Players HXT 4 Feels & Plays Like 1968 Balabushka

[Bill Yerd]

I'm happily surprised!
I have owned over 50 medium to high end cues.
My 1968 Ebony & Maple Balabushka was in my top 5 of the bunch.
I liked it very much but it was a little too soft feeling compared to my many Blue Grass cues, my Diveney and my Early Black Boar which I ranked above the Balabushka.
Out of all the cues I have owned my HXT4 feels and plays closest to my 1968 Balabushka! I know that all Balabushka's and all HXT's won't all have the exact same feel and playability, but my HXT4 and my Balabushka are very comparable. After all, they were both within $20 of eachother when new.
You can doubt me, but if you hit my two examples you would probably agree.
I have let a few of my friends play with my HXT4 and they all have set their cue aside and fell in love with my HXT4. I have trouble getting it out of their hands. It might be the Soft Kamui Black tip, it might be the LD HXT 13mm Shaft, it might be the no wrap handle, but I think it's a well done combination of what makes a cue very playable and comfortable.
Im sure it will be rare to find some other players that have owned an original Balabushka and a HXT4 or any HXT, but I am interested if anybody else has played each of these two cues enough to have a similar discovery?

 

[Johnny9]

I'm happily surprised!
I have owned over 50 medium to high end cues.
My 1968 Ebony & Maple Balabushka was in my top 5 of the bunch.
I liked it very much but it was a little too soft feeling compared to my many Blue Grass cues, my Diveney and my Early Black Boar which I ranked above the Balabushka.
Out of all the cues I have owned my HXT4 feels and plays closest to my 1968 Balabushka! I know that all Balabushka's and all HXT's won't all have the exact same feel and playability, but my HXT4 and my Balabushka are very comparable. After all, they were both within $20 of eachother when new.
You can doubt me, but if you hit my two examples you would probably agree.
I have let a few of my friends play with my HXT4 and they all have set their cue aside and fell in love with my HXT4. I have trouble getting it out of their hands. It might be the Soft Kamui Black tip, it might be the LD HXT 13mm Shaft, it might be the no wrap handle, but I think it's a well done combination of what makes a cue very playable and comfortable.
Im sure it will be rare to find some other players that have owned an original Balabushka and a HXT4 or any HXT, but I am interested if anybody else has played each of these two cues enough to have a similar discovery?

Well, I have played with a Szamboti. These HXT shafts play as good as any I have tried, and I am not ashamed to say that or own one of the cues. I'm actually in the process of buying one. The HXT99

 

[Mitchxout]

I have a 5/16-18 black collar hxt shaft if you love them so much.

 

[Johnny9]

I have a 5/16-18 black collar hxt shaft if you love them so much.

PM sent.....

 

[Blue Hog ridr]

Previously, a Players cue was thought of as being a little on the Wal Mart side.

Lately I have seen a few and I wouldn't mind owning one myself.
They look to be very well built and reasonably priced.
They have really come up there and I guess that they have decided to take their share of the billiard market.

There is a Filipino player that plays in our Sat 9 ball tourney that has one. Ebony or ebonized forearm and butt sleeve with a nice curly maple handle. It seems to play well for him.

 

[HawaiianEye]

I'm happily surprised!
I have owned over 50 medium to high end cues.
My 1968 Ebony & Maple Balabushka was in my top 5 of the bunch.
I liked it very much but it was a little too soft feeling compared to my many Blue Grass cues, my Diveney and my Early Black Boar which I ranked above the Balabushka.
Out of all the cues I have owned my HXT4 feels and plays closest to my 1968 Balabushka! I know that all Balabushka's and all HXT's won't all have the exact same feel and playability, but my HXT4 and my Balabushka are very comparable. After all, they were both within $20 of eachother when new.
You can doubt me, but if you hit my two examples you would probably agree.
I have let a few of my friends play with my HXT4 and they all have set their cue aside and fell in love with my HXT4. I have trouble getting it out of their hands. It might be the Soft Kamui Black tip, it might be the LD HXT 13mm Shaft, it might be the no wrap handle, but I think it's a well done combination of what makes a cue very playable and comfortable.
Im sure it will be rare to find some other players that have owned an original Balabushka and a HXT4 or any HXT, but I am interested if anybody else has played each of these two cues enough to have a similar discovery?

In this post you didn't seem too happy with that cue. Did you change your mind all of a sudden?

http://forums.azbilliards.com/showthread.php?t=278750

"Recently purchased a Players HXT4 after extensive research to fnd the best playing cue under $100.
It plays ok and moves the cue ball around ok, but I don't like the medium soft feel of the hit.
The feel of the hit reminds me of a Meucci Black Dot or Jacoby cue I owned a few years ago."

 

[Bill Yerd]

It was a little softer feeling than I had hoped for and so was the Balabushka. It's still not my favorite feeling and playing cue I've owned and neither was the Balabushka. When I made that first post it was after only a few games, but was my honest assessment. I've now played over 100 games with it and am just updating my bones assessment.
Balabushka's are great cues, but are one of the most over rated.

 

[delsharky]

I own one, I play great with it. I have the 12.75mm shaft and really it plays as good as an ob-1 shaft with a soft tip. It has a solid hit and tons of.ball control once the tip gets worn in. Well worth the investment. I would give it a 9 out of 10

 

[smokey]

Bill...

