questions about 9ft tables

K

kerrville nit

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
looking to buy new or used 9ft table. Do old GC play the same as newer models if the rails and slate are good. i see them all over the internet but dont know what to look for to insure a safe buy. I would like a new diamond but the old GC are thousands less. I have been away from pool a while and didnt know much about tables to begin with. Any input would be greatly appreciated, also can you just purchase a table from a tour stop.
I know this could be in wanted/ for sale but a would really like a mechanics opinion, thank you for your time.
 
Look through the archives and you'll find several examples of older Gold Crowns that have been refurbished with new cloth, cushions, subrail extensions, and other rail modifications.
So I guess to answer your question, yes indeed they can be made to play well. (you just need to be able to find the right guy to do it ;))

Where are you located?
 
The thing with GC's is they typically are older, so they've typically had more move/recovers/etc performed on them. Unfortunately, a lot of them have hardware problems that may not have been addressed in the past. You can find them in great condition if they've been well taken care of, but it seems like the higher percentage have been abused.

I personally feel like if you really want a Diamond, hold out and get a Diamond. If you want a Gold Crown, get one, but make sure everything is in good condition before you buy, or may put some money into having it brought back up to good condition.

You'll spend as much giving one table the playing characteristics of another as you would save on the table itself, so I would buy whichever one you prefer to play on.

Diamond does sell tables at the tour stops like Allen Hopkins, Derby City Classic, etc, so you can save a little there.

kerrville nit said:
looking to buy new or used 9ft table. Do old GC play the same as newer models if the rails and slate are good. i see them all over the internet but dont know what to look for to insure a safe buy. I would like a new diamond but the old GC are thousands less. I have been away from pool a while and didnt know much about tables to begin with. Any input would be greatly appreciated, also can you just purchase a table from a tour stop.
I know this could be in wanted/ for sale but a would really like a mechanics opinion, thank you for your time.
Click to expand...
 
thank you for the replys, im located in central texas, outside of San Antonio. Not many used 9ft tables for sale in this area. Do you have any idea of the names of some of the people i should talk to about buying one off of the tour stops
 
kerrville nit said:
thank you for the replys, im located in central texas, outside of San Antonio. Not many used 9ft tables for sale in this area. Do you have any idea of the names of some of the people i should talk to about buying one off of the tour stops
Click to expand...

Call Brian @ Diamond, 812-288-7665, as him about a tournament used 9ft ProAm. I'm going to be heading to TX real soon, as I have some work I need to do in Houston and San Antonio as well. The thing about buying a used Gold Crown is, if it cost you $2,500 to buy the table, then you invest another $1,500 to get it to play at it's best...you just spent enough money to buy a used Diamond:cool: spending money on a Gold Crown you already own is a different thing because you already own the table.

Glen, tell Brian I told you to call, and I might be able to bring a 9ft with me when I leave heading to TX.
 
kerrville nit said:
thank you for the replys, im located in central texas, outside of San Antonio. Not many used 9ft tables for sale in this area. Do you have any idea of the names of some of the people i should talk to about buying one off of the tour stops
Click to expand...

factor in shipping and set up costs when you look for a tour stop table
and you'll find you are better off getting one directly from Diamond
delivered to your home.

In the Austin area contact hookmehorns here on azbilliards as his crew
set up all the gold crowns for skinny bobs for last years texas open.

They did a good job on those tables, and you have been sent PM's
about an excellent deal I have available and I'm maybe 2 hours from you.

http://forums.azbilliards.com/showthread.php?t=244403&highlight=pool+tables

BTW: my table has the corner pocket openings pro cut like Diamonds.
They are not simply double shimmed, the rubber on the feather strips
was put in place with a jig for precise alignment as well as exactly
equal pocket widths (4 5/8) on all four corners, something rarely
accomplished by mechanics replacing rubber in the field.

Randy Smith is my table mechanic from Portland, Oregon and he has
quite a reputation. Call Russian Daves' room (golden fleece) in
Seattle, WA and ask them how much they like the job he did on
their Diamonds.

ask any table mechanic worth the job title, and they will tell you:

the cheaper the table, the more work it needs....



my experience is a $2000 gold crown takes another $1500 to make
it "right" again. This is why restored tables are a better value:

no hidden problems.
 
