Cue craft quality rushed?

[qc2]

first pic looks like whatever was used to mask when painting wasn't properly removed. The second pic looks like a kink in the black paint. Assuming it's a painted butt. If I'm wrong I should really get my eyes checked again

[bringmeflowers]

first pic looks like whatever was used to mask when painting wasn't properly removed. The second pic looks like a kink in the black paint. Assuming it's a painted butt. If I'm wrong I should really get my eyes checked again

I didn't take many photos but the black spikes go down the cue and up the cue halfway up the butt end. The top spikes do look rough on the edges like it's not painted properly or they put masking tape on wrong and the paint either bleeded or because the tape wasn't on straight, it went off level. I have no idea about the making process so I'm just guessing. Hand painted? Machine painted? ��*♂️

[narl]

Barry Stark paid them a visit a while back, check out the cues in the rack at the end particularly the "tulip spliced" cue, the lower splices are all over the place. As are most of the "v" points on the ebony splices of most of their other cues.

[bringmeflowers]

Barry Stark paid them a visit a while back, check out the cues in the rack at the end particularly the "tulip spliced" cue, the lower splices are all over the place. As are most of the "v" points on the ebony splices of most of their other cues.

I'll be honest, I'm not up on the names of splices but I'm assuming that's what this cue is? This is a C56. Without knowing how they are made (from what I can see it doesn't say machine, hand or anything) I have no idea how they do it.

[narl]

I'll be honest, I'm not up on the names of splices but I'm assuming that's what this cue is? This is a C56. Without knowing how they are made (from what I can see it doesn't say machine, hand or anything) I have no idea how they do it.

The description seems to imply painted on black splices, as it mentions ash and maple, not ebony.

https://www.cuecraft.com/index.php?m...roducts_id=538

[rdsalt]

Going by the description and price I would think it's a solid maple butt and an ash shaft with black paint to look like ebony splicing between the ash and maple. If it is paint then it surely will have no affect at all on how the cue plays, it just depends on how much the cosmetics annoy you. At least they are genuine with their descriptions and not trying to pass it off as a properly spliced cue.

[bringmeflowers]

Have you contacted them yet? The first port of call of an issue, complaint, etc is with the supplier you paid.
Let us know how it goes and good luck.

Hello Sir



All I can do is apologise and it should not have left here like that.



"Please send it back and we will resolve the issues and of course refund your postage costs.



Please accept my sincere apologies for this inconvenience".

I've sent another email asking for a refund since I'm unsure what "resolve the issue" actually entails? I'll be sending it back tomorrow morning.

[Mark187187]

I pressume they'd just send a replacement. I can't see them fiddling around and refinishing a cue at that price. Tbh I'd imagine any cue they sent out to you now would be double checked, so you should be safe. I understand, however, that sometimes when you lose faith with a seller it can feel better to just go elsewhere.

[bringmeflowers]

I pressume they'd just send a replacement. I can't see them fiddling around and refinishing a cue at that price. Tbh I'd imagine any cue they sent out to you now would be double checked, so you should be safe. I understand, however, that sometimes when you lose faith with a seller it can feel better to just go elsewhere.

Sadly it's more of a kick in the teeth because they said they would pay for the delivery but because I'm asking for a refund, they have refused to pay it. Feels like they have me snookered. Get a new cue and wait 4-6 weeks but might have simular issues or get a refund but be out of pocket (snooker puns are the worst lol).

[Mark187187]

Email them and state clearly that you are not 'accepting' the cue under distance selling regulations. That way, they can't prioritise a repair/replacement over a refund. Do it within 14 days of receipt, and then return the cue with the next 14 days. They are liable for return postage, as the cue is at fault, whether they like it or not. They can't just pick and choose when they follow the law.

If they refuse to cover the postage, open a case with PayPal or your card issuer. They'll soon cough up.

[qc2]

I'd take the refund personally. For what you'd get refunded you could probably still get yourself properly handspliced cue without any paint on.

[bringmeflowers]

I'd take the refund personally. For what you'd get refunded you could probably still get yourself properly handspliced cue without any paint on.

Thanks for the advice. I'm going to ask another question in another thread so that this one doesn't get out of hand. I'm sure many people have had good and bad experiences and I don't want people using my bad experience to turn them off. These things happen and I can't answer if it regularly happens or not and it would be wrong for me to say either way. Thank you to the people who have answered a few questions.

[bringmeflowers]

I hate to do this but I'm unhappy about how they are making out they are doing something good. This is the email I received...

"We have received the cue back and I have just fully refunded you including the outgoing postage, which we do not normally do as a gesture of goodwill".

So basicly the cost of postage to send it back will not be refunded which I didn't expect. But they are telling me in not so many words I should be lucky that I'm getting the postage back from when I ordered it. I order a cue from Billiards Boutique yesterday but its out of stock but they took my money. They have apologised and offered to pay the extra for a more expensive cue as a kind gesture. THAT is what good customer service is all about. Rant over.

[Mark187187]

Billiards Boutique are good, very helpful. Them and Greenbaize are the two stores I'm always happy to recommend for excellent customer service.

[bringmeflowers]

BB do have a lot of stuff out of stock but I can't fault them for customer service. My go to shop is always Craftsman cues, Bought a few cues and loads of tips from there. Chesworth is also good for tips. I have ordered tips from BB in the past and this is my first experience I have had buying a cue from them which may have had a bump but became a very good seller in the end.