Large favor I owe cuemaker Chuck Starkey

[Dhakala]

As far as the "flaws" in the handle. Well these are not flaws at all but just natural occurances in wood.

Dick, would you ever let a cue out of your shop looking like this?

Has a customer ever ordered a cue from you specifically requesting a handle of curly maple that looks like a tar-soaked brush was dragged across it?

I dunno where my cuemaker came up with $200. If you want to know, PM me with an email address and I'll pass your question on to him. I know you two know and respect each other, and I'm sure he'll be pleased to discuss the matter with you.

 

[Dhakala]

I just did not understand you going back and buying the same cue or even going back to the cuemaker. I usually do not go back and spend money where I was not happy or satisfied.

Like I explained a couple of pages ago, I bought the cue the second time for the same reason people adopt disfigured puppies. I felt sorry for the poor thing, and since Starkey wasn't going to heal it, I chose to do so.

 

[Dhakala]

... and you also clarified what "F.A.N." stands for on RSB - - so why the secrecy?

No secrecy about it, just respect for Mr. Wilson's rules.

I hope Chuck Starkey's sales go up 500% as a result of you writing all of this garbage.

But you won't buy a cue from him, will you?

 

[cuetechasaurus]

Hey Dhakala, remember when I said that nobody on this forum likes you? Now do you believe me? LOL

 

[Dhakala]

</BS>

So, allow me to sum it up - just to ensure I understand the root cause of your complaint with Starkey:

11/05: You buy a cue from CM Starkey. You like his work SO MUCH that you Order another cue from him.

Yep.

3/06: Said Custom-Ordered cue is on Ebay. (Why?) When you order a custom cue, you pay for it, right? So why was YOUR cue on Ebay?

Ask Starkey, who put it there. I was awaiting an invoice from him.

You use Buy-It-Now. The 2 of you are now conducting a simple Ebay-based transaction, correct? You receive cue, don't like it, return it for refund which he promptly issues. NO PROBLEMS SO FAR

I was not happy about being deceived, but the prompt refund of my money and the opportunity to order a similar cue from a good cuemaker compensated for that nicely.

7/06: Same exact cue back on Ebay. The CM certainly has every right to sell the cue, even if YOU didn't like the wood. Why this listing was your concern, I'll never know. But you don't just make it your concern, you BID on and BUY THE SAME CUE - AGAIN. You have made plans with the Phantom CM to have the handle replaced. Strange, but OK.

Like I've explained twice before: when the cue came up again, I realized that Starkey was not going to heal its disfigurement. So I chose do to so.

9/06: Phantom CM finishes re-working the cue, replaced handle, etc. Cue is in your possession (again) and NOW you notice the shaft doesn't have the P314 logo.

Yep. Also wasn't a P314 at all. Wrong number of segments, wrong ferrule.

So you demand that the original CM Starkey issue you ANOTHER REFUND ON THE SAME CUE - a cue that is NO LONGER CONSIDERED A STARKEY CUE. It is now some hybrid Starkey/Phantom cue, but you still want Starkey to give your money back - again. Let's not forget that you purchased it THE SECOND TIME with the intent of having your PHANTOM CM re-work the cue, which he did.

Even though it is no longer a Starkey cue, CM Starkey issued you a FULL REFUND - AGAIN?!?

Yep. That was cheaper for Chuck Starkey than dealing with legal fallout of mail-order and wire fraud. Also less trouble than doing the job right.

I'm pleased with the way things are working out:

1. The cue got healed.

2. Chuck Starkey, who made the disfigured cue, paid for its healing.

3. Chuck Starkey's incompetence and dishonesty is exposed in this, one of the 100 most-read threads in AZB history.

Thanks to all the members of my F. A. N. club for helping to make it happen.

 

[Dhakala]

Do you seriously think anyone is going to PM you and jump through hoops to get to your MASTER CUEMAKER?

No, for that would destroy their comfortable self-delusions about the cuemaker, me, and Chuck Starkey. But the offer stands for anyone who has the courage to face reality. No takers as of now.

BTW, to be fair to him you should let him know what will happen to him if he builds a cue you don't like.

Oh, believe me, he knows!

 

[Sore_Aintya]

Hey Dhakala, I have a couple "disfigured" cues and 1 horribly refinished Espiritu, since you feel compelled to Fix things.

 

[Dhakala]

Hey Dhakala, I have a couple "disfigured" cues and 1 horribly refinished Espiritu, since you feel compelled to Fix things.

Be careful what you ask for. Note that Starkey paid for the healing of his crime.

 

[Jeff]

Yep. That was cheaper for Chuck Starkey than dealing with legal fallout of mail-order and wire fraud.

The funny thing is how you expected this thread to "expose" Mr. Starky as incompetent. But all you have done is expose yourself to hundreds of people as a complete fool.

I sincerely hope this thread follows you where ever you go.

When ever anyone sees you attemping to buy something on ebay (davidhakala), the seller will be messaged and sent a link to this thread.

