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handmade ??? probably not !!!

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  • handmade ??? probably not !!!

    First off please let me start by saying i am not about to point fingers and name people publicly, but after after reading many coments hidden in different threads, it is clear that there are some cuemakers and forum members here
    that feel a little anoyed by the fact that some cuemakers badge there cues as "handmade" when in fact they are imported "thai cues" !!!
    This thread is NOT aimed at exposing these people or in anyway an attempt to s#it stir, it is just my own opinions on how i feel about it, and how i think it afects myself and a few other guys in this funny trade

    Point 1 - i feel that people are getting frustrated about the waiting times from some of the genuine guys, "good things come to those that wait" and "you cant rush a good thing" both spring to mind !!!

    Point 2 - - it is only 3 years since i decided to make cues (a massive gamble and cost may i add) and at the time there was two guys who i was aware of that do this, something that did not put me off !, but in the past 3 years since my decision to do this there are now 5 guys who i know to be at it, with a dozen or so forum members each year asking for information or tips as it is something they want to try, which gets me thinking how this market will be affected in future years ?

    Point 3 - it is impossible for me to market my own "customised cues" without pi#sing others off! for example they are verry good cues as anyone who has seen greenbaize cues will know! also the fact that there are two former world champions who are knocking in there centuries weekly with the same thai cues! and as stated by other makers they have all the best ash !

    Point 4 - with quality matirials getting increasingly harder to source i belive that thai cues are only going to get more and more popular here in the uk and abroad !

    Point 5 - pricing ! with the power of the internet we see pictures week in week out of buitiful cues with some great shafts, something that is very difficult to source here in the uk, to the honest cuemaker this is something that carries a sercharge (and rightfuly so) but to others it is an opertunity to have red - green - blackplates ect !
    and add to the cost of an already disshonest cue !

    Point 7 - if you think that this does not affect the price structure of genuine handmade cues your wrong ! in fact i will never be happy making a fully handmade cue with all the labour and hassle of visiting timber yards ect at a lesser price than a "thai convertor" ! and i know of other makers that feel the same

    Point 6 - THIS WILL NEVER CHANGE !!!!!!!! as what starts off as a passion or hobby always ends up a bussiness !


    Finally - i started this thread stating that im not trying to be a ******, and would like to end it with the fact that ive got nothing but respect for each and every cuemaker out there, some more than others just like yourselves !
    i just hope that one day something hapens to change the way cues are badged, so that the prices reflect the way things are done !
    Last edited by crispian jones; 21 July 2013, 02:52 PM.

  • #2
    Good post mate, shame everyone just cannot be truthful on where they source their cues

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    • #3
      handmade ??? probably not !!!

      I am sure mate once the sunshine golf and cricket has disappeared u will have plenty of "interesting" responses to your post.
      Its not how well you play its how good you look playing that counts!

      Comment


      • #4
        Here in Malaysia, Thai's cue is dominating the snooker cue market. The cues from China are not really good in quality but cheap in price, and cues from UK are very good in quality but just considered quite expensive. So most people would buy Thai's cue because it is better quality than China cue and cheaper than UK cue.

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        • #5
          Originally Posted by involver View Post
          ... So most people would buy Thai's cue because it is better quality than China cue and cheaper than UK cue.
          Your missing the point i think, some UK cues are actually Thai cues, then they maybe add a splice then cues are re-badged as UK cues !!!
          Edit: actually Thai cues play excellent

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          • #6
            A very interesting and honest post. Yes the wait is fairly long for a 'genuine' uk made cue these days however I have to agree, good things come to those who wait. Imo uk made cues are the best quality etc. They may be slightly dearer but, at the end of the day you get what you pay for. I feel you have more confidence in the quality as you have a physical point of contact rather than just some company in thailand.

            However the misrepresenting of 'UK made' is a problem and to some degree a con, by those doing this. Great respect goes to those like yourself who are open. I assume it is currently affecting the cue makers as those who aren't in the know are still purchasing them and taking away their business.

            Recently I have tried to make a few cues, with no intention of setting up a business!!!!! I can say it is a very difficult craft to get right and have even more respect for the great cue makers. From searching around on the forum there are others that have done this. I have to say my reasoning was purely out of interest (being a geek). I have to agree material sourcing is very difficult in this country, however if you look abroad it is slightly easier. Particularly if you buy in bulk. With the better quality materials going to the far east, what is stopping a cue maker/s from importing it in raw?

