red label vs blue label on a diamond...

sr 9ball · Oct 30, 2013

I bought a red label diamond about 6 months before the blue labels came out. I struggled with the active rails. posted on here if anyone shot on a blue label. But they were only out for a couple months... So again I will ask, is there a noticeable difference? If so would diamond cut me a deal the new rails? and what is the going price for the best rails for the diamonds...
btw its a 7ft pro-am

jalapus logan · Oct 30, 2013

sr 9ball said:
I bought a red label diamond about 6 months before the blue labels came out. I struggled with the active rails. posted on here if anyone shot on a blue label. But they were only out for a couple months... So again I will ask, is there a noticeable difference? If so would diamond cut me a deal the new rails? and what is the going price for the best rails for the diamonds...
btw its a 7ft pro-am

I asked this question several years ago in the mechanic's section here on AZB. You can read the discussion here.

Bottom line is that I never changed my table other than to recloth it and I'm very glad I saved my money by doing nothing. In addition, I have played on the new blue label Diamonds. Perhaps it is because I adjust to conditions pretty quickly, but I did not notice a difference worth paying for personally. I remember asking John Brumback one year if he noticed the way the Diamonds banked after the change at a recent DCC. He basically said he didn't notice much of a change and he tends to finish high at the DCC in all events, so I respect his opinion.

In any event, cheers and happy shooting...:smile:

sr 9ball · Oct 30, 2013

I'm planing on putting 860 on the table. currently I have 760. I don't believe the rails will play any different but at least the table will slow down to a manageable speed...

Do the pool halls have 860 on the 7ft pro ams?

DAVE_M · Oct 30, 2013

jalapus logan said:
I asked this question several years ago in the mechanic's section here on AZB. You can read the discussion here.

Bottom line is that I never changed my table other than to recloth it and I'm very glad I saved my money by doing nothing. In addition, I have played on the new blue label Diamonds. Perhaps it is because I adjust to conditions pretty quickly, but I did not notice a difference worth paying for personally. I remember asking John Brumback one year if he noticed the way the Diamonds banked after the change at a recent DCC. He basically said he didn't notice much of a change and he tends to finish high at the DCC in all events, so I respect his opinion.

In any event, cheers and happy shooting...:smile:

Last night I practiced for two hours on a blue label diamond. When our match started, I noticed we were on an older red label diamond.

I can't put my finger on it, but there was a difference. I played much better on the new table. Both had been reclothed within the past month or so and the rails were true. As mentioned with Brumback, I didn't see any difference in my ability to bank balls. The speed was slightly different and the pockets were a little more "rigid".

realkingcobra · Oct 30, 2013

sr 9ball said:
I bought a red label diamond about 6 months before the blue labels came out. I struggled with the active rails. posted on here if anyone shot on a blue label. But they were only out for a couple months... So again I will ask, is there a noticeable difference? If so would diamond cut me a deal the new rails? and what is the going price for the best rails for the diamonds...
btw its a 7ft pro-am

If there wasn't a change between them, Diamond would have never made a change in their tables as to how they play:grin:

jalapus logan · Oct 30, 2013

DAVE_M said:
Last night I practiced for two hours on a blue label diamond. When our match started, I noticed we were on an older red label diamond.

I can't put my finger on it, but there was a difference. I played much better on the new table. Both had been reclothed within the past month or so and the rails were true. As mentioned with Brumback, I didn't see any difference in my ability to bank balls. The speed was slightly different and the pockets were a little more "rigid".

The key to me is what is worth paying for. Personally, the red label tables aren't worth paying to upgrade. The case could be made for a change if the rail rubber went bad perhaps. Both iterations are great tables IMO. No need to delay my retirement by a week in order to have a slightly incrementally better playing table. In other words, the juice ain't worth the squeeze.

KRJ · Oct 30, 2013

jalapus logan said:
The key to me is what is worth paying for. Personally, the red label tables aren't worth paying to upgrade. The case could be made for a change if the rail rubber went bad perhaps. Both iterations are great tables IMO. No need to delay my retirement by a week in order to have a slightly incrementally better playing table. In other words, the juice ain't worth the squeeze.

I gotta disagree. The red label is the reason why I was never a fan of Diamonds. You could barely kill the cue ball to a rail, safeties were difficult to hit, and the ball came back faster at you than it went into the rail. I was at a lost to why the rails played to friggin spongy. And being that fast on a 7 footer was crazy imho.

However, since Diamond rectified that error, I love the Diamond PRO AM 7 footer. But the next time that dude needs new cloth, upgrade the rails for heavens sake,, life's too short to play on a table that is affects every shot that puts the ob or cue ball to a rail

Black-Balled · Oct 31, 2013

I am with rj... The bed speed/ rail speed ratio played way off on the older diamonds. 'Twas completely unintuitive.

And the change is one of the reasons diamond is the premiere table manufacturer in the world- continued refinement.

Would I pay the 4 figures to have an old one redone? Not sure.