When ever you try to express an opinion on another forum, the link to this thread will be posted.

 

[Dhakala]

The funny thing is how you expected this thread to "expose" Mr. Starky as incompetent. But all you have done is expose yourself to hundreds of people as a complete fool.

That's not what my mailbox says, Jeff. Enjoy your wishful thinking, F. A. N.

When ever anyone sees you attemping to buy something on ebay (davidhakala), the seller will be messaged and sent a link to this thread.

You really don't know how eBay works, do you?

When ever you try to express an opinion on another forum, the link to this thread will be posted.

You'd do that for me? Whew! I was afraid I'd have to post it myself all the time!

 

[quitecoolguy]

What a waste

I just wasted 35 min of my company's time by reading this post...my god...by the end of it i was trying to staple staples in my forehead. For Pete's sake D give it a rest. You came here to vent about the fact that a cue maker did not meet your standards. I can respect that. It also seemed to me that the cue maker excepted that fact as well and told you i will buy back the cue. Which he did and you got your money back. If you were that upset about it you had an easy solution...dont buy anything else from him ever again. That simple. Now Bounce....oh im sorry perhaps you dont understand that statement. LET IT ALONE AND DROP IT...thank you...

 

[Jeff]

You really don't know how eBay works, do you?

Oh, I think I have some idea

http://search.ebay.com/ws/search/Ad...sop=1&fsoo=1&fcl=3&frpp=50&sofindtype=3&pfid=

 

[Varney Cues]

I for one have had enough!!! Now EVERYONE take their azz to the parking lot and lets settle this like real poolplayers.

 

[AuntyDan]

This thread serves no other purpose but to expose the fact that you are unreasonable, vindictive, and very annoying

I know there's still officially 2 and a bit months left to go, but I think it is fair to say that the hotly-contested annual Pot-Calling-The-Kettle-Black Award for 2006 will be awarded to Ms. Bullet for this post.

 

[ribdoner]

Doug, Pop Some Corn......i"ll Supply The Butter

 

[Dhakala]

Oh, I think I have some idea

http://search.ebay.com/ws/search/Ad...sop=1&fsoo=1&fcl=3&frpp=50&sofindtype=3&pfid=

"Items by bidder." Now what, Jeff? You enter "davidhakala" and that shows you all the items upon which I am currently bidding. Or does it?

Does it show you all the items upon which I will place bids less than ten seconds before the auctions end?

Have you ever tried to send a link to anyone via eBay's messaging system?

No, Jeff, you don't know how eBay works.

Dismissed. Back to the gene pool with you.

 

[straybullet]

I know there's still officially 2 and a bit months left to go, but I think it is fair to say that the hotly-contested annual Pot-Calling-The-Kettle-Black Award for 2006 will be awarded to Ms. Bullet for this post.

At least I'm upfront with people and I don't hide. You can't say the same, can you? I think you're in line for some awards yourself, aren't you, Dan? oops... sorry... it's a secret...Shhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.

 

[Cuebacca]

The funny thing is how you expected this thread to "expose" Mr. Starky as incompetent. But all you have done is expose yourself to hundreds of people as a complete fool.

I sincerely hope this thread follows you where ever you go.

When ever anyone sees you attemping to buy something on ebay (davidhakala), the seller will be messaged and sent a link to this thread.

When ever you try to express an opinion on another forum, the link to this thread will be posted.

What I want to know is... is there a way to block specific users from bidding on your items? That might be a handy one.

 

[AlexB]

Mr. Hakala is correct

Just saw this thread subject and I will confirm Mr. Starkey's incompetence as a cuemaker and unprofessionalism in his customer service rudeness. I was the purchaser of a cue from Mr. Starkey basically because I was curious and wanted to try his wood joint, not his old, petrified personal joint, but I should say that of one of his cues. In post #21 Mr. Hakala referenced the feedback I left on ebay. I withdrew the negative feedback rating after I received a refund, because he asked me to do so, and I did not wish to impact his possible future business. However, while the cue I purchased was attractive in the ebay photos and a fair value, the cue I received was an absolute POS. Among other deficiencies, there were lathe marks, the rings were raised, there was a crack in the maple handle and the rings and inlays had multiple gaps. Mr. Starkey subsequently admitted the cue should never have left his shop, yet in corresponding with him and his wife they seemed to think that I should be happy that they deigned to sell me this abomination of a cue. As to the varied side issues and personal attacks raised as a result of Mr. Hakala's post, I do not see the relevance re the initial post.

 

[Jeff]

What I want to know is... is there a way to block specific users from bidding on your items? That might be a handy one.

If you know that you don't want to sell to certain eBay members, you can put them on your blocked list. Members on that list will not be able to bid on any of your listings until you remove them from the list. You can block up to 1000 User IDs.

To add a member to your blocked list:

1. Go to the Blocking a bidder/buyer page.

http://cgi1.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?bidderblocklogin

2. Enter the User IDs of the eBay members you wish to block in the text box.

3. Click the Submit button.