An unsolicited plug for Classic Poker Chips and David Spragg (3 Viewers)

[Psypher1000]

Many of our forum vendors do a great job and we're fortunate to have access to some incredible creators, including the Canadian poker trinity of @Gear, @T_Chan , and @Johnny5. But none of them press the clay for our own designs. That task falls to Jim B and @David Spragg at Classic Poker Chips.

My recent Cavalry Club chip set really came out great - I couldn't be more pleased with the product they produced, and it absolutely satisfies my desire to have that Horseshoe-esque set (darn you, @oONemoOo ! Would love to see pics of your set one day! ) that I couldn't have otherwise. My set encountered some hiccups along the way, but David helped see it through to production & at one point really went above and beyond the call of duty. Without his assistance, my set simply would not exist in its current form today.

Time and again David has assisted with special needs or one-off creations - See @Toby's alternate Black Cat sets & @slisk250's dotted World Championship chips as examples. I can't guarantee he does these things for everyone, but for the help he's shown others and myself, I just wanted to publicly say thanks & that I appreciate what you do.

Furthermore, if anyone is considering customs but hasn't yet pulled the trigger for some reason, I implore you, make the call! The experience is often an exercise in patience as virtually nothing happens at the speed you want it to. But it's also a unique, fulfilling journey. Chip design, inlay design, making it all work, struggling with color/spot/design choices, making the breakdowns work, even saving up for your ideal set...it's all an incredible process, wrapped up at the end with a bow that is your unique, custom chip set. Both the chips, as well as the memories of the process, will last a lifetime. I suspect others such as @detroitdad, @liftapint, and @mashoo who all recently went through the experience would likely agree - parts of it are a struggle, but the result makes it all worth it.

So yeah, if you're thinking about customs, pull that trigger and make your ideas come to life!

(And if you do, in for samples!)

 

[krafticus]

I ordered my first set of CPC's in November, and had artwork completed and submitted. I am in the waiting process now.

I did have a custom ASM set made .. 7 years ago now .. and the process is relatively the same. I am looking forward to the 3 greatest words ever...

"Out for Delivery"
(even though I still have a few more months to wait)

 

[Trihonda]

Just dropped $6+k in The CPC cauffers. Let’s the waiting commence. Definitely one of my chipping highlights.

 

[AK Chip]

I agree 100 percent with this post but would add one more North of the border member @Quicksilver-75!

 

[krafticus]

Just dropped $6+k in The CPC cauffers. Let’s the waiting commence. Definitely one of my chipping highlights.

I believe we have the same mold in process (CSQ)(y) :thumbsup:, so it will get a nice workout.

 

[Psypher1000]

I agree 100 percent with this post but would add one more North of the border member @Quicksilver-75!

Ah, yes! I have yet to have the pleasure of working with him directly, but I will say he's made some of my favorite inlays/labels, including the Soapy's and his very own Silver Club line. Really great work.

To be honest, it's almost unfair how much merchandise-related talent they have up there! An embarassment of riches that should make Trudeau blush.

 

[GIANTDustySquid]

Hopefully will be ordering a set someday down the road. When I can get across the border to pick them up lol (n) :thumbsdown:

 

[Psypher1000]

Hopefully will be ordering a set someday down the road. When I can get across the border to pick them up lol (n) :thumbsdown:

Yeah, shipping/customs is a bitch.

 

[WedgeRock]

Some people take months or even years putting together Paulson sets from existing casino or fantasy lines.

@David Spragg does yeoman's work creating NEW CHIPS for the community. The task is often unceremonious, probably under-appreciated, but in the end, he creates heirlooms to be passed down from generation to generation.

Hats off, @David Spragg (and Jim B. before him)!

 

[GIANTDustySquid]

Yeah, shipping/customs is a bitch.

It's a real enormous bitch. Seems like with exchange rate and everything taken into account, it costs us Canadians about an extra $1 per chip. Makes for a significant increase in price for sure. If I could get a set shipped to me for the same as it would cost me if I lived in the US, I would honestly be in on the next production run for the Diamond Square mold. But the shipping (and associated fees, without the CAD/USD exchange rate even taken into account) is the deal breaker at the moment

 

[Nex]

For European potential customers, you are probably aware of the hidden extra costs of taxes and customs imposed on foreign product imports, which can make your purchase substantially more expensive.

It should be noted that David can import the chips through the UK and then reship them to you, instead of having them directly shipped to you from the USA.

