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Pool Cue Repair Costs: 2026 Shop Prices

Updated Oct 15, 2026 · The LeaguePool Team

Most pool cue repair is cheap. A retip with a standard leather tip costs $15 to $30 at the US cue shops that publish their prices, and a new ferrule runs $40 to $50 plus the tip. Those two jobs are most of what a league player ever pays for. The bigger numbers belong to wraps ($40 to $100 for Irish linen, $90 to $175 for leather) and full refinishes, which start around $190 and pass $375 at the factory.

Every range on this page comes from price lists that cue repair shops and cue makers post on their own websites, which we read in October 2026. They're linked at the bottom. Shops change prices without notice and regional rates vary, so treat these as what to expect walking in, then confirm with your shop.

Cue repair prices at a glance

Ranges below are taken from the published lists of thirteen US shops and cue makers (Monarch, Seybert's, Southern Billiards in Atlanta, Prather, Proficient, Billiard Bill's, Hightower, On Cue, Bill's Billiards, plus the factory services at McDermott, Predator, Meucci and Joss). Where a single shop sits well outside the pack, it's called out in the notes.

None of these lists carries an effective date, and at least one (Hightower's) sits on a site whose footer stops at 2019. If anything, expect the low ends to have crept up.

Tips: read the price two ways

Tip prices confuse people because shops quote them differently. Some quote the job with the tip included, so a $25 line means a Le Pro or Triangle installed and you're done. Others quote labor only and add the tip on top. McDermott's $15 and Predator's $20 are labor; Southern Billiards' $15 and Proficient's $25 include a basic tip.

The layered tips are where the bill moves. A Tiger or Talisman installed ran $35 to $40 on the lists we read; a Kamui ran $40 to $65. If you play well enough to feel the difference, that's money well spent, and our tip brand comparison covers what you get for it. If you don't, a $25 Triangle job is plenty.

Many shops fold a shaft cleaning into a tip job (Billiard Bill's and On Cue both do), so ask before paying separately for one. For the retip itself in more depth, see what it costs to retip a pool cue.

Ferrules and tenons

A cracked or loose ferrule is the most common repair after a tip, and pricing is tight across shops: $40 at McDermott, Monarch and Southern Billiards, $45 at Prather and Billiard Bill's, $50 at Predator and Proficient. Almost all of them add the tip, because the old tip comes off with the old ferrule. Bundled prices are $50 at Seybert's (linen ferrule plus a Le Pro), $60 at Meucci and $85 at Joss.

Material changes the price at the edges. Horn ferrules were $50 to $60. The one shop that listed ivory wanted $125 plus the tip, and others say "call." Phenolic ferrules and ferrule-and-tip combos for break cues ran $45 to $60.

If the tenon (the wooden stub the ferrule sits on) broke with the ferrule, add a new tenon: $20 at Monarch, $25 at Proficient, or $60 to $65 for tenon and ferrule together at Seybert's and Southern Billiards. That's still well under the price of a shaft. Low-deflection shafts are the exception to watch: Predator notes that outside work can void its warranty, so a Predator shaft should go back to Predator. More on materials and what the ferrule does in cue ferrules explained.

Pool cue shaft repair: cleaning, dents, turning down

Shaft repair covers more than ferrules (above). Basic cleaning is cheap: $5 to $20. Monarch splits it into a $5 chemical wipe for surface chalk, a $10 regular clean and a $15 steam treatment that raises dents. Reconditioning, which means dent and scratch removal plus a reseal, costs $20 to $30.

Turning a shaft down to a smaller diameter or a new taper runs $25 to $60, and $80 at McDermott and Meucci for going under about 11.75 to 12.5mm. On Cue prices it by the cut: $25 for the first half millimeter, $10 for each quarter after that.

One caution: every turn-down and every heavy sanding removes wood that doesn't come back. If you're buying a used cue, measure the shaft with a caliper before you pay; a shaft that was sold as 13mm and now reads 12.3mm has been cleaned with sandpaper for years. Our cleaning guide shows how to keep it from happening to yours.

