The HolyGrail of cues?

Cuephoric

1hole anyone?
Silver Member
Jack Madden said:
Man, you live in Rock Springs??? I worked there as an electrician and lived in a man camp in 1975 ----- was not a good place to play pool at the time (didn't stop me). The locals must have hid out until all the construction stopped --- it was a wild town.

Not much has changed. It's mostly oilfield and mining.
I was working the oilfields from Baggs to Rock Springs, and occasionally Evanston. There's a few players around there, but unless you go to the Astro you won't find any. The owner of the Astro like scotch doubles for $50. If you don't mind her trying to distract you with her employees.... Oh, did I fail to mention that is also a strip club? And where they hold their leagues!
 

ridewiththewind

♥ Hippie Hustler ♥
Silver Member
Now see, for me, a Holy Grail cue is that cue which plays like nothing else you have ever had play for you in your life. Everything just feels 'right' about it...EVERYTHING. :D

I feel I am pretty lucky as I have one that is just exactly that...my Holy Grail cue...I cannot imagine playing without it. :)

Lisa
 

lsabado

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
cue

Jay is right. For me, Balabushka is still the holy grail for many people. That is why I always still go to thrift stores and garage sales in the hope that someday I would get the still of my life. Maybe buying an authentic Balabushka for $100. One can only hope right.
 

kvinbrwr

Skee Ball Monster Playa
Gold Member
In terms of collecting, here's what I understand are the 3 holy grails (can there be 3 or is it a singular find?), which for me, would be the three most collectible pool cues:

1) The "Unfinished Gus" which I believe was sold for more than $225,000 in a deal brokered my a member here at AZ.
For those that agree that this cue is holy grail quailty, I would like to ask what you think of the 15 or so unfinished Balabuskas that remain in Tascarella's possesion?

2) The "Golden Balabuska", a cue reportedly sold years ago in excess of $300,000?

3) The "Silver Gina", a cue, interestingly enough, valued because of what Ernie has turned down for it, rather than a sale price because Ernie has not yet ever sold it.

I was with some cue collectors and Ernie one day, I was going on and on as if I knew something, when Ernie pulled out the Silver Gina. My friends joke about that occasion as if it was a religious event, the term "holy grail" is fitting as we all felt as though we were in the presence of something special. That cue shut me right up which is a rare and wondrous occurrence.

Kevin
 
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avmaster

Man of Reason
Gold Member
Silver Member
**balabushka**

:rolleyes:
jay helfert said:
The Holy Grail is still a BALABUSHKA! That is the magical name in pool cues.

I've gotta go with Jay. :) The name is still Balabushka. :eek: I still want to own one. Unless I stumble over it at some yard sale owning one will never happen for me...........:eek: but one can dream........:rolleyes:
 

cuejoey

25 mm chain guns matter
Silver Member
To me the Holy Grail pool cue would be the one in the movie The Hustler that Jackie Gleason shot with..i would be so honored to own and shoot with it....:)
 

avmaster

Man of Reason
Gold Member
Silver Member
cuejoey said:
To me the Holy Grail pool cue would be the one in the movie The Hustler that Jackie Gleason shot with..i would be so honored to own and shoot with it....:)

I believe that would be a Rambo given to him by Willee Mosconi.
 

digitalcrack

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
3 most valuable cues

Unfinished Gus, Golden Bushka, Gus' personal playing cue. Thats what I've been told. Thats what I believe
 

steveinflorida

senior member
Silver Member
The Holy Grail, Attention Jack Madden

See my avatar. There's two Gus's with heart inlays. The third cue is a window Balabushka.
Sorry, but I sold them all about 4 years ago.
 

Scott Lee

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
The "holy grail" of Palmer Cues is up for sale on the 'for sale' forum now. Randyg has the original, FIRST 3 Palmer cues ever made. These are the original prototypes for all Palmer cues that followed...and in the original 'dealer' case too! Few, if any, cuemakers, living or dead, have the very first cues they ever made...this is a once-in-a-lifetime purchase for the right collector.

Scott Lee
www.poolknowledge.com
 

steveinflorida

senior member
Silver Member
The Holy Grail. Attention Jack Madden

I would be happy to show larger photo, however, I am having trouble. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance, Steve
 

Fatboy

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
i have a cue I consider to be one of the Holygrail cues(there has to be more than just one), its the box cue Barry made as a tribute to his dad Gus. I lucked into it and offered to give it to Barry, I dont feel that cue should be outside his family, so its his. He wouldnt take it, so as far as I'm concerned its his cue in my safe and I'll give ito one of his Grand Children someday(when he isnt looking). He wil be pissed at me for saying this but its the truth and i'm am going to give it to someone in his family, thats a lock. That cue belongs to the Szmboti family and it will be there in time, it dosent belong else where, I was told the story about that cue from Barry and that will remain personal, anyone with any emotion would agree that it belongs to Barrys or his familys cue after hearing what I did about it. Sure he can make another one look like it but it wouldnt be the same, the love and passion that went into that cue makes it what it is.

prices of cues dont make them holyGrail cues they have to have history or meaning to be HolyGrail cues not just expensive IMO. A trubute to the best cuemaker from his son fits that description.

