cue collecting
Hi, Mike.
I did not see this thread or I would most certainly have offered my thoughts.
Most importantly, I collect cues because I love them. I have not seen anything else I enjoy as much, hobby-wise, like cues to buy and enjoy using on a regular basis. Personally, I have gone through a number of phases with cues, starting from my first Meucci and Falcon, when I was purely concerned with playing and didn't give a second thought to collectibility, big names, or the point in having such expensive cues. Granted, I hadn't owned higher end cues at that point, so I couldn't really appreciate the enjoyment of finding, buying and, hopefully, using them. When I got more into it, I bought some more expensive Schons too. I think just about everyone has owned a Schon at one point in time. I have come to see them as something of a bridge between the production and custom worlds. A certain theme didn't really occur to me until several years later, after I had bought and sold a lot of cues, some of which I very much regret but seemed like the right thing at the time. Blah, blah, blah...same old story.
I had a very hard time focussing on one maker because there are so many great cues and designs out there. I love nice wood combinations, and can definitely appreciate more traditional styles of cues. For me, the black, white and silver just came to stand out as the ones that caught my eye the most often.
In the end, I would suggest the following:
Prioritize in your mind, deep down and not just what catches your eye right now, what you really love in cues, including playablility, materials used, design aspects. Secondary to that, identify those makers who produce the applicable cues and focus on them. I will say, the first time I saw a Rasputin, I fell in love with it right away and I had never even heard of Ginacue or Ernie Gutierrez. Third, if you know you will likely sell or trade them at some point, give the necessary weight to what the market dictates as being the most desireable cue names. The reality is, expensive cues can be seen as legitimate investments and should be afforded the due consideration.
Once you have clearly defined what makes you consider taking out a second mortgage, you can feel assured you are spending your money on what you will truly enjoy for the long run. If you take your time and only bite when you can't live without it, I think you will by-pass a lot of cues that are the "comers and goers" and slowly build a collection to really be proud of.
I remember reading some of the "Cue Articles" on Chalkers.com that gave advice from some of the most notable cue collectors. The common message among them was to buy what you truly love and hang on to them but, if you trade, always trade up.
I hope this has been helpful.
Best wishes,
Ryan (always on the lookout for the next cue I can't live without)
