Greatest cuemaker ever...........

Tad Kohara for my Vote.
When I was first shopping for a cue. A dealer showed me a catalog and just told me to pick out what I liked. The only cues I liked were the Tads.
I own 5 now. He just delivered my cue a few weeks ago. I was told it would take a year but it was finished in 7 months(right on my birthday). I loved the way my first Tad played. During that time my game went way up. So definitely looks and playability I like Tad cues hands down.
 
IMHO. Herman Rambow. When you consider the big picture. He was inovative and with what he had to work with as far as glues, finishes and tools, he was a master craftsman even by todays standards. The record of who played with Rambow's and their accomplishments while doing so is too long to list.
 
After a visit to Tonys shop in College Park MD, My vote is Black Boar. IMO His method of cue construction is hands down the most solid and stable, and his detailed inlay work has no equal. He is also one of the few makers to actually explore the physics of what makes a cue play, concerning weight distribution, nodial points, and tip contact time. The ferrulless shafts he is coming out with play superior to anything I have ever tried. This is why he gets my vote. Its too bad I dont have a few grand to cough up for one. I wish they were more available to the general pool playing public because Tony's cues would become the standard if more people were able to try them out.
 
Three names that should be at the top of everyone's lists:

  • Dennis Searing
  • Ernie Gutierrez
  • Bill Schick

-B <------------ surprised by the number of Black Boar lovers.
 
I guess there are a lot of great cue makers and someone has to head the list. But there is another list, the Grad Masters, so to speak. Very short list, and no additions will be made to the list in our lifetime. Herman Rambow, Frank Paradise, Burton Spain, Gus Szamboti, and at the top, George Balabushka.
 
hangemhigh said:
I guess there are a lot of great cue makers and someone has to head the list. But there is another list, the Grad Masters, so to speak. Very short list, and no additions will be made to the list in our lifetime. Herman Rambow, Frank Paradise, Burton Spain, Gus Szamboti, and at the top, George Balabushka.
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I'm gonna have to disagree with that statement.
 
at what price point does ego override playability??

My vote for best cue ever in my hands under 3K:

Lambros
Murray Tucker
TAD
 
Gus
Balabushka
DPK
Ginacue
Tad
Scruggs
Bill Stroud
Bill Schick

All of these oldtimers are battle tested and each one has made their own contribution to the cuemaking world.

Future nominees for greatness:
Mike Cochran
Manzino
Dennis Searing
Thomas Wayne
Joel Hercek
Richard Harris
 
Let's put this in perspective.....

Greatest Cuemaker:
Gus Szamboti. As it stands right now, Gus is still the greatest cuemaker of all time.

Greatest Contemporary Traditional:
John Showman
Barry Szamboti
Ron Haley

Greatest Contemporary Traditional Cuemaker with cnc:
Dennis Searing

Greatest Contemporary Artistic:
Ernie Guiterrez
Bob Manzino
Tony Scanelli-Black Boar

Traditional Artistic:
Frank Paradise
Eugene Balner

Greatest all around living cuemaker:
Ernie Guiterrez

Who do I believe will be the next in line as the greatest of all time:

Dennis Searing/Ernie Guiterrez
 
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There are several cue makers out there that do awesome work, and I've owned quite a few...but, the best playing cue I've ever played with was a Gus Szamboti...hands down.

I'm going to leave my original statement as it is, but I will add that I think Dennis Searing is right up there with Gus. As for some of the others mentioned, I've played with most of their cues. Some were ok some were not. I haven't had the pleasure of playing with a recent Black Boar but I do love his designs. Since I'm also a huge South West fan I'd like to try a Kersenbrock and see if there's any real difference between his cues and South West cues.
 
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HIRUN526 said:
Let's put this in perspective.....

Greatest Cuemaker:
Gus Szamboti. As it stands right now, Gus is still the greatest cuemaker of all time.

Greatest Contemporary Traditional:
John Showman
Barry Szamboti
Ron Haley

Greatest Contemporary Traditional Cuemaker with cnc:
Dennis Searing

Greatest Contemporary Artistic:
Ernie Guiterrez
Bob Manzino
Tony Scanelli-Black Boar

Traditional Artistic:
Frank Paradise
Eugene Balner

Greatest all around living cuemaker:
Ernie Guiterrez

Who do I believe will be the next in line as the greatest of all time:

Dennis Searing/Ernie Guiterrez
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the catagory list is the only way to compair cue makers, like chief's in resteraunts, some guys make great pasta, other sushi, its impossible with the number of cue makers and different styles to narrow it down to one guy.


This is a brilliant post, Barry told me that Ernie is the greatest all around cue maker alive, thats strong. I agree-I love Ernie's work but I just cant get used to the hit of his cues, but thats my problem, I agree with Barry.

The only thing miussing here is Eric Crisp, he is new so in the rookie catagory (less then 5 years?) he shul be mentioned.

Breaking it into catagotys is a good move, Boar's are awesome artistic cues, Manzino's work is just as amazing. You have to give these guys credit in their catagorys.

the other catagory is old school cues, say 15 years and older, look at the fancy South Wests Jerry made, or the first Boars Tony made-Tony has changed alot he was traditional now he is more artistic, Jerry passed away but I watched him improve every year, which leads one to wonder what would his current cue's would look like.

John Showman is awesome, I have 2 of his cues and the quality of work is perfect, same as Barry. Art Cantando is great too.

see this post/thread can be debated for ever, like I have said before finding the perfect cue is impossible, but trying to is fun.


then the history comes into play, Bushka built amazing cues, on his leather wraps its almost impossible to see the seam on the wrap on a 40 year old cue, his cues are so straight it hurts, most guys back then didnt make cues perfectly straight b/c the tools wernt there. That has to count for alot, what he ahieved 40 years ago with minimal tools, this is a endless discussion, that I enjoy and have since I got my first cue in 83 a Hubler H-14.
 
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HIRUN526 said:
Let's put this in perspective.....

Greatest Cuemaker:
Gus Szamboti. As it stands right now, Gus is still the greatest cuemaker of all time.

Greatest Contemporary Traditional:
John Showman
Barry Szamboti
Ron Haley

Greatest Contemporary Traditional Cuemaker with cnc:
Dennis Searing

Greatest Contemporary Artistic:
Ernie Guiterrez
Bob Manzino
Tony Scanelli-Black Boar

Traditional Artistic:
Frank Paradise
Eugene Balner

Greatest all around living cuemaker:
Ernie Guiterrez

Who do I believe will be the next in line as the greatest of all time:

Dennis Searing/Ernie Guiterrez
Click to expand...


This list is like an evolution curriculum, denying the existence of God. Now Balabushka is not a god, just the Holy Grail Cue Maker of all time. You can make a case as to why you would leave any of the Cue Makers mentioned off your list except Szamboti, but no case can be made as to why your would leave Balabushka off the list, other than personal reasons.
 
American Cue Makers Association

Here is what they have to say in order of induction. They know far more than we do:
George Balabushka
Herman Rambow
Burton Spain
Ernie Guiterrez
Harvey Martin
Gus Szamboti
Frank Paradise
Eugene & Ilona Palmer
Dan Janes
Jerry Franklin

These inductions into the cue maker hall of fame were voted by there peers.
 
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