Will Refinishing Lower Resale?

[TheFish]

I am thinking of getting my bender refinished, and swapping the linen wrap for a leather wrap. I was goign to do that in one go with my skip weston at Proficient, but am hesitant because i am not sure if that will lower the value.

My bender aint fancy, just a 10 pointer bocote/tulipwood into ebony, but if i do plan on reselling it, i dun want the fact that it was refinished by scot (nothing against his work AT ALL by the way) to lower the value?

Should i just pay a little more and get it done by Bender himself (if he does it?)

 

[Michael Webb]

Scott is known for quality work, I don't think it would hurt the value. Just my opinion.

 

[mjantti]

Question on refinishing.

Is this common, my friend has an old custom cue, quite valuable these days. And then this cuemaker was asked how long it would take, the answer was several months. Then when asked if the cue could be taken elsewhere for refinishing the cuemaker said that in that case the logo should be sanded off, because the cue no longer is made by that particular cuemaker.

Is this common, a cue refinished elsewhere should have the cuemakers name or logo sanded off, because it's not entirely his making anymore ?

 

[no-sho]

Is this common, my friend has an old custom cue, quite valuable these days. And then this cuemaker was asked how long it would take, the answer was several months. Then when asked if the cue could be taken elsewhere for refinishing the cuemaker said that in that case the logo should be sanded off, because the cue no longer is made by that particular cuemaker.

Is this common, a cue refinished elsewhere should have the cuemakers name or logo sanded off, because it's not entirely his making anymore ?

First I ever heard of it and I have quite alot of cues refinished for different customers.

No-sho

 

[Michael Webb]

Every cue is taken on a one to one basis. Give more info, What kind of cue are you talking about.

 

[OldHasBeen]

YES, (imo)

I am thinking of getting my bender refinished, and swapping the linen wrap for a leather wrap. I was goign to do that in one go with my skip weston at Proficient, but am hesitant because i am not sure if that will lower the value.

My bender aint fancy, just a 10 pointer bocote/tulipwood into ebony, but if i do plan on reselling it, i dun want the fact that it was refinished by scot (nothing against his work AT ALL by the way) to lower the value?

Should i just pay a little more and get it done by Bender himself (if he does it?)

Many, Many years ago, I sent my Balabushka to Danny Janes to have it refinished. He called me and said he wouldn't touch it and he highly recommended that no one else do either.
Years later when I had John Wright appraise & authenticate it; he said it would have knocked off about 40% of the value - If I would ever have had it refinished.

TY & GL

 

[Michael Webb]

That's why you take them on a one to one basis.

 

[mjantti]

Every cue is taken on a one to one basis. Give more info, What kind of cue are you talking about.

Don't want to mention the cuemaker, but the cue is a basic 4 pointer with one shaft. Priced well over $1000 these days and very hard to find. Actually, never seen one similar sold anywhere.

The problem is also the distance, sending cue to the other side of the world isn't very nice, especially if you don't know when you're going to get it back. "Some months" may easily turn into a year or so... It would be very convenient and fast to let a European cuemaker to finish the cue.

 

[Michael Webb]

Send me a PM about the cue name and I can help you in the direction to go.
Some important questions before you let the cue out of your possesion.
For any cuemaker,
How long will you have it,
Can you replace this logo or tape it off so it's not lost.

 

[Deno J. Andrews]

It depends how collectible the cue ends up being and how uninformed the buyer is. In my opinion the most astute collectors are those who seek out originality.

I would only have cues refinished that are in dire need for conservation. Here is a link that shows much of my collection; there is only one that is refinished and it needed serious help:
http://www.3cushion.com/On Line Collection/Tools of the Game.htm

Deno Andrews

 

[Qjunkie]

How bad is the condition of the Bender? Whatever the case, always try to have the original maker re-finish the cue. Scot at Proficient did an awesome job restoring a old Palmer for me. I have at 86 Southwest and when I had Laurie Frankiln authenticate the cue, she said the finish and the wrap wasnt original. Although the cue didnt need a refinish, I had SW refinish and rewrap the cue anyway- just to ensure the cue had a SW finish and wrap.

 

[alpine9430]

I am thinking of getting my bender refinished, and swapping the linen wrap for a leather wrap. I was goign to do that in one go with my skip weston at Proficient, but am hesitant because i am not sure if that will lower the value.

My bender aint fancy, just a 10 pointer bocote/tulipwood into ebony, but if i do plan on reselling it, i dun want the fact that it was refinished by scot (nothing against his work AT ALL by the way) to lower the value?

Should i just pay a little more and get it done by Bender himself (if he does it?)

I also have a 15-point Bender and love the hit.

Why not contact Mike Bender and get his input?
IMO...
Also take into account what you like and do not like with the existing cue.
If the front end is heavy, they can replace the steel pin with a titanium pin and so forth to meet your needs.
I am sure that there is someone on this forum that can provide you some contact information to Mike Bender.

In my case, I contacted Bill Schick about a Schick and got some very valuable inputs on what he could do with a simple 4 pointer.
These guys know their cues and what they have done during their builds in a given year.
Seek their valuable inputs and proceed either through them directly or through the valuable service organizations as Proficient is.

Keep the balls fallen and keep your opponent warming his chair...
Alpine9430

 

[Bruce S. de Lis]

Why not contact Mike Bender and get his input?
IMO...

Same thoughts as mine...

 

[cueman]

On collectable cues it depends on the type finish that is on the cue. If you put a modern thick acrylic finish on a Bushka or Rambo you will devalue it alot. If you hand rub a few coats of shaft sealer of super thin laquer on them it will not devalue them. Changing the wrap will devalue the old cues the most, provided the wrap is even close to tolerable. What I am saying is that the new finish needs to be very close to the same as the original finish. The thick Joss finish on a Bushka would definitely have devalued it. Maintain the original signature and put a modern finish on a modern cue and it will not hurt the value, but will most likely increase the value. That is my opinion.
Chris
www.cuesmith.com
www.internationalcuemakers.com