Played on my First Diamond Table Today

MDSPHOTO

MDSPHOTO

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Since Diamond's are highly praised here on AZ I decided to find a place that had one. Got to play some 8-ball and 9- ball and enjoyed myself. However, I didn't really notice any difference from other tables I've played on. Granted I'm nothing more than a recreational player, but what quality differences should I have noticed as compared to other brands of tables?
 
You may have noticed that you could shoot from any place with your cue touching the
table....no metal or plastic to grab or nick your cue.
...and Diamond pockets are the best pockets I ever fired a ball into.

Basically, a Diamond is a Gold Crown with a lot of the bugs taken out.
....no nameplate or score marker to cut your cue and your knuckles...
....no raised pocket molding to also assault your cue and hands...
...no plastic pockets that grab your cue so you have to get your thumb under the shaft.

It's known as a player's table....designed by players.
 
pt109 said:
You may have noticed that you could shoot from any place with your cue touching the
table....no metal or plastic to grab or nick your cue.
...and Diamond pockets are the best pockets I ever fired a ball into.

Basically, a Diamond is a Gold Crown with a lot of the bugs taken out.
....no nameplate or score marker to cut your cue and your knuckles...
....no raised pocket molding to also assault your cue and hands...
...no plastic pockets that grab your cue so you have to get your thumb under the shaft.

It's known as a player's table....designed by players.
Click to expand...

What he said. Love playing on them.
 
pt109 said:
You may have noticed that you could shoot from any place with your cue touching the
table....no metal or plastic to grab or nick your cue.
...and Diamond pockets are the best pockets I ever fired a ball into.

Basically, a Diamond is a Gold Crown with a lot of the bugs taken out.
....no nameplate or score marker to cut your cue and your knuckles...
....no raised pocket molding to also assault your cue and hands...
...no plastic pockets that grab your cue so you have to get your thumb under the shaft.

It's known as a player's table....designed by players.
Click to expand...

Thanks, I will be more mindful of those differences as I play on more tables.
 
The Diamond to me feels more stable. When I bump my body into a GC, there is a tiny bit of give. When I do the same to a Diamond, it hurts my body.

Another thing to look at is the aesthetics of the table. Diamond tables (unless they are the old ones from the 90's with solid wood rails), will look almost new many years into commercial service. In comparison, GC's, after just 2 or 3 yrs, will be all dinged up from commercial use.

The biggest cons over the years with Diamonds is a lot of players don't like the way the balls react off of the rails (too fast, and slightly different angle) than GC's. This has been improved over the years, but its still slightly different than most other tables.

The second is the material used inside the pockets leave severe black marks all over the balls. This too has been improved recently.
 
pt109 said:
....no nameplate or score marker to cut your cue and your knuckles...
....no raised pocket molding to also assault your cue and hands...
...no plastic pockets that grab your cue so you have to get your thumb under the shaft.
Click to expand...

Like the features found in a GC IV or V? So you might would want to specify which GC's when comparing.

The GC V's price is what kills it. Double the price of a Diamond table.
 
flyvirginiaguy said:
Like the features found in a GC IV or V? So you might would want to specify which GC's when comparing.

The GC V's price is what kills it. Double the price of a Diamond table.
Click to expand...

I've played a lot on GC IVs......big improvement, but you still have to protect your cue
any where near a pocket.....metal and plastic.
.......haven't played on a V

I got a lot of playing hours on Gold Crowns....and I like them....I like Anniversaries even more.
But they do have bugs that Diamond solved
 
pt109 said:
I've played a lot on GC IVs......big improvement, but you still have to protect your cue

any where near a pocket.....metal and plastic.

.......haven't played on a V



I got a lot of playing hours on Gold Crowns....and I like them....I like Anniversaries even more.

But they do have bugs that Diamond solved
Click to expand...


Agree. GC4 is my home table and the table I play most on in pool halls. The metal castings stick up on more than half of them about 1/16" to 1/8" leaving a very sharp metal corner to shoot over.
 
