'Hand Made' Cues - Do they have any inherent value?

[Homer]

Would have to have 80" cues and a rather long badge to fit all the record all the contributors.

I guess the name just denotes who's company it is and handmade denotes not made completely by robots.

Sensible reply that mate.

I think you should think of the makers name as more his brand than his actual name. Ie John Parris is a brand name, bit like Georgio Armani, Enzo Ferrari.

100% of players (including pros) havent a clue if their cue has been gnawed from a tree at the bottom the garden or turned on a big lathe and 99% dont much care.

[itsnoteasy]

The point I was trying to make is, it was suggested you are paying the big bucks for the craftsmanship and knowledge of wood and how the shaft should be tapered etc for each individual cue,by a craftsman, but are you getting that once a maker becomes huge and has a few folk in a workshop making them for him?
If you want to compare it to hand made cars, they have the badge( or brand) but the person who built the engine or put it together, quite a lot of the time has their signature on the car somewhere, because they are the craftsman that built that badged car.

[Shockerz]

The point I was trying to make is, it was suggested you are paying the big bucks for the craftsmanship and knowledge of wood and how the shaft should be tapered etc for each individual cue,by a craftsman, but are you getting that once a maker becomes huge and has a few folk in a workshop making them for him?

I personally thought people were paying the big bucks for the name on the badge to make the cues which is why this debate crops up often. If the maker becomes huge then at some point that's where this ceases to be the case but the perception remains for many which is what causes the issue.

If you want to compare it to hand made cars, they have the badge( or brand) but the person who built the engine or put it together, quite a lot of the time has their signature on the car somewhere, because they are the craftsman that built that badged car.

Without trying to be smart (and I'm really not); If you want to compare it to art, you go to a famous artist because of what they craft together and produce, after buying what you think is an original with the artists name on the bottom you find out that most of the work was carried out somewhere else but he chose the right paint and canvas and showed the apprentices how to put a nice piece together.

You'd get crucified. Maybe it's not the same as an example but the emotional state of the buyer probably sits somewhere between the two examples.

Doesn't mean to say the painting isn't a great one or even better than the the original artist but that's not the point. A painting isn't a 'Lowrey' just because it has stick men in it.

Hopefully that wasn't sarcastic, it wasn't meant to be.

[vmax4steve]

If you want to compare it to hand made cars, they have the badge( or brand) but the person who built the engine or put it together, quite a lot of the time has their signature on the car somewhere, because they are the craftsman that built that badged car.

Yes but the car isn't hammered into shape by a blacksmith over a forge and anvil, which is probably the only true hand made metal work. And the blacksmith doesn't smelt his own ore either, buys in metal ready to go.

I spent three hours this afternoon planing and scraping entirely by hand two shafts down from 3mm oversize to 1mm oversize. the last 1mm will be sanded entirely by hand; my blisters and my aching shoulder tells me that I work with my hands, and that was after my 6-2 shift at work this morning. It's OK for splasher to pour scorn on everyone elses efforts because they have a few machines to do the donkey work, but to be honest he doesn't have a ****ing clue just what a tiring and very long process making a cue by hand actually is; I for one don't believe he has ever done anything even remotely hands on with a cue, and that includes playing with one.

But the title of this thread is asking do hand made cues have any inherent (dictionary definition: existing as an inseparable part) value, and the answer to that is a resounding NO! unless a certain air dried ash hand made cue suffused with magic oil can make everyone who holds it a better player
A cue of different specs can make someone a better player as it could instigate a technique change, but a hand made cue ordered and built to a persons preferable specs will differ little from what they are used to and won't change anything just because it has been made by hand.

I suppose a hand made cue is more expensive by right because it has taken a lot longer to make, but that 'inherent' value after the first purchase surely doesn't exist (with the exception of one of historical interest) as it's now second hand, and the fact that it is being sold on proves that it changed nothing or was bought by a spiv.

[noeticnonsense]

If a well made cue for £200 or under allows an experienced player to deliver the cue in a straight line and consistently play shots the same each time. Then what is the difference with more expensive cues other than aesthetics?

This is something I'm trying to work out before making a purchase.

[Shockerz]

If a well made cue for £200 or under allows an experienced player to deliver the cue in a straight line and consistently play shots the same each time. Then what is the difference with more expensive cues other than aesthetics?

