Snooker Tables

8/7/2008 10:12:59 PM

Snooker Tables

I am looking to find either a New 5' x 10' Snooker Table or a New 6' x 12' Snooker Table, I want to find a US Dealer/Distributer, I am also interested in hearing about anyone elses experiences with any US Dealers or Distributers. Anyone with any info on the above can contact me at gonetoprint@aol.com.

gonetoprint

Snooker Tables

Replies & Comments

atenra11 on 9/15/2008 1:52:38 AM
What price range or features are you interested in?

If you're only wanting a new table, that probably cuts out most of the decent used Brunswicks from the 1930s to the 1970s which were pretty much 10 foot tables but sometimes 12 foot ones too.

I am not so sure that worrying about a distributor is that much of an issue, many table makers do export, and other makers prefer to having distributor networks worldwide, it all depends how "popular" the actual brand is.

Riley is probably the most famous pool table maker now and has been since the 1970s. There were many more firms from Queen Victoria's era until the Great Depression, and then there was the rise of Brunswick in the 1940s, 1950s, and 1960s for game tables for snooker or both snooker and pool.

As for the main snooker table brands...
- Riley
- Titan
- BCE
- Thurston
- BBL
- DPT
- Hamilton Billiards
- Sir William Bentley
If you wanted real craftsmanship, or exact reproductions of extremely rare tables there is Hamilton, and Sir William Bentley as well, some new (modern and reproductions) and some old. Like if you wanted a Arts and Crafts table definitely Hamilton, and if you wanted something unlike a Riley game table in the leg department Bentley's forte might be a reconditioned Burroughes and Watts. But these are for people into high art... though Burroughes did invent the technology way back for steel backing on cushion rails which are used in the top end snooker tables.

At the opposite end there is DPT from Liverpool, who do good value for the money, making cheap coin op bar tables, Brunwick Gold Crownish copies and rather okay snooker tables. (coin-op, pool, and snooker)

Most people now seem to just run to a Riley with a new one, and with the others one can flip a coin with Titan, BCE, Thurston, or BBL. How much of that is due to television and tournaments, or just a mahogany fetish? I am not sure.

Prices do get exponential with size of the table, and a steel cushion can make a table seem like a snooker table to feel like the cost of 3 Brunswick Snooker Tables from 2 Brunswick Tables though the table looks identical but there is a lot more metal and technology and difference to the cushion...

Riley Snooker Tables:
- 10 foot Renaissance Riley - 6000 dollars
- 10 foot Aristocrat Riley - 11,000 dollars
- 12 foot Renaissance Riley - 7000 dollars
- 12 foot Aristocrat Riley - 12,000 dollars
- 12 foot Steel Block Aristocrat Riley - 20,000 Riley
Titan Snooker Tables:
- 10 foot Titan - 7000 dollars
- 12 foot Titan - 8000 dollars
- 12 foot Steel block TItan - 10,000 dollars
Thurston Snooker Tables:
- 12 foot Thurston Jubillee - 9,000 dollars
- 12 foot Thurston International - 13,000 dollars
- 12 foot Thurston Victorian - 18,000 dollars
- 12 foot Thurston Imperial - 34,000 dollars
BCE Snooker Tables:
- 10 foot Churchill BCE - 6000 dollars
- 12 foot Churchill BCE - 6500 dollars
- 12 foot Westbury BCE - 13,000 dollars
- 12 foot Steel Block Westbury BCE - 14,500 dollars
BBL Snooker Tables:
- 10 foot Crown BBL - 7000 dollars
- 10 foot Regent BBL - 7000 dollars
- 10 foot Windsor BBL - 11,000 dollars
- 10 foot Sovereign BBL - 11,000 dollars
- 10 foot Monach BBL - 12,000 dollars
- 12 foot Crown BBL - 8000 dollars
- 12 foot Regent BBL - 9000 dollars
- 12 foot Windsor BBL - 13,500 dollars
- 12 foot Sovereign BBL - 13,500 dollars
- 12 foot Monach BBL - 15,000 dollars
If you want the Steel Block cheap most people go for the Titan and they ship worldwide, and if you want the vanilla mainstream you get the Riley, though both tables look almost identical, though 70% of all British snooker tables now look like a Riley.

Some people are happy with an old Brunswick or new Chevillote 10 foot or 12 foot table for snooker and pool. Then again some others just are fanatics with the pocket sizing and cushion shape at the pockets, or demand the snooker cushion and not a table that does very good play with snooker/pool and carom equally like some makes.

You could want a table on price, looks, steel block cushions for snooker only tables.

Others might go with a 'general table' and might be happy with great pool and okay snooker on a 1950s or 1960s Brunswick 10 footer (its all about the pockets or pocket size) or very good snooker/pool and carom table with insert on a Chevillotte.

If one is 100% fixed on a new table, then you got to:
1. Think about a price range and then,
2. Actually decide on a price range, and then
3. Make that last decision on the Steel Block Cushion option, some tables might not offer such, others might have it on all tables, and I believe it's only on a 12 foot table just for the trouble and expense involved.
To summarize up the 12 foot snooker tables:
- Riley 7000 dollars to 20,000 dollars
- Titan 8000 dollars to 10,000 dollars
- Thurston 9000 dollars to 34,000 dollars
- BCE 6000 to 15,000 dollars
- BBL 8000 dollars to 15,000 dollars
And all the 10 foot snooker tables will range from 6000 to 12,000 dollars.

If looks matter, then you got to decide do you want it to look like a Riley or something traditional but DIFFERENT, or you go something plain or slightly modern.

There are many makers out there, and for me I am not even sure if Brunswick makes 10 or 12 foot tables anymore, depends if you're looking for a pure snooker table or not.

If anyone wants to add other makers and their opinions, feel free!

Snooker Tables

Title: Snooker Tables
Author: gonetoprint
Published: 8/7/2008 10:12:59 PM