FM vs. Gammoner *Head-to-head Comparison*
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- čas přidán 5. 07. 2024
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In this video I compare my two nicest boards: an FM Talat board made of pure mahogany, and my Gammoner X-22 Paul Magriel Commemorative board. Both boards are the 'top of the line' of their respective makers, and their prices reflect that. The Talat from FM, without the leather accessories, goes for around US$1,100 (super-fast shipping included), while a custom-designed 'Traveller' size Gammoner board retails for around US$1,800 with current exchange rates.
Another highlight of this video are the two backgammon board 'covers' and protective playing surfaces that I've worked on with my mom, who is excellent with a needle, thread and sewing machine. I picked out the two different fabrics, and based the cover on a design I saw on Gammoner's Facebook page. My mom can construct a cover like this in about two days. It's an effective way of preserving the leather exterior of both boards, while also having a playing surface to put under the board during play, when out and about. They are available for purchase, custom-made to fit the dimensions of whatever board you want to protect.
The covers go for US$120, and my mom and I have chosen a few different 'upholstery' fabrics to use for the covers, including the grey paisley design on my Gammoner, which also comes in a version mostly in greens and blues. Shipping will be $10 within the USA, and will need to be calculated for international orders.
If you are interested in learning more about the covers, you can email me at: jjmckennajr @ gmail . com, and I will get back to you as soon as I can.
As you can tell from my 'head to head' review, these two boards really have different 'personalities.' The Gammoner is very elegant, restrained, with a muted color scheme, and plays with a quiet dignity, making it super easy to play on for hours. I love it, but because this is a limited edition board, I don't want to play on it too often.
The FM Talat, by comparison, has the classic qualities of a 'Taki' board, including the hypnotizing sounds of the dice and checkers hitting the interior wood frame, producing that rich clicking sound during play. I simply love the style and color 'pop' of the two different, interchangeable playing surfaces. I think this FM board represents the cutting edge of backgammon board design, and I can't stop playing on this board, even when I'm sitting around and simply wanting to roll dice and move checkers around. It, too, is a delight to play on.
Feel free to leave comments or questions about either board, or the covers. I know these are not 'affordable' boards, in the sense that they represent the 'top shelf' of their class, but I think everyone should consider investing in a top-notch backgammon board, if you are at all serious about this amazing game of backgammon. It's worth it, believe me. You won't be disappointed.
Thanks for watching! Links to my other videos are below:
FMGammon 'Talat' Premium backgammon set, with interchangeable playing surfaces and multiple leather accessories *Unboxing*'
• FMGammon ‘Talat’ (Prem...
869 Backgammon / Erhan Boards Backgammon set, a custom-designed "board of my dreams" designed in collaboration with the board maker Unboxing • 869 Backgammon / ‘Erha...
FTH Tournament Backgammon set, custom build, with 45mm checkers and merino wool felt playing surface Unboxing
• FTH Tournament Backgam...
Gammoner "X-22" Paul Magriel Commemorative Backgammon set, a limited edition board (only 22 produced worldwide) with stunning custom checkers Unboxing • Gammoner "X-22" Paul M...
FMGammon 'Hamdi' Backgammon set w/ precision dice and scoreboard Unboxing • FMGammon 'Hamdi' Backg...
FMGammon 'Mete' Backgammon set, pure Beech wood, precision dice, scoreboard Unboxing
• FMGammon 'Mete' Backga...
Wycliffe Bros. Prestige Class 23” Backgammon Set w/ nickel plated 44.5mm checkers Unboxing
• Wycliffe Brothers 23” ...
Crisloid Tournament Attaché Backgammon custom-designed set Unboxing
• Crisloid Tournament At...
Keep Calm and Cube On - Zábava
These boards are definitely a dream, thanks for sharing Justin
Martin - Thank you for the support, and I'm glad you enjoy them. I enjoy making them, so likely more to come in the future. Cheers!
Fantastic boards, Justin - indeed the most beautiful and most premium boards of your collection! The covers are also great, really practical and unique idea, congrats! Have many-many good games on these boards (and of course on your other boards as well)!
