Who is the #1 most in demand cue maker in the world today?

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This is a really cool thread, and an interesting topic.

I have to agree with the general consensus about Dennis and Barry.

However, this is where I throw a wrench in the works......

How do you really know how much demand there is for any cue maker if they don't build enough to find the limit of that demand?

I know neither builds very many cues a year. I've heard that Dennis has years in the single digits for cue production! If either of them built, let's say, 500 cues in a single year. Do you think they would all sell? If they did, then the demand would be higher than 500 cues a year. If they didn't, then, well you get the idea.

One could say that Players may have the highest volume of demand as they probably sell more than any other brand. Maybe it's another low priced, mass produced cue.


Anyway, I enjoy good positive threads like this. I'd like to see more of them.
 
RBC said:
This is a really cool thread, and an interesting topic.

I have to agree with the general consensus about Dennis and Barry.

However, this is where I throw a wrench in the works......

How do you really know how much demand there is for any cue maker if they don't build enough to find the limit of that demand?

I know neither builds very many cues a year. I've heard that Dennis has years in the single digits for cue production! If either of them built, let's say, 500 cues in a single year. Do you think they would all sell? If they did, then the demand would be higher than 500 cues a year. If they didn't, then, well you get the idea.

One could say that Players may have the highest volume of demand as they probably sell more than any other brand. Maybe it's another low priced, mass produced cue.


Anyway, I enjoy good positive threads like this. I'd like to see more of them.
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The demand is quided by the price also.But if all plain 4 pointers (just for example) would cost the same....i think Searing would have little time to sleep,and i doubt we will have so many cuemakers on the market as well.......JMO
 
RBC said:
This is a really cool thread, and an interesting topic.

I have to agree with the general consensus about Dennis and Barry.

However, this is where I throw a wrench in the works......

How do you really know how much demand there is for any cue maker if they don't build enough to find the limit of that demand?

I know neither builds very many cues a year. I've heard that Dennis has years in the single digits for cue production! If either of them built, let's say, 500 cues in a single year. Do you think they would all sell? If they did, then the demand would be higher than 500 cues a year. If they didn't, then, well you get the idea.

One could say that Players may have the highest volume of demand as they probably sell more than any other brand. Maybe it's another low priced, mass produced cue.


Anyway, I enjoy good positive threads like this. I'd like to see more of them.
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Yeah there's another factor you have to toss in to the mix and that's price. One of the reasons both Dennis and Barry are so high in demand is that they can charge you $4K for a cue that you can turn around and immediately sell for about $6K. I've asked them both why they don't just raise their prices to what the market will bear, seeing they both could afford to lose some customers off their 10+ years wait lists, and they both had some very interesting answers. I won't paraphrase for either of them but both answers, although different, raised my opinion of both of them as people I'm happy to share the planet with.

Ernie built a little more than 100 cues a year. He took 100 orders for cues a year. He priced his cues at that amount 100 people a year would order. He had very balanced supply and demand and made a great living making pool cues.

Different strokes for different folks.

Kevin
 
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This might be over-simplistic but I think it gives a bit of insight into the mind of Searing (using him as an example only because of the general consensus that he is the highest demand guy).

Right now lets say his average cue price is 4K. Lets say the market for these cues is more along the lines of 6K. Dennis has a 10 year wait list. Lets say he raised his prices from that 4K average to the 6K and maybe 50% of his customers dropped off his list. Regardless of the fact that he "lost" 1/2 his customers, he would be giving himself a 50% bump in income for the next 5 years. Presumably after 5 years he would still have at least another 5 year list populated by new orders. Don't think he could sell cues he now charges 4K for at the 6K number? Who do you think is buying those cues now for 6K when they become available?

Why doesn't he do this? If your answer is that he is dumb, think again or talk to the man.

Same for Barry. His demand for cues at the price he sells them and the rate he builds them far outstripped the time he had left in life to make cues, so he closed his list.

Same for Hercek.

Same for Southwest, 10 year wait list for cues that they sell below market. The wait list is longer than Laurie expects to be in business. Why not just raise the prices 150% (I would) ?

Kevin
 
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In Demand, Few Made

Trade?WYG? said:
Billy Schick.... Good luck getting one made and if you can find a four point with veneers get ready to come off that wallet to purchase it.
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In 1988 I was talking to Richard Black, and asked him,"Who do you think is the one cuemaker,yourself excluded, that is the pre-eminent cuemaker today?"

