How long would you wait?

[pwd72s]

For something you wanted to be made?

There is a small cue making firm...Southwest cues, that has a long waiting list. Oh, it's not hard to get one..if you're willing to pay double the price. What one likes in a playing cue is a very subjective thing. I've shot a few racks with a friend's Southwest. Nice cue indeed, but as playability is concerned, I believe my Josey delivers better feedback.

Anyway, the following is a post on a pool site I visit...made today:

"Guys -

I am not *****ing so dont think this thread is about that. In fact, I had to laugh a little. I sent a note to Laurie and told her that many years ago I asked to be put on her waiting list. I am usually pretty good about writing down dates, but this one I hadn't.

I told her that I thought it had been 8-10 years ago, but wasn't sure. I explained that life and time passes and if you aren't careful they both pass very quickly. The last I had heard the wait was around 10 years or so, do I thought I might be getting near the top.

Laurie explained that they are working on the list and where they are at on the list January 2006. I was put on the list in June of 2006. She further explained that because of the Covid they are down to only half of their normal crew so my cue is probably about a year out.

So my brothers (and sisters), it has been 15 years. My question is if I die before I get this cue am I still on the list? LMAO

Best of rolls,

Ken"

[masraum]

I can't imagine anything that I'd want to wait that long to be made.

I don't even usually do waits at restaurants. If I wanted to go to a restaurant, it was really hot, brand new, tons of hype, apparently amazing food, 2 hour wait. Nope, I'm not going. I'll either wait until the initial hype dies down, or if it never dies down, I may never go.

I'm waiting to get vaccinated, but it's just until I can easily get on a list.

25 years ago, I waited several hours a few times to get an appt to take a driving test. I didn't really have a choice.

I can wait. I have patience. I just don't really have any desire to get in a long line with a bunch of strangers. Or if it's something like you're talking about, ordering something and then waiting years, I don't have anything that I'd want to wait that long for. By the time it's complete, I may not care, I may no longer need/want the item, it may no longer be the best item of its kind (which it would have to be for me to wait that long). Maybe that's because most of my life has been about impermanence. My dad was in the military, so we moved around, mostly every ~3 years, so not as crazy as some, but enough. I've been at my current job longer than I've ever worked anywhere else, and I haven't hit 10 years yet.

The future is too uncertain for me to try to plan for something that far out.

[pwd72s]

Well, say you had a grandkid born today...you could always put the kid on the list and if he/she is a pool phenom at 15....If not, sell the cue and double your money.

Marketing...Southwest Cues, founded by Jerry Franklin, now run by his widow, refuses to crank up manufacturing, believing it will mean a reduction in quality. So two choices...wait or pay more to a dealer for a used one. A long term employment deal of sorts for those working at Southwest, I suppose..

[masraum]

Originally Posted by pwd72s

Well, say you had a grandkid born today...you could always put the kid on the list and if he/she is a pool phenom at 15....If not, sell the cue and double your money.

I'd rather invest in the market.

Marketing...Southwest Cues, founded by Jerry Franklin, now run by his widow, refuses to crank up manufacturing, believing it will mean a reduction in quality. So two choices...wait or pay more to a dealer for a used one. A long term employment deal of sorts for those working at Southwest, I suppose..

I'm guessing this appeals to the folks that want what they can't easily get. I knew a guy in college, he was a dog. He wanted this girl. She wouldn't give it to him. Then he had to have it. So he spent months trying to get it (which was an eternity to this guy). He came to us with a story after all of that time that she told him that she was ready to give it to him, but then he decided that he didn't really want it any more, and supposedly never got it. Once she told him that he could have it, he supposedly left without ever getting it and was done with her. I don't know that I've ever believed the story 100% but based on what I saw, it seemed plausible.

That guy may be on the list.

[GH85Carrera]

One of the artists that was a customer of ours was a Western Artist, Orren Mixer. Super nice guy, and a great artist.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q_tyFrQkr2o

I have a signed print of that painting in our hallway. He had people want him to paint their horse, and pay a deposit. And have to wait 25 years for him to get to it. His paintings started at 25 grand. He was an amazing man, I am glad I got to call him my friend. I have several prints of his paintings.

https://okqha.org/portfolio-item/oren-mixer/

[id10t]

I waited 6 years for the 22 conversion kit for my FAL.

