Opinions: Ball Return or NO

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sodly

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I'm looking for a Brunswick Gold Crown 1 table. I'm wondering what people think about a ball-return tables vs no ball return. I like the convenience of a ball return but I remember as a kid having an old Brunswick Celebrity, I think it was, in our basement and the ball return was really noisy. I'm thinking if people were watching TV nearby it could be annoying listening to the balls roll down the troughs and crash into the ball box every time a ball is pocketed. What say you?

Does anyone have photos of the ball return mechanism on a GC1? Wondering what it looks like. Were the skirts below the colored aprons added to hide this mechanism? Why were the skirts optional? Thanks!
 
My old table didn’t have a ball return. My new one does. I love the ball return because I don’t like retrieving balls from pockets.

My wife hates the ball return because it is stupid loud.


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If you play a lot of 1 pocket, ball return sucks. Too easy to lose track of the count especially in handicap situations.

On the other hand, if you play anything else, ball return is awesome as you just go to one place to get the balls.
 
i prefer no ball return

i planned on practicing straight pool at home and thought i would enjoy a ball return on my kling


i much preferred drop pockets,i sold the kling and bought a centennial
 
A neighbor had a ball return table. Often unplayable because his grandkids kept jamming up the return by shoving toys down the pockets. Something to consider...
 
I have drop pockets but not by choice. I couldn't get ball return on my table. I HATE drop pockets! I play Straight Pool at home and having to go around to all the pockets pulling balls out is just plain nuts. Except for a Snooker table I never saw drop pockets on pool room tables until I moved to the South. The place I played in for 25 years had 28 tables, all with ball returns.

Edit: I have table spots at both ends, too!
 
Drop pockets. Here's why.... once every couple of weeks you can rack on the opposite end. Increases cloth life. Increases cushion life too. Look at the foot rail on a well worn table. You will see wear marks on the cloth where the balls hit on almost every break. That area of the cushion gets a lot more wear and tear.

Also there is the rack marks... where you slide the balls up into position. Those will disappear after a while if you don't let them get to bad.
 
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sodly said:
I'm looking for a Brunswick Gold Crown 1 table. I'm wondering what people think about a ball-return tables vs no ball return. I like the convenience of a ball return but I remember as a kid having an old Brunswick Celebrity, I think it was, in our basement and the ball return was really noisy. I'm thinking if people were watching TV nearby it could be annoying listening to the balls roll down the troughs and crash into the ball box every time a ball is pocketed. What say you?

Does anyone have photos of the ball return mechanism on a GC1? Wondering what it looks like. Were the skirts below the colored aprons added to hide this mechanism? Why were the skirts optional? Thanks!
Click to expand...

The skirts covered the ball return tracks or the drop pockets. My table came with a ball return, I converted to a drop pocket as I don't play straight pool. I did leave the ball return box installed though, I like the looks of it.

I didn't realize the plastic skirts were optional? I thought all GC1 and 2 came with them...

Ian
 
i have a gold crown 1 with a ball return
i really like it
its not that noisy although i was told if you put a piece of carpet to line the return it dampens the noise of the balls falling into the bottom
as for one pocket the shelves above it allow you to keep your balls on your side and his on his side
although i have to use a piece of chalk to divide the 2 shelves above the tray
and play with people who wont put your balls on his side....
 
sodly said:
I'm looking for a Brunswick Gold Crown 1 table. I'm wondering what people think about a ball-return tables vs no ball return. I like the convenience of a ball return but I remember as a kid having an old Brunswick Celebrity, I think it was, in our basement and the ball return was really noisy. I'm thinking if people were watching TV nearby it could be annoying listening to the balls roll down the troughs and crash into the ball box every time a ball is pocketed. What say you?

Does anyone have photos of the ball return mechanism on a GC1? Wondering what it looks like. Were the skirts below the colored aprons added to hide this mechanism? Why were the skirts optional? Thanks!
Click to expand...
Yes, often the skirts on the GC1's are missing, as they likely got busted or taken off, then lost. They basically just served to cover up the return system. If you find a GC1 without skirts, Ken at Classic Billiards will sell you a set of skirts to go with it.

I prefer drop pocket tables in a poolroom, as a player and as a proprietor. Much quieter, much easier on the balls, much less maintenance and problems from a proprietor's viewpoint. Also, as you get older, leaning over to get the balls out of the ball box is much harder than going around the table to pull out the balls out of the pockets - LOL!
 
I prefer ball return...a lot
No guessing where the balls are...I like straight pool...
...and the balls rumbling down the tracks is music to my ears...
...unless one of those ball is white...:angry:
 
Ball return, all the way.

I cut a piece of middle weight styrofoam for the ball box and it really quiets the drop from the gulley into it.

I have a gc and an azbro suggested a further damper- lining the runners with bicycle inner tubes. Sounds like simple genius...but I am too lazy to go about it.

Maybe when I get my table covered...
 
ball return all the way.

unless you're playing 1-p, i just do not get how people can stand drop pockets, much less prefer them; what a pitb.

it's not so bad for short rack rotation games, but for anything else drop pockets are a drag.
 
At home or in a pool hall - drop pocket.

In a bar or one of those hybrid sports bar-pool hall type places then I guess ball return.

But the real answer is it doesn't matter - just give me a good table.
 
Its interesting how strong opinions are on both sides. I bet it aligns with what was in the first pool hall you frequented and fell for the game. Mine was drop pockets and I much prefer this on a table. No bending over, if you are the breaker you empty top 2 and a side and the racker gets the bottom 2 and the other side.
 
xianmacx said:
Its interesting how strong opinions are on both sides. I bet it aligns with what was in the first pool hall you frequented and fell for the game. Mine was drop pockets and I much prefer this on a table. No bending over, if you are the breaker you empty top 2 and a side and the racker gets the bottom 2 and the other side.
Click to expand...
I always felt the racker (loser of previous game) gets the two corners where he's racking, and the breaker empties the other 4 pockets. This is the most time efficient way to do it, as it takes longer to rack the balls properly than it does to grab your break cue and prepare to break.
 
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