Fatboy's Bushkas
- Thread starter martin
- Start date
Beautiful old cues....and that's an especially interesting one on the far right. 
Amazing cues. Someone looks to have paid Ken Kerner a visit or two.
What is the deal with that cue on the right?? What an awesome piece, very unusual inlays.
What is the deal with that cue on the right?? What an awesome piece, very unusual inlays.
Didn't see your post Sean!
Can somebody shed some light on that far right Bushka.
Can somebody shed some light on that far right Bushka.
Awesome collection, I especially like the second from the left, Classic Balabuska.
Thanks for sharing, nice to see the cues together and in the states. How would you rate their hit compared to your Szamboti?
Thanks for sharing, nice to see the cues together and in the states. How would you rate their hit compared to your Szamboti?
thediamond said:
Very cool inlay.. Barry found some of these inlays in Gus' Bushka parts..
Palmer also used this inlay.. Bushka and Palmer bought from the same place..
Best,
Ken
No disrespect to Barry or Gus but the cue on the far left, the one with no finish-its worn off is perhaps the best hitting cue ever, I said it after my first shot with it, i let a 71 years old player(player as in jam up player) use it the other night , he said "never in my life have i felt a cue play/hit like this one"-he wasnt sure who made it so his opinion wasnt clouded, others who I have let hit a few balls with it say the same thing, The other Bushkas play great but not even close to the one at the far left and behind most Szams. I bought them because I wanted some history. And was blessed enough to be so lucky, i worked my ass off to get here, it was worth it. Anyone I ever run into thats a B+ player or better can hit some balls with the cue on the left, everyone has to experience it.
I do have one other cue a GSB gus and Barry worked on that is right up there with the hit of the cue on the left when I get my home table up I will compair them the GSB soonerthan later. My Barrys Szam(my favorite cue) hits very close and I use it more than any other cue, the Bushka is a piece of history.
I understand why that cue has no finish its probably been used to non stop to play more pool than most players have ever played, the forearm is shiny like a good well used shaft, it is also the mose worn out cue I have ever seen that has no dents, dings etc, so its been well taken care of. just used correctly. I will continue to use it ofter but not as my main cue. I can switch cues easily,
Some of thos cues did come from Ken, I took them when he wasnt looking, The one on the far right has very cool hand cut inlays, they are all little different I believe the intention was to make them the same but that didint work out-I will go to my studio sometime and shoot all 4 inlays up close and paste them into one pic for everyone to see.I can do that with any cue so ask me and i'll make it happen, i go to my biz only once or twice a year and i'm going this week so let me know soon.
thanks Martin for pictures today and the Tads last week, we have became good trusting friends here on AZ, he is a man of honor, we were in the middle of a deal on a cue and he said it wasnt 100% straight he said 95%, we trusted each other, spoke on the phone when i was in Germany I recieved the cue from him a week before I came in from germany, he wasnt worried, neither was I. I rolled the cue and 95% where he lives is 99.5% they call it 95% straight. On the old Stevens cloth you couldnt tell thats how close it was, the nap would have hid the imperfection on Sionis 300, yes you could fit 3 of Jay Helfert 's hairs betweern the cue and cloth . The fact he let me know was stand-up. He offered to post pics of my cues on this forum for me as a jesture of kindness, and I want to sinerely thank him for the help, we should all thank him. No matter how hard I try I just dont get it(I awalys forget how to after a week when I have been shown), I can only get them in the eamil from the iPhone so I just wanted to pubically thank him and tell everyone of his charcter, we will be friends for as long as were around pool. I been around since 85 with a break in the middle "i'm back!!!!". Didnt some one else say that? 
now if I could play good 2 days in a row, yesterday I couldnt make 4 balls in a row 3 days ago I was running out. 
.
please ask for any special pics my in house pro photographer wil be shooting some cues this week, good hi-res stuff etc, close ups etc. now is the time, on any of the cues I have, Szams. Tads, Sw's, Ginacues, Bushkas, and a few other cues I never mentioned-not bigtime cues, but cues that are special to me.
I do have one other cue a GSB gus and Barry worked on that is right up there with the hit of the cue on the left when I get my home table up I will compair them the GSB soonerthan later. My Barrys Szam(my favorite cue) hits very close and I use it more than any other cue, the Bushka is a piece of history.
