If you owned an original Balabushka...

Roger Long

Roger Long

Sonoran Cue Creations
Silver Member
Let's say you somehow came across what you firmly believe to be a genuine Balabushka at a pawn shop and picked it up real cheap. (It could happen since those cues were not signed by GB.) Now let's say it's been pretty well used. Do you get it restored, and if so, do you have it restored the way it was originally, or do you have it refinished with a thick, high-gloss finish like today's cue makers use?

Roger
 
First I try to get it authenticated. Then I decide if I want to keep it. If not I look for a buyer of it as-is because unrestored is generally worth more. If no luck there then I send it to someone who can refinish it as close to original as possible. No sense changing the characteristics with finish types that weren't on it originally. I'd even ask for Cortland Irish linen.

Be careful though as the joke goes that Balabushka made a couple hundred cues but there are thousands of them for sale.

(not counting the ones he "would have made if he had lived" - old inside joke)
 
I once bought an imitation Balabushka for $600. I didn't know that it was an imitation at the time (made by Adam Cue) and I thought I was robbing the guy.
 
First step, get it authenticated. Worry about 2nd step after that, heh.

My thoughts are once it's authenticated, it's gold. I would think if it's very worn, getting it restored by a TOP END maker (preferably Barry or Pete) would be well worth it as it would increase it's eye candy value and hence the value overall. If it was slightly aged and not falling apart, I would put it out there as is, with the authentication paperwork, as some folks want it "raw" and not restored.

Regardless, back to step one, spend the money to get it authenticated, if you seriously think you just got a great cue for cheap.

BTW, if so, congrats! :)
 
Last edited:
I would play 14.1 with it for a day or two, if it was the best cue I ever used then I would use it till I found a better one. If not sell it when I think I am getting the best return...
 
Shoot with it!

Unless you have crazy outstanding bills/debt, why wouldn't you just shoot with it? Keep your big yap shut and just enjoy playing with it!

Those cues got famous in the first place for one simple reason: they shoot ridiculously well. So use it for what it was meant for!
 
You send the cue to Pete Tascarella, regardless of what you are going to do with the cue, no Balabushka is a Balabushka with a letter from Pete. If you are going to have it refinished, the only guy is Pete Tascarella.

PM me if you need assistance.

Thanks

Kevin
 
kvinbrwr said:
You send the cue to Pete Tascarella, regardless of what you are going to do with the cue, no Balabushka is a Balabushka with a letter from Pete. If you are going to have it refinished, the only guy is Pete Tascarella.

PM me if you need assistance.

Thanks

Kevin
Click to expand...

This is right on the money. All I will say is if the shape is 60% or less, get the work done. I don't care what anyone says about originality, pretty is what sells. You can take this to the bank, everyone says they want original but if you took the same two Bushka's, one in 50 year old shape, and one that Pete just restored. A- the nicer one will sell for more, B- No one wants old and crusty.

The only way the unrestored cue sells for more is if it was locked in a case for the 50 years and is in MINT condition.

I am not saying it's right, but for some reason, it is what happens.

JV
 
classiccues said:
This is right on the money. All I will say is if the shape is 60% or less, get the work done. I don't care what anyone says about originality, pretty is what sells. You can take this to the bank, everyone says they want original but if you took the same two Bushka's, one in 50 year old shape, and one that Pete just restored. A- the nicer one will sell for more, B- No one wants old and crusty.

The only way the unrestored cue sells for more is if it was locked in a case for the 50 years and is in MINT condition.

I am not saying it's right, but for some reason, it is what happens.

JV
Click to expand...

JV

I agree 100% If the original maker is available or his descendant (Tasc fit himself into that niche when he bought George's shop) a refinish (or rebuild) is the way to go.

I can't stress enough that unless Tasc says its a Balabushka, its not a Balabushka. I know its different for JV, who as probably bought them on the fly and would buy them that way, but I've had a few and it would scare me to death to spend Balabushka money without that letter from Pete.

Kevin
 
Last edited:
It would be one of those things where I would stare at it for long periods of time in total amazement, then taking equal amount of the same to just want to figure out how it would be worth more to me. Selling out of the question.
 
kvinbrwr said:
You send the cue to Pete Tascarella, regardless of what you are going to do with the cue, no Balabushka is a Balabushka with a letter from Pete. If you are going to have it refinished, the only guy is Pete Tascarella.

