Golden West pool table
7/28/2007 12:46:38 PM
Golden West pool table
Can anyone speak to the quality and playability of Golden West tables? They seem to have a lot of what I am looking for in an Olhausen at a slightly lower price. I am somewhat frustrated with the offering of our local Olhausen dealer - e.g. straight retail, minimal accessories package, charge to deliver, etc. Any help would be appreciated.
doogan_jGolden West pool table
Replies & Comments
guest on 7/28/2007 5:11:04 PM
To review the Golden West billiard tables, I'll start by saying that they are of low to average quality.
Keep in mind that these are mass-produced, and probably sold as private-label to the retailer, who then puts their name on them. Think American Heritage, American Heirloom, KGI, and Spencer Marston pool tables, all of which have similar reviews in this forum.
In fact, these tables are actually just another name for the American Heritage tables. They are essentially the same pool tables. They say that they are made in Ohio, but I don't think they are. They are possibly branded there, but I beleive that they are made overseas.
I've read of a few problems with the frame and underbelly of the golden west pool tables though. Just a poor construction overall in this area.
I'd avoid them. What is your budget for a billiard table?
game room gallery on 12/5/2007 11:04:24 AM
That guy is blowing smoke and has no clue what he is talking about. Golden West tables are now and always have been very high quality. I would like to see American Hierloom or American Heritage try to make and inlayed Victorian. Check it out @ billiardmfg.com. Dean Stuke grgonline@yahoo.com Show me where I'm wrong smoke blower!
Golden West is about to go down the tube, they are laying people off left and right. they have totally eliminated their high end tables. they got rid of everybody who does the really nice work and are now pumping **** out the front doors. good luck getting anything nice from them ever again. and their fine brazilian slate in actually from china, so much for made in the usa and proud. all they really care about is how much of your money they can get from you. do yourself a favor and buy a table from anybody but them.
Actually, I would like to golden west try to build an inlayed victorian. they got rid of their department that builds victorians, klings, rainbows, halos, heartlands, reflections, and pretty much everything that was worth buying. it wont be long and I'm sure Golden West will be no more. i can`t wait.
What a heartwarming comment to make, you can't wait until they are no more. Then the only tables mfg left will be the slave labor manufactured chinese **** that has flooded the market and the slate is just as good as the wood. You're an idiot. I can't wait until you are no more.
quickshot on 5/9/2008 11:30:25 AMNow... Now... boys. Be nice or you will scare Mr. Doogan away. Opinions are like noses...everybody has one.
American Heirloom is out of business. They are now American Custom Tables. They are made in Georgia out of 6/4 hardwoods. They only make high end tables. Golden West is made in Oregon. The rest are Asian imports.
terryely on 6/11/2008 11:52:59 AM
Some former employees sure get angry. Golden West will continue to manufacture quality pool tables, high end and affordable models with pride. I would look at the product and not the comments about the product
fishinpoolplayer on 3/4/2009 2:17:26 AM
as to the opinions on the golden west tables, i m not to sure what is meant by a poor underbelly please advise me on that. i have owned mine for 3yrs now and i am totally satisfied. it plays well i do suggest to up grade the the package and also the cloth . green is used for a good reason its the easiest color on the eyes and really brings a richness to your game. and they are great people to talk with . i have played on many different brands from kelowna bc
jimb on 8/8/2009 7:11:49 PM
I did a search on Golden West and found this thread, because I am thinking of selling mine. I have to say I do not know the folks that are nay-saying the quality, but I strongly disagree; at least for my particular table. Its a "Mission" style (Southwestern, in the style of Stickley from the American Arts & Crafts period..... if you know anything about quality furniture). I have had it for about 8 years, it has been disassembled and move across country twice, and is as rock solid as it was the day I bought it. I hire professionals through local custom shops to disassemble and reassemble it, they have made numerous comments about the great quality of the table. I don't know what the newer models are like, but if it is the same company in Oregon that made mine, you can't go wrong.
