Help choosing a poker chip (2 Viewers)

Frank

Frank

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Hello fellow poker chip experts! I am looking to buy a nice tournament set of poker chips and hoping someone could give me some advice. I have samples of china clays but I find they are too slippery. CPC samples I find sound weird (kind of cheap sounding? I don't know what it is but they just don't sound right to me. I have 10 chips of each of their molds). My Paulson samples are my favorite and I'm not sure if I'll be able to put together a solid set for relabeling purposes buying one or two colors at a time. I would probably pay up to $2 a chip if I really liked them, so if anyone has any suggestions I'm all ears. I basically know nothing about all the other types of chips I've seen talked about here. Also, having the option for multi table tournaments would be great.

Of course CPC would be the easiest way to get the colors and amounts I want I just don't think I could live with spending all that money and not like the sound of my chips.

Thanks everyone!
 
First off, welcome to PCF! :D Secondly, good job on getting samples, you're doin it right. I completely understand being hesitant about CPC. When I first handled them in my early chipping days I wasn't sure about the feel and sound either. I eventually picked up an old Horsehead set off of eBay to try again. After using them for a few weeks I started to fall in love with them. It was definitely an acquired taste for me. Now have two custom sets under my belt I have dreams of more.

2$ a chip is doable for Paulson cash sets, but that price point is more limiting for a tournament set. What China clay samples do you have? There's a great amount of variation between styles and sometimes production runs of the same style.

If you only have one or two CCs d recommend getting a few more. You might find one you like. Pick up an old ASM set on eBay and let it grow on you. Then come back and knock out the custom set that checks all of your boxes!
 
China clays I have are: majestic, pharaoh, dunes and championship poker series all from josh at apache. The majestic I feel are the best whereas the championship ones feel really slippery. I know I could get a relatively cheap set of majestic chips (or customs) but I also know that there are chips I will like more out there somewhere!

I already have a cheap set from years ago so I'm not in a huge rush, but any upgrade would be nice. Thanks for the help!
 
If you like the paulsons best, that is the one by which you will measure the rest. The reason they cost more than other chips is because everyone like them.

Now, if your looking to find a playable set of chips that look good, stack well, shuffle great, come in a wide abundance of colors and designs and sound pretty sweet when you pull the pile towards you ( not so great going away from you, due to the poker chip Doppler effect ) then your choices are wide open.

Check the classifieds for sets looking for a new home... Most all these guys already did the research when they purchased them and you can find some nice sets.

http://www.pokerchipforum.com/threads/large-bcc-riverboat-v1-t-mold-tourney-set.15672/
 
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I agree with you on the CPCs. Ive only handled a sample set and they sound totally different to Paulsons.
 
Frank said:
,....... I would probably pay up to $2 a chip if I really liked them, so if anyone has any suggestions I'm all ears..........
Click to expand...

$2 per chip will cover pretty much anything you want. RE the sound of CPC, they are harder than Paulson so the sound is going to be a bit brighter (if that's the right word). They are both top quality clay chips.
 
Have you ordered samples of CPC yet? If not order a color sample set and shuffle them for a while. You can get a great set of customs for under $2 a chip.

Even within the CPC line there are different molds that have a different sound feel to them. Some people here think the MD-50, diamond Square mold sound closer to Paulson chips.
 
Frank said:
(clip)...CPC samples I find sound weird (kind of cheap sounding? I don't know what it is but they just don't sound right to me ...(clip)
Click to expand...

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx.gif


LOL just kidding man (sort of).

Just keep contributing to the forum and when eligible, post a Wanted Ad. Look through the gallery and decide what you like best. And then decide on whether you want a mixed set (different denoms from different casinos) or a true casino set. Have fun with the search.
 
Welcome to PCF....

The CPC's are as close to Paulsons you can get without having to go through the rout of getting Paulsons Rack by Rack, although most of us have done that...

Good job on getting samples, that is the FIRST step in chipping..

There was some Empress sets for sale around here, look through the "for sale" threads..


GL
 
Rhodeman77 said:
Have you ordered samples of CPC yet? If not order a color sample set and shuffle them for a while. You can get a great set of customs for under $2 a chip.

Even within the CPC line there are different molds that have a different sound feel to them. Some people here think the MD-50, diamond Square mold sound closer to Paulson chips.
Click to expand...

I do have samples of each color and stacks of 10 of each mold, but which one is the MD-50? I believe diamond square would be my choice for sound as well.

@72o Your Knollwoods set sure makes a case for attractiveness. Maybe eventually I'll convert to CPC but for now I think I'll start with Paulsons. I wasn't planning on starting a collection though...lol

Thanks guys.
 
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Welcome! You've quickly gone straight to the crux of the chipping challenge. At least that's cheaper than "settling", then "upgrading" until you eventually get to the expensive chips.

The Horseshoe WSOP chips are mint Paulson tourney solids that are pretty available. They are 36mm versus 38 (I think...), which feel quite a bit smaller in your hand - at least at first with my sample set. Another member posted that you quickly forget the size with a playable set. I'm interested for the novelty, but I have several playable Paulson sets already :-).

