What price point cues are selling best in this crappy economic times?

Kevin Lindstrom

Kevin Lindstrom

14.1 Addict
Silver Member
Not sure how to do a poll so just offer your opinion.

I would think the 300-600 dollar range is probably best. If I were a cuemaker I would mainly be producing and selling cues at this price point until things get better. Obviously most cues would be classy looking plain janes.

Thoughts

Kevin
 
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I would agree with that assesment completely. I think sneakies would do well also, being that is a much less expensive full-splice cue. I think a real focus on playability in plain janes and petes is the way to go.

Braden
 
Kevin Lindstrom said:
Not sure how to do a poll so just offer your opinion.

I would think the 300-600 dollar range is probably best. If I were a cuemaker I would mainly be producing and selling cues at this price point until things get better. Obviously most cues would be classy looking plain janes.

Thoughts

Kevin
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I think it is is dependent on if you mean new or used. New cues are probably selling better at a lower price point, but I also don't think they hold their value as well. A new $600 cue can easily take a 50% hit and fetch no more than say $300 in mint but used condition.

It also seems that at the other extreme, the "A" list CM's still have waiting lists even though there are always fewer high end cues sold, even in good times.

But yes, I would think in these times players are more interested in playability only, and not as inclined to shell out $ for design elements.
 
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The best selling cues seem to be of $150 retail and under. The quality of these cues has grown leaps and bounds from what they were just 10 years ago and this is probaby why you see so many league players with action & players cues playing in leagues. You can buy these cues with all the bells and whistles full of inlays and pay a fraction of the price a custom cue maker would charge. It's all about how much your willing to spend. All the technology is in the shaft anyways, the butt is just for show
 
I know at our hall, the cues in the $50-200 price range are selling out all the time. These include the Lucky series (by McDermott I think), Nick Varner, and Elite. I've tried them out and for the price they're not bad cues.

On the flip end however, they don't carry high end cues either, so the options are limited.
 
activity is brisk on the "net never" line

as already stated the "chosen" ones wares are gold, the rest is a crapshoot
 
Kevin Lindstrom said:
Not sure how to do a poll so just offer your opinion.

I would think the 300-600 dollar range is probably best. If I were a cuemaker I would mainly be producing and selling cues at this price point until things get better. Obviously most cues would be classy looking plain janes.

Thoughts

Kevin
Click to expand...

The economy hasn't hurt those with large disposable incomes much. My thinking is selling a $400 cue will be tougher than selling a $2500 one. The $400 cue crowd are the one's hurting. Not the top end buyer. If I were a custom cue maker I would be aiming for better quality, higher price and lower volume. Commercial cues are a different animal and can't be compared. Of course the $150 cues will top the charts in volume. How much profit is there in a $150 cue? How much can there be?

JC
 
I would think anything over $3000 that is a true custom is still pretty steady as the market for those cues is usually small and buyers of those cues are perhaps less likely to suffer in this economy. Just a hunch.
 
The problem is people with large, disposable income are not the one's playing pool, they are playing poker. The prices for cues have come down so much in the last 7 years that most people you ask will say a $100 pool cue is high end so you can kiss the 3k pool cue goodbye, at least that's what i'm seeing
 
Jgar said:
The problem is people with large, disposable income are not the one's playing pool, they are playing poker. The prices for cues have come down so much in the last 7 years that most people you ask will say a $100 pool cue is high end so you can kiss the 3k pool cue goodbye, at least that's what i'm seeing
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Not sure I agree with this. As I said, all the top CM's still have solid waiting lists and Ernie for example recently stopped producing his less expensive players. About all his cues start at $3K now. Maybe the used market for big cues has slowed a little but that market is still supported by the wait lists for a new cue.

But yes, if there ever was a market for a high end McD, that is probably ancient history for now.
 
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First production cues imports and all the overnight wonders with a lathe and cnc are in a class by themselves. It amazes me how some plain George or Gus 'tribute' cue by a couple of guys is $4000 and a cue that plays every bit as well and has nice inlays and for sake of argument equal workmanship is lucky to get $1500. ALL THE FOREIGN WALLYWORLD STUFF AND CUES THAT ARE ASSEMBLED NOT BUILT SHOULD BE IDENTIFIED AS NOT CUSTOM!
 