BTW, the ONLY reason I am considering a sale, is because I was laid off last year, and am still "on the market". My grandkids will be furious, as they have always considered the table to be one of the "heirlooms" they inherit when I croak. Oh well, they already had a fit when I sold the vette ;-)
i have had two Golden West tables and very happy with them first one i found on the showroom at the local dealer and my second table i custome ordered it took about two weeks longer than the dealer had said to get but very happy with it, hope this helps
Tudo on 12/19/2009 9:33:01 PMI purchased a new 9 Ft Golden West table in 1999 . I had the upgraded simonis felt installed and I was happy with the table. It took two visits to balance the table properly but after that it was fine.
I'm in the market for a new table right now and unless the quality of Golden West has changed in the last 10 years I'll probably buy another one although I'm keeping an open mind. When I bought the GW, I think it was $2800, + the simonis which I think was around 500 bucks although my memory fails me on that. Isn't a comparable Ohausen double that?
mwhitten2003 on 1/13/2010 1:32:49 PM
Tudo, are you in the Oklahoma area? I own One Billiards - Gameroom Design in Tulsa and would love to meet with you and discuss the differences between Golden West and our table, Olhausen.
If you're still in the market for the pool table feel free to contact me or stop by one of our stores.
Thanks,
Mike Whitten
One Billiards - Gameroom Design
tulsagamerooms.com
918.519.7802user1609967979 on 1/6/2021 1:19:40 PM
The internet is certainly filled with confusing and often contradicting feedback on what pool table brand is the best. Almost all of it can be categorized as opinion, including my own. However, there are "qualified opinions" and "unqualified opinions".
Pool table technicians and engineers, as well as players with maybe 30+ years of experience could provide some qualified feedback for the community but even then, I would suspect that they would have to have some "consistent" and "empirically driven" way to provide a good comparative evaluation of the various pool table brands.
At 50 years old, I have played pool now for over 35+ years. I also live near a pool table dealer who sells almost every single pool table brand except the really obscure makes and models. Because I have spent an obscene amount of money with him over the years, he lets me go into his warehouse floor and play on his pool tables all the time. That means I get to go from pool table to pool table to pool table playing the same shots again and again, side by side.
But still, this is not the basis for truly empirical feedback. To get a truly- (or even semi-) accurate feedback, I would need to cover all the pool tables with an almost "reverse" cover that covers everything but the playing surface and cushions. Then I would need five to ten experienced pool players and professionals to rank the "playability" in a "blind test". Unfortunately, I have not done the latter type of double blind test and only the former (of being able to play on a lot of different pool tables right next to each other).
I have probably played on more than 150 different pool table models from over 20 different manufacturers in the last 35 years. Many of them side by side. Also, resellers, employees, fanboys, etc. will have some bias for obvious reasons, even if they strive to remove bias from their observations.
With all that being said, here is what I can say about Golden West pool tables.
Most Golden West pool tables very good to great home pool tables. Some are close to playing well enough to meet even the most critical reviewer's expectations. That being said I have played on a few which were not to the level of my satisfaction but those were their cheaper tables with MSRPs of less than $2500. This can be said of nearly every pool table manufacturer including Brunswick, Olhausen, and Diamond, etc. They all have cheaper models that play poorly. Have you ever played on an Olhausen Belmont pool table or Reno model? Ever play on a Brunswick Allenton pool table? They're nothing to write home about, I assure you.
I have read many opinions about the best pool table to buy, and they almost always compare commercial-grade pool tables (like the Brunswick Gold Crown series, the Diamond Pro series, or the Olhausen Grand Champion pool table) to residential-grade "furniture style" pool table models from another manufacturer. This is not in the least bit fair, as their commercial pool tables play better than most of their own furniture-style residential-grade models.
If you want a tournament-grade level of playability in a pool table, then it is most likely you need to get a commercial pool table and have it tuned and set up by a professional pool table technician to meet those standards.
