Maximus or ton praram cue seller in europ

[itsnoteasy]

Isn't Bilston Cues also tarted up Thai cues?

Some are (as far as I know) but openly sold as such and not at the prices some sell theirs on for.
I'm not having a go at anyone, no one is forced to buy a cue from anyone. If you go to a shop and find "the one" what is that worth to you? I if it's a cue you can use for decades, a good few hundred pounds it doesn't sound that bad.
As far as I see it we all have the right to our opinions and we can agree to disagree but I do think some folk seem a bit untouchable to criticism.

[Mark187187]

Some are (as far as I know) but openly sold as such and not at the prices some sell theirs on for.
I'm not having a go at anyone, no one is forced to buy a cue from anyone. If you go to a shop and find "the one" what is that worth to you? I if it's a cue you can use for decades, a good few hundred pounds it doesn't sound that bad.
As far as I see it we all have the right to our opinions and we can agree to disagree but I do think some folk seem a bit untouchable to criticism.

I bought my Maximus for under £300, which is the same price Bilston Cues charge for something similar. I have no problem someone calling out people overcharging, but Wity mentions cues from Greenbaize with a single splice for over £1000, and I've never seen these. Maximus Legend, premium, plus etc are around the £300 mark, and seem to be equivalent of the cues he gets from Thailand, puts a badge on and also sells for around £300. ADR does similar and sells his for around £150, which is about half the price of Bilston with similar quality.

[Gomaomine]

I bought my Maximus for under £300, which is the same price Bilston Cues charge for something similar. I have no problem someone calling out people overcharging, but Wity mentions cues from Greenbaize with a single splice for over £1000, and I've never seen these. Maximus Legend, premium, plus etc are around the £300 mark, and seem to be equivalent of the cues he gets from Thailand, puts a badge on and also sells for around £300. ADR does similar and sells his for around £150, which is about half the price of Bilston with similar quality.

You're right about Maximus cues, but in fairness, the title of this thread also includes Ton Praram cues in which case, Wity is spot on. If anything, even being generous - Plain ebony cues north of £1500 which say "Phantom" on them. Beyond Pro which use to be £400 at one point, now just shy of £1000 for a Burwat Champion design.

[Mark187187]

You're right about Maximus cues, but in fairness, the title of this thread also includes Ton Praram cues in which case, Wity is spot on. If anything, even being generous - Plain ebony cues north of £1500 which say "Phantom" on them. Beyond Pro which use to be £400 at one point, now just shy of £1000 for a Burwat Champion design.

I don't know much about Ton Praram, but I can see their entry level plain ebony cues in Greenbaize today for £315. Not saying their top end aren't expensive, but you can get one of their plain ebony cues for a lot under £1000 if you don't want their top-end shafts/exotic woods etc.

[gg29]

i do so much miss thaigate but that boat has sailed, but one of the best threads ever lol

[gg29]

and thats why i mentioned master blaster, he lit up this forum sadly missed

[Cue crafty]

and thats why i mentioned master blaster, he lit up this forum sadly missed

So who were you originally to remember him? 🤔

25 posts since 2022 just curious! I know he's on YouTube chats still but tamer these days I think.

[Cue crafty]

I don't know much about Ton Praram, but I can see their entry level plain ebony cues in Greenbaize today for £315. Not saying their top end aren't expensive, but you can get one of their plain ebony cues for a lot under £1000 if you don't want their top-end shafts/exotic woods etc.

Dead right about Maximus cues pricing. I've mentioned before on here that Ton Praram cue prices have gone through the roof and even eBay prices 2nd hand are sky high! From what I've seen myself and played a few shots with there's nothing to suggest they are superior to Maximus cues, I accept there will be possible examples of custom made that are exceptional for the buyers though.

I'm a believer that prices for items find Thier own value generally on eBay, also items/stock have always generated Thier own market value by location due to availability. I've noticed stocks of good quality Thai cues are lower in quantity than previous years. Good luck to anyone who has taken time to understand the value in price and possibly visit Thailand to have a holiday and bring a decent cue back in the bargain. Likewise a trip to Redcar beach and a bag o chips for a few days might suit many people! ,😋

[147888J]

Dead right about Maximus cues pricing. I've mentioned before on here that Ton Praram cue prices have gone through the roof and even eBay prices 2nd hand are sky high! From what I've seen myself and played a few shots with there's nothing to suggest they are superior to Maximus cues, I accept there will be possible examples of custom made that are exceptional for the buyers though.

I'm a believer that prices for items find Thier own value generally on eBay, also items/stock have always generated Thier own market value by location due to availability. I've noticed stocks of good quality Thai cues are lower in quantity than previous years. Good luck to anyone who has taken time to understand the value in price and possibly visit Thailand to have a holiday and bring a decent cue back in the bargain. Likewise a trip to Redcar beach and a bag o chips for a few days might suit many people! ,😋

Thailand is worth a trip for sure. Not only will you see big brand shops like wonderland inside, but places where lots of big brands are actually the same brand, or lots of equally beautifully made cues are made total nobodies you've never heard of.
Spent last week floating around from place to place, and I must have been to a dozen different spots where I would happily empty my Wallet. Most selling at prices marginally inflated by my different skin tone, and inability to speak Thai.
Trying to figure out which one I fancy is the hard part, but from a cost POV - absolutely annihilates anything price wise in UK/China, and from where I am now, that's also with the cost of flight added in...

As for marketing, branding and sales of a company. It's the customers right to be daft (I do feel many industries face exactly the same issue, and unless there's laws on just how much you can mark up literally any item, what you gonna do but shrug and know at least you know how google works?)

[Bilston Cues]

Here's what i wrote on farcebook last year.
it explains me and my cues...