This is something I'm trying to work out before making a purchase.

If you can find a cue that does everything you need it to do then price is secondary if it happens to be under £200.

I'm sure there are plenty of decent second hand cues out there that would do this and have stayed straight for the duration.

[itsnoteasy]

Shockerz that's exactly what happens with artists, apprentices do a lot of the boring bits on a painting ( that's how they learn) so on a portrait they would do the background and hands and feet etc, ( I'm only blurting out something I watched on a documentary.) and the top lad would do the face and clothes or whatever.

[Shockerz]

Shockerz that's exactly what happens with artists, apprentices do a lot of the boring bits on a painting ( that's how they learn) so on a portrait they would do the background and hands and feet etc, ( I'm only blurting out something I watched on a documentary.) and the top lad would do the face and clothes or whatever.

What!!!! That's ridiculous, I've been robbed, call the fraud squad. I was told the painting was by the original artist, not imported canvas from Thailand, paint from our local creche and the modern art completed by chimps at Monkey World.............aaaaahhhhhhhh.

[Big Splash!]

If a well made cue for £200 or under allows an experienced player to deliver the cue in a straight line and consistently play shots the same each time. Then what is the difference with more expensive cues other than aesthetics?

This is something I'm trying to work out before making a purchase.

Tom147, one of the best forum members hits the big numbers with a Cue Craft. Trump started his career with one as well. They don't cost loads. There's a lot of badge snobbery. Another player here I never miss blue hits the numbers and he's using an old Joe Davis maple cue. You can find good ones on ebay for £50 sometimes. Mastercraft make some lovely cues, very good value. As do Maximus, Ton Praram, J6 on here. Or you can go the bespoke route such as Glover, White, Parris, etc. Maybe badges are a placebo and give some players more confidence and the play better as a result? I dunno. But I've used fancy JPUs, TW, etc, etc, and there's no way I'd swap any for my air-dried 80s Powerglide. It's all down to what suits the individual I guess.

[Shockerz]

Tom147, one of the best forum members hits the big numbers with a Cue Craft. Trump started his career with one as well. They don't cost loads. There's a lot of badge snobbery. Another player here I never miss blue hits the numbers and he's using an old Joe Davis maple cue. You can find good ones on ebay for £50 sometimes. Mastercraft make some lovely cues, very good value. As do Maximus, Ton Praram, J6 on here. Or you can go the bespoke route such as Glover, White, Parris, etc. Maybe badges are a placebo and give some players more confidence and the play better as a result? I dunno. But I've used fancy JPUs, TW, etc, etc, and there's no way I'd swap any for my air-dried 80s Powerglide. It's all down to what suits the individual I guess.

Powerglide? You 80's snob!

[itsnoteasy]

I asked a while ago what's the difference between a cue that's say£800 and one that's £200 and was told a lot of it is the quality and different types of wood that are used for the splicing, which makes sense, more exotic or rarer woods must be more expensive to buy.

[ghost121]

I asked a while ago what's the difference between a cue that's say£800 and one that's £200 and was told a lot of it is the quality and different types of wood that are used for the splicing, which makes sense, more exotic or rarer woods must be more expensive to buy.

That plays a part, but never to the tune of £600. Some cues cost more simply because the market will support that price. Mostly down to badge. The ticket price at this higher price point will never represent inherent value. It represents market value.

[Big Splash!]

Powerglide? You 80's snob!

Howard Jones + Angel Ash? Life was good back then. Broke but good.

[Shockerz]

Howard Jones + Angel Ash? Life was good back then. Broke but good.

God I miss the 80's.

Playing snooker through the night until it was light. Good music, Crap dancin. Playing football. Lots of energy and Only Fools and Horses.....

[Big Splash!]

God I miss the 80's.

Playing snooker through the night until it was light. Good music, Crap dancin. Playing football. Lots of energy and Only Fools and Horses.....

O levels! Denim jackets. Pod shoes. Spiky dyed hair. 501s. Raleigh bikes. Powerglide cues.

No mobiles, no problem! Life was simpler and easier. Yeah man, late nights in the club, with Davis against Taylor on the box and everyone round it eating chips, people smoking, folk drinking. Good times. Imagine a cue maker then saying you'll have to wait 5yrs and pay me at least a grand for a cue mate. He would have been laughed at! Different now. lol