Were do you stand as a cue buyer?
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Frustrated that I can't get on the lists of cue makers from whom I want a cue. I turn 60 this year and don't want to order a cue that will arrive when I am over 70. I would pay a reasonable premium for an existing cue. But the ones I want have increased to more than I paid for my Gus. The laws of supply and demand are still in effect, but I won't cross that line. I have 2 great cues and that may be it for me. I can't complain. It's just that I wanted one more.
Greg
Greg
Since I only buy playing cues, I'm not going to get hurt too bad regardless. I've been very happy with the cues I've bought here and will probably move up slowly from the $200-$300 range.
To me, cues are toys, as I can afford more expensive toys, I'll buy them.
They will never become an investment.
To me, cues are toys, as I can afford more expensive toys, I'll buy them.
They will never become an investment.
I can relate to this ... I typically stay in the $500-800 range. I have a Prewitt that I spent more for (obviously) and doing so put me out of my comfort zone. I don't feel comfortable playing with it as I have other cues that are great players.
Yes, that short guy was on to something.
I'm completely out of cues. I have one very nice Sugar Tree, an ebony Lomax, a solid cocobolo player from a guy no one has ever heard of and my custom Justis. Those will stay with me but I sold everything else and jumped back into guns and shooting about a year ago.
I have my theories on why things seem to have gotten to the point they have in the market. Mainly its the simple fact of not enough really good stuff and WAYYYYYYY too much mediocre to poor stuff with a lot of hype behind it. It burns a lot of new guys up quick.
Every swinging Richard is selling $2K-$4K cues it seems. If a new guy doesnt do his homework and falls into the trap of buying one of these then decides "Oh, I want to try that cue so I'll just sell this one." Not only can't he get his money out of this "custom" cue he is probably going to take huge hit on it. Buyer beware and all that I get it but we are going to see the cue market crater for all but the very elite and even those guys may feel it eventually.
When I see a guy showing off some $3500 cue that wont sell for $2000 and see how excited he is about it but can tell it was probably a litle over his head I just cringe. Because chances are when the reality hits him in the face thats one more guy who will never play in that end of the pool again. I guess its no ones fault just how it is but its killed the cue market IMO.
I have my theories on why things seem to have gotten to the point they have in the market. Mainly its the simple fact of not enough really good stuff and WAYYYYYYY too much mediocre to poor stuff with a lot of hype behind it. It burns a lot of new guys up quick.
Every swinging Richard is selling $2K-$4K cues it seems. If a new guy doesnt do his homework and falls into the trap of buying one of these then decides "Oh, I want to try that cue so I'll just sell this one." Not only can't he get his money out of this "custom" cue he is probably going to take huge hit on it. Buyer beware and all that I get it but we are going to see the cue market crater for all but the very elite and even those guys may feel it eventually.
When I see a guy showing off some $3500 cue that wont sell for $2000 and see how excited he is about it but can tell it was probably a litle over his head I just cringe. Because chances are when the reality hits him in the face thats one more guy who will never play in that end of the pool again. I guess its no ones fault just how it is but its killed the cue market IMO.
I like a good playing cue. I don't need tons of high dollar wood or intricate details. I used to buy in the $250-450 range. My last purchase was in 1993. I bought a Moore from Mark Moore after he relocated to MS. Very nice ebony, cocobolo and purple heart cue. Someone stole the shaft so I just have a generic shaft on there now.
I am in the market for a new cue. Doug Patrick (Patrick Cues) is an old friend from high school days. I'm probably going to get one from him in the next few months unless I opt to have him build me something special
I am in the market for a new cue. Doug Patrick (Patrick Cues) is an old friend from high school days. I'm probably going to get one from him in the next few months unless I opt to have him build me something special
I'm down to one "collectible" after buying and selling many over the past 10 years or so. Did well on some and not so well on others. I tended to "trade up" to bigger cues each time and bartered my way up to a Barry Szamboti. I have a Showman on order that I hope to have within the next year but then I'll probably just hang onto to those for awhile.
