Fair Price for a UK Custom Cue?

[Master Blaster]

Ok, so what's a fair price for a UK custom made ash cue, to the standard of RC/CJ? Let's assume the price for a base cue, four splices of ebony over ash.

[jack_dougles]

£300 max, based on what top cue makers like dave brown at craftsman can charge, suppose same as everything people willing to pay for a name rather than actual goods, unfortunately parris etc all ready set the bar because of plenty of people willing to pay prices, and then wait a couple of years madness

[Master Blaster]

£300 max, based on what top cue makers like dave brown at craftsman can charge, suppose same as everything people willing to pay for a name rather than actual goods, unfortunately parris etc all ready set the bar because of plenty of people willing to pay prices, and then wait a couple of years madness

Is that what Dave charges for a basic ebony/plain ash mate? What you pay for select ash, naming number of chevrons etc please?

[Neil Taperell]

Are you talking about a turned shaft or from a blank . i.e from scratch .

Would effect the price in my opinion .

[Master Blaster]

A cue made from scratch Neil.

[jack_dougles]

they all have a large amount of blanks in stock, they will pick best piece of ash and based on your requests select best piece of wood for job then make it from there, if not as requested when finished will pick another piece of timber, but experience will enable them to see if the blank is going to have arrow after arrow or just a couple of chevrons and enable them to pick what you want, dave has made me several cues and even used his pro shaft ash( although he says himself very unlikely to use wood that would not be classed as pro ash, and always well under £300 and no one is fussier than me

[guernseygooner]

Is that what Dave charges for a basic ebony/plain ash mate? What you pay for select ash, naming number of chevrons etc please?

I paid extra for a selected shaft from a UK maker, waited 6 months and knew within 10 shots the cue wasn't for me. It was dead with no give in it whatsoever. I personally think having a cue made to order is a waste of time. Try before you buy is the only way to get it right first time.

Visiting Green Baize wasn't an option but with the money I had wasted over a year trying different cues it probably would have worked out cheaper! In the end I phoned Stu and gave him a list of 4 Maximus Ultimates from the website in my specs. As he is an ex pro I asked him to have a knock with all of them and in his opinion tell me which cue had most life in it as I wanted something to help with the slow club tables I play on.

He got back to me and recommended the cheapest of the lot - a plain black ebony butt 1 piece at just over £300. And when I got it his opinion was spot on, lovely feel to it and generates lots of spin. It was the cheapest by over £100 from the others selected which shows what sort of person he is.

[jack_dougles]

I paid extra for a selected shaft from a UK maker, waited 6 months and knew within 10 shots the cue wasn't for me. It was dead with no give in it whatsoever. I personally think having a cue made to order is a waste of time. Try before you buy is the only way to get it right first time.

Visiting Green Baize wasn't an option but with the money I had wasted over a year trying different cues it probably would have worked out cheaper! In the end I phoned Stu and gave him a list of 4 Maximus Ultimates from the website in my specs. As he is an ex pro I asked him to have a knock with all of them and in his opinion tell me which cue had most life in it as I wanted something to help with the slow club tables I play on.

He got back to me and recommended the cheapest of the lot - a plain black ebony butt 1 piece at just over £300. And when I got it his opinion was spot on, lovely feel to it and generates lots of spin. It was the cheapest by over £100 from the others selected which shows what sort of person he is.

great adive and proves what a lot of people say try before you buy, stu is a top bloke

[gazza147]

Yes Dave Brown from Craftsman Cues will make you a lovely cue from scratch with a nice shaft for under £300!

Gaz.

[sanman]

this thread is the height of stupidity in my opinion. The only fair price is what the customer is prepared to pay.

[andi mack]

I've just received this today.

Made by Andy Travis to the specs i requested. Not had a chance to go try it out yet, but if it plays as good as it looks i'll be one very happy lad.



Maybe just drop the makers you're interested in an e-mail with your specs and ask for a quote.

edit: hope Andy doesn't mind me using his pic, as i can't find my camera.

[jack_dougles]

this thread is the height of stupidity in my opinion. The only fair price is what the customer is prepared to pay.

so what you are saying is, I go into john parris place my order and then tell him what I am prepared to pay and he says that's a fair price here you go,

[rdsalt]

Considering what some trades people with a lot less skill than a cue maker charge per hour, I don't think what UK cue makers charge is out of order, they could probably make as much on a building site with a nail gun.

[Master Blaster]

Considering what some trades people with a lot less skill than a cue maker charge per hour, I don't think what UK cue makers charge is out of order, they could probably make as much on a building site with a nail gun.

I agree. Folk are spending £300 for off the shelf so I think £400 isn't outrageous when you get the finish and personal specs like that Andy Travis there.

[sanman]

What I am saying is if JP quotes a price you have the choice to buy or look elsewhere and not dictate to him what YOU want to pay unless he is willing to dicker..

so what you are saying is, I go into john parris place my order and then tell him what I am prepared to pay and he says that's a fair price here you go,