            Comment


            • #7
              Originally Posted by RogiBear View Post
              A very interesting and honest post. Yes the wait is fairly long for a 'genuine' uk made cue these days however I have to agree, good things come to those who wait. Imo uk made cues are the best quality etc. They may be slightly dearer but, at the end of the day you get what you pay for. I feel you have more confidence in the quality as you have a physical point of contact rather than just some company in thailand.

              However the misrepresenting of 'UK made' is a problem and to some degree a con, by those doing this. Great respect goes to those like yourself who are open. I assume it is currently affecting the cue makers as those who aren't in the know are still purchasing them and taking away their business.

              Recently I have tried to make a few cues, with no intention of setting up a business!!!!! I can say it is a very difficult craft to get right and have even more respect for the great cue makers. From searching around on the forum there are others that have done this. I have to say my reasoning was purely out of interest (being a geek). I have to agree material sourcing is very difficult in this country, however if you look abroad it is slightly easier. Particularly if you buy in bulk. With the better quality materials going to the far east, what is stopping a cue maker/s from importing it in raw?
              I am not in any way suggesting these guys stop making cues, most of them do a fantasic job, and without these guys you would be looking at a 6 year wait from some cuemakers
              i just belive that the wording "HANDMADE" sould be dropped from the badges !!! it is missleading and it adds to the cost massivly !
              These guys would still sell there cues no problem, i just find it so dissapointing that i acctually badge my cues honestly and therefore reduce there value ! and if people knew to what extent this goes on then they would happily invest in a honest custom cue ?

              my phone rings daily with miss sold ppi messages, will it be ringing in ten years with a miss sold handmade cue message ??
              Last edited by crispian jones; 21 July 2013, 05:41 PM. Reason: spelling error

              Comment


              • #8
                personally i dont see the big deal about thai cues, if they can be made cheaper, to the same standard and with a lesser waiting time then whats the problem with admitting using them if you are a uk cue maker?

                i would imagine the majority of splicing and finishing is done in the uk.

                at the end of the day a cue is a cue.
                http://e.imagehost.org/0813/Mellow_yellow_sig1.jpg

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                • #9
                  Originally Posted by Mellow Yellow View Post
                  personally i dont see the big deal about thai cues, if they can be made cheaper, to the same standard and with a lesser waiting time then whats the problem with admitting using them if you are a uk cue maker?

                  i would imagine the majority of splicing and finishing is done in the uk.

                  at the end of the day a cue is a cue.
                  Very good point mate, i dont see the problem either, thats why i use them, i also dont think that some prices are unreasonable as the costs do mount up quickly and everyone is just trying to make there businesses work which is essential to them !

                  The issue is all down to the badges !!! and how things are marketed !!!

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                  • #10
                    Snooker cue making seems to be a bit like horse racing, you know there's dishonesty but it's hard to prove, you also know there's good honest people but do they get rewarded, not overly! Name and shame i say, it's the only way to let naive buyers know who are the decent honest craftsmen!
                    Don't let the fear of losing be greater than the excitement of winning...

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                    • #11
                      Originally Posted by crispian jones View Post
                      Very good point mate, i dont see the problem either, thats why i use them, i also dont think that some prices are unreasonable as the costs do mount up quickly and everyone is just trying to make there businesses work which is essential to them.
                      The issue is all down to the badges !!! and how things are marketed !!!


                      What do you think the badge should say? Is it ok to say 'Handmade'?

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                      • #12
                        Originally Posted by SouthPaw View Post
                        Snooker cue making seems to be a bit like horse racing, you know there's dishonesty but it's hard to prove, you also know there's good honest people but do they get rewarded, not overly! Name and shame i say, it's the only way to let naive buyers know who are the decent honest craftsmen!
                        It is not my place to name anyone, most of them probably make better cues than me so it would be silly to even try

                        But i do strongly believe that the badge issue needs sorting as it is genuinely getting to the stage that within years if not already most "handmade" cues will not be genuinely handmade at all.

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                        • #13
                          Originally Posted by Bigmeek View Post
                          [/B]
                          What do you think the badge should say? Is it ok to say 'Handmade'?

                          A good example would be aroura cues, there badge states "handspliced" or "custom cues" canada !

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                          • #14
                            This old chestnut again, why muddy the water and cast aspersions on people just trying to run a business, they have a right to state hand made, regardless of whose hand made it!
                            No one is listening until you make a mistake!

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Originally Posted by culraven View Post
                              This old chestnut again, why muddy the water and cast aspersions on people just trying to run a business, they have a right to state hand made, regardless of whose hand made it!
                              ok so i have 15 of my customised cues here all spliced up, i will put a handmade badge in one for you if you like ?

                              would you buy it ?

                              Maybe im the idiot by being honest ?

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