Top Ten Fanciest Balabushkas?

Hunter · Dec 31, 2018

I have recently been looking at some Balabushka cues, most of which are fairly plain. I have also seen some monsters. I love Mizerak's, Wimpy's, etc. I know about the Golden Balabushka and Steve R's almost new one that still had the paper that George put on one of the shafts. I know that I have a picture somewhere that had Irving Crane's.

What would you think were the fanciest five or ten that George ever made? I would imagine that there are a few in private collections (Glenn Family, Mark K., etc.) that would be cool to see and I know there are collectors in the Orient that probably have some nice ones.

Let's hear some of your ideas and see some pics of what you think are the fancy ones!

PRED · Dec 31, 2018

The fanciest I've seen all have these things in common:

Lots of MOP diamonds and dots in the points and butt

9 or at least 7 rings above the wrap

Colored acrylic in the butt

Hunter · Dec 31, 2018

PRED said:
The fanciest I've seen all have these things in common:

Lots of MOP diamonds and dots in the points and butt

9 or at least 7 rings above the wrap

Colored acrylic in the butt

Good features to start with, Pred!

ShootingHank · Dec 31, 2018

For the most part his cues were shit. Compared to today’s standards or even to his, they were horrible. Heck, he never really made everything. Some can argue he was an assembler. I do give him credit for his designs that are often copied but it’s nothing special. His contribution is his influence in design. I do see you makers stray away from the design. Four point crap

Kickin' Chicken · Dec 31, 2018

ShootingHank said:
For the most part his cues were shit. Compared to today’s standards or even to his, they were horrible. Heck, he never really made everything. Some can argue he was an assembler. I do give him credit for his designs that are often copied but it’s nothing special. His contribution is his influence in design. I do see you makers stray away from that that design. Four point crap

You must not have shot with some of the ones that I've had the pleasure of shooting with.

George Balabushka's contributions in cue making went well beyond design Aesthetics

imo

HawaiianEye · Dec 31, 2018

ShootingHank said:
For the most part his cues were shit. Compared to today’s standards or even to his, they were horrible. Heck, he never really made everything. Some can argue he was an assembler. I do give him credit for his designs that are often copied but it’s nothing special. His contribution is his influence in design. I do see you makers stray away from that that design. Four point crap

Four point rules.

Buster8001 · Dec 31, 2018

ShootingHank said:
For the most part his cues were shit. Compared to today’s standards or even to his, they were horrible. Heck, he never really made everything. Some can argue he was an assembler. I do give him credit for his designs that are often copied but it’s nothing special. His contribution is his influence in design. I do see you makers stray away from that that design. Four point crap

Why do you even continue to post your drivel?

JohnnyOzone · Dec 31, 2018

Who brought the Troll?

ShootingHank · Dec 31, 2018

Please reference cue makers round table. The top cue makers in the world even called his work shit. Go ahead and look it up.

Great for the moment in time but bad for today’s standards. There is no denying this.
I get it. It’s a liberal world and people are triggered. Facts over emotions.

Today’s cue makers will put him to shame.

Black-Balled · Dec 31, 2018

ShootingHank said:
Please reference cue makers round table. The top cue makers in the world even called his work shit. Go ahead and look it up.

Great for the moment in time but bad for today’s standards. There is no denying this.

That's crap...and completely out of context.

By your logic, todays corrolla is a far better motorcar than an early corvette.

ShootingHank · Dec 31, 2018

HawaiianEye said:
Four point rules.

I prefer 6. 3 hi 3 low because it looks much more balanced than a 4 point. It feels so empty. To each it’s own.

ShootingHank · Dec 31, 2018

Black-Balled said:
That's crap...and completely out of context.

By your logic, todays corrolla is a far better motorcar than an early corvette.

Correct. Today’s Corolla is superior than an early Corvette from the standpoint of performance and efficiency.

Balabushkas are horrible for today’s game. I mean a 21 plus ounce log? Nobody plays with that and the heavier and bigger specs were tailored for the games they played at the time. Worthless for today’s application of the game.

Hunter · Dec 31, 2018

ShootingHank said:
Correct. Today’s Corolla is superior than an early Corvette from the standpoint of performance and efficiency.

Balabushkas are horrible for today’s game. I mean a 21 plus ounce log? Nobody plays with that and the heavier and bigger specs were tailored for the games they played at the time. Worthless for today’s application of the game.

Thanks for your wonderful insight on what is and what isn't good about Balabushka's work. I'm sure you are an outstanding cuemaker, and that you are also a world class professional pool player that uses only Revo shafts, but I asked about the forum member's opinions which ones they had thought were the best. Do you have one, or are you simply a troll?

If George pissed in your Cheerios before he died, start a thread of your own. I'm sure you'll amaze everyone with your wisdom...

Pushout · Dec 31, 2018

ShootingHank said:
Correct. Today’s Corolla is superior than an early Corvette from the standpoint of performance and efficiency.

Balabushkas are horrible for today’s game. I mean a 21 plus ounce log? Nobody plays with that and the heavier and bigger specs were tailored for the games they played at the time. Worthless for today’s application of the game.

Uh-huh. Nobody, really, like you have ANY IDEA? The few I've played with, even the heavy ones, were just as good, if not better, than anything out there today as far as performance goes.

skins · Dec 31, 2018

Whats the over/under on the length of time before Shooting"star" gets banned?

Dave-Kat · Dec 31, 2018

Nothing but 'chum you spew DB'

Happy New Year

-Kat,

ShootingHank said:
For the most part his cues were shit. Compared to today’s standards or even to his, they were horrible. Heck, he never really made everything. Some can argue he was an assembler. I do give him credit for his designs that are often copied but it’s nothing special. His contribution is his influence in design. I do see you makers stray away from the design. Four point crap

ShootingHank · Dec 31, 2018

Please just reference and watch the cue makers round table. These cue makers are the best of the best. They are just confirming what I’ve been saying. His cues are great aesthetically.

RichSchultz · Jan 1, 2019

ShootingHank said:
Please just reference and watch the cue makers round table. These cue makers are the best of the best. They are just confirming what I’ve been saying. His cues are great aesthetically.

you’re trying to hijack a thread, and then claim its ok because everyone else is too sensitive? wow.

Dan White · Jan 1, 2019

Getting back on track, sort of... 21 ounces? My untouched "POS" bushka is just under 19. Can you tell which one is the bushka? It's not one of the 10 fanciest ever made by any stretch, but 28 inlays on an early titlist cue is something different.

The crappy camera lens distorted the shafts. They are not bent.

garczar · Jan 1, 2019

Black-Balled said:
That's crap...and completely out of context.

By your logic, todays corrolla is a far better motorcar than an early corvette.

Early 'vettes looked great and were fun in a straight line. Beyond that they weren't very good cars. That's not an opinion but fact. A modern compact is way better built. As are modern cues. A guy at the 'hall just took delivery of two Carmelli cues. These things are so much nice than than those old cues its a joke. Materials, glues, finishes, construction methods are all better now. I've hit two 'bushkas in my life and neither one played as well as the Richard Black or T. Scruggs i had.

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