TaihtDuhShaat
02-03-2012, 04:15 PM
I've been intrigued to try and see if I can create a well balanced, accurate hitting all court setup in my preferred specs in a more forgiving, more powerful package than the flexy 95"s I've customized in the past. When I happened to stumble upon this frame shopping in person, I noticed how light it swung, and how light the throat and handle felt compared to most frames you see in stores at any weight. Most retail frames have a lot of extra mass throughout the frame, giving stability without high SW's, but they often feel as the string bed has too much power at the bottom. This frame felt as if it was the lightest of possible graphite hairpins, with no extra added mass anywhere besides the actual plastic grommets and handle. Once I brought it home and put on a larger pallet and butt cap, I lengthened it from 26.2 to 26.85", a length I have found performs well at my specs for a 100" going from what I have done with 95"s of the same brand. I then gripped it, and measured the strung specs and SW to find out what I hoped would be when I first picked up the frame; that this is the lightest SW of any frame I've ever found, including pro stock frames at:
249g with grip and strings
34.4cm balance
256SW!
Mouth watering at how much lead I would be able to add to the hoop and handle for extreme power and stability, I found using the TWU reverse engineering tool that I could add 34g under the bumper area, 80 inches of 1" wide lead tape wrapped around the grip at 7" from the butt, and 20g inside the butt to achieve my balanced specs of 383g,31.9cm(7 pts. HL), 367SW. I strung it with pacific classic gut 16 mains and weissCANNON Black5edge poly 17 crosses at 58/52.5 lbs. from the stringway tension advisor, dropping 1.5 lbs. for the thinner 17 gauge poly cross and then 8% more from the poly manufacturer recommendation. This produced a firm feeling string bed.
I first balanced it and compared it to my other frames at these heavy specs to make sure it swung similarly, then I took it out for some serves to adjust the lead and make sure that I found the SW and balance that let me serve the hardest with the right amount of curve.
The gut/b5e poly gave it good controlled power and bite, and the stiff flex gave it the directional control I was hoping for. I had some serves jumping like Sampras' once I took some lead from the butt and redistributed it to the upper handle and hoop. Compared to my best performing frame that I've customized like this, the TGK 238.2 prestige mp 16x19, It blew it out of the water on serve accuracy and power!
I took it out for a hit today on green clay and it impressed me in almost every category. Groundstrokes were effortlessly heavy without much input, volleys were powerful and precise, and returns felt controlled and easy to get deep which carried over to running groundstrokes. I could hit as flat as an 18x20 radical or prestige mp (which was surprising for the head size) or as loopy as I wanted. The topspin was sufficient enough for hitting accurate dipping passing shots and topspin approaches. Directional accuracy was as good as I have gotten on any frame on everything including serves. The distance between the 8 center mains is only 76mm, the same as the prestige mp 16x19, which is why this larger hooped frame has great control for flat hitting; it's fairly dense in the center and has a lot of uweaved space on the perimeter. Overall I have 134g(4.7 oz.) of lead distributed across the upper hoop, upper handle, and butt. The best part is, next time I beat someone and they ask, "What frame do you use?" I can reply, "It's a junior model." :)
Edit: Sorry TT mods for wrongfully mentioning a different retailer in my OP about this frame.
Edit: The title should read: 4.7 oz.'s later!
249g with grip and strings
34.4cm balance
256SW!
Mouth watering at how much lead I would be able to add to the hoop and handle for extreme power and stability, I found using the TWU reverse engineering tool that I could add 34g under the bumper area, 80 inches of 1" wide lead tape wrapped around the grip at 7" from the butt, and 20g inside the butt to achieve my balanced specs of 383g,31.9cm(7 pts. HL), 367SW. I strung it with pacific classic gut 16 mains and weissCANNON Black5edge poly 17 crosses at 58/52.5 lbs. from the stringway tension advisor, dropping 1.5 lbs. for the thinner 17 gauge poly cross and then 8% more from the poly manufacturer recommendation. This produced a firm feeling string bed.
I first balanced it and compared it to my other frames at these heavy specs to make sure it swung similarly, then I took it out for some serves to adjust the lead and make sure that I found the SW and balance that let me serve the hardest with the right amount of curve.
The gut/b5e poly gave it good controlled power and bite, and the stiff flex gave it the directional control I was hoping for. I had some serves jumping like Sampras' once I took some lead from the butt and redistributed it to the upper handle and hoop. Compared to my best performing frame that I've customized like this, the TGK 238.2 prestige mp 16x19, It blew it out of the water on serve accuracy and power!
I took it out for a hit today on green clay and it impressed me in almost every category. Groundstrokes were effortlessly heavy without much input, volleys were powerful and precise, and returns felt controlled and easy to get deep which carried over to running groundstrokes. I could hit as flat as an 18x20 radical or prestige mp (which was surprising for the head size) or as loopy as I wanted. The topspin was sufficient enough for hitting accurate dipping passing shots and topspin approaches. Directional accuracy was as good as I have gotten on any frame on everything including serves. The distance between the 8 center mains is only 76mm, the same as the prestige mp 16x19, which is why this larger hooped frame has great control for flat hitting; it's fairly dense in the center and has a lot of uweaved space on the perimeter. Overall I have 134g(4.7 oz.) of lead distributed across the upper hoop, upper handle, and butt. The best part is, next time I beat someone and they ask, "What frame do you use?" I can reply, "It's a junior model." :)
Edit: Sorry TT mods for wrongfully mentioning a different retailer in my OP about this frame.
Edit: The title should read: 4.7 oz.'s later!