What Youngsters Want Old Masters Cues?

skins

Likes to draw
Silver Member
How many of you, 35 give or take and younger, have a desire to one day own a Szamboti or Balabushka cue?
 
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MattPoland

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I’m 37 and would think it would be the bees knees.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

Lawnboy77

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Just curious, and obviously don’t know much about cues, but are the Balabuska and Szamboti cues not good playing cues by today’s standards? Or are they just to valuable as a collector to risk playing with? I suspect they are still excellent performers.
 

garczar

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Just curious, and obviously don’t know much about cues, but are the Balabuska and Szamboti cues not good playing cues by today’s standards? Or are they just to valuable as a collector to risk playing with? I suspect they are still excellent performers.
They are nice to look at. They tend to have bigger butt sections and deflect quite a bit. I've owned a few so called "classic" cues and in their day its all there was. You adjusted to the deflection without much thought. Not sure younger,current crop of players have much interest in them. If i was new to the game now i kinda doubt this style of cue would be high on my list. Just my $.02 here, nothing more.
 

ideologist

I don't never exaggerate
Silver Member
I have one, and it has a real bumper too. Working on the right Szam, but I have a cue with a Gus forearm so that's close enough until I find a cue I like.

I'll lay out the spread with a Rambow and a Spain, the original old masters.
 

deanoc

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
none

I missed the point

its hard getting old and realizing that the things that
you identified are no longer current

like the 57 chevy,no one wants one

perhaps the value of the old cues has a lot to do
with nostalgia

the new makers can and do make cues that play just as good

if you put South West in that group then they play better


I can see where a new player might never want one of the old cues
and I don't blame them

Today is my 75th birthday and I see that I don't fit in the category

Best wishes
 
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Zphix

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I'm 23 and I don't think I would want a Balabushka or Szamboti cue, at least to play with.

They're absolutely beautiful cues and I love multi-colored points but I'm super picky about what type of cue I actually play and hit balls with. So, for collecting I'd say "yes, would love to own one" but for actually playing I'd say "No, thanks."
 
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Mike81

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I’m 38, shooting for four years now and I’d have to say I have zero desire to own one. They are super classy and beautiful, don’t get me wrong but also very expensive. I would think they are more of collectors items. Like a southwest for example 3-5k for a cue to me is crazy. I’d be scared to shoot with it
 

skins

Likes to draw
Silver Member
they are as good as any
tascarella cues are considered great players and his is almost exactly a balabushka

there was a time people thought meucci were technilogically superior
i know of no one who thinks that any more

perhaps they are a little bigger than some in the butt area

great cues,szamboti will soon be a thing of the pastas barry is retiring soon

mottey is gone,james white might still be the solution for young guys wanting the best at a decent price

i almost forgot Bob Owen,if i were to tell a young guy what i thought would be the best investment

beautiful and great playing cue

for $2000 a person could get a cue as fancy as anything Szamboti or Balabushka ever made

cues selling for $20,000 and more

This thread is not meant for plugging other cue makers Dean. You're not in the "critera" for this question anyway..:wink:
 

Texas Carom Club

9ball did to billiards what hiphop did to america
Silver Member
No thanks

Love my 150 dollar longoni or 400 dollar starkey plain jane 1 piece butt
And my 100 dollar truijillo
 

jasonlaus

Rep for Smorg
Silver Member
they are as good as any
tascarella cues are considered great players and his is almost exactly a balabushka

there was a time people thought meucci were technilogically superior
i know of no one who thinks that any more

perhaps they are a little bigger than some in the butt area

great cues,szamboti will soon be a thing of the pastas barry is retiring soon

mottey is gone,james white might still be the solution for young guys wanting the best at a decent price

i almost forgot Bob Owen,if i were to tell a young guy what i thought would be the best investment

beautiful and great playing cue

for $2000 a person could get a cue as fancy as anything Szamboti or Balabushka ever made

cues selling for $20,000 and more

I thought Tasc changed and went away from building like Bushka.

I identify as 32, yes both please
Jason
 

ChrisinNC

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Just curious, and obviously don’t know much about cues, but are the Balabuska and Szamboti cues not good playing cues by today’s standards? Or are they just to valuable as a collector to risk playing with? I suspect they are still excellent performers.
I have a Gus, and the amount of deflection is way too much for me, as I've been using LD shafts for 20+ years. I guess if you had a LD shaft that would fit on the Gus butt I could play with it, but I seriously doubt Barry would be interested in helping me out with that.
 
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cowboyup200560

Always lookin......
Silver Member
old school

I am 31 years old, my main player is a mike bender. I cannot stand modern, laminate shafts, low deflection, or any of that stuff. Give me old straight grain maple and uncapped ferrules any day. So yes, I would have zero problems playing an old school cue. The only part i dont care for is the small pin steel joint. I prefer a wood or ivory joint and a big pin
 

skins

Likes to draw
Silver Member
Id rather have something that I can play with.

I guessing what you mean is that you wouldn't want to have something that was functional but were afraid to play with due to it's value? Or are you not a fan of Gus or Georges work?
 

skins

Likes to draw
Silver Member
I have one, and it has a real bumper too. Working on the right Szam, but I have a cue with a Gus forearm so that's close enough until I find a cue I like.

I'll lay out the spread with a Rambow and a Spain, the original old masters.

Mine all have "real" bumpers too. I don't own any Gus or George Hoppe style cues.

Cues with just Gus forarms were ok but not my cup of tea unless made certain makers. As for Rambo and Spain, there's an ass for every seat.

Glad to see you were exposed enough to recognize having a Gus or George may be worthwhile.
 

skins

Likes to draw
Silver Member
No thanks

Love my 150 dollar longoni or 400 dollar starkey plain jane 1 piece butt
And my 100 dollar truijillo

I have cues I play more regularly with and love them too but I also love Gus and George's work and always knew acquiring one would be difficult. Even in the 80's when I got my first Gus. It takes a little cash and a LOT of luck sometimes to make it happen. I just wanted to see how far forward, age wise, the mystique of those makers have carried...

If what you mean is youre a huge fan of Longoni, Starkey, and truijillo then my hats off to ya. Enjoy!
 
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