Pool tables

D

Demetris_gr

Registered
Hello everyone,

First of all, let me say that I really like the community here. Even though I play pool myself, I was surprised with the maturity and the number of nice ppl around here.

I know that many of you have pool tables at home or own pool halls and since I am looking forward to buy one, I have a couple of questions for you.

1) Is it better to buy a new or a second hand and most of all, how much the price of a pool table is dropping over the years? I mean if you buy a 3,000$ table, how much its value will drop after 2, 5, 10 years?

2) How much it costs to move a table? Is it really hard to assemble one by yourself?

3) What you think should someone look for in a table?

Thanks a lot :)
 
Demetris_gr said:
1) Is it better to buy a new or a second hand and most of all, how much the price of a pool table is dropping over the years? I mean if you buy a 3,000$ table, how much its value will drop after 2, 5, 10 years?

2) How much it costs to move a table? Is it really hard to assemble one by yourself?

3) What you think should someone look for in a table?

Thanks a lot :)
Click to expand...
Welcome to the site. I think you will find that most generally people are helpful, but with any community, you will a few village idiots. I'll let you decide for yourself who they are.

1)Depends on the size, brand and age. You can pick up a good 9ft Gold Crown (brunswick) anywhere from $750-$2500. I bought one for $1000, twelve years ago. I could sell it for that much or more today. Today, a new Gold Crown sells for around $8500 and suspect that a Diamond sells for about the same. Pool tables are like cars (when buying new), the price drops drastically once they leave the showroom floor. Used tables hold their value well, if you take care of them.

2) With help, you can set up the table yourself, but leave the leveling, covering the seams and reclothing to the professional. This cost me $350 a few months ago to have all this done. That did not include the cloth...that is another $200. Simonis 860 is the most poplular cloth. The color is a personal preference.

3) Reputation. I think Brunswick and Diamond are the two most popular. There are other well-built models in the market, but these are the two most popular, unless you are looking for something smaller. Valley and Diamond are two popular branded 7ft tables.

Check ebay from time to time for a good used table. Even if you have the cushions replaced, buying a used table can be very cost effective.

Good luck and keep us posted and ask if you have any questions.
Mattman
 
Demetris_gr said:
Hello everyone,

First of all, let me say that I really like the community here. Even though I play pool myself, I was surprised with the maturity and the number of nice ppl around here.

I know that many of you have pool tables at home or own pool halls and since I am looking forward to buy one, I have a couple of questions for you.

1) Is it better to buy a new or a second hand and most of all, how much the price of a pool table is dropping over the years? I mean if you buy a 3,000$ table, how much its value will drop after 2, 5, 10 years?

2) How much it costs to move a table? Is it really hard to assemble one by yourself?

3) What you think should someone look for in a table?

Thanks a lot :)
Click to expand...
The Diamond ProAm series of tables is the best that can be bought today. And, unlike most other manufactured tables, they actually drop very little in value from new to used reguardless of their age. This is not the same with any other Diamond tables, though Diamond tables have the best re-sale value on the market. The ProAm's are a new breed of tables, and no manufacture to date has tried to copy them, I don't think they ever will either.

Glen
 
so I guess that a table loses some value the moment it becomes used, but after that its value doesn't drop a lot over the years.

thanks for the replies, were helpful.
 
I look at quality tables (Gold Crowns/Diamonds/Kim Steele)like buying a Porche...expensive in the begining yes, but they will hold value over time. You will never get full face value, but theres nothing like getting your new table home uncrating it, putting it together, and hitting the first ball.:D

Gerry
 
Demetris_gr said:
Hello everyone,

First of all, let me say that I really like the community here. Even though I play pool myself, I was surprised with the maturity and the number of nice ppl around here.

I know that many of you have pool tables at home or own pool halls and since I am looking forward to buy one, I have a couple of questions for you.

1) Is it better to buy a new or a second hand and most of all, how much the price of a pool table is dropping over the years? I mean if you buy a 3,000$ table, how much its value will drop after 2, 5, 10 years?

2) How much it costs to move a table? Is it really hard to assemble one by yourself?

3) What you think should someone look for in a table?

Thanks a lot :)
Click to expand...

1) If you're looking to save a few bucks, buy used. There are plenty of tables out there that are going for a bargain. Some folks unload their table after realizing it is gathering dust or is just used to fold the laundry. As long as the slate is intact, you sould be fine. Btw, slate is supposed to stay true and flat for 200 years.

2) Don't know about cost.

3) Look for a quality brand like those previously mentioned.
 
You can look for a good table on craigslist.org just click on the city where you live and look every day. I live in the dallas area and there is usually anywhere from 5 to 10 table listed every day. Most are cheap tables but if you take your time you can find a treasure on there at a good price. I bought on old AMF grand prix os8 for two hundred bucks not long ago. It is a very solid a table that just needed some new cloth as it had sat in someones house uncovered and not is use for about ten years. I have s good friend that used to be a table mechanic so he was able to order me new cloth at a good price and help me set it up the right way. We actually finished it up late last night and I can start practicing every day again. Ebay is not bad either but I am not very comfortable bidding on a table that I have not personally looked at.

Good luck with your search just remember to be patient.

Gary
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top