why custom?

rocesm12

rocesm12

Registered
have to ask the magical question, why (aside from the pride of ownership) would people spend thousands of dollars on a custom cue. ive only been seriously involved with billiards for a little over a year now and this is just something that has shocked me at the price and wait list involved with getting a custom cue. please shed some light on this for me.
 
Get a cue the way you want, hold value instead of going down, you have a true 1 of 1 cue, most customs are also great hitting cues. Can get the weight you want, the shaft taper you like, the type of wrap, the design. Some of the cues go up in value the day the sale is final.

When you get to the 2K+ cues you also are paying for a name. Get into the 5K+ cues you are starting to hit the closet queens that are never played and are like any other collectible.

Personally I try to say under 1K for cues, but I like plain cues with nice woods.
 
For the same reason people spend thousands on golf clubs or hundreds of thousands on a ferrari. Sometimes its just nice to indulge yourself in the things you love.
 
Why not buy a custom cue?

Ask yourself this....if you were handed a blank check and could buy any car you want, what would it be?

Would you go out an buy a Toyota Prius?

Custom cue builders are part of the pool community/industry. Whether you buy an inexpensive cue or a very expensive cue, you are supporting the pool industry.
 
because of the word "custom"

custom = exactly the way you want it

Play for a few more years and you'll start to figure out what exactly you like in a cue and what you don't (feel wise and aesthetic wise). Then you'll understand, trust me.

Now, what I don't understand is players that have custom cues that have been playing for less than a year or two or three. They probably have no clue what they like in a cue, and yet they rush to get a custom cue... it goes against the entire purpose of custom.
 
muddawg said:
because of the word "custom"

custom = exactly the way you want it

Play for a few more years and you'll start to figure out what exactly you like in a cue and what you don't (feel wise and aesthetic wise). Then you'll understand, trust me.

Now, what I don't understand is players that have custom cues that have been playing for less than a year or two or three. They probably have no clue what they like in a cue, and yet they rush to get a custom cue... it goes against the entire purpose of custom.
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i can definately appreciate the time it would take to have an idea of what you want in a cue. right now i use a Poison strychnine with a predator 314-2 shaft, while i love my cue i can already find things about it that i would change.
 
I use a custom cue. Not because it holds it's value, or was fancy, or anything else. It wasn't even all that expensive, around $500 with a normal shaft and a predator shaft (which is about an inch longer than standard). I went that route because the guy was local so his cues are popular where I play. I tried a few and really liked them. Got a nice cue with the taper, tip size, and weight I wanted. Just a plain old ordinary looking cue, I was only after the better quality. Ended up selling my McDermott.

If my cue was stolen/lost/broke and I had to buy another I'd probably buy one of the new McDermott cues. A bit cheaper and I'd like to try something different. Plus this guy has a 6 month+ waiting list and he's not really doing the plain "cheap" ones anymore. One of his things is he will never make a cue identical to what he has already made, not too many ways to make a plain old ordinary looking cue.
 
rocesm12 said:
my cue is $400 lol, im trying to understand the thousands of $$$ spent, but i think cubswin's answer pretty much covers that issue
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That one is easy to answer. You walk in to a custom maker of you choice. Basic cue, $400. Wood of your choice add $$$$, Design of you choice add $$$$$$$. Two shafts add $$. Then say I want it one of a kind with this stuff add $$$$$$$. and it has to inprove my game while looking perfect add $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ and if I break it doing something stupid you should fix it free because you made it just the way I wanted add $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

Hope this helps

Larry
 
rocesm12 said:
my cue is $400 lol, im trying to understand the thousands of $$$ spent, but i think cubswin's answer pretty much covers that issue
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seriously you can get a great playing custom for under 1000 for sure.

theres alot of great cue makers out there that would make you a great cue for around 500.
 
Cues

decent cue - $300
good cue - $500-$700
pretty good cue - $750-900
real nice cue - $1,000-$1,500
sharp cue - about $1,800
fancy cues - $2,000 to $3,500
one of a kind high dollar fancy cues - $3,500 and up.

for a good cue, plain or sharp looking, plan on spending from 750 to 1,800, although 1,000 to 1,500 usually buys a very good cue with some looks to it.
 
DoubleD said:
Worst.
Post.
Ever.

Seriously, a good cue starts at $75--That is what I paid for two hueblers and missed on a third two days ago.

A 'custom' cue starts at $400--at which price you get some rings, balance and taper options.

$3500 would start a shop for me. No, that is not a joke--I made cues a few years ago with about $1200 worth of equipment. I don't want to make cues to sell, tho. I want to make cues to give away and to teach others how to make cues without crappy 'cuemaker in a box' systems.

dld
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like your post.....lol
I made my first cues with less than $100
no joke.
now I make these with less than $1000 invested.
 

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rocesm12 said:
have to ask the magical question, why (aside from the pride of ownership) would people spend thousands of dollars on a custom cue. ive only been seriously involved with billiards for a little over a year now and this is just something that has shocked me at the price and wait list involved with getting a custom cue. please shed some light on this for me.
Click to expand...

It looks like you're actually asking two questions:

1. Why buy a custom cue

2. Why do people spend thousands of dollars


You've answered question #1. As you get more experience at this game, you tend to try to get a cue that's more suited to you. Custom is one of the ways to go. And many artisan cuemakers that will build a professional cue for you will have a relatively high dollar cost for their very basic cues. That's simply an economics thing.

For question #2, others have also answered that. Why put money in a fancy cue? Because that's the game we play, and that's where the money goes. I think it's foolish for anyone to ask the question if they think for one second that some body is going to come back and say that they spend thousands for a better game. Only idiots think that way. We spend money on cues because we spend money. People buy guns, paintings, fancy cars. Pool players get to spend money on the great aesthetics that come with fancy pool cues, too.

Fred
 
i spent in the neighborhood of a thousand and got EVERYTHING i wanted. four points, four veneers, inlays, deco rings, the woods and colors and materials and sizes and weights and balance points. it's my dream cue. and i waited less than six months. that's why i got a custom. i play way better now than i did before i ordered it, but that's due to lessons and practice and playing more, not the cue. if you buy a custom because you think you'll play better stick to less expensive production cues. if you know what you want and who you want to make it, spend the money and wait the wait.
 
Man, I love this question...

One way to really solve your question, is to do the "blind fold" test. I do this with people all the time to explain the difference in feel and hit from production and custom cues.

What you need to do, is find someone you know, who has a custom cue. Take your cue, have them line you up, close your eyes and stroke it with medium like speed. Do the same thing with your friends custom cue and pay attention to the hit and feel of the cue.

As far as price goes, you can get a really nice custom sneaky for around $350+ depending on the cuemaker. Then again, you'll have to find someone who makes them too. Some custom cuemakers don't make sneakys.

It really depends on your budget too. I like players. Nothing against collecting cues, but to me, cues are meant to be played with. That being said, if I could get a basic Szamboti playing cue (think they start at $3000, but not sure...) I would, because I know that I am getting a cue, that is a hell of a player (IMHO mind you...) but is also sought after by collectors.
 
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