I have the cue. I appreciate all of the emails. I'm sure it helped to move things along.
Need Help Getting Cue Returned From Martyne Bachman
- Thread starter Tony Zinzola
- Start date
wow... now that's what I call results. Gotta love AZ! Glad you got your stuff back. Nice looking cue BTW!
Glad to hear it.
Oh, this just makes me feel all warm and fuzzy. 
BTW Tony, the cue you made for a mutual friend, Bobby Morrow... Wow! Great cue. It plays incredible and is drop dead gorgeous. When I see Bobby next (I hadn't seen him since he went cruising Belize, FL Keys, Cazumel, etc) I'm going to ask to borrow it so I can take pic's to post here. And then I am going to the tropics with it!
BTW Tony, the cue you made for a mutual friend, Bobby Morrow... Wow! Great cue. It plays incredible and is drop dead gorgeous. When I see Bobby next (I hadn't seen him since he went cruising Belize, FL Keys, Cazumel, etc) I'm going to ask to borrow it so I can take pic's to post here. And then I am going to the tropics with it!
Oh, this just makes me feel all warm and fuzzy.
BTW Tony, the cue you made for a mutual friend, Bobby Morrow... Wow! Great cue. It plays incredible and is drop dead gorgeous. When I see Bobby next (I hadn't seen him since he went cruising Belize, FL Keys, Cazumel, etc) I'm going to ask to borrow it so I can take pic's to post here. And then I am going to the tropics with it!
Thanks for the nice comments.
Bobby just started a job this week in VA. I forgot where exactly, so it may be a bit before you see it.
Great News
Awesome news Tony!!I am glad you finally got your custom cue back.It looks like all the calls and e-mails from fellow AZers got the ball rolling.
Awesome news Tony!!I am glad you finally got your custom cue back.It looks like all the calls and e-mails from fellow AZers got the ball rolling.
I don't know if I got the same form letter email back from her as the rest did but it was rather on the curt and snotty side.
Martyne's Cue Book
I'm surprised nobody has mentioned Martyne's pool cue book.
Right after the Blue Book fiasco, she announced that she would be producing her own book on cues. Cue collectors would have to pay $5K to participate. I know a few people who put up money (I won't name names, as now they are embarrassed.)
The book was supposed to come out in November of 2005.
So far no book, and I don't know anyone who got their money back.
I'm surprised nobody has mentioned Martyne's pool cue book.
Right after the Blue Book fiasco, she announced that she would be producing her own book on cues. Cue collectors would have to pay $5K to participate. I know a few people who put up money (I won't name names, as now they are embarrassed.)
The book was supposed to come out in November of 2005.
So far no book, and I don't know anyone who got their money back.
how come no one has confronted her about this at a show or something?
They Have
They have. She finally promised them it would be at Valley Forge this year.
The book wasn't there, and she wasn't either.
They have. She finally promised them it would be at Valley Forge this year.
The book wasn't there, and she wasn't either.
Yep tell you what it seems to me like we work faster on AZ than the cops can with their methods, lol. For cues stolen or lost please direct all info here...we got eyes everywhere across the country.:thumbup: Proud to be a member of this board and even prouder that everyone here looks out for one another.
Best Wishes,
G.G.
The Letter:
I got the following letter in the Spring of 2005. I have X'd out the names of those who gave money. Earlier I said $5K because I know a couple of people who say they gave her that much. Another guy claims to have given her $20K. The guys I know are not happy.
"I am happy to announce that I have found a publisher
for my latest project, a new collectors cue book,
which will be produced as a full-color hard-cover
"coffee table" edition. I have negotiated a contract
with Schiffer, a publisher specializing in books on
collectibles.
Although this means both the printing costs
(approximately $80,000) and distribution to
booksellers is covered, it is still necessary for me
to raise funds for the production and promotion of the
book.
To date I have received commitments from a number of
collectors who are contributing amounts ranging from
$1500 to $20,000. These participants include XXXXXXX, XXXXXXXXXXX, XXXXXXXXX, XXXXXXXXXXXX, as
well as several newer collectors.
As you know, I photographed a number of the cues in
your collection, which I would love to include in this
book.
I look forward to learning if you would like to be
included in this project. It would be helpful to
verify the commitments of the funding participants in
the project so we can proceed within the next several
weeks. The projected release date for the book is
November 2005.
