Mike,
I cannot explain it. I don't know why. But I swear my Gold Crown IV just doesn't play good. It's not necessarily the break as balls seem to go in okay. It's just that I rarely seem to get a decent spread that can be run. Plus it just doesn't seem to have that feel that other Gold Crown tables I have played on - if you know what I mean. That includes Nick Varner's Gold Crown V that he has in his store down in Owensboro.
r/DCP
My GCIV was supposedly directly out of a pro tournament - I could not verify that. It had big pockets- 4 7/8 and the speed off the rails was surprisingly a bit slow compared to the commercial room GCs that I was playing on at the time.
I have learned two things for sure after owning two different used home tables - never buy a used table until you actually play on it and don't buy a brand new table unless you have played on a very recent example of that exact model table. Secondly, make sure the installer knows more about pool playing and table play than just how to assemble a table. They need to understand your exact requirements on table play!
Used GC tables for home use can seem to play fast enough, even with new Simonis, to some installers who simply don't know or think you don't know; how fast more modern tables like Diamond and Rasson play. If one intends to compete from time to time on more modern tournament tables, a home GC needs to play at max speed, or you will show up in a commercial room thinking that you are playing on ice with no CB control!