I'm happily surprised!
I have owned over 50 medium to high end cues.
My 1968 Ebony & Maple Balabushka was in my top 5 of the bunch.
I liked it very much but it was a little too soft feeling compared to my many Blue Grass cues, my Diveney and my Early Black Boar which I ranked above the Balabushka.
Out of all the cues I have owned my HXT4 feels and plays closest to my 1968 Balabushka! I know that all Balabushka's and all HXT's won't all have the exact same feel and playability, but my HXT4 and my Balabushka are very comparable. After all, they were both within $20 of eachother when new.
You can doubt me, but if you hit my two examples you would probably agree.
I have let a few of my friends play with my HXT4 and they all have set their cue aside and fell in love with my HXT4. I have trouble getting it out of their hands. It might be the Soft Kamui Black tip, it might be the LD HXT 13mm Shaft, it might be the no wrap handle, but I think it's a well done combination of what makes a cue very playable and comfortable.
Im sure it will be rare to find some other players that have owned an original Balabushka and a HXT4 or any HXT, but I am interested if anybody else has played each of these two cues enough to have a similar discovery?

i just bought the cue on your incredible recommendation. i will post my feelings after receipt and play

all the best,
smokey

 

[islandracer]

Well, I have an original Bushka and I just ordered a Players HXT shaft with the Black Soft Kamui tip to put on my Helmstetter Butt. I'll be eager to test them side by side next week...glad I read this post, just wanted to know how those shafts feel.

 

[Bill Yerd]

Well, I have an original Bushka and I just ordered a Players HXT shaft with the Black Soft Kamui tip to put on my Helmstetter Butt. I'll be eager to test them side by side next week...glad I read this post, just wanted to know how those shafts feel.

I'd love to read your critique. Play the Balabushka and Helmstetter/HXT shaft side by side and also the Helmstetter with the original shaft side by side or of course alternating with the HXT shaft. I'm not sure what you will discover, but if you play the HXT enough to get used to the play and feel of it, I predict you will like it.

 

[Bill Yerd]

i just bought the cue on your incredible recommendation. i will post my feelings after receipt and play

all the best,
smokey

Did you purchase the HXT 4 with a 13mm shaft or the standard 12.75mm shaft? I haven't played the 12.75 yet.

 

[islandracer]

I'm not a great player and I honestly don't have the feeling of more experienced players. I'm probably not even a good owner for a Bushka but I'll give my honest opinion and let some real players feel them out. I also ordered the HXT 15 too, can't go wrong for a $100 for a new one, the owner of the ebay store also raved about it. I won't have the original helmstetter shaft as it's being replaced due to falling too many times and has no tip, so it's officially retired. I'll update next weekend.

 

[TheNewSharkster]

What is this world coming to when we start comparing a players cue to a Blabushka?!?

 

[Johnny9]

What is this world coming to when we start comparing a players cue to a Blabushka?!?

Well, the reality is, that there are great playing cues that don't have the stellar names like Balabushka, or Szamboti. Sure we all love these classic designs, and have great respect for the history and craftsmanship. But owning one just to say we do, does not automatically make us a better player, nor does it mean we own the best playing cue for our games. The technology is way beyond what we were accustomed to with these great cuemakers. The HXT and Lucasi Hybrid, in my opinion, for my game, play better than any other top name brand shaft out there. The McDermott I3 being the best over 150 dollar range. Just my opinion, but I am not ashamed to use something less than a Gina to win a match. It amazes me how some of the great production type cues which are for sale here on AZ get NO attention. In my opinion, also, the definition of a custom cue is one which was ordered, and built to spec, by a cuemaker, just for you. Joss, Schon, Pechauer, Meucci, etc., in large part, are not custom cues. They are production cues. I am also confused as to how anything other than hand made, by one person, who offers the same cue, made by the hundreds or thousands, can be considered "custom".

 

[islandracer]

What is this world coming to when we start comparing a players cue to a Blabushka?!?

That is nutty when you think of it, I'm just really curious now since I'll have both cues in the same place...

 

[Johnny9]

That is nutty when you think of it, I'm just really curious now since I'll have both cues in the same place...

LOL. I basically said the same thing as you, only in a hundred more words!

 

[mortuarymike-nv]

What is this world coming to when we start comparing a players cue to a Blabushka?!?

My thought was the same.
MMike

 

[Bill Yerd]

Great Post! +1

Nicely said!

Well, the reality is, that there are great playing cues that don't have the stellar names like Balabushka, or Szamboti. Sure we all love these classic designs, and have great respect for the history and craftsmanship. But owning one just to say we do, does not automatically make us a better player, nor does it mean we own the best playing cue for our games. The technology is way beyond what we were accustomed to with these great cuemakers. The HXT and Lucasi Hybrid, in my opinion, for my game, play better than any other top name brand shaft out there. The McDermott I3 being the best over 150 dollar range. Just my opinion, but I am not ashamed to use something less than a Gina to win a match. It amazes me how some of the great production type cues which are for sale here on AZ get NO attention. In my opinion, also, the definition of a custom cue is one which was ordered, and built to spec, by a cuemaker, just for you. Joss, Schon, Pechauer, Meucci, etc., in large part, are not custom cues. They are production cues. I am also confused as to how anything other than hand made, by one person, who offers the same cue, made by the hundreds or thousands, can be considered "custom".

 

[Bill Yerd]

Hand Making A Better Lighter Than A BIC!

I respect all cue makers, but it is sort of like purchasing thousands of dollars of equipment and practicing for years to attempt to make a better lighter than BIC.
Congratulations if you get the analogy and sorry if you don't.