I understand why that cue has no finish its probably been used to non stop to play more pool than most players have ever played, the forearm is shiny like a good well used shaft, it is also the mose worn out cue I have ever seen that has no dents, dings etc, so its been well taken care of. just used correctly. I will continue to use it ofter but not as my main cue. I can switch cues easily,
Some of thos cues did come from Ken, I took them when he wasnt looking, The one on the far right has very cool hand cut inlays, they are all little different I believe the intention was to make them the same but that didint work out-I will go to my studio sometime and shoot all 4 inlays up close and paste them into one pic for everyone to see.I can do that with any cue so ask me and i'll make it happen, i go to my biz only once or twice a year and i'm going this week so let me know soon.
thanks Martin for pictures today and the Tads last week, we have became good trusting friends here on AZ, he is a man of honor, we were in the middle of a deal on a cue and he said it wasnt 100% straight he said 95%, we trusted each other, spoke on the phone when i was in Germany I recieved the cue from him a week before I came in from germany, he wasnt worried, neither was I. I rolled the cue and 95% where he lives is 99.5% they call it 95% straight. On the old Stevens cloth you couldnt tell thats how close it was, the nap would have hid the imperfection on Sionis 300, yes you could fit 3 of Jay Helfert 's hairs betweern the cue and cloth
. The fact he let me know was stand-up. He offered to post pics of my cues on this forum for me as a jesture of kindness, and I want to sinerely thank him for the help, we should all thank him. No matter how hard I try I just dont get it(I awalys forget how to after a week when I have been shown), I can only get them in the eamil from the iPhone so I just wanted to pubically thank him and tell everyone of his charcter, we will be friends for as long as were around pool. I been around since 85 with a break in the middle "i'm back!!!!". Didnt some one else say that? now if I could play good 2 days in a row, yesterday I couldnt make 4 balls in a row 3 days ago I was running out. .please ask for any special pics my in house pro photographer wil be shooting some cues this week, good hi-res stuff etc, close ups etc. now is the time, on any of the cues I have, Szams. Tads, Sw's, Ginacues, Bushkas, and a few other cues I never mentioned-not bigtime cues, but cues that are special to me.
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I have a question, this is is as serious as any question I have ever asked here on AZ.
My friend phrased it right the other night, he is a good A player who used a Szam for 16 years everyday, His Szam is now my LA playing cue, the Barry lives in Vegas(I live in both citys). To my point, He said "How do the cue makers today account for not making cues that feel/play like this cue?"-refering tho the worn looking Bushka on the left of the pic. This isnt a knock of todays current established cue makers or the up and commers, they are close no doubt about it but not quite there, the points in the cue were discussing arnt even but it does roll dead straight. My answere is the old seasoned wood is the reason, Id bet that 28 years ago that cue didnt play like it does today, I kiln can reduce the water content of the wood but there is more to it than that the pitch etc in the wood needs to crystalize, stableize and its the "Old wood" that makes a difference not the age of the tree but when it was cut down,
What else can it be, it isnt the tollerences, todays cue makers are making the best ever but they just dont have that feel. I keep reading about deflection etc and to me its is a marketing tool for businessmen, i might be wrong, but the shaft in this cue feels different too, its not stiffer but more solid, its difficult to describe, many of the old Gus cues have the same feel as do real old Tads and Ginacues.
My theory is old wood in old cues is what makes them feel different, like red wine it takes time for it to come right and peak, when wood gets too old and brittle there might be problems, were living in a cool time, because there are plenty of 10,20,30,40, year old cues out there to play with and discover if my theory about old wood has any merit, no cue is going to make anyone a champion, but I enjoy the feel of a good cue that taks back to me and I can move the rock around more precisely and reliably and I seem to do that with older cues as a rule, so thats my theory.
My friend phrased it right the other night, he is a good A player who used a Szam for 16 years everyday, His Szam is now my LA playing cue, the Barry lives in Vegas(I live in both citys). To my point, He said "How do the cue makers today account for not making cues that feel/play like this cue?"-refering tho the worn looking Bushka on the left of the pic. This isnt a knock of todays current established cue makers or the up and commers, they are close no doubt about it but not quite there, the points in the cue were discussing arnt even but it does roll dead straight. My answere is the old seasoned wood is the reason, Id bet that 28 years ago that cue didnt play like it does today, I kiln can reduce the water content of the wood but there is more to it than that the pitch etc in the wood needs to crystalize, stableize and its the "Old wood" that makes a difference not the age of the tree but when it was cut down,
What else can it be, it isnt the tollerences, todays cue makers are making the best ever but they just dont have that feel. I keep reading about deflection etc and to me its is a marketing tool for businessmen, i might be wrong, but the shaft in this cue feels different too, its not stiffer but more solid, its difficult to describe, many of the old Gus cues have the same feel as do real old Tads and Ginacues.
My theory is old wood in old cues is what makes them feel different, like red wine it takes time for it to come right and peak, when wood gets too old and brittle there might be problems, were living in a cool time, because there are plenty of 10,20,30,40, year old cues out there to play with and discover if my theory about old wood has any merit, no cue is going to make anyone a champion, but I enjoy the feel of a good cue that taks back to me and I can move the rock around more precisely and reliably and I seem to do that with older cues as a rule, so thats my theory.
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Very Interesting post"Fatboy said:
I believe you are correct"
The cues I have really been impressed with have been the older cues as well...
I have hit with both Szam and Bushka cues, Courtesy of Joe Salazar , when He frequented Tulsa , and the shafts were barely white , more of a brown wood ,but the grain was very tight, solid . Also some older Jerry franklin cues had those browner shafts, Hit very crisp, solid.