This can save you a ton of money if your country imposes a high VAT and possibly even customs tax on imports, even despite paying more for shipping!
Here in Germany for example, I'd pay a ridiculous 25.5% margin total (19% VAT + 6.5% customs) 19%, whereas David's solution merely adds 2.5% plus the relatively small added cost of re-shipping. I saved more than $1.5k $1k in taxes for my ~$7.4k order this way. *Edit: Poker chips actually don't have customs taxes on them currently, I mixed that up with some other stuff I recently ordered from abroad.

 

[mashoo]

Hopefully will be ordering a set someday down the road. When I can get across the border to pick them up lol (n) :thumbsdown:

I just paid the dues yesterday on my chip set. Cost me $105, just a FYI.

 

[mashoo]

I've just gotten my set and the whole process was fun and exhausting lol. @Psypher1000 said it best in his OP and I don't know what else to add. I will say that choosing colour combinations and edge spot was my toughest time.

Design something, get feedback here, don't touch it for a few days, come back and see if you still like your design. I personally went through what feels like a hundred iterations until I finally loved every design in my set.

 

[PatTheCat]

For European potential customers, you are probably aware of the hidden extra costs of taxes and customs imposed on foreign product imports, which can make your purchase substantially more expensive.

It should be noted that David can import the chips through the UK and then reship them to you, instead of having them directly shipped to you from the USA.

This can save you a ton of money if your country imposes a high VAT and possibly even customs tax on imports, even despite paying more for shipping!
Here in Germany for example, I'd pay a ridiculous 25.5% margin total (19% VAT + 6.5% customs), whereas David's solution merely adds 2.5% plus the relatively small added cost of re-shipping. I saved more than $1.5k in taxes for my ~$7.4k order this way.

There are no customs duties for poker chips in Germany. “Only“ VAT. Just wanted to let you know. If you had to pay 6.5% extra lately your local customs did something wrong.

 

[Nex]

http://ec.europa.eu/taxation_custom...derNum=&Regulation=&measStartDat=&measEndDat=

Indeed, you're right, I mixed that up with recent orders of goods of a different nature where I did have to pay that in addition to VAT. Still leaves 19% though which still adds up to a considerable amount when you make a larger chip order.

 

[liftapint]

Well, I have to correct the OP a little bit. I still don't have a real set of customs. I have 2 sets from CPC, and I love them both a lot, but they were reproductions of other people's customs (there are still 2 other sets out there that I would reproduce on a moment's notice! I know what I love when I see it!).

So anyway, I still haven't designed my own set. I probably won't. I can't come up with an inlay and theme that I think would look good. If I did my own set, I want a really classy looking inlay, like the Broken Bell inlay. I've pretty much given up on my Basecamp idea, because while the inlay would be "fun", it wouldn't be remotely classy looking.

At this time, I don't plan to do another CPC set...unless one of my two dream sets become available.
But I do endorse the process. It seems like it would be really fun, especially for people with an ounce of creativity (something I lack).

 

[Psypher1000]

I still don't have a real set of customs

I respectfully disagree - while your sets were riffs on others, one of them literally has your nickname all over them. That's pretty custom in my book And I suspect your feeling upon opening the boxes and seeing them in your hands is exactly as it was for us.

 

[k9dr]

I am in the same (Base) camp as Mel - I own two custom sets designed by others. I did add on doubling the size of each set and my dealings with CPC were very satisfying. I don't have a personal CPC set planned, but I am waiting for another HOF set to come up for sale that will surely need an add on :

 

[slisk250]

Many of our forum vendors do a great job and we're fortunate to have access to some incredible creators, including the Canadian poker trinity of @Gear, @T_Chan , and @Johnny5. But none of them press the clay for our own designs. That task falls to Jim B and @David Spragg at Classic Poker Chips.

My recent Cavalry Club chip set really came out great - I couldn't be more pleased with the product they produced, and it absolutely satisfies my desire to have that Horseshoe-esque set (darn you, @oONemoOo ! Would love to see pics of your set one day! ) that I couldn't have otherwise. My set encountered some hiccups along the way, but David helped see it through to production & at one point really went above and beyond the call of duty. Without his assistance, my set simply would not exist in its current form today.

Time and again David has assisted with special needs or one-off creations - See @Toby's alternate Black Cat sets & @slisk250's dotted World Championship chips as examples. I can't guarantee he does these things for everyone, but for the help he's shown others and myself, I just wanted to publicly say thanks & that I appreciate what you do.