I wish that all these pool table manufacturers would produce a home furniture style residential grade model that played as well as (and were as durable as) their commercial-grade top-of-the-line pool tables. But they don't. There are, however, a very rare few exceptions to this rule but all of those options will cost you north of $10000. Golden West, however, at about half that price with Simonis cloth and possibly a cushion upgrade will get you close enough to the gold standard that most pool players will be very happy. Golden West offers all this at half the cost and with many more customization options and styles. Connelly pool tables also a good choice for this reason, and are in the $5000 to $10000 range.
The customization options of Connelly and Golden West pool tables are far superior to all the others, for sure. They will allow you to customize your pool table from the choice of wood type, stain color (with even two or three tones), leg styles, cushion choice (for Golden West only—Connelly uses only ICON cushions last time I checked, drawer add-ons, pocket style choices etc. But when my dealer buddy asks Brunswick or Diamond Billiards for a customization for customer, even after selling thousands of their pool tables, they just tell him to to pound sand.
If you want that "professional pool hall" feel in your pool table, new or used, then get a commercial-grade pool table from Brunswick (yes, even the Gold Crown GC-6), or Diamond Billiards. They both play awesome and will meet your expectations 100%.
If you want something for your man cave or Victorian library that matches your room decor, then your going to have to go with a residential grade furniture-style pool table model.
When considering the latter, Connelly, Olhausen, Brunswick, and Golden West are all a leg above most other pool table manufacturers.
If you want a modern furniture-style pool table then you can also add California House and Canada Billiards to the list. But fair warning, they are all priced at $7000 and up.
billiardsforum on 1/9/2021 12:39:13 PM@user1609967979 - I tend to agree with your assessment and would say that you are bang-on.
You mentioned:
I have read many opinions about the best pool table to buy, and they almost always compare commercial-grade pool tables (like the Brunswick Gold Crown series, the Diamond Pro series, or the Olhausen Grand Champion pool table) to residential-grade "furniture style" pool table models from another manufacturer. This is not in the least bit fair, as their commercial pool tables play better than most of their own furniture-style residential-grade models.
I see this too.
When folks are looking on classified sites for used pool tables and they're asking about some specific residential-grade home pool table they see listed for $500 to $1000, I almost always recommend waiting and looking around to see if they can find a commercial-grade pool table in that price range.
There's such an abundance of used pool tables available that it's not tough to find them. It's been this way for 10 years now, and will likely continue for some time. And given that fact, there's no reason to spend that much on a furniture-style pool table.
I think that perhaps some of my earlier answer got lost in translation.
Yes, commercial pool tables will almost certainly be more durable and play better for the most part than the furniture models. However, in my earlier answer, I do go on to mention that there are in fact quite a few furniture-style pool table models that play nearly as well as commercial-grade pool tables. The problem is that the really nice furniture-style pool table models that play like tournament tables are very expensive when purchased new. Connelly, AR Schmidt, and Golden West all have that level of quality. You may want to further tweak them by installing Artemis cushions and Simonis cloth.
However, many furniture-style pool tables can be found used, which, after fixing rails, recovering, and installing new cushions you can get top quality play.
However, think about this...
If you buy a used pool table in "slightly worn" condition for between $800 and $1200, after you...
- have it professionally moved,
- refinish any bad wood damage,
- install new cushions, and
- recover it
... you've turned that turned that $800 and $1200 pool table into a used pool table that cost double that, or more.
- Moving a 9 foot pool table costs around $400.
- Labor and supplies for recovering with Simonis cloth $400 to $500,
- New cushions will be another $400 - $500 if you use Artemis or other cushions of similar quality.
This does not include pocket wear and tear refurbishment or adjustment etc.
Now your $800 - $1200 used pool table from eBay or Craigslist now costs about $2200 - $2600, and you still have a "used pool table".
My buddy who sells pool tables and installs them for a living will tell you that my estimates above are VERY conservative.
Finally, I want to address the comment that you should always look at buying a commercial pool table if you are buying used.