A friend just got a brand new Gina from Erinie this year, Hit Great, and He requested older shaft-wood, they were a little white, But nice" brown grainy wood and that cue also hits very good"
I am listing a -R- Titlist, I sent the Blank and the shaft from another Ancient house cue, that is brown, and it also hits very very crisp"
BTW,
You have a really nice collection of cues, Thanks for posting up the pics,
Duane
Fatboy,
The available wood was better then, and cuemakers like Gus & George were more particular about the wood they used. They would tap & listen to shaft blanks to find the best ones. And I agree that the wood gets better with time, just like a violin. Back then the hit was all about sound & feel, now its about deflection.
George was a musician who also made instruments. A cue is a percussion instrument that hits a ball & makes a sound & has a feel. George totally understood that concept. Thats why his cues play the way they do.
Now they use robots & mechanical devices to hit balls & measure deflection. The cues hit straight, but musically they are dead.
The available wood was better then, and cuemakers like Gus & George were more particular about the wood they used. They would tap & listen to shaft blanks to find the best ones. And I agree that the wood gets better with time, just like a violin. Back then the hit was all about sound & feel, now its about deflection.
George was a musician who also made instruments. A cue is a percussion instrument that hits a ball & makes a sound & has a feel. George totally understood that concept. Thats why his cues play the way they do.
Now they use robots & mechanical devices to hit balls & measure deflection. The cues hit straight, but musically they are dead.
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Cuaba said:
Awesome post, this is so true. Rep points for you my friend.
dave sutton
Banned
Cuaba said:
i dont know that i agree with this post. i dont wana hijack this and turn it into a debate but i know for a fact that G.B. bought all of his shafts precut without rings guts and ferrules by the crateful from a compant in NY . someone i know has alot of original balabuska parts including crates of shafts.
i agree G.B. was one of the most improtant men in cue making history but i always wonder why he couldnt make his own forearms cut in points or make his own shafts
i also think the browner wood is nice but for some reason some ppl like "clean" shafts where u dont see that brown.
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Thanks Fatboy, and Martin, for the photos. Beautiful cues with a lot of history. I will never be able to afford a Bushka or a Gus, and have never hit with one although I would love to sometime. I do believe, though, that some of the "amazing" hit comes from the full splice forearm made by Spain and Davis. I have a cue ordered from John Davis, due next month, and that's about as close as I will ever come to finding the hit you're talking about....I hope! I'm also sure that wood and resonance have a lot to do with the hit of the cue. I have a Black Boar, and Tony Scianella also uses tonal qualities to choose his wood and shafts. So, it sounds to me like it's a combination of wood, construction technique and tone built by someone who knows what they're doing. Thanks again! 
Nice cues fatboy !!!! Hopefully we can play someday and I can try one of those babies out!!!!!!!
Russ.......
Russ.......
dave sutton
Banned
Cuaba said:
bc these were never opened. the only rejects were the ones that werent straight. i not knocking i am just wondering why he bought blanks and shafts instead of making his own.
Hi JMHO,
I think old wood definitely play an important role but equally as important is the construction method used to built the cue. Straight grain shaft wood is probably the key with every good playing cue that I've ever played with but I think attention to detail in the construction process is something that not many people discuss. How quality components are put togehter also have affects on the playability of the cue... construction method by Joel Weinstock (the best playing cue that I've ever played with after trying just about everything (bill stroud is the next on my list)), tim scrugg, pete tascarella, southwest has some similar construction methods not just wood selection that make their cue play so consistent and good.
My playing cue was designed for me by Joel based on a spec of an very old balabuska (21.5 oz)....Used this cue to beat Mika Immon in a tournament Yestersday (Skyline in Brooklyn)!! Without this cue...I don't think I can play as well...just mental for me maybe. It's hard to find a cue that perfect's for you....sometime certain cue just click with a player.
I honestly think we have better equipment today as well as better available components to make better cues than the past.
Regards,
I think old wood definitely play an important role but equally as important is the construction method used to built the cue. Straight grain shaft wood is probably the key with every good playing cue that I've ever played with but I think attention to detail in the construction process is something that not many people discuss. How quality components are put togehter also have affects on the playability of the cue... construction method by Joel Weinstock (the best playing cue that I've ever played with after trying just about everything (bill stroud is the next on my list)), tim scrugg, pete tascarella, southwest has some similar construction methods not just wood selection that make their cue play so consistent and good.
My playing cue was designed for me by Joel based on a spec of an very old balabuska (21.5 oz)....Used this cue to beat Mika Immon in a tournament Yestersday (Skyline in Brooklyn)!! Without this cue...I don't think I can play as well...just mental for me maybe. It's hard to find a cue that perfect's for you....sometime certain cue just click with a player.
I honestly think we have better equipment today as well as better available components to make better cues than the past.
Regards,
You mentioned cues , as percussion instruments...Cuaba said:
would you share more on this subject, as I believe some of the very best hitting cues I have had , have always had a kind of a ring"to them, or a nice ping" sound"
thanks for your posts,
Duane