Pool queue...

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1698021814.jpg

Pool queue?

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1698023735.jpg

Um, are y'all talking about pool/billiard cues, or is all of this "code" for sumthin' else??? [emoji848] [emoji1787]

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Buy a $100 used cue from a good pool player who no longer uses it. Somebody who owns a $1,000 cue and has several old cues, which probably cost them $300 when new. Of you were to join a pool league you wouldn't have to ask many players you meet before you found one.

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I'm a former APA Pool League franchise owner. If you want to get a decent cue, you will probably be looking at closer to $200 and up. Several places online, Pool Dawg, Ozone Billiards. I would suggest that route rather than Dick's Sporting goods. Also, a lot of pool halls have on-site shops where you might get a deal or a nice used one. And if you are going to invest in your own cue, join a league. APA is good for beginners, more fun than knocking balls playing bar pool. And with the handicap system, beginners are important to teams. TAP, NAPA, BCA are also good, but usually higher level players. I play APA for the team fun and NAPA for my own game improvement

Thank you for your most informative post. Now that I know the APA exists, I'll have to check them out!

Bruce Yes.

I took billiards/pool (and bowling) at Kent State as a lark for PE requirements. Damned if I did not get better. (One of the reasons I can tolerate PWD's videos)

I had essentially no knowledge, then got some knowledge and doubled my skill level. I went from a 2 to a 3.5 out of ten and made the game way more fun because you had a little bit of a plan setting up each shot.

E.g., those diamonds around the perimeter have a reason for being present and are worked into many of your shots.

Thanks, Bruce for the data.

Almost time for the long winter hangout with no sun.

Good eyes are a requirement. If not, see the cataract thread.
Cue has to be so smooth it glides through your hand. 0000 steel wool...
7-8 foot tables are often bar tables. You need a 9 foot in your basement. Green felt only, slate only.
Brush table before a game or a tiny spot of dust will veer the ball away.
You should also have a wet bar in the basement near the pool table. Always full of beer and wine.
When you go to a bar to play it's usually for drinking and fighting. There's always one "expert" there.
And then there was the Alamo bar in Gunnison...
And now I know the shots I should make but can't anymore because the eyes aren't totally sharp.

Oops, that's how I grew up anyway.

I've never seen a fight in any of my favorite SWF dive bars. I mean, have you seen his long it takes for a senior citizen to shuffle across the bar? By the time they get to each other, they can't remember why they met.

As a woman playing pool in Florida bars, you're gonna need a cue with a knife built in.

It sounds like it'll take about $200 or more to get a decent cue, unless you find a used one. Hopefully, that's not over budget. It would be nice to have a cue that's capable of allowing you to make some advanced moves on the cue ball. Are you going to increase your budget?

From the music thread with perhaps a tiny bit of relevancy. If not, one of the most amusing songs I've heard in a while about a bully in a bar confronting a guy walking in (true story)...

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/t7ALjBfVn9I?si=FPXfYk6ksookpbir" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Well Capt., If you want to see how beautiful the game can be at the highest levels, go to the 1:15 (one hour, 15 min) mark here to see the final rack of the women's world 10 ball championships. 10 ball is a rotation game, where balls must be struck in numerical order. Pretty much like 9 ball only 10 ball is a call shot game. When the shot is obvious to all, the ref won't call a foul. This final rack involves good safety play. I saw young Cheska play in Lincoln City, OR...think she was about 15 then? Her mentor is the great Efren Reyes, probably the greatest rotation player of all time. Pool is practically the national sport of the Philippines. Top pros from all over the planet travel there to get a tune up by playing the locals..Anyway, when the Chinese woman missed the two during the safety battle, I knew it was over. Ball in hand for Cheska for the runout. Check the tears after the match is over...perfect!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PblvKvJcv_o&ab_channel=ProBilliardTV

How much was her cue?

Serious question. Does anyone here own a "Balabushka"?

For her? Free. All tuned to her specs. If you want one like it? 4, maybe 5 figures.

If you want one like Taiwan champion Ko pin Yi uses? $30,000.

Next wise ass question, please...

There are collectors with cues made by George Balabushka. The cue in color of money was actually a Joss made for the movie. Think Joss Cues still sells one that's close for under $1,000.

Want one?

https://josscues.com/product/the-color-of-money-n7-2019/

You could name yours "doom". ;)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8K0oeM0wHeY&ab_channel=somero77

Thank you Dude but I want to own a legit "Balabushka"!

What am I up for? ($$$)

$600 to a few thousand dollars US. Probably high end outliers with that name not in the link.

I typed it into google.

https://www.billiards.com/search?type=article%2Cpage%2Cproduct&q=Balabushka*

George Balabushka and Gus Szamboni (sp?) originals? These are sort of the cue equals of the '73 RS. You need to be in the inner circles of collectors to have a shot at buying one. NOT to be confused with the "Balabuska" cues found on ebay for $ hundreds.

https://balabushkapoolcues.com/

:( I'm heeding PWD's advice. I'm going to buy a do-da cue for now. If I play anywhere other than my I-can-walk-to-it corner bar, I'll leave it home. If I'm still playing in six months I'll buy a decent stick.

Wise decision.

So money alone is not enough. I also have to know the right people... Now I really want one :D

Here's one of the outliers I mentioned (lol):

For Sale Original 60s hand made George Balabushka Cue $27,000 (sold)

https://forums.azbilliards.com/threads/for-sale-original-60s-hand-made-george-balabushka-cue-27-000-sold.527034/

We'll need a pic of you and your new cue Dixie!

I'm impressed. Thanks.

What weight?
I was best with a 17, sometimes 19 but that felt too heavy.

Pool cues are like guitars. You're 85% there with a $1,000 guitar, versus a $10,000 guitar. Unless you're a pro.

Ill do that!

Here it is. Valhalla Viking 114. North American Rock Maple. I may be a novice, and it's not a very expensive cue, but I play better.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1699142377.jpg

Perfect...

Uh oh...

Here's a young women's pro...a good warm up drill for Dixie to try:

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The Lady speaks her mind and carrys a big stick!!!

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Thanks PWD.

Cutie Margaret in the video is a young talent on her way up. From Belarus, she escaped by marrying a young USA pro, Tyler Steyer. Dixie, you could pick up tips by watching her videos. But you suffer from the handicap of starting to play later in life. Most of the top players began very young, describing "getting hooked" while in their early teens or before.

Here she is, going head to head against Shane Van Boening....she held her own.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1uaAu5xCynM&t=10s&ab_channel=MatchroomPool

No worries PWD. I'm not exceptionally good at anything, and I'm okay with that. This quote from Kurt Vonnegut explains it best.

"And he went wow. That’s amazing! And I said, ‘Oh no, but I’m not any good at any of them.’

And he said something then that I will never forget and which absolutely blew my mind because no one had ever said anything like it to me before: ‘I don’t think being good at things is the point of doing them. I think you’ve got all these wonderful experiences with different skills, and that all teaches you things and makes you an interesting person, no matter how well you do them.’"

Gee, I must be really interesting....never got much beyond mediocre in anything. LOL!

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8 ball for me was just fun. I never took it too seriously however the guys that played for money did... :(

Bowling...

Another sport for the common man, or woman.