Without a moment of hesitation, he said,"Bill Schick."

As our conversation ensued, he said that the fact that Schick produces so few cues,there would come a day when getting one will be almost impossible. His detail work and artistry he felt,were second to none. I consider that high praise 25 years ago.

This was at the same time I would visit with Gus Szamboti on Friday Nights at the Ball Room. I asked him the same question, and he said,"Pete 'the Cop' Tascarella." Who's going to argue with "The Gusser"?

When I visited Burton Spain in Chicago back in 1993, he was very evasive about giving out an answer. This is of course, before Joel Hercek and Burton worked together, so I figured he was just being private. Besides,Burton thought all the talk about who's best was a bit silly. Then he took me into the basement, put one of his Blanks across a can, and stood on it!!! We talked cues, he gave me a handful of his books, and we went to dinner. As a cue fan, it was the greatest evening of my Life!

Today, I devote most of interest in cues to one cuemaker, Gary Medlin of Gem Cues in Lake Charles. I have two cues made consecutively in 1993, and he is working on a couple of recent projects for me. Gary is like all of the above, destined to be one of those guys who you will have to wait for a great playing cue. He is an old school craftsman, who has a great eye for the subtleties of wood and the combinations of inlays.

The best compliment I have had with my Gem Cue, was at Hard Times Billiards in 1993 after playing in a weekly tournament, Tad Kohara walked across the room and asked to see my cue. We stood there for about 20 minutes talking cues, and he was admiring the work. I could not be more proud, as my design was an ode to Gus and Tad Kohara liked it.

All of the cuemakers mentioned previously are deserving of all of the accolades. I have enjoyed this thread thoroughly.

cajunfats
 
After reading the thread I feel my question was answered and I was correct that Barry and Dennis were tops, with Dennis maybe a little "hotter" right now. I wonder in 10 years who will be the hottest. I wonder why Tascarella cues weren't mentioned yet. O Well, I love mine and thats good enough for me. I know why Ernie Martinez isn't in the running, and I its a shame, as he has the talent.
 
ddadams said:
Economies real rough!

:thumbup:

Kidding, but that'll be a great pick up. You're living the American dream Eric! Enjoy that thing.
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it will be worth 50-100K over MSRP when I get it, i might flip it. Not sure, i could use the payday. But good Lord its a strong car, I aint had a new car in a few minutes. i'm not sure when its even going to be finished, I had $$ on it for over a year.
 
Fatboy said:
Ferrari sucks, Lambos are the real car!!!! There is a on going war between the Ferrari and Lambo guys. Since its Concorso weekend in Monteray I must speak about cars for a moment.

my next toy(i'm #1 on the list):D:D:

http://www.lamborghini.com/en/model...ns/aventador-lp720-4-50-anniversario/gallery/

Ferrari-lol:rolleyes:


Back to cues.....
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Eric

Go light a candle in the closet Lambo bandwagen boy. Lambos not even in the car HOF. Ford is:

ford-econoline-150-02.jpg


Anybody that spends more is delusional. How many suitcases can you stuff in that Lambo? Nuff said.

Kevin
 
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Fatboy said:
my dad had that exact van 3 on the tree!!!
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On the tree! aren't you sitting right next to the motor in that Econoline or do I have it confused with another?

I was at an auction recently where they had a FLAWLESS VW pop-top camper and that thing was sweeeeeet. My girl had her hand over my bid card when that thing came to the block whispering "focus".
 
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my Maserati

Since we are showing off,here is my brown Maserati :thumbup:
 

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I've owned them all

From a killer hoppe bushka, to Herceks monster roman them cue that was over 20k. In between I had a beautiful Barry and stunning searing. Both of those cues were gorgeous, but played better than they looked, IMO. The only cue maker of importance that I wanted to own was Tony at BB. I finally settled on a Gina about 7 years ago after playing with a similar Gina for the 2 years before. So, IMO, Ernie makes the best cues considering style, playability and cost.

But, there is no denying that the 2 most sought after cues from living cue makers are Dennis, first and Barry 2nd, with hercek a close third. Part of what makes Barry so much in demand is the connection to Gus. I wonder what his career would have looked like had he not been his son. Id guess very different.
 
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