I'm with macguy on the value. Its my number one problem with computerized cues... They should cost less because they require less labor to produce...
Uneducated comment, Should the cost of the technology be added into the cost?
I don't mind if computers are used in certain aspects of the process. When computers are used for the aesthetics, it becomes a joke. "Joke" because its funny to hear people raving about inlays, points, and design work like their builder is the apex cue builder. It always makes me chuckle since they have no, or little, clue about how easy it is to design with cnc.
Designing cues has very little to do with the CNC, the cue maker has to come up with the design in his mind before he uses the CNC to help him execute it. Also there is much more to designs then coming up with them on a computer. The Joke is that you feel it's easy to come up with designs.
Ya, I said it! It is EASY to use cnc and design with it. The only people who don't agree with me have never used modern cnc tools. Learning a new video game requires more memory storage in your brain than good cnc programs. Some people just don't realize it and overrespect the artisan making the cues...
The only people who think it's easy are those who just don't understand what goes into a good design, and who can't see the subtle design elements that separate good designs from bad.
IMO, a quaility cnc cue maker will always sharpen up his work.
Once more you are uneducated.
He will never leave points or other inlays round unless the customer wants it that way.
There has never been a customer who requested rounded inlays, some don't care, but none would ask for it.
It is just lazy to let the cpu cut out the patterns then just glue em in and turn em down to finish.
Again you show how uneducated you are, CNC can cut sharp inlay pieces but the pockets they cut are not sharp and there isn't a cutter that cuts sharp pockets, the cutters are small but still cut rounded pockets.
Pure lazy practice for a top dollar cue. Something like a production McDermott? Sure, leave em round and charge less...
High price cues are considered an art and thats why the "artists" charge more and their customers agree with the price. Based on that statement, lets look and the price difference between paintings, lithographs (printing press duplicates) and photographs.
You only need to change the number on a machine to produce more lithos, it's not something you can compare to cues. But for argument sake let's. What you are talking about is a production line cue (McDermott,Meucci,Joss) they are your lithos and they are cheaper then your custom cues.
If an artist was commissioned to hand paint a picture of Karen Corr wearing a tank top, what would that cost?
Depends on the artist, some would charge much more then others, just like the cue world a name and rep means a whole lot.
After the artist painted the picture, he sent it to a printing company to have liths made of it. How much should the infinite supply of prints sell for?
Again it all depends on the artist.
Lets go one step further. The same artist is to lazy to paint the pic so he does this - He takes a digital photo, uses photoshop to make it look like a painting, then sends it to the printer to make lithos to sell. Are those worth as much as the others or an original painting?
Of course not, but your argument can't be compared to cues.
Cues can be thought of in the same way when it comes to computers... The painting crowd understands how to price artists works of art. Cue collectors are very uneducated, compared the the painting crowds, on how to value one piece of work compared to another. Seems like "looks" is the only thing most cue buyers ever think about...