Thank you, Peter! I’m lucky enough to now be able to play friends in public, indoors, without a mask. Played for three hours recently and loved every minute of it, even when I was losing! Cheers!
As soon as I get the money I'll know which CZcams channel to visit to choose my next board :) Until then my cheap board will have to do! Thank you for the wonderful videos
Louis! I know what you mean, and a really nice backgammon board is definitely an investment. Definitely worth saving up for, though, because a well-made board will last your entire life, and is hopefully something that can be passed down the generations. Cheers!
I appreciate the car comparisons, and the car choices. Love the boards. Thanks for the video.
Pete - Thanks for the kind words, and the comment! Much appreciated. Cheers.
Another great video! Thanx Justin! I also have to say I absolutely love my board cover! Thanx again!!!
Thanks, Mark! Very glad to hear you love the board cover, enjoy!
Another spot on video, Justin!
I love how the board covers integrates so well the board's styles. I'm also arranging up with my mother to make a board cover for me.
Those boards you have are amazing, but one thing I surely apreciate is that you have backgammon partners to play live for THREE HOURS STRAIGHT!
Here where I live the only people who play backgammon that I know of are my friends (that I have teached the game), my parents and some bulgarians folks that I've worked with (who actually have taught me the game). Long hours of play have been possible only on Galaxy.
Well, one thing that's for sure is that I'm saving every penny to bought me a Gammoner and a FM in the future, just don't know yet if my Gammoner will be the traditional or the traveller size. The board that I have is actually the same size as the traveller, but I've never used 45mm checkers, so still an open debate.
Thanks a lot for all your work, Justin. I'm sure that it helps many folks as it has helped myself in the chosing of a backgammon board/gear.
Keep healthy and cube on!
Ian - Thanks so much for your support and kind words! It means a lot to me.
Yes, here in California, I was able to meet a friend in a restaurant and play for three hours straight, no mask required, while drinking some good beer. And, I ended up two points ahead, while having been down as many as 8 points during play. At $3 per point, I won enough to pay for one beer. Yay!
Glad you are saving to buy a top-notch board, you won't regret it, and I hope you can soon play for many hours with your friends. Cheers!
Ian, Did you ever end up getting a nice backgammon board, like an FM, or Gammoner?
Just curious, cheers! 👋🏼🎲🎲✨🏆
@@jjmckenna Hello, Justin! Had to spend on other things, unfortunally 😅. Looking forward to buy a Earth Board when the USD/BRL exchange ratio becomes more reasonable. I actually have a Gamão Board in black, ivory and grey with 50mm checkers and some BGG acessories (the set with 3 doubling cubes, dice tower ans 4 set of precision dice)
@@ianaguiarsouza Ian -Sounds like you gave a very nice setup already, with 50mm checkers even. Cheers! 👋🏼🎲🎲✨
Another interesting video, Justin, although this one had no 'checker play' for me to analyze! I find both boards really interesting, and I think you highlight the differences very well, because different people value different things in their backgammon boards. I would tend to favor the FM board, with its flair for color and the 'personality' of the checkers and dice on the frame.
I'll be interested in to see what boards you either 'unbox' next, or compare. Keep it up!
John, I definitely thought about some checker play, but I wanted to keep the video relatively short. Thanks for your ongoing support, and perhaps with my next video, I'll play some moves to give viewers a better idea of how the boards sound and play.
I agree that these different boards will appeal to people differently, which is why I think I'll make more of these 'head-to-head' videos to compare some of my other boards. Cheers!
First like!
My heart always skips a beat when I see a new McKenna review!
That's so nice, thanks for your support! And 'First Like,' too, thanks so much!
I like the FM Gammon more. To me it's an SUV. Very versatile with its new mag change playing surface. There is one thing I don't care for and that's the checker trays are a bit chunky for the FM Gammon. However if I would have to choose between the two. FM Gammon would be the one for me. More custom options and in the end will cost less over time. The sound from an FM Gammon board reminds me of pool 🎱 being racked and break.
