Is Robert Osborne Right?

[cazmac1]

Well hopefully as they will become very scarce on the 2nd hand market, the value of my recently bought early Osborne cue will go up

Bloody capitalist, lol

[cazmac1]

Just want to pose one more question what if every cue maker in the uk took RO lead we'd there would be a lot of disappointed uk customers. Can you imagine TSF with out
I just got my new TW post. lol

[arbitrage]

Just want to pose one more question what if every cue maker in the uk took RO lead we'd there would be a lot of disappointed uk customers. Can you imagine TSF with out
I just got my new TW post. lol

Sure but it would educate UK customers that you can't pay 700-800 quid and expect to be treated like ROS. Just like you can't go to Saville Row and try to buy a made to order top of the line superfine wool 3 piece for 300 quid.

For reference, look at pool cue prices in the US and Europe - not exactly apples to apples comparison as they use insets, inlays etc. but it does give you an indication of what even stock cues can command in these markets.

Next time you speak to Robert, tell him to come to Asia personally to take custom, limited edition orders - let's say 5 cues per year - I'm sure there are people here who will pay 5k + (or even many times that) for that privilege.

[circle]

Robert is without doubt one of the finest cue makers there are - but I fully understand the new direction he has taken his business in. Furthermore, every craftsman has to be passionate about the product they are producing - but at the same time most of us have bills to pay, and it does not make economic sense to focus on custom cues if he can make more money by diversifying his business model.

Over the last 5 years or so I have been amazed at how many beginners and not so dedicated players have gone out and spent £500plus on a cue. And when their new toy doesnt produce they goods you hear all sorts of complaints about the cue specification - which they themselves decided on - and then they contemplate on returning it or undertaking substantial alterations.............This must be one the biggest nightmares for a cue maker.....a client who has money, but not much of an idea as to what they really need.

I have used a JP for 19 years and im happy with it - but I remember that back in the day, many knowledgeable people within snooker considered Hunt & O'Byrne cues to be as a good as, if not better than Parris cues. However, JP has stood the test of time and built an enviable reputation - to such an extent that people are prepared to pay huge sums for second hand JP cues.

[mattyshinobi22]

Robert is without doubt one of the finest cue makers there are - but I fully understand the new direction he has taken his business in. Furthermore, every craftsman has to be passionate about the product they are producing - but at the same time most of us have bills to pay, and it does not make economic sense to focus on custom cues if he can make more money by diversifying his business model.

Over the last 5 years or so I have been amazed at how many beginners and not so dedicated players have gone out and spent £500plus on a cue. And when their new toy doesnt produce they goods you hear all sorts of complaints about the cue specification - which they themselves decided on - and then they contemplate on returning it or undertaking substantial alterations.............This must be one the biggest nightmares for a cue maker.....a client who has money, but not much of an idea as to what they really need.

I have used a JP for 19 years and im happy with it - but I remember that back in the day, many knowledgeable people within snooker considered Hunt & O'Byrne cues to be as a good as, if not better than Parris cues. However, JP has stood the test of time and built an enviable reputation - to such an extent that people are prepared to pay huge sums for second hand JP cues.

i agree which was the point i was making, agree on prevous post too, shame ya cant do that though, get a cue made for a pro and play like one lol. funny as it sounds people still think like this

[Jasonteh6688]

I did receive a reply for the submitted made to measure form for RO cue. Robert stated that he is unable to accept any individual order at the present time, due to many trade(resellers) orders. And he do hope to accept some individual orders in around 12 months time.

[circle]

This has reminded me of a once a week player who over his flirtation with snooker - had no less than 4 custom made cues - funny thing is that the highest break he ever made was with a rack cue, and he never came close to beating it with any of his custom cues!

[cazmac1]

I tried all the cue's makers and out of them all I found that JP cue's suited me best I've had about three JP since returning to the game. I am now playing with a cuecraft cue that I brought of the shelf and every thing about it was different than what I would have ordered and I would have to say it is not only the cheapest cue I brought but the best. I don't hold any stock in paying big money for cues any more but all the same I would have like to have brought a HO cue before he stopped making them for the uk. Sadly I will never have that option as by stopping making cues for the uk market all his cues have now gone up in price and I am not prepared to pay that kind of money for a cue.

[cazmac1]

I wish Robert all the best and hope he does start making cues for the uk as I still think that from a business point of view it makes great sense for him but is still a bad move for uk customers.

[ADR147]

of course he is right - ask any cue maker or dealer what the market is like and they will tell you people are totally mad - why bother yourself with nutters claiming the cue is 4g too heavy etc etc if you don't have to and trust me it happens every day! - RO has a niche market for his cues and best of luck to him.

[DWOT]

So John Parris, Trevor White, Mike Wooldridge etc. all turn out lesser cues nowadays than they did when they started out because they now do it for a living i.e. to make money?

*Delted as it could be slanderous, but true* lol


Allegedly............

[Neil Taperell]

Robert does not make as much money as you think . The reason he decided to go down the wholesale route was that he was struggling to make a living by taking individual orders . He said to me that ' If someone ordered a cue from him at say 57 1/2 and he planes it down to the correct length , it may be the case that the top chevron would be partly lost in the Ferrule . So he did not want to put his name to a cue like that , as he has a reputation to uphold . He would then re-make the cue .So now he can make the cues to whatever length suits the particular grain of the cue .
As a one man band he can only turn out so many cues at anyone time . I seem to recall he said about 40 every 4 months . Now if he only takes individual orders , you could probably halve that with all the emails he was receiving from customers making the smallest of changes . Therefore he was struggling to make a living . He was spending 2 days a week trying to deal with all the emails . So his stance is somewhat forced upon him .
Everytime i go to see Robert i always hassle him to make me a cue but to no avail . He is a really top bloke and he makes you so welcome . Even lets my son throw the Snooker Balls around and doesn't care ! Always asks me to bring my son when i get my tip changed , Which i will be doing this Saturday . And yes , i will hassle him again to make me a blackplate .

[jrc750]

*Delted as it could be slanderous, but true* lol

are you saying it is true, or could be ???

[Gerry Armstrong]

** Quote Removed**

I have no knowledge nor any particular interest in whether what you say is true or not, but I'd be VERY careful about stating it in public unless you have the requisite documentary evidence to back up that statement in a court of law as you may well have to produce said evidence if the cue maker you refer to sees that post and decides to take action against you.

[DWOT]

I have no knowledge nor any particular interest in whether what you say is true or not, but I'd be VERY careful about stating it in public unless you have the requisite documentary evidence to back up that statement in a court of law as you may well have to produce said evidence if the cue maker you refer to sees that post and decides to take action against you.

Doh, you edit it as well.... LOL