Help With Table Choice

kidflemingo

Registered
I am so confused and need some advice. I have found a used 9' Brunswick GC and a used 9' Diamond Professional and I can get either one for about $2300 with new Simons 860 felt. I cant physically inspect the tables because they are 3 hours away but the seller does get great reviews on Kudzu. The seller says the Diamond is actually a better deal and would be priced more if it did not have a few scratches. I like the look of the GC because it is kind of retro classic but I dont want to buy a table just for looks. Which way should I go. Thank you for all of your advice.
 
I am so confused and need some advice. I have found a used 9' Brunswick GC and a used 9' Diamond Professional and I can get either one for about $2300 with new Simons 860 felt. I cant physically inspect the tables because they are 3 hours away but the seller does get great reviews on Kudzu. The seller says the Diamond is actually a better deal and would be priced more if it did not have a few scratches. I like the look of the GC because it is kind of retro classic but I dont want to buy a table just for looks. Which way should I go. Thank you for all of your advice.

Diamond all the way!!!
 
If you're an aesthetics type person, get the one you like best. If you're looking for play-ability and resell...The Diamond!

"Keep your feet on the ground and keep reaching for the stars." ---Casey Kasem
 
Buy the one in better condition if appearance matters. (it does to me). Regardless ...seek out a qualified/recommended table mechanic to assemble it properly or you won't enjoy either. Good luck. Enjoy.

Don't hesitate to buy the GC if that is one you really want and it is in good condition. They last for generations.
 
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Man it really comes down to condition for me. Can you see pictures of the tables? If there is only a few minor cosmetic scratches I pick the Diamond, but if the Gold Crown is like new and you like the look, then go for it. I would want to see the tables or at least some detailed pics. It's a major purchase.
 
Your choice is between the two best tables. There are some differences in how they play, mainly related to the deeper shelf on the Diamond and how they bank. But the preference for one over the other is exactly that, a personal preference.

I own a GC4 and I personally prefer the way a GC plays, but that is just my personal choice. Having said that, I might recommend the Diamond in your situation but you should ask a couple more questions of the seller.

You should ask what version GC he is selling (GC1 - 5).This will give you an indication of it's age. With the Diamond ask if it has the pro cut pockets (4 1/2" corners). The problem with buying a used GC is that there are so many out there that have been in use for decades and have been hacked on by gosh knows who. Diamonds are usually newer and especially with the pro-cut models have probably been hacked on less. So you are more likely to get uniform pockets if they haven't been altered by anyone since they came out of the factory.

Don't know anything about your game or how serious a player you are, but a pro-cut Diamond will play tougher than most used Gold Crowns - the slate shelf is deeper into the pockets and most used GC's will generally have larger pockets than 4.5" and therefore play easier. If you and your friends are more casual players, then the GC may be the way to go.

My GC4 was in excellent condition but the pockets were too big. I had a qualified mechanic extend the sub-rails and bring the pockets down to 4.25", but this cost money.

Of course, if the table will be displayed in your home, then condition will play a part in your choice. Perhaps the seller can send you some detailed picks better showing the condition of the 2 tables.

Good luck, whichever you choose you will have a table you can enjoy for a long time. :grin-square:

Welcome to the forum!
 
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Thank You

I really appreciate all the advice. I have been struggling for weeks on which table to buy. I always like to make sure I am getting a good deal. The table will actually cost me double because my wife said if I can buy a new pool table she can buy a new camera. I will ask about the model of the GC and pocket size of the Diamond. These are things I would have never known to ask without this forum. I am glad I found you guys.
 
I really appreciate all the advice. I have been struggling for weeks on which table to buy. I always like to make sure I am getting a good deal. The table will actually cost me double because my wife said if I can buy a new pool table she can buy a new camera. I will ask about the model of the GC and pocket size of the Diamond. These are things I would have never known to ask without this forum. I am glad I found you guys.
Maybe I missed comment re this, but 2300 is on the damn steep end for a used gold crown 1-4.
I hope the quoted price is installed and ready to play...simonis 860 and a set of good used balls.
 
I assume you "play" (compete) in either tournaments or gambling somewhere in your area. You should buy the table that "mirrors" where you "play". It does you no good to be "king" of (and ONLY) your basement.
 
