Pretty Wood or More Inlays?

Fatboy said:
depends on who made it, for a Szam with 4 points over $5,000. Richard Black $1500 same for a Ginacue,it depends on the market too some cue makers are hot for a while then cool off, some dont like Szam-because whats left is all there is. I like Tads alot so I might pay a bit more than someone who dosent. It really depends on the seller and buyer.[/QUOTE

I know all of your points are relative in determining the value. So a new cue as I described would be in the $1500 range? I think it should be more in the $2500 range. I edited the post to describe the cue as a full splice,which I think would increase value.
 
Fatboy said:
depends on who made it, for a Szam with 4 points over $5,000. Richard Black $1500 same for a Ginacue,it depends on the market too some cue makers are hot for a while then cool off, some dont like Szam-because whats left is all there is. I like Tads alot so I might pay a bit more than someone who dosent. It really depends on the seller and buyer.

Yep.. depends on who made the cue and the condition, obviously. No inlay will help you sink a ball. Although a lot of inlays will make you a very instyled misser.
Szams and Bushkas, same situation. Get them while they are still there. I foresee these premiums going up even further than they are now.

JV
 
i have one cue I used probably more than any cue ever, its a 4pt 4 lament cue with one ring above the butt cap, my friend was building cues for a while he probably only made 30 cues. his wife left him he got depressed and opened a poolroom and stopped making cues, he was just getting good at it, this was in 1989. I paid him $650 for it about half what a Motty would have cost, then we checked it out- he took all the dimensions off his Szam for his cues and they played almost as good-real close. I used it until some adhesive in it let go in the splices and it started to sound funny. I then bought a Tad in 92 that I put alot of miles on. Because my friend wasnt well known I got a great deal on that cue, i heard he is back to building cues some now. his name is Bill Teeter he is a good player in N. Ca, Bay Area.
 
Joe,Fatboy, Harvey Martin ascribed to the no inlay player theory. Have either one of you played his work? Does it compare to Szamboti or Balabushka?
 
That is a nice cue there classiccues and go ahead and send the case out for a refinnish cause the bottom is shot. I know you don't want that cue to fall out on the ground.--Leonard
 
poolcuemaster said:
That is a nice cue there classiccues and go ahead and send the case out for a refinnish cause the bottom is shot. I know you don't want that cue to fall out on the ground.--Leonard

LOL Thats just the case that came with it.. I don't use that case. :)

JV
 
poolcuemaster said:
That is a nice cue there classiccues and go ahead and send the case out for a refinnish cause the bottom is shot. I know you don't want that cue to fall out on the ground.--Leonard

The Felinni bottom is solid. The lizard embossed leather is peelin back,thats all.
 
I really like nice woods. I love traditional cues, so a sharp set of points/veneers is hard to beat. I also think that some cuemakers have better eyes for inlay/wood combinations than others do. Here is an example. This wrapless Jensen has some dynamite curly, nicely figured ebony, and some contrasting cocobolo/ivory rings, but no points, yet it is one of the most visually striking cues that I have seen, IMO. Believe me, the pictures don't come anywhere close to an accurate depiction of the woods and contrast in this cue.

Jensenwraplesscomposite.jpg
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Fatboy said:
Perhaps this should be a poll, but I put it in the For Sale forum because I wanted to see what potential cue buyers llook for when buying a cue. So is it the nice wood or the workmanship of inlays that you favor? or both? What do you look for in a cue, me I'm a wood guy, sure I have some great works of art but for my daily playing cue I like a nice looking plane jane Tad with a great piece of birds eye maple, or a basic 4 point Szam with nice sharp points and nice wood. Its all in the wood-for me.
I don't like anything fancy on a playing cue... just nicely figured wood. I believe fancy and inlays and art should go on collectible cues, JMO.
 
hangemhigh said:
Joe,Fatboy, Harvey Martin ascribed to the no inlay player theory. Have either one of you played his work? Does it compare to Szamboti or Balabushka?

I have hit with a few Martins and they were all very solid. But I am not a big supporter of the flat faced, big pin cues. In my experiences with cues, once you have it in your head that you don't like something, a cue with that characteristic will hardly ever appeal to you. I don't like Bacote, so a big pin bacote cue will never appeal to me, except for resale. But someone else may love it.
You ever see a good player miss a specific ball, then every time he gets to that ball in another set, he might miss it again. Keeping that first miss in the back of his mind for whatever reason. Happens, I think it happens with cues also.

JV
 
How important is lineage in regards to cue maker status? Does a connection to great cue makers of the past add to the value of a new cue by the connected maker?
 
hangemhigh said:
How important is lineage in regards to cue maker status? Does a connection to great cue makers of the past add to the value of a new cue by the connected maker?
Sometimes... but not always. Joel Hercek cues stand on their own merits. But it helps cuemakers like Mike Wheeler, who has worked for such makers as Stroud, Black, and Schick.
 
hangemhigh said:
How important is lineage in regards to cue maker status? Does a connection to great cue makers of the past add to the value of a new cue by the connected maker?

Of course its important, but its not everything. If you were Harvey Martins son and you were building garbage, you would not only be dogging your name, but bringing down your dads name to. I think in a way, with a direct relation like that, it might add more pressure to make good cues and do good work.

Adding value? Depends on the cuemaker. Someone with Bushka yes, anyone associated with Horn probably not. Each situation would have to be analyzed on its own independent standing.

JV
 
Gimme the wood any day. There isn't anything you can inlay in a cue that looks as good as a piece of curley purpleheart...amboyna burl...buckeyeburl.

Inlays are distracting and no absolutely no justice to a fine piece of wood.
 
I know my questions allowed for alot of generalizations,but the answers I was looking for were found. Thanks.
 
hangemhigh said:
Joe,Fatboy, Harvey Martin ascribed to the no inlay player theory. Have either one of you played his work? Does it compare to Szamboti or Balabushka?

sorry no experience.
 
if money was no object, i would bet that if most had the choice of a plain cue with gorgeous wood and the same cue with a tasteful design loaded with beautiful inlay work executed to perfection, they would choose the inlaid cue every time. "it's the eye that buys" and the fancier cues will win out every time. the gorgeous wood will still be present and look fantastic but will be highlighted by the artist's work. on the other hand i think if money is an object as with most people then they may have to settle for what they can afford and their desire to acquire such extravagant cues is forced into finding something in their price range. i happen to love beautiful wood in cues but i love the wood better when it's used as the canvas for an artist's work. as for the choice of either or i would rather have a great inlayed cue in a decent peice of wood than a plain cue made with a great peice of wood. my .02
 
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I would take a cue with nice woods over fancy inlays almost every time. The thing that will get me every time is fancy ringwork. I am definitely a ringwork fan.

My two....
 
Check out David Tice

If you like beautiful woods,incredible ringwork,and precision workmanship like you have never seen check out the work of David Tice.He doesnt make a lot of cues but the quality and playabilty is out of this world.
 
definitely the quality of woods used! pic of Fanelli butterfly woods
 
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