About to spend 5k - Diamond, Brunswick - advice welcome!

B

barker

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Hi - First post, I'll try to make it interesting. It is of the typical "I want to buy a pool table" variety. I have narrowed my choices down to a GC IV (probably used), a Diamond Professional, or a Brunswick Metro. I think all of these should be mainstream durable tables of high playability and longevity. My wife says "If we want furniture, we buy furniture. If we want a pool table, we buy a pool table." I love this woman!

Specific areas of interest:
- preferences among these 3
- obvious similar tables I may have missed
- specific comments on the Metro, since I have no playing time on it, in comparison to the other two
- if one stands out in either 8 ft or 9 ft (have room, haven't decided) in either good or bad ways

My assumptions and observations:
- I prefer the Diamond styling slightly above the other two, but any would be fine.
- The Diamond is all wood, the others are laminates (but so what, and laminates on what?)
- Is the slate on the Diamond Pro leveled by shims? What about the Metro? I know they have leg levelers.
- The Diamond and Metro would be new, the GC IV probably used, to put on an approximately even $$$. I've played on a GC V, but it is 9k in the 9 ft, and too new for sales / hefty discounts (according to the dealer).

I eliminated the Diamond Pro-Am since to me the ball return makes it look like a wooden bathtub, and no drop pocket version is available.

I eliminated the Olhausen Pro and any black laminate straight-apron tables since they are all ugly to my eye (for my home).

I'm talking to a local Brunswick and Olhausen dealer and cruising craigslist and the want ads.

Any advice would be welcome!
 
when it comes to such recommendations, I've always felt

"if you have to ask, it doesn't matter"

having said that, Brunswicks are nowhere close to Diamonds in terms of quality or playability, no contest at all
 
barker said:
I eliminated the Diamond Pro-Am since to me the ball return makes it look like a wooden bathtub, and no drop pocket version is available.

Any advice would be welcome!
Click to expand...

Diamond is the best choice IMHO. The Pro Am being the best and also has the quietest ball return system. You may want to reevaluate if you want a ball return system, but beauty is in the eye of the beholder. For the money, I would buy and did a Diamond Pro Am. I went through a similar evaluation and the Diamond Pro Am was the best table for both money, playability and looks for me.

Good luck and may you find the best table for you.
 
now it's time for Diamond to show some love to their Canadian brothers and provide some decent support up here
 
smashmouth said:
Brunswicks are nowhere close to Diamonds in terms of quality or playability, no contest at all
Click to expand...

That's crazy talk :)

The Gold Crown is every bit as good as any pool table on planet Earth...


Only difference in playability is the Diamond has different pocket geometry that allows well hit balls to fall where the Brunswick will spit well hit balls out. I am talking tight pockets, of course...

Other than that, a pool table is a pool table when it comes to playability... The manufacturer of the cabinet has little to do with how the table plays... The rubber, slate, and cloth are about the only thing a high quality table can differ in...


I'd take any of them and never look back but if I had my choice, its the Gold Crown.

Also, the GC4 has a nice slate leveling system
 
Brunswick has been known to use sub par slate from Brazil that cracks and chips, even on their GC's

also, 3 piece cannot compare to one piece,

also, flush leather pockets beat the hell out of semi flush molded plastic

these are just some of the "playability" factors, don't get me started on construction, price, esthetics, ;ack of finish options, or customer service

Gabriels leave Brunswick in the dust too, Kim Steele also, matter of fact I've played on British made 9 footers that were better put together

but hey, all anyone needs to really do is poll the pros, most of them prefer Diamond
 
smashmouth said:
Brunswick has been known to use sub par slate from Brazil that cracks and chips, even on their GC's

also, 3 piece cannot compare to one piece,
Click to expand...

I read that the Diamond Pro is 3 piece, the 1 piece is the Pro-AM. Does the current Diamond Pro have slate leveling screws like the GC4, or do you have to shim the slate?
 
DIAMOND<------- Is the future of pool, play on what is the future. I made the switch, word is Jay Helfert is too, I love my GC 4, but it is history.
 
CaptiveBred said:
That's crazy talk :)

The Gold Crown is every bit as good as any pool table on planet Earth...


Only difference in playability is the Diamond has different pocket geometry that allows well hit balls to fall where the Brunswick will spit well hit balls out. I am talking tight pockets, of course...

Other than that, a pool table is a pool table when it comes to playability... The manufacturer of the cabinet has little to do with how the table plays... The rubber, slate, and cloth are about the only thing a high quality table can differ in...


I'd take any of them and never look back but if I had my choice, its the Gold Crown.

Also, the GC4 has a nice slate leveling system
Click to expand...
GC4 has Chinese rubber with clay mix.
Now if you can find GC I or GC 2 and soup it up. That's a different story.
 
Between Diamond and Brunswick go with Diamond...BUT i love my new Olhausen..let us know what you get..:) .Merry Christmass
 
I would trade my 9-foot Gold Crown IV for a diamond in a heartbeat. Gold Crowns are nicer then most but the diamond is the best players pool table that money can buy, they are built way more solid and the pockets play far better.
 
smashmouth said:
also, 3 piece cannot compare to one piece,
Click to expand...

thats funny you say that. i had one of the finest table mechanics in the midwest about two months ago leave me with the impression that the 3 piece slate system is far better than the one piece slate. this was a guy that Mark Wilson told me was one of the few people he would actually let work on his tables.

i'd say whatever you buy, Diamond or Gold Crown, you will have an awesome table and be very satisfied. remember, balls dont roll on the table or the slate - they roll on the CLOTH!

DCP

p.s. i think you can even go to the Diamond factory in S.E. Indiana and play on one if you so desire.
 
JoeyInCali said:
No contest.
Diamond.
Maybe used at the DCC or Us Open.
Click to expand...


I agree 100%

I have always liked GC's alot, but the Diamond is so player friendly...
 
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My mechinic said the same thing (GC over Diamonds), he would buy a GC4 before a Diamond, I guess both are great tables, he mentioned something about the beams that the slates set on are not as good on the Diamond than they are on the GC4s. I saw some nice older Diamonds in BankShots in Louisville, was thinking of getting one like those, he kinda of talked me out of one, but I think I would like either one.
 
CaptiveBred said:
That's crazy talk :)

The Gold Crown is every bit as good as any pool table on planet Earth...


Only difference in playability is the Diamond has different pocket geometry that allows well hit balls to fall where the Brunswick will spit well hit balls out. I am talking tight pockets, of course...

Other than that, a pool table is a pool table when it comes to playability... The manufacturer of the cabinet has little to do with how the table plays... The rubber, slate, and cloth are about the only thing a high quality table can differ in...


I'd take any of them and never look back but if I had my choice, its the Gold Crown.

Also, the GC4 has a nice slate leveling system
Click to expand...
Any table on earth??

Try a Chevillotte.
http://www.chevillotte.com/en/competition-europa-master.php

A little out of the price range but.
Sorry, just had to do it.
 
And the Metro?

Thanks to everyone for their replies.

No one has mentioned the Metro. Is that just because it is new and not so common, or because it is not in the same class as the other two?
 
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