8 foot pro options

D

dearnold

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Hello -

My basement room currently has a 44x88 table. I would like something bigger, but 9 foot won't fit. I always wanted a gold crown, but alas, it turns out that Brunswick doesn't appear to make 8 foot pro GCs anymore. The Diamond 8 foot is 45x90, which isn't that much better than where I am now.

My interest in a GC or Diamond is based solely on a perception, which might be erroneous, that those are some of the best playing tables there are. But Olhousen and Brunswick, for example, does make pro 8s that are 46x92, which would buy me some more room. But then I start to wonder about the playability.

I don't necessarily need the extra wide rails of a GC or commercial table.

So please help me. If I were, for example, to get a Brunswick home table (not Centennial) and it had the Super Speed cushions and Simonis on it, will it play pretty close to the GC or Diamond. Else do you have some other options I should consider of the highest quality playing table in the 8 foot pro dimensions?

Thanks for your input and advice.
 
The Diamond 8ft ProAm plays as close to a 9' as you're going to get. I delivered the first 8ft Smart Table built to a bar in Washington St. After setting it up and having the time to play on it, I'd swear I was playing on a Diamond 9ft...and I've played on a lot of tables in my lifetime, but this table is the best 8ft'er on the market today.
 
realkingcobra said:
The Diamond 8ft ProAm plays as close to a 9' as you're going to get. I delivered the first 8ft Smart Table built to a bar in Washington St. After setting it up and having the time to play on it, I'd swear I was playing on a Diamond 9ft...and I've played on a lot of tables in my lifetime, but this table is the best 8ft'er on the market today.
Click to expand...

What are the playing surface dimensions on that? I really don't like the boxy look of that table with the logo and all that. I'm looking for something that looks more like the Professional, or a furniture looking table that can play like it. Is that a realistic expectation?

Regards and Happy New Year!
 
dearnold said:
Hello -

My basement room currently has a 44x88 table. I would like something bigger, but 9 foot won't fit. I always wanted a gold crown, but alas, it turns out that Brunswick doesn't appear to make 8 foot pro GCs anymore. The Diamond 8 foot is 45x90, which isn't that much better than where I am now.

My interest in a GC or Diamond is based solely on a perception, which might be erroneous, that those are some of the best playing tables there are. But Olhousen and Brunswick, for example, does make pro 8s that are 46x92, which would buy me some more room. But then I start to wonder about the playability.

I don't necessarily need the extra wide rails of a GC or commercial table.

So please help me. If I were, for example, to get a Brunswick home table (not Centennial) and it had the Super Speed cushions and Simonis on it, will it play pretty close to the GC or Diamond. Else do you have some other options I should consider of the highest quality playing table in the 8 foot pro dimensions?

Thanks for your input and advice.
Click to expand...

I guess a lot of it depends on where you live. There are a lot of older gold crown and even anniversary tables out there in the 46x92 pro 8 size. I see them on E-bay all the time. If you're not the do it yourself type you can ship the rails out to one of the many qualified "diamondizers" on this forum to have them calibrated. Then find the best local installer you can find to set it up for you using the new rails and bingo, you have one sweet table. If you're lucky you may live in proximity to a rail guru who will do the whole job for you. I had a pro 8 brunswick home model called the Wellington for years and it was way inferior to the GC I have now in almost every way. Lots of particle board and nailed in pockets as well as 3/4 inch slate. I wouldn't consider a Diamond table until they make the pockets not stain the balls black. We have three of these at our local tavern and the balls are always ugly as sin.:)
 
metmot said:
I guess a lot of it depends on where you live. There are a lot of older gold crown and even anniversary tables out there in the 46x92 pro 8 size. I see them on E-bay all the time. If you're not the do it yourself type you can ship the rails out to one of the many qualified "diamondizers" on this forum to have them calibrated. Then find the best local installer you can find to set it up for you using the new rails and bingo, you have one sweet table. If you're lucky you may live in proximity to a rail guru who will do the whole job for you. I had a pro 8 brunswick home model called the Wellington for years and it was way inferior to the GC I have now in almost every way. Lots of particle board and nailed in pockets as well as 3/4 inch slate. I wouldn't consider a Diamond table until they make the pockets not stain the balls black. We have three of these at our local tavern and the balls are always ugly as sin.:)
Click to expand...