Wraps: linen, leather or the cheap fix

An Irish linen rewrap costs $40 to $100. The middle of the market is $60 to $65 (Monarch, McDermott, Prather, Proficient and Meucci all sit there), with Seybert's at $45 and Joss at $100. Leather starts at $90 for embossed at Seybert's and runs $125 to $175 elsewhere. Stacked leather, the kind built from leather washers and turned on a lathe, ran $150 to $220. Lizard and other exotics start around $195 and climb past $250.

Before paying for a new wrap, ask about a clean and repress. Joss charges $25 and Proficient $35 to clean an existing linen wrap and press it back down. A shiny, slick linen wrap often comes back with that alone.

Turnaround is longer than a tip job. Monarch quotes two to three days for linen, Seybert's one to two weeks, and Predator four to six weeks for its leather wraps. Our wrap types guide compares how each one feels, and how to rewrap a pool cue covers the home route.

Refinishing

A full refinish is the most expensive routine job: $190 for a wrapless cue at McDermott, $250 at Prather and Proficient, $310 at Meucci, and from $375 at Predator. A new leather wrap with the refinish pushes it to $315 to $325. Joss lists $150 to refinish the butt alone, and Proficient will do just the section above or below the wrap for $160.

Two things to know before you send one off. Factory refinishes are slow: Predator quotes 8 to 24 weeks, and Meucci says its repairs are running more than eight weeks. And a refinish can erase what made the cue special. Predator warns that on its special and limited editions, logos, numbers, signatures and engravings may not be preserved. If the cue might be collectible, read are old pool cues worth money and talk to someone who deals in that maker before anyone sands it. The DIY side is in how to refinish a pool cue.

Joints, collars, butt plates and conversions

• Refacing the joint face so the shaft and butt seat flat: $10 to $20. Cheap, and it often cures a joint that clicks.
• Joint collar replacement: $75 at McDermott, $100 at Meucci.
• Butt plate replacement: $75 to $135. Meucci also lists a $30 fix for a butt plate that spins.
• Joint screw or pin replacement: Meucci lists $100 for a standard screw (non-standard screws cost more). It was the only US list we found that prices it, so call around.
• Joint conversions: McDermott charges $85 to convert a shaft, $90 to move a 3/8x10 cue to a radial joint, and $150 for Uni-Loc or Quick Release on both butt and shaft.

A conversion makes sense when you want to run a carbon shaft that only comes in another joint. Check what's available first in our joint types guide; most popular shafts come in 3/8x10, radial and Uni-Loc already.

Can you straighten a pool cue?

None of the thirteen price lists we read offered shaft straightening. Shops will sell you a new shaft ($145 for a maple McDermott shaft, $180 and up at Prather, from $200 at Proficient and $225 at Hightower) but they won't promise to straighten the old one, because warps in wood that has moved tend to come back. Repair techs on the AZBilliards forum say the same, and some report straightening that held for hours or weeks before the bend returned.

If you want to try straightening a pool cue yourself before paying for a shaft, the low-risk method forum posters report best results with is hanging the shaft vertically and leaving it for weeks or months. It's slow and it doesn't always hold, and it works best on a shaft that warped recently. Skip heat and skip bending it over anything; that's how a mild warp becomes a double one.

Otherwise, budget for a shaft, not a fix. A mild warp that doesn't show when you stroke may not matter at all; how to tell if a cue is warped has the roll test and what a playable warp looks like. If you do replace it, our replacement shaft guide sorts the options by joint.

Factory service or a local shop?

Cue makers run their own repair departments, and for some cues that's the only sensible place to go. For others it's slow and pricey.

