Pool tables made in China and sold in US

whitewolf

whitewolf

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I am so disgusted from dealing with these people that I gave away my 9' Chinese pool table today.

I hired a second company to come put new Simonis and Championship rails and level the table, but at the end of all this it was discovered too late that the slate was not centered on the wood underneath properly, or that there could possible be a manufacturer's defect. They said the the leveling job may not hold and sure enough, about a month later, the end slated again moved away from the center slate like a glacier becomming an orphan in a global warming.

The 'people made in China' did not call me back after they said they would, so all I can say at this point is 'buyer beware'. I have chosen not to mention any names.

On the bright side I have ordered a new Diamond Pro with 4 and 1/4" pockets!

I didn't know that the Diamond Pro tables at the US were only 4 and 9/16" pockets (larger than I thought that I had read about), but with a cut that makes them play tight. The salesman said that after the US Open the tables were shipped to Vegas and that the very same players (now playing one pocket) who had played on them in Va remarked that these Diamond tables in Vegas were much more forgiving. The salesman told these players that they had been dissembled in VA and reassembled in Vegas, the exact same tables. The reason they played so much tougher in VA Beach was due to the humidity.

Scott, come buy and see us next time your are in. You may use the table if you let us watch :D

WW
 
Is it an internet table? I've been seeing these on the road lately. Half the time the slate is busted or the table is so screwey for us to fix it they could of spent a few more and got one of ours.

It's more than likely an imperial also. Those are the better of the "China" tables.

Brunswick doesn't even make their tables in America anymore. (With the exception of the GC4). I have a picture that shows a picture of a Brunswick box. It says "Made with American Pride". Or something along those lines. Then in big bold letters on the box it says "Made in China".
 
The fact that it was made in China does not make it a bad table. The fact that it was probably a very inexpensive table probably has a lot more to do with it. You usually get what you pay for. I have heard that a very highly regarded cue manufacturer has moved production to China. We will see if there is any change in quality.
Bottom line...if you buy a Diamond, Brunswick, Olhausen, you can be pretty sure you are getting a quality table. If you buy one from Acme Pool Table Company (Yes, I still love the road-runner cartoons!), you might not get the results you expected. And if you are depending on the sales person in the store to educate you, you will learn exactly what they want you to know.
Steve
 
smittie1984 said:
Brunswick doesn't even make their tables in America anymore. It says "Made with American Pride. Then in big bold letters on the box it says "Made in China".
Click to expand...

Perhaps this is the main reason he chose not to mention the manufacturer of the table.
 
gimme a break

comparing brunswick, who you guys say make every table but their gold crown in china, to the many other brands made in china is ridiculous. the quality of product of the imperial, LA tables and many other products coming from there are not even close to what brunswick's are. I admit that the brunswick product quality has dropped over the years but doesn't put them in the same class as the rest of the crap coming from over there.
 
..mmmm..china is a developing country..you should have known better than to
expect precision quality........
 
Right on the mark

pooltchr said:
The fact that it was made in China does not make it a bad table. The fact that it was probably a very inexpensive table probably has a lot more to do with it. You usually get what you pay for. I have heard that a very highly regarded cue manufacturer has moved production to China. We will see if there is any change in quality.
Bottom line...if you buy a Diamond, Brunswick, Olhausen, you can be pretty sure you are getting a quality table. If you buy one from Acme Pool Table Company (Yes, I still love the road-runner cartoons!), you might not get the results you expected. And if you are depending on the sales person in the store to educate you, you will learn exactly what they want you to know.
Steve
Click to expand...
As a retailer of pool tables I have seen the % of tables (from China) sold go from 2% to over 50% in less than a decade. Americans want cheap. PERIOD. They also SAY they want top quality. But a vast majority when having to make a choice between the two usually go for cheaper, not better. There are a lot of companies that deal ONLY on Ebay and internet sites. Why? Because no retailer wants to deal with all the headaches of trying to fix a table that is poorly engineered and poorly constructed. Pool table prices have not kept up with inflation. A table that costs $800 20 years ago now only costs $1300 or so. That's because they have to take more and more shortcuts to keep the prices down. That includes importing or subcontracting work. This makes it cheaper, not better. Thats why products from overseas will make up most of the items in our homes. Americans complain about not having high paying manufacturing base here and then spend thier money to erode it even further. These trends are even more so in the cue industry. Chinese cues imported went from about 5% ten years ago to about 50% of our stock now. It will keep going up I am sure. :(


PS. I am not a Diamond dealer, but would recommend them above anyone else for quality of product, great service to the customer, great service to our industry in supporting tournaments and education programs. Diamonds are more expensive than a copyright violating, pressed board, toxic glue, child labor produced Chinese table, but you will be happy for decades to come. That is unlikey with Chinese tables at this point. Not impossible, but unlikely.
 
C&C
I agree. And I meant no disrespect to sales people in my post. They are paid to sell pool tables, and they do this by pointing out different features to the buyer. But if the buyer doesn't understand why solid wood framing is better than prestwood, most sales people aren't going to explain it if they are trying to sell a cheap table.
As for the tables on the internet, many installers I know tell me they will charge double for these tables, because they are so difficult to get the parts to fit together properly.
It's tough to convince people that in order to get high quality, they will have to pay for it. And I would guess the majority of customers are looking for something that will look pretty in their den, and have friends over to hit some balls. The people who frequent a forum like this are probably not the average pool table customer.
Steve
 
Double for Internet (Ebay) tables.