Furthermore, if anyone is considering customs but hasn't yet pulled the trigger for some reason, I implore you, make the call! The experience is often an exercise in patience as virtually nothing happens at the speed you want it to. But it's also a unique, fulfilling journey. Chip design, inlay design, making it all work, struggling with color/spot/design choices, making the breakdowns work, even saving up for your ideal set...it's all an incredible process, wrapped up at the end with a bow that is your unique, custom chip set. Both the chips, as well as the memories of the process, will last a lifetime. I suspect others such as @detroitdad, @liftapint, and @mashoo who all recently went through the experience would likely agree - parts of it are a struggle, but the result makes it all worth it.

So yeah, if you're thinking about customs, pull that trigger and make your ideas come to life!

(And if you do, in for samples!)

What a nice thread and post to wake up to. CPC has been the brightest spot of my chipping experience IMO. I think we are very fortunate. David and Jim brought custom clay back from the dead in the hobby. They weathered a very lean 12 months recently but they are still there and making great stuff.

I don't know how old these guys are but when they are gone from the business, I think custom clay for us is pretty much over. I don't know if there are apprentices in training there when a changing of the guard happens a final time.

If there was one piece of advice here to anyone buying any chips at the moment. I'd spend that money at CPC ASAP!!!! If you haven't made that custom set yet, the opportunity won't last your lifetime I'm afraid. Just do it.

 

[Jeff]

Ack...WCB 6 months out and I dont have the commems on order. Dammit.

 

[Jeff]

Oh, and the 7,000 asm/cpc chips I have are my pride and joy!

 

[slisk250]

Ack...WCB 6 months out and I dont have the commems on order. Dammit.

I thought you were organized.

 

[ranger764]

Isn't there a production mold schedule on the cpc site somewhere? I was looking and could not find it last night. Thanks

 

[slisk250]

What a nice thread and post to wake up to. CPC has been the brightest spot of my chipping experience IMO. I think we are very fortunate. David and Jim brought custom clay back from the dead in the hobby. They weathered a very lean 12 months recently but they are still there and making great stuff.

I don't know how old these guys are but when they are gone from the business, I think custom clay for us is pretty much over. I don't know if there are apprentices in training there when a changing of the guard happens a final time.

If there was one piece of advice here to anyone buying any chips at the moment. I'd spend that money at CPC ASAP!!!! If you haven't made that custom set yet, the opportunity won't last your lifetime I'm afraid. Just do it.

....and one more thing. It does take some time. Pay the moneys, get in line. Then get the art done. Cart before the horse in this case works just fine for me. I've never had the art ready when I placed an order. Like all things in life, when you have deadlines, shit gets done.

 

[David O]

I do not have a set of customs. I did have the pleasure of putting together a group buy and had the pleasure of working with @David Spragg. At the end of the GB I think we had a little over 11,000 Atlantic Club hot stamp tourney chips made. The reship was heck though!

I have thought about a custom set and maybe might have to give it a try. I have an idea that has been in my head. Some of you have asked why I do not do one and bring up the idea but I cannot think of how I should do it. I already know the mold and the theme but need to take the time to lay it out. I may have to give it some deep thought soon and start designing it.

 

[Psypher1000]

Isn't there a production mold schedule on the cpc site somewhere? I was looking and could not find it last night. Thanks

Negative. The A mold is almost always mounted, but the other line just rotates through whatever orders have enough chips to fulfill. HHR and MD-50 tend to come up fairly frequently. Jockey mold much less so.

If you want to know what's most likely up and coming, you need to check in with David.

 

[slisk250]

I do not have a set of customs. I did have the pleasure of putting together a group buy and had the pleasure of working with @David Spragg. At the end of the GB I think we had a little over 11,000 Atlantic Club hot stamp tourney chips made. The reship was heck though!

I have thought about a custom set and maybe might have to give it a try. I have an idea that has been in my head. Some of you have asked why I do not do one and bring up the idea but I cannot think of how I should do it. I already know the mold and the theme but need to take the time to lay it out. I may have to give it some deep thought soon and start designing it.

probably turtles and oil rigs?

 

[ranger764]

Negative. The A mold is almost always mounted, but the other line just rotates through whatever orders have enough chips to fulfill. HHR and MD-50 tend to come up fairly frequently. Jockey mold much less so.

If you want to know what's most likely up and coming, you need to check in with David.

Thanks, I'm thinking of B diamond or HH, but haven't settled on my design just yet.

 

[krafticus]

....and one more thing. It does take some time. Pay the moneys, get in line. Then get the art done. Cart before the horse in this case works just fine for me. I've never had the art ready when I placed an order. Like all things in life, when you have deadlines, shit gets done.

This is exactly what David told me to to as well. I followed those directions and am giddy as can be

 

[allforcharity]

One of these days I will do a custom CPC set. One of these days.