normal cue depreciation at what point does it stop ?

[Ken_4fun]

Impossible to adequately define this in a paragraph, page, or probably chapter even. It depends on what the cue is, production vs custom, famous maker vs. obscure maker, rarity, current market demand, how hard /easy the cues are to obtain, condition, straightness, playability, design, etc, etc, etc.

Most production cues are instantly worth 1/2 retail when you start to use them (some even less). The same can be said for some customs.

100% agree.

Ken

 

[macguy]

Not trying to start an argument. I've shot with the same Schon now for fifteen years. I will never buy another playing cue. I am a firm believer in learning your equipment and what it can do, and believe that hopping from cue to cue and shaft to shaft is counterproductive to learning good technique that works with your equipment. There is nothing that I cannot do with my Schon, except jump. Having said that, I don't have much advice from the point of a collector. Maybe one day I will be lucky enough to afford some of these wonderfully beautiful cues that I see all over this board and elsewhere. My only point to posting is to clarify that Schons are not production cues. CNC sure, but beautiful and well playing. I can not speak on resale value as I will never part with mine. It's fingernails on a chalkboard to hear Schons written off as production cues, and I hear it all the time. From the Schon website:

"Schon Custom Cues came into existence in 1981 and we have been at our Burnham St. location since 1986. We have a miniscule output , sometimes going 2 weeks without actually finishing any cues. I frequently hear the all knowing term “production cue” applied to our cues with an implied sneer. The fact is that we are one of the oldest custom cuemakers in the world with a total staff today of 5 people. I personally design, finish and test every cue myself. Everyone here is a full time craftsman, not telemarketers or corporate hypsters. The only thing we do is make cues...Evan Clarke 1-11-05"

Just throwing that in there.

People including pros change equipment all the time. I don't play with the same cue dimensions I played with 20 years ago. In fact recently I have gone to a slightly thinner butt and I am very happy with the change. I used to play with a fatter shaft but changed years ago as well as switching to a lighter cue.
Not sure that all this has anything to do with the value of cues though.

 

[Ken_4fun]

Not trying to start an argument. I've shot with the same Schon now for fifteen years. I will never buy another playing cue. I am a firm believer in learning your equipment and what it can do, and believe that hopping from cue to cue and shaft to shaft is counterproductive to learning good technique that works with your equipment. There is nothing that I cannot do with my Schon, except jump. Having said that, I don't have much advice from the point of a collector. Maybe one day I will be lucky enough to afford some of these wonderfully beautiful cues that I see all over this board and elsewhere. My only point to posting is to clarify that Schons are not production cues. CNC sure, but beautiful and well playing. I can not speak on resale value as I will never part with mine. It's fingernails on a chalkboard to hear Schons written off as production cues, and I hear it all the time. From the Schon website:

"Schon Custom Cues came into existence in 1981 and we have been at our Burnham St. location since 1986. We have a miniscule output , sometimes going 2 weeks without actually finishing any cues. I frequently hear the all knowing term “production cue” applied to our cues with an implied sneer. The fact is that we are one of the oldest custom cuemakers in the world with a total staff today of 5 people. I personally design, finish and test every cue myself. Everyone here is a full time craftsman, not telemarketers or corporate hypsters. The only thing we do is make cues...Evan Clarke 1-11-05"

Just throwing that in there.

Schon cues are production cues.

If all it takes is literature to say its a custom cue, then all cues ever built are custom cues.

If you can call and order a b2103 cue, and it looks like the 500 other b2103 cues out there, in my mind that isn't a custom cue, it is a production cue.

They may be the greatest cue that was ever built, but it is a production cue.

Gina IMO, mostly makes production cues, as did Palmer.

Ken

 

[Maxx]

...... If you can call and order a b2103 cue, and it looks like the 500 other b2103 cues out there, in my mind that isn't a custom cue, it is a production cue. ......

And what if you order a b2013 with a thinner butt, or replace the rings with c2013 rings, or even your special design rings? is it still production?