Following is a summary of the project for you.
Attached is the summary and agreement form, also more
budget info.
Please e-mail or call me with any questions.
Best regards,
Martyne S. Bachmen
Chalkers"
I got the following letter in the Spring of 2005. I have X'd out the names of those who gave money. Earlier I said $5K because I know a couple of people who say they gave her that much. Another guy claims to have given her $20K. The guys I know are not happy.
"I am happy to announce that I have found a publisher
for my latest project, a new collectors cue book,
which will be produced as a full-color hard-cover
"coffee table" edition. I have negotiated a contract
with Schiffer, a publisher specializing in books on
collectibles.
Although this means both the printing costs
(approximately $80,000) and distribution to
booksellers is covered, it is still necessary for me
to raise funds for the production and promotion of the
book.
To date I have received commitments from a number of
collectors who are contributing amounts ranging from
$1500 to $20,000. These participants include XXXXXXX, XXXXXXXXXXX, XXXXXXXXX, XXXXXXXXXXXX, as
well as several newer collectors.
As you know, I photographed a number of the cues in
your collection, which I would love to include in this
book.
I look forward to learning if you would like to be
included in this project. It would be helpful to
verify the commitments of the funding participants in
the project so we can proceed within the next several
weeks. The projected release date for the book is
November 2005.
Following is a summary of the project for you.
Attached is the summary and agreement form, also more
budget info.
Please e-mail or call me with any questions.
Best regards,
Martyne S. Bachmen
Chalkers"
Based on what I read and I don't know this woman at all, it's obvious she is either very bad at business or is ripping players/collectors off left and right.
If she thinks she'll recoup anything but a small percentage of that $80K she is out of her mind. I don't even think it would cost 80K to publish the thing (then again I am not a publisher).
I think she stole the cue from you and probably many other people.
I'd file charges ASAP. Since she is communicating over the internet, she may also be eligible for a few federal charges as well. You need to get this twit off the street before she screws even more people over.
If she thinks she'll recoup anything but a small percentage of that $80K she is out of her mind. I don't even think it would cost 80K to publish the thing (then again I am not a publisher).
I think she stole the cue from you and probably many other people.
I'd file charges ASAP. Since she is communicating over the internet, she may also be eligible for a few federal charges as well. You need to get this twit off the street before she screws even more people over.
Already Been Tried:
A private investigation started in 2005 over the Blue Book pictures. Martyne and Hugh were contracted and paid to take pictures for the Blue Book. All of their expenses were paid, and the owners of the cues thought they would be in the book. Instead, they kept the best pictures, and told the owners that they would have to pay money to get their cues included in the new book. But, by contract, those pics belonged to Blue Book.
Martyne and Hugh were traced to their real addresses and their real names.
Martyne Bachmen, real name: Sue Backman (she changed the spelling of her last name.)
Hugh Tiernan, real name: Peter Hangarter (If you don't believe me, just Google their real names.)
At the time, they were operating from a private Post Box. They were doing business as "Wingate Ltd." which officially didn't exist.
When they felt the heat, they relocated to New Mexico. Now they list their address as a Post Box at a U.P.S. store. On paper, they were "judgement proof", meaning no assets could be traced to them. Blue Book gave up on trying to recover damages, and the amount wasn't enough to attract Prosecutors.
Tony's missing cue story doesn't surprise me at all.
If anyone on AZ paid money to be in the new book, I'd like to hear your story.
A private investigation started in 2005 over the Blue Book pictures. Martyne and Hugh were contracted and paid to take pictures for the Blue Book. All of their expenses were paid, and the owners of the cues thought they would be in the book. Instead, they kept the best pictures, and told the owners that they would have to pay money to get their cues included in the new book. But, by contract, those pics belonged to Blue Book.
Martyne and Hugh were traced to their real addresses and their real names.
Martyne Bachmen, real name: Sue Backman (she changed the spelling of her last name.)
Hugh Tiernan, real name: Peter Hangarter (If you don't believe me, just Google their real names.)
At the time, they were operating from a private Post Box. They were doing business as "Wingate Ltd." which officially didn't exist.
