Diamond versus Brunswick
- Thread starter Chalk & Awe
- Start date
What are they doing now? I believe they have given up all or nearly all their sponsorships. For a while, they were refusing to participate in the BCA Trade Show.
They are bringing the GCIII back to market at a higher price so we can all have something further to talk about. Lord knows we don’t have enough to do.
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Brunswick Billiards invented commercial/ professional pool practically, did it for a long time as you know. I am sure they know there is no money it. The market is so small for the GC and being their flagship table, I see it clearly why they don't.
Trent from Toledo
Brunswick Billiards invented commercial/ professional pool practically, did it for a long time as you know. I am sure they know there is no money it. The market is so small for the GC and being their flagship table, I see it clearly why they don't.
Trent from Toledo
Chalk & Awe
Registered
Hi fellows,
How bad has pool dropped in popularity these days?
How bad has pool dropped in popularity these days?
Yeah, a buddy of mine who is a Brunswick dealer in a big market area says that he only sells 1-2 Gold Crown's a year. Unless it's a poolroom ordering a number of new ones, very few GC's are ordered for home tables. That says it all about your average home table pool table purchaser - almost 100% recreational and certainly not discriminating or knowledgeable enough to want the very best - GC or Diamond. Even for the ones that can afford it, they'll likely opt for a fancier furniture model table - as it's all about the looks and not about having the best playing pool table.
How good can the Brunswick GCVI quality control really be when the $10,250 MSRP tournament edition model with the tighter pockets can only be guaranteed to arrive to you within a 1/8 of an inch range for the mouth measurement - 4.5"-4.625" for the corners and 5"-5.125" for the sides?
So you are cool that they threw in the towel on the market for their product? Very, very strange approach to business...I didn't learn that in business school, lol.
Thinking about this further, with the ascendance of Rasson, diamond and a few others, is anyone here willing to offer a line as to whether or not Brunswick will even be manufacturing gold crowns in ten years?
It's on the rise. Here's a list of qualifiers for the US Open 2019 Mandalay Bay.
We NEVER had players during the US Opens Prime years come from, Africa, New Zealand, Australia, Switzerland EVER>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
New Zealand and Africa are the only two locations, where each qualifier will send 2 players. All other venues are sending only one player.
US Open qualifiers
South Africa July 10 2 Spots
Strokers Palm Harbor, Florida September 9 1 Spots
Corner Bank, Toronto, Canada October 20 1 Spots
Corner Bank, Toronto, Canada October 20 1 Spots
Q Master Billiards, Virginia Beach, VA October 20 1 Spots
Las Vegas Cue Club November 10 1 Spots
Las Vegas Cue Club December 8 1 Spots
Sam's Billiards, CA December 15 1 Spots
Sam's Billiards, CA December 16 1 Spots
Hard Times, Sacramento, CA January 121 Spots
Las Vegas Cue Club January 12 1 Spots
Skinny Bob's, Texas January 12-13 1 Spots
Benteli's , Switzerland January 19 1 Spots
Benteli's , Switzerland January 20 1 Spots
Steinway Billiards, New York (World Pool Series)January 21 1 Spots
Australia January 27 1 Spots
Australia January 28 1 Spots
Petrina's Taps and Billiards, Ajax, Ontario, Canada February 9-10 1 Spots
New Zealand February 2-3 2 Spots
Las Vegas Cue Club February 9 1 Spots
New Zealand February 9-10 2 Spots
Las Vegas Cue Club March 9 1 Spots
Las Vegas Cue Club April 6 1 Spots
California Billiards, Fremont, CA April 13-14 1 Spots
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I am totally fine with it and think the GC5/6 are still the best all around pool tables in the world: looks, play, materials and design. Brunswick has nothing to prove to anyone because they have been making pool tables since 1845: FACT.
The only thing they could do is ruin the Gold Crown by trying to make it CHEAP.
I learned this approach about business: STAY WHERE THE MONEY IS. I am sure Brunswick does really well with the home furniture/ recreation table market.
Just my $0.02
Trent from Toledo
P.s. the Gold Crown will always be relevant and I see no reason why Brunswick would ever stop making them? Maybe make less, I don't know
I would not bet a dime that Brunswick POOL is still around in 10 years. Look at their bowling division. Years ago Brunswick (and AMF) used to be the most important name in bowling. Now Brunswick gave that part up completely.
The only way I see a decent chance of the name Brunswick around in pool in 10 years would be if they sold that part of their business - i.e. that they'd sell the name to some Chinese company or so. Which again would be unlikely if they are still making lots of money with boats etc.
