If I buy the parts?

[Jeff]

Nice website, I love Rotts as much as my pit. Beautiful animals.

Thank you,

I think Pits and Rotts are just about in the same boat lately. It seems the town counsels and county boards around the country are all trying to ban our breeds.

Thankfully around where I live, they still have a little common sense and know it's not the breed that's the problem, it's the owner.

 

[TellsItLikeItIs]

Nope, I dont know them ALL.
But I do know cuemakers assemble cue parts into finished cues so the term that you used "cue assembler" would apply to them. Except like I said for the ones that hire others to do the work for them.

Dont you yourself "assemble" cues from bits and parts others have made?

Do you think "cue assembler" is an insult to a cuemaker?
I dont, its just another way of discribing someone that makes cues.

Just for the record, it was not I that used the term. I do not use it. I feel it to be denigrating at the very least. Typically it is used to describe someone
that is not competent to build their own forearms, shafts, etc. Therefor, they
buy the parts ready made, assemble everything into the shape of a cue,
sign it, spray it, then sell it to someone that then thinks they are dealing with
a cuemaker.

You are correct in that some cuemakers do use pre-manufactured parts in
their cues, (tips, joint screws, bumpers), but I am told there are some that make even those parts.

I didn't personally take the term as an insult as it was not used directly at me, but being part of this industry I can say with some certainty that there are cuemakers that would take offense if they were addressed as such.

Rather similar to the term "Wood Butcher" being used to descibe a Professional
Carpenter, or perhaps "Cutter" being used to describe a Surgeon.

 

[Michael Webb]

Thank you,

I think Pits and Rotts are just about in the same boat lately. It seems the town counsels and county boards around the country are all trying to ban our breeds.

Thankfully around where I live, they still have a little common sense and know it's not the breed that's the problem, it's the owner.

Man, ain't that the truth.

 

[sliprock]

I don't care if he were next world champ. If I make a cue that is to his specs & it turns out to play like s@#*, the next owner is going to point out what a crappy Q I made. It could cost me dozens of sales. Most players have no idea what taper they are playing with or what size tip they use. They may say that it's a 19 oz., "PRO TAPER" with a 13mm tip, because that's what the salesman said it had. Upon examination it may easily be a 18.4 oz., 6" PRO taper with the size tip that he really loves, but when measured it's 12.6mm. Now if I build a cue like he ordered( instead of what he's actually playing with), he's going to tell everyone that "IT JUST DOESN'T PLAY LIKE MY OLD ONE". DAAA. That's why you can't trust what the customer tells you. HE JUST DOESN'T KNOW. I do a lot of repairs & one of the things I hear all of the time is, "CAN YOU TAKE THIS SHAFT DOWN TO A 10mm? CAUSE THAT'S WHAT MY BUDDY PLAYS WITH & I CAN REALLY GET THE ENGLISH". When I show him what a 10mm looks like, his eyes get big & he suddenly is not so sure, what animal his buddy has. CAN'T TRUST 'EM...JER

Jer, I think that lots of players would be surprised at what they actually prefer. They think they like a 13 mm tip when there favorite shaft has a 12.5.
There's also the guy's that have the digital scale built into their shoulder. You know the one that picks up the 20 oz cue and guesses it to be between 18 and 18.5 oz's. I'm guessing that these are the customers that you have problems with.

 

[LWW]

What if a person came to a cue maker and already had most of the parts he wanted a cue made from.

A cue blank, ivory butt/ferrules/joints/inlays (raw but turned), raw shafts (ready for turning), and tips.

Would a cue maker take this job and what kind of ballpark price would I be looking at.

Q-What happens if you buy all your own parts and ask the dealer to assemble it for you?

A-It will cost more and work no better, and probably worse, than if you had let the the people who do it do what they do instead of telling them how to do it.

I would assume a cue would work the same way.

