pool cue once in a lifetime buy

Yard sale sellers just want their shit gone.

I went to visit my pops and saw a bunch of high quality tools with ridiculously low yard sale price tags on them.
I told him he cannot sell that stuff that cheap.
He said, "I know, nobody bought these."

People just want their shit gone.
 
measureman said:
A league team mate showed me a cue that he bought at a yard sale.
He said there were a group of crap cues and the old man running the sale said he had another cue in the house.
He brings out an old soft case and my friend pulls it out and it's a Joss with CNC points and he says how much?

The old man says $5 and he buys it.
I saw it last night and other then a real skinny shaft the cue was in great shape.
Do you think my friend should have told the old man it was worth maybe $4 or $5 hundred or just pay the $5 and move along?
I have a thought that it might have been someone else's cue and that's why it was not out at the yard sale.
Remember this was an old man and maybe he was confused.
Thoughts?
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I'd have given him 200 on principle and because I have a conscience.
 
Bishop said:
Normally I’d say it’s best to be straight with people. If it were a one to one transaction or some widow, then definitely.

It’s a yard sale though.

This is expressly where you shop to find gems.

It’s not like it was worth 10k.

I say enjoy the deal.
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I've more than once been the guy to tell someone the real value of what they have when its a unknown or good cue listed too cheaply....only to have them not want to sell it to me at the new higher price because, "Now they know what they have!"

I don't even chase collectible cue finds anymore because of this sort of thing....but I have made some awesome finds/purchases in the past. And sold every one of them, playing with a Predator.
 
mikemosconi said:
Memorize the third Blue Book of Cues as a starter. Then follow this site and others for cue sales and cue discussions night and day. You, alone, are responsible to educate yourself. if you don't have a strong passion for it- then find another hobby- it is really that basic. You have to love it !
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BTW, I went and googled that book and holy smokes. I don't believe I'll be shelling out $200-$400(depending on where you go) anytime soon.
 
measureman said:
A league team mate showed me a cue that he bought at a yard sale.
He said there were a group of crap cues and the old man running the sale said he had another cue in the house.
He brings out an old soft case and my friend pulls it out and it's a Joss with CNC points and he says how much?

The old man says $5 and he buys it.
I saw it last night and other then a real skinny shaft the cue was in great shape.
Do you think my friend should have told the old man it was worth maybe $4 or $5 hundred or just pay the $5 and move along?
I have a thought that it might have been someone else's cue and that's why it was not out at the yard sale.
Remember this was an old man and maybe he was confused.
Thoughts?
Click to expand...
I've done some pretty stupid shit lately, all attributable to aging. That being said, if you went back and talked to the old dude for a bit and told him what that cue was and how much it might bring if in top shape, my guess is he'd still let you have it for the 5 bucks and be happy that someone from a younger generation took the time and cared enuf to do just that. Impressed and make his day.
 
Mensabum said:
I've done some pretty stupid shit lately, all attributable to aging. That being said, if you went back and talked to the old dude for a bit and told him what that cue was and how much it might bring if in top shape, my guess is he'd still let you have it for the 5 bucks and be happy that someone from a younger generation took the time and cared enuf to do just that. Impressed and make his day.
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People keep sayin this shit but if any of them went to a yard sale and saw a super cue for no money they'd all whip the cash and run. All this after-the-fact altruism is pure bs.
 
I bought a $12,000 Barry Szam for $1,700, even told the owner it was most likely a Szamboti but he insisted it was a Tad 🤷‍♂️

Another time I bought a Showman and the guy had it priced way too low, I paid him an extra K or 2 for it, we were both happy.

If I gotta scumbag people I won't buy another cue ever.

That's how I live my life, I have no issue with people dealing with these situations 180 from how I do it - none of my business
 
garczar said:
People keep sayin this shit but if any of them went to a yard sale and saw a super cue for no money they'd all whip the cash and run. All this after-the-fact altruism is pure bs.
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and jealousy because fortune has never so smiled upon them.

