*****THE OFFICIAL HEAD PRO TOUR 630/280 Club*************
- Thread starter Pro_Tour_630
- Start date
Slodge630
Rookie
So also the old pt630 have twaron in the handle only? Is it exactly the same as nowadays pt57a2?
dr325i
G.O.A.T.
same thing
Slodge630
Rookie
BDAZ
Hall of Fame
Hey everyone! So, I bought a used PT 280 DIA a couple of years ago. It came strung with some string that I don’t recall and had i.Prestige CAPs. Grip was too big, 4 5/8 vs. my regular 4 3/8. I didn't weigh it at the time, but it felt sluggish, so I changed out the CAPs for Microgel Radical grommets and bumper. To reduce the grip size, I put on some Wilson thin replacement grip (can’t recall exactly which one). Anyhow, I never had gotten around to stringing and playing it until recently. Strung it up with Tourna Big Hitter Black 7 17g. Felt good, but not solid, so I weighed it. Surprised to find that it only weighs 11.5 oz. (326g). Would the changes I made to the grommets and bumper and grip really reduce weight that much, or do I just have a grossly under spec racquet?
Slodge630
Rookie
There is huge variation in the weight of these racket with dia from China being even lighter. Changing the tk57 cap grommets to microgel grommets makes it much lighter ~10grams. Consider to get some tk 293 cap grommets. They are a bit lighter than the tk57 and should keep swingweight manageble
tennisnoob1949
Semi-Pro
I recently bought a pro tour 630 used. Question for the experts out there : there appears to be no Made in Austria or Designed in Austria text anywhere on the racquet (it’s the shadow font version). Does this mean it’s Designed in Austria version ?
tennisnoob1949
Semi-Pro
It does not. I’ll post some pics soon.
tennisnoob1949
Semi-Pro
I thought all 630s were made in Austria and/or finished in Czech Republic ?
tennisnoob1949
Semi-Pro
Dakota60
Rookie
Lol, mate.... your answer is simply covered by your grip tape. Open it up and it should either state 'Designed in Austria' or 'Made in Austria'.
tennisnoob1949
Semi-Pro
Lol - I actually did, trying to find it. And there’s nothing !
tennisnoob1949
Semi-Pro
In fact - I regripped it - so I took off the entire grip. I haven’t looked under the pallets but I don’t think this info’s ever found under that.
i've got a couple of DIA sticks that I believe were made in Austria and finished in Czech Republic. I noticed that the "Head Designed in Austria" (below) have different font sizes. does this indicate anything?
Dakota60
Rookie
I've gone through a couple of Shadow PT630s that had different decal alignments. In my opinion, these are just batch/QC issues. Also experienced vast hairpin weight differences between them, which I associate with the same reason above too.
Dakota60
Rookie
Strange. Never seen a shadow version without MIA or DIA at the base of the throat. Trek version would just have the two lines under the Head logo but would have MIA or DIA on the side of the throat. What does yours look like at the bast of the throat?
tennisnoob1949
Semi-Pro
I’m out of town this week but will post a photo of the base of the throat when I get back.
tennisnoob1949
Semi-Pro
I noticed one more thing: on the side that says 'HEAD' - there is no little (R) trademark. The grommets are TK 57. Also the length of the racquet (strung and unstrung) is roughly 27 1/8 inch. Wondering what version of the PT 630 this is.
tennisnoob1949
Semi-Pro
@dr325i - any ideas on what version this is? I've pasted some pics in a previous post; towards the end of the week, I will also photograph the top of the handle, and potentially take off the pallets and photograph the hairpin.
dr325i
G.O.A.T.
vsbabolat
G.O.A.T.
Yeah, just someone some at the factory put a too large of font on that racquet. Doesn’t indicate anything in my opinion. I haven’t seen it before. Looks cool. Both were made in Austria and finished in Czech Republic
tennisnoob1949
Semi-Pro
@vsbabolat - can you take a look at this one as well (different case from the previous one you commented on) - it is:
1. Shadow font, 27 and 1/8 inch long
2. Has tk57 cap grommets
3. No MIA or DIA labels (I will post a photo of the top of the handle when I’m back in town on Saturday)
4. No bar code label anywhere
5. HEAD on the side has no registered trademark - the little (R) that usually accompanies ‘HEAD’
6. Style of the string tension range being somewhat unusual for shadow font (it resembles the trek font version)
Any ideas which version of pt630 this is ?
