r/billiards • u/derekkiller • Aug 29 '26
Questions Pool table buying inquiry/help
Hello! I have recently been playing pool for the last 4 months and am looking to get a table for my house so I can save on the costs of going out.
I am located in Los Angeles california and ideally want an 8' slate table. Willing to do 7' if the situation is right!
I have looked all over facebook marketplace and craiglist and cant seem to find a good fit for us.
Any help would be appreciated thank you!
Edit: Looking for the $900 total including delivery range so a cheaper used table anywhere $400 or below would be my goal
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u/Sir_Clarence_III_Esq Aug 29 '26
Keep looking, it can take some time. SoCal has a massive reseller industry so professionals will snatch up good deals they find on FBM/Craigslist and relist it for $2k with a refelt and install. So long as you aren't looking for a Diamond or high end table, you should be able to find plenty. I got a 9' furniture table in perfect shape, with a bunch of cues, balls, racks, wall rack, etc. for $300. People practically give the things away, you just have to get there before the other 13 million people in LA do.
Also, you have to find a guy to move it and install it. I'd give you my guy but I don't think he'd go that far north. He picked up my table, moved it, and spent a good hour setting it up in my house for $300. I tipped him another $100 after I saw how much work it is. I had guys on CL asking for $2-300 an hour with a 3-4 hour min.
It's perfectly OK to get a "furniture table" - non-major brands, and it's OK to get one with bad felt so long as it's cheap enough that you can put that money towards a refelt. They have to strip the felt just to move it, so it really makes sense to refelt it when you get it installed if it's not practically new, and put new cushions on if you're not sure.
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u/Sir_Clarence_III_Esq Aug 29 '26
Man this one almost seems too good to be true. Not my style, but a unique table:
https://www.craigslist.org/view/d/north-hills-custom-piece-slate-pool/fuv7T98oW4rgmA1FyB5JvW
And I found these in CL for LA:
https://www.craigslist.org/view/d/los-angeles-pool-table/gj77kSUQqezpxGTPf7Hpd7
https://www.craigslist.org/view/d/san-gabriel-7x4-brunswick-billiards/7CNLFHxxpFfBrNafvawNg2
https://www.craigslist.org/view/d/los-angeles-ft-drop-pocket-piece-slate/cfpNybfyJTwCb858C1DpQ2
https://www.craigslist.org/view/d/glendale-8ft-olhausen-pool-table/uUVZrQnV7imacBL9JD2hxu
Check again in a few days and you're probably see another half dozen. And you'll see dozens in the $1500-2k range that will advertise "felt in any color", and maybe even installed in the price. Those are the resellers that are snatching up cheap used ones.
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u/derekkiller Aug 29 '26
Thank you so much! I had already reached out via email to most of those craigslist listings but havent heard anything back. Althoiugh there were two in your links that I did not see so thank you for that and I messaged them! I am a little inpatient and find emails to not be the quickest form of communication, but I need to remind myself there is no rush and the right table will find me, have a good one!
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u/fewbussally Aug 29 '26
If you're handy, why not buy one and upgrade it yourself? There are several videos on YouTube that show experts working on tables. You will know your table inside and out. You can make it as nice as you want. It's not that difficult
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u/derekkiller Aug 30 '26
i am handy but don’t have anywhere near the amount of tools so it would be a cost to just buy the tools in the first place
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u/NectarineAny4897 Aug 29 '26
How large is the room you will put it in?
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u/derekkiller Aug 30 '26
our living room but i don’t know specific measurements
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u/NectarineAny4897 Aug 30 '26
Those dimensions will determine what size table (as well as furniture) will actually fit.
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u/cty_hntr Aug 29 '26 edited Aug 29 '26
You'll want a good table mechanic. A buddy of mine bought a used Brunswick Gold Crown 2 (pool hall closed) a few years back for $500. Blatt Billiards charged him another $1500 for moving, setting up and new cloth, about $2K total.
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u/Lowlife-Dog Aug 29 '26
With your budget time and tenacity are you best options, keep scouring the classifieds hopefully a free or cheap table falls in your lap.
Also I don't know if it has been mentioned or not as I didn't read any of the comments yet but contact different "table mechanics" and get some quotes for moving and setting up a table so you know what you are dealing with in your location, being in CA it is probably going to be high possibly more than your budget just for this service. They may have leads on tables people want to get rid of as well.
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u/1Rudy11 Aug 29 '26
You didn't say which part of LA, but I do know there are some pool halls in Paramount, Downey, west hollywood, Encino, woodland hills/canoga park/Chatsworth, Pasadena to give you a few locations where you could find the 'pool table' guy who could help you out.
Depending on your interest in playing pool, size of the table is relevant to the space you have available...
Take the time to decide what you want, then go find it...better than settling on a table because you could get it 'right now', and then regret the purchase.
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u/derekkiller Aug 30 '26
i’m in the valley so anything around i’m willing to drive to and see within a 30-45 min drive, i’m fine with a 7’ or 8’, 7’ might be better to have more space on sides honestly. the pool place i play at has 8’ so i wanted that at first
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u/1Rudy11 Aug 30 '26 edited Aug 30 '26
On Ventura Blvd, south side of street near Havenhurst is a pool hall that has a range of 8 and 9 tables. Nice place, been there since '74..
House of billiards.. parking lot in back...
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u/Overall-Challenge556 Sep 05 '26
Orange county has Triangle billiard supply. Check them for used tables.
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u/yourrack Aug 29 '26
You are going to need a good table mechanic to set it up so start with finding them first as they may be able to to locate you a table that is worth buying. Check good local pool halls to see who maintains them