Ball question

[Celophanewrap]

Are there physical characteristics that would distinguish one brand of ball from another? I see that some have the number circled in black, some are marbled, some have a broken circle around the number, there are different fonts that the number is printed in, different shades of colors, some get yellow if they sit, and so on, and the cue ball that comes with a particular set would seem to be the most telling: blue circle,, blue dot , red circle, red dot, triangle, several dots either red or blue, green dot or valley cougar logo. Some brands of balls almost seem kind of quiet compared to other sets of lower quality balls. So, really, without the original box and paper work, is there any way to tell what they are?

 

[hang-the-9]

Well, yea, by all those marks on the balls. That's why they are there, for branding. Since you don't want to have a huge ARAMITH!!!!!##$$$ logo staring at you while you are lining up your shot, they put those small marks on the ball.

Your job is to look at the sets and online vendors and compare the markings.

Keep in mind that some look similar and some are fakes, or at least made to look a bit "too" close to the original. For example there is a lower quality cue ball made to look like the Aramith "measles" ball.

Issue may be is when you have 3 cueballs, all with the same looking blue dot and all weight very close to each other and are the same size, they MAY all be different. Without a breakdown of the plastic composition or the original box or receipt from purchase, it's almost impossible to tell then.

 

[Celophanewrap]

Well, yea, by all those marks on the balls. That's why they are there, for branding. Since you don't want to have a huge ARAMITH!!!!!##$$$ logo staring at you while you are lining up your shot, they put those small marks on the ball.

Your job is to look at the sets and online vendors and compare the markings.

Keep in mind that some look similar and some are fakes, or at least made to look a bit "too" close to the original. For example there is a lower quality cue ball made to look like the Aramith "measles" ball.

Issue may be is when you have 3 cueballs, all with the same looking blue dot and all weight very close to each other and are the same size, they MAY all be different. Without a breakdown of the plastic composition or the original box or receipt from purchase, it's almost impossible to tell then.

So what I understand you to be saying is that if we're buying a used set from someone we don't know, on Ebay or some estate or garage sale for example, we just have to trust that they're telling the truth

 

[hang-the-9]

So what I understand you to be saying is that if we're buying a used set from someone we don't know, on Ebay or some estate or garage sale for example, we just have to trust that they're telling the truth

More or less, but chances are if the markings are there, it's the real one for that set. You can tell with some once you play with them, but you have to know how that type of cueball plays pretty well. Don't see any other way to know if it's a real or a cheap knockoff if the markings are the same. It's tough to know by color also as you could have a ball sitting in a window on a stand, or on a table near a window and another one in a basement, they would have different colorings for the same brand.

 

[Celophanewrap]

Here's the deal: Recently while searching for a set of quality balls I came across a set in a gold box that were labeled Elephant Beautiful Balls. In the research that I had done, I found that the Elephant Beautiful Balls are and had always been a marbled set. This set is not marbled, and they almost seem "quieter" than other sets of balls, so I'm pretty certain they aren't Elephants and certainly not Elephant Beautiful Balls. Love the way they play, but really, they're pool balls. After some research the appear to be Brunswick Centennials, I can't find knock offs that look like that, but heck, how would I know.

 

[hang-the-9]

Here's the deal: Recently while searching for a set of quality balls I came across a set in a gold box that were labeled Elephant Beautiful Balls. In the research that I had done, I found that the Elephant Beautiful Balls are and had always been a marbled set. This set is not marbled, and they almost seem "quieter" than other sets of balls, so I'm pretty certain they aren't Elephants and certainly not Elephant Beautiful Balls. Love the way they play, but really, they're pool balls. After some research the appear to be Brunswick Centennials, I can't find knock offs that look like that, but heck, how would I know.

That looks like Centennials, they probably just put them in a different box. The coloring and design looks legit but it looks like a mix of the TV set and the regular set, note the pink 5 and 13 ball.
Compare the colors here http://www.pooltablefeltcloth.com/B...dium=organic&gclid=CLHJ1pjS6bkCFUVp7Aod3S8AmA

 

[DogsPlayingPool]

Depending on the set there may be ways to help you determine if they are what they are said to be, though with used sets none of this is for sure.

- The top balls from Aramith (Tournament set, Super Aramith Pros, and Brunswick Centennials) leave the factory as matched sets. This means that when new the balls should all be very close in size, weight, and color. With matched sets, if the balls are said to be fairly new, then the colors should be consistent throughout the set. More importantly, the weights should be very close. If you weigh each ball in the set they shouldn't be off by much. If they are then either they are not genuine, they are older than purported to be, or not all the balls are original to the set.

- For color, check the white of all the balls for uniformity, and check the colors of the corresponding balls (the brown of the 7 ball with the stripe of the 15 ball, the yellow of the one ball with the stripe of the 9 ball, etc.). If the colors seem off then the balls are either not genuine or they are older than stated (over time balls may discolor at different rates, leading to color variances).

- If the cue ball and maybe the one ball weigh a little less but the rest of the balls are close, that would be normal since these balls incur the most collisions that strip them of size and weight. Especially true of the cue ball.

- The cue ball should be the proper one for that set. The Tournaments come with the Tournament CB, the Cents with the blue circle, the Super Pros with the red logo, and the Super Pro TV set with the measles ball (probably the most counterfeited ball out there). If the set is used and the cue ball weighs more than the other balls then even if it is the proper CB for that set it may be a replacement for the original CB.