I have occasionally been asked this question so here's my answer to a guy some 5 mins ago..

Me personally no.
Although I finish every cue and do many an alteration myself.
I buy all the woods, the ferrules, tips joints and veneers and take the order and materials to 3 different cuemakers who have been making cues from scratch each for over 30 years and are as good as anyone.
I pay them for their labour only at so much a cue so much a splice.

When I set up the deals with them I was happy to sell their own brands alongside my own on my website ( had it 4 yrs now and not posted a single photo lol)
All three said I ought to build up my own brand as they did not want to be known as cuemakers who build cues for others so it is a bit of a trade secret.

Then later on I was introduced to a Thai maker, went there on holiday and saw a few makers out there to which I deal with two of them now.
I badge them differently and sell them cheaper than the English ones as a skilled Thai guy earns £100 a week if he is lucky.

There's 360 cues here in my potting shed half English half Thai.

Funny but as far as. online sales go folks only want English ones.

Of the cues here most are
9.5mm as it suits 99% of players and can easily be altered for pool.

Most are:
one piece
58"
9.5mm
17-18oz
17" balance point
29.5mm butt

English are £350 for a plain ebony and around 400-450 depending on any extra splices.
Thai made ones are approximstely £100 cheaper.

If one cannot be altered to your spec which can normally be done in a matter of days then one can be made but will take around 8 weeks depending on the order book.

I have my own full sized table in the potting shed so folks can come and try before they buy.
Underneath which is a decent selection of cases vinyl ali and leather and I of course have all the extensions available here too.

My wood shed is crammed with loads of exotic woods but most of the shaftwoods are with my makers as I don't have room to store them especially the planks.

I have all the gear needed to make my own, a lathe, bandsaw, planes sanders etc in a smallish workshop and have my own laser machine to do custom badges and before you say "all the gear and no idea" I do know far more than many a cuemaker most of whom nowadays are at best mere topsplicers.

I originally started off doing just pearwood cues as it is far superior to Ash but so many of you out there know nothing but scaffolding wood as I call it I actually have more Ash cues now than all of the other 10 hardwood types of woods I have for shafts combined.

[Bilston Cues]

Quote...

He may be very brash about his language but Wity (Bilston Cues) is actually one of the few outspoken people who says it how it is and people seem not to accept / like it. People on this forum and other social media seem to get hounded for saying anything negative about anyone in the business of selling / making cues.

Keep doing what you're doing Wity


Cheers


There's about 400 on my farcebook blocked list. About half are fanboys of Jonny Carr who is the biggest crook in the business illegally raffling off chinese tat cues.
About 150 who are on the payroll of Taom praising and selling the biggest con in the game.
Perhaps 20 or so muppets who think Parris is gods gift to snooker.
A dozen or so prostitutes. Oh and a ladyboy from Thailand.


Sadly many a cue maker agrees with me but they tell me they won't publicly back me up as they think it will damage their own reputation and cue sales..

Funny that as every time i slate a conman and post the evidence i get a few order off the back of it.

[itsnoteasy]

Here's what i wrote on farcebook last year.
it explains me and my cues...

I have occasionally been asked this question so here's my answer to a guy some 5 mins ago..

Me personally no.
Although I finish every cue and do many an alteration myself.
I buy all the woods, the ferrules, tips joints and veneers and take the order and materials to 3 different cuemakers who have been making cues from scratch each for over 30 years and are as good as anyone.
I pay them for their labour only at so much a cue so much a splice.

When I set up the deals with them I was happy to sell their own brands alongside my own on my website ( had it 4 yrs now and not posted a single photo lol)
All three said I ought to build up my own brand as they did not want to be known as cuemakers who build cues for others so it is a bit of a trade secret.

Then later on I was introduced to a Thai maker, went there on holiday and saw a few makers out there to which I deal with two of them now.
I badge them differently and sell them cheaper than the English ones as a skilled Thai guy earns £100 a week if he is lucky.

There's 360 cues here in my potting shed half English half Thai.

Funny but as far as. online sales go folks only want English ones.

Of the cues here most are
9.5mm as it suits 99% of players and can easily be altered for pool.

Most are:
one piece
58"
9.5mm
17-18oz
17" balance point
29.5mm butt

English are £350 for a plain ebony and around 400-450 depending on any extra splices.
Thai made ones are approximstely £100 cheaper.

If one cannot be altered to your spec which can normally be done in a matter of days then one can be made but will take around 8 weeks depending on the order book.

I have my own full sized table in the potting shed so folks can come and try before they buy.
Underneath which is a decent selection of cases vinyl ali and leather and I of course have all the extensions available here too.

My wood shed is crammed with loads of exotic woods but most of the shaftwoods are with my makers as I don't have room to store them especially the planks.

I have all the gear needed to make my own, a lathe, bandsaw, planes sanders etc in a smallish workshop and have my own laser machine to do custom badges and before you say "all the gear and no idea" I do know far more than many a cuemaker most of whom nowadays are at best mere topsplicers.

I originally started off doing just pearwood cues as it is far superior to Ash but so many of you out there know nothing but scaffolding wood as I call it I actually have more Ash cues now than all of the other 10 hardwood types of woods I have for shafts combined.

Are the cues made in England from ash boards you have picked yourself from this country?

[Bilston Cues]

Most yes. although there's been times when I was short of ash and have in effect bought some from my cuemakers.

[itsnoteasy]

Most yes. although there's been times when I was short of ash and have in effect bought some from my cuemakers.

That's surprised me, in a very good way, all credit to you!

[gg29]

Most yes. although there's been times when I was short of ash and have in effect bought some from my cuemakers.

so you bought planks, blanks, or turned shafts?