The struggle is real (1 Viewer)

Deckding

Sitting Out
Joined
Jan 17, 2016
Messages
45
Reaction score
26
Location
canada
How much of a struggle was it for you guys to determine a logo/ theme for your customs? I am between so many, but I really am having a heck of a time.
Did most of you know what you wanted and THEN made customs, or was it you knew you wanted customs, and then made a design?
 
Instead of making it about poker chips try and think about things that are personal to you. Maybe it was your favourite holiday or your favourite band. Maybe it was a video game or TV show etc. Think about the things that you really like and then work from there to find a suitable poker theme.

Do you have any nicknames or things that your friends make fun of you for? You can leverage those into a fun poker room name.
 
I knew for years I wanted custom chips but wasn’t sure of the theme as well. Once I was set on it that is when I went ahead with getting them. Don’t rush it.

I’m in the same situation again with my relabel set. I have all the chips but can’t decide on the label design. So I’m waiting until I’m sure which way I want to go before going any further.
 
I have been sitting on my hands for a decade awaiting inspiration. I have a solid idea for a theme, but can't even decide on ceramic vs clay - - each has solid reasons for being selected. I have had several designers pitch some ideas / mock-ups but nothing has clicked.

A custom set can be a huge investment. I think there are few worse things in chipping than spending the time, money, effort and waiting for a custom set you don't end up using.

Plus the money not spent on custom chips can go instead to vintage casino chips or group buy chips. Just saying you have options besides a custom chip set -=- DrStrange
 
I have been sitting on my hands for a decade awaiting inspiration. I have a solid idea for a theme, but can't even decide on ceramic vs clay - - each has solid reasons for being selected. I have had several designers pitch some ideas / mock-ups but nothing has clicked.

A custom set can be a huge investment. I think there are few worse things in chipping than spending the time, money, effort and waiting for a custom set you don't end up using.

Plus the money not spent on custom chips can go instead to vintage casino chips or group buy chips. Just saying you have options besides a custom chip set -=- DrStrange

Agree, there are definitely options other than customs, as a person with no customs myself I agree wholeheartedly.

That being said, I would LOVE it if you had some customs made some day. A fixture of the community should have his/her own customs and I would very much look forward to whatever you and one of the crazy talented designers here came up with. Same with @BGinGA and @pltrgyst though I feel like I’ve read where they both say they don’t have any interests in customs?
 
I have been sitting on my hands for a decade awaiting inspiration. I have a solid idea for a theme, but can't even decide on ceramic vs clay - - each has solid reasons for being selected. I have had several designers pitch some ideas / mock-ups but nothing has clicked.

A custom set can be a huge investment. I think there are few worse things in chipping than spending the time, money, effort and waiting for a custom set you don't end up using.

Plus the money not spent on custom chips can go instead to vintage casino chips or group buy chips. Just saying you have options besides a custom chip set -=- DrStrange

Very much this - it took me 10+ years to finalize my customs (ASM to ASM vegas to CPC), I think I had ~40 slightly different mock ups saved in the chip designer at one point.

As others have said, take your time and enjoy the process.
 
Last edited:
Only thing I knew was that I wanted custom chips.
I had at least a couple or three concepts / options in my head, each dictating different molds, colors and edge spot styles.
I went with one that was honestly myself plus readily available as a mold :)
 
Agree, there are definitely options other than customs, as a person with no customs myself I agree wholeheartedly.

That being said, I would LOVE it if you had some customs made some day. A fixture of the community should have his/her own customs and I would very much look forward to whatever you and one of the crazy talented designers here came up with. Same with @BGinGA and @pltrgyst though I feel like I’ve read where they both say they don’t have any interests in customs?
I have finally developed a theme and have an inlay design for customs worked out, but am in no real rush to have them made (would probably be a different matter if I could order custom Paulsons or TRKs, though). I also have a secondary design that works very well within CPC parameters, and it's actually more likely to get made first.

But one major concern is how much use a custom set would actually ever see, given the number of other sets that I already have and really, really like -- several of which are already basically semi-customs in which I had a lot of design influence.

Just breaking into the current set play rotation is no easy task, and I've sold off many great sets for no reason other than the realization that they would never get used.
 
But one major concern is how much use a custom set would actually ever see, given the number of other sets that I already have and really, really like -- several of which are already basically semi-customs in which I had a lot of design influence.

Just breaking into the current set play rotation is no easy task, and I've sold off many great sets for no reason other than the realization that they would never get used.

Some would say that's a really nice "problem" to have... :ROFL: :ROFLMAO:
 
Here is what I went through to get to "The Music Shack".

I have to say, it took me two years to really get an idea..

I played with the Chip Design tool (a lot)
I got sample sets from those who offered (to see the different molds and colors)
Then it took me forever to figure out a theme ( I had 6 ideas at one time, they all were similar to already created customs. Lots of cool ones around here)
Then I worked on colors and edge spots for reel.
Then I had to decide on the mold ( I really like the CSQ mold, but I wanted the 44mm for my $20, settle for CSQ and Scroll (44mm only).
I really wanted the A-mold for ALL chips but NO 44mm A-mold..
Then David mentioned the testing of the 44mm A mold and my hopes and dreams of all A-mold are now in the works....
Then I worked on logos, (@p5woody cleaned up my design)

You can find more here: Customs and Ideas

Also, if you want to see some of the journey, click on the link in my signature for the Music Shack.

MS_ALL_STACK.jpg
 
....Same with @BGinGA and @pltrgyst though I feel like I’ve read where they both say they don’t have any interests in customs?