That looks like Centennials, they probably just put them in a different box. The coloring and design looks legit but it looks like a mix of the TV set and the regular set, note the pink 5 and 13 ball.

Hopefully that is just the camera and not actually pink 5 and 13 balls. In a the real Super Aramith Pro TV set it is the 4 and 12 balls that are pink, to distinguish their usual darker blue from the lighter blue 2 and 10 balls. The 5 and 13 balls are orange in both the TV and traditional sets.

 

[poolguy4u]

Here's the deal: Recently while searching for a set of quality balls I came across a set in a gold box that were labeled Elephant Beautiful Balls. In the research that I had done, I found that the Elephant Beautiful Balls are and had always been a marbled set. This set is not marbled, and they almost seem "quieter" than other sets of balls, so I'm pretty certain they aren't Elephants and certainly not Elephant Beautiful Balls. Love the way they play, but really, they're pool balls. After some research the appear to be Brunswick Centennials, I can't find knock offs that look like that, but heck, how would I know.

These balls are probably better than Elephant Balls. Elephant balls can be found really cheap.

I don't know what kind of balls these are but you can tell what they are from the points pointing toward the center near the numbers.

You can look them up and compare.:smile:

 

[DogsPlayingPool]

...I don't know what kind of balls these are but you can tell what they are from the points pointing toward the center near the numbers.

You can look them up and compare.:smile:

The graphics, particularly the darts you refer to, are indicative of Brunswick Centennials. The Cents also have the numbers on the stripe balls on the white part of the ball instead of on the stripe like most other Aramith balls. It should be a blue circle cue ball but I can't tell from the picture.

That set looks in pretty good shape and the colors don't seem overly faded. The colors seem uniform, though you can't tell much from a picture, especially since the 5 and 13 seem off from orange (though they seem uniform). If the price is good, they aren't pitted, the cue ball is correct, and they polish up well, then it's worth a shot. But I'd want to know about the 5 and 13 balls before I'd buy them.

 

[Celophanewrap]

The 5 and 13 are a nice orange, they were an ebay purchase. No pits or scratches or scars. The cue ball is a blue circle ball. The colors don't appear faded but there is a bit of a yellow hue to these balls. Other than some black dust maybe from the foam cushion or some factory dust I can't find a mark on them. I wiped up a couple of them a bit with a micro fiber cloth but I'd like to get them to a ball polisher to see how they really clean up. I kind of had to wonder if they'd ever really been out of the box. I suspect they've been on a shelf gathering dust for at least the last several years

 

[DogsPlayingPool]

The 5 and 13 are a nice orange, they were an ebay purchase. No pits or scratches or scars. The cue ball is a blue circle ball. The colors don't appear faded but there is a bit of a yellow hue to these balls. Other than some black dust maybe from the foam cushion or some factory dust I can't find a mark on them. I wiped up a couple of them a bit with a micro fiber cloth but I'd like to get them to a ball polisher to see how they really clean up. I kind of had to wonder if they'd ever really been out of the box. I suspect they've been on a shelf gathering dust for at least the last several years

Sounds like you got a nice set of Centennials!! If the CB weighs a lot less than the rest you may want a replacement, unless you're in love with draw, lol! BTW, an Aramith measles ball (Pro Cup) is a match for this set too.

 

[hang-the-9]

The 5 and 13 are a nice orange, they were an ebay purchase. No pits or scratches or scars. The cue ball is a blue circle ball. The colors don't appear faded but there is a bit of a yellow hue to these balls. Other than some black dust maybe from the foam cushion or some factory dust I can't find a mark on them. I wiped up a couple of them a bit with a micro fiber cloth but I'd like to get them to a ball polisher to see how they really clean up. I kind of had to wonder if they'd ever really been out of the box. I suspect they've been on a shelf gathering dust for at least the last several years

Hope you go a good deal on them, enjoy playing with them!
That yellowish tinge is common to older Centennials, and probably other sets as well.
I did not think that the pinkish color could be from the lighting or the camera, so you have a normal set there.

Any pool player worth the title has used Centennials on a GCIII table, it's a great set.

 

[gaming4bs]

Adding gloss to cheap no-brand balls

I've purchased American Heritage Classic pool table from Costco and am using the balls supplied with it. They are really cheap no-brand balls but have lost their shine completely.

I have made a ball polisher with Micro Fiber polishing pad rotating at 1500 RPM atleast and ball separator lined with Felt.

I spent some time running the balls in that polisher but it would not give me that shiny surface.

Can someone give me pointers on how I can make them shiny again. I am cash strapped and cannot buy Aramiths right now. I have already spent a fortune on my AH table

Appreciate the help and suggestions.

Thanks

 

[DogsPlayingPool]

Can someone give me pointers on how I can make them shiny again. I am cash strapped and cannot buy Aramiths right now. I have already spent a fortune on my AH table

Thanks

You might try Aramith restorer. It's used in really bad cases to get the balls to where you can then finish the job with a cleaner/polish.

But there is a chance you just won't get that shine back on a cheap set made with a less expensive resin compound. It is possible that to keep cost down they simple but some sort of surface polish on the balls to make them shiny at point of sale rather than go through the manufacturing process of highly polishing the actual surface of the balls like in a good Aramith set.