Head (Prestige) mid history

[Tennis Man]

I compiled a little file from the bits and pieces that our Head gurus shared with us. Basically I put the evolution of Head midsize graphite players' racquets (aka "Prestiges") in a chronological order.

I edited and simplified the original posts. I specifically omited any discussions of Mid Plus frames.
Some of it could be incorrect. Feel free to share the facts and you memories.

HEAD (PRESTIGE) HISTORY
(courtesy of vsbabolat, retrowagon, other TW members, including myself (TM))

HEAD Ski was founded by Howard HEAD in 1948 (the man that invented Aluminum Skis and the Prince oversize racquet) and in 1970 he sold HEAD to AMF. From 1970 to 1985 AMF owned HEAD. With AMF it was like there was two companies, a U.S. company and a Austrian Company.

Generally HEAD racquets for the U.S. market (Made in USA) were made in Boulder, Colorado, U.S.A. and racquets for Europe were made in Kennelbach, Austria (Made in Austria). HEAD made a lot of racquets in Austria that were only available in Europe (TM: Flash Edge)

1970's saw Head Professional "Red Head" aluminum, Head Metal and frames that had "first" graphite :

Edgewood/Vilas/Director
Arthur Ashe Competition (original black), 1, 2 (brown) and 3 .... all made of fiberglass sandwiched by aluminum
LC, GLC, VLC, XRC


1982 line-up was really diverse; by this time, they had worked into three separate head sizes:

- the Graphite Vector, which was roughly 10% larger than a classic standard sized hitting surface (i.e. 65 sq inch, wooden racquets)
- the Graphite Edge, which was 20% larger
- and the Graphite Director, Head's narrow "oversize" frame, 35% or so larger in hitting area than the classic standard.

All three of these were really good performing rackets, exceptionally smooth and well balanced, still not much top echelon touring pro usage, though.

1984 saw the introduction of higher performance Edge and Director variants, the TX Edge (TXE) and TXD, respectively, These were a little narrower in beam, U.S. made, and wonderfully stiff but responsive frames with outstanding feel. Also their first rackets with an obvious bumper guard.

In 1985 AMF was bought by Minstar.

In 1986, the first of Professional (Pro) series offered in North America was the TX Professional (TXP). The TXP was introduced as Head's flagship racket. They considered it a midplus at the time. It was the very first example of the "thinbeam" rackets, the first with the full-length "CAPS" bumper guard/grommet, and was indeed the predecessor of the 1988 Prestige Pro which began the long line of Prestige mids.

It's one of the first to have Twaron in its layup. The TXP is not from the Graphite Pro Mold. The TXP is how Head marketed the Prestige Pro in the U.S.A in 1986 and 1987. While in 1986 and 1987 Europe got the racquet marketed as the Prestige Pro, in 1988 the U.S.A. got the Prestige Pro cosmetic but was not as beautifully detailed as the Austrian version.

In 1986 AMF sold HEAD to Austrian Tobacco. Austrian Tobacco made HEAD Austrian. Somewhere around this time the oroginal Prestige Pro was introduced.

In late 1987 Head introduced US-made Prestige Pro which was produced just for a year and presumably was one of the last Head rackets made in USA

In 1988 HEAD closed down the Boulder, Colorado factory having all racquets made in Kennelbach, Austria. The only important HEAD racquet that I can think of right now that Austrian Tobacco did not sell in the U.S.A. was the amazing Made in Austria Prestige Pro 600. A real loss for sure.

1988 was also a watershed year for Head. In the US market they had a great line-up of Professional series rackets (midplus sized):
- the box-beamed Graphite Pro, and Composite Pro, and
- the thinbeam Prestige Pro, Elite Pro (bit more flexy than the Prestige Pro) and Elektra Pro.

The 1988 Elite Pro is the green metallic to black fade with white grommet, bumper, pallet collar and grip. It's the constant beam frame, same mold as the Prestige Classic Mids (albeit with a notch for the half-length CAP bumper; the Prestige Mids had a full-length CAP). This racket was offered for one year only. It was one step flexier than the concurrent Prestige Pro, but was not technically a "Prestige" racket.

In 1989 Minstar sold HEAD, Tyrolia, and Mares to the Management team to form HTM.

In 1989 or 1990 HEAD added the familiar 600 to the Prestige Pro to denote head size. Becoming the Prestige Pro 600.

In the fall of 1991 the Prestige came back to the U.S. market as the Prestige 600. It was silver and grey with bright neon green grommets. It was made in Austria.

In 1993 HEAD (HTM) was sold to Austria Tabak (Tobacco).

In 1993 HEAD came out with the Prestige Tour 600 and the larger Prestige Tour 660. These racquets came with the suspension grip of the Discovery series of racquets. In the U.S. the racquet was marketed as the Trisys 300.

In the fall of 1993 HEAD came out with the Prestige Classic 600 ("Star Trek" font), made in Austria for Europe only.

