Does anyone play with late 70s/early 80s Richard Black cues?

I don't but have a buddy that has a mid 80's Bushka style. I picked up an old titlist 1980 Schick and I play better one pocket with it than any other cue I have ever owned, but for some reason I like my skinnier McDaniel for 8 and 9 ball. Original Schick shafts are both over 13mm, and it is the diameter of a baseball bat.

Matt_24 said:

I knew two really old school one pocket players (and when I say players, I mean those who matched up for large amounts) in D.C. who used Richard Black cues.

One was from the late 70s. 4 points with veneers, irish linen, ebony butt...kind of Bushka-esque. Two shafts. Had his name and year written in pencil on the forearm in a fancy script. This cue hit and played so good it was disgusting.

The other had one from the early 80s. Similar design. Awesome playing cue. And due to the age, the use, the taper of the shaft...whatever...they were surprisingly low in deflection.

Does anyone here own or play with one now?

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I have one made in 1975 and one made in 1976.

1975 is szamboti forearm rosewood on rosewood with flame veneers. has 4 maple windows in butt. cortland linen. 4 shafts. two have micarta ferrules. other two shafts one is ivory and one lbm. last two shafts are longer but all match rings on butt. flat faced steel joint.

1976 is solid rosewood. has 3 smaller ivory diamonds in forearm and 3 larger ivory diamonds in butt. cortland linen. It has an ivory joint and 3 shafts with ivory ferrules.

I am currently playing with the 1975 cue. 1976 shafts have way too much deflection for me. I can draw the hell out of the cue ball but have trouble making balls when using left or right spin.

Who are your players?!

I thought Black cues were known as nice to the eye, but no good for the arm.

Matt_24 said:

I knew two really old school one pocket players (and when I say players, I mean those who matched up for large amounts) in D.C. who used Richard Black cues.

One was from the late 70s. 4 points with veneers, irish linen, ebony butt...kind of Bushka-esque. Two shafts. Had his name and year written in pencil on the forearm in a fancy script. This cue hit and played so good it was disgusting.

The other had one from the early 80s. Similar design. Awesome playing cue. And due to the age, the use, the taper of the shaft...whatever...they were surprisingly low in deflection.

Does anyone here own or play with one now?

Click to expand...

Black-Balled said:

Who are your players?!

I thought Black cues were known as nice to the eye, but no good for the arm.

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I've had 3, 1 played great, the other 2 not so much. Still have my first RB, it plays great! Tolerances are horrible on a lot of his cues, others are Art work.
Jason

Just picked up one 4pt ebony plays pretty well....signature on buttcap


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jasonlaus said:

I've had 3, 1 played great, the other 2 not so much. Still have my first RB, it plays great! Tolerances are horrible on a lot of his cues, others are Art work.
Jason

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Yeah, it always struck me as kind of odd to claim a brand of cue is no good, given different people have different preferences.

Some people even liked meuccis of old. I know...crazy, right?!

I had a Richard Black Bushka cue that was relatively rare in the sense the joint was piloted ivory versus piloted steel.
In hindsight, I now very much regret not keeping that cue which I bought from Bill Grassley at Cornerstone Cues but I
sold it because I decided that I wanted all my cues to be flat ivory big pin joints and so I purchased a different cue instead.
That was probably 6-7 years ago and since that time, I have never seen another ivory joint Richard Black Bushka cue.
The weight was more than I prefer but I'd take it to own that same cue again. As I earlier wrote, I've never seen another one.

Matt B.

I have owned many,many varied custom & production cues over the years and my 2003 Richard Black Split Diamond model is STILL my cue of choice for my best performances. I am talking at least a dozen other custom cues from some of the most well known makers!

Matt_24 said:

I knew two really old school one pocket players (and when I say players, I mean those who matched up for large amounts) in D.C. who used Richard Black cues.

One was from the late 70s. 4 points with veneers, irish linen, ebony butt...kind of Bushka-esque. Two shafts. Had his name and year written in pencil on the forearm in a fancy script. This cue hit and played so good it was disgusting.

