Gold Crown Vs Diamond

The pool hall Diamonds that I have found and played on generally disappoint.

I believe this is usually due to poor set up and/or the old short banking rails.

An AZ'er buddy has a perfectly set up Professional, so I know how brilliantly the Diamonds can play. I've just never found one in a room that plays anywhere close to his home table.

i need somethin said:

On a diamond it just feels like as soon as your dialed in, all the banks are dead.

Click to expand...

See if you feel the same way when the humidity goes way up and you can't make a bank to save your life. :smile:

I think you answered your own question.......Consistency. That's why layered tips have taken over the market. An old box of le pro's or triangles had some good tips and some that were very inconsistent to the others. Predator cues and shafts.....consistent from one to the next. Diamond tables.....consistent. That's my 2 cents anyway. If they all play the same then it's a level playing field and there isn't the edge of a "home table"

Is your argument for a Gold Crown really that it's better because you have to learn all the gaffy bad rolls and spots that aren't right? I'll have to give it to you, I have never heard that argument before.

Why wouldn't you want a table with the best playing conditions possible? Why should a match up be determined by who can steer who to the worst table and not about shooting the best and playing better than the other guy?

Makes no sense to me, but what do I know.

brandoncook26 said:

Is your argument for a Gold Crown really that it's better because you have to learn all the gaffy bad rolls and spots that aren't right? I'll have to give it to you, I have never heard that argument before.

Why wouldn't you want a table with the best playing conditions possible? Why should a match up be determined by who can steer who to the worst table and not about shooting the best and playing better than the other guy?

Makes no sense to me, but what do I know.

Click to expand...

Agreed. Taking the bad spots and funny rolls on the table is called an IMPROVEMENT.

When the table is perfect, it all boils down to who is the better player.

Diamond has made its bones by listening to players and giving them what they want- consistent, true tables.

Would you rather race on a clean, perfect race track or one filled with potholes and uneven spots? Sure, the person with more experience on the track may know the areas to avoid, but this does not equate to finding out who is the better opponent.

Maybe its because they are making Diamonds in good old USA and Brunswicks are made in China. The Diamond is cheaper and the compony is involved with pool tryign to better the sport.

I have a GC II and love it, I have a Diamond light above it.

I wish Brunswick would support pool like they did at one time.

Versus

Both play excellent when they are set up right. Both play horrible when they are not. This is like asking what color is better, red or blue? They are both fine tables with fine points and they both have minor quirks.

Having played on both, albeit more often on Brunswick (there appear to be no Diamonds in central Europe), let me tell you I'll pick a perfectly set-up of either over the other any time - in short, I think these are the two finest tournament pool tables made today, and I'm happy to play on either. I'm not sure what it is that makes people claim one is more consistent than the other, because I've played on either perfectly fine-tuned or not regardless which! Can't tell which are out of adjustment more quickly since I lack experience with Diamond in that respect, but for sure neither suffer within the duration of a tournament the way I've seen some Dynamic II do within a week or two of admittedly heavy use at e.g. European Championships (unable to say if the "III" is an improvement in this respect). Ideally, a pool table would have to be constructed to such specifications as to make it impossible to set it up any other way than perfect in itself (i.e. so all one would have to guard against would be unevenness of the floor), but not even the Heitz of old (one-piece slate and frame, and as fine to play as any, but a thing of the past) or Sam K Steele (adjustable solid steel frame) came close to guaranteeing that.

Greetings from Switzerland, David.
_________________

„J'ai gâché vingt ans de mes plus belles années au billard. Si c'était à refaire, je recommencerais.“ – Roger Conti

Also, I agree with what everyone else says here (not being American, can't be accused of being patriotic): support who's supporting the players and more importantly, the sport on the whole!

Greetings from Switzerland, David.
_________________

„J'ai gâché vingt ans de mes plus belles années au billard. Si c'était à refaire, je recommencerais.“ – Roger Conti

I would think one more reason you see more Diamonds at tournaments is the set up time. I was told by a mechanic they are one piece slate. That means less time in set up because of filling joints and leveling. Makes sense to me!

Put Diamonds and re-calibrated GC II's at a pool place, I guarantee you more people would play on GC II's .:grin:

JoeyInCali said:

Put Diamonds and re-calibrated GC II's at a pool place, I guarantee you more people would play on GC II's .:grin:

Click to expand...

I didn't realize we were discussing GC II - still my favourite tournament pool table, but really another oldie…

Greetings from Switzerland, David.
_________________

„J'ai gâché vingt ans de mes plus belles années au billard. Si c'était à refaire, je recommencerais.“ – Roger Conti

mattb said:

Both play excellent when they are set up right. Both play horrible when they are not. This is like asking what color is better, red or blue? They are both fine tables with fine points and they both have minor quirks.

Click to expand...

I agree completely. There are two halls that have diamonds. One place they are set up terrible and bank real short. The other they play great. I like either as long as they are set up properly, and hate both when they are not.

JoeyInCali said:

Put Diamonds and re-calibrated GC II's at a pool place, I guarantee you more people would play on GC II's .:grin:

Click to expand...

I Agree! I know I would!

mattb said:

Both play excellent when they are set up right. Both play horrible when they are not. This is like asking what color is better, red or blue? They are both fine tables with fine points and they both have minor quirks.

Click to expand...

+1. So many around here compare the relatively new Diamonds they have experienced play on with GC's that have been hacked on and not properly maintained for 30 + years. It's just not a good comparison and it isn't the tables fault that it is not level and the cloth is loose.

Have it set it up properly with the size pockets you want. Then it comes down to two great tables that have minor playing differences that are strictly based on personal preference and not fact as to which is better.

BTW, the OP is one of the few I've heard that think Diamonds bank perfect - that was was always one of the rubs on them and was the reason they made a major change this year to the way the rails are oriented on the new ones - to make them bank better.

If one buys an old GC without the tight pockets, it can easily cost as much as the table to have the pockets tightened correctly.

If I knew I had to get pro cut pockets, I would probably go right to the Diamond.

These days you can buy a GCI and have it set up with Artemis and Simonis for between $1700-$2000. Can't really beat that.
I do love a well set up Diamond too though.

DogsPlayingPool said:

BTW, the OP is one of the few I've heard that think Diamonds bank perfect - that was was always one of the rubs on them and was the reason they made a major change this year to the way the rails are oriented on the new ones - to make them bank better.

Click to expand...

He doesn't know what he's talking about or he does and thinks no one else does.

The cushion set up on the new Diamonds (blue logo) is so different it will take a while to adjust to them if someone's been playing on the previous version. I'm going to stick to the old ones until there are more new ones around.

The new ones bank more like a Brunswick. That statement will probably drive some people here nuts.