Given the number of quality cues made in the last 20 years, why are so few available?

J

justinb386

Banned
I know this thread will probably get bashed, and laughed at, but I will ask this post my thoughts that I am curious about anyways.

I do not know how many active players there are here in the US currently, but I imagine that if you took the number of nice quality used cues that have been purchased new and played with (by US players), and deducted that number from the number of active players that there currently are, then the number left over would be a lot of cues that are sitting in closets (or somewhere) not being used.

The thing that I am getting at, is that I do not understand why there are not more nice good quality cues available for sale (if they are not being used, with no plans by the owners of ever using them)?

I go visit the pawn shops from time to time, and if I do see any cues for sale, they are usually something like a Viper or an old fiberglass cuetec (with an $80 price tag on it, lol).

I just wonder how many good quality used cues cues are out there (just here in the US) that are not being used (and just collecting dust in some persons closet, and maybe even forgotten about)?

I imagine that number is a lot, because I do not think there are as many active serious pool players today then there were 20 years ago (for example).

This is not a complaint thread.

I would just like your opinion about how many good quality used cues there are out there, that are not being played with (just here in the US)?

By good quality, I mean cues like Mcdermott, Joss, Meucci, Viking, and other decent quality production cues that were made here in the US.

I would include Adam and Helmstetter cues (that were made in Japan) too, and any other cues in that quality range.

Where are all of the good quality cues at (that are not being used currently)?

Have most of them just been beaten up, and thrown in the trash, or what do you think happened to all of them?

I do not know, but I just imagine that there are a very high number of cues that are out there, that are not being used.

I will name 1 example, and it is from a cue maker that I have a lot of respect for, and that is Nat Green from Clarksville TN. He was the maker of South East (SE) cues, and I understand that they were considered a production cue, because he had a standard line of them (models with model numbers). I do not know how many cues he made before he retired from cue making (I am not actually sure if he is retired or not), but I imagine that the number of cues he has made is a lot. I have had a few of his cues, and I really loved them. I just wonder why they are seemingly impossible to find now (they are very rarely ever seen for sale online).

Anyways, think about how many decent quality American made cues that have been made and played with over the last 20 years, and think about how many active players you think there currently are in the US, and tell me how many unused decent quality cues (that were not abused to the point of being unplayable) are left being unused (just here in the US)?

Thanks for any thoughts about this, and hopefully not too many of you guys will make fun of me, or bash my thoughts (questions) that I noted in this thread.
 
justinb386 said:
Anyways, think about how many decent quality American made cues that have been made and played with over the last 20 years, and think about how many active players you think there currently are in the US, and tell me how many unused decent quality cues (that were not abused to the point of being unplayable) are left being unused (just here in the US)?
Click to expand...

tell you how many unused cues that were not abused are being left unused? Is that a trick question?
 
You know the old saying "Beauty is in the eye of the beholder"? I think it's the same with cues. Quality is a subjective term. Those cues you mentioned, I know people that think they are shit, or any production line for that matter. Personally I love my Predator. To me it's an excellent quality, some other people think Predators are pure crap. I don't necessarily think a custom is a quality cue, then there are other people that will sware by their custom job.
The best wood, turned on the best lathe, by the best cue maker doesn't guarantee that it will meet the quality of a Dufferin bar cue.
Different people have different criteria for what they look for in a cue. What is a top quality to me may not be to you. But why are there so few of the cues you mention? Probably because less then 10% of the pool playing world own 90% of the cues.
 
Every time you post a question, I take a cue out of my collection and crack it in half against me head. That's a lot of mid to high end cues gone forever.
 
All the left over cues that have been sitting in closets and unused for years......are all gone.

I bought all of them....just to keep the prices higher on new cues.
 
justinb386 said:
I know this thread will probably get bashed, and laughed at, but I will ask this post my thoughts that I am curious about anyways.

I do not know how many active players there are here in the US currently, but I imagine that if you took the number of nice quality used cues that have been purchased new and played with (by US players), and deducted that number from the number of active players that there currently are, then the number left over would be a lot of cues that are sitting in closets (or somewhere) not being used.

