Do the two have exactly the same playing surface? They are NOT the same beast. I watch tons of matches on each and run outs seem much easier on the Diamond. What's up? I think Valley should hold the true US Bar table championships with the Aramith coin op ball and their tables. Thoughts people...
Valley vs Diamond Bar Box 8-Ball
- Thread starter BarTableMan
- Start date
I've watched very good players run out a lot on the Diamond 7ftrs because they are perfect and predictable. A Valley, while it may have been the standard for many years and is a great table, just isn't on Diamond's level.
It would be like comparing a good car like a Honda Accord to a Mercedes. The Honda's good but it's no Mercedes. So just be happy when you walk in and there's like 250 Mercedes parked in the tournament room.
It would be like comparing a good car like a Honda Accord to a Mercedes. The Honda's good but it's no Mercedes. So just be happy when you walk in and there's like 250 Mercedes parked in the tournament room.
Yeah I played on a valley last night...
It was pathetic. The rails bounced all over the place, unpredictable doesn't even come close to covering it.
Diamond are the only bar boxes worth playing on IMO.
Jaden
It was pathetic. The rails bounced all over the place, unpredictable doesn't even come close to covering it.
Diamond are the only bar boxes worth playing on IMO.
Jaden
the pockets are typically much tighter on a Diamond than a Valley, so the runouts shouldn't necessarily be easier other than the fact that Diamond cloth tends to be faster playing
8 ball tourney this last weekend
Starlite Bar in Ardmore Ok held a 2nd annual 8 ball tourney $500 added with diamond bar boxes.
And let me tell you there were some really good players here ex... David G (from Ft Worth) Lil Al Mason, Tony Barrington, Shane from Arkansas. Anyways very good players.
I would say yes these top lever players ran out most of the time but they had a tough time running out and played alot of position style shots.
The top players will run out no matter what table it is, there position play and speed is so much better than the average player and thats not mentioning ball making ability.
its so much easier to make a ball on the Valley Table. The Valley table is so unpredictable its not even funny. I really enjoyh the VNEA nationals but other than that I havn't played on a Valley in a year or so.
Starlite Bar in Ardmore Ok held a 2nd annual 8 ball tourney $500 added with diamond bar boxes.
And let me tell you there were some really good players here ex... David G (from Ft Worth) Lil Al Mason, Tony Barrington, Shane from Arkansas. Anyways very good players.
I would say yes these top lever players ran out most of the time but they had a tough time running out and played alot of position style shots.
The top players will run out no matter what table it is, there position play and speed is so much better than the average player and thats not mentioning ball making ability.
its so much easier to make a ball on the Valley Table. The Valley table is so unpredictable its not even funny. I really enjoyh the VNEA nationals but other than that I havn't played on a Valley in a year or so.
I think it would be AWESOME to see TAR hold a live match between two hard-hitters at a dive bar with a crowd:
Imagine Shane v Earl, 7' Valley BB with unpredictable rails, drilled-in pieces of Master chalk, dirty balls, house cues with slip-ons and no bumpers, playing last pocket 8 ball for $5,000/set - all while cramped in a small space, both drinkin' local brews, and Led Zeppelin blasting in the background.
THAT would be ACTION - very unpredictable, all the fans, spectators and railbirds betting on every shot and hanging off their barstools from every bad roll and lucky kiss. I'd pay good money to see that, wouldn't you?
Imagine Shane v Earl, 7' Valley BB with unpredictable rails, drilled-in pieces of Master chalk, dirty balls, house cues with slip-ons and no bumpers, playing last pocket 8 ball for $5,000/set - all while cramped in a small space, both drinkin' local brews, and Led Zeppelin blasting in the background.
THAT would be ACTION - very unpredictable, all the fans, spectators and railbirds betting on every shot and hanging off their barstools from every bad roll and lucky kiss. I'd pay good money to see that, wouldn't you?
Diamond vs. Valley is kinda like PGA level golf vs. Putt Putt. I know, I own one of each.
Valley tables are prone to sagging slates, which create roll offs and unpredictability. Pocketing is easier on the valley for sure, but it is hilarious how unpredictable the rolls are, and I have new Ridgeback Rails on it too. It can shark the sh$t out of you for sure.
I found that the best way to compensate for the rolls and play well on a Valley is to drink more beer. About 5 or so should do the trick. That will put your state of mind on a parallel plane as your playing surface...
Valley tables are prone to sagging slates, which create roll offs and unpredictability. Pocketing is easier on the valley for sure, but it is hilarious how unpredictable the rolls are, and I have new Ridgeback Rails on it too. It can shark the sh$t out of you for sure.
I found that the best way to compensate for the rolls and play well on a Valley is to drink more beer. About 5 or so should do the trick. That will put your state of mind on a parallel plane as your playing surface...
Valley Cue Ball Size
The older Valley's have a cue ball that is larger than the rest of the balls. This is because of the return system, to separate the cue ball and return it to the head rail.
This has been corrected on the newer Valley tables, but you may want to be aware of this if you are looking to buy a used Valley.
Valley pocket sizes can vary greatly. Bar owners know that the bigger the pockets are, the faster the balls go in and so do more quarters.
A valley with 5" corners and 51/2" sides plays, well very easily. I always thought this was the perfect table for the beginner, the exact opposite of a Diamond.
The older Valley's have a cue ball that is larger than the rest of the balls. This is because of the return system, to separate the cue ball and return it to the head rail.
This has been corrected on the newer Valley tables, but you may want to be aware of this if you are looking to buy a used Valley.
Valley pocket sizes can vary greatly. Bar owners know that the bigger the pockets are, the faster the balls go in and so do more quarters.
A valley with 5" corners and 51/2" sides plays, well very easily. I always thought this was the perfect table for the beginner, the exact opposite of a Diamond.
True? Why true? A tourney must be played on a crappy inferior table to be true? The diamond plays better in all ways. That's why the runouts are easier...the table does what it is supposed to. The rails are vastly more accurate, so the cueball does what it should (when properly setup and on the newer blue logo models). The Aramith coin op ball is great *for a coin op ball*, but a joke compared to a *real* cue ball. It plays *terrible* compared to any standard cue ball.
Those are my thoughts.
KMRUNOUT
I get what you're saying but perhaps not the best example. I think the build quality of Honda is superior to Mercedes, as is the long term reliability. How they perform is a different thing and I imagine this is what you were going for.
Sorry to nitpick but I am a big Honda fan.
KMRUNOUT
I would pay $200 or more just to get in the front door to see that live!!!
I would pay probably half of that to watch it on a stream. It would need to be at least 12 hours of pure playing.
Chris, this would be EPIC.
Just saw Greg Sullivan head for the nearest cheeseburger stand with that comment
. Diamond makes four table sizes. Small, large, even bigger and HUGE! Not one bar box in the mix 
.Incidentally I agree.
Lyn
That is true however the lack of consistency make them I think harder for big packages for good players ,,
I find Diamonds much easier to play on because of the predictability once you dial in on the speed I think their pretty simple to play on
1
Balls are 2 1/4" each. Place two touching into the corner of a Valley and you will realize that the pocket opening is smaller than the standard Diamond pocket opening. Pocket opening only plays a part of pocket toughness.
The Diamond 7 footer is the superior table.
What is this Diamond that you speak of?
Perhaps that's how Valleys are all built today, but I have seen older tables that had buckets for pockets. I think a bar owner could have a table built with his choice of pocket size, and may still be able to today.
And yes, of course, the Diamond is as good a table as I have ever played.
I'm primarily a big table player
