handmade ??? probably not !!!

[crispian jones]

I wanted to get a cue that had exactly my specs and also a medium flex shaft and after trying out maybe over 200 cues I was not able to find one that suited me perfectly. So I decided to bite the bullet and go to Mike Wooldridge and order a cue from him but detailing the exact specs I was looking for.

In the end after a good wait Mike was able to produce a cue exactly to my specs at 800+ with extensions and shipping, and except for a crack in the butt which showed up later, (now fixed), the cue plays very well (for me at least) and I still use it as my playing cue.

The question is, could I have gone to one of the Thai or Chinese cuemakers a received the same workmanship and adherence to my exact specs. I suspect not and there would be some trial and error involved. I had tried this before with Aurora cues and wasn't happy with the results. I'm trying it again with Trevor to see what these specs in a 1pc will feel like (I know I could have ordered a 1pc from Mike but the cost and wait would kill me.)

So I think basically I got what I paid for, which was excellent workmanship and attention to detail. Would I have received the same from an overseas cuemaker for 500 less? I don't believe so unless I visited their factory and specified exactly the shaft flex I wanted, etc. etc. I believe there is still a case to be made for the British cuemakers but the price and wait times are killing some of their possible sales.

Terry

Mikes quality of work speaks for its self mate, thats not the topic here, ive acctualy bought 3 cues myself from mike, the issue is about whether people actually make there cues, now mike i know has been quiet on this thread and is not someone who i wish to slander as ive got utmost respect for his cues (i sincerly mean that) but mike has been down this road before ! one difference with mike is that if he did use imported cues he would not be silly enough to use them if they had easy to spot tell tale signs, ie opposit splices ect (things that have been pointed out already) quite simply the finish on his cues make it very difficult to judge....
now mike is no idiot either and i can bet he has seen cues here on this forum in recent months for sale or promotion, cues that have simply been badged and finished off with absolutly no attempt to disguise there origin !

[damienlch]

Short of naming fingers and pointing names (don't think that's ever going to happen), is there any way ordinary folks can spot the not?

[archalf1471]

handmade ??? probably not !!!

Has your order book swelled since you started this post Crispian?

Funny but as a previous customer of yours I have lost a lot of respect for you since you began this post. All you have done is attempted to raise your own profile at the expense of others. You claim respect for all the other cuemakers in the UK regardless of how they conduct their business but all you have achieved is to cast aspersions in their general direction and on the occasion of being backed into a corner when other members have put forward names you have not mentioned any by name so we as a consumer have not benifited from your full 2 years
cuemaking in identifying which cuemakers we are supposed to avoid in order to make an informed choice.

I know of certain cuemakers that have lost business as a direct result of your Ill advised post so hopefully that makes you feel better in that knowledge.

That being said I wish you the same success with your cues as you had with your cases just don't expect an order from me in the future

[Terry Davidson]

mellow:

It wasn't that way at all. When I received the cue from Mike I figured it was the cue for me and I would use it until I croaked. However, 2 months later the cue developed a 6" crack in the butt down to and into the veneer/splice and a 2" crack in the ebony above the joint, so I decided to order a cue from Trevor with the same specs but a 1pc.

After I ordered from Trevor I was told about a very special glue which would swell the wood, seal the crack and make the butt as new again. I've since used this glue and it worked perfectly and you need a magnifying glass to spot the crack now and after 4 months there is no indication the crack is not stable.

I decided not to cancel the order with Trevor as I would like to try a 1pc to my exact specs and I know Trevor will do a good job. If I can't get on with it then I can sell it on and not lose money either, so win-win all around.

And, no, I don't have 'more money than brains'. I'm just a poor OAP on a fixed income.

Terry

[paddybhoy30]

Has your order book swelled since you started this post Crispian?

Funny but as a previous customer of yours I have lost a lot of respect for you since you began this post. All you have done is attempted to raise your own profile at the expense of others. You claim respect for all the other cuemakers in the UK regardless of how they conduct their business but all you have achieved is to cast aspersions in their general direction and on the occasion of being backed into a corner when other members have put forward names you have not mentioned any by name so we as a consumer have not benifited from your full 2 years
cuemaking in identifying which cuemakers we are supposed to avoid in order to make an informed choice.

I know of certain cuemakers that have lost business as a direct result of your Ill advised post so hopefully that makes you feel better in that knowledge.

That being said I wish you the same success with your cues as you had with your cases just don't expect an order from me in the future

So it's crispians fault.

Wow.

[paddybhoy30]

It look's like some people are happy to pay upwards of £400 quid that probably cost about £160 to make.

