I've posted this picture before, and I wait for someone to mention Irving Kaye so I can post it again. This was in a little bar that we stopped at for a late lunch one day. We played a couple racks, just to say we did. I think that the color selection for the cloth, and the contrasting color on the rails make it even more of a curio. Table seemed similar to a Valley, but those lion heads at the corners are what does it for me.
GoSports 6' table
- Thread starter iusedtoberich
- Start date
Has snooker rubber which at least is lively. Other features, steel frame and engineered wood. Stapled pockets though, need addressing.
You'll probably swear the cushions play truer that a Diamond. 
That would be me! Ha ha ha.You'll probably swear the cushions play truer that a Diamond.
Iwishiwasrich
Active member
That's one of those tables that if you bump it all of the balls move. It's more for kids than adults.
I had one when I was 13 or so. I think it was 4' long, and had smaller balls. I had braced all the legs with some scraps of wood to reduce the amount the legs racked back and forth.
I’m definitely interested in your review of it. I looked at so many and just couldn’t pull the trigger on it for similar reasons mentioned already.
The true 6 foot valleys are getting crazy hard to find around Kentucky. Occasionally an Irving Kaye will hit marketplace but not often and they typically fetch a thousand or higher and need work. It seems like I remember there were several available around New York back when I was looking.
The true 6 foot valleys are getting crazy hard to find around Kentucky. Occasionally an Irving Kaye will hit marketplace but not often and they typically fetch a thousand or higher and need work. It seems like I remember there were several available around New York back when I was looking.
Well? How did this end up working for you?
I'm tempted to get one since finding a 6' Valley is proving to be hard. I want something to play on with my little kids and right now a 7' would be a bit much, it seems.
I wanted to do a nice review with pictures and such, just never got around to it. Here is what happened.
2 big guys delivered the table. It was flat packed in a box like a flat screen tv. It is heavy. The setup was super easy. Fold the legs out and stand it up. Discarding the box was actually the hardest part of the whole thing. I had to cut it up into pieces on my bandsaw so the trashman would take it.
The table has one major issue. Its top is warped upwards like a smiley face. No mater how the leveling feet are adjusted, it can't be corrected. I put a 48" level on the top, and 2-3 credit cards fit under the level in the middle. It's enough to make the balls roll towards the center of the table from both the length and width directions when they are on the last foot of their roll. Both the length and width directions are smiley face upwards.
Besides that, the rest of the table I'm happy with. The cushions play ok. Actually a bit fast like a Diamond. The pockets play ok. The way the pockets are cut, it's actually a bigger pocket if you brush the rail on the way in, rather than favoring the outside of the pocket facing (like on a good table). There was some metal in the pockets that I immediately covered with a few layers of black electrical tape. (forgot now if it was staples or screws) The sturdiness of the table is fine. Sure, the balls jiggle when you bump the table, but normal shooting with your bridge hand on the table does not move them. The balls look ok, but I didn't use them. I used a Dyansphere Tungsten set I bought just for this table. The sticks are complete junk, just throw them in the trash. I knew that going in, and planned on using my own balls and stick.
I read the reviews and others several others had a warped top, but several more had a flat top. It seemed to be half and half. So I contacted amazon. I didn't know my options. I already threw the box away, and there was ZERO chance I could take the table anywhere to return it.
They said I could return it, that they'd have a company come to collect it from my house, but I'd need to put it in a box or something. They also said I could keep it, and they'd give me a partial refund of $200, bringing the total price to about $200. I just knew I'd have a huge headache trying to return it so I decided to keep the table and get the refund. Also if I retuned it and got another one it might be warped too. I also had a huge fight with my sister over this table so I didn't need more family trouble.
My plan is to add 2 legs to the middle of the table to push it up. I just never got around to it.
So in conclusion (for now), if you get one that has a flat top, I think it's good, even for a good player. I did use it before matches to get in stroke before driving to the pool hall. But it's a crapshoot if yours will have a flat top. If you are ok dealing with the return process, it's less risky.
2 big guys delivered the table. It was flat packed in a box like a flat screen tv. It is heavy. The setup was super easy. Fold the legs out and stand it up. Discarding the box was actually the hardest part of the whole thing. I had to cut it up into pieces on my bandsaw so the trashman would take it.
