Did Gus make any wrapless cues???

[brandoncook26]

I have never seen a wrapless Gus. I'm sure there weren't many wrapless cues done in his era. It seems to be a more recent development in cues. Just wondering if anyone has seen one or has a picture of one. I bet that would be a rare (read expensive) cue.

-Brandon

 

[sfleinen]

I have never seen a wrapless Gus. I'm sure there weren't many wrapless cues done in his era. It seems to be a more recent development in cues. Just wondering if anyone has seen one or has a picture of one. I bet that would be a rare (read expensive) cue.

-Brandon

Brandon:

I wouldn't exactly say that. Wrapless cues have been around since the cue itself evolved from the mace. *Wraps*, on the other hand, are a more recent development in cues.

In fact, in most other cue sports (e.g. snooker, Russian Pyramid, English Billiards), wrapless cues are the norm.

Perception-wise, here's what some folks from those other cue sports think of a pool cue:

http://forums.azbilliards.com/showthread.php?p=2540425#post2540425

Snooker can be played with a broom handle. I played for years using a 13.25mm tip. Don't give up the idea of using a good pool cue for snooker as well - a familiar cue is a great plus.

Ah but had you got familiar playing with a proper snooker cue you'd be eating them words now.

The typical pool cue....Laminated maple chopsticks attatched to a butt inlaid with bits of coloured plastic by robots wrapped in an irish womans knickers. The whole lot then covered with layer upon layer of thick varnish.

No wonder the pool players wear poncy whacko jacko gloves and use bucketfulls of talc.

Off the deep end, I know, but this is the perception.

Whether Gus made one, is another story. I'm sure he did -- because if for nothing else, a wrapless cue definitely shows-off the cue maker's art.

Let's wait and see if anyone's got examples of a wrapless Gus (which I'm sure exist -- it'd *have to* with a master like Gus, no?).

-Sean

 

[brandoncook26]

I know wrapless cues have been around longer. I should have been more specific. I was more referring to cues with a wrapless handle area. I know full-splice/house cues are obviously wrapless. I'm talking about a cue where the handle section that would normally be wrapped has wood instead.

Paul Schofield here has a Gus sneaky that is wrapless. There are pics in the cue gallery. I was more referring to the current incarnation of wood instead of a wrap.

Sorry, looking back I didn't explain myself well enough.

 

[classiccues]

I know wrapless cues have been around longer. I should have been more specific. I was more referring to cues with a wrapless handle area. I know full-splice/house cues are obviously wrapless. I'm talking about a cue where the handle section that would normally be wrapped has wood instead.

Paul Schofield here has a Gus sneaky that is wrapless. There are pics in the cue gallery. I was more referring to the current incarnation of wood instead of a wrap.

Sorry, looking back I didn't explain myself well enough.

Yes, he did. I had a titlist wrapless Gus.

JV

 

[sfleinen]

I know wrapless cues have been around longer. I should have been more specific. I was more referring to cues with a wrapless handle area. I know full-splice/house cues are obviously wrapless. I'm talking about a cue where the handle section that would normally be wrapped has wood instead.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't that what the term "wrapless" refers to? I.e. wood, instead of a wrap material, in the handle area?

My point is this "handle section that would normally be wrapped" thing. I tend to think that's a recent development in the long history of cue implements.

Paul Schofield here has a Gus sneaky that is wrapless. There are pics in the cue gallery. I was more referring to the current incarnation of wood instead of a wrap.

Sorry, looking back I didn't explain myself well enough.

If you're talking about *decorative wood* (e.g. burls, exotics like bacote and cocobolo, etc.) in the handle area, you may have a point -- methinks that might be a fairly new "practice." But furniture and cabinetry makers have been using those exotics for centuries, so I'd find it surprising that it's only recently that someone would think of using them in cues.

But let's see what others say. I'd love to know if a wrapless Gus exists that's beyond just a sneaky motif!

-Sean

 

[kvinbrwr]

Brandon

I think that all the splices that Gus made were shorties, so if he were to make a wrapless with his own splice it would have been a sectioned cue and I don't think I've seen a sectioned handle wrapless Gus.

Any kind of full splice wrapless cues would have been conversions, like Joe is talking about.

Thanks

Kevin

 

[brandoncook26]

Brandon

I think that all the splices that Gus made were shorties, so if he were to make a wrapless with his own splice it would have been a sectioned cue and I don't think I've seen a sectioned handle wrapless Gus.

Any kind of full splice wrapless cues would have been conversions, like Joe is talking about.

Thanks

Kevin

Thanks Kevin. That's kind of what I figured. I have seen some conversions that he did. I would have guessed sectioned handle areas was a fairly recent technique as far as using a finished wood instead of a wrap. I would have loved to see one though.

 

[kvinbrwr]

Thanks Kevin. That's kind of what I figured. I have seen some conversions that he did. I would have guessed sectioned handle areas was a fairly recent technique as far as using a finished wood instead of a wrap. I would have loved to see one though.

Not to say Gus was matching my eye way back then, but I don't much (just personal) care for wrapless sectioned handle cues. I like wrapless cues myself, but I like them to be full splice. To my eye, a wrapless sectioned butt cue looks clunky and doesn't "flow".

That being said, I'm sure if Gus DID build a sectioned butt cue wrapless it would be a beauty, and, like you, I'd love to see it.

Kevin

 

[Junior1228]

I thought Gus built blanks for other cue makers? Wouldn't they have been fullsplice blanks?

 

[kvinbrwr]

I thought Gus built blanks for other cue makers? Wouldn't they have been fullsplice blanks?

I think (operative word) those were all shorties.

Kevin

 

[billyjungle]

szamboti

I'm not sure exactly but I used to read alot of pool articles and in an Inside Pool in 03 there was an article about Szamboti that said he only made one from an old Burton Spain titlest.

 

[BarneyCalip]

Burton Spain

Burton Spain made a lot of shorties for a lot of cuemakers. Doug Ketchum who worked for Ray Schuler (also bert Schrager) gave me a Schuler billiard cue which is wrapless. Burton Spain made the shortie. It was one of Ray's first cues. It hits great Barney:smile:

 

[classiccues]

I'm not sure exactly but I used to read alot of pool articles and in an Inside Pool in 03 there was an article about Szamboti that said he only made one from an old Burton Spain titlest.

Well if they interviewed Gus Szamboti in 03 then they were using a ouiji board....

JV

 

[George Fels]

Wrapless Szambotis

If I'm not mistaken, Gus' personal cue was unwrapped. It was offered for sale some years back, with the suggested opening bid a cool quarter-mil. It was unwrapped maple with quite a bit of inlay work; Barry was said to be providing all necessary provenance. I've also seen an unwrapped Balabushka or two, but all in all they were quite rare. GF

 

[thepavlos]

That one is different because it was not completed, I don't believe his final intention was to be wrapless