Our take: a production cue with a wood shaft goes to a good local tech. A low-deflection shaft under warranty, or a cue whose value depends on original parts, goes back to the maker. Predator says plainly that it has no authorized repair centers and that work done elsewhere can void its limited lifetime warranty, which doesn't cover tip, ferrule, finish or wrap wear anyway.

Repair or replace: run the numbers

Our rule of thumb: don't spend more than about a third of what the cue is worth on a single repair unless it has sentimental value or collector value. Applied to the prices above, it sorts out like this.

A worn tip on a $60 cue still deserves a $15 to $25 retip. A cracked ferrule on the same cue is where buying a new one starts to look smarter; that money goes further toward one of our budget cue picks.

What you can do yourself

Some of this is easy, and some of it ruins shafts.

Safe at home: scuffing a glazed tip, reshaping with a proper shaper, wiping and burnishing the shaft, cleaning a linen wrap with a barely damp cloth. Retipping is doable with a clamp, glue and some practice on an old shaft (our step-by-step retip guide walks through it); the hard part without a lathe is trimming flush without nicking the ferrule.

Leave to a lathe: ferrules, tenons, joint work, turn-downs and refinishing. Mistakes there are permanent, and the shop price is lower than the cost of one ruined shaft.

Never sand a shaft to clean it. Each pass takes diameter off for good. Clean it and burnish it instead (see how to burnish a cue shaft).

Warning signs that get expensive if you wait

• A hairline crack in the ferrule. It spreads with play and can reach the shaft wood, which turns a $40 to $50 job into a $145-plus shaft.
• A tip lifting at the edge. Reglue or replace it before moisture and grit get under it.
• A joint that clicks or has play. A $10 to $20 reface often fixes it early; left alone it can wear the threads or insert.
• Finish lifting or bubbling. Moisture is reaching the wood. Fix where the cue is stored first.
• A shaft that has started to roll unevenly. Store it upright or flat in a case right away. There's no reliable fix once it's bad.

Finding a pool stick repair shop

Most cue repair happens at billiard supply stores, and many pool halls have a tech who does tips at the counter. If your league has a cue tech who sets up at tournaments, that's often the fastest retip in town. Ask around your league night before searching online; players know who does careful work and who sands every shaft.

No shop nearby? Several of the shops on our price table take cues by mail. Seybert's in Michigan asks for a note with your name, phone number and the work you want, then calls to confirm and take payment, and Billiard Bill's in Florida takes shipped cues from anywhere in the US. Factory work goes straight to the maker (see the table above). Ship in a hard case and insure the package; Meucci, for one, says shipping is at your risk.

Questions to ask before you hand over a cue

1. Is the tip included in that price, or is it extra?
2. Does the job include cleaning the shaft, or is that separate?
3. Which ferrule material will you use, and does it match what's on there now?
4. For a low-deflection shaft: have you worked on this brand, and will it affect the warranty?
5. How long will it take, and can I wait for a tip job?
6. If it's a refinish: will logos, rings and signatures survive?

A good tech answers all six without hesitation. Ask those before agreeing to any price marked "and up."

Keeping the bill to one retip a year

Most expensive cue repairs trace back to two habits: bad storage and breaking with a playing cue. Keep the cue indoors, upright in a rack or flat in a case, and out of cars and damp basements (storage guide here). Break with a separate cue, which keeps the hardest hits off your playing ferrule and tip; our break cue picks start cheap. Scuff the tip instead of sanding the shaft, and wipe the shaft after you play. Do those and the annual bill is one retip.

Sources

Published cue repair price lists, read October 15, 2026:

• McDermott Cue repairs and refurbishing
• Predator repairs information
• Meucci Cues repair
• Joss Cues repairs
• Seybert's Billiards Supply pool cue repair
• Monarch Billiards cue repairs
• Southern Billiards (Atlanta) cue services
• Proficient Billiards cue repair prices
• Prather Cue repair services
• Billiard Bill's cue repair
• Hightower Cues cue repairs
• On Cue Billiards cue repair
• Bill's Billiards cue repair

Our picks

Links open the current selection and price on Amazon so you can compare real reviews before buying.

