Palmer Model A - Why Refinish?

There is some degree of fault to this logic...

None of the restorers are the original makers...

If you found a closeted Bushka, Spain blank, all original, little play.. it should be worth the max amount for that cue... the same cue restored by Pete, with two new shafts and a new wrap needs to be adjusted.. (of which I sold many) this is not to say he shouldn't be the guy that does the work, the VALUE is where the difference should be incorporated.

Now if you want to make a case that Searing is better at refinishing than someone else, knock yourself out, or his shafts are worth more, ok, that is an opinion that the buyer, or owner needs to feel good about... but they are not original, regardless at that point.

I am not against getting shafts made for a cue, keep the originals though. I think a new blue book, should be done, and should focus on this very aspect.

I am looking at a 66 Strat, one refinished for 7500, the other all original, for almost double. This is how guitars and that market stays fresh even in a down economy, they don't break this rule. I'll probably make an offer on the refinish one, because the electrics are original, and live with the new paint.

IMHO if the market got serious and adjusted this, the market would have a better chance at bouncing back.

JV

I should have clarified that i was talking aboit cues that NEED work or restoration... I guess there are different opinions on that too.

Original in good to mint is imo is always more desireable and valuble.
 
Actually, that is not correct. New paint on a car will highlight any flaws, and thus the reason why doing body work, it's got to be near perfect. Lots of sanding, lots of "crafting", to get it right.

Depends on the quality of the restoration...But all a moot point to me. I once had a sought after Porsche I bought in 1974. Never wrecked or repainted. Got tired of the attention I got from the strippers, flippers, and pimps of the early 911 world. Called a dear friend in Istanbul and gave him very much a "friends price" along with the promise it will never leave Turkish soil...it left the USA in 2007.

Bought a 2009 "Bullitt" model mustang new. A cheap car easily replaced should something go wrong. No more automotive paranoia for me. I'm done with the "collector car" thing. But then, I didn't buy the Porsche as a collectable...I was just a guy who liked playing with a nice car.

To sorta stay on topic, I also have a Palmer..a Model M from the 2nd catalog, Also not bought as a collectable. I don't play with it now...too much attention. Besides, my Josey feels much better to me.
 

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none of the early gene balner / palmer cues had his name like on the butt cap that i ever saw. or a rubber on the bottom. although i supposed since most all his cues were ordered some might have asked for it..

I kinda wondered about that logo as well. Hopefully Tate will weigh in?
 
Depends on the quality of the restoration...But all a moot point to me. I once had a sought after Porsche I bought in 1974. Never wrecked or repainted. Got tired of the attention I got from the strippers, flippers, and pimps of the early 911 world. Called a dear friend in Istanbul and gave him very much a "friends price" along with the promise it will never leave Turkish soil...it left the USA in 2007.

Bought a 2009 "Bullitt" model mustang new. A cheap car easily replaced should something go wrong. No more automotive paranoia for me. I'm done with the "collector car" thing. But then, I didn't buy the Porsche as a collectable...I was just a guy who liked playing with a nice car.

To sorta stay on topic, I also have a Palmer..a Model M from the 2nd catalog, Also not bought as a collectable. I don't play with it now...too much attention. Besides, my Josey feels much better to me.


'72, That's a gorgeous '11! I bet you wish you still had that car right this second with how absolutely ridiculous the Porsche market has been the last year and a half to two years ( although it has settled down last several months ). I'd say seriously your car would probably bring 4 times recently what it was worth in '07! And you would have a line of buyers around the block lol.

As to the Palmers, I had never been a big fan, although I did know many were. Back in the late 90's I busted this old guy out playing one hole. He had an original Palmer from the 70's he had since new ( sorry no idear what model ). In true pool hall fashion, he wanted to keep playing but was out of money. The guy was a regular and often went off for decent amounts of money so I would have been OK with extending him $500 - $1000 in credit ( I beat him out of $1400 cash ). Truth is though it took me 12 + hours to get the cash though and I really didn't feel like playing anymore. We had been playing $100 a game and he wanted a few hundred credit for putting his cue up. Like I said I really didn't want to play anymore but trying to be cool with him ( mostly I didn't think he would go for it lol ) I told him I'd play $100 a game against st his cue which I'd give him a game for . Well I won the first game and the cue was mine. IT was near mint if not mint. As I said I didn't really care for Palmers but soon as the light went off I had about ten people asking me what I was gonna do with it. I told everyone I had put a hondo up against it so first person that wants it for a hondo could have it. All 10 or so people were digging in their pockets so fast you'd have thunk they had a crab in their biting them lol. First person with the honey out got it. Soon as I handed them the cue they told me they were gonna give me a few extra bucks because it was worth ( supposedly ) about $400. I told them don't worry about it, I got what I wanted.
 
Doc, when it comes to using original materials in the restoration with cars vs cues - it's not always true. Sure a restoration done on a car that used all NOS parts is going to be more valuable than done with a bunch of repops. However, think about when it comes to the paint. I don't believe you lose much if any value using a two stage as opposed to a lacquer job which would be the " original " materials. Yall would know better than me but couldn't the same analogy be used for cues?


I agree.


I have a buddy with a GTX that was 100% original when he got it. A one owner car. A 440 car.

He has upgraded the suspension, bakes, interior, etc. So far the paint is 100% original. He is seriously considering a repaint.

The value of the car? It has gone up. He has been offered pretty serious money for it but has so far turned it down.


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I should have clarified that i was talking aboit cues that NEED work or restoration... I guess there are different opinions on that too.

Original in good to mint is imo is always more desireable and valuble.

That's where I am on the matter.



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I agree.


I have a buddy with a GTX that was 100% original when he got it. A one owner car. A 440 car.

He has upgraded the suspension, bakes, interior, etc. So far the paint is 100% original. He is seriously considering a repaint.

The value of the car? It has gone up. He has been offered pretty serious money for it but has so far turned it down.


.

I not exactly sure how this translates to the cue world, but in the car world when someone " improves " upon an original the real threshold is whether or not it is easily returned to factory. Ie, bolt on that can easily be returned if one so chosen to. Also, your friends car I would consider a " restomod " which IMHO are great. Sure it Pisces the purists off to no end lol, but it's his car and is allowed to do with it as he sees fit. On a side note, the " purists " should be happy lol. If you subscribe to their thinking, by him doing these things to HIS CAR it just makes their " ORIGINALS " Worth that much more right?😉
 
I kinda wondered about that logo as well. Hopefully Tate will weigh in?

As was an option in the Palmer shop, this cue was made after the Second Catalog was retired, hence the logo on the butt cap and also the importance of retaining the logo on it. The squared bumper came along with the period this cue was manufactured. Only the earliest Second Catalog Palmers were made without bumpers.
 
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