There are lots of opinions on this topic. Check out this thread about diamond vs. GC. Can't really go wrong either way, as this is a matter of personal taste (see quote in my signature). Having said that, I looked at buying a brand new GC and ended up buying a used Diamond Pro and have been VERY pleased with my decision. Diamond all the way for me as well.

Cheers and welcome to the forum,

JL
 
Maybe I missed comment re this, but 2300 is on the damn steep end for a used gold crown 1-4.
I hope the quoted price is installed and ready to play...simonis 860 and a set of good used balls.

That depends. $2,300 is a good price a GC4 that's in decent condition (I think he said the GC was in better condition than the Diamond). Same for an old GC1 with the skirts if it's in excellent shape, has the ash tray castings, etc.

But yeah, for a beat up GC3 yanked out of a defunct pool hall that needs work it's a lot of money. And there are thousands of those out there.
 
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I assume you "play" (compete) in either tournaments or gambling somewhere in your area. You should buy the table that "mirrors" where you "play". It does you no good to be "king" of (and ONLY) your basement.

This would make the decision for me also. I would want a little tighter pockets for my home table though.
 
Maybe I missed comment re this, but 2300 is on the damn steep end for a used gold crown 1-4.
I hope the quoted price is installed and ready to play...simonis 860 and a set of good used balls.

I would not sell my GC IV for $2300. If the table is in excellent condition that is not a bad price.
If I was buying a used table I would replace the cushions at this point. Take that into consideration.....and add into the cost.
 
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Advice

The price for each table includes delivery (120 miles one way),set up (flight of stairs), new Simonis 860 cloth, new set of Aramith premier balls and two cues. I dont currently play in a league but I would like to. The only problem with league play is all the cigarette smoke. I think people play pool in between smoking. Why do you have to shim the pockets on on GC?
 
Table choice

Take a saturday road trip look at the table decide which one you like. If I couldn't make it to look at the table, I would try to have somebody I trust look at it. And for gods sake don't shim the pockets! Extend the subrails. For those that want to bash me for that comment, search the ask a mechanic section.

My.02 from an 8' GCII with extended subrails.
 
The price for each table includes delivery (120 miles one way),set up (flight of stairs), new Simonis 860 cloth, new set of Aramith premier balls and two cues. I dont currently play in a league but I would like to. The only problem with league play is all the cigarette smoke. I think people play pool in between smoking. Why do you have to shim the pockets on on GC?

You don't have to shim the pockets necessarily, only if they are too big for your liking. If you are looking for a table with tighter pockets, it is more likely a GC would have to be tightened than a Diamond because pro cut Diamonds come from the factory with 4 1/2" pockets, and play difficult because of the deep shelf slate. So if the table you are looking at is a pro-cut Diamond you probably would be OK, unless you'd like them bigger. A regular Diamond I believe comes with 4 .75" pockets and this is probably still OK. Gold Crowns came from the factory mostly with 5" pockets until the GC5 Tournament Edition. But ask the seller because the GC you are looking at easily could have been already tightened somewhere in time. For example, if you were buying my GC4 you would be getting 4.25" pockets with sub-rail extensions. So don't assume you will have to tighten the pockets even if that's what you want.

Many people don't want tighter pockets and maybe you're one of them. It's an individual thing. There's two schools of thought on this and neither is wrong for you.

Having said that, if you want to bring them in anything more than just a touch, shimming is not the preferred way to go. It's a less expensive way for sure. Don't get me wrong, many people double and triple shim their tables, but it won't play as well around the pockets as it would if done properly. That way to tighten pockets is to have a qualified mechanic extend the sub-rails, but this is extra work and means new cushions so it's money. That's what I mentioned in a previous post. But if you're OK with shimming it is not that expensive when done during set up.
 
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Ball Return

I forgot to mention that the Diamond is equipped with ball return. Does this help or hurt the value. I now understand what you mean by shimming the pockets. I never knew this was done to pool tables. It is always good to learn something new. Thanks
 
get a good mechanic!

No matter what table you end up with, make sure you hire somebody that knows what they're doing to move and install the table.

Where are you located? There's a lot of good mechanics out there and we can recommend a good one for you :yeah:
 
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