In 1994 HEAD changed the marketing in the U.S. The Trisys 300 became the Prestige Tour 300.

In 1995 Johan Eliasch bought HEAD (HTM) and continues to run it today.

In 1995 HEAD changed the font in Europe from "Star Trek" to today's font. The Star Trek font on the Prestige Classic 600 lasted from the fall of 1993 to the second half of 1995. Then the font changed and the Made in Austria was moved to above the grip.

In 1996 HEAD brought the Prestige Classic 600 to the U.S. In the U.S. it did not have 600 on it (“Mid”)

The first “Designed in Austria” was not completely manufactured in Kennelbach. In order to save costs Head produced the raw racquet in Kennelbach then ship the racquet to it's Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic factory. In the Czech Republic the Prestige Classic 600 was painted, had the pallet, collar, butt-cap, leather grip, and CAP system grommets put on.

Made in Austria Prestige Classic 600 racquets are a darker red color than the Designed in Austria Prestige Classic 600 racquets.

Prestige Tour has a 'Suspension Grip' plastic handle. The Tour generally plays a little softer and feels more flexy - primarily because of the handle system. The Suspension Grip parts make the handle presumably a bit heavier. So as a result specs and balance of PT 600 is different from PC 600.

'600' on a frame usually means that it was intended for the European market (600 cm - 93 sq. in.).

Around 2000, Head introduced Classic Mid, a Prestige Classic for North America that could not wear the name 'Prestige' because of a legal conflict between Head and Wilson at that time (3 or 4 years ago). By then the racquets came out without a collar on the top of the pallet

300 is just the 'Trisys' name for the Prestige. The Prestige was also known as the Trisys 300; The Pro Tour was the Trisys 280, the Radical Tour was the Trisys 260, and I think the Lite Tour (green) was the Trisys 240, and so on.

The Prestige Classic 600 were always manufactured in Kennelbach, Austria. Head has yet to outsource the Prestige Classic 600 to China. The first Prestige to be made in China is the Flexpoint Prestige.

In 2001 i.Prestige came out. They were produced until 2004 in Austria.
in 2004 Liquidmetal Prestige came out in time for Australian Open. To my knowledge were made in Austria originally and then partially in Czech Republic.

[plasma]

I (painfully) hid the name of the others, some have survived, some are hidden, we were all there though, here are the names of some, never forget. at night sometimes I light a candle, I swear I can hear them in the wind....

friends who have passed on, but were nevertheless great
xrc
spectr
magnum
tx 017
royal carbon
comp edge
graphite tour
challenge plus
galaxy
mirage mid
head royal turbo
techno pro
century plus
conquest
royal pro
century pro
formula
classic long
classic mid
arrow plus
presige midplus (first appearance of the word prestige, gold racquet).
comfort
classic fiber
classic mid
I promised the others that I would keep their names alive. They were humble but great racquets, senselessly lost to "progress"...never forget, though they come with stiff overpriced sweatshopped crap we must stand true.


when they came for the kneissls I didn't protest because I played rossignol,
when they came for the prostaff I said nothin because I used yonex.
When they destroyed the prestige I was silent as I had switched to wilson
By the time they got to me there were no true midsizes left, and no one to left to speak up
-Plasma

[Tennis Man]

Originally Posted by plasma

xrc
spectr
magnum
tx 017
royal carbon
comp edge
graphite tour
challenge plus
galaxy
mirage mid
head royal turbo
techno pro
century plus
conquest
royal pro
century pro
formula
classic long
classic mid
arrow plus
presige midplus (first appearance of the word prestige, gold racquet).
comfort
classic fiber
classic mid

-Plasma

The 2 unusual names I got so are 70 sq inch Flash Edge and a lighter 90sq inch Prestige Turbo Light Plus

[Tennis Man]

C.A.P. GROMMET SYSTEM:
(courtesy of retrowagon)

*** Any 18x20 pattern, 600cm2 (93 sq. inch head), "Pro" or later Prestige mid can be CAP-ed.

There were three basic molds from 1985 to present day:
1.) "Box Beam" (non-CAP, either fitted with no bumper or a normal bumper):
Graphite Pro
Composite Pro
Club Pro
Team Pro
Tour Pro
Special Edition Pro
Tubo Lite Plus

(there were a few versions/cosmetics of each, and some were made in USA and others in Austria, but the mold is identical across the board for these three models)

NOTE: These can be full-CAP'ed with a little persistence. The depth and width of the grommet slot is not ideal for the CAP, but with some persistence, it will fit and can be strung up.


2.) Thinbeam (1988 only, originally fitted with a half-CAP, all Made in Austria):
Elite Pro
Elektra Pro
Leconte Evolution

NOTE: These can be CAP'ed with a full-length CAP, but they are very difficult to string and the result is less than ideal, in my opinion.

