I hit with a Balabushka yesterday!

W

Williebetmore

Member, .25% Club
Silver Member
Though I'm no cue expert or afficionado, I have always been intrigued by the mystique of the Balabushka cue. Some have suggested that the reputation of the cue was made by the movie/book "The Hustler", but most pool cognoscenti think the reputation is based on the quality of the work, and the quality of the hit. I've always wondered.

Imagine my surprise then yesterday when "Hal2" from Ohio made a visit to Betmore's Basement for a little straight pool; and pulled his Balabushka from the case. He was kind enough to let me hit with it for a while. Just an unbelieveable solid and accurate hit. I've always played with low-deflection Predator or OB-1 shaft; and the hit of the 'Bushka is very different (yes, better). It was just a pleasure to look at, and more of a pleasure to play with.

Many thanks to Hal for bringing it along. He actually uses it in his bar table league as his main playing cue. After 2 long games of straight pool; we decided to play some 8-ball; Hal grabs the Balabushka and prepares to break (he has a sledgehammer break). I had to yell at him to stop; and gave him one of my break cues to use - I had horrible visions of the Balabushka splintering into pieces....VERY bad kharma for my basement.

I had heard a famous cuemaker say before that if you can't break with your playing cue, it must not be very well made - the Balabushka certainly stands up to that test.
 
Williebetmore said:
Though I'm no cue expert or afficionado, I have always been intrigued by the mystique of the Balabushka cue. Some have suggested that the reputation of the cue was made by the movie/book "The Hustler", but most pool cognoscenti think the reputation is based on the quality of the work, and the quality of the hit. I've always wondered.

Imagine my surprise then yesterday when "Hal2" from Ohio made a visit to Betmore's Basement for a little straight pool; and pulled his Balabushka from the case. He was kind enough to let me hit with it for a while. Just an unbelieveable solid and accurate hit. I've always played with low-deflection Predator or OB-1 shaft; and the hit of the 'Bushka is very different (yes, better). It was just a pleasure to look at, and more of a pleasure to play with.

Many thanks to Hal for bringing it along. He actually uses it in his bar table league as his main playing cue. After 2 long games of straight pool; we decided to play some 8-ball; Hal grabs the Balabushka and prepares to break (he has a sledgehammer break). I had to yell at him to stop; and gave him one of my break cues to use - I had horrible visions of the Balabushka splintering into pieces....VERY bad kharma for my basement.

I had heard a famous cuemaker say before that if you can't break with your playing cue, it must not be very well made - the Balabushka certainly stands up to that test.
Click to expand...

Congrats.. and great to hear. Hal is good people.

JV
 
balabushka

There are only two kinds of cues in this world--
Balabushkas and cues that wish they were Balabushkas
 
I got to play with one for about an hour once, years ago. Nothing fancy, but the hit and playability were unlike anything I'd experienced at the time. I've played with Gus Szamboti cues that didn't play nearly as well, for me, that is.
 
Balabushka chalk

Williebetmore said:
Though I'm no cue expert or afficionado, I have always been intrigued by the mystique of the Balabushka cue. Some have suggested that the reputation of the cue was made by the movie/book "The Hustler", but most pool cognoscenti think the reputation is based on the quality of the work, and the quality of the hit. I've always wondered.

Imagine my surprise then yesterday when "Hal2" from Ohio made a visit to Betmore's Basement for a little straight pool; and pulled his Balabushka from the case. He was kind enough to let me hit with it for a while. Just an unbelieveable solid and accurate hit. I've always played with low-deflection Predator or OB-1 shaft; and the hit of the 'Bushka is very different (yes, better). It was just a pleasure to look at, and more of a pleasure to play with.

Many thanks to Hal for bringing it along. He actually uses it in his bar table league as his main playing cue. After 2 long games of straight pool; we decided to play some 8-ball; Hal grabs the Balabushka and prepares to break (he has a sledgehammer break). I had to yell at him to stop; and gave him one of my break cues to use - I had horrible visions of the Balabushka splintering into pieces....VERY bad kharma for my basement.

I had heard a famous cuemaker say before that if you can't break with your playing cue, it must not be very well made - the Balabushka certainly stands up to that test.
Click to expand...

Is the performance of the chalk comparable?
 
Williebetmore said:
Though I'm no cue expert or afficionado, I have always been intrigued by the mystique of the Balabushka cue. Some have suggested that the reputation of the cue was made by the movie/book "The Hustler", but most pool cognoscenti think the reputation is based on the quality of the work, and the quality of the hit. I've always wondered.

Imagine my surprise then yesterday when "Hal2" from Ohio made a visit to Betmore's Basement for a little straight pool; and pulled his Balabushka from the case. He was kind enough to let me hit with it for a while. Just an unbelieveable solid and accurate hit. I've always played with low-deflection Predator or OB-1 shaft; and the hit of the 'Bushka is very different (yes, better). It was just a pleasure to look at, and more of a pleasure to play with.

Many thanks to Hal for bringing it along. He actually uses it in his bar table league as his main playing cue. After 2 long games of straight pool; we decided to play some 8-ball; Hal grabs the Balabushka and prepares to break (he has a sledgehammer break). I had to yell at him to stop; and gave him one of my break cues to use - I had horrible visions of the Balabushka splintering into pieces....VERY bad kharma for my basement.

I had heard a famous cuemaker say before that if you can't break with your playing cue, it must not be very well made - the Balabushka certainly stands up to that test.
Click to expand...

