Where's my cue?

JB Cases said:
Too many people get wrapped up in the service side of businesses like these.
Providing customer service is time consuming more than you might think.
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I had a service business. I had a partner and employees for 10 years. I worked solo for the past 20 years. I know the scoop. Most customers do not realize what goes into a custom item. And they do not care.
CUES...yes quality takes time. But most craftsman are not good businessmen and very poor managers. Taking forever or not meeting deadlines is not acceptable. Excuses for not delivering are worthless. That goes for almost any service but I'll stick to the subject. Communicate and understand the terms of any orders for cues. As suggested before...deal with well known reputable cue makers. They know how to schedule. The unknown small guy that can't deliver will stay small and never deliver. If he is worth waiting for...then wait.

We pay for cues in good faith. We pay on time. We pay in full or leave a substantial deposit.
In the book of excuses...
The Check's in the mail doesn't make it.
Can I pay you Tues for a Cue today.
Can I pay you when I'm completely satisfied.
I did not work last week...do you mind if I pay you when I can.
Can I pay you in 8 years.
I'm busy..I can't pay you now.
Do you mind if I pay you late.
Do you mind chasing me for payment after I get the cue.
The Phillies are playing I can't be bothered sending payment...can you wait until they win the world series.

A Cue Maker won't tolerate that kind of stuff. Obviously the buyer doesn't want to hear 100 lines of soup for not getting his Cue...and they should not have to.

JB...you have nice line of cases. Hope your business is doing well.
 
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I paid him half up front. I have not expected anything unreasonable or slowed down the process in ant way. He is a full time, well known, Valley Forge attending cue maker. I know that artists and/or craftsman rarely make good business people. That is why I have been so patient. I will pay him in full when the cue is finished and before it is sent, so long as I have photos that the cue is complete and as ordered. I don't want to out him as I don't believe it will make any substantive difference. I was square with him, at the very least I deserve a response. So maybe I will out him, there isn't anything left to loose!
 
Jodacus said:
I paid him half up front. I have not expected anything unreasonable or slowed down the process in ant way. He is a full time, well known, Valley Forge attending cue maker. I know that artists and/or craftsman rarely make good business people. That is why I have been so patient. I will pay him in full when the cue is finished and before it is sent, so long as I have photos that the cue is complete and as ordered. I don't want to out him as I don't believe it will make any substantive difference. I was square with him, at the very least I deserve a response. So maybe I will out him, there isn't anything left to loose!
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If he is well known and still dinking you around I would out him. It would be doing the pool community a service. That is really good thing a forum can be used for.
 
Jodacus said:
I paid him half up front. I have not expected anything unreasonable or slowed down the process in ant way. He is a full time, well known, Valley Forge attending cue maker. I know that artists and/or craftsman rarely make good business people. That is why I have been so patient. I will pay him in full when the cue is finished and before it is sent, so long as I have photos that the cue is complete and as ordered. I don't want to out him as I don't believe it will make any substantive difference. I was square with him, at the very least I deserve a response. So maybe I will out him, there isn't anything left to loose!
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Maybe I missed it in all the posts. Original order and 50% deposit was made 8 years ago. Since then, how many times have you spoken or heard from him ? When was the last time ?
 
8 years?

You should 'out' him, 8 years is too long, especially not to communicate with you. He must be a poor businessman.
 
just a side note....since we dont know who it is....is it possable that he is one the cuemakers that passed away with in the last year? maybe that is why you havent got a response...just a tought...
 
Act now. It's show time. You let this go way too long. Does the guy have a PO box and answering machine. Will he be at VF Expo. Does he exist?
Is he in rehab, jail or pushing up daisies? Does he have a class action collection against him.
You might have to consider this deal A Bad Night at the Track. Use it as a learning experience.
 
Very fishy..

This claim all seems somewhat suspect. The OP states he paid half up front 8 years ago. Personally I've never known anyone to do that. If that was actually done then he must have played pool for a good period of time prior to that. Remember he is claiming to be buying a custom cue something new pool players very rarely do. He has just joined AZ in the past two weeks and starts a thread concerning waiting for 8 years. Why not wait another 8 years?? Now he is concerned about naming said cuemaker, really? Just seems odd to me.. JMO though...
 
Quesports said:
This claim all seems somewhat suspect. The OP states he paid half up front 8 years ago. Personally I've never known anyone to do that. If that was actually done then he must have played pool for a good period of time prior to that. Remember he is claiming to be buying a custom cue something new pool players very rarely do. He has just joined AZ in the past two weeks and starts a thread concerning waiting for 8 years. Why not wait another 8 years?? Now he is concerned about naming said cuemaker, really? Just seems odd to me.. JMO though...
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I would agree but the TC has protected the cue maker. If he was trying to cause problems he would have started by telling us who the cue maker is.
 
I don't really need to justify anything, still here we go. Half was a rough estimate of what the cue would cost. I am sorry you have never heard of that but so what. I have played pool for a very long time and I have cue sticks made by people who have passed away. I can wait 8 years because half isn't a lot of money to me and I have lots of other sticks to play with. I am not a member of AARP does that mean if I join tomorrow I am young? I wish! What you have heard of or not heard of is irrelevant to the facts. I just wanted to know if this was a common situation. Obviously, I am not waiting another 8 years. Thank you your response.
 
