You make good points and I knew I would take
some flaming for my comment about the price.
Part of my attitude is based on a pet peeve of mine that
will also get me flamed..LOL
Here we go "My Pet Peeve":
I LOVE cues and the Top Tier Cue Makers make true
Masterpieces and they sell for 7K-10K-20K and up.
My pet peeve is Top Tier Cue Makers trading on
their name and reputation when making very simple
"player's cues" $2,500 - $4,000 for cues with 4 simple
points, no veneers, no inlays in the points or butts, OR
no points at all or inlays just a couple of rings on the cue.
Did they sprinkle the cue with magic pixie dust? OR are they
trading on their fame & reputation to get thousands of dollars
on cues with out putting in the work to make that cue
special and unique?
OK I have vented let the Flames Begin :thumbup:
Ok, you are a little off here.
You said that you thought the cue was overpriced. Then you justified it by saying that YOU would not pay that much. These are 2 completely different statements. One says that the item is priced higher than its fair market value, the other says that it is priced too high as to be worth it TO YOU.
Look, I may be of the opinion that NO CAR is worth more than $15000. I have every right to NEVER spend more than $15,000 on car as long as I live. But to then criticize mercedes for selling cars for $50,000 + as way overpriced would be in error. Because that is what the market price is for that car. The proof is because they sell for that every day all over the world. That fact is NOT a matter of opionion. Your OPINION may be that a chevy is as good or better than a mercedes. The FACT is that a mercedes is worth more on the open market. Do you see the big distinction here?
Another thing about your pet peeve is that it DOES NOT APPLY here. There is no cuemaker selling his cue here. You are taking an example from a secondary market sale and transposing it to the cuemaker. What Searing sells his cues for to the original purchaser and what his cues sell for on the secondary market are not the same. MANY people would much rather pay a good premium to own one of his cues today than wait for many years to get one from him. Very basic principle of supply and demand. The FACT is that many more people want to own a searing than there are available cues. This drives prices up AND justifies the selling prices of the cues. Again, this is fact, not opinion!
You can get upset over it, but it does not make it any less factual. I can find many people who think it is just INSANE to spend more than $100 on any cue. Does this somehow change the value of any cues that you own? No matter what you say to these people, they will NEVER believe that a simple peice of wood (even ones with inlays and artistry) should sell for more than $100 or so. Are a fool for spending more than $100? OR, maybe YOU see the value in your purchase and feel it is more than worth it? Can you not understand it is the EXACT same situation, just at another point on the same line?
In other words, you comletely understand that quality is worth paying more for, but you want to be able to say where that line is drawn? You DO understand the concept, and will pay extra for it, but then will criticize others for feeling the same way but are a bit higher up on the spectrum?
In my OPINION, I think if someone is HONESTLY looking for a cue with absolutely NO other consideration for anything other than a tool to play pool with, I think you can get that for $300 or less. This means that you are paying for something other than just a stick to hit balls with. I think it IS worth more money to own a cue that you won't find 12 other guys shooting with the exact one. I think it IS worth more to have a fine instrument with some nice artistry in it. I think it IS worth more to have a cue that will be worth more than half of what you paid for it after one year of ownership. I could go on, but I think you get my point.
How could you possibly think you could tell me ( or anyone else) exactly how much any of these qualities are worth to us?
There is ONE way to quantify what these features are worth-- put it up for sale on the open market! You will find out pretty quick if there is a difference between what your OPINION of its value and the FACT of market value!
My .02
Jw