Chris: I totally agree with you that the sound of the FM board sounds like the breaking of a tight rack in pool. Good image!
Personal taste definitely comes into play in a big way with a significant purchase like a board of this quality. I agree that FM boards are less expensive overall, but will hold up very well over time. I hope you're able to get one to your liking, if you don't have one already. Cheers!
Yet another great video - the "Head to Head" format is an excellent idea. How about a future comparison between a more 'affordable' board and a 'luxury' board, eg. the Wycliffe board?
It's really interesting to compare features side by side and to see the differences, including the "sound and feel" of the boards. Could you tell us how the checkers 'slide' on both boards?
Both boards are obviously excellent - as are the covers, another great idea! I do own a beech FM board but not (yet!) a Gammoner board. I love my FM board but I think seeing the 2 together, I have a slight preference for the proportions of the Gammon board, giving more space for the playing surface with a narrower rack for the checkers.
Raymond - Thanks for your ongoing support, and you always have a little request to consider for my next video (checker movement).
I have had a few people mention the slimmer lines of the Gammoner as more attractive, and I don't disagree. Having a board in that size, with 50mm checkers, really adds a degree of gravitas to the entire playing experience. That's why Gammoner is considered the ideal board by so many backgammon aficianados. Hope you can acquire one someday. Cheers!
@@jjmckenna thank YOU for all the ongoing videos!
no one has commented on the protective covers your mum makes they are fantastic items
Craig - Glad you agree the board covers are worthy of acquiring.
We have sold one to a FB friend, and I’ve had some other queries, but no other sales, yet.
Cheers, mate! 🎈
They Only for high end Aficionados who understand & appreciate quality & the very best in everything.
The two boards compared in my view are the best of the best on the market.
Rolls Royce vs Bentley
Or
Lambo vs Ferarri
Or
Elvis vs michael Jackson.
@@craigduffy1899 Interesting analogies, Craig! I agree these are two of the best boards on the market, but we're somewhat biased, aren't we, given that we own and love BOTH of these boards?! Anyway, thanks for your continued support!
@@jjmckenna Hey! I've been loving your videos man, and I would love to reach out about getting a board cover. How would I inquiry about it? I can't seem to find your email.
@@eliankri2250 - Eli, thanks for reaching out. My email address is in the written description of the video, but no bother, here it is: jjmckennajr @ gmail . com.
Shoot me an email and I can tell you more about the boards, and some of the fabrics available. Cheers!
Excellent Job!
Thank you, Mr. Auer! 🎈
I like the one that FM blue and I like the wood but of course I’m just going on looks as I like colour .
Sometimes a strong aesthetic reaction leads one to the perfect backgammon board! 🤩🎲🎲🙌🏼💭💡
Great video, as always. Would love to see you review a p40 board, especially seeing where it fits into your collection. Would also like to know which of the boards you play on more over time?
G T - I’ve had a lot of people ask about the P-40 board, and I’ve reached out to them about working something out, but not received any interest from them. I don’t think the sound would sit well with me.
In terms of my current boards, I tend to play on either my FM Talat, my Gammoner (which is the favorite of my friends), or my FTH board.
I also played quite a lot on my 869/Erhan board after I unboxed it.
Cheers, and thanks for your comment!
Thanks for the reply
Justin, I have been enjoying your videos. I would love one of these luxury boards. I’m a novice player but could play for hours. Do you find these luxury sets help lure friends into the game? Also, because it’s essentially a one time purchase which color combo do you think is the best?
Leo, great question. I absolutely think having a very nice backgammon board lures people into a curiosity about the game.
I’ve been playing with a friend of mine, periodically, who hadn’t played in years. He was enjoying it so much, I gave him one of my boards for his 50th birthday! Another backgammon convert, I hope.
As for color combinations, that is really about personal preference. I happen to love blue, so the cover of my FM Hamdi board, and the alternative playing surface on my FM Talat board are right up my alley. Then again, I love the grey combinations of my Gammoner and FTH boards. The only color I’m not really into for backgammon is brown. Too drab for me. Good luck! 🌈
You have a beautiful backgammon board collection. I have a gammoner on order, but very tempted to purchase a fmgammon board.
