Soulweb Has It Right
I agree with Soulweb's postings...all of them...regarding this cue. Evan Clarke didn't set out to make the best replica of a George Balabushka cue. He was asked to come up with a design which incorporated the Balabushka design into a Schon made cue.
I don't want to sound like I'm lecturing anyone on this but here goes anyway. As many readers know, George Balabushka is a heralded cue-maker and his cues sell for more than anyone else's or so it seems. But George finished the cues and didn't make the entire cue. He purchased blanks from 4 different sources during his lifetime of cue-making and he only produced 1200 cues. His work is categorized into 4 distinct periods which are directly associated with the source for the blank cues he was buying: Brunswick/Titleist, John Davis, Burton Spain and Gus Szamboti.
George Balabushka/s best work was done under his Szamboti cue period of cue-making, He made the most ornate designs in his last period of cue-making and his workmanhsip truly hit its peak. Evan Clarke could have selected any design style from any of the four different periods George Balabushka was making cues. Many of the buyers pushed real hard for a cue design from the Szamboti period and fortunately that is what Evan decided to do, His cue is a accuarte reproduction of a George Balabushka cue made during his Szamboti period of cue-making.
Sure, sharp points would have been great but remember this cue isn't intended to be a counterfeit Balbushka., Evan Clarke remained true to the Balbushka design style but kept to his guns and made this cue to look like a Schon and play like a Schon but resemble a Balabsuhka cue which he did an excellent job of accomplishing. The photos of the cue on e-Bay suck...plain and simple....the cue doesn't look anywhere as good as it does in person. The rarity of these cues are what makes everyone wonder about them....I mean only seven will ever be made and on the next run, deanoc is going to increase the number of cues slightly. Even though I posted that I might be selling mine because I only now play with cues that have ivory joints,....just a relatively new change for me.....I'm still thinking of getting in on the 2nd Tribute cue by Schon and just add it to the 1st Balbushka Tribute as a pair of unique, limited edition Schon cues.....who knows. in 10 years from now, my estate might find that these cues have drastically increased in value or then again maybe not.
I find there are two underlying factors affecting price of cues aside from the general economic conditions or the state of affairs of the secondary cue market sales. I call this the rule of "Rarity and Scarcity". Rarity represents the actual number of the specific cue that were made and scarcity reflects how many of those cues are still around or are available at at giiven point in time. I know because I became known as the Bushka guy on the Forum wanted to buy/sell section. I searched for a Tim Scruggs Bushka Tribute cue for months and months and I learned firsthand about how rarity and scarcity factor into the cue's ultimate price.
There are only seven (7) of the Schon Balabushka Triubute Cues and that's not a whole lot.....that's the rarirty number...SEVEN (7). Now in the months and years ahead, the rule of scarcity takes over and helps drive the price of the cue. Five years from now, what would a brand new unplayed Schon Balabushka cue fetch or what about a pair of tribute cues by Schon.....the 1st Balabushka Tribute cue and the 2nd Tribute cue which will be a copy of Mosconi's favorite Balabushka cue. I think these cues will not lose value and should improve but that remains to be seen.
And let's get this staright, there's nothing wrong with CNC cuts....points don't make the cue play ant better nor does the cue's design. Schon cues didn't become popular because the cue has a terrible hit or feel. People either love or hate Schon cues....it's like ivory ferrules or an ivory joint....they're not for everyone but ultimately you either love ivory or hate the difference it makes. For me, I've fallen in love with the difference but that's just me. I'm 65 years old and have played with steel joint cues for fifty years......Oops...49 years. Last year I started using a Tim Scruggs cue with flat faced ivory joint and that was it for me....I became sold on ivory right then and there.
Anyway, getting back to these Schon cues, other cue-makers will continue to produce Balabushka Tribute cues for years to come. But Schon isn't going to become one of them. Special limited edition runs of a cue tend to become history making of a sort for that cue-maker if they do a great job. Schon cues already have a place in cue-making history like other cue-makers and these limited edition cues being produced will help elevate Evan Clarke's overall recognition and reputation as a cue-maker.
Anyone that gets in on the ground floor of something like this is much better off than awaiting to find out how much of a hit the cue will turn into.....it's a gamble just like getting in on an IPO offerring. But if you invest wisley, an IPO can nturn intom something great with big monetary dividends for you. I don't forsee these Schons as a way of striking it rich but I'm pretty confident that one's initial investment in the cue should not suffer and I think there is "some" upside potential for the cues down the road. That's why I got in on the cue even though it will not become a personal playing cue of mine.
Matt