When they felt the heat, they relocated to New Mexico. Now they list their address as a Post Box at a U.P.S. store. On paper, they were "judgement proof", meaning no assets could be traced to them. Blue Book gave up on trying to recover damages, and the amount wasn't enough to attract Prosecutors.
Tony's missing cue story doesn't surprise me at all.
If anyone on AZ paid money to be in the new book, I'd like to hear your story.
Did it happen?
Bump for those that missed it....great work AZ....congrats on the return of the cue....
Sweet Marissa
www.Bella-Muse.com
Congratulations on getting your cue back, Tony!
Someone said her response was on the curt and snotty side. Would someone post what she wrote? As far as I'm concerned, she's a thief and a fraud and has no right to privacy.
Someone said her response was on the curt and snotty side. Would someone post what she wrote? As far as I'm concerned, she's a thief and a fraud and has no right to privacy.
Response I recieved
> Date: Sat, 8 Aug 2009 12:33:26 -0700
> From: martyne639@yahoo.com
> Subject: Re: Zinzola pool cue returned
> To: bob_bushka@hotmail.com
>
> Bob,
>
> The cue butt was returned to Tony Zinzola, with my apologies for the delay, just as all the hubbub erupted on AZbilliards.
>
> I was remiss in not getting it back to Tony sooner. I have been preoccupied with several serious family medical issues and have not been able to keep up with everything.
>
> Despite the nasty and threatening emails (and phone calls) I received about this, I do not believe I owe anyone except Mr. Zinzola and the owner of the cue an explanation; that has been done. Nor do I plan to "defend" my reputation in the pool industry. If trash talk by people who don't know the whole story damages my reputation, then so be it. The people who know me and buy cues from me know better. Also, I took the time to reply to every email on the subject to let the person know the cue had been returned.
>
> I do not post on AZbilliards. If you wish to inform the "gentlemen" of the pool world that Tony's cue was returned, that would be fine.
>
> I appreciate your concern.
>
> Thank you,
>
> Martyne Bachmen
>
> --- On Fri, 8/7/09, <bob_bushka@hotmail.com> wrote:
>
> > From: <bob_bushka@hotmail.com>
> > Subject: pool cue
> > To: martyne@chalkers.com
> > Date: Friday, August 7, 2009, 9:36 PM
> >
> > I was on AZBilliards and read the feedback on Tony's
> > Z's cue. I also visited your website and it looks
> > like you have done quite a bit to help cuemakers and the
> > billiard industry in general. I find it hard to
> > believe that you would not respond on the whereabouts of the
> > cue or defend your reputation in the indstry.
> >
> > Thanks
> >
> > Bob >
>
> Date: Sat, 8 Aug 2009 12:33:26 -0700
> From: martyne639@yahoo.com
> Subject: Re: Zinzola pool cue returned
> To: bob_bushka@hotmail.com
>
> Bob,
>
> The cue butt was returned to Tony Zinzola, with my apologies for the delay, just as all the hubbub erupted on AZbilliards.
>
> I was remiss in not getting it back to Tony sooner. I have been preoccupied with several serious family medical issues and have not been able to keep up with everything.
>
> Despite the nasty and threatening emails (and phone calls) I received about this, I do not believe I owe anyone except Mr. Zinzola and the owner of the cue an explanation; that has been done. Nor do I plan to "defend" my reputation in the pool industry. If trash talk by people who don't know the whole story damages my reputation, then so be it. The people who know me and buy cues from me know better. Also, I took the time to reply to every email on the subject to let the person know the cue had been returned.
>
> I do not post on AZbilliards. If you wish to inform the "gentlemen" of the pool world that Tony's cue was returned, that would be fine.
>
> I appreciate your concern.
>
> Thank you,
>
> Martyne Bachmen
>
> --- On Fri, 8/7/09, <bob_bushka@hotmail.com> wrote:
>
> > From: <bob_bushka@hotmail.com>
> > Subject: pool cue
> > To: martyne@chalkers.com
> > Date: Friday, August 7, 2009, 9:36 PM
> >
> > I was on AZBilliards and read the feedback on Tony's
> > Z's cue. I also visited your website and it looks
> > like you have done quite a bit to help cuemakers and the
> > billiard industry in general. I find it hard to
> > believe that you would not respond on the whereabouts of the
> > cue or defend your reputation in the indstry.
> >
> > Thanks
> >
> > Bob >
>