The table has one major issue. Its top is warped upwards like a smiley face. No mater how the leveling feet are adjusted, it can't be corrected. I put a 48" level on the top, and 2-3 credit cards fit under the level in the middle. It's enough to make the balls roll towards the center of the table from both the length and width directions when they are on the last foot of their roll. Both the length and width directions are smiley face upwards.
Besides that, the rest of the table I'm happy with. The cushions play ok. Actually a bit fast like a Diamond. The pockets play ok. The way the pockets are cut, it's actually a bigger pocket if you brush the rail on the way in, rather than favoring the outside of the pocket facing (like on a good table). There was some metal in the pockets that I immediately covered with a few layers of black electrical tape. (forgot now if it was staples or screws) The sturdiness of the table is fine. Sure, the balls jiggle when you bump the table, but normal shooting with your bridge hand on the table does not move them. The balls look ok, but I didn't use them. I used a Dyansphere Tungsten set I bought just for this table. The sticks are complete junk, just throw them in the trash. I knew that going in, and planned on using my own balls and stick.
I read the reviews and others several others had a warped top, but several more had a flat top. It seemed to be half and half. So I contacted amazon. I didn't know my options. I already threw the box away, and there was ZERO chance I could take the table anywhere to return it.
They said I could return it, that they'd have a company come to collect it from my house, but I'd need to put it in a box or something. They also said I could keep it, and they'd give me a partial refund of $200, bringing the total price to about $200. I just knew I'd have a huge headache trying to return it so I decided to keep the table and get the refund. Also if I retuned it and got another one it might be warped too. I also had a huge fight with my sister over this table so I didn't need more family trouble.
My plan is to add 2 legs to the middle of the table to push it up. I just never got around to it.
So in conclusion (for now), if you get one that has a flat top, I think it's good, even for a good player. I did use it before matches to get in stroke before driving to the pool hall. But it's a crapshoot if yours will have a flat top. If you are ok dealing with the return process, it's less risky.
Not a bad deal.
I actually bought one of these in 2021 and had it for six months. Mine was not warped. It did develop a very slight warp on one side of the table after awhile. But very slight. I put a couple of thick, adjustable shower type rods underneath the middle for support
All in all, it played much better than I expected.
I got the GoSports because I hadn't played regularly in 30 years. When I first started playing again, I wanted to make sure it wasn't some nostalgia trip. I grew up with a table but couldn't put one in my basement while my own kids were growing up.
Once I knew, yeah, I wanted to play seriously again, I gave away the GoSports and got a used 7-foot Olhausen. Eventually I plan to expand my basement and get a bigger table.
Any table in better than none imo.
I actually bought one of these in 2021 and had it for six months. Mine was not warped. It did develop a very slight warp on one side of the table after awhile. But very slight. I put a couple of thick, adjustable shower type rods underneath the middle for support
All in all, it played much better than I expected.
I got the GoSports because I hadn't played regularly in 30 years. When I first started playing again, I wanted to make sure it wasn't some nostalgia trip. I grew up with a table but couldn't put one in my basement while my own kids were growing up.
Once I knew, yeah, I wanted to play seriously again, I gave away the GoSports and got a used 7-foot Olhausen. Eventually I plan to expand my basement and get a bigger table.
Any table in better than none imo.
What do you mean by "a bit much"? As in too little space to fit, too expensive or too big for the kids? Because really the only thing that would be a good reason not to get a 7 footer, or even an 8 or 9 footer is the space to actually fit it. I have worked with a ton of junior players and we have had 6-8 year olds play on 9 footers.
Thanks for following up!
Sure, I should have been more clear.
The kids are small and have been having a blast playing on a toy table. I know that people do have small kids play on big tables, and I did my best from the age of 3 onwards to have them play on my 10' carom table, but they're having so much fun on the small table I'm wondering if 6' wouldn't be significantly better than 7'.
Update, I'm back in Philly with this table. I stuck 2 scraps of wood I had in the basement under it and wedged them in there just pushing with my hand. I put the 4 foot level on top, and I could barely fit 1 credit card under it. Before, I could fit 3-4. It plays good now! The balls roll fairly straight. I can play legit pool now. I'm so happy.
I only spent 2 min on the braces. Now I have confidence that if I make a nice brace and spend 30 min instead of 2 min leveling it, I should be good.
I only spent 2 min on the braces. Now I have confidence that if I make a nice brace and spend 30 min instead of 2 min leveling it, I should be good.