There is a standard for cushion height. The measurement from the slate to the nose of the cushion should be approximately 1 7/16" (assuming a standard ball diameter of 2 1/4").
The ball-hop that you are experiencing could be a much larger issue than the difference in cushion nose radius. While there are different cushion profiles available, there are also a number of different cushion manufacturers, each using slightly different dimensions. Some manufacturers use a larger nose radius than others. However, there are also a few different commonly available cushion profiles.
See the following link to view the different cushion profiles available:
http://www.seyberts.com/images/products/strrxxx.jpg
The older Gold Crowns came with Monarch cushions installed, which are no longer available. Monarch cushions had their own profile, falling somewhere between the dimensions of the k55 and k66 profiles.
When mechanics replace cushions on these older Gold Crowns, there are a few different options that are commonly used:
-The Monarch cushions could be replaced with a k55 profile cushion, though the playfield will no longer have a 2:1 size ratio, and the nose height will be just slightly higher than with the Monarch cushions. Balls will tend to bank just slightly long with this setup.
-Sometimes, k66 cushions will be used, though the mechanic must be very careful during the installation, to maintain the proper nose height of the cushion. However, the playfield will remain a 2:1 size ratio. Balls will tend to bank just slightly short with this setup.
-The best option to replacing Monarch cushions is to have a reputable mechanic modify the rails, to more appropriately accept a k55 profile cushion. If your rails are not a matched set, I would suggest this to be the best option for achieving optimal performance. However, the upgrade can be quite costly.
In your case, you can fairly easily determine whether you have mis-matched cushion profiles by doing a few quick measurements. On each rail, measure from the nose of the cushion to the formica (where the cloth meets the top of the rail). This dimension SHOULD be 2". However, this dimension may be about 2 1/8" if you have k55 cushions installed. Regardless of that, you just want to make sure that the measurement is consistent on all 6 rails. If it varies by 1/8" or more, you may likely have a combination of different cushion profiles installed.
For more info on table specifications, see the following link:
http://www.wpa-pool.com/web/WPA_Tournament_Table_Equipment_Specifications