To the cuemakers

T

trufil

Registered
Here's an idea. Many people search this forum for information concerning which cue they should buy, and the answer it always the same. They are given the same list of cue makers (usually what they play), with the warning that they should buy what feels good to them. There's the rub, how do you try the ones your interested in. It very hard to, with the custom makers all over the world.

If I were them, I would make a few demo cues for people to try. Run a credit card for twice the cost of the cue for security if the cue isn't returned, and let the customer try it out.

I first thought the demo cue should be very plain, just to represent how that particular line of cues plays. But on second thought, I would send out a rather nice cue for them to try. Each perspective customer in a pool hall showing their friends the cue that they are trying out would be like an unpaid saleman. You never know.
 
trufil said:
Here's an idea. Many people search this forum for information concerning which cue they should buy, and the answer it always the same. They are given the same list of cue makers (usually what they play), with the warning that they should buy what feels good to them. There's the rub, how do you try the ones your interested in. It very hard to, with the custom makers all over the world.

If I were them, I would make a few demo cues for people to try. Run a credit card for twice the cost of the cue for security if the cue isn't returned, and let the customer try it out.

I first thought the demo cue should be very plain, just to represent how that particular line of cues plays. But on second thought, I would send out a rather nice cue for them to try. Each perspective customer in a pool hall showing their friends the cue that they are trying out would be like an unpaid saleman. You never know.
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Great idea. Mariposa cue used to do that.
 
I told Mark Smith - www.marksmithcues.com to do the same thing. I wouldn't even charge double. Just charge what the cue is worth and refund it less the cost of maintenence and fees when returned. The cuemaker could also waive the maintenence fees if the charged amount could be used towards a new order.

John
 
idea

instroke said:
I told Mark Smith - www.marksmithcues.com to do the same thing. I wouldn't even charge double. Just charge what the cue is worth and refund it less the cost of maintenence and fees when returned. The cuemaker could also waive the maintenence fees if the charged amount could be used towards a new order.

John
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Hi John, I've done the same thing for years now.
I only had one returned. it was a bit to heavey.
blud
 
Joseph Cues said:
Yup. I tried one of his cocobola cues. It hit way too soft.
My suspicion is he did not know how to pick wood. :D
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"soft hit" I'm not sure. It seemed pretty stiff too. It's the only cue I play on. I have one of his later cues, so I don't know if much was changed in his years. I still know the cuemaker and talk to him on a regular basis. I know this post comes WAY later than when you would have liked to know, but I just started working on this website a few weeks ago! If you're ever in Chicago, look me up. I'll let you hit some with it. Another thing is that when Kyle got back into making cues, he made only 2 sneaky petes. I had one of them, and am very saddened that I sold it. Word has it that there are 14 cues just recently made that are for sale! I haven't seen or played with them, though I'm interested in what they look and feel like. As some may know, he loved doing butterfly points. I'm kinda a big fan of them myself.
 
I'm also an avid skydiver as well, so this applies here.

When the time comes for me to downsize my main canopy, I have MANY different manufacturers to choose from, such as in pool. They all have different models, so there is really no way for me to know which one I want to go with.

I call up a mfr, tell them the model/size of the canopy I have intrest in, and they send me a demo canopy for two weeks. I fill out their one page form, waiver, etc. I give them my CC number, which I pay only for shipping. The demo of the canopy is free, and I can put as many jumps on it as I want to in that amount of time.

If they do not receive the canopy back within three weeks from the date that it was delivered to me, they bill my credit card for the entire full retail price of the canopy that they sent me.

Canopies range anywhere in price from $1400 to $2500, so you can see the relation between this and a cue.

Hopefully some cuemakers can read this and put some thought into a program such as this.

Ross
 
1pRoscoe said:
I'm also an avid skydiver as well, so this applies here.

When the time comes for me to downsize my main canopy, I have MANY different manufacturers to choose from, such as in pool. They all have different models, so there is really no way for me to know which one I want to go with.

I call up a mfr, tell them the model/size of the canopy I have intrest in, and they send me a demo canopy for two weeks. I fill out their one page form, waiver, etc. I give them my CC number, which I pay only for shipping. The demo of the canopy is free, and I can put as many jumps on it as I want to in that amount of time.

If they do not receive the canopy back within three weeks from the date that it was delivered to me, they bill my credit card for the entire full retail price of the canopy that they sent me.

Canopies range anywhere in price from $1400 to $2500, so you can see the relation between this and a cue.

Hopefully some cuemakers can read this and put some thought into a program such as this.

Ross
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How is the issue settled monetarily if they send you a defective canopy and you end up looking like one of your waffles? :eek:
 
drivermaker said:
How is the issue settled monetarily if they send you a defective canopy and you end up looking like one of your waffles? :eek:
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That's why you do a full inspection of any gear that you are going to jump prior to falling 120+ mph. :D

And if on the off chance you do have a malfunction, you have a reserve. :cool:
 
Way Back When

Back in the 70's, I worked in a pool hall. The owner had a cue rack behind the counter. Each cue had a lock on it. All the cues were for sale. 50% down, pay when you can. You couldn't take it out of the room until it was paid for. This provided minimum risk and very brisk cue sales. I think he ordered about 10 cues a month every month. I don't see that happening anywhere else. Is it a good idea? What do you think?
Purdman :cool:
 
Donald A. Purdy said:
Back in the 70's, I worked in a pool hall. The owner had a cue rack behind the counter. Each cue had a lock on it. All the cues were for sale. 50% down, pay when you can. You couldn't take it out of the room until it was paid for. This provided minimum risk and very brisk cue sales. I think he ordered about 10 cues a month every month. I don't see that happening anywhere else. Is it a good idea? What do you think?
Purdman :cool:
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Purdy, that's a great idea. Or have several different brands to rent as house cues. One room locally rented McDermotts exclusively. A lot of folks liked them and ended up purchasing one. Maybe he could have sold even more if he also rented Meucci, Viking, Joss etc.
 
What you want is a "Passaround" forum

Something I have seen done on another specialist web forum is a seperate forum for arranging "passaround" sessions. The members of this sub-forum had to be vetted by the moderator and provide a higer degree of personal information than a regular member.

Once approved they sign up to be on the passaround lists for items they are interested in trying out, paying the postage to the next person on the list (The previous person who sent the item to them paid the postage to send it to the current person.) I do not know how they setup a deposit/security system as I never signed up for the service.

I have also seen this done on a less formal basis on the RSB newsgroup, where a cuemaker simply announced they had a sample cue available and asking people to email to get on the list of people to try it out.
 
AuntyDan said:
I have also seen this done on a less formal basis on the RSB newsgroup, where a cuemaker simply announced they had a sample cue available and asking people to email to get on the list of people to try it out.
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Yeah...only to lose track of it and have some doofus rip it off. Just like magic...poof...it disappeared.
 
Avoiding someone ripping off the item being passed around (And it could be a case, or some other kind of accessory as well as just cues) is why you need to have a registration system that ensures some resonable level of personal information for each member is verified in advance.
 
AuntyDan said:
Avoiding someone ripping off the item being passed around (And it could be a case, or some other kind of accessory as well as just cues) is why you need to have a registration system that ensures some resonable level of personal information for each member is verified in advance.
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There was a system and it still happened. The disappearance is still pending and under investigation, but the crooked are hard to locate and pin down as well as being great liars.
 
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