Would you consider a p-40 board In the future.?
Brian: Thank you for the kind words and encouragement!
Also, congratulations on your forthcoming Gammoner! It’s an amazing board; I’m sure you’ll love it.
I definitely encourage you to consider an FMGammon board. I really love mine and they have a different feel and ‘personality’ from other more traditional boards that use wool felt and quiet bumpers. The beechwood boards from FM are gorgeous and slightly lower priced than the mahogany boards. I also think FM are open to negotiating on price.
As for P-40 boards, I’m not really into the metallic ‘clickety-clack’ of those boards. I’ve also reached out to P-40 before, and they seemed uninterested in working with me. I likely won’t make any effort to acquire a P-40, but if they reached out to me, I’d certainly respond.
Cheers! 🎈
Hi Justin, great Video!
I have a question to the FM Gammon Board:
Is it possible to stack two Sets of the changeable Surfaces in the same Board for Storage?
Greetings from Germany & I like your Unboxing Videos, a huge inspiration! 😊👍
Patrick, Thank you for the ongoing support!
Yes, both sets of alternative surfaces were shipped inside the board, and I think it would be fine to store it that way. However, if you brought the board somewhere with both surfaces inside, I think one would need to pull out the alternate set for proper play. In other words, I don’t think it would be ideal to have both sets in the board while playing. I’ll have to check that, though.
This really is a gorgeous board. My new ‘favorite’ for playing purposes, and thankfully, I’m now able to play friends in public without a mask! Cheers and have a wonderful Spring! 🌈
@@jjmckenna Wow that sounds great! Very nice Board! I purchased recently the Galaxy Earth Board 😅
Thank you have a nice Spring too! 😀
@@patrickbertrand6366 - You bought the Earth board, kudos!
You probably know that the Earth board is made by FMGammon. They make beautiful boards all around.
@@jjmckenna Yes the FM-Boards looks really amazing!
It's great that the Galaxy Boards are produced by FM as well, even on the "Neptune" the quality was huge. And the sound of the wooden frame is my favourite Song! 😁👍
Thank you for that, much appreciated. Kinda Fred Astaire versus Twitch. 🤜🏼💥
Craig - That is an interesting and prescient comparison between an old classic and a new 'upstart.' I'll have to take these analogies further in subsequent videos. Cheers, and thank you for the ongoing support!
Justin Very nice reviews. Do you know if I gave FMGAMMON a custom background for the new magnetic surfaces if they would make it for me? I know they allow logos and custom colors but I’d like a molted background surface and I mocked it up and thought it would be cool. Thanks. I think I’ll get myself one of those boards soon.
Jay, I’m posing that interesting question to my contact at FMGammon, Onur Ihtiyar. I’ll let you know what I find out, because it would be interesting to design one’s own interchangeable playing field.
@@jjmckenna thanks
@@creativeillumination - Jay, I believe the answer to your question is YES, FM can do custom designs and the interchangeable surfaces.
I suggest reaching out to my friend at FM, Onur Ihtiyar, who can help you further. I think his email is Onur @ FMGammon dot com. Good luck! 👍🏼
@@jjmckenna thanks Justin. I’ll do that when I’m ready. I’m excited to get my hands on the FMGAMMON board.
Cat just wanted for you to start playing at 3:59
Meow! I’ll have to check this out.
Having multiple playing surfaces protects against a “wine accident”
True, though that would become a pretty expensive glass of wine if you spilled it and had to pay $85 for new surfaces!😅
How do you think the Backgammon Galaxy Earth Board compares?
Josh - That's a very interesting question. As you likely know, the Galaxy 'Earth' board is made by FM, and I believe it uses solid beechwood, which gives the rich and luxurious tones that I mention in this video.
I know the board is more compact than either of these boards, so it would be a smaller 'package' overall, and likely very easy to play on. It's also much more portable, so I think it would be a very nice board to own. And it also has interchangeable playing fields.
I don't have any plans to purchase one at this time, however. Cheers!