PM me if you need assistance.

Thanks

Kevin
Click to expand...

Pete is a great choice and probably the way Id go too but not the only choice. Barry Szamboti, Dennis Searing or John Showman are also excellent choices for both authenticating and refinishing.
 
Voodoo Daddy said:
Pete is a great choice and probably the way Id go too but not the only choice. Barry Szamboti, Dennis Searing or John Showman are also excellent choices for both authenticating and refinishing.
Click to expand...

Thanks. I play pool with Ernie Gutierrez and he knows as much about Balabushkas as (almost) anybody. However, if I get my hands on a Bushka it goes straight to Pete, his LOA for Balabushkas is the standard of the industry. Trust me, if you are selling a Bushka with authentication by anyone else besides Pete, your buyer is going to ask you to guarantee him a return for refund if Pete says its not a Bushka. Everybody wants one, might as well have it it front.

It turns a cue from the "firmly believe to be a genuine Balabushka" the OP now has to a Balabushka, Accept no substitutes, most buyers won't.

Besides, leave Searing alone, he's got 20 cues to go before he gets to mine and I don't want to wait 15 years.

As far as refinishing or rebuilding goes, again, for marketability, you want to go to the source.

Showman for Showmans.

Searing for Searings.

Barry for Gus

Ernie for Gina

Tasc for Balabushka

Thanks

Kevin

PS OK Dennis maybe its 50 cues, in any case, GET TO WORK!
 
Last edited:
kvinbrwr said:
Besides, leave Searing alone, he's got 20 cues to go before he gets to mine and I don't want to wait 15 years.

Thanks

Kevin

PS OK Dennis maybe its 50 cues, in any case, GET TO WORK!
Click to expand...

Just 50? :rolleyes:

Ive never had the priviledge of being in Pete's shop, Im not disputing he knows the brand but I have been in Dennis's and seen quite a few Szam's and bushka's there over the yrs...including 3 of the four Gus's Ive owned. Cant go wrong with anyone mentioned.

Hope he starts your cue before the Mayan calander runs out...
 
Voodoo Daddy said:
Just 50? :rolleyes:

Ive never had the priviledge of being in Pete's shop, Im not disputing he knows the brand but I have been in Dennis's and seen quite a few Szam's and bushka's there over the yrs...including 3 of the four Gus's Ive owned. Cant go wrong with anyone mentioned.

Hope he starts your cue before the Mayan calander runs out...
Click to expand...

Its my understanding that Dennis is retooling, reinventing and perfecting the calendar into a much more precise method than we all know and have learned to accept. He has never been satisfied with the lack of precision and time bleed over that leads to the need for leap year. Hopefully he can do that with the left side of his brain while sorting out the design problems for my new stick with his right.

I expect him to kick out the 50 cues ahead of mine by maybe the end of this year and then we will be having things.

Kevin
 
Last edited:
kvinbrwr said:
Its my understanding that Dennis is retooling, reinventing and perfecting the calendar into a much more precise method than we all know and have learned to accept. He has never been satisfied with the lack or precision and time bleed over that leads to the need for leap year. Hopefully he can do that with the left side of his brain while sorting out the design problems for my new stick with his right.

I expect him to kick out the 50 cues ahead of mine by maybe the end of this year and then we will be having things.

Kevin
Click to expand...

I think we should get Dennis Searing mentioned in the next Dos Equis commercial...

Dennis Searing builds him a cue... and he pays Dennis in 10 years... because he is the most interesting man in the world...lol

JV
 
Delaware Lar said:
I once bought an imitation Balabushka for $600. I didn't know that it was an imitation at the time (made by Adam Cue) and I thought I was robbing the guy.
Click to expand...

I loved the movie The Flim Flam Man. His motto was the reason people get cheated is because they think that they are cheating you.

Even if you thought you were paying a fair price the seller was a scammer. One problem is not knowing what you are buying. Fakes are made for high end watches that are hard to tell from the real ones, people get taken all the time.



.
 
Most pawn shops are in business to make money. I doubt it that they have a Buska that they don't know what it is.if their not sure about something most get it authenticated. What you are probably seeing is a good knock off.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top