Lots of fun, but not worth the wait.

[pwd72s]

Originally Posted by masraum

I'd rather invest in the market.



I'm guessing this appeals to the folks that want what they can't easily get. I knew a guy in college, he was a dog. He wanted this girl. She wouldn't give it to him. Then he had to have it. So he spent months trying to get it (which was an eternity to this guy). He came to us with a story after all of that time that she told him that she was ready to give it to him, but then he decided that he didn't really want it any more, and supposedly never got it. Once she told him that he could have it, he supposedly left without ever getting it and was done with her. I don't know that I've ever believed the story 100% but based on what I saw, it seemed plausible.

That guy may be on the list.

Has to be some of that involved as well. Southwest has a reputation of being a great playing cue. Ironically, many of the Taiwan pros use them. Maybe a status thing for them? Taiwan and China's pool pros are actually government employees. USA pros are sponsorship whores,,,play with whatever cue company pays the most. Predator cues sponsors many of the pros. Ironically, those are made in...you guessed it!

[ckelly78z]

I guess I am not an expert at anything, so I don't need the top of the line offering by an exclusive craftsman for my hobbies, pretty good is fine with me ! Lack of excess funds seems to be my problem for most things that are exclusive.

[sc_rufctr]

Ken, If your cue is "probably about a year out" I'd wait for it.

[WPOZZZ]

That's not bad. Some Hawaiian Homelands recipients have been waiting for generations for a plot of land they can lease and build a house.

[ramonesfreak]

since it’s down to a year out, ide wait and get it but would i put my name on a list that’s a ten year wait for something? no way. when i want something i want it yesterday especially if it’s nice enough that it has caused a ten year wait. i would wipe it from my mind and move on

i’m currently debating ordering a hand made tube stereo amplifier. the wait is about 4 months and this is about as long as i would be willing to wait

[Norm K]

Within reason, if I really wanted something I'd readily pay double, versus waiting ten years.

Would that include paying ten grand for a five thousand dollar pool cue? Not for me perhaps, but then my pool-shooting is limited to my game room.

But if I played a lot - say, 100 times a year - then, yes, I probably would.

Five grand over ten years = $500/year

$500/100 days a year = $5 per day

$5/10 games per day = $.50/game

And something tells me you're playing more than a hundred days a year, so your per-game amount might be half of the example above, which means even if I paid twenty grand for a ten thousand dollar cue it would make sense to me to buy it and enjoy it now.

_

[red-beard]

I'm waiting for ammo to become reasonably priced. It may be a while.

[Zeke]

I once waited 6 days for a 2-day Amazon delivery. Normally I cancel the instant they inform me that my order is running late and reorder within minutes.

The longest I've ever waited is one year for a birthday. And that's a short wait.

In between is waiting for the wife. That will vary but never fails.

[Captain Ahab Jr]

Yesterday I bought myself this from the Tamiya factory outlet shop in Tokyo



I've wanted one for 40.5yrs, can't remember the last time I was so excited about buying myself something

[Superman]

You bought a brochure?

[Captain Ahab Jr]

Originally Posted by Superman

You bought a brochure?

That Supersuperman is the real thing, a Tamiya RC car

[jcommin]

I bought my Porsche 944 in 1983. It was the first year from the updated 924 design. There were no cars to test drive - so I waited to drive one that was pre-sold to a customer.
The car was very difficult to get, dealers were getting above sticker. I had a uncle in the car business so I got a better price than most. I looked at other vehicles before I decided on the 944. I went to several dealerships just looking for cars to see which color I would like. The delivery time was 6 months.

My dad told a story of trying to get tickets for Bozo's Circus back in the early 60s. The wait list was years. By the time he got tickets, my brother and I were in are early teens. He passed on the tickets.

[Superman]

Another thing we have in common. We're both easy to entertain. That's a compliment, I think. A blessing.

[oldE]

I suppose you could say I waited 60 years to do something. When I was 8 years old, I read a book about a kid who gets an airplane ride from a friend of his father's. In truth, I had been in a light plane a couple of times, but never got a chance to take the controls. Finally, two years ago I called up a guy and arranged a familiarization flight. We were in the air for an hour and a half, circled our house and I got to take the controls for a while. Funny enough, although I enjoy the experience, I have no great desire to repeat it.

Best
Les