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 cuemakers or collectors.
I assume Balabushka tailored his cues to his customers wishes, but wonder if he had his own "standard" shaft taper (pro, parabolic, conical, etc.) and shaft 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.
P.S. Would also like to learn the same qualities that made Szamboti cues so much better than the others (at least in many peoples eyes).
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 cuemakers or collectors.
I assume Balabushka tailored his cues to his customers wishes, but wonder if he had his own "standard" shaft taper (pro, parabolic, conical, etc.) and shaft 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.
P.S. Would also like to learn the same qualities that made Szamboti cues so much better than the others (at least in many peoples eyes).