Balabushka or Szamboti or Kersenbrock or ?
- Thread starter Ken_4fun
- Start date
A 1972 Pinto, does everything a 2015 Corvette does, i.e. going from place "A" to place "B". That isnt the point. In high school, when we all had crappy first cars, the comment made then was, "As long as it has a great stereo!" Since high school, I have learned a few things like I need more than a great stereo in the car.
My question, what cue would you have if you could have any cue?
Ken
Jamie Beaulieu
Registered
Balabushka
A plain jane Cognoscenti. Why?
A guy from Phoenix came to the hall one day, I saw he had a Titlist Tribute and asked him about it. He let me play with it and said I could try a few of his other cues if I wanted. He had a plain jane Cog in there. I didn't know what it was at first, but he let me play a few games with it and I loved it. So much so, that I asked to buy it on the spot, but he wanted a little more than I was willing to play.
Also, I don't care about the stereo (figuratively speaking). I realized that I can order a custom cue with all the fancy specifications and it may come to me playing like absolute crap. Surprisingly, most "Lights Out" cues that I have played with, are garbage.
Interesting a "road player" came into town, and beat a few guys in town. I sat down with him, and he played with a plain jane ebony cog. I hit some with it, and it did play pretty solid. The shafts were filty, and the finish on the butt was worn. I suspect all for effect.
Ken
The Harvey Martin, primarily billiard cue, is probably the most singularly hand crafted cue every made. He had only a drill press and wood lathe as his machine tools and was putting nice leather wraps on his cues before others adopted that style. He rotated his shaft wood for about seven or eight years before he made his final turns and used a wood screw for his pin and guess what his cues never warped or lost being straight. He was the first to use adjustable weights and inter changeable parts in the butt and forearm. It was a passion for him and when he died, TAD purchased his entire shop and stock wood. By the way, TAD was too shabby a cue maker himself.
Interesting about the filthy shaft thing...not for effect in my case, I never let anyone clean my shaft (when replacing a tip). About once or twice a year, I'll put a little denatured alcohol on a paper towel and take off the gunk just a bit. I'm funny that way, I like the feel of a natural patina that the oils from my hands put on it. It's a feel that is lost the moment I have a shaft cleaned. I understand DAZ does the same thing, he likes his shafts left alone. I do use a dry towel every session to take off the chalk/sweat/humidity before I put it away, but all my shafts (especially my player) are nice and dark. :smile:
Tried at least half a dozen cogs. None hit the same. Only one hit remarkably well.
There has been some eras with quality control issues for JG which make buying one a gamble.
Kersenbrocks hit similar to SW but a great hitting SW needs to be stiff. A DPK cue can be a little less stiff and hit better than a SW. Never played with a bushka, did hit once with a Gus and was not impressed. Played with a barry and thought it played decent but not any better than my other favorite steel jointed cues (see below)
You asked, if you could own any cue what would it be, for play-ability my kersenbrock and my bluegrass is a toss up, both play better than any other cue I tired. I had a 1/2 stainless searing that played very very good and I regret selling my tasc, but I am not a fan of steel joint cues nor ivory ferrules.
I would like to try a wood to wood joint searing though.
This validates my point. No two cues will every play the same, even if they are made from the same trees. It just won't happen.
I tried one Szamboti and hated it.
I tried one Leon Sly and hated it.
I tried one Josey and hated it.
I tried one cue from various small makers, and hated them.
I tried one Cognoscenti and loved it.
I play with a Curly Maple/Ebony full splice with a G10 3/8x10 joint pin and it has no weight bolt. I ditched the original shaft and play with a 30" Tiger Ultra-X LD shaft. The cue was made by Schmelke, sold under the name Summit Cues by a member here. I got it and love it. I've had 3 Schmelke's before this one and this is the only one I have and will keep.
I feel the same way about over-cleaning shafts....I think your natural oils conditions and
protects the wood.
I got a few too many cues, so I don't mind lending them for this reason.
I think a lot of the great cues that became wall hangers lost their 'hit' and are more
prone to warping.
Most certainly a later cue made by George. In general, his later cues play supreme. Of course it also depends condition and originality of each particular cue by said makers. I have played with quite a few from those listed (though only one by Kersenbrock).
All coming after Balabushka learned a lot from his skills, certainly more so than a lot of people seem to understand/realize. George also knew people wanted his knowledge in making cues, and kept it pretty close to his belt.
All coming after Balabushka learned a lot from his skills, certainly more so than a lot of people seem to understand/realize. George also knew people wanted his knowledge in making cues, and kept it pretty close to his belt.
I've never owned a cue from any of these guys. I shot with a Balabushka for about 10 minutes in the early 90s and loved it. I did the same with a Kersenbrock and didn't care for it. To say I don't have enough experience with these to make a proper decision is an understatement. However, based solely on appearance I'd take a Balabushka over the others. I just really dig the way they look.
