Advice on Buying First Table

[Paulus]

Hey everyone,

I'm new to the forum and was hoping for some advice. I just retired from the Army and am finally ready to get my first table.

Found the attached for sale in my neighborhood for $1000. It's in outstanding condition but the only thing I know about it is it's a Brunswick. I've tried but haven't been able to identify the model.

I was hoping maybe someone on here would recognize it and could tell me whether that was a good deal or if I should just keep looking.

Also, any other advice on buying a used table would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Biloxi Boy]

What is your playing experience? Level of expertise? What are you looking for in a table? Where are you trying to take your game? Where do you live? Hang on, someone should be right with you.

Meanwhile, search "gold crown" here and get some education.

 

[Paulus]

Only experience is playing in bars while out drinking. Never had a table before. Much better than the average person (spent a lot of time in bars apparently) but zero expertise. Looking for lifetime build quality with no desire to take my game anywhere. Table is meant to pass free time and for friends and family.

 

[jasonlaus]

Anniversaries and Centennials look great in homes and play fantastic.

I'd stay away from "furniture" table like the one you posted.

Oh, one more thing, it doesn't really matter how far away the table is, it still has to be disassembled and put in a vehicle - driving/shipping is the easy part

 

[Paulus]

Anniversaries and Centennials look great in homes and play fantastic.

I'd stay away from "furniture" table like the one you posted.

Oh, one more thing, it doesn't really matter how far away the table is, it still has to be disassembled and put in a vehicle - driving/shipping is the easy part

At my level of expected play those models are way more than I'm comfortable spending. At most, I'm looking at $3500 total.

 

[DeeDeeCues]

That Brunswick is fine for a non player to mess around on with family and friends. It isn't a 'lifetime' table for anyone serious, but in three years when you get tired of playing, it'll hold laundry with the best of them.

As far as being a good deal, that depends on where you live and how much of a hurry you are in. Most places free is a good deal on one of those. For reference, I paid $600 for my 9' gold crown 1 (commercial quality table made in 1961), but I had to drive 250miles and had to dismantle it and transport it. It was aesthetically okay, but I prepped it and sprayed it with automotive paint. All told, I have about 2500 and a bunch of hours in the table, but I was able to do all the work.

Some think gc's are ugly. I don't. I have never seen a diamond that is attractive. The table in your photos is a furniture table that many wives find acceptable for a house. It is made like furniture and compared to the commercial tables, it isn't hard to tell the difference when playing.

 

[muskyed]

I had that exact table model, except with a different finish before we bought our Diamond professional. You might be getting tricked a bit as those legs were an option. The table was a little over 3K new, delivered and set up. It was an ok table, maybe worth 1K used, but so you know, I sold mine in excellent condition and with a almost new higher end Championship tour cloth for $800, but I felt the guy got a real deal as I wanted 1K but he let me keep the table at my house till they were delivering my Diamond 3 months later.
I feel 1K is the upper end for a table like that in excellent condition. I would defiantly be offering less if they needed to get it out, or it wasn't in excellent cond. It would take a lot for me to pay 1K for a standard table such as that.

 

[trob]

I guess it depends what you want. To me these homes tables look nice. I will always love the sound of balls dropping into leather pockets but they tend to play very easy. The always felt like tables for recreational players who just want a table that looks good for their game room. Before I got my diamond I had one that I picked up cheap. I had downsized homes and thought after 30 years I was done with pool. Apparently pool wasn’t done with me lol anyway when I went to sell it I couldn’t find a buyer. I finally sold it to a friend for a couple 100 and threw in a set of super aramith ballls. At least I got the satisfaction of knowing I helped a friend put a decent table in his house.

 

[ChrisinNC]

At my level of expected play those models are way more than I'm comfortable spending. At most, I'm looking at $3500 total.

If $3,500 is your max budget, assuming you have a big enough room for a 9 foot table and you are patient enough to shop around, that should allow you to find a used 9’ Brunswick Gold Crown model for around $2k and have enough $ left for a reputable mechanic to break it down, move it and set it back up with new cloth.