[JasonOwen]

I have to say, Ive just spent 8 hrs in the workshop, spliced one cue, and taken the butt splices down to finish on another. Sweated my nuts off and worked like a mule. I might get 2 cues finished by the end of the week. Thats 2 x £280, which is my charge for a plain cue. Cost me around £160 in materials for both, so a profit of £400 for a good 40 hr weeks work, Thats £10 an hr.
Crispian spent 3hrs rebadging a thai cue with his customised badge. Cost him £100 and he sells it for £240 I think was mentioned.
£140 for 3hrs work. Thats £46 an hr. !!!!!!!!!!!!!
SO....
Ive just ordered a new badge, Jason Owen Ti cues, plain ebony cues from Thai land will be available to buy from stock off my website, up and running in 1 month.

[alanvdh]

To Terry,
I don't understand why you didn't send the cue back to Mike Wooldridge. Sh#t happens, but surely Mike would have fixed it?

[crispian jones]

Has your order book swelled since you started this post Crispian?

Funny but as a previous customer of yours I have lost a lot of respect for you since you began this post. All you have done is attempted to raise your own profile at the expense of others. You claim respect for all the other cuemakers in the UK regardless of how they conduct their business but all you have achieved is to cast aspersions in their general direction and on the occasion of being backed into a corner when other members have put forward names you have not mentioned any by name so we as a consumer have not benifited from your full 2 years
cuemaking in identifying which cuemakers we are supposed to avoid in order to make an informed choice.

I know of certain cuemakers that have lost business as a direct result of your Ill advised post so hopefully that makes you feel better in that knowledge.

That being said I wish you the same success with your cues as you had with your cases just don't expect an order from me in the future

oh well mate, something i will have to live with eh ! as for my oreder book swelling, i can assure you thats not the case, i stopped taking oreders a few months ago when my wife was diagnosed with cancer
i have not criticized in any way anyones products, only there disrispectful attempt to sell them for an inflated price with a disshonest badge ! and as for looseing business, what kind of busness is it when someone tryes to help by putting a clear thread for everyone here to see ?
i could have easily set up a new account with a different name and hid behind it, but no thats not who i am !

the influence in this game is also as disshonest as the game itself with certain people now supplying thai cues (yes ebony included) to the newer cuemakers in order to make profit, yes your profit too, so how the **** can i be the bad guy here eh ?

now to just name people would be ruthless, no just ****ing nasty to be honest but hey ho is thats what people want ? (by people i mean the mast majority not just you)

ive started a thread here that is not going away obviously, that i can see and half wish i had not started it either but here we are !

ive stated that i believe (my opinion only) that there are 6 cuemakers that practice this way of working and credit to them as financially im sure they are better off for it ( thanks again to you and other guys)

without naming names i have stated that i know of at least 5 forum cuemaker members that are on this forum that do this how much more can i give you ?
do the ****ing math and work it out for yourself !

now i am getting a little or a lot anoyed by the whole sittuation, and it is agitating me more and more by the hour so if you have been asked to come here to defend anyone of the cuemakers then i would suggest that you just disapeer as i will not name any 1 cuemaker ! that would again be unfair ! i will expose them all as thats the only way to do it ?

[archalf1471]

handmade ??? probably not !!!

at least you've taken the time to learn how to use your spell check so well done for that.

oh in your words can't be that ****ing busy or you wouldn't be able to reply in great depth so quickly.

did u honestly think you would get the whole snooker community congratulating you for posting this?
and clearly whilst you are happy to take the plaudits you are also touchy when critisised thus the **** expletives used in order to express yourself so there we go. Anyway as you're getting all "fed up" I'll leave you to write your next defensive essay as I've put my point of view across which will displease others but unlike you I can clearly handle it as I believe in two sides to every argument without resorting to xxxx

[crispian jones]

I have to say, Ive just spent 8 hrs in the workshop, spliced one cue, and taken the butt splices down to finish on another. Sweated my nuts off and worked like a mule. I might get 2 cues finished by the end of the week. Thats 2 x £280, which is my charge for a plain cue. Cost me around £160 in materials for both, so a profit of £400 for a good 40 hr weeks work, Thats £10 an hr.
Crispian spent 3hrs rebadging a thai cue with his customised badge. Cost him £100 and he sells it for £240 I think was mentioned.
£140 for 3hrs work. Thats £46 an hr. !!!!!!!!!!!!!
SO....
Ive just ordered a new badge, Jason Owen Ti cues, plain ebony cues from Thai land will be available to buy from stock off my website, up and running in 1 month.

£46 an hour ? just how much would i make per hour if i put two of these cues up on this forum with handmade badges in each of them asking for sensible offers of around £400 each then ?????

[renzie67]

Name the 6 of them then

[crispian jones]

oh wait a minute - thats £100 an hour ! my maths is obviously better than my spelling eh

[archalf1471]

handmade ??? probably not !!!

oh my mistake still errors!!!

[alanvdh]

hear, hear !!