Congratulations Grasshopper.
You have achieved enlightenment

Dale
 
Last edited:
I actually owned and played with two Balabushka cues in my life. 30 years ago you could buy one for $250. I sold my last one for $200 in 1974 in Dayton. Nice move huh. The sad thing is that I loved that cue. It had a nice clean solid hit. Nothing dramatic, just worked as it was intended.

I had bought it in L.A. a year before for $100 and played well with it, unitl I ran into Joey Spaeth in Dayton. He gave my 8-7 and the Break and beat me for $300 at 50 a game. I was pissed and when someone offered me 200 for the cue, I grabbed it. Who knew?
 
balabushka

I bought mine from george in 1966/7. paid $75.. sold one shaft in 1970 for $25. still have the rest.
window cue with spain forearm, george wrote my name between metal bands in window area.
i have balabushka autograph of my name.
 
Buska

Although it has been about 30 years since hitting with a Bushka, a couple of things have stuck in my mind. I remember the shaft being thick, I believe they had a conical taper, and the cue seemed to be top-heavy to me, although my taste in balance has changed somewhat over the years.

Papa Burke, that used to own Burke's Steakhouse and motel here, used to have a Bushka and a Joss West cue, among others. I favored the Joss West at that time overall for feel, balance, and hit.
 
Tommy Kennedy and I swaped cues for a few games once, I shot with his bushka and he shot with my Palmer, he found the Palmer butt heavy, but loved the taper off the Wayne Gunn shaft I had on it at the time,
I found the bushka to have a very nice balance, feel & hit.

I always looked at it like this, some guys were used to the SS joint cues and some the composite. Just depends what you grew up with.:)
 
Snapshot9 said:
Although it has been about 30 years since hitting with a Bushka, a couple of things have stuck in my mind. I remember the shaft being thick, I believe they had a conical taper, and the cue seemed to be top-heavy to me, although my taste in balance has changed somewhat over the years.
Click to expand...
Some of those early ones were built for the big cue ball, with a big tip and a thick taper. I think that is probably what you tried. My friend once showed me an old Gina with a 13.5+ mm tip, and a very heavy shaft, built for the heavy cue ball.

By the way, I met a guy in Japan before, who played with a real Balabushka and...broke with a real Gus Szamboti!
 
Last edited:
Snapshot9 said:
Although it has been about 30 years since hitting with a Bushka, a couple of things have stuck in my mind. I remember the shaft being thick, I believe they had a conical taper, and the cue seemed to be top-heavy to me, although my taste in balance has changed somewhat over the years.

Papa Burke, that used to own Burke's Steakhouse and motel here, used to have a Bushka and a Joss West cue, among others. I favored the Joss West at that time overall for feel, balance, and hit.
Click to expand...

Snap,
This cue had a fairly normal pro taper (I also thought they were reputed to be conical taper). I was told it was a little over 13 mm, but seemed the same as my 12.75mm shaft. Balance felt normal and perfect. It caused a bit more squirt than my OB-1 shaft. It would be hard to imagine something hitting any more perfectly than this cue.
 
Original Bushkas were 57", with 13mm tip standard. Mine was about 19oz.
Just felt good in my hands, with a nice balance to it. I remember that cue because it was so easy for me to play with.
 
jay helfert said:
I actually owned and played with two Balabushka cues in my life. 30 years ago you could buy one for $250. I sold my last one for $200 in 1974 in Dayton. Nice move huh. The sad thing is that I loved that cue. It had a nice clean solid hit. Nothing dramatic, just worked as it was intended.

I had bought it in L.A. a year before for $100 and played well with it, unitl I ran into Joey Spaeth in Dayton. He gave my 8-7 and the Break and beat me for $300 at 50 a game. I was pissed and when someone offered me 200 for the cue, I grabbed it. Who knew?
Click to expand...


Hey Jay,Deano aka "The Maestro" has a Balabushka over there in Dayton,at Airway.
 
hangemhigh said:
Hey Jay,Deano aka "The Maestro" has a Balabushka over there in Dayton,at Airway.
Click to expand...


My old buddy Deano. Wow, does he even remember me? I wonder. Hell, it's probably my cue, for all I know. I may have sold it to him. I can't really remember who bought it, just that I sold it in Dayton.
 
jay helfert said:
My old buddy Deano. Wow, does he even remember me? I wonder. Hell, it's probably my cue, for all I know. I may have sold it to him. I can't really remember who bought it, just that I sold it in Dayton.
Click to expand...

FWIW - Deno got his new from George, by way of Joe Burns
when they were uh..."partners" - around 1970 IIRC.
I sold him a NOS replacement bumper about 5 years ago
only took 1 year of negotiating

Dale Pierce
 
X Breaker said:
Some of those early ones were built for the big cue ball, with a big tip and a thick taper. I think that is probably what you tried. My friend once showed me an old Gina with a 13.5+ mm tip, and a very heavy shaft, built for the heavy cue ball.

By the way, I met a guy in Japan before, who played with a real Balabushka and...broke with a real Gus Szamboti!
Click to expand...

Not so good on the assumptions there Xey...

George built cues mostly for East coast<NY/NJ> straight pool players.
Not Barbox bangers. It was not unusual to see thick shafts on Bushkas.
He made whatever size the customer ordered, and 13mm and
larger was very popular amoung many players in those days.

Also, pro taper all the way. I have never seen, nor even heard of
one of George's shafts being conical.

Dale
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top