What is the purpose of CueZilla.com?
In the cue world, there are Monster Cues (the best of the best), and Mere Mortal cues that make up the rest. CueZilla.com is a place where cues are featured, and industry experts give you their personal opinions about each cue and decide if it’s a Monster or not. You can also contribute to the discussion by publishing your comments on each cue page.
What makes a cue a Monster Cue?
Cue collecting is more of an art than it is a science. What one collector or historian sees in a cue, others may consider worthless. Sure, there are a few cue makers out there who produce such high quality works that virtually everyone wants one. In general though, for most custom cue sticks throughout history, value is somewhat subjective. There are many variables that factor into cue collecting and whether or not a cue is a Monster Cue. Such variables include: cue maker, year built, originality of design and/or construction, quality, beauty, provenance, condition, originality, materials, rarity, desirability, and many others.
Shouldn’t the “experts” agree on almost everything?
No. Again, collecting is an art. Each expert brings a different perspective to each cue. Where one might value originality, others may not. CueZilla.com should prove that virtually every cue is unique in some way and that each expert will typically identify what is important to them in the decision process.
I made a post in the comments section but it was deleted for some reason, why? (added 2/24/10)
Posting in the comments section of a specific cue page is strictly for cue stick reviews/critiques. You are more than welcome to comment on any cue. However, please be sure that your post (whether you love the cue or are being critical of it) conforms to a professional-level review of the cue. Basically, we want to read your thoughts about the cue, and we want you to articulate your thoughts in a professional manner, even if being critical of the cue. The best thing you can do is read the panelists’ reviews and try to mimic that style…although you are not limited to 500 characters. Any comments in the comments section that mention anything other than a proper cue review will be deleted. CueZilla.com has a forum (see the navigation) where any and all other discussion about cues, cue makers, or anything for that matter, should go.
I have a cue that I would like to have featured here, how do I do that?
If you have a cue that you would like to be featured on CueZilla.com, email us a picture with a short description, and any important information that should be considered with the cue. We will assess whether or not the cue will be a good match for CueZilla.com. Here are some guidelines for cue stick submissions:
- A cue DOES NOT have to be a “fancy” cue to be a “monster.” See point 2.
- When you submit a cue, please be very detailed in the description of the cue stick.
- Get the best photos you can of the cue stick.
- Don’t just submit cues that you think are Monsters (good). While it’s great to see Monster cues, it is just as much fun to see the cues that can go either way.
- Don’t “think” for the experts. That means don’t be shy and speculate about whether the cue is a monster or not. If you feel like, just submit the cue and see what happens.
I noticed a “links” section. How do I get my link posted there?
At this time, links are reserved for the “experts,” their projects, and media partners of CueZilla.com.
Can I purchase advertising on CueZilla.com?
No. At this time, there are no advertising opportunities available.
Why are there only five “experts” and how can I get involved with the CueZilla.com project?
CueZilla.com is brand new. The point of the web site is to show a cue and display comments from experts and thought leaders in the custom cue stick industry. There are hundreds of cue makers and collectors, and dozens of dealers and everyone has an opinion. If you are a cue expert and would like to be considered as an expert commentator please email us. Please include your qualifications. Here are some criteria that will be considered when assessing your eligibility as an “expert:”
- CueZilla.com strives to work with the most credible experts in the field, and offer a balance of opinion. This balance is maintained by offering expert opinions from the perspectives of cue makers, collectors, dealers, professional players, historians, and other stakeholders in the industry. You may very well be an expert and be turned down for a spot here based solely on there being too many opinions from your category. For example, if there were a disproportionate number of dealers, CueZilla.com would not be looking to add more dealers to expert list because it may skew the balance of opinions.
- Experts are defined as those who have: been published relating to cue sticks, fine cue stick dealers who maintain physical inventories of important works, cue makers who are widely regarded as some of the best in the industry, professional players, etc.
- Do you have a point of view? CueZilla.com is looking for experts who are willing to offer their honest opinions on cue sticks that are presented.
I think CueZilla is cool and I want to promote it. How can I help?
Thanks! We are building a toolbox with all sorts of different sized promo ads for the web site. Until then, you can use the following banner. Be sure to make it linkable to http://www.cuezilla.com
