Balabushkas...

wild west

wild west

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Ever wonder how many "Genuine" Balabushkas their are...Considering the fake ones out their. And which "Master" Cuemakers have taken part in creating "Fake" ones...
What would happen if one of those Cuemakers was exposed? With eye-witnesses seeing him do it? Not only that...but for one of the most Famous Cue Collections in existance.
 
wild west said:
Ever wonder how many "Genuine" Balabushkas their are...Considering the fake ones out their. And which "Master" Cuemakers have taken part in creating "Fake" ones...
What would happen if one of those Cuemakers was exposed? With eye-witnesses seeing him do it? Not only that...but for one of the most Famous Cue Collections in existance.
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That would be tantamount to disastrous for the one making the claim if he could not prove it in court for the libel suit that may follow, or the end of one cuemaker's reputation if the claim were provable enough to ward off the libel suit. Pretty straight forward, I think. How about you Mr. West?
 
I wonder

wild west said:
Ever wonder how many "Genuine" Balabushkas their are...Considering the fake ones out their. And which "Master" Cuemakers have taken part in creating "Fake" ones...
What would happen if one of those Cuemakers was exposed? With eye-witnesses seeing him do it? Not only that...but for one of the most Famous Cue Collections in existance.
Click to expand...

I know some cuebuilders that can make anything, but wouldn't call it an authentic Balabushka. This is the reason I have backed off in my quest for one. If you expose the "fakes" that you know about, it would be nice, if not, great, but I have put my search on the back-burner.
 
Big story!

wild west said:
Ever wonder how many "Genuine" Balabushkas their are...Considering the fake ones out their. And which "Master" Cuemakers have taken part in creating "Fake" ones...
What would happen if one of those Cuemakers was exposed? With eye-witnesses seeing him do it? Not only that...but for one of the most Famous Cue Collections in existance.
Click to expand...

That would be a BIIIIIG story! :eek: :eek: Do you know something your not telling? ;)
 
wild west said:
Ever wonder how many "Genuine" Balabushkas their are...Considering the fake ones out their. And which "Master" Cuemakers have taken part in creating "Fake" ones...
What would happen if one of those Cuemakers was exposed? With eye-witnesses seeing him do it? Not only that...but for one of the most Famous Cue Collections in existance.
Click to expand...

You mean there were more than one ?? :) :eek:
 
they arnt hard to find and there are a couple guys that can authenicate them to protect yourself from getting robbed,
 
I'm sorry

but posts like this give me the creeps, like reading the "cover story" of a gossip magazine. To me (and I know I don't speak for the planet), it seems like if you have something to say, say it, don't sort of "imply" or "hint" at it. Is this a fictional story, like a treatment for a movie pitch, because if it is, we can all think of far more intriguing tales than some guy being seen making a fake cue.
 
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wild west said:
Ever wonder how many "Genuine" Balabushkas their are...Considering the fake ones out their. And which "Master" Cuemakers have taken part in creating "Fake" ones...
What would happen if one of those Cuemakers was exposed? With eye-witnesses seeing him do it? Not only that...but for one of the most Famous Cue Collections in existance.
Click to expand...

Well, according to the rumors, which have been passed around, the list would be much shorter to name the master cue builders who haven't bothered making fake Balabushkas.

There are fake everything and ways to find them out. Caveat Emptor!

Chris
 
I don't personally know of any. Doesn't mean they aren't out there. I've known of many cuemakers who have made copies of 'Bushkas, but don't label them as such. Goerge's simple designs and style are popular with many people. I've seen a bunch of Tascrellas that looked like Balabushkas.
 
hangemhigh said:
Like Fatboy said,if you know,it ain't hard to tell the real deal.
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all you gotta do is hit a ball with one and you'll know, assuming your an experienced player. Recently there was a fake one floating around, I cant mention who had it etc but when it was determined it wasnt real the dealer that had it did the right thing and so did the guy who sold it to him so nobody got burned that I know of. Additionally in 1980 it was easy to copy one because they wernt that old then but now days they are getting so old, the ageing process cant be duplicated by any cue maker, how do you acclerate the age the wrap, finish, or rot the rubber bumper?. Futhermore if a cue maker is capable of that which is unlikely, what does he stand to gain? Selling a few cues for $15,000 each and losing his reputation for less than $100,000 when he can make that many dollars worth of cues every year or two for along time. Sure there are fakes out there but they wernt made this year, they to are old cues and like I mentioned eariler they get identifyed and sorted out by honerable people-there are honerable people in pool. there are counterfit Szams as well but they are easily caught too. You cant fake quality.


I think Balabushka made my McDermott. ;) And Gus made my Mali.
 
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Pushout said:
I don't personally know of any. Doesn't mean they aren't out there. I've known of many cuemakers who have made copies of 'Bushkas, but don't label them as such. Goerge's simple designs and style are popular with many people. I've seen a bunch of Tascrellas that looked like Balabushkas.
Click to expand...


I don't think West is talking about Bushka style cues, but rather ones that were created especially to be passed off as the real thing (and on a personal note....these are the things I have a problem with more than the "X-inspired cues"). I'm not wanting to speak for West, but that's the impression I got reading his post.

Folks, let's all get real, people have heard about this subject for years....but I don't think anyone without first-hand knowledge is going out on a limb to say something that's heresay. Sure, there may be some folks that actually know the truth, but they're probably taking this with them to their graves....
 
I hate to admit it, but a couple years ago I was at an estate sale and I held in my hands what may have been a Balabushka. I wasn't very knowledgeable about cues at the time and for some reason I thought ivory inlays indicated an expensive cue so the MOP inlays and ss joint didn't impress me. Whatever it was, it was old because everything else in the place was old, must have been an elderly person's estate.

I also passed on a Willie Hoppe brunswick at another estate sale.

Oh well.
 
i play with one most of the time in Vegas, I just got a new Barry Szam and put down the Bushka but its a tough decision for now, i'm still on the come back from a long lay-off and eventually I will settle with one cue, i play with ALL my cues but I will have one cue I use for action etc, right now its close between the Barry and the Bushka, I have other Bushkas but one in particular is heads above the others, the Barry is right there. So why the story about? my point is no fake cues are going to hit like cues in this league, the Gus Szams are in there too, I'm blessed enough to have a choice of cues and years of playing with different cues and am well qualifyed to make the above statments, counterfit cues wont play like the real deal, Gus Szam, Bushkas and Barry Szam cues cant be duplicated. There are other cues that play terrific that dont cost what they do.
 
cueaddicts said:
I don't think West is talking about Bushka style cues, but rather ones that were created especially to be passed off as the real thing (and on a personal note....these are the things I have a problem with more than the "X-inspired cues"). I'm not wanting to speak for West, but that's the impression I got reading his post.
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I had that impression myself, just haven't seen one and don't personally know anyone who has. I wasn't trying to be critical.
 
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