The only way I see a decent chance of the name Brunswick around in pool in 10 years would be if they sold that part of their business - i.e. that they'd sell the name to some Chinese company or so. Which again would be unlikely if they are still making lots of money with boats etc.
Chalk & Awe
Registered
Yes, I was wondering about that!
Trent, just curious from an expert like yourself who has assembled the newer GC's and the older GC's, didn't the GC main frame piece used to come already assembled in one big piece, whereas now it is made to be knocked down in smaller boxes mainly for the purpose (I assume) of more efficient shipping? Do you see any problem with that in terms of how solid that frame is, either the old ones or new ones? Thanks
Chalk & Awe
Registered
Interesting that you are stating the GC5/6 are better than Diamond. Would you mind providing some more details of the advantages of the Brunswick over the Diamond?
Thank you,
C&A :smile:
Food for thought...I have no experience with a Gold Crown 5 nor 6. I live in Lexington, KY and to my knowledge there is not one single Gold Crown of any generation set up available for commercial play in any pool room or bar within 2 hours drive of Lexington. Maybe someone in Louisville or Cincinnati can alert me as to any establishment that has one in that city (I remember Michael's has Diamonds, but maybe they have some gc's?)??? In fact, the only Gold Crowns I've even seen set up in a pool room in the last two years is in Bowling Green KY, 2.5 to 3 hours away.
A new pool room did open up 30 minutes away that has four 9' diamonds. I am saying all of this because this debate, at least in my area, seems to be a moot point. I will happily accept a GC, Diamond, or any other decent quality 9' table, but options remain slim and that is rather sad, IMO. Some say pool is thriving, but it does not appear to be the case in my metro area. This can't bode well for any table manufacturer in the US!
A new pool room did open up 30 minutes away that has four 9' diamonds. I am saying all of this because this debate, at least in my area, seems to be a moot point. I will happily accept a GC, Diamond, or any other decent quality 9' table, but options remain slim and that is rather sad, IMO. Some say pool is thriving, but it does not appear to be the case in my metro area. This can't bode well for any table manufacturer in the US!
The best tables I have seen in over 50 years playing pool are in Sanford N.C. They are at Speakeasy Billiards on Horner Blvd. Two Gold Crown 5's set
up by Mark Gregory. The corner pockets are 3 7/8 and play absolutely perfect. I drive 40 miles one way to play on them whenever I have the time.
up by Mark Gregory. The corner pockets are 3 7/8 and play absolutely perfect. I drive 40 miles one way to play on them whenever I have the time.
I am by no means an expert. I just work on lots of them, always learning and trying to understand the different design's of GC's.
The 3's definitely has end sill issues: they sag. The newer GCs have excellent frames and being assembled does not affect the stability in my opinion.
I posted GC1, 3, 4, 5 in the mechanics section. only hitch, the gc3 manual shows the first frame and they changed it right away to having the end sill cap off the side sills.
I hate to say this, but, Lexington KY, has the WORST pool scene of anywhere. We did this table there:
We could not find a decent pool table anywhere in the City. We searched high and low on the internet and called everywhere to find a GC or Diamond to play on and NOTHING IN THE ENTIRE AREA. I have never had that happen out on an install trip...
As for this: I don't care who set those tables up(especially now that I have played on a set of that guys rails on a GC4 and did not notice anything special, the gc4 plays amazing anyway. I think ripping off the subrails on a 4, 5, or 6 is simply un-needed and a WASTE OF TIME AND MONEY)
Playing on a table like that is not fun unless you like being beaten for pleasure. Bankshot Billiards(RIP) had Diamonds dialed in at 4.25" and that is far tight enough for any pro, hustler, league player or banger who thinks they need that.
Just my $0.02
Trent from Toledo
I
I hate to say this, but, Lexington KY, has the WORST pool scene of anywhere. We did this table there:
We could not find a decent pool table anywhere in the City. We searched high and low on the internet and called everywhere to find a GC or Diamond to play on and NOTHING IN THE ENTIRE AREA. I have never had that happen out on an install trip...
Trent from Toledo
Yes, youve been here for sure then. This is the reason I stopped going out to play with any degree of regularity some years ago now. It's pretty hard to be a pool fan in a pool desert!
Nice, fun looking GC (or Medalist???) there!
My guess is the obvious reason for Diamond's dominating over GC's in that area of the country is the close proximity to the Diamond Billiards factory.
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