 

[TATE]

Not trying to start an argument. I've shot with the same Schon now for fifteen years. I will never buy another playing cue. I am a firm believer in learning your equipment and what it can do, and believe that hopping from cue to cue and shaft to shaft is counterproductive to learning good technique that works with your equipment. There is nothing that I cannot do with my Schon, except jump. Having said that, I don't have much advice from the point of a collector. Maybe one day I will be lucky enough to afford some of these wonderfully beautiful cues that I see all over this board and elsewhere. My only point to posting is to clarify that Schons are not production cues. CNC sure, but beautiful and well playing. I can not speak on resale value as I will never part with mine. It's fingernails on a chalkboard to hear Schons written off as production cues, and I hear it all the time. From the Schon website:

"Schon Custom Cues came into existence in 1981 and we have been at our Burnham St. location since 1986. We have a miniscule output , sometimes going 2 weeks without actually finishing any cues. I frequently hear the all knowing term “production cue” applied to our cues with an implied sneer. The fact is that we are one of the oldest custom cuemakers in the world with a total staff today of 5 people. I personally design, finish and test every cue myself. Everyone here is a full time craftsman, not telemarketers or corporate hypsters. The only thing we do is make cues...Evan Clarke 1-11-05"

Just throwing that in there.

I assume you didn't like that I classified Schon as an example of higher-end production cues. Schons generally are limited production cues - no sneer. Nothing wrong with that and they are good cues. Even the Elite's are limited to seven examples or so.

But when you make several hundred exact CX-1's, for example, for stock and sale on multiple websites and store shelves, calling it a custom is inaccurate. McDermott has also made the same claim in the past.

 

[erhino41]

I appreciate your clarifications on what you think a production cue is. I see your point there. Most Schons are not one off customs, and a cue that is slightly more common will certainly have less resale value. My argument was to people who lump Schons and cues like them in with the factory churned "production" cues that are far too common nowadays. They do not come anywhere close to the production numbers those factories pump out. Human hands carefully and proudly craft these cues.

I also do not disagree with changing equipment as long as it is done for the right reason. Far too often I see people blaming their equipment when it is really their technique that is holding them back. I have spent fifteen years learning the ins and outs of my equipment and feel no need for a change. If I went to a LD shaft, which I have tried out a few, I would have to relearn what I've already learned, and their aren't any new powers it's going to give me it will just be different.

Although my post was a bit of a rant, it was also relevant to the OP's question. It seems like he is looking for a playing cue that he will be able to sell off later. So it seems he is already planning a change before even buying the cue. There is nothing wrong with that, to each his own. It also may be helpful to the OP to have clarification on what the people who may buy his cue later down the road consider a production cue to be.

 

[Ken_4fun]

And what if you order a b2013 with a thinner butt, or replace the rings with c2013 rings, or even your special design rings? is it still production?

Yep.

You can (or you used to be able) to call Meucci Gambler cue with steel joint, or with Phenolic joint, etc. Its still a Meucci Gambler cue.

Still a production cue.

Ken

 

[Ken_4fun]

My argument was to people who lump Schons and cues like them in with the factory churned "production" cues that are far too common nowadays. They do not come anywhere close to the production numbers those factories pump out. Human hands carefully and proudly craft these cues.

Do you think production cues are made with trained monkeys? All cues are made with human hands to some degree.

Thomas Wayne, one of the most highly regarded cue makers ever, extensively uses CNC. But without a doubt all of his cues I would regard as a custom cue.

JMO

Ken

 

[oldschool2791]

Production or not I just bought a beautiful special edition predator only a hundred made of that cue. Its custom enough for me and that's all that matters to me right now. :smile:

 

[batalarms]

I think they (Schon Cues) were better when Bob Runde was making them.Nothing wrong with Evan Clarke's work,it's just a personal preference.I prefer the look of sharp points.BTW,I know Evan Clarke hates this comparison,I am just old school.Two cues that I kept longer than all others were Bob Runde cues and I play one now and I really like it.Big fan of bumperless Hoppe style.
Marc