CUEELF 5-in-1 Cue Tip Tool

Basic home maintenance

Scuffer, shaper and burnisher in one kit. Covers the maintenance that prevents most shop visits, without touching anything irreversible.

Check price on Amazon →

Q-Wiz Shaft Cleaner and Burnisher

Skipping the $15 shaft cleaning

One side lifts chalk and hand oil out of the wood, the other burnishes it smooth. Neither side removes wood, which is the whole point: a shop can't put back diameter that sandpaper took off.

Check price on Amazon →

NEIKO 6-Inch Digital Caliper

Checking a shaft before you pay

Reads to a thousandth in inches or millimeters. Measure a used shaft before you buy it, and know your real tip size before ordering a ferrule or a turn-down.

Check price on Amazon →

Replacement maple shaft

Instead of straightening

Shops don't straighten warped shafts with any guarantee, so a new shaft in your joint is the real fix. Match the joint first, then use the swap as a chance to try a different taper.

Check price on Amazon →

RAGE Heavy Hitter Jump/Break Cue

Keeping break hits off your playing cue

A stiff phenolic-tipped cue that unscrews into a jump cue. Breaking with a playing cue is how ferrules crack and tips mushroom, and this takes those hits instead.

Check price on Amazon →

Frequently asked questions

How much does it cost to repair a pool cue?

It depends on the job. On published US shop price lists, a standard tip installed is $15 to $30, a layered tip $30 to $65, a ferrule $40 to $50 plus the tip, an Irish linen rewrap $40 to $100, a leather rewrap $90 to $175, and a full refinish $190 to $375 or more.

How much does it cost to replace a ferrule on a pool cue?

Most shops charge $40 to $50 for the ferrule and add the tip, since the old tip comes off with it. Bundled ferrule-and-tip prices run $50 to $85. A broken tenon adds about $20 to $25.

How much does it cost to rewrap a pool cue?

Irish linen runs $40 to $100, with most shops at $60 to $65. Leather runs $90 to $175, stacked leather up to about $220, and lizard $195 to $250. A clean and repress of an existing linen wrap costs $25 to $35 and is worth trying first.

How much does it cost to refinish a pool cue?

Full refinishes run $190 to $375 and up, with leather wraps adding to that. Butt-only refinishes start around $150. Factory refinishes can take 8 to 24 weeks.

Can a warped pool cue shaft be straightened?

Not reliably. None of the shop price lists we read offered straightening, and repair techs report that warps tend to return. Budget for a replacement shaft, which runs about $145 to $225 in maple.

How do you straighten a pool cue?

There's no reliable way. The gentlest attempt is hanging the shaft vertically for weeks, which some players report helps a recent warp. Heat or bending tends to make it worse. Cue shops don't list straightening as a service and sell a new shaft instead.

Where can I get a pool stick repaired?

Billiard supply stores, pool halls with an in-house cue tech, and league tournament techs handle most tip and ferrule work. Several shops, including Seybert's and Billiard Bill's, take cues by mail, and the big makers run their own repair departments for their cues.

Should I send my cue back to the manufacturer for repair?

For a low-deflection shaft still under warranty, yes. Predator, for example, says work done elsewhere can void its warranty. For tips and ferrules on an ordinary wood shaft, a local shop is faster and usually cheaper, with no shipping or handling fees.

Is it worth repairing a cheap pool cue?

A retip is, at $15 to $30. A ferrule, rewrap or refinish usually isn't on a cue under $100, since those jobs cost about half the cue's price or more. Put the money toward a better cue instead.

Related guides

• How to Clean Pool Table Felt (and Get Stains Out)
• Best Pool Cue Tip Repair Kits: What's in the Box
• How to Store a Pool Cue (Avoid Warping)
• Billiard Table Rails: Cushion and Rail Replacement Cost

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