Now here is the catch, if "I" use ebay in my advantage to negotiate a cue, I am a crook. But still half the cues don't sell on ebay, they sell off line. So you really don't get a sense of whats going on. If you do a listing of cue, highest priced first, there maybe only bids on 6 of the first 25 cues. If one was to solely look at that, they may think the cue market is DEAD. But in reality, the fact there are no bids come from a plethora of reasons. People with low feedback ratings don't get bids all the time, maybe the starting price is high, etc.. its just not reliable. Guide sure, but you need to weigh all the variables.
Now lets say I want to "inflate" say.. Skip Westons market. I could. He is now only making 4-5 cues a month. I could buy every one he is capable of making. Lets say after his current orders run through, I lock him up. So now his wait instead of 8-12 mos is indefinite. This is what I believe Lucky to be doing with certain cuemakers. I don't do it because I feel it is unfair. Believe me, I know what it is like to want to order a cue and be involved in the process from the get go. I don't want to be a dick, or a perceived cue tyrant. I have had certain cuemakers, I was on their lists, knock me off their lists because of Mark and the collapse of his friendships with them (nothing to do with me). Am I disappointed? Sure but you know what, I am more of a man than they are and I could be here badmouthing the crap out of them. But why bother? This is why I understand the need to be part of the process, and the disappointment when you cannot get a cue for whatever the reason.
Joe