The thing that I am getting at, is that I do not understand why there are not more nice good quality cues available for sale (if they are not being used, with no plans by the owners of ever using them)?

I go visit the pawn shops from time to time, and if I do see any cues for sale, they are usually something like a Viper or an old fiberglass cuetec (with an $80 price tag on it, lol).

I just wonder how many good quality used cues cues are out there (just here in the US) that are not being used (and just collecting dust in some persons closet, and maybe even forgotten about)?

I imagine that number is a lot, because I do not think there are as many active serious pool players today then there were 20 years ago (for example).

This is not a complaint thread.

I would just like your opinion about how many good quality used cues there are out there, that are not being played with (just here in the US)?

By good quality, I mean cues like Mcdermott, Joss, Meucci, Viking, and other decent quality production cues that were made here in the US.

I would include Adam and Helmstetter cues (that were made in Japan) too, and any other cues in that quality range.

Where are all of the good quality cues at (that are not being used currently)?

Have most of them just been beaten up, and thrown in the trash, or what do you think happened to all of them?

I do not know, but I just imagine that there are a very high number of cues that are out there, that are not being used.

I will name 1 example, and it is from a cue maker that I have a lot of respect for, and that is Nat Green from Clarksville TN. He was the maker of South East (SE) cues, and I understand that they were considered a production cue, because he had a standard line of them (models with model numbers). I do not know how many cues he made before he retired from cue making (I am not actually sure if he is retired or not), but I imagine that the number of cues he has made is a lot. I have had a few of his cues, and I really loved them. I just wonder why they are seemingly impossible to find now (they are very rarely ever seen for sale online).

Anyways, think about how many decent quality American made cues that have been made and played with over the last 20 years, and think about how many active players you think there currently are in the US, and tell me how many unused decent quality cues (that were not abused to the point of being unplayable) are left being unused (just here in the US)?

Thanks for any thoughts about this, and hopefully not too many of you guys will make fun of me, or bash my thoughts (questions) that I noted in this thread.
Click to expand...
Popcorn popcorn,who's got popcorn? I'll have a large please,and a 2 liter coca-cola !!!
 
The Cue Fairy takes them all.
She pays top dollar and does not whine about little stuff.
 
billiardthought said:
tell you how many unused cues that were not abused are being left unused? Is that a trick question?
Click to expand...

Lol, I did not mean for it to be a trick question. My wording sometimes comes out completely wrong, but please give me a break. Can you at least try to figure out what I was trying to say? Thanks.
 
They're out there.

They've been getting gobbled-up by flippers and league players on ebay and craigslist for almost 20 years now; however, most people buy with no intention or need to ever liquidate their possessions.

You could go door-to-door asking. Antique dealers have been doing this forever, probably a pretty dangerous enterprise these days.

I think getting a job or volunteering at a Good Will would yield some finds.

But, no one should have to actively seek-out and pay for what they want, at least I know I shouldn't have to... If life were fair, and if God would start acting like God and love us all equally, He would make an 11th commandment, forcing people to give-away or sell their unused cues for $200 or less.

Am I right?
 
Most cues are disposable items I think. Get used up, tossed aside. Then there are those left in closets for many years when the player isn't a player anymore..


But, if one is serious, one can find a pristine example of just about any cue one might want...except for a one of a kind...of which many that are desirable are in pretty good shape anyway I would think.


But a price will be paid.....


It's all supply and demand. Justin, I think you simply have more demand than supply.:wink:





.
 
I am going to go out on a limb and give you a serious answer.

Back when I was a little more financially stable than I am now i bought quite a few cues looking for that elusive magic wand. Some I sold to finance another purchase. Some I traded even for another cue. Some I even gave away to less fortunate than I was.

Now mind you most were production cues but a few were customs.

I wound up selling most a while back including all my customs.

The cues I have left are all productions and I never plan on getting rid of any of them ...mostly for sentimental reasons and the fact that are not really worth much to most people.

