I am doing an impartial survey. If you had $3500.00 to spend on a cue between Tascarella, Scruggs, Bender, or Hercek which would you buy? Also before you go that you can not get a couple of them for $3500.00 you can if you are dealing directly with the maker, on the secondary market maybe not. Id also like your reasoning for your choice quality of hit resale design perference etc. I dont consider workmanship an issue with any of these. Thanks
Tascarella, Scruggs, Bender, Hercek
- Thread starter AK-Stick
- Start date
same here. either a basic hercek or a slightly fancier tasc. For that price ($3500) i probably cant get anything very fancy from either..
both hit very very good, though i would like ivory piloted 5/16-14 for hercek and ivory piloted 5/16-14 with ss bushing for tasc.
if i were looking for a fancy design i might consider scruggs or bender for $3.5k.
both hit very very good, though i would like ivory piloted 5/16-14 for hercek and ivory piloted 5/16-14 with ss bushing for tasc.
if i were looking for a fancy design i might consider scruggs or bender for $3.5k.
It is not what I would buy it is what you are comfortable with. If you have a chance try both the Tasc and Hercek. I would limit my choice to either of those 2. I think both will hold or increase in value more than the other 2. I had the chance to play with a Hercek and didn't like the thickness of it but the guy that owned it loved it.
I will reinforce this majority opinion as well.
I am on the list with Joel already (maybe less than a year to go??), and want to be for a Tascarella (I was hoping to meet him in person to make that happen, since I'm so close).
Love them both, and since I cannot afford a 'fancy' cue from any of the mentioned makers, a good solid player is first, and foremost for me.
I do recognize and appreciate the artisan side of things, as well as the collectability of 'fancy' cues; however it just isn't me.
Tools, not toys.
I am on the list with Joel already (maybe less than a year to go??), and want to be for a Tascarella (I was hoping to meet him in person to make that happen, since I'm so close).
Love them both, and since I cannot afford a 'fancy' cue from any of the mentioned makers, a good solid player is first, and foremost for me.
I do recognize and appreciate the artisan side of things, as well as the collectability of 'fancy' cues; however it just isn't me.
Tools, not toys.Probably because Joel made it to spec for this guy. If you ordered one from Joel he would make it thinner to your liking.
I would get a Hercek and nothing else. My reasoning would be the availability of the other cues, like Tascarellas, they must be great but you can see one being posted every second or third week and you can always get ahold of one if you are looking for it. The same goes for the two other makers and while Scruggs cues seem to hold their value a bit better than Bender's, they are still on the slope. On the other hand I have only seen one more simple Hercek for sale and now the two posted by Steve (tikkler) but those are anything but simple.
Hercek carries the most heritage in my opinion as he does not only own the stuff of Burton but he was taught by him for years - who learnt some from Craig Petersen... you may have the knowledge of three masters in one cue with only the best methods and moves surviving, standing the test of time. I think his level of intricacy in elaborate cues is as good as anyone's - even as Black Boar's - while his construction is something 'more' - just like Black Boar's, but different.
I'd get a very nice and simple Hercek and not anything else from this group.
Also, on last word's right I'd say that Hercek cues have their own, very-very subtle style... a lot closer to my personal style than the other makers' cues.
Yet, all are fantastic makers and right up there with the masters and they rightfully demand and gain all respect in the world... But I'd still choose one of Joel's cues.
Hercek carries the most heritage in my opinion as he does not only own the stuff of Burton but he was taught by him for years - who learnt some from Craig Petersen... you may have the knowledge of three masters in one cue with only the best methods and moves surviving, standing the test of time. I think his level of intricacy in elaborate cues is as good as anyone's - even as Black Boar's - while his construction is something 'more' - just like Black Boar's, but different.
I'd get a very nice and simple Hercek and not anything else from this group.
Also, on last word's right I'd say that Hercek cues have their own, very-very subtle style... a lot closer to my personal style than the other makers' cues.
Yet, all are fantastic makers and right up there with the masters and they rightfully demand and gain all respect in the world... But I'd still choose one of Joel's cues.
