The HolyGrail of cues?

[kvinbrwr]

i have a cue I consider to be one of the Holygrail cues(there has to be more than just one), its the box cue Barry made as a tribute to his dad Gus. I lucked into it and offered to give it to Barry, I dont feel that cue should be outside his family, so its his. He wouldnt take it, so as far as I'm concerned its his cue in my safe and I'll give ito one of his Grand Children someday(when he isnt looking). He wil be pissed at me for saying this but its the truth and i'm am going to give it to someone in his family, thats a lock. That cue belongs to the Szmboti family and it will be there in time, it dosent belong else where, I was told the story about that cue from Barry and that will remain personal, anyone with any emotion would agree that it belongs to Barrys or his familys cue after hearing what I did about it. Sure he can make another one look like it but it wouldnt be the same, the love and passion that went into that cue makes it what it is.

prices of cues dont make them holyGrail cues they have to have history or meaning to be HolyGrail cues not just expensive IMO. A trubute to the best cuemaker from his son fits that description.

George Bushka assembled cues and they play great and are among the best cues in the world but I dont consider them all HolyGrail cues with the exception of Willie's cue or something similar there has to be history to go with them,

The silver Ginacue is up there to, I have been lucky emough to hold it, the date Dec 1966 on the box is my birthdate which is cool. perhaps someday I'll do a deal on it, I know where to find it. this cue has monster history, i love it.


the standard for deseriable cues is different than the standard for holigrail cues, man i think i took to many meds today, my spelling is real bad, but i mean what I said about the Barry cue.

That's cool about Barry's "Tribute to my Dad" cue. I just know Barry wouldn't accept that gift.

Isn't the Silver Gina case completely dated? (with a day in Dec 1966?) Are you saying that the Silver Gina has your birthday on it? Or am I wrong and it's just 12/1966?

Man, if that cue has your birthday on it and Ernie was finishing that cue the day you were born, you almost have to sell some watches or some property or something and tie that one down.

Kevin

 

[kvinbrwr]

Well, to each his own. For me, there is really only one cue that I'd spend over $1500 on today. SHould have done it years ago, while instead buying a piloted ivory buska from Mottey....that I absolutely hated!!!! I could have had one of Ernie's early cues...the ones with the white phenolic ring and his name engraved. I've never seen one as good as this one since, so if you are out there, bonus day is coming......

tim

Tim

I have 2 1960s Ginas I am selling. One is a fancy Titleist based cue with boxed veneers in the butt and the other is a red "barbell" cue with beechwood shafts that's I'm listing on eBay this Sunday, both have the original Ernie-made cases.

Kevin

 

[Fatboy]

That's cool about Barry's "Tribute to my Dad" cue. I just know Barry wouldn't accept that gift.

Isn't the Silver Gina case completely dated? (with a day in Dec 1966?) Are you saying that the Silver Gina has your birthday on it? Or am I wrong and it's just 12/1966?

Man, if that cue has your birthday on it and Ernie was finishing that cue the day you were born, you almost have to sell some watches or some property or something and tie that one down.

Kevin

Barry wont take it, your right. But somehow some day I'll make sure its in his family where it belongs.

the Ginacue just says Dec 1966, there is no day, I asked Ernie about the day he couldnt remember. I might tie that cue down, someday. Right now isnt the time for me to buy it-I cant afford it right now, I have other responsibilitys. It will be a great day should the day ever ever comes I get lucky enough to have that cue, I wont hide it away if I do get it, I might get accused of being a show off but thats cool I call it sharing and that cue should be shown to any and all pool players not stuck in a musieum getting dusty. If Ernie has it in 3 or 4 years from now I might make a deal with him, my fingers are crossed.

 

[Fatboy]

I agree Bushkas are perhaps as a brand they might the HolyGrail, but they are just assembled cue parts George bought from others he wasnt a cue maker like Gus who made everything from scratch, So you have 2 different things as a cue maker Gus Szam cues are the HolyGrail, compaired to George Bushka who assembled parts made by others including Gus. Its not compairing apples to apples, with them.

I firmly a HolyGrail cue has to have more than just the guy who put it together or built it to qualify as a HoliGrail of cue, they just make the most deseriable cues and thats big but not enough.

Someone who's dad gave them a cue makes that cue important to that person, or if they won a big tournment with it, or a 20 year old road players cue thats been used in more action than can be accounted for, or a cue ahead of its time like Ernies cue are HolyGrail cues, not all cues by a certain maker.


playing devels adovacate here is a hoppie conversion cue assembled by Bushka is more significant than SVB's cue he has just beat the world with? bearing in mind his shaft was given to him by his mom and he has used it since he was 9, IMO that shaft alone is more of a HolyGrail shaft than a Bushka shaft that was used buy a bunch of nobody players like myself who has never won anything significant. Just a different point of view.


I'm not taking anything away from Bushka, Gus, Barry etc but history is as important as the cue maker.