The other had one from the early 80s. Similar design. Awesome playing cue. And due to the age, the use, the taper of the shaft...whatever...they were surprisingly low in deflection.

Does anyone here own or play with one now?

Click to expand...

A fellow local player uses his early Black cue daily.

cue

Casino model......G R E A T C U E

Matt_24 said:

I knew two really old school one pocket players (and when I say players, I mean those who matched up for large amounts) in D.C. who used Richard Black cues.

One was from the late 70s. 4 points with veneers, irish linen, ebony butt...kind of Bushka-esque. Two shafts. Had his name and year written in pencil on the forearm in a fancy script. This cue hit and played so good it was disgusting.

The other had one from the early 80s. Similar design. Awesome playing cue. And due to the age, the use, the taper of the shaft...whatever...they were surprisingly low in deflection.

Does anyone here own or play with one now?

Click to expand...

I've said this in quite a few posts on here over the years, but I'll repeat it here.

I think the best cue that I ever had made was a custom 4-point that Richard Black made for me in 1978. It was just like the one you described. It was 4-point with 4 veneers (black, blue, green, and silver if I remember correctly). The points and butt sleeve were made of jet black ebony. It came with two shafts with ivory ferrules. I paid $175 for it. I played the best pool of my life with that cue. I was playing about 5-6 hours a day, 5-6 days a week and gambling all the while.

I regret selling it, but I had just had Richard make me a Casino model in 1981 and I sold the first cue to a young guy who kept bugging me for it before I got used to the second cue. The guy I sold the cue to was a young Air Force airman from Texas. The second cue didn't play anywhere near as good to me as the first one did.

Most of Richard's cues of that era were built pretty much to the specs of a Balabushka cue. A lot of his cues were mistaken for Balabushkas and quite a few were sold as Balabushkas. He used a pro taper that went straight back for about 10-10 1/2 inches and then it started increasing.

I've talked to Richard every once in a while over the last 40 years and he says I've called him from more countries in the world than anybody.

FWIW, every cue you buy plays differently and so does every shaft. I got two shafts with the 4-point and had them made to different specs...one was a 14mm and the other was a 13mm. I always preferred the 14mm and used it.

If I could run across my original cue, I'd buy it back in a minute.

rtbbf said:

Casino model......G R E A T C U E

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I had Richard make me a Casino model in 1981 to replace a 4-point that he made for me in 1978.

The Casino, to me, couldn't hold a candle to the 4-point and I sold it and started playing with an ebony 4-point McDermott C-14.

I'm glad you like yours.

Mine was rosewood with a black leather pigskin wrap. I think I paid $220 for it when he made it.

I’ve owned a few throughout the years, recently sold my 81 Hustler and loved that cue. I have three now with a fourth being built. The Hustler has an Ivory joint big pin, it is a good playing cue, all the cues I’ve owned of his have played good, some better than others.
My player now is a big pin Ivory joint Titlist he made for me a couple years back and it is the best playing cue I have ever shot with. Although, I’m a little biased when it comes to his cues, I consider him a friend.
The fourth cue that is being built will be called “The Copper Baron” and should be done before too long.

There is a good reason you don’t see very many for sell!

IMO... He is the most creative cue builder to ever live, an artist. His designs are stuff of legend. Aside from the design standpoint, they play pretty sporty. Awesome cues, better man.

JCM

In '82 i was in his shop and ordered a Hoppe-style cue. He said it was only second one he'd made, first was for some hack named Mizerak. This is the one cue i wish i'd not sold. Steel joint with ivory ferrules and it played stupidly good. The cue with 2 shafts and a Fellini cost me $375bux. He's probably about done making cues but they still play great. Also, RB is one super nice guy. He gave me a full tour of his shop when i was there yrs ago.

Matt_24 said:

Now I want a 1978 Richard Black player...my birth year.

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I know of one that may be for sale.

Matt_24 said:

Any pics? Sound phenomenal.

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Just sent a PM.

Do you guys know what different joints Richard used over the years? I have one made in 94 with a piloted ivory (I think it's 5/16 14) and I might want to buy another one of his in the future.