Re-labling roulette chips can be a cheaper way to go if you're patient, but popular colors (in good condition) are harder to find and more expensive (especially colors typically associated with high denominations like yellow and orange).

One last piece of advice - it's often hard to find denoms that you want of the set matching what you went with (unless you go the re-label route). You would probably be better off saving money for your entire set, watch the classifieds and eBay, then pick up a workable set all at once.

Welcome to chipping!
 
Also, as far as sound, blank chip will have a different sound than chips with an inlay.
 
ceramics? those tend to be inexpensive and can be made in custom colors, denoms, and designs
 
Well, I'm getting into chipping more than I initially thought I would! I'm already getting several chips/samples and now I'm thinking I want samples of a few (many?) more. Could anyone educate me on the different types of chips or as to which ones are the same? I think I've heard that ASM = CPC now for example, but there are many other abbreviations of chip manufacturers that I have no idea what they are.

Also, I've never handled ceramic chips and I could get samples from a local supplier but was also wondering about the archetype line from buypokerchips. Anyone know about this one or recommend another good one?
 
You are getting sucked down the rabbit hole!! Welcome, get your debit card ready
 
Frank said:
Hello fellow poker chip experts! I am looking to buy a nice tournament set of poker chips and hoping someone could give me some advice. I have samples of china clays but I find they are too slippery. CPC samples I find sound weird (kind of cheap sounding? I don't know what it is but they just don't sound right to me. I have 10 chips of each of their molds). My Paulson samples are my favorite and I'm not sure if I'll be able to put together a solid set for relabeling purposes buying one or two colors at a time. I would probably pay up to $2 a chip if I really liked them, so if anyone has any suggestions I'm all ears. I basically know nothing about all the other types of chips I've seen talked about here. Also, having the option for multi table tournaments would be great.

Of course CPC would be the easiest way to get the colors and amounts I want I just don't think I could live with spending all that money and not like the sound of my chips.

Thanks everyone!
Click to expand...

most ceramics you can customize the crap out of and they run about 70c a piece.

Check sites like oldwestpokersupply.com or abcgiftsandawards.com and customize ceramic chips. They are my personal favorite and they're higher quality than China clays.
 
I suspect the Archetypes were made by Chipco. If you like the design, that's a very good quality ceramic - I'm not a big fan of the design, and the face design kinda implies edge spots which are not produced on the rolling edges, so that kinda bugs me. One downside: Chipco no longer produces, and you may never be able to get certain chips (unless buying used.)

One thought - consider https://www.apachepokerchips.com/product/poker-chip-sample-set/ - includes a variety of chips, with china clays, injection-molded plastics, CIC, ceramic...

For ceramics, find a stock set or two that you like and order sample set of those ceramics - ceramics feel identical across denoms, so you'll have enough to get a feel, and you'll get a good look at the design, too.

PGI has a sample set of varied ceramics: http://palmgaming.us/index.php?dispatch=products.view&product_id=30170

Lastly, if going ceramic, consider hybrids - a dye-sub ceramic chip with a recess in the mold where the traditional inlay would go. There's an adhesive sticker in the recess. The sticker can take better print quality than the dye-sub chip, but the ceramic print will be more durable and take all the surface wear. The combination can do a nice job resembling a traditional clay chip with a printed inlay, if that floats your boat.

GL!

-- edit update --

Forgot you already have some samples from Apache of other chips. Definitely get samples of some ceramics, for feel and also to see whether you care about edge alignment - some people care, some people don't.

Also, if you're going to go CPC, definitely get some sample sets from others as they produce their customs so that you can see/feel different molds in person. They have different feels and sounds - the mold produces a surface texture that can vary, and the actual shape/pattern of the mold affects the tone/sound.
 
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Slight correction: Archetype chips are made by Sidepot. They also make the Venerati chips. I stayed clear of them because at $1.09 a chip, I just don't see that as a viable chip.

The Venerati are a deal at just 39c a chip, but I hate hate hate the $1 chip design the yellow on white does not work well.
 
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SteveHNo96 said:
Slight correction: Archetype chips are made by Sidepot. They also make the Venerati chips. I stayed clear of them because at $1.09 a chip, I just don't see that as a viable chip.

The Venerati are a deal at just 39c a chip, but I hate hate hate the $1 chip design the yellow on white does not work well.
Click to expand...
Sidepot is not a manufacturer; they just sell those two ceramic chip lines. Both are out of production - Archetype was made by Chipco (now out of business), and the Venerati chips are made in China. Once Sidepot's stock is gone, they're gone.

Imo, the Venerati chips are one of the best bargain chips made. Above-average decent quality for 39c/chip.
 
BGinGA said:
Imo, the Venerati chips are one of the best bargain chips made. Above-average decent quality for 39c/chip.
Click to expand...

Honestly the Venerati would have been one of my sets except for the ugly $1 chip design and the $100 chips being out of stock. other than that, totally agree.

Getting a ceramic for 39c a piece is awesome. Had you been even able to change the yellow background on the single (say to black) it would have been absolutely perfect.
 
You could always have Sidepot make custom $1 chips to your specifications that match the others in the Venerati line. Stephan is very good to work with.
 

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