last Balabushka made

[SSach]

You can't be serious??? Tim Scruggs has been at it 30+ years, there is no style of the past for him, he's not copying early bushkas or rambows. Besides you missed the whole point to copy a style is a huge way away from making a direct copy of a cue and a famous cue at that, again it's a dangerous line when you start to think it's ok because you go from a style (read Southwest) to a single cue (start thinking one of a kind TW or Edwin Reyes) where would you draw your line? This is not someone copying a style it's a direct copy. Pete T makes cues a certain way in a certain style with strong ties to the past and a certain cuemaker, he does not make direct copies of cues, bad example to use.

Jim

Jimbo,

Funny you will defend Scruggs ... I like his cues too but you might want to check out this link Commemorative Cue by Scruggs (scroll to #199) but he has copied. Just because he has been making cues for 30yrs (according to you) doesn't mean you can't copy a design.

 

[SplicedPoints]

Its a very fine line to judge if someone's copying or not. In all fairness, it is extremely difficult to come up with a truely original design nowadays. Very few cuemakers can do it (McWorter, Chudy, Cognoscenti have succeeded). Most currently cuemakers are heavily influenced by the greats. Southwest style cues are everywhere, many made by very well respected cuemakers. Gilbert, Capone, James White, and even Bender have all made similarly styled cues. All of them are highly respected cuemakers still. SW design wasn't even genuinely SW.

I guess what I am trying to say is: I think it is acceptable to make one-off emulations of someone's work/design. As long as the design is given proper reference to the original designer. So the design for a Hoppe ring is a legitimate emulation. But if a new cuemaker named "Microsoft" (just a random name), comes out with a "Microsoft Ring" that looks exactly like a Hoppe ring, than that would be a complete theft.

 

[Rackin_Zack]

...I have a feeling the Skip is one that Joe Van had made and it would have similar style but not an exact copy...

Jim, I would be interested in knowing what your opinion is on the cue I asked Skip to make for me. I like the 6 point southwest style cues and I love Skips work so I had him build me this cue.
Thanks for your input.

 

[Worminator]

Jim, I would be interested in knowing what your opinion is on the cue I asked Skip to make for me. I like the 6 point southwest style cues and I love Skips work so I had him build me this cue.
Thanks for your input.

The 6 point Skip is absolutuely stunning. Is it a SW style cue...yes, it is a SW copy...no. I personally have never seen a SW made with Burl. Not saying they don't exist, but I have never seen one. That cue reeks with class! Oh...sorry...I'm not Jim.

 

[Nomoney]

"Heavily influenced" is a whole lot different than "direct copy." I'm not sure why you felt the need to bring Tascarella into this. Pete makes cues in what some might call Traditional. His cues look like the Balabushka and early Szamboti era. Sure. Did he ever directly copy and of Geoge's more creative aesthetic work?

This particular cue in question is of a period where Balabushka was doing more aesthetically pleasing designs that were separate from his earlier plain or dots/diamond look. To copy this particular design is a questionable choice, IMO.
]

 

[Worminator]

Jimbo,

Funny you will defend Scruggs ... I like his cues too but you might want to check out this link Commemorative Cue by Scruggs (scroll to #199) but he has copied. Just because he has been making cues for 30yrs (according to you) doesn't mean you can't copy a design.

That cue is not an "exact" copy of a Geoge B. George did not use that style of joint pin. I believe the key word here is "commemorative", which does not mean copy.

 

[buddha162]

The good thing for you is you probably won't have to defend the cue very long, I'm sure it will be for sale or trade soon with the rest of your cues.

LOL, my sentiments exactly.

People who own Motteys, Schicks, Whites, Skips, etc: your lucky day will soon come when you can trade those in for a DZ! Woohoo!

-Roger

 

[duke@neo.rr.com]

I need to get over what? Maybe you need to understand the point, would it make a difference if *I* owned a Bushka that was the same? I think you are missing the whole point, it's not a knock against Bob D and or this cue, I like the design, I loved the design when it was made by the guy who came up with it. To copy a person's work is a theft, it's not flattery. I know the differences in the 2 cues, I probably know more about bushkas then most who post here, that isn't the issue, I understand 100% that this cue is not made to fool or trick anyone, if the cue was a Southwest knockoff I'd have the same opinion. I can appreciate the cue completely what I can't appreciate is someone STEALING another person's idea, design, and art.

Jim

then you are one of those people who can't appreciate 90% of the cues out there as most cues being built these days are copies in their own way. points may be exactly like someone elses, or someone may copy someone elses way of building cues,etc. have you looked at most of the so-called custom cues made these days? they are starting to look alike no matter who makes them and this bothers me. everyone is building similar cues these days, and when I show off my favorite "copy" (even though there are a few differences. blue book under balabushka has good photos of originals),most people on this site have a cow. I didn't hear anyone complain about skip weston for his balabushka copy and his looks more like the original than mine does. what does anyone have to say about him? NOTHING!