We charge $225 to set up most tables...$400 for internet tables. Right at about 50% of tables bought off Ebay require two service calls because of missing parts, wrong parts. We just did a table last month. Factory sent a bedcloth that was 70 inches LONG. They said to stretch it the other 2 1/2 feet! (we called the 1-800 number to ask them). Seriously. But hey...they got a great deal! That's what is important right?
 
smittie1984 said:
Is it an internet table? I've been seeing these on the road lately. Half the time the slate is busted or the table is so screwey for us to fix it they could of spent a few more and got one of ours.

It's more than likely an imperial also. Those are the better of the "China" tables.

Brunswick doesn't even make their tables in America anymore. (With the exception of the GC4). I have a picture that shows a picture of a Brunswick box. It says "Made with American Pride". Or something along those lines. Then in big bold letters on the box it says "Made in China".
Click to expand...

Hello, the Brunswick GC4 is made in Brazil, not the USA. The rubber is made in China and the slate comes from South America or China. It is really a joke when you look at the price. The only tables that I know of that are currently made in the USA are Olhousen and Kasson, these are also the only tables that still come with Italian Slate.

Craig
 
pooltchr said:
C&C
I agree. And I meant no disrespect to sales people in my post. They are paid to sell pool tables, and they do this by pointing out different features to the buyer. But if the buyer doesn't understand why solid wood framing is better than prestwood, most sales people aren't going to explain it if they are trying to sell a cheap table.
As for the tables on the internet, many installers I know tell me they will charge double for these tables, because they are so difficult to get the parts to fit together properly.
It's tough to convince people that in order to get high quality, they will have to pay for it. And I would guess the majority of customers are looking for something that will look pretty in their den, and have friends over to hit some balls. The people who frequent a forum like this are probably not the average pool table customer.
Steve
Click to expand...
I understand the new Brunswick GC VI is also either made in China or the parts are from china and other countries and sent back stateside for assembly. Regardless of this, a new GC VI is about 15K. Whats your opinion of the quality of a new Brunswick GC VI?
 
liveatsea said:
I understand the new Brunswick GC VI is also either made in China or the parts are from china and other countries and sent back stateside for assembly. Regardless of this, a new GC VI is about 15K. Whats your opinion of the quality of a new Brunswick GC VI?
Click to expand...
how did you find an EIGHTEEN yr old thread?? while i'm here i'll chip in: the 6 is made by Yalin in China. Last US made GC was the 2. From the 3 on B'wick outsourced the sub-components and then assembled them in Bristol. 6 info: https://www.google.com/search?q=Gol..._ALQQrQIoBHoECCAQBQ&biw=1408&bih=653&dpr=1.36
 
garczar said:
how did you find an EIGHTEEN yr old thread?? while i'm here i'll chip in: the 6 is made by Yalin in China. Last US made GC was the 2. From the 3 on B'wick outsourced the sub-components and then assembled them in Bristol. 6 info: https://www.google.com/search?q=Gol..._ALQQrQIoBHoECCAQBQ&biw=1408&bih=653&dpr=1.36
Click to expand...
I didn't look at the date, WOW, Well whats your opinion of the new GC VI? I find it hard to believe its a trash or not quality table especially at over 15K. If brunswicks went overs seas in 1971 or around there, then I never played on an American made brunswick anyway.
 
liveatsea said:
I didn't look at the date, WOW, Well whats your opinion of the new GC VI? I find it hard to believe its a trash or not quality table especially at over 15K. If brunswicks went overs seas in 1971 or around there, then I never played on an American made brunswick anyway.
Click to expand...
I've heard complaints about fit and finish and quality control. I would never pay that for a brunswick. I would buy a Diamond or even a Rasson first.
Now the is a rumor of a well know table mechanic working with Brunswick on the GC7 but who knows.
 
liveatsea said:
I understand the new Brunswick GC VI is also either made in China or the parts are from china and other countries and sent back stateside for assembly. Regardless of this, a new GC VI is about 15K. Whats your opinion of the quality of a new Brunswick GC VI?
Click to expand...
I'd buy a used diamond and go on a luxury Alaskan cruise.
 
liveatsea said:
I didn't look at the date, WOW, Well whats your opinion of the new GC VI? I find it hard to believe its a trash or not quality table especially at over 15K. If brunswicks went overs seas in 1971 or around there, then I never played on an American made brunswick anyway.
Click to expand...
did you look at the pics????? message that guy that bought one. i thought his take was pretty clear. NO WAY i'd pay anything close to what they want for one. Look for a good used one(i like 4's best) do a subrail mod if you want tighter wickets, new cloth, maybe rubber too and you're good for less than a new one.
 
garczar said:
did you look at the pics????? message that guy that bought one. i thought his take was pretty clear. NO WAY i'd pay anything close to what they want for one. Look for a good used one(i like 4's best) do a subrail mod if you want tighter wickets, new cloth, maybe rubber too and you're good for less than a new one.
Click to expand...
Yes I did, I have to hope that was a bad mechanic or installer. I certainly would be upset about that for sure and demand that be taken care of. Thanks for your advise to all, I will definitely stay with a Diamond. The resale is a good point also. Id love to tour the factory also.
 
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