Manufacture Advice

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RedAce8

New member
All – So I grew up playing on a less than professional table, but always loved to play, Finally have the space / budget to own and have been looking at various new / used options.

Personal preference is to have a table the looks nice and plays well. I’m never going to be a pro, but might join a league if I can get good enough. I want a table that will hold up, no preference on new /used, or import vs USA Built. Just looking to get everything bought / installed under 2k. Would love to own a diamond, but can't afford it :D


So I’m searching for input on a few manufactures I’ve seen:

American Heritage – (I’ve read numerous bad things, just curious if this is import bias. And there always seems to be a ton on craigslist)

Presidential Billiards - (Seen a couple new / used, no real feedback)

Beach - ( Haven’t found much on these)

Brunswick - (Contender specifically, used but after moving same cost as new)

Appreciate any input.
 
RedAce8 said:
All – So I grew up playing on a less than professional table, but always loved to play, Finally have the space / budget to own and have been looking at various new / used options.

Personal preference is to have a table the looks nice and plays well. I’m never going to be a pro, but might join a league if I can get good enough. I want a table that will hold up, no preference on new /used, or import vs USA Built. Just looking to get everything bought / installed under 2k. Would love to own a diamond, but can't afford it :D


So I’m searching for input on a few manufactures I’ve seen:

American Heritage – (I’ve read numerous bad things, just curious if this is import bias. And there always seems to be a ton on craigslist)

Presidential Billiards - (Seen a couple new / used, no real feedback)

Beach - ( Haven’t found much on these)

Brunswick - (Contender specifically, used but after moving same cost as new)

Appreciate any input.
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Send a PM to Club Billiards (Josh).
I believe he has some Diamonds for sale close to your price range.
 
I'd go with a Gold Crown. You should be able to find a GC3 or earlier in your price range. Where do you live?
 
If you can afford to get a diamond by all means do it you wont regret it. If not you should have no problem affording a gold crown 1,2 or 3

Best of luck on your search
 
If you're able to afford it, go with a Diamond or a Gold Crown, over pretty much anything,although there are alot of the old antique Brunswick's that are solid wood and in good shape,too that can be found with just a little bit of work.
There's a reason they are always in such high demand, and you won't ever regret it.
Plus, if you ever find that you need to part company with your table, there's pretty much a waiting list to get one!
Other than that, getting it set up CORRECTLY will save you alot o headaches down the road as well.
If you're near Josh, I'd contact him...
 
So GC and diamond are the top, no question.

I’m assuming Brunswick and Olhausen are second tier…

Are no other tables worth the price?
 
RedAce8 said:
So GC and diamond are the top, no question.

I’m assuming Brunswick and Olhausen are second tier…

Are no other tables worth the price?
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Not quite. GC (Gold Crown) is Brunswick. The Gold Crown is Brunswick's top of the line table, built primarily for commercial (pool halls) purposes. Brunswick has more expensive tables made primarily for home use that use more expensive woods and fabrication to go with home decor, but the Gold Crown is their best playing table, period.

So, Diamond's (the "Professional and "Pro-Am" models) and Brunswick Gold Crowns are the top tier. Everything else is pretty much below those.
 
RedAce8 said:
What about a vitalie table? Are they any good?
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This is kind of a trick question. it real depends on the table. take World of Leisure for example, twenty years ago they made a great home table, now there tables are imported from china. over the last 10 years they have switched chinese suppliers about 3-4 times, some of them good and some of them bad. it would be hard to say that World of Leisure tables are good or bad without having more information. And the same thing goes with several manufactures.
 
Don't rule out an old Gandy Big G. They are built like tanks and you can find them for around $900-1400 (plus add about $300 for delivery/setup). The $900 one you'd most likely have to replace the rails and cloth (around $400) vs being able to reuse the rails/cloth on the $1400 one. The biggest complaint about the Big G's is their pocket size (buckets) but a decent mechanic can easily extend the subrails on it to tighten them up.

Brian
 
btoneill said:
Don't rule out an old Gandy Big G. They are built like tanks and you can find them for around $900-1400 (plus add about $300 for delivery/setup). The $900 one you'd most likely have to replace the rails and cloth (around $400) vs being able to reuse the rails/cloth on the $1400 one. The biggest complaint about the Big G's is their pocket size (buckets) but a decent mechanic can easily extend the subrails on it to tighten them up.

Brian
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To expand (and this applies to any table, not just a Gandy), if you are looking at two tables that are otherwise the same except one is more money and has new cushions and one is less but needs new cushions AND, you are planning on having the pockets tightened the correct way, then you might as well buy the less expensive table since you will need to buy new cushions anyway.
 
DogsPlayingPool said:
To expand (and this applies to any table, not just a Gandy), if you are looking at two tables that are otherwise the same except one is more money and has new cushions and one is less but needs new cushions AND, you are planning on having the pockets tightened the correct way, then you might as well buy the less expensive table since you will need to buy new cushions anyway.
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Yup, or you can do what I did an get one with decent condition rails and decent cloth for an in between price with the plan to redo them all in 6 months when it's not freaking 90+ degrees outside (table is in the garage). I can't wait to get the pockets to 4 3/8" (they are 5" right now).

Brian
 
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