Predator table review, 2024 Expo

iusedtoberich

iusedtoberich

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I played on both the 7' and 9' Predator tables at the Expo. I liked them both very much. This is the first time I saw either table in person. I played on the 7' about 15 minutes, and the 9' about 5 minutes. Before playing the 9', I also watched a top USA pro shooting on it for 10 minutes and saw how the balls were reacting with my eyes.

Rails, the most important thing in a table, IMO. Both the 7' and 9' bounced properly. The cushion killed the speed of the balls slightly, about the same as a Gold Crown. No artificially high bounce. The angles were also proper.

Aesthetics of the 9': This table looked super good in person. It was very modern looking. I liked the pockets, and the contrasting color of the pocket. I also really liked the lighted legs. Online I didn't think the base looked that good. In person, I thought both the top and base looked great.

The 7' aesthetics were not as nice to me. Just so-so. It looked a bit "bulky".

The 7' (only) made a tinny sound when the ball hit the pocket. I think the pocket material was harder plastic, as opposed to softer rubber. Whatever it was, it was resonating, and that was the source of the sound. That's the only negative thing I experienced with the play of either table.

I talked to a pro there representing the booth, and also a Predator employee, and thanked them for making a table that the rails bounced properly. Both knew exactly what I was saying.

I don't know how these tables will hold up long term. However, based on my limited play on each one, I'd recommend either if you are looking to buy brand new.
 
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Buy one and then if it hasn’t collapsed into a pile in 5 years, then recommend it. These tables are just like everything else predator LABELS with their logo, low end crap. Predator doesn’t make anything, not tables, not chalk, not cloth, not cues. They get others to produce items and then put their logo on it, predator is a “brand”. You really need to get over your phobia about Diamond rails.
 
I played on a 9' table at Skyline for 20 minutes before I got kicked off because it was 'Jennifers" table. as far as I could tell it played about the same as a GC4 or blue label Diamond. The problem was when I looked down inside the pocket, I could see blue cloth sticking out from under the slate. The table looks weird and cheap to me, but it played well.
 
Colonel said:
Buy one and then if it hasn’t collapsed into a pile in 5 years, then recommend it. These tables are just like everything else predator LABELS with their logo, low end crap. Predator doesn’t make anything, not tables, not chalk, not cloth, not cues. They get others to produce items and then put their logo on it, predator is a “brand”. You really need to get over your phobia about Diamond rails.
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If looking new I definitely would. Diamond ruined pool. These tables are bringing it back.

To each his own;)
 
iusedtoberich said:
If looking new I definitely would. Diamond ruined pool. These tables are bringing it back.

To each his own;)
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A 'TAD' dramatic???? 'ruined pool' ?????????? Diamond sells tables literally faster than they can make them but a guy on a on-line forum says they killed pool. sorry bud but you are in a tiny minority. One ?: what has almighty B'wick done for pool in the last 30yrs? NADA is the answer. Diamond has done more for both the pro and am games than the 'Bristol Assembling Co.' could ever dream about.
 
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The big tables are made by SAM in Spain, same table as the K-Steel. They play ok but every mech. i've ever heard from or talked to can't stand to work on one. I have no clue who makes the barbox, i've heard SAM makes them too. I'm not going to be buying a new table anytime soon but if i was i wouldn't give those a-holes at Predator a damn dime for their junk.
 
They are not junk. I saw them up close and played on them. My opinion is just as valid as anyone else's.

I'm glad for the competition. I'm glad someone is making a table that plays proper. I don't care if they are made on the moon or if they subcontract out, or if they private label. They play proper is all I care about.

The Predator is a fine table if someone wants to buy. That's my review. I stand by it.
 
Predator is a marketing company that chooses to sell pool equipment.

Diamond’s vast dealer and installer network is enough reason to purchase them over the Predator tables. Predator doesn’t manufacture these tables and seems to have a very limited distribution network set up in the states so far. Getting any sort of after sales support is likely a nightmare unless you live near a local distributor.
 
Scrunge19 said:
Predator is a marketing company that chooses to sell pool equipment.
...snip...
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You are delusional. Predator redesigned the whole pool stick. Several times over the past 30 years. For the better. To say they are a marketing company completely ignores their entire history. They halved how much you need to adjust for spin.

Diamond redesigned tables into pin ball machines. The rest they did a great job: The materials, the sturdiness, the level, the transport and setup, the optical cue ball. The rails, they redesigned for the worse.

Anyway, I did not mean this to be a Diamond bashing thread. You guys made it into that.

The Predator table on its own merit plays great. I recommend it if looking for a new table.
 
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iusedtoberich said:
You are delusional. Predator redesigned the whole pool stick. Several times over the past 30 years. For the better. To say they are a marketing company completely ignores their entire history. They halved how much you need to adjust for spin.

Diamond redesigned tables into pin ball machines. The rest they did a great job: The materials, the sturdiness, the level, the transport and setup, the optical cue ball. The rails, they redesigned for the worse.

Anyway, I did not mean this to be a Diamond bashing thread. You guys made it into that.

The Predator table on its own merit plays great. I recommend it if looking for a new table.
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Please explain how they are pinball machines? I’ve been playing for almost 35 years and it’s by far the best 7 foot table ever made.
 
