Stich's Fischer Vacuum Pro

[Kemitak]

I just bought one, and although I'm surprised at how stable and comfortable it is, I'm shocked at how light it is. I can't believe Stich played with such a light racquet, but I also don't notice any lead tape when I watch videos of him.

Does anyone know the spec's of Stich's Fischer?

[courtking]

Originally Posted by Kemitak

I just bought one, and although I'm surprised at how stable and comfortable it is, I'm shocked at how light it is. I can't believe Stich played with such a light racquet, but I also don't notice any lead tape when I watch videos of him.

Does anyone know the spec's of Stich's Fischer?

MS Vacuum Pro is 320g.. 9points head light.. awesome stick.. superb feel.. It is truly a classic like St. Vincent..

[Kemitak]

Thanks, but as I said, I own one: I know the specs for the stock Vacuum Pro.

What I want to know are the specs for Stich's Vacuum Pro.

[big ted]

dont know about weight but his grip was 4 1/4 size which was far from the norm at that time ..

[courtking]

There are 2 version of Vacuum Pro.. 1 is MS Vacuum Pro which is 320g.. 1 is stock version Vacuum Pro which is 330.. I have no clue what's his personal racket is.. I was saying the specs for Michael Stich Vacuum Pro which is 320g

[galain]

I recall Fred Stolle commenting once that Stich used a very light frame in comparison to most of the guys on tour. No idea what the weight was though.

[Automatix]

Yeah... a beautiful frame. Very characteristic feel. But you gotta love the 19mm beam with that 93 square inch headsize.

I'm letting go of mine though.

[carpedm]

The Fischer Vacuum Pro 90 was one great frame.

Part-way through college when I couldn't find St Vincent Pro Staffs anymore, I switched the fish and loved it. It was versatile, extremely comfortable and esthetically ahead of its time - it had this really complex but not unsightly paint-job. The grip was also extremely easy to work with. The cap was rounded and always fit easily into the hand. It also had a greater feel than just about any stick on the market without giving much to vibration.

Still, it did have some curious short-comings. It had lousy head-guards. It was easy to chew threw it and replacements were sparse. It was also light. I picked up one of mine after hitting with my modern Wilson 90's, and it does get pushed around a bit. I'm also not young enough or quick enough to hit with a racket that doesn't do as much for me. With a racket as flexible as this was, your feet really need to be balanced and underneath you. Anything short of that and your ball will fail to move passed the service line. Curiously, of the eight I owned, one of them was considerably heavier. So either there are two weights or Fischer manufacturing was a bit dubious - ironically, something the vacuum technology was created to counter.

Quick note: when Stich first burst one the scene in 1990, his racket was painted white. In all my travels and in all my years playing tennis, I've never been able to find one those. I've had the silver ones that followed but never that original.

The Fish in the right hands this was a precise and impressive instrument - easily one of the top three hitters rackets in history ( the other two being the St. Vinnie and the Head 300 ). Even though I've parted with most of mine, I still kept two that I enjoyed breaking out every now and then. Can I realistically play with them day-in and day-out now, nope. But man when I was young enough, it was a blissful experience to be on the court with one.

[Bobby Jr]

Originally Posted by galain

I recall Fred Stolle commenting once that Stich used a very light frame in comparison to most of the guys on tour. No idea what the weight was though.

I also recall seeing somewhere that he was quite odd in his racquet set-up. He used a small grip on a very light racquet which was strung far looser than most other players at the time.

[Rabbit]

I remember McEnroe also saying that Stich used an "ubelieveably light frame", so light, he wondered how Stich didn't have arm problems.

The Vaccumn 90 is a beautiful frame......I wish they'd re-release it.

[Povl Carstensen]

I had a 330 I let go of, really stupid. Now I have one of Bosworths 1/4, 320's, and it does seem a bit flimsy compared. But hard to argue with the play of Stich. One characteristic to me is that they slice incredibly well.

[Roger No.1]

I bought one a long time ago after he won Wimbledon - thought it would improve my game lol. Then one day I was playing really bad so I smashed it.

[db379]

Originally Posted by Rabbit

I remember McEnroe also saying that Stich used an "ubelieveably light frame", so light, he wondered how Stich didn't have arm problems.

The Vaccumn 90 is a beautiful frame......I wish they'd re-release it.

They actualy did a few years ago. Fischer had these pro vacuum 90 racquets in yellow... don't know how they play compared to the original though... The original is such a soft and flexy stick!