DAVE_M · Oct 31, 2013

jalapus logan said:
The key to me is what is worth paying for. Personally, the red label tables aren't worth paying to upgrade. The case could be made for a change if the rail rubber went bad perhaps. Both iterations are great tables IMO. No need to delay my retirement by a week in order to have a slightly incrementally better playing table. In other words, the juice ain't worth the squeeze.

To be honest, I enjoyed playing on the blue label more :thumbup:

ROB.M · Oct 31, 2013

Table

Black-Balled said:
I am with rj... The bed speed/ rail speed ratio played way off on the older diamonds. 'Twas completely unintuitive.

And the change is one of the reasons diamond is the premiere table manufacturer in the world- continued refinement.

Would I pay the 4 figures to have an old one redone? Not sure.

-
I might have a line on some dymondwood "you could call em factory rebuilt rails" for under 4 figures.

Rob.M

Black-Balled · Oct 31, 2013

dontlitethat said:
-
I might have a line on some dymondwood "you could call em factory rebuilt rails" for under 4 figures.

Rob.M

Gold crown in my igloo...which needs cloth and subrails, with the quickness!

jalapus logan · Oct 31, 2013

Hmmmm...y'all got me thinking again about this. Sadly, I don't have any blue label diamonds near me and my only chance to get to one is at the DCC in January. Maybe I'll play more on one this year and try to make a determination as to whether my baby needs a surgical upgrade next time she gets new clothes.

I'm kinda in a pitiful situation really. The only 9' diamonds I have access to are the one in my basement, and the other two are in friend's basements. All bars and halls around me either have valley's or junk furniture tables.

realkingcobra · Oct 31, 2013

Four figures is a little mis-leading. Sure it's going to cost a pretty penny to completely exchange older rails for new, but I'd rather redo the rails that are already on the table. no shipping costs that way, and the whole table gets worked on, not nust the rails.

jalapus logan · Oct 31, 2013

realkingcobra said:
Four figures is a little mis-leading. Sure it's going to cost a pretty penny to completely exchange older rails for new, but I'd rather redo the rails that are already on the table. no shipping costs that way, and the whole table gets worked on, not nust the rails.

OK. So can you provide a ballpark figure for doing this + installing new Simonis 860 HR for a 9' table? Thanks.

BasementDweller · Oct 31, 2013

jalapus logan said:
Hmmmm...y'all got me thinking again about this. Sadly, I don't have any blue label diamonds near me and my only chance to get to one is at the DCC in January. Maybe I'll play more on one this year and try to make a determination as to whether my baby needs a surgical upgrade next time she gets new clothes.

I'm kinda in a pitiful situation really. The only 9' diamonds I have access to are the one in my basement, and the other two are in friend's basements. All bars and halls around me either have valley's or junk furniture tables.

Yeah...that's pretty pitiful situation you find yourself in. What ever will you do???

KNOCK IT OFF ALREADY!!! :angry:

sr 9ball · Oct 31, 2013

I agree with chicagoRJ. Its very hard to play shape within 2 inches of your exact spot you want to be. let alone trying to freeze a ball for a safety after hitting a rail or two.

RKC, What would a ballpark figure to have to new rails for a 7ft proam pro cut sent to me in WI? It would be great if you could come do the table, But I have a guy in town that does great work without travel cost.

realkingcobra · Oct 31, 2013

jalapus logan said:
OK. So can you provide a ballpark figure for doing this + installing new Simonis 860 HR for a 9' table? Thanks.

Ball park for labor starts at $650, up from there depending on what needs to be done...ie tighten pockets, rebuild rails, relevel slates....plus materials.

realkingcobra · Oct 31, 2013

sr 9ball said:
I agree with chicagoRJ. Its very hard to play shape within 2 inches of your exact spot you want to be. let alone trying to freeze a ball for a safety after hitting a rail or two.

RKC, What would a ballpark figure to have to new rails for a 7ft proam pro cut sent to me in WI? It would be great if you could come do the table, But I have a guy in town that does great work without travel cost.

Rail exchange I think is going to run you about $1, 250 plus shipping....but don't hold me to that, the factory could quote you more exact.

sr 9ball · Oct 31, 2013

1250 just for the rails with no labor. Dam, I could sell my table and buy a new or used blue label and come out ahead I bet...

fastone371 · Oct 31, 2013

Until a couple of weeks ago I only played on Red Label Diamonds. The bar I play league for just got a brand new Blue Label Diamond, it is about 3 weeks old right now. I was stunned by how much slower they are than the Red Label. I will be playing on a Red Diamond Sunday again for comparison

red label vs blue label on a diamond...

AzB Silver Member

be all. and supports it to

AzB Silver Member

AzB Silver Member

Well-known member

be all. and supports it to

Support UKRAINE

AzB Silver Member

AzB Silver Member

:)

AzB Silver Member

be all. and supports it to

Well-known member

be all. and supports it to

AzB Silver Member

AzB Silver Member

Well-known member

Well-known member

AzB Silver Member

Certifiable