@@jjmckenna yes, I have purchased it and waiting for it to arrive. Looks amazing as do all the FM boards.
How much does the FM board weigh with all the checkers,cube,dice and shaker cups inside it?
Good question! I haven’t weighed it exactly, but it’s a hefty board. I estimate it’s around 15 pounds (~ 7 kgs).
Hi Justin does it matter which direction the race goes? I see it go clockwise and counter clockwise.
Chad, Good question and the answer is that backgammon can be played in either direction. In fact, I make a point of practicing both directions, because in live play, your opponent may want to play a certain direction. I want to be familiar and comfortable with both directions for tournament play. Cheers! 💫
If you think about it, EVERY game of Backgammon goes BOTH ways! It's easy once you've practice enough in both directions - after a while it won't bother you. You can also roll dice for who gets to choose!
Did you finally get around to cleaning your refrigerator? Lol, mine is disgusting btw.
Also, you look better without the whiskers. Just my two cents.
Dr. - Funny that you noticed my fridge. Yes, I think cleaning one's fridge is a good analogy for life. Sometimes one must refresh in order to make room for new things.
Thanks for the vote for the clean-shaven look. I know a couple people who agree with you, and I have come to like it as well. Cheers!
Justin what a lucky guy you are, you have two of the most gorgeous boards ever made.
The natural color of the wood is just breathtaking on the FM, but the Gammoner with the 50 mm checkers once you’ve seen those checkers you cannot take it out of your mind.
Now if FM would do the traveler size that Gammoner does, with big checkers, but with their beautiful stile on mahogany, now THAT would be the perfect backgammon board out there.
But I wanted to know from someone that used both of them, touch them, from your own experience, which one gives you the most satisfaction playing on.
After finishing playing which one makes you think “ Man I really loved playing on that board! “
Thank you for the comment and positive feedback!
As you can tell from my video, both boards are amazing, large, commanding, and made with quality materials by craftsmen.
I like both boards for different reasons, but I would most likely find myself playing repeatedly, and for long periods of time, on the Gammoner. It just oozes quality! The reason I don’t play often on mine of course is because it’s a limited edition board. So, maybe time to invest in a ‘daily player’ Gammoner? Not likely anytime soon!
Cheers and enjoy many good rolls! 🙌🏼✨🎲🎲🎈
Although I am not nearly as passionate as you about boards I do like them a lot and I am always watching them on internet and I wanted to say I was impressed by your presentation of the WB yellow mustard Gen III board. And think I would buy that. I liked the green color very much and the playing field was so nice and soft. And the metal checkers are just a bonus to such a nice board.
@@xchalibur77 - That’s a very nice board, and at a good price. I’ve seen many at tournaments. Also a good deal is the slightly smaller Wycliffe board with resin checkers, at less than $300!
Would you know the thickness of the Gammoner Checkers ?
Paul - I’m not able to check them at the moment, but I believe the Gammoner checkers I have are about 10mm thick. They are also 50mm wide, which is unusual.
When I return home I will check them and if they are quite different than 10mm, I’ll let you know. I think I’m pretty accurate, though.
@@jjmckenna No worries , thanks for the heads up!
Mini nature de fm gammon you have ?
I don't have a Mini Nature board from FMGammon, but I do have a Mini Blackhawk board that is somewhat similar. I like it! But, the checkers, cups, dice, etc. are held in a bag that rests within the closed board.
Its same board you can make a review 🙏when you have time, thank you
Fmgammon sound is enough
I agree, it’s one of the nicest things about playing on this board! ✨🎲🎲✨
Bespoke suit?
Exactly! That's what the Gammoner reminds me of; a bespoke grey flannel suit, perfectly tailored.
US$1,800 !!! read it again US$1,800. for a backgammon board...some things are way too expensive,
Sorin, I think you’re referring to the Gammoner board here. If so, my board was slightly MORE expensive, but it’s also a limited edition board (only 22 made worldwide).
I agree that $1800 for a backgammon board is pricey, but for some people, it’s worth it. They are so well made they will last for generations.
Talat premium board if bought with all the accessories costs about the same.