The cue that is NOT for sale

classiccues

Don't hashtag your broke friends
Silver Member
Ok.. always here me say I own a cue that isn't for sale at any price.. well here it is. Its not Gus Szamboti's fanciest cue, but it couldn't mean more to me if Gus made it for me. The cue was built in 1977 for Miami Gonzales, who at the time was in Paterson NJ at City billiards, he now plays in Livonia Mich. He didn't want the cue so my uncle told him he would pay Gus and take over the cue. So my uncle took his drive to Pa, his first of at least 10 trips, to see Gus and get the cue. The cue didn't have a leather wrap, my uncle said I would like a very nice black leather wrap put on the cue. Gus pulled a piece out of a box, he said Georgie.. I am putting this wrap on the cue for you because it came from another famous George.. Balabushka. (The wrap has been redyed twice, once by Gus and once by Barry.) The cue cost $ 175.00 brand new, 2 shafts, ivory ferrules. Now it gets good.. my uncle then sold the cue about 6 months later to Mike the Russian...in partial trade for a Joss. After about a week, he tracked the Russian down in NYC and bought the cue back. The cue never left his sight again, except for two shafts and a refinish by Gus in the early 80's, then to Barry in the late 90's. So anyways.. here are some pics.. BTW the work Barry did, refinish, redye and 2 shafts... $800.00 over 4x the original purchase price.

Joe
 
Last edited:

Railbird

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
You are one lucky SOB!
I really wish you wouldn't tease us like this, it just isn't fair.

See Ya Thursday!
Jim
 

Purdman

Banned
classiccues said:
Ok.. always here me say I own a cue that isn't for sale at any price.. well here it is. Its not Gus Szamboti's fanciest cue, but it couldn't mean more to me if Gus made it for me. The cue was built in 1977 for Miami Gonzales, who at the time was in Paterson NJ at City billiards, he now plays in Livonia Mich. He didn't want the cue so my uncle told him he would pay Gus and take over the cue. So my uncle took his drive to Pa, his first of at least 10 trips, to see Gus and get the cue. The cue didn't have a leather wrap, my uncle said I would like a very nice black leather wrap put on the cue. Gus pulled a piece out of a box, he said Georgie.. I am putting this wrap on the cue for you because it came from another famous George.. Balabushka. (The wrap has been redyed twice, once by Gus and once by Barry.) The cue cost $ 175.00 brand new, 2 shafts, ivory ferrules. Now it gets good.. my uncle then sold the cue about 6 months later to Mike the Russian...in partial trade for a Joss. After about a week, he tracked the Russian down in NYC and bought the cue back. The cue never left his sight again, except for two shafts and a refinish by Gus in the early 80's, then to Barry in the late 90's. So anyways.. here are some pics.. BTW the work Barry did, refinish, redye and 2 shafts... $800.00 over 4x the original purchase price.

Joe

Nice looking cue Joe. Good story. Thanks.
Purdman :cool:
 

classiccues

Don't hashtag your broke friends
Silver Member
Railbird said:
You are one lucky SOB!
I really wish you wouldn't tease us like this, it just isn't fair.

See Ya Thursday!
Jim

Jim,
Yep.. I have to defend my hmmm umm title. :) now I am a minus 1 1/2...
But hey I won Thursday using this cue and it might retire the heart Skip.. lol

Skip for sale.. cheap.. lol

Joe
 

ironchef.

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Great story Joe. My Skip cue is basically ready and I've been trying to convince Skip to let me and a buddy (who also ordered a cue along with mine) come and pick up the cues in person (kinda like your uncle did with Szamboti). We're both in NYC and just a short drive to where Skip is located and we're both pretty nuts about cue collecting. I think it would just make getting this cue that much more special if we could meet Skip in person. Maybe you can convince him on behalf? hehehe

Ricky
 

classiccues

Don't hashtag your broke friends
Silver Member
ironchef. said:
Great story Joe. My Skip cue is basically ready and I've been trying to convince Skip to let me and a buddy (who also ordered a cue along with mine) come and pick up the cues in person (kinda like your uncle did with Szamboti). We're both in NYC and just a short drive to where Skip is located and we're both pretty nuts about cue collecting. I think it would just make getting this cue that much more special if we could meet Skip in person. Maybe you can convince him on behalf? hehehe

Ricky

Well I could do that.. maybe we can get together to since I live 2 blocks from Skip. Plus the pool room I play out of is 5 minutes away.

Joe
 

ironchef.