You’ll have way more fun playing on a quality commercial table, and down the road if you need to sell it, you should be able to recoup at least 50% of your investment.

 

[jbart65]

I see where the other posters are coming from but ...

This table is perfectly fine if you have NO desire to get better, as you suggest. And it would be great for families, friends and wives.

Then you'd have money leftover for nice Aramith balls and some good sticks.

But what if you actually get the pool bug? Then it's a different story.

I'd suggest watching some videos from DrDave or Tor Lowry (centerball training). See if, after you learn a few things, your interest is piqued in getting better.

I have a used Olhausen now. It's fine for practicing, but it does not play as nice as the Brunswick Gold Crowns at my pool hall. Not even close.

Ultimately I'd like to build an addition and get a used GC 9 foot table or a new Diamond.

I'd also check with an established pool dealer in your area to see what kind of used tables they have in stock.

If I were to buy used, I'd try to find a Connelly or Peter Vitalie, but most year 2000 or earlier Brunswicks are decent enough.

 

[Banger]

I had that exact table model, except with a different finish before we bought our Diamond professional. You might be getting tricked a bit as those legs were an option. The table was a little over 3K new, delivered and set up. It was an ok table, maybe worth 1K used, but so you know, I sold mine in excellent condition and with a almost new higher end Championship tour cloth for $800, but I felt the guy got a real deal as I wanted 1K but he let me keep the table at my house till they were delivering my Diamond 3 months later.
I feel 1K is the upper end for a table like that in excellent condition. I would defiantly be offering less if they needed to get it out, or it wasn't in excellent cond. It would take a lot for me to pay 1K for a standard table such as that.

I also had that exact table, but in the darker (cherry) finish, and with those optional legs. I bought it new, and had it for about 12 years. I actually gave it away when I upgraded to a Gold Crown. My buddy's daughter was engaged to a nice guy who wanted a table, but didn't have a lot of extra cash. So I gave it to him, to get him started.

You can have a lot of fun on that table, but be aware that the rubber on mine was beginning to turn hard as a rock. On some parts of the rails, it was like trying to bank a ball off of a 2 x 4. I do not believe the rubber on those furniture style tables is near the quality of the rubber on professional tables such as a Diamond, or Gold Crown. I kept the table covered at all times, when not in use, so I don't think the sun/heat was an issue. So always check the rails carefully, if you do decide to go with used table.

Oh, the area you live in can make a huge difference on the price of used tables. Up in the Northeast part of the US, Gold Crowns come up for sale all the time, at very reasonable prices. But here in Texas, they are much harder to find, and thus bring a higher price.

 

[jbart65]

You can have a lot of fun on that table, but be aware that the rubber on mine was beginning to turn hard as a rock. On some parts of the rails, it was like trying to bank a ball off of a 2 x 4. I do not believe the rubber on those furniture style tables is near the quality of the rubber on professional tables such as a Diamond, or Gold Crown. I kept the table covered at all times, when not in use, so I don't think the sun/heat was an issue. So always check the rails carefully, if you do decide to go with used table.

IMO it's a good idea to get new top-of-the-line cloth ($300 or so) and possibly even new rails with a used table if it's fairly old. Which is why I suggested buying from a store that sells tables. They can replace the cloth and rails for about $700 or somewhat more if needed.

 

[Tennesseejoe]

If you play in bars, a 3 1/2 by 7 would be good for you.

 

[loggerhead12]

That's an Allenton with the ball-and-claw legs. I have a very similar model, a Manchester. As others have stated, they're more about looking good than playing good.

Having said that, the rails bank true and the slate can be leveled by any decent company that can replace the felt. If you just want to bang balls around once in a while it'll be great for that. If you want to be serious at all, the pockets are too big and accept too many balls that won't go on a better table. That's fun when you're drinking with your friends, not so fun when you rattle everything in tournaments because you're hitting the edges of the pockets. Check out the Table Difficulty Factor thread - mine is the 6th easiest table in a list of over 100.