[morten]

he used a yellow one his last FO. He used the 330 gram without leather, and 1/4 grip, it was still hefty but on the lighter side back then. I love it too, only thing i did not slice too well on the defence with it(a strong stroke for me)

[0d1n]

He did NOT use a 1/4 grip...this legend keeps perpetuating I see... just like "Sampras used even balance frames" and "Head measures their head size from the outside of the frame".

[Povl Carstensen]

Originally Posted by 0d1n

He did NOT use a 1/4 grip...this legend keeps perpetuating I see... just like "Sampras used even balance frames" and "Head measures their head size from the outside of the frame".

If the Bosworth racket is the real thing, then he does use 1/4. And isnt it true that the Prestige mid is smaller than advertised (I havent heard this "legend" about other Head rackets).

[0d1n]

Originally Posted by Povl Carstensen

If the Bosworth racket is the real thing, then he does use 1/4. And isnt it true that the Prestige mid is smaller than advertised (I havent heard this "legend" about other Head rackets).

With regards to the Head frames...yes the Prestige Mids and MP's and the radical MP's are smaller than advertised, but that has nothing to do with being "measured" from the inside or outside of the frame, it has to do with marketing BS and round numbers.
The difference in area from measuring including the frame and excluding the frame (string bed only) would be far far far faaaaaaaaar larger than the 3-ish sq inches difference difference that actually exists between what's advertised and what's true.
With regards to Stich's grip size, I remember reading on the forum a guy who had his frames stating they were grip size 4 (4 1/2).
Also...have a look at this picture...I clearly see space between his fingers and palm...and he's a very tall guy with fairly big hands and long fingers.
Granted ... he might have gone up in size as he aged...but grip size 2 (4 1/4) is still hard to believe for me for a guy who's some 1.93 m...(Safin/Ivanisevic size).
Rafa is 1.85 m and he's "pushing it" with his small grip size. Stich's hands are significantly larger !

[morten]

Originally Posted by 0d1n

With regards to the Head frames...yes the Prestige Mids and MP's and the radical MP's are smaller than advertised, but that has nothing to do with being "measured" from the inside or outside of the frame, it has to do with marketing BS and round numbers.
The difference in area from measuring including the frame and excluding the frame (string bed only) would be far far far faaaaaaaaar larger than the 3-ish sq inches difference difference that actually exists between what's advertised and what's true.
With regards to Stich's grip size, I remember reading on the forum a guy who had his frames stating they were grip size 4 (4 1/2).
Also...have a look at this picture...I clearly see space between his fingers and palm...and he's a very tall guy with fairly big hands and long fingers.
Granted ... he might have gone up in size as he aged...but grip size 2 (4 1/4) is still hard to believe for me for a guy who's some 1.93 m...(Safin/Ivanisevic size).
Rafa is 1.85 m and he's "pushing it" with his small grip size. Stich's hands are significantly larger !

i believe you about the measuring thing, outside of frame measure would be huge... anyway a big man can still have small hands....

[Bobby Jr]

Originally Posted by 0d1n

He did NOT use a 1/4 grip...this legend keeps perpetuating I see...

Two different people here, myself included, have heard it commented on previously because it is an quite odd detail. If you know different we should find out somehow. (old racquets supposedly from pros aren't always reliable evidence imo - the number of times they turn out to be promo/charity giveaways and not the actual racquet used seems to be quite high)

FYI, it's easy to choose photos which tell the story you want. These aren't definitive but they do look on the small side to me. I use a 4 3/8 grip and mine don't look that small to me although, as I said, pics can be deceptive sometimes - scale, angle etc.

[0d1n]

Find some with a forehand grip clearly visible that tell "your side of the story" instead.
A FH volley grip will do as well.
In the pictures you post he's not even gripping the racquet and you're telling me his handle "looks smaller than your 3/8".
Well...of course it looks small next to his body, he is HUGE.
You said you were 5.11, he is 6.4. Understand the difference ?
Same logic was used to state that Berdych's old Dunlop frame looks like a mid size, when it's in fact a 97-98 sq inch. Of course it looked like a midsize in Berdych's hands...the same frame would look close to oversize in Henin's hands.
Trust me ... I don't really care what grip size he used/uses enough to "find a picture that backs up my argument"...I just looked for one where it was clearly visible how he gripped the racquet...so that we have some reference point.
Your pictures have no reference point.

Here's the best I could find from the 96 French Open. It's a serve, with a continental grip, and I see his overgrip between the fingers and palm.
I can't be bothered to look for more...do it yourself if you want. Keep in mind HE IS 6.4 . Safin is also 6.4, uses a 1/2 grip and his fingers look to be touching (or close to touching) his palm most of the time (certainly in the continental grip he uses for serves).