason with REPUTABLE makers and most will contact you about any delays or changes in delivery date. When your cue is ready YOU will know.

-dj

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Cues: Tascarella (2), Joey Bautista.

Ordered: Hercek (2004), Searing (2008), Koo (2009), Joey (2016).

I would think that after waiting 10 years you would
contact the cue maker for 2 reasons:

1. To make certain the cue maker is still alive
2. To let the cue maker know you are still alive



Ordered: Southwest (2005) Hercek (2006)

 

[DJKeys]

I would think that after waiting 10 years you would
contact the cue maker for 2 reasons:

1. To make certain the cue maker is still alive
2. To let the cue maker know you are still alive



Ordered: Southwest (2005) Hercek (2006)

I have done this and it is reasonable. I have been in touch with Joel Hercek a few times in the last 7 years just go make sure I am still on the list. He has always responded, and I probably will get a cue in a few more years. He was working on the 2003 orders last time I contacted him in 2011. The main thing is a lot of buyers really pester the cuemaker.

 

[Type79]

The things that comes to mind when I see threads on the subject of dealing with a cuemaker and deadlines, are:

- what is the class and experience of the cuemaker(s) being discussed?
- is the customer experienced in custom orders?

For every complaint that is posted about a problem with a cuemaker, there are probably a dozen who have sterling reputations.

On the customer side, ordering anything of a custom nature requires some flexibility when it comes to deadlines and progress.

If a customer absolutely must have the completed cue in his/her hands by a drop dead certain date, then a custom cue order may not be something to get involved with.

 

[Kevin Lindstrom]

Question for all you experts

If you are promised a certain completion date and or ship date down to the day it is supposed to ship. What is a reasonably timeframe after that promised ship date should you expect to receive your cue????

Thanks

Kevin

 

[Type79]

If you are promised a certain completion date and or ship date down to the day it is supposed to ship. What is a reasonably timeframe after that promised ship date should you expect to receive your cue????

Thanks

Kevin

If a cuemaker says he is shipping the cue 10 days from today, it should be shipping by that date or he should contact the customer.

If a cuemaker gives the customer a ship date six or twelve months out, I would consider that an estimated completion date.

 

[skins]

If you are promised a certain completion date and or ship date down to the day it is supposed to ship. What is a reasonably timeframe after that promised ship date should you expect to receive your cue????

Thanks

Kevin

I think it depends on the maker you order from. Makers with a 1 to 2 month waiting list, maybe a few days to a couple weeks. Makers with a 3 to 6 month waiting list maybe few weeks to a month or so. 1 year waiting list 1 to 4 months maybe. Makers with a 2 years and up waiting list most likely wont give you an exact day. In fact maybe not even the month so it wouldn't suprise me if it was a year later.

IMO these are best case scenarios I wouldnt mind for myself and do not include any unforseen issues the maker might run into.

In any case, timely communication from maker to customer would be most desireable in any of those situations.

 

[Hollismason]

I just graduated college and as a reward with my first nice pay check I want to put a down payment , would 1500 dollars be a good price to pay for a custom cue from one of the really big names or is that to low? I don't want ivory or anything like that. I'd just like a nice looking ebony/ purple heart cue.

 

[Ched]

I just graduated college and as a reward with my first nice pay check I want to put a down payment , would 1500 dollars be a good price to pay for a custom cue from one of the really big names or is that to low? I don't want ivory or anything like that. I'd just like a nice looking ebony/ purple heart cue.

You should be able to get a very nice cue for that. I'm fairly sure that Dan Janes (Joss Cues) would certainly do something sweet for that amount. It may not get you a fancy Ginacue, Szamboti, or Samsara ... but - there are plenty of top quality cue artists/builders out there that can do some amazing things for that price.

 

[Puhlshooter]

I think researching how custom cues are made by various Craftsman will provide insight as to the expectations with regards to schedule and delays.

I think an important point is you have your ideas or suggestions of design, wood and materials you would like in your build.

The cue maker knows what designs and materials are compatable with one another to make a quality product and changes to your ideas by the maker should be met with compromise and acceptance. As the maker knows from experience and his skill level what will work out to a final quality project and what maybe an issue for you and him in the end.

If you insist on it you are responsible for the end result.

Making a custom piece is a time consuming and tedious process and your project maybe rested to allow for the materials to normalize so the end product is straight and limits the potential for future warping or twisting of the wood and other materials in the cue.

In the end remember you are buying or ordering a custom piece made by hand from a craftsman. Unless there is something drastically wrong with the end product don't nit pick every miniscule flaw in his work accept his hard work and individual characteristics in it as a true custom piece and not as a cookie cutter off the shelf cue.

Then reason most cue makers don't have slots or time for others is the so called dealer "friend" /collector in an effort to control the market ordering a bunch of cues in a row because of their relationship with certain makers and then turning them for a profit.