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Glenn is right on the money here. I have been looking hard for 1 year now and after getting the rails right the correct pro cushions and a pro install you will be right in the ball park for a world class table. I called Brian and got a quick response with price's.

Of course i told him Glenn sent me...





realkingcobra said:
Call Brian @ Diamond, 812-288-7665, as him about a tournament used 9ft ProAm. I'm going to be heading to TX real soon, as I have some work I need to do in Houston and San Antonio as well. The thing about buying a used Gold Crown is, if it cost you $2,500 to buy the table, then you invest another $1,500 to get it to play at it's best...you just spent enough money to buy a used Diamond:cool: spending money on a Gold Crown you already own is a different thing because you already own the table.

Glen, tell Brian I told you to call, and I might be able to bring a 9ft with me when I leave heading to TX.
Click to expand...
 
realkingcobra said:
Call Brian @ Diamond, 812-288-7665, as him about a tournament used 9ft ProAm. I'm going to be heading to TX real soon, as I have some work I need to do in Houston and San Antonio as well. The thing about buying a used Gold Crown is, if it cost you $2,500 to buy the table, then you invest another $1,500 to get it to play at it's best...you just spent enough money to buy a used Diamond:cool: spending money on a Gold Crown you already own is a different thing because you already own the table.

Glen, tell Brian I told you to call, and I might be able to bring a 9ft with me when I leave heading to TX.
Click to expand...

And then you'll still need a quality table light and cue case ;)
 
realkingcobra said:
Call Brian @ Diamond, 812-288-7665, as him about a tournament used 9ft ProAm. I'm going to be heading to TX real soon, as I have some work I need to do in Houston and San Antonio as well. The thing about buying a used Gold Crown is, if it cost you $2,500 to buy the table, then you invest another $1,500 to get it to play at it's best...you just spent enough money to buy a used Diamond:cool: spending money on a Gold Crown you already own is a different thing because you already own the table.

Glen, tell Brian I told you to call, and I might be able to bring a 9ft with me when I leave heading to TX.
Click to expand...

RKC is dead on the money here. I bought one 2 1/2 years ago instead of a gold crown that would need alot of work. I NEVER regretted that decision.
 
asiasdad said:
factor in shipping and set up costs when you look for a tour stop table
and you'll find you are better off getting one directly from Diamond
delivered to your home.

In the Austin area contact hookmehorns here on azbilliards as his crew
set up all the gold crowns for skinny bobs for last years texas open.

They did a good job on those tables, and you have been sent PM's
about an excellent deal I have available and I'm maybe 2 hours from you.

http://forums.azbilliards.com/showthread.php?t=244403&highlight=pool+tables

BTW: my table has the corner pocket openings pro cut like Diamonds.
They are not simply double shimmed, the rubber on the feather strips
was put in place with a jig for precise alignment as well as exactly
equal pocket widths (4 5/8) on all four corners, something rarely
accomplished by mechanics replacing rubber in the field.

Randy Smith is my table mechanic from Portland, Oregon and he has
quite a reputation. Call Russian Daves' room (golden fleece) in
Seattle, WA and ask them how much they like the job he did on
their Diamonds.

ask any table mechanic worth the job title, and they will tell you:

the cheaper the table, the more work it needs....



my experience is a $2000 gold crown takes another $1500 to make
it "right" again. This is why restored tables are a better value:

no hidden problems.
Click to expand...

Diamond's ProCut pockets are 4 1/2" in the corners and 5 1/16" at the sides just to let you know. And all Randy did at the Golden Fleece is install new cloth on the tables, he didn't recalibrate the rails to stop the banking short or playing springy, I'll be the one that takes care of that when I get back up to Washington state...as Randy has no idea as to what needs to be changed to modify their rails.

Glen
 
realkingcobra said:
Diamond's ProCut pockets are 4 1/2" in the corners and 5 1/16" at the sides just to let you know. And all Randy did at the Golden Fleece is install new cloth on the tables, he didn't recalibrate the rails to stop the banking short or playing springy, I'll be the one that takes care of that when I get back up to Washington state...as Randy has no idea as to what needs to be changed to modify their rails.