You really can't go by name alone because the cuemakers make each cue different according to a customers preferences. Therefore the best thing would be to approach it like an eyeglass test where you would have a variety of cues you could hit with before buying then picking which one best suits your preferences. This is of course assuming you are looking for a cue to play with rather than solely based on investment potential.
I would just like to say that I am really not very familiar with Bender's. Scruggs has made many cues for a long time and some are really great playing cues, but they differ a lot depending on when they're made.
Of these 4, as a player, it doesn't matter - whatever suits you, your game, and your preferences.
As a collector or for resale value in 10 or 20 years, I would buy a Tascarella or a Hercek. My experience is they are harder to find and hold their values better.
As evidence, you can get a pretty fancy Scruggs or Bender for $3500 or an just average Tascarella or Hercek for those prices.
Given a reasonable delivery time, I would take dealing directly with the maker any day - but I think you would be waiting a long, long time for a Tascarella or a Hercek.
In my opinion, Tascarella's and Hercek's are "blue chip" cues - you want to own them and own them for the long haul.
Chris
What are you trying to do, play pool or collect?
Me personally i can't stand 5/16 14 joints, steel or ivory. I'm a flat faced player there for if i'm after playing then i'm going with Bender. If you want to buy something and let it sit so one day you can sell, maybe Hercek.
Craig
Me personally i can't stand 5/16 14 joints, steel or ivory. I'm a flat faced player there for if i'm after playing then i'm going with Bender. If you want to buy something and let it sit so one day you can sell, maybe Hercek.
Craig
RD3P
Banned
:sorry: 8 year waiting list....lol...what a way for a cue maker to drive up his cues value.
Please tell me you are kidding.
I would also choose a Herceck because of availibilty. I have held a few of the finest Herceck's (Tikkler's) ever made. I personally would not play with it because I have a playing cue but the collectibility factor is overwhelming.
Great question...
Chris
RD3P
Banned
not really....
i guess what im saying is im not into collectables.....cue collecting market is hit and miss and if i was gonna invest $3500 it wouldnt be in a pool cue thats for shure....
say you had bought a cue for $3500 get it in 8 years....
now say you take $3500 put it in a savings account and get a measly 4%interest on it. in 8 years your $3500 is worth $4817 in 20 years your $3500 is worth $7779 guaranteed. i guess my question is by the time you finally get the $3500 cue made and shipped to you is it worth $4817 if you immediately sell it?????
Your way off...
First off, Joel only requires a 25% deposit...paid when he starts the batch your cue is in...so you are only out $875 for a year or so...you pay the rest when the cue is finished and your satisfied. A cue from Joel that cost $3500 will be worth well over 5K on the open market. It's a no brainer
First off, Joel only requires a 25% deposit...paid when he starts the batch your cue is in...so you are only out $875 for a year or so...you pay the rest when the cue is finished and your satisfied. A cue from Joel that cost $3500 will be worth well over 5K on the open market. It's a no brainer
I do believe it is worth that much and you can also pay up front full for the maker. He has the full price and you won't have to pay 8-years inflation in the end. But when you get the cue - considering that the market has not changed on (for e.g.) Hercek cues -, the cue you ordered must be worth 3,500+inflation. That takes you closer to that $4817, because counting with an optimistic 3% average rate of inflation it's $4433 and you are almost there. And if you ask me I don't think for a minute that Hercek cues' appreciate 0% throughout 8 years.
...and when you take out your $4817 from the savings account after 8-years you still have to wait 8 MORE to get your cue from Joel
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I've been waiting since 2005.
As of April, he was still working on orders from 2002.
Seems like about seven years wait time.
Here's a quote from our conversation in April:
"I'm currently working on my 2002 orders, it will still take a year or so to get through all the 2002 names. The batches these days are taking longer due to the fact that I've been making more and more complex designs. You are in my book, its hard to say exactly when I'll be working on the 2005 orders, however if a spot opens up sooner, I'll certainly let you know."
In a nut shell, if you guys would order simpler cues, the list would be shorter! I know it's the collectors who ask for 3,700 inlays that clog the pipe. Once a cue maker becomes 'desirable' the collectors step in and order "huge" cues that take several months to a year to complete.
I understand it from both sides; however quite literally, the collectors drive the market.