One of my earliest sets was a simple semi-custom ceramic "Pltrgyst Poker" design, and I'd still like to make a custom set using inlays/labels/ceramics of the American Slow Rollers design in my avatar. It's just not a priority, since I have way too many chips already. :cool:(

Oh, and I do have a few sets of customs already; they're just other peopele's customs, from places like Alaska, Virginia, etc. :cool
 
For me, knowing I wanted customs came first. After much thought I knew I wanted it to revolve around mountains, hiking, etc... pretty sure I was leaning towards “Switchback Poker” or something similar.

While thinking about possible inlay designs one day the words “Pillage and Plunder” popped into my head... and that was that.

Figure out a general idea of what you want but let your mind continue to run in the background. You’ll know when it feels right ;)
 
Honestly, the advice gleaned in this thread has been really helpful, thanks everyone!
 
I'm in the same boat as well. My first three designs came pretty easy, but right now I'm stumped as to what to do on my fourth set. Ideally, I would like to own a custom Paulson set, but to find the required chips and breakdown is a mission that usually takes years in the making.
 
I have been sitting on my hands for a decade awaiting inspiration. I have a solid idea for a theme, but can't even decide on ceramic vs clay - - each has solid reasons for being selected. I have had several designers pitch some ideas / mock-ups but nothing has clicked.

A custom set can be a huge investment. I think there are few worse things in chipping than spending the time, money, effort and waiting for a custom set you don't end up using.

Plus the money not spent on custom chips can go instead to vintage casino chips or group buy chips. Just saying you have options besides a custom chip set -=- DrStrange
Are you certain this doesn't have something to do with your thumbs?
 
Similar to the rest... I've wanted customs for a long time. Had a couple ideas... but nothing that really was the lightning to make me pull the trigger. Then I was inspired by the vintage Flamingo chips... I wanted a commemorative of that set... Couldn't happen due to gaming license concerns... then an alternate theme that allowed for the same vibe of the original Flamingo chips came to mind... in a song. That was enough to put in the work to pull the trigger.

Flamingo Commemorative Thread:
https://www.pokerchipforum.com/threads/vintage-flamingo-commemorative-set-possible-group-buy.19867/
Final Set Pron:
https://www.pokerchipforum.com/threads/cpc-rising-sun-pron.41302/
 
For me, the theme was easy. There are a handful of things I am passionate about. Picked one of them. Design was another issue altogether. Went through a long process and settled on one influenced by one of my favorite chip sets.
My recommendation, don’t rush the process. Enjoy the journey, however long it takes you to come up with designs you love.
Cheers!
 
How much of a struggle was it for you guys to determine a logo/ theme for your customs? I am between so many, but I really am having a heck of a time.
Did most of you know what you wanted and THEN made customs, or was it you knew you wanted customs, and then made a design?

I've done a few sets and the idea has always been easy and/or personal. The development of the inlay and chips took much more time in my head. Think of something that makes them unique to you in place of tired old commonly used themes and it will come easier. I've had one set in my head for 2 years now and still need to work out some things before I get Johnny involved. If you force or rush it you will not be happy in the end. I rushed my first set (Exit Only Lounge). Love my inlays but would pick very different colors/spots if I had taken a step back.
 
For me, knowing I wanted customs came first. After much thought I knew I wanted it to revolve around mountains, hiking, etc... pretty sure I was leaning towards “Switchback Poker” or something similar.

While thinking about possible inlay designs one day the words “Pillage and Plunder” popped into my head... and that was that.

Figure out a general idea of what you want but let your mind continue to run in the background. You’ll know when it feels right ;)

When will those last few chips get made :), I'm adding ten new chips to the Rosie's arsenal this year...:rolleyes: be on the lookout for error chips
 
I knew I always wanted customs, so I always held of on buying sets I've wanted on here. I did buy a CC Pharaoh cash set on here early on. The only set I regretted not getting was the AC Boardwalks. Coming up with an idea for my set took me about 2 years or so. I spent so much time coming up with ideas and always scrapping them, because I always felt the idea was not original enough or good enough. I was planning on doing chip set based on "Top Gun" early on, but I could not think of a great way to execute it. I tried so many design variations for it. Ultimately I knew reputable vendors like ABC, CPC, and Sunfly would not produce them because the Top Gun name and image is copyrighted so I put that idea in the garbage. I had maybe 4 or 5 other ideas after which I tried to do, but none of them panned out. Then one day I was watching a trailer or something for the movie "Maverick" and the word Miramar was mentioned and the idea of the Miramar Resort & Casino was born. When I wasn't really thinking of my custom chips at the time something just came up and I had my idea. My advice is don't overthink it and one day a design will just come to you. Then the next tough Part is to choose the vendor who is going to make your chips. Deciding on Clay, Ceramic's or Hybrids. I think the best Clay option is CPC, then ABC/BRPROPOKER for Ceramics, and Sunfly for Hybrids. Like everyone says get samples because the colors on the computer does not match the live chips always.

My original design I crudely did myself.
10TOPGUNWHITE1.png

Then over a year later with a design in my head and a lot of thoughts and ideas I contacted Timinator on here who is one of the premier designers on the PCF these are two examples of the chips I am getting from CPC around April.
MMCASH1.png
MM100TOURNEY.png
 
Last edited:

Create an account or login to comment

You must be a member in order to leave a comment

Create account

Create an account and join our community. It's easy!

Log in

Already have an account? Log in here.

Back
Top Bottom