Well, the Balabushka license started with Adam. It had to be transferred to another company. Long story short, but the OP's cue is not a Richard Black, but rather an Asian import cue of some origin.
Opinions on this cue?
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Lots of noise in this thread including my own, so apologies for that.
I’d need to see a closeup of the profile of the pin, profile of the bumper, and thickness of the silver rings. But I’m quite sure your cue is from the Adam Replica series, which might not be its official name. It should look just like an Adam Balabushka Signauture cue, but without the signature. It should match exactly in specs except maybe the bumber. The 5/16-14 joint should be full-sized, full diameter. The silver ring should be thick. There would have been a sticker that said, “made in Japan,” but it would have fallen off a long time ago.
I’d say it was built anywhere from 10-20 years ago, but that’s a guess. It could be much much newer. Definitely no earlier than 2011. When the Mallens and The Balabushka Cue Company bought the rights to the Balabushka Signature Cues, Adam Japan had to stop producing the Adam Balabushka Cues. So they continued having the cues built, but didn’t have the signature put on. Many of these are on eBay today.
They would have been built for the most part in China (not Taiwan), reportedly at the Universal Cue Company, the same factory that build Predator Cues among other cues. It should play the same as an Adam Balabushka built in the 2000’s, which were also built in that factory. Your pin should have a little polished lead-in bullet dome as opposed to just being a bullet nose threaded to the top. If it doesn’t, then forget everything I wrote! Lol!
(Edit: I see you did show a closeup, and yes it’s the pin I suspected. Need a close side view of the silver rings, which I’m sure is also in your photos! Lol! If the rings are thinner, than this would have more than likely no more association with Adam, would be newer, but built in the same China factory that Adam Japan was contracting out to.)
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There was a reason why I asked you which cues you were referring to as the “Adam Balabushka Replica series.). Your answer (it was Adam’s first attempt at a Balabushka replica) led me down the road of talking about the Adam Balabushka Signature Cues.
But this cue is from the Adam Japan Vintage Replica series, which is a different cue series than than any Balabushka Signauture cue vintage. No signatures. Sorry for any confusion as I was wondering which specific series you were talking about, but hopefully my answer to the OP fills in some gaps for you. There’s always been confusion with Adam cues and their timeline of cues.
outrider1
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I think it has an ivory sleeve, I bought a blacklight today and will get better pictures with it today. Thank you!
The pin and bumper point to China and the Universal Cue company. If the silver ring is thick, then it’s part of the Adam Vintage Replica series. If the silver ring is thin, it’s built after that Vintage Series was built more than likely, possible in Taiwan by the same outift that build the Balabushka Cue Company cues, just taking the design and selling them without the signature.
Now I’ll ask Peggy Mallen.
Now I’ll ask Peggy Mallen.
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This cue aside…did the Bushka replicas come longer than 58 inch? I only ever had one but it was a standard length. Maybe I missed it in the previous comments.
outrider1
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58 is the standard for this line. I have a feeling the OP included the bumper in the measurement. The bumper is not supposed to be included.
Not a chance in Hell.
Taiwan. Done.
Also, no Ivory for you! No soup either!
check your PM
I think it's a Nunya cue.
This is the only vintage series I know of and it's not part of it..