When I garage/estate sale it is with the singular purpose of buying something valuable for cheap. I can't begin to tell you how many that I have gone to that were overpriced, sold filthy goods, etc. Such sales irritated me.

I grew up "garage saleing". My mother took me from an early age and taught me the art of bargaining. She was known across West Biloxi as a both a shrewd buyer, always, and a generous seller, on occasion. My mother liked the bad sales -- she relished the 10 cent items she could take home, clean-up, and resell (sometimes at an incredible 25 cent mark-up) at the next sale she and her sisters held. My mother's purpose in participating in these enterprises was not motivated solely by profit. For her it was also about social interaction that also offered her the chance to rehabilitate lost items -- she possessed incredible cleaning powers. She also had a collection of orphaned Tupperware lids that many West Biloxi women would die for.
 
jasonlaus said:
I bought a $12,000 Barry Szam for $1,700, even told the owner it was most likely a Szamboti but he insisted it was a Tad 🤷‍♂️

Another time I bought a Showman and the guy had it priced way too low, I paid him an extra K or 2 for it, we were both happy.

If I gotta scumbag people I won't buy another cue ever.

That's how I live my life, I have no issue with people dealing with these situations 180 from how I do it - none of my business
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A mans gotta have a code, I salute you sir!
 
jasonlaus said:
Those books couldn't be any more wrong or worthless if they tried. Great idea, but....
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The idea of studying the Blue Book of cues is not for obtaining today's market prices on cues. The idea is for someone to familiarize themselves with the cue field from A to Z -- yes it is outdated, but the Blue Book at least will shed light on historical and vintage cue makers, cue production lines, insight into the variations in cue maker's approaches to construction techniques, and many other facets of the cue world.

It is not perfect, it is not updated on pricing or some current makers or producers, but we don't have much else all wrapped into one volume where a beginner in the hobby can at minimum understand some historical perspective on cue makers and cues themselves.
 
A guy wanted to get a Gandy Big G table out of the house he had just bought. Put it online for $500. I went there, took a look and made the deal. He then gave me a hard time when I told him I could come back in the next day or two to pick it up. He wanted it out that day or no deal. I had to go rent a pick up truck and hire somebody to help me take it apart and load it up, which I did. There was a cue rack on the wall with several old cues on it. I asked him if that was included and he said sure, get it out of here. There was one Paradise cue which I recognized and another old cue that turned out to be made by Harvey Martin (sold it later for $1,500). Did I ever tell him? No way Jose!
 
jay helfert said:
A guy wanted to get a Gandy Big G table out of the house he had just bought. Put it online for $500. I went there, took a look and made the deal. He then gave me a hard time when I told him I could come back in the next day or two to pick it up. He wanted it out that day or no deal. I had to go rent a pick up truck and hire somebody to help me take it apart and load it up, which I did. There was a cue rack on the wall with several old cues on it. I asked him if that was included and he said sure, get it out of here. There was one Paradise cue which I recognized and another old cue that turned out to be made by Harvey Martin (sold it later for $1,500). Did I ever tell him? No way Jose!
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Similar story when my son bought this Brunswick Anniversary from a widow 5 years ago - the deceased husband had $5000 worth of cues in the room - my son knows cues - she threw them in with the table - hence Free Table!
 

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Let’s see… I’ve had a similar fantasy for a few decades. If it ever happened to me, I would just assume the Universe was manifesting my fantasy into reality. I’d pay my $5 and ask if he happened to have a case inside the house, too.

A few years ago, the local cue mechanic was terminally ill, so when he was looking to sell his stuff, I bought it for whatever he was asking ($900 for a mid-American lathe with a lot of extras). After he passed, his widow asked me if I wanted to buy all his tips and ferrules, to which I said again whatever she wanted for them. She asked for $20. I did indeed tell her that just one Kamui Clear on retail is more than $20. Nope, she wasn’t interested in the money. She wanted them gone and knew I was the right person. I don’t even do tips for any kind of side business. I just didn’t want the lathe in the wrong local butcher hands.

People have their reason to sell. I’m not going to ask why they’re selling far below what it’s worth. It’s none of my business.
 
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