I've shot with a Joey for four years now and have a new one coming soon that will probably be the last cue I'll buy.
I've shot with a Joey for four years now and have a new one coming soon that will probably be the last cue I'll buy.
As a buyer.... I'm very leary now. I've had good deals on AZ and I've had a couple of bad ones. I've had cues I bought site unseen and cues I knew beforehand. For the most part, a completely positive experience except for the odd bad deal.
But, I think I am done buying used cues unless a special Scruggs comes along. I'm placing an order with Pete Tonkin as I'm now in a position to afford those kind of cues. Not sure what I will still sell but I guess most everything has a price for me except my Scruggs. So, I'm a buyer with very particular tastes at this point. As a seller, I better have the money before you get the cue. But if you don't like it, send it back!
R,
Greg
But, I think I am done buying used cues unless a special Scruggs comes along. I'm placing an order with Pete Tonkin as I'm now in a position to afford those kind of cues. Not sure what I will still sell but I guess most everything has a price for me except my Scruggs. So, I'm a buyer with very particular tastes at this point. As a seller, I better have the money before you get the cue. But if you don't like it, send it back!
R,
Greg
I'm buying what I like, what I can afford and don't really care all that much about making a profit or breaking even.
I view cues as an expense rather than an investment and I'm much happier now. There are very few hobbies that turn a profit or even come to break even when you sell something on the secondary market....why should we expect pool cues to be any different?
If I was trying to make money I would try MANY different avenues before I chose pool cues, lol.
Patrick
I view cues as an expense rather than an investment and I'm much happier now. There are very few hobbies that turn a profit or even come to break even when you sell something on the secondary market....why should we expect pool cues to be any different?
If I was trying to make money I would try MANY different avenues before I chose pool cues, lol.
Patrick
I have had great transactions on AZB. About once a week I see a thread about a deal gone bad. I don't know if this is a new trend in general or just a dark time for AZB, but, either way, it makes me leary about buying a cue on this site. It does nothing for buying confidence either when you see the type of BS that goes down. It also makes it hard to sell anything for the same fear of getting screwed by the seller. Say what you will about Ebay, at least there you have some protection with your purchases.
The reason eBay can offer seller protection is they force the transactions there to be made through PayPal. We could do the same thing here and have essentially the same protections here at AZ.
If every cue deal was funded by a buyer who PayPaled the seller with a credit card and if every seller would only ship to PayPal's confirmed address, in payments eligible for "seller protection" using the methods PayPal dictates, there would be ZERO bad cue deals.
The real problem here is we are dealing in the modern world (through the internet for items and sellers sight unseen) and paying via antiquated methods that worked well for face to face transactions.
Kevin
I really love the "unhit" cue with pics showing the tips with chalk residue on them where it wasn't scuffed all the way off.....and then they whine and cry about why their cue isn't selling. :speechless:
I don't understand the "unhit" cues at all. First and foremost, the cue should play well. It may be the most intricate, professionally inlaid cue on the market and play like a pawn shop Superior. Or, it could be the most humble, plain cue of non-exotic wood and hit like a top-end Schon. And you're not going to know how a cue hits without (*gasp*) hitting a few with it.
I understand the appeal of beautifully crafted items. I've restored everything from furniture to bikes and cars. I have a few decent art pieces hanging on the wall. But to me, a cue is a tool, meant to improve my game.
As far as "investment" purposes, I think the market is getting way too flooded with $1k+ cues that most people in this economy wouldn't even dream of buying. I think there's a HUGE opportunity for low to mid priced cues, but most buyers in that bracket tend to go with production cues from what I've seen. I myself am currently looking at a few options right now, but nowhere near the price bracket most of the custom cues are here in the for sale section.
I understand the appeal of beautifully crafted items. I've restored everything from furniture to bikes and cars. I have a few decent art pieces hanging on the wall. But to me, a cue is a tool, meant to improve my game.