Dakota60
Rookie
That is true. Didn't notice that before.
This is turning out to be a mishmash of discrepancies. Yes, the Head logo should have the registered trademark logo. All my shadows have them too. Nonetheless, I doubt this could be a fake, especially during that time. If it was, there ought to be several of these floating around but this is my first time seeing this too. Could be some test/scrap/one-off piece made for decal print testing. Maybe....
tennisnoob1949
Semi-Pro
It’s been a while since I played with one of these ( had a dia china 280 which I foolishly sold, don’t know what I was thinking). This feels similar to that from my recollection, but it has been 2 years.
tennisnoob1949
Semi-Pro
Bought it from one of the folks here in the for sale forum. I’ll send them an email.
tennisnoob1949
Semi-Pro
Sounds like they bought it from another forum member as well. I guess that without definitive intelligence (from the likes of @dr325i or @vsbabolat, it would be hard to pinpoint which version this is.
Slodge630
Rookie
You should maybe write to head in austria to have them check. Maybe they have a guy that was already employed in 1995 that knows more…
tennisnoob1949
Semi-Pro
When I get back in town - I’ll take off the pallets and check any codes printed on the hairpin and see what’s what. No idea if there’s any other way to verify.
What codes should I expect to see on the hair pin ?
vsbabolat
G.O.A.T.
The designed in Austria with HEAD barcode Label inside is from second half of 1997
vsbabolat
G.O.A.T.
Someone made a mistake
vsbabolat
G.O.A.T.
I have racquets with the wrong stinging instructions
vsbabolat
G.O.A.T.
Take a photo of the butt-cap. Hopefully it’s all original and unchanged.
vsbabolat
G.O.A.T.
What’s under the finishing tape? It’s too high.
tennisnoob1949
Semi-Pro
The butt cap appears new, not any of the older styles. The pallets are tk82 as well, which I understand were not the originals that the pts came with. I’ll take photos and post on Saturday.
tennisnoob1949
Semi-Pro
Yes will take photos on Saturday and post (out of town at the moment).
tennisnoob1949
Semi-Pro
Added some photos without the grip on. Like I said - no MIA or DIA anywhere. Next step - will take off pallets tomorrow and see what’s on the bare hairpin.
Dakota60
Rookie
Probably just a drunk decal applicator. Lol. Couldn't decide whether to apply the trek or shadow font pack. Inside throat and above grip is from the trek version. Outside throat is from the shadow. Drunk.... Clearly drunk.
Interesting nonetheless...
tennisnoob1949
Semi-Pro
tennisnoob1949
Semi-Pro
Took off the pallets. Turns out the pallets were longer than the hair pin by about 1/8 inch - so mystery of the 27 1/8 length solved. Also I see the TK57 inscription (as expected).
2 questions :
1. I see something that looks like 1030 or 103B or 1038.
2. There seems to be a sticker with some numbers and a bar code.
Any ideas on either of these ?
vsbabolat
G.O.A.T.
It was made in Austria.
It’s intersting because it’s a shadow font frame but it has two features of the Star Trek font. 1 is the string instructions and 2 is the above the grip where HEAD is written. On the early Shadow font it should be HEAD with made in Austria written underneath. While the Star Trek font is a silver line and and red line underneath.
very curious example you have there. You don’t have original TK57 pallets or the original butt-cap.
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tennisnoob1949
Semi-Pro
Thanks for confirming.
I assume the pallets were replaced at some point, especially considering the additional 1/8 inch.
vsbabolat
G.O.A.T.
100% the pallets were replaced. The original grommets from that time period were grey and were TK57 pallets.
tennisnoob1949
Semi-Pro
Any idea on what the 1030 or the bar code label on the hair pin mean?
