Bushka on the market....

[KRJ]

Here I go again, I think its ugly. I know all you bushka fans are cursing me out but just my opinion. !

C'mon JFlo.... how can a full splice cue, with veneers, thick silver rings and notched diamonds be ugly ?? It's a classic.

These are the cues that stood the test of time... just like the Brunswicks Titlist and Willie Hoppe's and Herman Rambows that inspired these type of cues, and the design is seen in MANY cues today.

Heck, this design is still used today by Tascarella, Hercek, Szamboti, etc.....with their personal touch of course !!

Now if you want ugly, I can show you some ugly arse cues.... but I won't throw the cue makers under the bus here

But I will post a pic of the ugliest cue I've seen in awhile that a guy uses in my league.....it's so ugly, I would not insult my fireplace by burning it....

Take care, RJ

 

[kvinbrwr]

Your probally right.

Easy for me to say when I'm not holding one.

Thanks man

Kevin

 

[pdcue]

I know ive put on a few extra pounds but come on, swine. That hurt.

Enlighten us o wise one and tell us what makes it a pearl? Be specific, Im a little slow you know. :bow-down:

It's a well known quotation - you're on the well used Internet. Do you think
perhaps one could look it up?

Dale

 

[classiccues]

Thats fine. I don't argue hit or playability because everyones idea of both is purely opinion.

JV

I have a Mezz with a WD700 shaft and if its all just about the playing ability and not name or looks I would take it over all of them bar none

Now put another shaft on those cues then u got something the best innovation in the last 50 yrs in pool is LD shafts IMHO


1

 

[islandracer]

I had a hard time selling my Bushka last year, people were valuing it from $7500-$10,000. I eventually let it go for $6500 on ebay. Was very similar to this one except mine had no inlays in the butt and no silver ring in the joint. It was in better shape and had 2 LOA's. In trying to sell mine, I've found the high end collectors to be very wise and careful investors.

 

[hang-the-9]

OK if thats the case how, come those names aren't associated with any of the champions TODAY.

To be fair, lets have a running tab of cuemakers that made cues in Bushka's time.

Martin
Rambow
Paradise
Palmer
Viking
Gina
Joss
Laube
Spain

Thats a pretty good list of hall of fame cuemakers, can we agree on that? He out sold them all, period. No disrespect to any name on that list, but Bushkas were used to win more championships from 1960-1975, without question. This is not rhetoric, its fact. It would absolutely kill him to know his cues are now closet queens because of their value as a collectible and not a surgical ball pocketing instrument.

JV

How many Moochis and Cuetecs won world and major tournaments? And how many people hold those up as the masters of cuemaking? Granted Meucci cues do have some value, and were THE cue to have along with Joss if you were a dude playing in a pool hall and wanted to be thought of as a player, but they do not compare favorably with a ton of other makers.

 

[classiccues]

How many Moochis and Cuetecs won world and major tournaments? And how many people hold those up as the masters of cuemaking? Granted Meucci cues do have some value, and were THE cue to have along with Joss if you were a dude playing in a pool hall and wanted to be thought of as a player, but they do not compare favorably with a ton of other makers.

Not an apples to apples comparison. We are talking custom cues. If you want to throw them in, then compare them to yesteryears Vikings and Palmers.

JV

 

[tonyboy59]

I always thought Balabushka cues had a certain reverence associated with them. So that's why I acquired one a short time ago with a Buton Spain blank refinished by Barry (he was able to keep the original leather wrap and it's smooth as glass) with two Gus unplayed Gus shafts (as well as the two original shafts). I get compliments on it often from folks that don't even know what it is because it's so beautiful. As far as how it hits...I don't know as I have never shot with it. Someday...

 

[hang-the-9]

Not an apples to apples comparison. We are talking custom cues. If you want to throw them in, then compare them to yesteryears Vikings and Palmers.

JV

Not so much, you based the argument on outselling and wins using them, not on quality and rareness. I'm not arguing that the cues are not historic nor that they played great, but the value now is more in the name and history and lore, even more than the fact that it's a great cue to play with. If I took a good hitting cue, made by a modern maker, wiped all makings off it, had it made to look like a bushka, and had someone play with it thinking it was a bushka, they would say it played better than any cue from that same maker that was marked as such.

I think everyone already agreed that the cue is about double it's real value, the post is now more of a "are Bushak's over-rated and are new cue makers better" hehe.

 

[original palmer]

OK if thats the case how, come those names aren't associated with any of the champions TODAY.

To be fair, lets have a running tab of cuemakers that made cues in Bushka's time.

Martin
Rambow
Paradise
Palmer
Viking
Gina
Joss
Laube
Spain

Thats a pretty good list of hall of fame cuemakers, can we agree on that? He out sold them all, period. No disrespect to any name on that list, but Bushkas were used to win more championships from 1960-1975, without question. This is not rhetoric, its fact.

you mean none of those companies sold more than 1200 cues from 1960 to 1975??