Not common unless stated. Good luck...hope it works out for you. My last on this.
 
Personally, I think the cuemaker should be named.

If the cuemaker is giving you the runaround, then naming him here could help you recover your deposit. Whether it's a 'lot of money' or not, it's still your money that this person has taken without providing the goods.
If the cuemaker has a serious issue that is preventing him from contacting you, then you would learn that as well from the members on here.
I can understand your hesitation regarding naming the cuemaker. At the same time, it can provide either peace of mind for you, or reason for someone else not to consider this cuemaker.

I don't know how much your deposit was, but what may not be much for some can be a lot for others. At the very least, another person looking to purchase a custom cue can make a more informed decision.
 
Jodacus,

I don't know exactly how long it has been since you have had ANY kind of communication with the cuemaker. Without re-reading all the posts I believe I remember it being several years. Isn't it entirely possible that in that stretch of time this cue order may have simply been forgotten about/lost (and not intentionally)? I can tell you this, I would do everything within my abilities to try and communicate SOMEHOW with this guy and see what the status is on your cue. If it wasn't promised to be finished and shipped within a month, I'd ask for the deposit back. You have been wa-a-a-a-ay more patient than you should be. You deserve better customer treatment than you are getting.

Good luck!!!

Maniac
 
hmmm

Quesports said:
This claim all seems somewhat suspect. The OP states he paid half up front 8 years ago. Personally I've never known anyone to do that. If that was actually done then he must have played pool for a good period of time prior to that. Remember he is claiming to be buying a custom cue something new pool players very rarely do. He has just joined AZ in the past two weeks and starts a thread concerning waiting for 8 years. Why not wait another 8 years?? Now he is concerned about naming said cuemaker, really? Just seems odd to me.. JMO though...
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I agree with you Que ! And the fact he "wants" to know if it is common to pay for a cue and it takes 8 years??? But he has plenty of other cues, and has played pool for a long time.

Why not just say his name and ask if he is around anymore, or if anyone bought a cue recently. Heck, he could have started the thread, "does anyone know if John Doe still sells cues and how to contact him".....
 
Jodacus said:
I don't really need to justify anything, still here we go. Half was a rough estimate of what the cue would cost. I am sorry you have never heard of that but so what. I have played pool for a very long time and I have cue sticks made by people who have passed away. I can wait 8 years because half isn't a lot of money to me and I have lots of other sticks to play with. I am not a member of AARP does that mean if I join tomorrow I am young? I wish! What you have heard of or not heard of is irrelevant to the facts. I just wanted to know if this was a common situation. Obviously, I am not waiting another 8 years. Thank you your response.
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I never asked you to justify anything. Thank you for being sorry. I am also happy to know that you have lots of other cues and have played pool for a long time. I am curious what the AARP has to do with this thread? Seems to me that if you have played pool for a long time and have lots of cues you would also know that waiting for 8 years after putting down a sizeable ( you stated approx half) deposit is not common at all. I am sure of one thing the cuemaker you elude to will probably remain a mystery. Similar to why you have supposedly waited for 8 years.
Welcometo AZ BTW! We all have opinions here and when a cuemaker is accused of screwing someone it is beneficial to know who that is so other folks do not become the next victim..
 
Sounds to me like the cue maker does not need the other half of the money!!!!

I would dangle the carrot and offer a bonus for expediting the process. You never know and for an extra hundred he may get off his A$$.

Hard when communication is so POOR!!!

Also, cue makers bread and butter is repairs and not cue making. Way too often they prioritize fast cash over customer orders.

I wish you well and I am currently in the same boat just not 8 years though! I mentioned that, because I hope it makes you feel BETTER. I am sure others are on the back burner of some custom cue makers priority list and just are not speaking up about the fact they are "LOW PRIORITY".

You said you have one or two cues from this Maker and love the product. I would look in the used market. But, sounds like that supply in the secondary market is very thin and the maker does not make many cues!!!!

Bottom line you cant make the cue maker finish the cue. I would try facebook, emails, phone calls and a CERTIFIED LETTER!!! I am sure the letter would get the cue makers attention. MUCH cheaper then a airline ticket!

KD
 
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Quesports said:
I never asked you to justify anything. Thank you for being sorry. I am also happy to know that you have lots of other cues and have played pool for a long time. I am curious what the AARP has to do with this thread? Seems to me that if you have played pool for a long time and have lots of cues you would also know that waiting for 8 years after putting down a sizeable ( you stated approx half) deposit is not common at all. I am sure of one thing the cuemaker you elude to will probably remain a mystery. Similar to why you have supposedly waited for 8 years.
Welcometo AZ BTW! We all have opinions here and when a cuemaker is accused of screwing someone it is beneficial to know who that is so other folks do not become the next victim..
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Agree with this. If you bring the makers name out, it saves others from being in the same boat as you are in. Just my 2 cents worth.
Jeff
 
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