anyone shot with the adam balabushka and the new owner bushka? same? different? is there a way to tell the adam balabuhka from the new one?
adam balabushka
- Thread starter doubletrouble
- Start date
New owner?
new owner?????????????????????
I have an Adam (Japan) Balabushka that plays real well, as almost all Adam cues do.
The new ones are made in China and I haven't tried those.
Aloha.
This is the one I have.
The new ones are made in China and I haven't tried those.
Aloha.
This is the one I have.
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I see what the op is asking now. My main cue in 90 was GB3. 3 shafts and I was able to go through the stock and choose the shafts. Best and most consistent cue I owned. Reminded me of the vintage Joss that a friend let me use one event. No way in Hell would he sell.
I would love to try the new production Bushka. Finding a 90s vintage would be difficult. A have no clue how to tell the difference?
I talked to Don Spektar (owner of Competition Sports) last week and he told me that the "Hall of Fame" cues are STILL made in the Adam JAPAN ffactory (I don't know if it is the Mezz place). The Hall of Fame cues are "Balabushka-like, Szamboti-like, Rambo-like, etc.", WITHOUT the signatures or makers brands on them. I have one.
http://www.competitionsports.com/cues-pool.asp
The "Balabushka-brand" cues with the signatures are made in China now from what I understand. You can STILL get the HOF cues made in JAPAN from Competition Sports.
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Definitely not at the Mezz place. Common misconception was that Miki (Mezz) were the sole cue builder for Adam Japan back then. They weren’t. Adam Japan themselves were the OEM, and they had their own cue builders. Cues like the Robert Weir were built by Adam Japan and had nothing to do with Miki, for example.
The Balabushka Signature Cues are owned by Peggy Mallen and are contract-built in Taiwan for her Balabuska Cue Company. She bought those rights from Patty Vorliss (former employee of Dave Forman at Adam USA). The rights includes the cue brands Adam USA and Helmstetter.
I visited the ADAM Japan factory when I lived in Japan in the early 80s.
I had a cracked ivory ferrule on a cue that Richard Black made for me and I called Richard to see about shipping it back to him in Texas for replacement. He told me to call Dick Helmstetter at the ADAM factory and have them do it.
I think the factory was in Iruma, Japan at that time and it wasn’t too far to drive from where I was at, so I called and got directions and drove there.
Dick showed me around the factory while a Japanese worker replaced the ferrule for me.
He was a nice guy.
Correct. Iruma City is where Adam Japan, the OEM cue builder, was located. Miki Cues were somewhere else.
I
Competition Sports (formerly Adam USA ) is no longer in business.
I know this is a 7-yr old post, but in case people missed it, yes… new owner. The Mallens (and now only Peggy Mallen) have owned the rights to the Balabushka Cue Series for many years now. They are now made in Taiwan. They still feel pretty good. The newer ones that I have seen have a thinner silver ring.
Competition Sports (formerly Adam USA ) is no longer in business.
As soon as the COVID restrictions are lifted for Taiwan, I plan to spend a couple weeks there and I hope to visit some cue factories.
I usually stay in Taichung and there are several factories there.
I lived in Taipei for three years in the 70s and you’d couldn’t have given me a Taiwan cue at that time. They were complete crap. They actually make some pretty nice cues now.
I’d like to say that we all benefitted from Jim Lucas and his vision.
'Tai-pot'??
'Tai-pot'??
I should take my Jackpot over there and have them clone it.
They would probably become hot-selling cues after some of them guys started potting balls left and right with them.
Could market them as Chinese Hot Pots.
They will give up on them Southwests.