From an article from the late fast Larry
What Dick Helmstetter did, was take an original balabushka, and study it, finding out what did George do, that made this cue to become known as the Stradivarius of pool cues. I know that secret and I don’t disclose it. I found it by having a nuclear scientist study it in his lab, who was a friend of mine, he did a full scientific Xray analysis of the cue. What they accomplished was building a cue, the Helms, the new bushka signatures, which are the same cue, in the late 80’s, that out played the original balabushka. Then, you would have to pay 5K for an original, now you could buy a replica for 350-500, that out played it. Few realized this at the time, and nobody back then, dared claim or say that.
The tip, GB used soft, champions with a red backing, Our modern multi layered tips are totally superior. GB, used an ivory ferrule, they are super hard, an deflect like a mother, our new ferrule is light, thin wall, and very low deflection, totally superior.
The GB cue was 57”, today’s cue is 58”. He did have better wood in his shafts, but Adam always used the best AA Canadian hard rock maple they could fine, so that one is close. The pro taper is the same. The pilot, the stainless steel joints, are the same, so is the real Irish Linen wrap, even down to the bumper. The GB cues were fairly plain, not too fancy, and a lot of the Replica’s copied that, and his designs. The helms were able to go into modern designs, and were much more intricate and nicer.
My favorite was the 86 line, which came out 29 years ago, and my favorite there, was the 86-13, the last one to offer a leather grip. I just sold my last one.
The 86 line offered hand-pressed real Irish linen or calfskin leather grips. Hand-shape le pro tips. Un-breakable cerosite ferrules, hard-rock Canadian maple shafts, offered in 13 and 12mm. The joint is a high standard piloted, with a brass female that fits into the stainless steel collar, and is held rigid by the stainless pin. There is no paint, no surface overlays, no decals. All Helmstetter cues have authentic inlays of ebony, mother of pearl and exotic hardwoods.
For VIP customers, top players, Dick Helmstetter would make those cues himself, and they would be called the RCH VIP, and there would not be a signature stamp, he personally signed that cue, and I have two of them for sale.
The 87 series, is where they copy some of the popular Meucci rings on the collars, and large bold ivory colored points, now being seen in their HOF series. The Helms used a polymer, that looked so much like ivory, I can’t tell it from the real deal, and I have a lot of cues with real ivory in them. The 87’s were engineered and designed for the more traditional minded player and probably the strongest cues ever built. All Helmstetter cues, have true spriced butts, not just veneers and wood surface inlaid into birdseye blanks. Wood to wood flat face joints on all 87 series cues feature stainless steel pins and brass females. The collar is unbreakable cerosite. All butt inlay work, is meticulously handmade, built for beauty and built to last.
Dick was building his Helms to last 30 years, and Bob Meucci was building his to fall apart in 4-5.