George Bushka assembled cues and they play great and are among the best cues in the world but I dont consider them all HolyGrail cues with the exception of Willie's cue or something similar there has to be history to go with them,

The silver Ginacue is up there to, I have been lucky emough to hold it, the date Dec 1966 on the box is my birthdate which is cool. perhaps someday I'll do a deal on it, I know where to find it. this cue has monster history, i love it.


the standard for deseriable cues is different than the standard for holigrail cues, man i think i took to many meds today, my spelling is real bad, but i mean what I said about the Barry cue.
 
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Jaden

"no buds chill"
Silver Member
That's why I consider my Fisher a "Holy Grail"

Fatboy said:
i have a cue I consider to be one of the Holygrail cues(there has to be more than just one), its the box cue Barry made as a tribute to his dad Gus. I lucked into it and offered to give it to Barry, I dont feel that cue should be outside his family, so its his. He wouldnt take it, so as far as I'm concerned its his cue in my safe and I'll give ito one of his Grand Children someday(when he isnt looking). He wil be pissed at me for saying this but its the truth and i'm am going to give it to someone in his family, thats a lock. That cue belongs to the Szmboti family and it will be there in time, it dosent belong else where, I was told the story about that cue from Barry and that will remain personal, anyone with any emotion would agree that is Barrys or his familys cue after hearing what I did about it.

prices of cues dont make them holyGrail cues they have to have history or meaning to be HolyGrail cues not just expensive IMO. A trubute to the best cuemaker from his son fits that description.

George Bushka assembled cues and they play great and are among the best cues in the world but I dont consider them all HolyGrail cues with the exception of Willie's cue or something similar there has to be history,

The silver Ginacue is up there to, I have been lucky emough to hold it, the date Dec 1966 on the box is my birthdate which is cool. perhaps someday I'll do a deal on it, I know where to find it.


the standard for deseriable cues is different than the standard for holigrail cues, man i think i took to many meds today, my spelling is real bad, but i mean what I said about the Barry cue.

I have to say that I didn't expect to win the Fisher cue I ended up with for as little as I bid. I was expecting to come back on and have to bid higher to get it. I figured what could be better than to bid on and win a cue that was first used as a demonstration cue of a cuemaker's talent and then to be donated to an organization that was created to help bring pool to those of us who were tired of waiting six months to see something on TV that we already knew the outcome to. Then to get it and have it play the way it does is icing on the cake.
 

avmaster

Man of Reason
Gold Member
Silver Member
Fatboy said:
i have a cue I consider to be one of the Holygrail cues(there has to be more than just one), its the box cue Barry made as a tribute to his dad Gus. I lucked into it and offered to give it to Barry, I dont feel that cue should be outside his family, so its his. He wouldnt take it, so as far as I'm concerned its his cue in my safe and I'll give ito one of his Grand Children someday(when he isnt looking). He wil be pissed at me for saying this but its the truth and i'm am going to give it to someone in his family, thats a lock. That cue belongs to the Szmboti family and it will be there in time, it dosent belong else where, I was told the story about that cue from Barry and that will remain personal, anyone with any emotion would agree that it belongs to Barrys or his familys cue after hearing what I did about it. Sure he can make another one look like it but it wouldnt be the same, the love and passion that went into that cue makes it what it is.

prices of cues dont make them holyGrail cues they have to have history or meaning to be HolyGrail cues not just expensive IMO. A trubute to the best cuemaker from his son fits that description.

George Bushka assembled cues and they play great and are among the best cues in the world but I dont consider them all HolyGrail cues with the exception of Willie's cue or something similar there has to be history to go with them,

The silver Ginacue is up there to, I have been lucky emough to hold it, the date Dec 1966 on the box is my birthdate which is cool. perhaps someday I'll do a deal on it, I know where to find it. this cue has monster history, i love it.


the standard for deseriable cues is different than the standard for holigrail cues, man i think i took to many meds today, my spelling is real bad, but i mean what I said about the Barry cue.

Fatboy, I don't know you from Adam, but that is a cool sentiment. No offense, but as an old timer, the Balabushka is still and always will be my holy grail. Probably because I will never be in a position to ever buy one. Hell, I've never even seen one outside pictures, let alone hold one or shoot with one. The history thing is great, I agree with your sentiment. Ah crap, to much vino tonight so I'm starting to get incoherrent.... There are a number of us old timers that still love this friggin game and remember when we controlled our own destiney...... sort of..................
 

Cuephoric

1hole anyone?
Silver Member
There are a few cues that I would love to have, but the most elusive one is one that Luther Lassiter played with at home pretty much exclusively.
I tried to buy it once a couple of years ago, because a friend of mine made it, and marked it inside of the butt with a couple of letters that was an inside joke between him and Wimpy.
I wanted it to return to the cuemaker, because of their history together, and for the fact that it was Luther's favorite cue.
I don't know if I would be able to top that as far as a personal search for a cue.
But just for the record, it was made by Josh Pool, who I'm not even sure is making cues anymore.
That's my ultimate Holy Grail.
In the meantime, the search goes on.....
 

stikapos

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Well, to each his own. For me, there is really only one cue that I'd spend over $1500 on today. SHould have done it years ago, while instead buying a piloted ivory buska from Mottey....that I absolutely hated!!!! I could have had one of Ernie's early cues...the ones with the white phenolic ring and his name engraved. I've never seen one as good as this one since, so if you are out there, bonus day is coming......

tim
 
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