Glen
Click to expand...

I was referencing the pocket angle being the same. I had my table deliberately set up for that extra 1/8 in the corners.

I'm not a mechanic, however my guess for the springy rails is that
they probably are set up 1/16 - 1/8 off so the ball bounces off of
them rather than rebounding.

Glad you mentioned that about the banking short on Diamonds...

I notice that on the ones here in Texas that I've been on,
particularly at Stix II in Killeen and the room in Temple.

Would you be so kind as to inform the OP the price on a large
Diamond table light alone ?
 
The older gold crowns have better rail rubber than new ones and are still quite often good even after 50 or 60 years. Luckily mine were good on my 47 year old gold crown which I got for a bargain and you'll find a lot of people reporting the same for tables as old as anniversaries and centennials. They're as "live" as anything I've ever played even after all these years.

Nobody else mentioned that, so I figured I'd chime in. That is if you are ok with standard size pockets and don't want pro-cut tight pockets.

I saved a boatload of money buying a gold crown 1, and doing all the work myself to refinish it visually, so no extra costs other than cloth. But in the interests of full disclosure I've since spent so much time in refinishing every part of it that it's no longer such a bargain if you value your own time. The only reason this made sense for me still is because I enjoy a good project as much as I do playing pool, and technically I couldn't afford anything else anyway. Plus I'm fine with normal size pockets, I'm just coming up from normally playing 8'ers at bar tournaments, so tight pockets on a 9' table would have really pissed me off.

If you aren't used to 9'ers with tight pockets you might question how much fun you or your friends will have playing on a current tournament table. At least find a place to play one first to see how you like it. If part of the point is to have friends and family over to play just for fun, then tight pockets could piss them off too or take a lot of the fun out of playing. Really just depends on what you want the table for.
 
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asiasdad said:
I was referencing the pocket angle being the same. I had my table deliberately set up for that extra 1/8 in the corners.

I'm not a mechanic, however my guess for the springy rails is that
they probably are set up 1/16 - 1/8 off so the ball bounces off of
them rather than rebounding.
Click to expand...

Glad you mentioned that about the banking short on Diamonds...

I notice that on the ones here in Texas that I've been on,
particularly at Stix II in Killeen and the room in Temple.

Would you be so kind as to inform the OP the price on a large
Diamond table light alone ?
Click to expand...

No, they have the correct rail nose height, it's something different, and Diamond has already made changes over a year ago to change the way their rail play. The cost for a Diamond 9ft light is about $600.
 
realkingcobra said:
No, they have the correct rail nose height, it's something different, and Diamond has already made changes over a year ago to change the way their rail play. The cost for a Diamond 9ft light is about $600.
Click to expand...

I thought the 600 light was the new little one with the standard big
commercial one running 1000 ?

You're still the table king in my book, I just wish I was in a position to have you set
my table up here in Texas when you come through instead of selling it.
 
realkingcobra said:
No, they have the correct rail nose height, it's something different, and Diamond has already made changes over a year ago to change the way their rail play.
Click to expand...

Is this something you can 'tune out' or is something that has to be replaced to fix? (I am doing my homework for a new table and may have to drive up to washington state real soon.)

Thanks, Steve
 
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smittylube said:
Is this something you can 'tune out' or is something that has to be replaced to fix? (I am doing my homework for a new table and may have to drive up to washington state real soon.)

Thanks, Steve
Click to expand...

No, the rails don't need to be changed, what has to happen is the sub-rails on the table need to be modified, then the Diamond will play just like the new ones play.

Glen
 
smittylube said:
Thanks for all your help. Good to know.
Do you drive through San Jose/ bay area at all in your travels?

http://forums.azbilliards.com/showthread.php?t=257469 thinking hard about this one for my house. Will Need the proper setup
Steve
Click to expand...

I don't get to that area to often, but yes sometimes I do. I do however have to mechanic friends that can set the table up should you need the help of an experienced table mechanic.

Glen
 
I spoke w Donny but he is 8 hours away. If you have someone more local to me can you PM so I don't hijack this thread. I have called diamond and have prices for Reno tournament tables or brand new. Just trying to figure out how to find enough together to get the 'right' table.
 
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