Kasson pool tables were extremely popular back in the good days. The company is no longer in business making tables, but they’re often a hot commodity on the used pool table market. Before you buy a Kasson, you’ll want to know what you’re getting into, so Your Best Product has put together a guide to answer all your questions. Where possible, we’ve also provided a cross-sectional picture of the table in case you want to get an idea of the construction.
Kasson has got defunct in the middle of the 2000s. It was hard to find information about their pool tables. It us a lot of time to gather as much as information possible about Kasson tables, we hope you’ll find something useful as you play with your best pool cue.
IDENTIFY KASSON TABLES
Below pictures and details will help you identify the Kasson table you are about to buy. The specification may not be clear but this guide has details about the table specification.
Kasson produced tables in 6 categories. They named them as Artisan, Elite, Classic, Professional, Contemporary and Havea.
ARTISAN KASSON POOL TABLES
The above 7 are the tables produced under the artisan category. They are somewhat less common to find. The design differs in each of the model but some points are common among each of them.
Artisan Common Specifications
- Colors: Blue Gray Green Red And Gold. These colors were available in light, medium, medium-dark, and dark.
- Rails: 3 Piece Rail with abalone diamond sights.
- Pockets: Hand Crafted Leather
- Frame: Double Interlocking center beams
- Coating: UV curing Kasguard Coating
- Legs: One piece of solid hardwood
- Slate: 1″ Backed diamond-honed Italian slate
- Frame Joints: Mortise and tenon joinery
- Cabinetry: 8/4″ Stock hardwood cabinetry
- Cushions: Kasson fastback K66
Low Cost Kasson Artisan Pool Table Alternative
ELITE KASSON POOL TABLES
Kasson made elite tables in three categories. The name and design of each category table cherry elite, oak elite and maple elite can be seen in the next picture.
Cherry Elite Common Specifications
- Colors: Blue Gray Green Red And Gold. These colors were available in medium, medium-dark, and dark. Light versions are not available.
- They are all made up of Cherry Tree wood.
Oak Elite Common Specifications
- Colors: Blue Gray Green Red And Gold. These colors were available in light, medium, medium-dark, and dark.
- They are all made up of Oak Tree wood.
Maple Elite Common Specifications
- Colors: Blue Gray Green Red And Gold. These colors were available in brandy, nutmeg and cognac.
- They are all made up of Maple Tree wood.
CLASSIC KASSON POOL TABLES
CLASSIC OAK
- Colors: Blue Gray Green Red And Gold. These colors were available in light, medium, medium-dark, and dark.
- They are all made up of Oak Tree wood.
CLASSIC CLOSED GRAIN HARDWOOD
- Colors: Blue Gray Green Red And Gold. These colors were available in light, medium, medium-dark, and dark.
- They are all made up of closed grained hardwood.
PROFESSIONAL KASSON POOL TABLES
- Colors: Blue Gray Green Red And Gold. These colors were available in white, black, stone, sage for Aurora and white, black, stone, wood and sage for vermillion.
CONTEMPORARY KASSON POOL TABLES
- Colors: Blue Gray Green Red And Gold. These colors were available in light, medium, medium-dark, and dark.
HAVEA KASSON POOL TABLES
- Colors: Blue Gray Green Red And Gold. These colors were available in light, medium, medium-dark, and dark.
GENERAL COMMENTS ABOUT KASSON POOL TABLES
Aurora and Vermillion were the top selling Kasson tables. They had 2 large legs shaped in a triangle for extended stability.
Voyager and Terminator also sold well but had a weak frame and legs were also not strong for the long run. If you are planning to buy these then check the condition of the legs. Both have rails made from solid maple and the finishing is done via formica. These two models look quite like Brunswick’s Centurian but not a knock off as those of AMF playmaster.
The pockets for all the tables are quite deep similar to that of a snooker table. You will find k66 cushion and rubber feathership. All the tables have two cross beams that run along the entire table which makes them quite sturdy and stable.
BRIEF HISTORY OF THE COMPANY
Kasson was started by Dave Kasper and his wife Wendy Johnson back in 1983. The couple enjoyed success over the next two decades as the demand for the Kasson tables increased over the years. By 2001 Kasson was the third largest pool table manufacturing company in the United States with its plant located in Babbit Minnesota.
But as the Chines and Malaysian pool tables became popular in US the demand for Kasson started decreasing with pace. From 2001 with every year the company could not reach their projected sales of the tables. For instance in 2002 the company expected the sale of 13000 pool table but fell short of target by almost 2000 tables.
Decline in sales forced Dave to lease out the company to the Great Lakes Home and Resort Inc in 2003. The change did not work as Kasson continued to lay off it employees. In 2005, the Great Lakes Home and Resort Inc acquire Kasson completely but they could not keep the flow of business and lost money. In October 2006 Kasson completely closed it manufacturing plant and after 6 months all the assets under the company were put on public auction.