I dont think the term "outsold" is correct within those names

 

[classiccues]

you mean none of those companies sold more than 1200 cues from 1960 to 1975??

I dont think the term "outsold" is correct within those names

When I say outsold them, I mean in respect to the players using them, not on a numeric sense.

JV

 

[classiccues]

Again, its not even close to the period I referenced. There is an entire thread if you would like to argue your last point in another location. Fact of the matter is, in the period claimed, with the custom cumakers listed his cues were used to win more championships, there is nothing to dispute. He was sought out by champions, do you know anyone else that can claim the same today?

JV

Not so much, you based the argument on outselling and wins using them, not on quality and rareness. I'm not arguing that the cues are not historic nor that they played great, but the value now is more in the name and history and lore, even more than the fact that it's a great cue to play with. If I took a good hitting cue, made by a modern maker, wiped all makings off it, had it made to look like a bushka, and had someone play with it thinking it was a bushka, they would say it played better than any cue from that same maker that was marked as such.

I think everyone already agreed that the cue is about double it's real value, the post is now more of a "are Bushak's over-rated and are new cue makers better" hehe.

 

[Fast Lenny]

Again, its not even close to the period I referenced. There is an entire thread if you would like to argue your last point in another location. Fact of the matter is, in the period claimed, with the custom cumakers listed his cues were used to win more championships, there is nothing to dispute. He was sought out by champions, do you know anyone else that can claim the same today?

JV

Well that is interesting but I must say this, it all came down to numbers. Balabushka was one of only a few cue makers during his time and probably the best and well known so the chances of a top player having one was very good and also winning a world championship too. Today we have more cue builders and assemblers then ever so not all the champions are playing with just a handful of makers cues. Also the quality of the cues today are excellent and even in lower end production cues. You can take the top makers of today who command the most money and cues for a fraction of the price can play just as well and possibly be just as well built if not better too.

 

[Mr. Bond]

He was sought out by champions, do you know anyone else that can claim the same today?
JV

Ding!

Many custom cuemakers (today) focus more on marketing aesthetics than precision. This could be part of the reason why there isn't one or two "preferred" custom cuemakers amongst the "pros".


Ironic that baseball bat companies offer very specifically custom cut bats for pro players. Customized drilled balls for bowling. Ever been fitted for a pool cue?

 

[Fast Lenny]

Ding!

Many custom cuemakers (today) focus more on marketing aesthetics than precision. This could be part of the reason why there isn't one or two "preferred" custom cuemakers amongst the "pros".


Ironic that baseball bat companies offer very specifically custom cut bats for pro players. Customized drilled balls for bowling. Ever been fitted for a pool cue?

Most pros play with what people give them or pay them to play with. I would think precision today in cue making is better and not worse amongst top builders. It is easy to be the best when you are the only game in town or one of a handful. Do not get me wrong, I love Balabushka cues for that classic look and all the old time players who used them but if George was building cues today he might be just another cue builder unless he got hyped up by the right people. I find it funny that some cue makers who do just as good or better work then the well known guys are barely making a living or cannot make a living doing cues, I guess there is just too much competition.

 

[pt109]

I gotta say it...
I'd walk over two dozen Buskas to get at one cue by Gus Szamboti.

Strads are still great violins....Szambotis are still great cues.

 

[original palmer]

Again, its not even close to the period I referenced. There is an entire thread if you would like to argue your last point in another location. Fact of the matter is, in the period claimed, with the custom cumakers listed his cues were used to win more championships, there is nothing to dispute. He was sought out by champions, do you know anyone else that can claim the same today?

JV

oh i'm not arguing that. i believe you. it was the way you worded it that confused me. you cleared it up, done.

 

[Dan White]

I always thought Balabushka cues had a certain reverence associated with them. So that's why I acquired one a short time ago with a Buton Spain blank refinished by Barry (he was able to keep the original leather wrap and it's smooth as glass) with two Gus unplayed Gus shafts (as well as the two original shafts). I get compliments on it often from folks that don't even know what it is because it's so beautiful. As far as how it hits...I don't know as I have never shot with it. Someday...

I was told by one cuemaker that Bushkas have a compound taper in the forearm, and this taper is often altered (ruined) when refinishing. I don't know if this was done with titlist blanks only or if it carried through his cuemaking career. If that is the case, then you cue might play a little differently than an original. Or, let's say maybe the feedback in your hand will be a little different.

Maybe someone with more knowledge than I can chime in...

 

[poolmouse]

I don't know. Let me call a buddy....

:thumbup:

Poolmouse

 

[jayman]

can you guys get the photos to enlarge on the ebay ad? All i see is tiny thumbnails.