They all sell if they are priced reflective of the market.....many do not do this:thumbup:

If a cue sits here for a month with no offers its priced to high...but that's just my opinion:thumbup:
 
Cues

I think the $500-$2,000 cues do okay in the market. The high end cues, I seriously doubt if many of them sell, people don't have the disposable income like they used to have. I know I would never spend 2,000 on a plain ass cue like some of the Southwests. If I am going to spend that, then I want it to look sharp too.

I see cues on here that are a bargain sometimes, and I see cues on here that are grossly overpriced for what you are getting.

A cue, to me, is all about the hit, and the balance. I don't care if a cue is $5,000, if it was not balanced right, I would not play with it.

I have sort of a delimma. I turn 65 next January 21st, and my retirement pension kicks in for 1st payment on February 1st, 2013 to the tune of over $900 a month (which will really help me financially). I want to have a custom cue and case made, but don't know if I should spend the money since my Pool Playing days will probably be numbered somewhat.

All I really have going on in my life is my family, basketball (big WSU Shocker fan), and Pool. If I get a cue made, it will probably fall in the range of $1,600-2,200, and I wanted to get a case made by JB cases.
My cuemaker is local, so communication with him is no problem at all.

I have played Pool for 50 years, and I am considered an 'A' player.
Do you think I should go ahead next year and get the cue and case made even though I will be 65?
 
Cueaddicts

No, Bob Owen (of Shurtz Custom Cues) is my cuemaker, and he usually gives a 5-6 month lead time. I have known Bob 30 years.
 
Kevin Lindstrom said:
Not sure how to do a poll so just offer your opinion.

I would think the 300-600 dollar range is probably best. If I were a cuemaker I would mainly be producing and selling cues at this price point until things get better. Obviously most cues would be classy looking plain janes.

Thoughts

Kevin
Click to expand...

You need to tell Mike Lambros this so I can get one of his plain janes for $300, heck I'd even pay him $600 just to be nice.
 
Snapshot9 said:
Do you think I should go ahead next year and get the cue and case made even though I will be 65?
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I think you should wait a few more years to buy something for yourself you would really enjoy having. No need to rush into anything! :grin:

Go ahead, pull the trigger. I've never lived my life just in case something may happen. I'd always be putting off the things I want to do!

Best,
Mike
 
Custom cues I would estimate anything below $600

Production cues, anything less than $150.

The high end cue business is fickled. You gotta find just the right person that loves that particular cue, and be willing to foot the bill for it as well. I paid more for my last cue that I would have ever guessed, but I came up with the basic design, and the cue maker agreed to build it....so I paid up.
 
Snapshot9 said:
I think the $500-$2,000 cues do okay in the market. The high end cues, I seriously doubt if many of them sell, people don't have the disposable income like they used to have. I know I would never spend 2,000 on a plain ass cue like some of the Southwests. If I am going to spend that, then I want it to look sharp too.

I see cues on here that are a bargain sometimes, and I see cues on here that are grossly overpriced for what you are getting.

A cue, to me, is all about the hit, and the balance. I don't care if a cue is $5,000, if it was not balanced right, I would not play with it.

I have sort of a delimma. I turn 65 next January 21st, and my retirement pension kicks in for 1st payment on February 1st, 2013 to the tune of over $900 a month (which will really help me financially). I want to have a custom cue and case made, but don't know if I should spend the money since my Pool Playing days will probably be numbered somewhat.

All I really have going on in my life is my family, basketball (big WSU Shocker fan), and Pool. If I get a cue made, it will probably fall in the range of $1,600-2,200, and I wanted to get a case made by JB cases.
My cuemaker is local, so communication with him is no problem at all.

I have played Pool for 50 years, and I am considered an 'A' player.
Do you think I should go ahead next year and get the cue and case made even though I will be 65?[/QUOTe

I am 76 and am awaiting delivery of a new cue that will probably deserve a new case. On top of that I have had cancer(s) since 1995. To top it off I know that I will never achieve A status but I am sure not going to let that deter me from enjoying what is out there. Go for it!
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