Advice on a choice of cues pls :)

[ADR147]

When you say finished in the uk, from what point are they finished? ie what processes are done in the uk?

i imagine it depends on the cues - but the badges are made and fitted here - designed by a friend of mine, they will oil and wax them here aswell plus make sure they are up to standard.

[Mellow Yellow]

are these cues only made for craftsman then, or are they also sent elsewhere and badged as something else?

[ADR147]

they are only made for craftsman.

[BITTER]

I think Craftsman does pass some on to another cue maker who also re badges Andrew.
You know who, best not mention it here.

Don't let the fact they are made in Thailand put you off, they are very good value for money.
They tend to have good shafts and when you see the machine splced Ebony are £50 from Craftsman you can't go wrong for a starter cue.

[Darth_Spud]

You konow who, best not mention it here.

Well I’m curious to know this and I think people who come here looking to buy cues should have a right to know this. If the cue maker/company wants to defend themselves let them do so but we should not keep information like this under wraps. This is a forum for honest advice not for providing cue makers with naïve customers who don’t know any better.

[poolqjunkie]

He is not protecting and providing cue makers with naive customers. I agree with Bitter. I think it is a decent thing to do by not mouthing off on a public forum other company's trade secret that he has the privilage to learn about.

[BITTER]

Enzo's question was about Craftsman and Wooldridge.

I think I have stated Craftsman offer good value for money on both the imported cues they sell and also on the ones they make in the UK.

Wooldridge cues along with Osborne and White are the best quality available.

This advice comes from many years of selling cues, I don't have to give any at all.

I am sure the information given by people on here will help Enzo and others.

[ADR147]

Well I’m curious to know this and I think people who come here looking to buy cues should have a right to know this. If the cue maker/company wants to defend themselves let them do so but we should not keep information like this under wraps. This is a forum for honest advice not for providing cue makers with naïve customers who don’t know any better.

i know only craftsman inport them, i didn't say they don't sell them at trade - they do - to me for a start! other people rebadging them is not their doing.

[Darth_Spud]

He is not protecting and providing cue makers with naive customers.

I never said he (BITTER) did - It was a generalisation of how cue makers can make money from this forum - read my post again.

I agree with Bitter. I think it is a decent thing to do by not mouthing off on a public forum other company's trade secret that he has the privilage to learn about.

Then with that in mind should we turn a blind eye to all cue makers who could import shafts and refinish them? If they advertise that their cues are handmade in the UK but are not, just refinished - should we just ignore their sales statements? Should we take what they say with a pinch of salt? Who cares about the truth right? If that’s the case then this subject of "john's website is misleading" should be ignored.

[poolqjunkie]

Then with that in mind should we turn a blind eye to all cue makers who could import shafts and refinish them? If they advertise that their cues are handmade in the UK but are not, just refinished - should we just ignore their sales statements? Should we take what they say with a pinch of salt? Who cares about the truth right? If that’s the case then this subject of "john's website is misleading" should be ignored.

I find it impossible to reason with you. So, have a good day.

[Darth_Spud]

I find it impossible to reason with you. So, have a good day.

Erm ok Have I offended you? Can't see how...

[ADR147]

Enzo's question was about Craftsman and Wooldridge.

I think I have stated Craftsman offer good value for money on both the imported cues they sell and also on the ones they make in the UK.

Wooldridge cues along with Osborne and White are the best quality available.

This advice comes from many years of selling cues, I don't have to give any at all.

I am sure the information given by people on here will help Enzo and others.

i would go along with this post.

[Darth_Spud]

So do I ... but! - If certain people are aware of certain things cue makers are doing which could be misleading to their customers - i.e. claiming "made in UK" but actually shipping in shafts, then that should be made public so that people are aware of what exactly they are paying for. If they are then happy to go ahead with the purchase then that’s all well and good but I think its morally right to share such information so people are not caught out. Just trying to ensure customers are treated fairly that’s all. Didn't Parris himself deny claims that he was shipping in shafts and re-finishing them? Maybe a rumour I heard I'm not sure.

[ADR147]

umm all ebony is grown abroad as is most ash and maple now. how to you draw the line? - did you know they can sell a chicken as from the eu if it is from china and packaged in the eu.

[trevs1]

I think Darth Spud has a point to some degree.

Perhaps Bitter (without realising it at the time) should not have mentioned what he did in his post on page 2, it was bound to raise a few eyebrows and get people wondering what other makers he was referring to specifically. The thing is, Craftsman are not unique in sourcing 'part made' cues from outside the UK as many of us here will know, and yet it appears to be them who are being linked to the practise, over and above anyone else. I don't think that's entirely fair to them, when it's considered that they've been in the cue making business for many years and are great people to deal with, as many here and elsewhere would testify.

Some of the knowledge of certain 'practices' which regularly occur (and actually have for some time) in the cue business are possibly best kept under wraps and away from those who would make rash judgements over such knowledge otherwise.

Speaking for myself, I am very comfortable with my own situation regarding how I produce my work. Everything I do can be traced right back to the places I personally source the timber from.