Diamond rails bounce artificially fast, and artificially short. The rest of the table is excellent, and 1000 times better than a Valley. That's why they took over from Valley.

I'm not the only one here who thinks this, but I'm certainly one of the most vocal about it.
 
iusedtoberich said:
Diamond rails bounce artificially fast, and artificially short. The rest of the table is excellent, and 1000 times better than a Valley. That's why they took over from Valley.

I'm not the only one here who thinks this, but I'm certainly one of the most vocal about it.
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I don’t know how it can be artificially fast and short. I get it, you hate Diamonds. I will say that I just played on a blue label at Rusty’s in Ft. Worth that had a strange bounce to it. I have no idea what happened to that table. I will say that I’ve played on several GC1-3 that had strange bounces. Not only that but the GC1-3 have scratched my cue butt and the pockets leave rubber streaks all over my shaft.

I’m currently trying to decide if I want to buy back my black GC4 or get a Diamond. Every tournament I’ve played the last several years have all been on Diamonds. Generally, the blue label Diamonds are the best tables made.
 
jtompilot said:
I don’t know how it can be artificially fast and short. I get it, you hate Diamonds. I will say that I just played on a blue label at Rusty’s in Ft. Worth that had a strange bounce to it. I have no idea what happened to that table. I will say that I’ve played on several GC1-3 that had strange bounces. Not only that but the GC1-3 have scratched my cue butt and the pockets leave rubber streaks all over my shaft.

I’m currently trying to decide if I want to buy back my black GC4 or get a Diamond. Every tournament I’ve played the last several years have all been on Diamonds. Generally, the blue label Diamonds are the best tables made.
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I think they play absurdly fast off the rails and extremely short.

But, it's what it is and if you want to compete it's what you have to learn to play on.

Lou Figueroa
dan't make it right
or for the best game
but we're stuck
 
lfigueroa said:
I think they play absurdly fast off the rails and extremely short.

But, it's what it is and if you want to compete it's what you have to learn to play on.

Lou Figueroa
dan't make it right
or for the best game
but we're stuck
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Here you have a very experienced player in all games, and a way better player than me at a 100 plus ball runner multiple times, and well travelled player. Lots of others agree with me/Lou/countless others too. It's just most of us got sick of speaking up about it.

Now we have an alternative in the commercial space. Predator. Not only does their table play properly, but they support the game more than any other company on the planet, and have consistently for 30 years now.
 
jtompilot said:
I’m currently trying to decide if I want to buy back my black GC4 or get a Diamond. Every tournament I’ve played the last several years have all been on Diamonds. Generally, the blue label Diamonds are the best tables made.
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Flip a coin. You’ll love either one. But you already know that
 
The Predator table is junk, especially the 7'. It looks cheap and every mechanic who's touched one says they aren't constructed very well and it's tough to get them right. Here's the inside of a 7'.

Screenshot 2024-04-21 at 7.00.04 AM.png


Plywood rails?

Screenshot 2024-04-21 at 7.05.56 AM.png


How about the cheap finish used on the rails? Do you think that would happen to a Diamond or Gold Crown Rail?

Screenshot 2024-04-21 at 7.06.14 AM.png


The 9' isn't much better. I'm not 100% certain on the rail construction but the finish materials are the same. The metal construction of the 9' also has its challenges. Remember Ernesto trying to fix the table roll at the Vegas event where Shaw forfeited a match because the tables were terrible? If I were in the market for a home table, Predator would be at the bottom of the list.
 
rexus31 said:
The Predator table is junk, especially the 7'. It looks cheap and every mechanic who's touched one says they aren't constructed very well and it's tough to get them right. Here's the inside of a 7'.

View attachment 754720

Plywood rails?

View attachment 754722

How about the cheap finish used on the rails? Do you think that would happen to a Diamond or Gold Crown Rail?

View attachment 754723

The 9' isn't much better. I'm not 100% certain on the rail construction but the finish materials are the same. The metal construction of the 9' also has its challenges. Remember Ernesto trying to fix the table roll at the Vegas event where Shaw forfeited a match because the tables were terrible? If I were in the market for a home table, Predator would be at the bottom of the list.
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Looks K-Mart or JC Higgins
 
rexus31 said:
The Predator table is junk, especially the 7'. It looks cheap and every mechanic who's touched one says they aren't constructed very well and it's tough to get them right. Here's the inside of a 7'.

View attachment 754720

Plywood rails?

View attachment 754722

How about the cheap finish used on the rails? Do you think that would happen to a Diamond or Gold Crown Rail?

View attachment 754723

The 9' isn't much better. I'm not 100% certain on the rail construction but the finish materials are the same. The metal construction of the 9' also has its challenges. Remember Ernesto trying to fix the table roll at the Vegas event where Shaw forfeited a match because the tables were terrible? If I were in the market for a home table, Predator would be at the bottom of the list.
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That busted laminate picture has been recirculating since 2020 or whenever it was first taken. I think the table was probably dropped on its side. I never saw another picture with that issue.

The construction what’s the issue? It has a lot of plywood dividers to distribute the loading. Looks decent to me for a small table.

The plywood rails I suppose the issue is staple retention over many recoverings?
 
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