As far as "investment" purposes, I think the market is getting way too flooded with $1k+ cues that most people in this economy wouldn't even dream of buying. I think there's a HUGE opportunity for low to mid priced cues, but most buyers in that bracket tend to go with production cues from what I've seen. I myself am currently looking at a few options right now, but nowhere near the price bracket most of the custom cues are here in the for sale section.
I really couldn't bring myself to buy a cue that I had not had the chance to hit with. Many cuemakers have cues that hit very differently from cue to cue and many of these cuemakers have rationalizations on why this happens.
I want a cuemaker whose cues hit the same because he has a set standard on how cues should be made--not just generally but step by step by step down to the finest detail. No matter the choice of woods the cue will have that hit. I am fortunate to have such a cuemaker close to me who allows me to stop by his shop and hit with various cues that he may be experimenting with a new ferule material or even just a different size of ferrule. Even the experimentals will still have "that" hit. We have discussed his philosophy of cuemaking he has explained to me why he does certain things and the benefits derived from minute things. Many things may evolve and continue to evolve on the cosmetic side of cuemaking but his philosophy remains rock solid--just like his cues. I am fortunate to live close to JoeyofCali so we can play pool and I can see his gorgeous woods and listen to him as he searches for whatever can make his cues better. I have a very, very fine Bubinga that I could play the rest of my life and be happy with but as I mentioned I can go by and see his woods and that is why I am waiting for my Purpleheart (I know not everybody' favorite but it was so curly it just seemed to curl around my heart) and an absolutely straight, figured Braz Rosewood. I don't bug him as he knows exactly what I want and he knows how good the Bubinga has been for me but we are close to one or the other. In the meantime some good conversation, a showing of some woods and a couple of games of 9 Ball and a race to 3 in One Hole and I go home a happy man. Are there othe comparable cuemakers out there? I'm sure that there probably are but I have found mine close by and we understand one another. Hope that you all have the same good fortune.
I want a cuemaker whose cues hit the same because he has a set standard on how cues should be made--not just generally but step by step by step down to the finest detail. No matter the choice of woods the cue will have that hit. I am fortunate to have such a cuemaker close to me who allows me to stop by his shop and hit with various cues that he may be experimenting with a new ferule material or even just a different size of ferrule. Even the experimentals will still have "that" hit. We have discussed his philosophy of cuemaking he has explained to me why he does certain things and the benefits derived from minute things. Many things may evolve and continue to evolve on the cosmetic side of cuemaking but his philosophy remains rock solid--just like his cues. I am fortunate to live close to JoeyofCali so we can play pool and I can see his gorgeous woods and listen to him as he searches for whatever can make his cues better. I have a very, very fine Bubinga that I could play the rest of my life and be happy with but as I mentioned I can go by and see his woods and that is why I am waiting for my Purpleheart (I know not everybody' favorite but it was so curly it just seemed to curl around my heart) and an absolutely straight, figured Braz Rosewood. I don't bug him as he knows exactly what I want and he knows how good the Bubinga has been for me but we are close to one or the other. In the meantime some good conversation, a showing of some woods and a couple of games of 9 Ball and a race to 3 in One Hole and I go home a happy man. Are there othe comparable cuemakers out there? I'm sure that there probably are but I have found mine close by and we understand one another. Hope that you all have the same good fortune.
I'm just crazy. If I like the way a cue looks, I'll buy it, try it, and decide if it's something I can't live without. Anyone who knows me, has realized I can live without a lot of different cues,lol. I usually take a nice cold bath when I sell them. I'm surprised my wife can live with me, with all the money I through away on cue deals. I never had anything wrong with a cue, that I bought on here, and met some great people also. I'm as honest as they come, and will do through every detail of any cue before I ship it. I bought a lot of high end cues, and always got what I expected, luckily. I wish everyone would have had those kind of deals. Nice thread Mickey.