Balabushka cues

garczar

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Does anyone know how they play and also where they are made?
Current ones are made in China. They're actually made pretty well but are WAY over priced imo. The one's that ADAM used to make are really nice but hard to find and they're getting high in price also. Do a search on this. This topic has been covered a LOT on here.
 

jay helfert

Shoot Pool, not people
Gold Member
Silver Member
Does anyone know how they play and also where they are made?

The original "Bushka's" may well have been the best playing cues of their era. They were certainly the most coveted. Even today, they are the 'Stradivarius' of pool cues with extremely high values in the tens of thousands of dollars.
 

deanoc

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
i think pete tascarella makes cues that are exactly like the balabushkas

they seem to play exactly like i remember the old balabushkas playing

i loved the basic designs of george balabushka

i think i could tell a difference in mottey,scruggs,szamboti , or billy joss cues

somewhere in the back of my mind i think i can remember the difference

of course the mind plays tricks,and i would not be willing to bet if a blind test were conducted

if i had a big game tonight,i would be much happier borrowing a schon
i never had a bad one and i loved the play
 

PoolFan101

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Ok , the new Bushka’s are made in China in the same Factory as Lucasi and play the same. I believe they are the same cue with different branding. They play ok , the give away to them is the thinner nickel rings. Sub-par. The older Balabushka cues were made in Japan and i had one and really liked it. It played Amazingly nice. I wish I had kept it. They were made in the old Adam/Helmsetter Factory. They are hard to find and command a decent price as well. They were as close to the original as you could get without spending into the thousands. Then you have the originals, the real Balabushka cues , into the thousands you go.
 

johnnysd

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Here is a link to the brochure for the Adams cue line in 1992

https://www.flickr.com/photos/9087370@N06/sets/72157605579098564/with/2573646477/


The RCH VIP cues and the Adams Balabushka cues were manufactured with the same technical design but the Balabushkas looked like George Balabushka customs

If you want to get one of the Adams Balabushka cues look for the models listed. If you can find a RCH VIP it will be the same.

They are quite excellent cues. My friend has one the RCH VIPs and it is one of the smoothest cues I have played with. NewOldStock NOS RCH VIPs and Adams Balabushkas do show up on EBAY from time to time but the Adams Bushkas as mentioned are getting very expensive.

I would not say they hit like a real Balabushka necessarily though.

Tascarella is the closest you can find to the hit of a real one. They are literally made on the same lathe George used. My Tasc is utterly exceptional

Hope this helps
 

garczar

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Ok , the new Bushka’s are made in China in the same Factory as Lucasi and play the same. I believe they are the same cue with different branding. They play ok , the give away to them is the thinner nickel rings. Sub-par. The older Balabushka cues were made in Japan and i had one and really liked it. It played Amazingly nice. I wish I had kept it. They were made in the old Adam/Helmsetter Factory. They are hard to find and command a decent price as well. They were as close to the original as you could get without spending into the thousands. Then you have the originals, the real Balabushka cues , into the thousands you go.
Not sure of the factory. The Hamson/Universal plant that makes Predator and Lucasi could be it no one knows for sure. The outfit in Arizona that markets the current ones will only say they are Chinese made. Lot of cue factories in China/Taiwan.
 

garczar

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Here is a link to the brochure for the Adams cue line in 1992

https://www.flickr.com/photos/9087370@N06/sets/72157605579098564/with/2573646477/


The RCH VIP cues and the Adams Balabushka cues were manufactured with the same technical design but the Balabushkas looked like George Balabushka customs

If you want to get one of the Adams Balabushka cues look for the models listed. If you can find a RCH VIP it will be the same.

They are quite excellent cues. My friend has one the RCH VIPs and it is one of the smoothest cues I have played with. NewOldStock NOS RCH VIPs and Adams Balabushkas do show up on EBAY from time to time but the Adams Bushkas as mentioned are getting very expensive.

I would not say they hit like a real Balabushka necessarily though.

Tascarella is the closest you can find to the hit of a real one. They are literally made on the same lathe George used. My Tasc is utterly exceptional

Hope this helps
That '92 ADAM line-up had some really nice cues in it.
 

CESSNA10

AzB Gold Member
Gold Member
Silver Member
Here is a link to the brochure for the Adams cue line in 1992

https://www.flickr.com/photos/9087370@N06/sets/72157605579098564/with/2573646477/


The RCH VIP cues and the Adams Balabushka cues were manufactured with the same technical design but the Balabushkas looked like George Balabushka customs

If you want to get one of the Adams Balabushka cues look for the models listed. If you can find a RCH VIP it will be the same.

They are quite excellent cues. My friend has one the RCH VIPs and it is one of the smoothest cues I have played with. NewOldStock NOS RCH VIPs and Adams Balabushkas do show up on EBAY from time to time but the Adams Bushkas as mentioned are getting very expensive.

I would not say they hit like a real Balabushka necessarily though.

Tascarella is the closest you can find to the hit of a real one. They are literally made on the same lathe George used. My Tasc is utterly exceptional

Hope this helps

Thanks for the link
 

spktur

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member

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pt109

WO double hemlock
Silver Member
I really wish you guys would call them Balabuska Tribute Cues.

George Balabuska is an American icon.
 

jimmyg

Mook! What's a Mook?
Silver Member
I really wish you guys would call them Balabuska Tribute Cues.

George Balabuska is an American icon.

I really wish people would call them Helmstetter/Adams cues....Calling them Balabuskas is like going to a Platters concert and the only connection to the original Platters group is that one member of the new group went to high school with the grandson of one of original group. :frown:

Marketing extraordinary...
 

Terry Aeschliman

Terry Aeschliman
Gold Member
Silver Member
Rch-vip

After reading this, I went to my vault and dug out a RCH-VIP S-3, that I have had for awhile, and had aactually forgotton about. As I was hitting some balls, my memory kicked in concerning the smoothness of the hit. I certainly does not compare price wise to the origionals, but does have a unique hit.
Ah, the memories!!!

Terry Aeschliman Galveston Indiana 765 434 5131
 

pt109

WO double hemlock
Silver Member
I really wish people would call them Helmstetter/Adams cues....Calling them Balabuskas is like going to a Platters concert and the only connection to the original Platters group is that one member of the new group went to high school with the grandson of one of original group. :frown:

Marketing extraordinary...

Funny you should bring that up, Jimmy....
..the last time I saw the Platters live...they only had one original member....
...they were good, but not Smoke in My Eyes good...
..kinda like playing with an Helmstetter Tribute cue.
 

garczar

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I really wish people would call them Helmstetter/Adams cues....Calling them Balabuskas is like going to a Platters concert and the only connection to the original Platters group is that one member of the new group went to high school with the grandson of one of original group. :frown:

Marketing extraordinary...
I wish people would call them "ADAM" cues. ;)
 
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