Clash Steel II - European table.. Opinions?

ShortBusRuss

ShortBusRuss

Short Bus Russ - C Player
Silver Member
Clash Steel II versus Gabriel Signature Pro - European tables.. Opinions?

Does anyone (especially our European forum members) know anything about the Clash Steel II table? As I understand it, it is a Gabriel sub-brand. Also, see my post further down, added later to ask about a comparison to the Gabriel Signature Pro.

Specifically, I am curious how it compares to Diamonds as far as pocket size straight from the factory, and banking/rails. If it banks well, I am okay with paying to get the pockets tightened up.

I have a chance to pick one up for approx. $2,000.00 + delivery. It's probably a tad high on the price, but it is a retail seller, so I won't have to pay anyone to pick up the table at one location and deliver it to another, so there's that.

Clash Steel II

There are Gold Crowns to be had for cheaper, but would likely include at least 500-700 Euros of cost in getting the billiard table mechanic to travel quite a distance to the seller, break it down, and then travel to destination. In this case, I am pretty much paying for the convenience of just asking for a delivery date, and then not having to worry about anything else.

I have heard very good things about the Clash Competition model, and I think that one comes with something close to 4 1/2" pockets from the factory, but this is not the same model. The billiard mechanic says he knows how to tighten up the pockets with shims of some sort and also make them play well. He doesn't know how to extend the subrail which I know is the correct way to do it, but I really don't have much of a choice at this point.

I haven't seen the table in person, and I doubt it would be set up right now so that I could, so just trying to get all the info I can on it from those who might have played on one. I absolutely will be getting a table in the next month or two, so I need to make the best choice of what's available to me.

Thanks,

Short Bus Russ
 
Last edited:
C

ChrisinNC

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
ShortBusRuss said:
Does anyone (especially our European forum members) know anything about the Clash Steel II table? As I understand it, it is a Gabriel sub-brand.

Specifically, I am curious how it compares to Diamonds as far as pocket size straight from the factory, and banking/rails. If it banks well, I am okay with paying to get the pockets tightened up.

I have a chance to pick one up for approx. $2,000.00 + delivery. It's probably a tad high on the price, but it is a retail seller, so I won't have to pay anyone to pick up the table at one location and deliver it to another, so there's that.

Clash Steel II

There are Gold Crowns to be had for cheaper, but would likely include at least 500-700 Euros of cost in getting the billiard table mechanic to travel quite a distance to the seller, break it down, and then travel to destination. In this case, I am pretty much paying for the convenience of just asking for a delivery date, and then not having to worry about anything else.

I have heard very good things about the Clash Competition model, and I think that one comes with something close to 4 1/2" pockets from the factory, but this is not the same model. The billiard mechanic says he knows how to tighten up the pockets with shims of some sort and also make them play well. He doesn't know how to extend the subrail which I know is the correct way to do it, but I really don't have much of a choice at this point.

I haven't seen the table in person, and I doubt it would be set up right now so that I could, so just trying to get all the info I can on it from those who might have played on one. I absolutely will be getting a table in the next month or two, so I need to make the best choice of what's available to me.

Thanks,

Short Bus Russ
Click to expand...
Loontgens / Gabriels is top quality. I've had Gabriel's pro signature 9-foot tables in our room for around 15 years, and a one-of-a-kind 10-foot Gabriel's Sentinel model pool table for 2 years. Myself and our customers have been very satisfied with the quality.

Although this Clash Steel II table is a lower price point, I'm sure the playing quality is still very good, or they wouldn't be selling them, in my opinion. It looks an awful lot like a Gold Crown, it has 1.17" (30mm) thick 3-piece slate, and it has a steel frame. I would be curious what cushions they are using as I didn't see that mentioned in the specs, hopefully Artemis. I'm guessing the Clash Competition model you mentioned does not have a steel frame, which is likely why it is less expensive.
 
Last edited:
ShortBusRuss

ShortBusRuss

Short Bus Russ - C Player
Silver Member
easy-e said:
Don’t they sell diamonds over there?
Click to expand...

Yeah, for like 8000 Euros + shipping from Finland to Germany. I can buy three Gold Crowns + setup for the price of a Diamond over here. Just not in the budget right now..

Germany REALLY needs to get a Diamond distributor. I could then use a high value VAT form to knock the German taxes right off the top, and it would be much more affordable.

Russ
 
C

ChrisinNC

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Since it was not mentioned in the description as having Artemis or Klematch cushion rubbers, at that price point, I'm guessing they may be using some other kind of less expensive cushions. To me, that would be a major concern, as nothing plays as well as Artemis or Klematch cushion rubbers. I'm sure you could find that out fairly easily.
 
Last edited:
ShortBusRuss

ShortBusRuss

Short Bus Russ - C Player
Silver Member
So, I found another place here that sells many different used tables,and they have a used Gabriel Signature Pro. Anyone have any opinions on this table versus the Clash Steel II?

Specifically, I am looking for those who've played on the Signature Pro straight from the factory. Realkingcobra does not like the pockets, as they use thick facings, but if I have to use a mechanic over here unfamiliar with extending subrails, then I may have to pay to extend the subrails on the Clash Steel II anyways, so.

So... Gabriel Signature Pro pockets, banking, etc... Which table banks better (closer to a Diamond) straight from the factory, or can be changed to different rails without modification to make them play better?

Thanks,

Short Bus Russ
 
C

ChrisinNC

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
ShortBusRuss said:
So, I found another place here that sells many different used tables,and they have a used Gabriel Signature Pro. Anyone have any opinions on this table versus the Clash Steel II?

Specifically, I am looking for those who've played on the Signature Pro straight from the factory. Realkingcobra does not like the pockets, as they use thick facings, but if I have to use a mechanic over here unfamiliar with extending subrails, then I may have to pay to extend the subrails on the Clash Steel II anyways, so.

So... Gabriel Signature Pro pockets, banking, etc... Which table banks better (closer to a Diamond) straight from the factory, or can be changed to different rails without modification to make them play better?

Thanks,

Short Bus Russ
Click to expand...
We ordered 9 Gabriel's Signature Pro 9-foot pool tables straight from the factory. It was 16-17 years ago, so I'm not sure what may have changed since then. The table looks basically the same. They use Artemis cushions with steel rods built in to the subrails. Yes, I don't know why but they do use 1/4" pocket facings, and even on the tables we ordered with tighter pockets and requested extended subrails to accomplish that, they didn't extend the subrails and just used even thicker pocket facings instead. Last year, I had a highly qualified mechanic extend the subrails all our Gabriel's tables, so we now have only 1/8" pocket facings on all our tables, including our tables with tighter pockets.

Other than that one issue, I've had absolutely no complaints with the tables. I will say the newer models have switched to different pocket bottoms/baskets, which may indeed last longer than the leatherette type pockets they previously used. They are still very deep which is nice, but I didn't like the sound the balls made when they landed in the bottom of the new pockets. I solved that problem by simply purchasing a rubberized 1/2" thick matting material at Lowe's Hardware which I cut in to round pieces and placed those in the bottom of the pockets, which solved the issue very nicely.

I've been told by other players who play at different rooms that our Gabriel's tables do bank differently than Gold Crown's or Diamond's. I don't play anywhere else other than here, so I couldn't tell you exactly how they play differently, but I've just heard that they do.
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top