Diamond tables are tougher than most tables. If you want to beat the table play the Diamond. If you want to beat the opponent or just enjoy yourself play the other tables. If all tables were Diamond there would be no pool!
 
iusedtoberich said:
The Diamond to me feels more stable. When I bump my body into a GC, there is a tiny bit of give. When I do the same to a Diamond, it hurts my body.
.
Click to expand...

This makes me wonder if you have some loose bolts somewhere. I often tried nudging my GCII with my thigh to get a hanger to fall, I was never even close to successful, it surprises me how stable the table really is. It is easy to do this on a Valley, probably because the table is light by comparisons sake.
 
flyvirginiaguy said:
Like the features found in a GC IV or V? So you might would want to specify which GC's when comparing.

The GC V's price is what kills it. Double the price of a Diamond table.
Click to expand...
I very vaguely recall a thread from a few years ago where it was posted that anyone who knows how to shop for a new GC properly should be able to shave literally several thousands from the. M.S.R.P.
 
With Diamond tables, I've noticed that the pockets are smaller than say, Brunswick tables. Like other members earlier have said, everything is flattened and smoothed out on the rails, no brand name badges that stick out etc. I especially appreciate the pocket material, some brands use metal or some type of plastic that stains my shaft.

It's too bad Diamond tables are pretty pricey compared to the other brands, that's the only downfall I can think of.
 
I had played on FS diamonds before - no problem. Last year I went to SBE and hooked up with some buddies at 11am and played. Caused my buddy to ask me - " are u f'd up¿¿??? Took me half hour plus to get used to Dia BB.
 
MDSPHOTO said:
Since Diamond's are highly praised here on AZ I decided to find a place that had one. Got to play some 8-ball and 9- ball and enjoyed myself. However, I didn't really notice any difference from other tables I've played on. Granted I'm nothing more than a recreational player, but what quality differences should I have noticed as compared to other brands of tables?
Click to expand...

This brings to mind a question, how good do you have to play to pay attention to and notice how different equipment plays? I mean to a beginner a table is a table is a table and a cue is a cue. To an A player a cue is what shaft/tip/wrap/balance/taper is the thing and tables is what cloth/how level/pocket cut/rail brand and model/how humid is it.

A Diamond Pro or Pro Am play pretty speedy compared to many tables, the pockets are cut differently and the shelf is longer, causing some shots that may go in on a standard other table to hang up. The rails are also bouncier.

For me going from a standard GC or other table to a Diamond I need to play either an extra rail for shape or hit many shots a lot softer that I like to.
 
flyvirginiaguy said:
Considering the GC V is about 10-11K retail (depending on options), I feel the Diamond table is quite the bargain as compared.
Click to expand...


The GC 4 was something like 8 k retail. And the GC 5 maybe 10k like you said.

But the real question is what is the actual price if you were to walk in a store and buy one new? If I walked in the store with 5k in cash, showed it to the salesman, and said I want a new GC for this money, would he say yes? This might be a case of 40% off MSRP, etc.

I don't know the answer to this...
 
iusedtoberich said:
The GC 4 was something like 8 k retail. And the GC 5 maybe 10k like you said.

But the real question is what is the actual price if you were to walk in a store and buy one new? If I walked in the store with 5k in cash, showed it to the salesman, and said I want a new GC for this money, would he say yes? This might be a case of 40% off MSRP, etc.

I don't know the answer to this...
Click to expand...

In 07 the new GC 4's were around 8K MSRP and there was about $750 wiggle room in Denver if memory serves. I ordered and custom Diamond for $4700 delivered.
 
Cuebuddy said:
In 07 the new GC 4's were around 8K MSRP and there was about $750 wiggle room in Denver if memory serves. I ordered and custom Diamond for $4700 delivered.
Click to expand...

I was just quoted 6600 for a new 9ft diamond pro-am delivered and setup. Have not tried to negotiate yet. About 1K of that is shipping and install cost.
 
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