I have a predator 1st generation blak 4 that I can't shoot worth a shit with and sits in the closet.
A McDermott . Don't know what model but it has the etched in buffalo scene along with Indians and bows and arrows. Again it sits in the closet because I can't shoot worth a shit with the g core shaft.

A meucci gambler that has been my daily player most of the time but now sits in the closet.

An unknown make that I picked up at a pawn shop for 30.00 that has 2 shafts. 1 does not match the ring work but fits the cue. I used it to break for a while.

2 players cues that are about 10-12 years old but in excellent condition. One has a built in extension. The one with the extension I keep.in my 3by 5 case for hard to reach shots.

My daily player now is a cheap Chinese sneaky Pete I bought brand new for 30.00. I play better with this cue than any cue I have ever had except for the cue named below.

I have a 12-13 year old Viking. Again I dont know what model but it has the wolf scene on it . It's my favorite cue but some one snapped the fore arm in half right below the joint
.i would love to have it repaired for sentimal reasons because it was the 1 st cue I bought when I got back into playing after after a 25 year hiatus. You dont know how pissed off I was she I came him and found it broke. Of course neither of my ex g/fs teen age kids would never own up to it. How ever I can't really afford to have it repaired and being just a production cue its probly not economically feasible any way. You know...cost more than its worth lol.

Last but not least I just aquired a brand new predator bk111 that I traded my old Alex brick j/b for.

Like I say...i dont plan on getting rid of these and I dont see any reason to buy any more she what I have ....except for those damn laminated shafts works just fine for me . At 62 years old I dont need any more play toys lol.
 
PhilosopherKing said:
They're out there.

They've been getting gobbled-up by flippers and league players on ebay and craigslist for almost 20 years now; however, most people buy with no intention or need to ever liquidate their possessions.

You could go door-to-door asking. Antique dealers have been doing this forever, probably a pretty dangerous enterprise these days.

I think getting a job or volunteering at a Good Will would yield some finds.

But, no one should have to actively seek-out and pay for what they want, at least I know I shouldn't have to... If life were fair, and if God would start acting like God and love us all equally, He would make an 11th commandment, forcing people to give-away or sell their unused cues for $200 or less.

Am I right?
Click to expand...

Lol, yeah (auction them off for no reserve on ebay, if you do not need them and have no intention of ever using them), or at least give them to junior players (who really love the game), so that this great sport can have more of a chance for a better future.

I do see that a lot of decent quality cues have been donated to Goodwill over the years, and show up (up for auction) on their online auction site (mostly out in the north western US state of WA, from what I have seen).
 
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I think a lot has to do with the owners know replacing them would be
difficult at best, if not outright impossible. So those cues seldom get
sold except for perhaps hardship reasons or an estate sale.

As an example, my Scruggs cue might not meet the OP idea of great
cue but you will never see it for sale........nor will you find either of the
last 2 customs from Bob Owen & Jerry Rauenzahn.........or the custom
Schon Bob Runde made me......those cues are off the table and you'll
never find them for sale or trade even if it meant not getting my dream
Hercek.......I'd rather hang onto these cues ......Yup, sometimes cues
are special and if you have never felt that way before, you just haven't
come across the right cue that has beauty, workmanship, playability &
sentimental attachment.......those cues are far and few between....IMO.
 
PhilosopherKing said:
They're out there.

They've been getting gobbled-up by flippers and league players on ebay and craigslist for almost 20 years now; however, most people buy with no intention or need to ever liquidate their possessions.

You could go door-to-door asking. Antique dealers have been doing this forever, probably a pretty dangerous enterprise these days.

I think getting a job or volunteering at a Good Will would yield some finds.

But, no one should have to actively seek-out and pay for what they want, at least I know I shouldn't have to... If life were fair, and if God would start acting like God and love us all equally, He would make an 11th commandment, forcing people to give-away or sell their unused cues for $200 or less.

Am I right?
Click to expand...
Crystal ball right there

Sent from my SM-G900W8 using Tapatalk
 
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