Artemis vs Championship Tour Edition cushions

[VGM]

I think Artemis would be the usual answer, but I have a bit of an odd choice to make for cushions on my new home table. I'm able to pick either a used set of Artemis cushions (3 1/2 years old) or a new set of Championship Tour Edition cushions to put on a new home furniture table. How well do Artemis cushions play as they get older? I know most people here prefer them normally, but choosing to put a used cushion on a new table is a bit tough.

It seems like a lot of people like the Championship Tour Edition cushions, but some people on here say it's too soft. Keep in mind this is a home table and it's only an 8' table. Would it play too fast with Artemis? How do they play as they get older and how long have people usually seen Artemis cushions last? Has anyone here ever put Artemis cushions on a 7' or 8' table and seen how fast it plays? The table is going to have Simonis 860 cloth.

For those wondering why I'm left making this choice, here's the background story:

I just picked up a new 8' home table. I know most people here prefer Diamond tables, but this is a home table and I'm an amateur player. I don't expect to play like a Diamond. It's a great looking furniture table built by Golden West up in Oregon.

I ordered it through Donny from SD Billiards on this forum, and he's been a great help with some small changes I wanted to make to it so it would play a little better. Unfortunately, the table is here and Golden West shipped it with the wrong cushions. Golden West normally uses cushions made for them by Championship, but they were out of stock and decided to put cheap Master Speeds on it instead of waiting.

Donny has been great about fixing their mistake and offered to put on brand new Championship Tour Edition cushions like it was supposed to have. He also said he has some used Artemis cushions that are about 3 1/2 years old that he could use if I would rather have those.

So now I have the choice to make. I'm leaning toward the new set of Championship Tour Edition since it's going on a new table, and being an amateur I doubt I'll notice a difference. If the Artemis cushions were new I'm sure I'd go with those, but I haven't heard of people using Artemis on home 8' tables before.

Thanks for the help, guys!

 

[realkingcobra]

I think Artemis would be the usual answer, but I have a bit of an odd choice to make for cushions on my new home table. I'm able to pick either a used set of Artemis cushions (3 1/2 years old) or a new set of Championship Tour Edition cushions to put on a new home furniture table. How well do Artemis cushions play as they get older? I know most people here prefer them normally, but choosing to put a used cushion on a new table is a bit tough.

It seems like a lot of people like the Championship Tour Edition cushions, but some people on here say it's too soft. Keep in mind this is a home table and it's only an 8' table. Would it play too fast with Artemis? How do they play as they get older and how long have people usually seen Artemis cushions last? Has anyone here ever put Artemis cushions on a 7' or 8' table and seen how fast it plays? The table is going to have Simonis 860 cloth.

For those wondering why I'm left making this choice, here's the background story:

I just picked up a new 8' home table. I know most people here prefer Diamond tables, but this is a home table and I'm an amateur player. I don't expect to play like a Diamond. It's a great looking furniture table built by Golden West up in Oregon.

I ordered it through Donny from SD Billiards on this forum, and he's been a great help with some small changes I wanted to make to it so it would play a little better. Unfortunately, the table is here and Golden West shipped it with the wrong cushions. Golden West normally uses cushions made for them by Championship, but they were out of stock and decided to put cheap Master Speeds on it instead of waiting.

Donny has been great about fixing their mistake and offered to put on brand new Championship Tour Edition cushions like it was supposed to have. He also said he has some used Artemis cushions that are about 3 1/2 years old that he could use if I would rather have those.

So now I have the choice to make. I'm leaning toward the new set of Championship Tour Edition since it's going on a new table, and being an amateur I doubt I'll notice a difference. If the Artemis cushions were new I'm sure I'd go with those, but I haven't heard of people using Artemis on home 8' tables before.

Thanks for the help, guys!

Problems with Goldenwest don't suprise me at all. Artemis cushions are the difference between tires on a Volkswagon vs a Corvette. But, the Goldenwest rails are only 1 1/2" thick, so you're not going to be putting the Artemis Intercontinental K55 cushions on as they won't fit right, so you're looking at the Artemis K66 Pool cushions. Cushions themselves do not make the table play fast, even if it's a 7ft...it's the rail design and cushion height that determines that speed. The nose height on the Goldenwest rails with K66 cushions needs to be at 1 1/4" before cloth is installed, which will then raise up the nose height to about 1 5/16"...correct for that style of rails. I've installed plenty of Artemis cushions before....but never had to replace them being bad....only replaced them because they were installed on Gold Crown rails, in which K66 cushions are the wrong cushions for that kind of rail.

Glen

 

[VGM]

Problems with Goldenwest don't suprise me at all. Artemis cushions are the difference between tires on a Volkswagon vs a Corvette. But, the Goldenwest rails are only 1 1/2" thick, so you're not going to be putting the Artemis Intercontinental K55 cushions on as they won't fit right, so you're looking at the Artemis K66 Pool cushions. Cushions themselves do not make the table play fast, even if it's a 7ft...it's the rail design and cushion height that determines that speed. The nose height on the Goldenwest rails with K66 cushions needs to be at 1 1/4" before cloth is installed, which will then raise up the nose height to about 1 5/16"...correct for that style of rails. I've installed plenty of Artemis cushions before....but never had to replace them being bad....only replaced them because they were installed on Gold Crown rails, in which K66 cushions are the wrong cushions for that kind of rail.

Glen

Good call Glen, that's exactly where these cushions came from. They are K66's that Donny took off a Gold Crown to put K55's on. Do the Artemis K66 cushions play different than the Artemis Intercontinental K55 cushions? If there's a difference between the cushions besides the profile I wasn't aware of it. How old of Artemis cushions have you seen still on tables and did the play degrade at all over time? That's my worry in going with the used cushion over the new Championship Tour Edition.

Golden West makes some great tables that fit exactly what I was looking for but they don't seem like they fully have their act together up there. It's been great working with Donny this far though and I know the install will be quality.

 

[realkingcobra]

Good call Glen, that's exactly where these cushions came from. They are K66's that Donny took off a Gold Crown to put K55's on. Do the Artemis K66 cushions play different than the Artemis Intercontinental K55 cushions? If there's a difference between the cushions besides the profile I wasn't aware of it. How old of Artemis cushions have you seen still on tables and did the play degrade at all over time? That's my worry in going with the used cushion over the new Championship Tour Edition.

Golden West makes some great tables that fit exactly what I was looking for but they don't seem like they fully have their act together up there. It's been great working with Donny this far though and I know the install will be quality.

I think I've only seen one set of Artemis cushions go bad in the last 28 years of working on pool tables. There's no difference in the make up of the cushions....but there is a difference in the models as far as playability....they have to be on the right rails to play right:grin:

 

[VGM]

I think I've only seen one set of Artemis cushions go bad in the last 28 years of working on pool tables. There's no difference in the make up of the cushions....but there is a difference in the models as far as playability....they have to be on the right rails to play right:grin:

Thanks for the info. I'm guessing you're not a big fan of the Championship Tour Edition cushions then? I know there's not a canvas control strip and they're considered soft. Are they more similar to the accufast cushions?