Most of these guys have had tons of cues and guys that only want one made to their liking can't get one because the maker is clogged with orders from dealer"friends" who want to profit from that relationship on others Craftsmanship. They are not interested in hanging on to a cue any longer than it takes them to unpack it.

The less people buy from these guys the more availability there will be in the cue makers schedule for guys who want a custom cue and are willing to pay just as much to get a cue direct from the maker made to their specs.

 

[DaveM]

I just graduated college and as a reward with my first nice pay check I want to put a down payment , would 1500 dollars be a good price to pay for a custom cue from one of the really big names or is that to low? I don't want ivory or anything like that. I'd just like a nice looking ebony/ purple heart cue.

I recently ordered a cue from Bob Owen, and just received a cue from Jim Pierce.
Both should be in your range. I like the Pierce very much, Billiard Bill on AZB is his dealer. I did see this on the Owen/Shurtz cue site under sold cues. It had ivory, but now there are substitute materials or a steel joint etc.
There are definitely bigger names, but also usually a longer build time. Or, you can look in the for sale forum for something in good/new condition.

 

[johnnysd]

I just graduated college and as a reward with my first nice pay check I want to put a down payment , would 1500 dollars be a good price to pay for a custom cue from one of the really big names or is that to low? I don't want ivory or anything like that. I'd just like a nice looking ebony/ purple heart cue.

In that price range I think the cuemakers I would look into are:

Dan Janes at Joss (still making exceptional cues especially if you like stainless steel jointed cues)

Josh Treadway He would make an unbelievably good cue in that price range.He made this one for me as I wait for a high end custom (See pics of one he made for me attached). He does have a two year waiting list

Keith Josey Makes a fantastic cue in your price range

Bob Owen Especially if you love old school cues his cannot be beat. And he posts his cues as he finishes in the cue gallery

Mike Lambros You can get a beautiful merry widow from Mike if he agrees to make one at your budget and his cues are truly right at the top of the list for workmanship
and playability

Mike Guylassy Phenomenal hitting cues with some interesting design elements including "shaft freeze" which is halfway between the finish on a normal shaft and a cuetec type finish. many really like it.

 

[KAP1976]

I know Joss is considered more of a "production" cue but some of the stuff Dan's son Stephen is kicking out of the Joss Handmade label is really nice quality.

 

[johnnysd]

I know Joss is considered more of a "production" cue but some of the stuff Dan's son Stephen is kicking out of the Joss Handmade label is really nice quality.

I don't really think that is a fair label that gets thrown at Joss. All of their cues are handmade, though they due use some CNC as do most cuemakers now, they just build multiples of the same cue and sell them for very low prices, but they are exceptional quality.

The custom cues on the Joss site are handmade cues by Dan himself but they do not bring attention to that.

I think Stephen makes the handmade stuff but both Dan and Stephen do still make true custom cues about 12 or so a year.

I am in fact talking to Dan right now about a true custom.

 

[philly]

I don't really think that is a fair label that gets thrown at Joss. All of their cues are handmade, though they due use some CNC as do most cuemakers now, they just build multiples of the same cue and sell them for very low prices, but they are exceptional quality.

The custom cues on the Joss site are handmade cues by Dan himself but they do not bring attention to that.

I think Stephen makes the handmade stuff but both Dan and Stephen do still make true custom cues about 12 or so a year.

I am in fact talking to Dan right now about a true custom.

Dan is working on one for me right now after ordering one from him at the Expo. I told him I play with a production Joss now and I love it. He took exception to the term "production' saying that he and his son oversee every Joss cue made. He takes great pride in his product. His son was just named cuemaker of the year.

 

[Johnnybgood]

Well Dean, with respect, you had me up until your last sentence...

"My guy" Keith Josey is FAR and above MOST makers when it comes to ALL the categories you mention and is respected by most all makers for that.. That is very well known.. As well as others stated here. So although those you mention are worthy as stated, NO don't follow Dean's advice and ONLY buy from "those" guy's. Though I am a huge fan of everybody on your list Dean, some are not accessible to most buyer's. If you can't get a cue from those on Dean's list that doesn't mean there aren't others that fit Dean's criteria , in general. Do the research and you will find them...

Figured you try to pimp a Josey cue. As you know I completely disagree with your assessment of these cues. Both aesthetics and playability. Also make sure you let people know your relationship with Josey cues before you start recommending them as the cats meow. Which they certainly are not.


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[jasonlaus]

Figured you try to pimp a Josey cue. As you know I completely disagree with your assessment of these cues. Both aesthetics and playability. Also make sure you let people know your relationship with Josey cues before you start recommending them as the cats meow. Which they certainly are not.


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Hold on, running to the store to get popcorn, don't start without me.
Jason