Opinions on Cue Prices

[SCCues]

Once a cue maker has the skill and equipment and since all cue makers use the same basic materials then the prices of the finished cues are determined by the demand for his work, availability of his cues, and the cue makers reputation and basically what a buyer is willing to pay for his work in my opinion.

Take five top cue makers and have them all build the exact same cue design. Each cue maker finishes his work using the same material as the other cue makers and then put them all five up for sale in a cue rack together. Where will the prices come from for each cue?
For example let these 5 cue makers build the exact same cue from the same group of material: Szamboti (Barry), Black Boar, James White, Kenny Murrell, and Dennis Searing

Where will the price for each cue come from and how is it determined?

 

[or1pkt]

Once a cue maker has the skill and equipment and since all cue makers use the same basic materials then the prices of the finished cues are determined by the demand for his work, availability of his cues, and the cue makers reputation and basically what a buyer is willing to pay for his work in my opinion.

Take five top cue makers and have them all build the exact same cue design. Each cue maker finishes his work using the same material as the other cue makers and then put them all five up for sale in a cue rack together. Where will the prices come from for each cue?
For example let these 5 cue makers build the exact same cue from the same group of material: Szamboti (Barry), Black Boar, James White, Kenny Murrell, and Dennis Searing

Where will the price for each cue come from and how is it determined?

I think with this list the price will come from sheer supply and demand and by how hard it is to get a new cue from said maker which is why IMO Dennis and Barry would be almost a dead heat.

 

[scdiveteam]

Hi,

The secondary or used cue market is a benchmarket that people use to determine value most of the time.

If cue maker X is asking 5,000.00 for a cue and his past work for a similar cue is 4500.00 in a used state, most people will see the value in the new unchalked offer a 5000.00.

Like anything else that is in demand, over time many used cues sell much higher than the owner paid for them new also. Appreciating assets are highly desirable things.

Conversely If you buy a cue and pay 2500.00 for it and similar cues are sell for a 1000.00 used, you probably paid too much and will never get the value back most likely. When cue sell for more that the CM charges originally, then there is a value add the the owner. That is desirable thing for the CM who is build their brand. Rome was not built in a day and CM who are in the top tier status have paid their dues for many years to aquire that rarified air they breathe.

This why cue makers who overprice their cues suffer later because the power of their brand is weakened when the secondary market is responds much weaker. Quality performance over time is the best path in any endeavor.

Markets are right, people are wrong in their judgement of the market in many cases.

JMO,

Rick

 

[SCCues]

Hi,

The secondary or used cue market is a benchmarket that people use to determine value most of the time.

If cue maker X is asking 5,000.00 for a cue and his past work for a similar cue is 4500.00 in a used state, most people will see the value in the new unchalked offer a 5000.00.

Like anything else that is in demand, over time many used cues sell much higher than the owner paid for them new also. Appreciating assets are highly desirable things.

Conversely If you buy a cue and pay 2500.00 for it and similar cues are sell for a 1000.00 used, you probably paid too much and will never get the value back most likely. When cue sell for more that the CM charges originally, then there is a value add the the owner. That is desirable thing for the CM who is build their brand. Rome was not built in a day and CM who are in the top tier status have paid their dues for many years to aquire that rarified air they breathe.

This why cue makers who overprice their cues suffer later because the power of their brand is weakened when the secondary market is responds much weaker. Quality performance over time is the best path in any endeavor.

Markets are right, people are wrong in their judgement of the market in many cases.

JMO,

Rick

Excellent post and thanks for taking the time to give your opinion on cue prices. It makes a lot of sense the way you have described it.