I currently have a A.E. Schmidt. I just replaced the pockets with black leather again from Hood, and the black mark thing is manageable, but annoying nonetheless. I do have a ball polisher and am able to stay on top of things. I just can't believe that pool table manufacturers don't have that under control. But a topic for a different post.

In short, can a home furniture style table play like a Gold Crown if installed well with nice cloth and good rail rubber?

Like a Camden or Bridgeport or Ashbee in the Brunswick line.
 
metmot said:
I guess a lot of it depends on where you live. There are a lot of older gold crown and even anniversary tables out there in the 46x92 pro 8 size. I see them on E-bay all the time. If you're not the do it yourself type you can ship the rails out to one of the many qualified "diamondizers" on this forum to have them calibrated. Then find the best local installer you can find to set it up for you using the new rails and bingo, you have one sweet table. If you're lucky you may live in proximity to a rail guru who will do the whole job for you. I had a pro 8 brunswick home model called the Wellington for years and it was way inferior to the GC I have now in almost every way. Lots of particle board and nailed in pockets as well as 3/4 inch slate. I wouldn't consider a Diamond table until they make the pockets not stain the balls black. We have three of these at our local tavern and the balls are always ugly as sin.:)
Click to expand...

And I live in the Mpls/St. Paul area in Minnesota.

Regards
 
Poolhalljunkie said:
Check Craigslist there is a medalist for 495 in your area
Click to expand...

Tanks for the tip. That does appear to be in pretty good condition. Still, I'm wondering if a well built non-commercial table will play like a commercial one like the gc. If I can get a "furniture" style table to play well, then the options just explode in terms of availability. I know I'll never have the rail width and that is a negative in playability. But I'm assuming that if all slate is pretty much the same, and I can get Simonis and good rail rubber, then the only real difference is whether it moves when I bump it and how sturdy the rail construction is that's backing the rubber?

Thanks again.
 
dearnold said:
What are the playing surface dimensions on that? I really don't like the boxy look of that table with the logo and all that. I'm looking for something that looks more like the Professional, or a furniture looking table that can play like it. Is that a realistic expectation?

Regards and Happy New Year!
Click to expand...

The playing surface is 45"x90" but the table can be ordered without any logo's at all, and the frame/body of the table looks sweet if it's picture framed in with Oak trim at the bottom of the body running between the legs. It's the most solid table on the market today because the legs are positioned right under the corner pockets, giving the table the biggest foot print possible to sit on. Not to mention the Diamond leveling system that gives you total control of the level of the slate/table in which no other table built gives you that much control to fine tune the level of the table.

Glen
 
Kind of makes me wonder why Diamond didn't make the 9' tables 51" wide -
considering they went an inch over on the 7' (40") and 8' (45") tables.
 
dearnold said:
I currently have a A.E. Schmidt. I just replaced the pockets with black leather again from Hood, and the black mark thing is manageable, but annoying nonetheless. I do have a ball polisher and am able to stay on top of things. I just can't believe that pool table manufacturers don't have that under control. But a topic for a different post.

In short, can a home furniture style table play like a Gold Crown if installed well with nice cloth and good rail rubber?

Like a Camden or Bridgeport or Ashbee in the Brunswick line.
Click to expand...

I'm curious why no one has chimed in on the original question. Can a furniture style table play like a GC if installed with with nice cloth and rails? Is that question taboo? Bad form?

Regards
 
Furniture table

Yes they can, but do you want to look good or stand up to everyday use. Most of the furniture style tables that look good are made of garbage material. Get a drunk buddy that wants to lean on your pocket with his 200 plus pound self and watch that pocket iron split the end of that rail. Do the same thing on any of the tables mentioned so far and nothing happens. Fact is that most people that post here want a good quality table that plays good and they take a little pride in making them look good ie customization of the table they don't want to have to worry about the table falling apart while playing on it.
 
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