Helmstetter ID Please
- Thread starter mchnhed
- Start date
Have you got to play with the cue?
No.
Craigslist ad.
Value? Please.
Last edited:
Value is what someone is willing to pay for it. Retail price on a level 10 or 12 was 400-500 dollars and an extra 100 for an additional shaft. Unfortunately, not many people are aware of the superb quality of these cues so, unless you find someone who recognizes this, you will only get a couple of hundred.
You say it's on craigslist so what is the guy asking?
From a Fast Larry article on Helms
This is an obit on the Helm, which is no longer made, or imported into this country from Japan any more. I have long said, for 30 years, that the Helm was the best pool cue, and buy on the market.
It was more forward balanced than any other cue, it played as good as or better than any other cue out there, and the cue was loaded with very expensive ebony and exotic woods and inlays. You were always paying, about $100 less, for any similar or comparable cue, making it a bargain. Its sales were always small because the name Helm, meaning Helmstetter, never achieved any real brand recognition. In their era, 70’s, 80’s, to mid 90’s, all anybody knew, or wanted, was Meucci, McDermott, Joss who dominated the market.
Today, 90% of Meucci’s, 100% of McDermotts are made in China, and these modern cues, are junk, compared to the 86 line of Helms.
The 87 series, is where they copy some of the popular Meucci rings on the collars, and large bold ivory colored points, now being seen in their HOF series. The Helms used a polymer, that looked so much like ivory, I can’t tell it from the real deal, and I have a lot of cues with real ivory in them. The 87’s were engineered and designed for the more traditional minded player and probably the strongest cues ever built.
All Helmstetter cues, have true spliced butts, not just veneers and wood surface inlaid into birdseye blanks. Wood to wood flat face joints on all 87 series cues feature stainless steel pins and brass females. The collar is unbreakable cerosite. All butt inlay work, is meticulously handmade, built for beauty and built to last.
Dick was building his Helms to last 30 years, and Bob Meucci was building his to fall apart in 4-5.
You say it's on craigslist so what is the guy asking?
From a Fast Larry article on Helms
This is an obit on the Helm, which is no longer made, or imported into this country from Japan any more. I have long said, for 30 years, that the Helm was the best pool cue, and buy on the market.
It was more forward balanced than any other cue, it played as good as or better than any other cue out there, and the cue was loaded with very expensive ebony and exotic woods and inlays. You were always paying, about $100 less, for any similar or comparable cue, making it a bargain. Its sales were always small because the name Helm, meaning Helmstetter, never achieved any real brand recognition. In their era, 70’s, 80’s, to mid 90’s, all anybody knew, or wanted, was Meucci, McDermott, Joss who dominated the market.
Today, 90% of Meucci’s, 100% of McDermotts are made in China, and these modern cues, are junk, compared to the 86 line of Helms.
The 87 series, is where they copy some of the popular Meucci rings on the collars, and large bold ivory colored points, now being seen in their HOF series. The Helms used a polymer, that looked so much like ivory, I can’t tell it from the real deal, and I have a lot of cues with real ivory in them. The 87’s were engineered and designed for the more traditional minded player and probably the strongest cues ever built.
All Helmstetter cues, have true spliced butts, not just veneers and wood surface inlaid into birdseye blanks. Wood to wood flat face joints on all 87 series cues feature stainless steel pins and brass females. The collar is unbreakable cerosite. All butt inlay work, is meticulously handmade, built for beauty and built to last.
Dick was building his Helms to last 30 years, and Bob Meucci was building his to fall apart in 4-5.
Today, 90% of Meucci’s, 100% of McDermotts are made in China,
Where in the world did you get this information?
If Meucci were made in China they would be better cues.
Mcd does have some lower end lines made in China but their top line cues are made in the U.S.
As I stated: That info came from an article from the late Fast Larry
http://www.poolchat.net/forums/index.php?/topic/10186-history-of-helmstetter-adam-balabushka-cues/
http://www.poolchat.net/forums/index.php?/topic/10186-history-of-helmstetter-adam-balabushka-cues/
Yes, Larry was very opinionated and had a mouth on him.
He would step over the line when talking about other people.
But he did what he said he could do and was a success at it.
Try to filter out his biases and dislikes and he does give out some knowledge.
He would step over the line when talking about other people.
But he did what he said he could do and was a success at it.
Try to filter out his biases and dislikes and he does give out some knowledge.
$35 inc shipping. Those points look like they were done with a magic marker
You didn't know him well then. That's putting it mildly. Those who knew him better know he was much worse.
That is simply not true.
Yes, I think the Helmstetters are great. So are many of the other Adam lines.
But why lie about other makers?
.
I wouldn't pay that.
That is full retail IMHO.
So...the cue might be "worth it" but that's no bargain.
.
I was trying to be diplomatic.
There were a lot of things he said that made me blush!