There's not going to be a huge market for the table. I'd offer $500 and let it hang for a while. If you don't get it, oh well. No huge loss. In the meantime you can wait and shop for a used Centennial or Anniversary, or even a Gold Crown if you (and others in your household) can put up with the look of it.

 

[Bob Jewett]

That table will be fine for you to learn the basics. If you really take to the game after playing on it for a year, you can sell it for $500 and move up. For that swap, you will have lots of time to find a good deal.

I learned on a Sear's table -- masonite bed and fold-up legs. I played 10 hours a week for six months. It was fine. The shots all worked and I learned how to deal with table roll-off. Then I moved to pool halls.

If you don't take to the game, you're not out much.

 

[iusedtoberich]

Any Brunswick plays good in my limited experience with home style furniture Brunswick tables. Their slate and support frame is not as thick and heavy as a commercial Brunswick Gold Crown table, and their cushions are a small step down. But unless a very experienced player, you wouldn't even notice those differences.

I'd say if the table design is aesthetically pleasing to your eye, and is in good shape as far as scratches and such, it would be a nice table to have a new hobby with.

You can routinely find tables for free or $300 because the seller just wants them gone from their house, but they are usually not Brunswick for that price.

The balls on that table also look like Brunswick Centennial balls from the blurry picture, which are the highest level ball and worth about $400 to buy new today. They last forever unless the table was on a concrete floor, and the balls flew onto it.

 

[iusedtoberich]

Just check the rails are not dead before committing to buy. Take the balls and bounce them every inch on every rail, to see if they bounce the same everywhere and that there are no funny sounds in some spots.

 

[boogieman]

It's a nice furniture grade table. It should be fine for what you're needs are. It's not a "serious" table, but it should be great in a home environment. I don't think the price is out of line. As long as the rails are good you should be able to put some nice cloth on it (please not red! ) and get a lot of enjoyment and improvement from it. A nice set of balls go a long way too as far as the enjoyment level.

On here you'll find mostly "serious" players who want a more commercial level type table. Nothing wrong with that but there's nothing wrong with a nice furniture style Brunswick. They are still built decently and should play close to how a pool table should.

 

[RT Ford]

Hey everyone,

I'm new to the forum and was hoping for some advice. I just retired from the Army and am finally ready to get my first table.

Found the attached for sale in my neighborhood for $1000. It's in outstanding condition but the only thing I know about it is it's a Brunswick. I've tried but haven't been able to identify the model.

I was hoping maybe someone on here would recognize it and could tell me whether that was a good deal or if I should just keep looking.

Also, any other advice on buying a used table would be greatly appreciated.

That's an Avalon. Nice table. https://www.billiardsforum.com/pool...avalon-pool-table-for-sale-in-gaithersburg-md

Hey everyone,

I'm new to the forum and was hoping for some advice. I just retired from the Army and am finally ready to get my first table.

Found the attached for sale in my neighborhood for $1000. It's in outstanding condition but the only thing I know about it is it's a Brunswick. I've tried but haven't been able to identify the model.

I was hoping maybe someone on here would recognize it and could tell me whether that was a good deal or if I should just keep looking.

Also, any other advice on buying a used table would be greatly appreciated.

That's an Avalon. One of Brunswick's pricier tables back in the day. It looks like an 8 footer. Here's a web page I found with the exact table. https://www.billiardsforum.com/pool...avalon-pool-table-for-sale-in-gaithersburg-md $1,000 would be a good price, especially if the it included the cue rack, cues, light, etc..

 

[Benelli]

A little bit of patience on Facebook Marketplace and you can get a great American made table like an AE Schmidt or a Connelly for $500 or less.

I got a great 9ft 1994 AE Schmidt for $250 and it plays every bit as good as the Diamonds at my local hall.

Honestly, the most important thing is the light system you buy! I paid $600 for a 9ft Diamond light and that was the single best purchase I ever made for my pool room.