Simonis 860 for my Gold Crown and 1/4" shims with new facings to take my pockets to 4.5". I installed last week and it looks and plays great.
I debated about shimming my pockets for six months. Now that it is done I am really glad I did it. Shimming was much easier than I thought it would be and with the good advice from several people here on AZB I had no problems installing the shims and new rail cloth. The table is obviously tighter and it was not difficult to get used to the new pockets.
Nothing like a great wife who understands her husband's need for nice toys !
BTW I went to RandyG's pool school last month it was a real treat and I learned a lot. You guys are in for a great experience. While it is not necessary, you can get more out of the school if you buy Randy and Scott's DVD before attending. They cover all the material at the school but if you have covered some of it before you get there you will benefit that much more. I did, and I am glad I bought the DVD first.