Balabushka Shaft Taper

HawaiianEye

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Aloha all,

I'm not exactly sure what category this question should be asked in, so I will post it here in the hope I can get an answer from one or more of the knowledgeable cue makers or collectors.

I assume Balabushka would tailor any cue he made to the customers wishes, but did he have a "standard" shaft taper and diameter that he thought was "best" for his cues. I've read that he (maybe his personal choice) preferred shafts that were less than 13mm, but I don't know if that is what he thought was "best". I would love to know more about this, if anyone is willing to share the information.

I've found various posts and discussions about his cues, but I haven't been able to find a whole lot of information on the construction of his cues that would make them "superior" to cues that were built "similarly" by other cuemakers of the time or afterward. I know he used "blanks" from Brunswick, Szamboti, Burton Spain, and maybe a few others, so I also was wondering what the "difference" in the "playability" was between the various types. I realize that some were short-spliced and some were full-spliced so I would think there would be a "distinct" difference in how the cues hit.

I know everything is based upon the player's preferences and "feel", but I would greatly appreciate any thoughts or comments that anyone is willing to provide.
 
GB bought his shafts precut from a company in NY. I have a friend that had wooden crates of original bushka shaft blanks. From there I don't know
How much he went to work on the shaft himself
 
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