LWW

 

[chokenstroke]

I don't care if he were next world champ. If I make a cue that is to his specs & it turns out to play like s@#*, the next owner is going to point out what a crappy Q I made. It could cost me dozens of sales.

Both Dick and Blackheart make very valid points from oppsite prespectives. I can see merit in both their arguments. This is a tough call fellas and I doubt everyone will end up agreeing who has the correct idea about this.

Can you just picture the kind of custom cue I would order?

 

[chokenstroke]

Just for the record, it was not I that used the term. I do not use it. I feel it to be denigrating at the very least. Typically it is used to describe someone
that is not competent to build their own forearms, shafts, etc. Therefor, they
buy the parts ready made, assemble everything into the shape of a cue,
sign it, spray it, then sell it to someone that then thinks they are dealing with
a cuemaker.

You are correct in that some cuemakers do use pre-manufactured parts in
their cues, (tips, joint screws, bumpers), but I am told there are some that make even those parts.

Are not some of the cuemakers that used premade spliced forearms now considered to be Master cuemakers and those cues worth a lot of money?
Dont you think that a master cuemaker that makes and sells premade parts to a lesser cuemaker is enabling that cuemaker to produce a better product?

Dont be to hasty in prejudging a finished cue just because the cuemaker used parts he did not make himself. Give the finished cue a fair go to stand or fall on its own merit.

 

[Jeff]

Just as a addition to this discussion.

I have sent the Palmer that I use as my playing cue, which is the cue I was wondering about usng the same diminsions from for a new cue, to Proficient Billiards to have it completely refinished with a new wrap and new tip.

From everything I've heard about Scot's work, it should come back to me like a new cue (with old wood). I am very much looking forward to getting it back.

 

[TellsItLikeItIs]

Are not some of the cuemakers that used premade spliced forearms now considered to be Master cuemakers and those cues worth a lot of money?
Dont you think that a master cuemaker that makes and sells premade parts to a lesser cuemaker is enabling that cuemaker to produce a better product?

Dont be to hasty in prejudging a finished cue just because the cuemaker used parts he did not make himself. Give the finished cue a fair go to stand or fall on its own merit.

Sorry my friend, I just do not go along with your analogy. Obviously you are referring to cue makers of the past. If it were possible to return to the past and walk into Balabushkas shop, or Martin, or Rambow, and greet them as a "cue assembler", I am absolutely certain you would be shown the door (and probably a boot up your tail on the way out).

Dont be to hasty in prejudging a finished cue just because the cuemaker used parts he did not make himself. Give the finished cue a fair go to stand or fall on its own merit.

You seem to be having a difficult time staying on subject. Have you been licking your makeup again?

 

[TellsItLikeItIs]

Just as a addition to this discussion.

I have sent the Palmer that I use as my playing cue, which is the cue I was wondering about usng the same diminsions from for a new cue, to Proficient Billiards to have it completely refinished with a new wrap and new tip.

From everything I've heard about Scot's work, it should come back to me like a new cue (with old wood). I am very much looking forward to getting it back.

I have heard only good comments about his work. Earlier this year I had occasion to see an old Bushka he refinished. Did a great job on that one.

 

[chokenstroke]

Sorry my friend, I just do not go along with your analogy. Obviously you are referring to cue makers of the past. If it were possible to return to the past and walk into Balabushkas shop, or Martin, or Rambow, and greet them as a "cue assembler", I am absolutely certain you would be shown the door (and probably a boot up your tail on the way out).

You seem to be having a difficult time staying on subject. Have you been licking your makeup again?

LOL as if that has never happened before
Dont you think a boot to my behind would be something to laugh about.

But I can see where you are coming from and how some cuemakers could be ofended by that term. I think it would depend on the color of the converstaion and the structure of the sentense as to wheather on not insult was intended. Most are very proud of their skills and their work and its just not my nature to insult someone about that. It is my ignorance if it was taken that way but who can look me in the face and stay mad for long?