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Joe, sounds great! Be forewarned, my buddy Jack and I aren't the best players in the world, but we're both always up for having a good time! Thanks!

Ricky
 

JimBo

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Railbird said:
You are one lucky SOB!
I really wish you wouldn't tease us like this, it just isn't fair.

See Ya Thursday!
Jim


That cue is kinda ugly, maybe you should see if Barry could spice it up with some inlays, and maybe change that wrap. I like that brown Irish linen with white spots. I think with some work you might really have something there. I wish to some day get a cue worthy of posting some pics here :-(

Jim
 

Railbird

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
classiccues said:
Jim,
Yep.. I have to defend my hmmm umm title. :) now I am a minus 1 1/2...
But hey I won Thursday using this cue and it might retire the heart Skip.. lol

Skip for sale.. cheap.. lol

Joe

Geez, now I only have to give you the seven and the breaks! It just don't get any easier does it?

Jim
 

Railbird

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
JimBo said:
That cue is kinda ugly, maybe you should see if Barry could spice it up with some inlays, and maybe change that wrap. I like that brown Irish linen with white spots. I think with some work you might really have something there. I wish to some day get a cue worthy of posting some pics here :-(

Jim

I think you missed the point, not only is it an original Gus Szamboti, but it has some history to it that makes it that much more special.
 

classiccues

Don't hashtag your broke friends
Silver Member
Railbird said:
I think you missed the point, not only is it an original Gus Szamboti, but it has some history to it that makes it that much more special.

Jim,
LOL meet Jim. Jimbo knows the original owner and is just pulling sarcastic. You have to know Jimbo.. keep the date Oct 2 open, If you are free that weekend maybe you can get permission to go to a little get together at Jimbo's room in CT. Its alot of fun, and there is even going to be some poker :)

Joe
 

Railbird

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
classiccues said:
Jim,
LOL meet Jim. Jimbo knows the original owner and is just pulling sarcastic. You have to know Jimbo.. keep the date Oct 2 open, If you are free that weekend maybe you can get permission to go to a little get together at Jimbo's room in CT. Its alot of fun, and there is even going to be some poker :)

Joe

My apologizes to all. I'm sure if I see him I'll know who he is. As of right now I don't know of any plans for that weekend so, unless something comes up I'm in.

Jim
 

classiccues

Don't hashtag your broke friends
Silver Member
The magic struck again...

I must say I am leaning very heavily to making this my playing cue.. :)

$ 2,800.00 in a week...

Joe (---must give kudo's to my racker :)
 

JimBo

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
classiccues said:
I must say I am leaning very heavily to making this my playing cue.. :)

$ 2,800.00 in a week...

Joe (---must give kudo's to my racker :)


Would you like me to believe you WON $2,800 playing pool in the last 2 weeks??? Does this count a lotto ticket on the way to the pool room?
If this story is what I think it is then clear out the guest room cause I'm coming to NJ.

Jim
 

classiccues

Don't hashtag your broke friends
Silver Member
JimBo said:
Would you like me to believe you WON $2,800 playing pool in the last 2 weeks??? Does this count a lotto ticket on the way to the pool room?
If this story is what I think it is then clear out the guest room cause I'm coming to NJ.

Jim

To answer simply...

Yes, No, in that order....

I won our tourney last week and the break and run this week for 2500.00.. 2500 one rack of pool.. 3 shots were A+ shots.. ask Railbird..

Joe
 

accdealer

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Joe,

Nice Gus, like mine mine it's simple, but yet the best. Thanks again for the great deal on the Thomas case at Valley Forge, and I'll see you the next time I come to Crown.
 

Railbird

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
JimBo said:
Would you like me to believe you WON $2,800 playing pool in the last 2 weeks??? Does this count a lotto ticket on the way to the pool room?
If this story is what I think it is then clear out the guest room cause I'm coming to NJ.

Jim

As much as it pains me to admit it, yes Joe did infact win the weekly tourney last week and this past Thursday was picked for the break and run and proceeded to runout like an A+ player.
Like they say " Everyone has their fifteen minutes of fame", hope he enjoyed it!

Jim
 

Railbird

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
classiccues said:
To answer simply...

Yes, No, in that order....

I won our tourney last week and the break and run this week for 2500.00.. 2500 one rack of pool.. 3 shots were A+ shots.. ask Railbird..

Joe

It has got to be the cue. If you keep it up you're going to lose your action with Rick, haha. Congrats again, you lucky bastard!
Phil may never allow me to rack for the break and run ever again, two in one evening, ouch!

See Ya!
Jim
 
Top