I took my Balabushka out to the bar when I first got it, and I did the bar pool thing.
balabushka
- Thread starter kaznj
- Start date
I know as fact that many times for guys who ordered cues from George whom he knew were avid players in the general NYC vicinity that George would take subways , buses, and cabs at times to hand deliver the cue to the player at the pool room for cash - the cues were wrapped in brown paper and George would like to watch the guys play with their new cue.
ill keep you in mind. next year ill send you a pic and you can make me an offer, i have no one to give them to but the money will go to a humane society for the animals.
IMO, not that it likely would matter to most readers, pool cues are extension of the game we love so much. It doesn’t
matter if the table does or doesn’t have pockets. But when it does, may all six (6) play as tight, or generous, as you
otherwise prefer. When the cue maker has taken the time and effort required to build a pool cue, then the finished
product deserves to fulfill the role for which the pool cue was even created. And that’s to actually play with it.
The finest musical instruments weren’t created to be admired. The instrument makers intended them to produce the sweetest musical notes imaginable. In other words, the instruments were made to be played and enjoyed. To not do that is an insult to the person creating the instrument who built it to produce music meant to be listened to….heard by others. It is only by appreciating how great something is that the creator….the maker achieves their reason for crafting it in the first place.
A pool cue that never gets played might as well never have be made to begin with. Why even own cues like that. I have a small collection but own way more pool cues than I require. If my children ever stop having more grandkids and I know how many cues I’ll ultimately need, maybe I can actually sell some cues. But if the birth trend continues, I dread thinking about either buying or else ordering more pool cues so my heirs each get one of my cues. The price of cues has increased quite a bit since I last ordered a cue & the best cue makers have a wait list as well. The future is still uncertain so I might sell or buy.
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Well then I'm definitely in. Make no promises its a style I like but I'd like to at least have an opportunity.
I always try to track down ownership history on my more upscale prior owned cues - the stories behind some cues add much to the hobby of collecting the cues themselves. With the old Rambow cues; where the owner's names are inscribed on the cue by HR; it is interesting to do internet searches on those names- I found many of them were tied to more wealthy families from old line banking and industrial financial leaders. Most had elaborate billiard rooms in their mansions and wanted the best cue that money could buy at the time.I’ve played with all mine. And they all play great. They are all well used cues. I wish o knew the history of ownership of them. I’m certain it’s amazing. Sadly they just haven't started speaking to me……yet.
Fatboy <——-a patient man
A recent mansion went for sale in the NYC area and the old billiard room was just unbelievable with a very elaborate Brunswick table.
Me2 I love the historical cues. Sadly my Bushka’s are impossible to find anything out about.
I have Kim’s Szam he used for 20+ years and Ray Martins Szam. Those are both long time used cues. I have a szam that Miz played with for a pretty long time as it’s an older cue. Miz started switching cues a bit more often as he got older.
If the cues could talk. Wow! I’ve often wondered who played with what over the years. I’ve hit balls with so many old cues, Martins Palmers etc. going back to the 80’s I’ve played with many many cues and I’m sure some were used by lots of champions going way back.
I’ve let every champion play with my Boar. Which is pretty cool. Ofc I know that history, I should write down everyone that’s hit balls with it.
Best
Fatboy <——-pool fan
What a wonderful thing to have been able to do! I am envious of your experiences and opportunity to engage the greats!
I love the history and the stories on this site!
I love the history and the stories on this site!
I was at a store in central Pennsylvania two years ago that restores old tables. They had an old Brunswick titlist two piece on the wall that had seen better days but was in tact. I asked how much they wanted and the guy said $50. Picked it up and he threw in a one piece titlist house cue that was missing a tip (to be fair, I gave him a lot of recent issues of Billiards Digest as well). Took the two piece to the pool room a few days later for show and tell and decided to hit a few with it, expecting it to make a clicking, or pinging or something.
It was solid. As solid or maybe even more than my daily player. I could totally get that thing cleaned up and use it if I wanted to.
I’m not sure if you are referring to me, there’s so much great history on here. There are guys who have long passed away that have written some amazing posts here. Some of the most knowledgeable people in pool.
It would be great to go on a mission and dig up old threads/posts and archive them as “historically” significant. It’s here between the bullshit and arguments about chalk and aiming.
To have been around pool for 40 years now is pretty cool, yet I know a few guys who have 60+ years with good memories. They write, I read!
The old wood is good. Stays straight and imo plays/feels better.
Indeed I was! I could not agree more! The threads that have intrigued me the most are the old timers and the stories! I have never been any better than a b-player and I took a long hiatus from playing but man finding this place has immersed me into the game like never before. I just can't get enough!
That is why we stockpile straight old Brunswicks. You can used from just about the top of the points forward if the cue it straight. A reclaim shaft that is solid and straight. It also has better patina, nothing worse than a 50-60 year old cue with new snow white shafts.
JV
You are spot on!
Snow white shafts are 25 years too young as a rule. Give or take. Some Snow White maple is never good. I avoid white shafts.
Bob Runde told me, after meeting him at the Inaugural BCA Trade Show in the mid-80’s, ithat a shaft should be
matched to the weight of a cue butt to achieve the best overall balance and feel of the pool cue. He pointed out
that shaft diameter and taper influence how the cue feels but the shaft weight determines how the cue plays. A
a shaft that is too light, or too heavy, mismatches its weight balance so a cue maker must carefully select wood.
matched to the weight of a cue butt to achieve the best overall balance and feel of the pool cue. He pointed out
that shaft diameter and taper influence how the cue feels but the shaft weight determines how the cue plays. A
a shaft that is too light, or too heavy, mismatches its weight balance so a cue maker must carefully select wood.
Did you twirl it over your head like a Samauri as you rocketed in stop shots with Werewolves of London blasting?
He better have