Balabushka

[Chopdoc]

No idea how people would think they were getting an original for that kind of money though, no offense.

Because it happens.


We see stories of garage sale finds and flea market finds fairly regularly around here. Just check the Gallery. Not Bushkas...yet...but some serious cues for pennies on the dollar. It even happens on Ebay. If you know what you are looking at and others don't, you can nail a great deal. There was a Doc Fry that sold on Ebay for something like $38 last year. I would have snagged it but got called into a meeting with my boss. We have seen Rambo cues for dirt cheap too. I got my Abe Rich cue for $2.00....it's no Bushka but it is in beautiful condition and worth substantially more than $2.00!

Why do people think it can happen? Because it does happen.

The odd thing is that so many people get fooled by Adam Balabushka cues. I mean, to me it is common knowledge he didn't sign cues...yet l have seen too many people really believing they are original Balabushkas. Unlike some of you folks, I ain't afraid to tell them.


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[ctyhntr]

Joss is a competitor, why would they mention a competitor in a good light.

A couple of years ago Predator came out with their Willie Hoppe tribute, I believe it was a limited run, so far haven't heard any stories of people confusing it with the original.

Still a good bit of "spin" in that story. At least it says only the name was licensed. It mentions the Color of Money but does not bother to mention that cue was a JOSS...LOL!


Anyway....yeah....Balabushka never signed a cue, or at least none have been found that he signed.

The signed cue in the pic was an Adam.



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[Chopdoc]

Joss is a competitor, why would they mention a competitor in a good light.

A couple of years ago Predator came out with their Willie Hoppe tribute, I believe it was a limited run, so far haven't heard any stories of people confusing it with the original.

The Predator is designed to look like the original but is in fact clearly marked differently. The "decal" states it is a Predator.

The Predator Hoppe cue was very well done IMHO. The only thing wrong with it was the plywood shaft. That is easily remedied with a good high growth ring solid maple shaft from a good maker though.

Yeah...the modern Balabushka distributors wouldn't dare mention the movie cue was a JOSS. But to say they are a competitor? OK...maybe loosely. JOSS is actually a successful cue exporter. They have achieved what few US businesses of any sort ever even dreamed of doing. :grin:




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[Nine ... corner]

You may have read it here. I think JAM posted that Keith said all the cues in the movie, save his and maybe one other were made by Joss.

Scott ... it just dawned on me where I read about the Joss cue masquerading as a Balabushka in the movie. I was looking at Joss cues on Pooldawg and the Joss N7 is called "The Color of Money Pool Cue" and in the detail section it talks about how they used Joss in the movie. I bought a Mali cue in the late 80's that looks very much like it. It has beautiful points and mother of pearl in-lays.

 

[JoseV]

The Joss Color of money cue N-7 and J13 ? I think we'll anyways the ones for sale are not an exact replica of the color of money joss there are slight variations to one in that movie and the ones for sale today.