 

[Scott Lee]

tap, tap, tap!

Scott Lee
www.poolknowledge.com

playing devels adovacate here is a hoppie conversion cue assembled by Bushka is more significant than SVB's cue he has just beat the world with? bearing in mind his shaft was given to him by his mom and he has used it since he was 9, IMO that shaft alone is more of a HolyGrail shaft than a Bushka shaft that was used buy a bunch of nobody players like myself who has never won anything significant. Just a different point of view.

 

[cyrex]

Holy Grail of cues

I was fortunate enough to have Carolina Cues make me a very sentimental cue. *See link below*. Another cue I would love to own is a 4 pt. Mike Lambros. It's on my bucket list.. hopefully this year or maybe next. His cues hit like no other and nobody does point work like his.

 

[Tank138]

Nice!!

See my avatar. There's two Gus's with heart inlays. The third cue is a window Balabushka.
Sorry, but I sold them all about 4 years ago.

Nice Sticks Steve.You should have kept them
Tank

 

[avmaster]

Ok....................

I agree Bushkas are perhaps as a brand they might the HolyGrail, but they are just assembled cue parts George bought from others he wasnt a cue maker like Gus who made everything from scratch, So you have 2 different things as a cue maker Gus Szam cues are the HolyGrail, compaired to George Bushka who assembled parts made by others including Gus. Its not compairing apples to apples, with them.

I firmly a HolyGrail cue has to have more than just the guy who put it together or built it to qualify as a HoliGrail of cue, they just make the most deseriable cues and thats big but not enough.

Someone who's dad gave them a cue makes that cue important to that person, or if they won a big tournment with it, or a 20 year old road players cue thats been used in more action than can be accounted for, or a cue ahead of its time like Ernies cue are HolyGrail cues, not all cues by a certain maker.


playing devels adovacate here is a hoppie conversion cue assembled by Bushka is more significant than SVB's cue he has just beat the world with? bearing in mind his shaft was given to him by his mom and he has used it since he was 9, IMO that shaft alone is more of a HolyGrail shaft than a Bushka shaft that was used buy a bunch of nobody players like myself who has never won anything significant. Just a different point of view.


I'm not taking anything away from Bushka, Gus, Barry etc but history is as important as the cue maker.

Ok, Point taken........ Just the same, I still covet the Balabushka. Added note: The Zam's are spectacular, as are the Gina's. My best friend has a gina made for him by Ernie in the early 70's I think. It got run over by a garbage truck (long story) he had it fixed and still plays with it. I keep telling him to send it to Ernie to get done right 'cuse right now it looks like S&%t.............

 

[Fatboy]

Ok, Point taken........ Just the same, I still covet the Balabushka. Added note: The Zam's are spectacular, as are the Gina's. My best friend has a gina made for him by Ernie in the early 70's I think. It got run over by a garbage truck (long story) he had it fixed and still plays with it. I keep telling him to send it to Ernie to get done right 'cuse right now it looks like S&%t.............

dont mis understand me, i have Bushkas, Gus and Barry cues they are 85% of the cues I own, so yeah they are my favorites,

 

[avmaster]

No misunderstanding

dont mis understand me, i have Bushkas, Gus and Barry cues they are 85% of the cues I own, so yeah they are my favorites,

No problem Eric, your post made sense. I really do see your point. Sort of academic for me, those are the dream cues, Buska, Zam, Gina. But, The Holy Grail is elusive, no one ever finds it, but the dream goes on..................

Actually, should add that I did get the Grail when I bought the Scruggs. Never thought I could ever afford one of them either.....!! Now I own one....................very kool....

 

[housecue]

Good topic. My HolyGrail of cue is Shane Van Boening's Schon+Joss shaft. For me it's the best looking cue, it's has a simple design. I don't like fanzy inlays. Of course the shaft is the key; how many shafts can take all those years of punishment from Shane and still hold up? That's one great cue and has good history.

 

[avmaster]

bump for a great thread

 

[kvinbrwr]

Barry wont take it, your right. But somehow some day I'll make sure its in his family where it belongs.

the Ginacue just says Dec 1966, there is no day, I asked Ernie about the day he couldnt remember. I might tie that cue down, someday. Right now isnt the time for me to buy it-I cant afford it right now, I have other responsibilitys. It will be a great day should the day ever ever comes I get lucky enough to have that cue, I wont hide it away if I do get it, I might get accused of being a show off but thats cool I call it sharing and that cue should be shown to any and all pool players not stuck in a musieum getting dusty. If Ernie has it in 3 or 4 years from now I might make a deal with him, my fingers are crossed.

Thanks for the info on the dating. I wouldn't be surprised if Ernie took the Silver Cue all the way to his 50th Anniversary and sold it then. I think Ernie is going to retire after his 50th Commemoratives. That gives you the time you need (5 years). It is a VERY expensive proposition, as evidenced by the fact that nobody has been able to come to terms with Ernie on that cue in more than 40 years.