First let me say, yes, a used Brunswick Gold Crown (GC), Diamond Billiards, or Olhausen pool table is indeed the best way to go if playability is your ONE and ONLY focus (and good luck finding a Diamond Billiards pool table as they relatively new and thus not a lot of inventory exists on the secondary market). Honestly among those, used, for home use, Brunswick's commercial pool tables are my favorite. Just this month my buddy acquired six of them from a pool hall, refurbished them, and sold each for a profit in the same month. They are that good.
HOWEVER, that same buddy, all my other friends, and my own family would object harshly if you have a Victorial-style library or man cave that is very well appointed in classical Victorian style, turn of the century, cigar whiskey bar style where the room cost was $50,000 to $100,000, and then you plop a mid century modern commercial GC pool table in the middle.
If you have a converted basement, minimalist home decor, investment property, etc... then by all means furnish it with a Gold Crown pool table, but otherwise you'll most likely want to go search for a furniture style pool table.
I would not be exaggerating if I told you that my family would frown in disapproval and my wife would certainly exhibit a fearsome response if I went with a commercial-grade pool table in either our library, office, or man cave. This is why the vast majority of pool tables sold for the home are always furniture style pool tables. My buddy who sells pool tables for a living once caught me drooling over Brunswick GC5 and GC6 pool tables which he had set up to sell in his warehouse. Before I could say a word he knew what I was thinking and yelled "don’t do it man!". So I was once sorely tempted to buy a commercial table for my home. But because I have seen this done before, I can tell you first-hand that it ruins the decor of the room if the room decor itself does not match the style of the pool table. Do I love commercial Gold Crown pool tables? Yes. Do I want to mess up the decor of a room that cost tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars to appoint? No.
One other option is to purchase an antique pool table from a reputable brand name. They can hold "value" well over time also. Once again, you'll be looking most at the Brunswick-Balke-Collender line of pool tables circa late 1870s to 1930s.
One example would be a used antique Brunswick Medalist pool table. They'll run you between $5000 and $7000 if they are in "modestly worn" condition. You then put $2000 to $3000 into restoring it. After being fully restored, one can sell it for a LOT of bucks.
Famous billiard dealers around the USA have been doing this for half a century or more. This year, my Doctor buddy got a used 1928 Brunswick Medalist pool table for $6000 and put an additional $3000 injto it. From the moment the restoration was done there were people willing to pay him $15000 to $19000 for it. Of course he would not sell it but the point is that it will ALWAYS be worth that much, even if he passes it to his children or his children’s children. The thing has Burl, Walnut, Birds Eye Maple, Ivory, and more...
NO ONE makes pool tables like that any more and probably no-one ever will again. For obvious reasons almost no-one can use Ivory any more (unless you re-purpose existing ivory). I intend to do this in my next home, provided that antique pool tables worth restoring are still available. Until then I love the way my current Golden West pool table plays. It is about 90 percent as good as a Diamond Pro-Am pool table (but I also have to say that it cost as much or more than a new pool table from Diamond Billiards.
2mink on 2/2/2021 6:00:59 AM
My son lives two miles from Golden West Billiards Manufacturing in Portland, OR.
billiardmfg.com
He has visited the plant and they also sell pool tables there. After talking with the owner, there is no doubt he will be purchasing a Golden West pool table for his man cave.
There is a neat video on their website that shows them constructing their pool tables.
Source: billiardmfg.com
They're good pool tables without a doubt.
I will caution your son NOT to buy from their cheapest line of pool tables. Nearly all pool table manufacturers insist on carrying a small part of their inventory in the "affordable" category.
If you are buying a brand new pool table, you want to ensure that your pool table model is in the $3000 and above range.
It should have 1" thick slate, and 100% of the frame should be made from real wood. If you want faster and tighter play ask them to install Simonis-brand cloth and Artemis-brand cushions. I believe they still offer this. The drawer add-on is also a must in my opinion.
I have a 9-foot Golden West Highlander pool table and I love it.
