Most Under Valued Cue Builder

What kind of cue and numbers are you talking? Let's get these builders business if they want it.
 
Bob Frey by a mile. I grew up in Maryland which I believe has had the highest concentration of recognized cue makers here or that started here, Danny Janes & Bill Stroud started the original Joss cues before Bill went his own way with Joss West and Danny continued on with Joss cues. Mike Lambros, Black Boar Tony Scianelli, Tim Scruggs and Bob Frey. Look at the notoriety though. Joss cues went production and blew up, Bill Strouds works at Joss West have great value, Lambros cues are now priced up there. Tim Scruggs are valued by players and collectors alike and the most ponderous of all, Black Boars Tony Scianelli now gets upwards of 20k for some of his cues and while they're gorgeous to look at they play like dogs & always have. Now look at Bob Frey. He started at Joss, same as Tim Scruggs and they left and started Scruggs and that went through the roof but when Bob went out on his own his cues with the exception of a cult following has never received the attention, credit, reputation or $ for his cues that I believe he is due. I never understood this. I often thought it was due to Bob being Bob. He is a very quiet unassuming man who never was the self promoter that the others I have mentioned are but his work is superlative. The quality of it, how much of himself he puts into it and most of all just the sheer amazing playability of his cues IMO is far superior to those I previously mentioned who have garnered far more attention and financial gain from their work. It's really a shame, I've always believed he can give every one of the other makers from this area the 7 in cue building expertise. Scruggs are the only ones close in playability and Bob was a big part of that in the early years when those cues first took the billiard world by storm. He's definitely one of the most underrated ever IMO.
 
Wayne Holmes - No longer with us :( Did a lot to support player too :thumbup:

Pat Diveney, great cues and does a lot to support players. :thumbup:
 
cueaddicts said:
Even after all these years.....Andy Gilbert. I don't know how in the world you can beat one of his jump/breaks for less than $500. Those cues do it all and do it extremely well. :thumbup:
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Agreed on Andy Jump Break cue. They are a fine playing cue for practically no money at all.

The other one that comes to mind for me is Rick Howard. Best playing cue for the lowest amount of money. I have NEVER heard a bad review of how his cues play. I use him for refinishes, retapering, and building cues as well. Probably the best kept secret in the industry. His jump/breaks are legendary "The Mace", and was used by practically all pro's for a while. Yep they are that good.

JMO,

Ken
 
Builders

For the older cue builders it's Bob Runde, Mike Jonhson- Jensen cues. And
Bob Frey, all 3 make some of the best playing cues on the planet. I've played
with a lot of high end cues but I always go back to my Jensen or Runde cue.
Just my 2 cents
 
Bella Don't Cry said:
Wayne Holmes - No longer with us :( Did a lot to support player too :thumbup:

Pat Diveney, great cues and does a lot to support players. :thumbup:
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Wayne Holmes in my eyes easily takes the cake. Most of the names mentioned here are at the very least known cue makers who perhaps don't charge enough to bring that elusive upper tier reputation. Wayne was like the Spurs of the cue world. Always under the radar and in some cases an unknown.

I've owned 4 Holmes cues and all were top shelf quality. He was a real pro on the business end of things too. Never late, always answered his phone and took the time to give each customer the attention they deserve.

Really sad that he passed after moving to Texas. Great cue maker, even better person.

Worminator said:
I agree with Durbin, Blackcreek, and Treadway... but to Sean's point you have to add Gilbert to that list.

I also think BHQ could be added as well.
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BHQ's work has progressed steadily the last 5-6 years. His work today is miles ahead of where it was when he started making cues. Not to knock the early stuff either, I owned a good 3-4 of his cues, but you can clearly see the evolution in his work.

I'll add Willeecue. Probably because I know him more on a personal level but he deserves a lot more recognition for thinking outside the box. He's done things with plastics, acrylics, corian and all kinds of other materials that we just don't see in the cue world.
 
Wes Hunter of Hunter Classic Cues.

I've had several of his cues and each and every one of them had top notch workmanship and excellent playability. Yet I've seen them go for give away prices here and other places.
 
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