It does my heart good to hear there's stuff you want that you don't feel you can afford.

Kevin

 

[PickPocket]

Copied from another site's posts.....--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Recently I saw a post asking what the most expensive cue ever sold was. After about 40 posts from clueless idiots a not so clueless idiot spoke up and added nothing to the conversation. I know that the people who buy these cues often want to keep prices private as well as some of the sellers. But I happen to know most of the people involved in all of the posts so maybe I'll clear a few things up.

Thomas Wayne's Celtic Prince sold for 103K, not to Rick Rogers, to another party.

Bludworth hates TW and would try to say anything to make him look bad, I don't know any details on a Blud cue selling for over 100K, but IMO unless it had 120K worth of diamonds I wouldn't buy it and it didn't happen (I could be wrong)

The silver Ginacue is still owned by Ernie last I heard and he had turned down several very high offers that would double and triple the TW cue sale.

Gus's last works also sold for more then the 103 TW but it was not a 1 cue deal so I am not counting it in this thread.

Mike Sigel had a cue advertised at 250,000 that was filled with many many diamonds, but I don't think it ever sold unless KT bought it, so that don't count either.

The golden Balabushka, well I've never seen it in person, saw many pics of it, but I doubt it's the real deal.

Jim <----Pissed off about 25 people in this one post alone.

PS Since I've decided to share more for 07 here ya go.

 

[skins]

I agree Bushkas are perhaps as a brand they might the HolyGrail, but they are just assembled cue parts George bought from others he wasnt a cue maker like Gus who made everything from scratch.....

no disrespect but allot more goes into making cues than the creation of the forearm splice. George had to manipulate and/or create all of the cue parts the same as any other maker to complete his work and did it better than most. George was truly a great cue maker and his knowledge and talents to the craft stretch well beyond your analogy or his time and have played a great part in the "foundation" for many "greats", among those including G.S.... that said for me the three "grail" cues for me would be a pristine very fancy early marketry cue, the golden bushka, and the last is a toss up between the fanciest 8 pointer (no veneer), fanciest 6 pointer (w/veneers), the fancy 8 point with veneers that Lucky owns or the last unfinished fancy cues all made by G.S. of course.

 

[Fatboy]

no disrespect but allot more goes into making cues than the creation of the forearm splice. George had to manipulate and/or create all of the cue parts the same as any other maker to complete his work and did it better than most. George was truly a great cue maker and his knowledge and talents to the craft stretch well beyond your analogy or his time and have played a great part in the "foundation" for many "greats", among those including G.S.... that said for me the three "grail" cues for me would be a pristine very fancy early marketry cue, the golden bushka, and the last is a toss up between the fanciest 8 pointer (no veneer), fanciest 6 pointer (w/veneers), the fancy 8 point with veneers that Lucky owns or the last unfinished fancy cues all made by G.S. of course.

george did a hell of a job no doubt about it, i could be wrong about george just being a assembler, that is still a big job abd his cues reflect his knowlege.I knew the owner of the 6PT Gus that was loaded perhaps the fanciest one he made, I have a plain 6pt. there arnt many of those around.

 

[avmaster]

Of interest

george did a hell of a job no doubt about it, i could be wrong about george just being a assembler, that is still a big job abd his cues reflect his knowlege.I knew the owner of the 6PT Gus that was loaded perhaps the fanciest one he made, I have a plain 6pt. there arnt many of those around.

Fatboy, check your PM's

 

[skins]

george did a hell of a job no doubt about it, i could be wrong about george just being a assembler, that is still a big job abd his cues reflect his knowlege.I knew the owner of the 6PT Gus that was loaded perhaps the fanciest one he made, I have a plain 6pt. there arnt many of those around.

once again no disrespect but you are wrong about G.B. being an "assembler" of cues......far from it. on another note i'd love to see pic's of the plain 6. incidentally Barry is recreating a cue for me that his father made that i lost in car fire. i asked if he wanted to make the same design as a six pointer and it was a NO GO. barry isn't doing them yet. i can't wait to see his first six pointer.....that could make my list.

 

[Scott Lee]

This cue is the real deal. IIRC, it is owned by Mark Kulungian, of Pool Table Magic. The cue has been displayed to the public at least a few times.

Scott Lee
www.poolknowledge.com

The golden Balabushka, well I've never seen it in person, saw many pics of it, but I doubt it's the real deal.
QUOTE]

 

[Cuaba]

Not Correct

This cue is the real deal. IIRC, it is owned by Mark Kulungian, of Pool Table Magic. The cue has been displayed to the public at least a few times.

Scott Lee
www.poolknowledge.com

The golden Balabushka, well I've never seen it in person, saw many pics of it, but I doubt it's the real deal.
QUOTE]

Scott,
The Golden Bushka is owned by Dan Gronich. Mark has many nice Bushkas, but not that one.