3.) "Prestige" Mids (originally fitted with full-CAP's, of course):
Prestige Pro
Prestige 600
Prestige Classic
Trisys 300 Mid Trisys 270 Mi)
Prestige Tour
Classic Mid
Prestige Classic 600
iPrestige Mid
Liquidmetal Prestige Mid
Microgel Prestige Mid

HEAD PALLETS:
(courtesy of retrowagon)

Basically any frame in group #1 can swap its pallet halves and/or collar with any other frame in that group. But neither part is swappable with a frame from group #2 or 3 above. Groups 2 and 3 can exchange pallets or collars (except for the Trisys 300 or Prestige Tour frames which use a different vibration absorbing plastic pallet system).

It should be noted that some of the Prestige Mids came from the factory without collars (Classic Mid, iPrestige, LM Prestige, MG Prestige...).

[80sPOG4me]

Thanks so much Tennis Man.

Really appreciate this information.

[plasma]

these were all players racquets. What makes the series so amazing isn't a singular racquet but rather the technology that went into the entire line. How can you accurately discuss the complete evolution without discussing the xrc??? you failed to mention the first prestige which was the gold one, as well as an elusive series of molds that can be found on the 80's tennis site.


The legitimate offering of varied types of players racquets within the same mold deserves mention as this company was not famous for one specific racquet or a great player, even though they made some of the greatest sticks ever.
If I were mentioning wilson or prince and something like the graphite pro or the matrix, your rebuttle would have been valid, but many sticks I mentioned (like the arrow which is the european release of the graphite pro) are as good as the ps sv.
The later part of your post is scholarly yet the early history denies lots of experimental frames which were very interesting and place the evolution of this companies products into a historical perspective.
Are you sure the graphite vector is smaller than the graphite edge?

[vsbabolat]

Originally Posted by Tennis Man

In 1986 AMF sold HEAD to Austrian Tobacco. Austrian Tobacco made HEAD Austrian.

.

Great post!!!! I just wanted to make clear the ownership of HEAD through the years.

In 1985 AMF was bought by Minstar.

In 1989 Minstar sold HEAD, Tyrolia, and Mares to the Management team to form HTM.

In 1993 HEAD (HTM) was sold to Austria Tabak (Tobacco)

In 1995 Johan Eliasch bought HEAD (HTM) and continues to run it today.

[plasma]

I'd like to know the early history regarding howard Head and the rights to different headsizes and patents pls. Thanks to both of you gentleman, this could easily be a college class!

[Tennis Man]

Originally Posted by vsbabolat

Great post!!!! I just wanted to make clear the ownership of HEAD through the years.

In 1985 AMF was bought by Minstar.

In 1989 Minstar sold HEAD, Tyrolia, and Mares to the Management team to form HTM.

In 1993 HEAD (HTM) was sold to Austria Tabak (Tobacco)

In 1995 Johan Eliasch bought HEAD (HTM) and continues to run it today.

Thank you, I will add this info. Also, I've been itching to ask you about Twaron use. How does one know if a racquet has Twaron in it. Aside from an obvious decals on earlier Prestiges and Elite Pro I have there is no way to tell. Do PC 600 or PT 600 have Twaron?

[MichaelChang]

Originally Posted by Tennis Man

- the Graphite Edge, which was 20% (the Edge midsize 70 sq inch)

Wanted to point out that the Graphite Edge is 81 head size.

Also in the near modern era there is a Trisys 270 Mid (600 head size), released in US, and in Europe it is called Graphite Tour 600. I believe it was around 1994??

[khw72004]

There was also a Special Edition Tour Pro that is a box beam. Its red and Blue I have only seen one of them before (in my collection, haha).

[MichaelChang]

To make this thread more vivid, I borrow the pictures from jetlee2k. You can see most of the Head Mids in his thread:

http://tt.tennis-warehouse.com/showthread.php?t=239764

[vsbabolat]

Originally Posted by Tennis Man

Thank you, I will add this info. Also, I've been itching to ask you about Twaron use. How does one know if a racquet has Twaron in it. Aside from an obvious decals on earlier Prestiges and Elite Pro I have there is no way to tell. Do PC 600 or PT 600 have Twaron?

The Prestige Classic and Prestige Tour both have Twaron fiber. For a while there all HEAD racquets had Twaron Fiber.

[gocard]

Hi guys, I had posted this in a different thread under the main Racquet section, but is the Classic Mid any good? I might be able to get my hands on an 8/10 version but am not sure what a reasonable offer would be. I wish I could try out all these different versions but I came to the game too late, around the liquidmetal/flexpoint era... thanks!

[plasma]

thanks to "Chang" for mentioning the trysis. Was it the discovery of the genesis that had the first suspension? I think suspensions feel great. The liability with head has always been feel. Many of their frames lack a lively feel including the 270 and tour 600 which feel like pre chewed gum.
The prestige pro and graphite edge were very stiff but lively, from there the stiffness stayed but the feel went downhill.

these solid numbers are called "trek font", similar numbers which are hollow are not "trek font". Trek font 600's are said to have the best feel, indeed my early green prestige feels like a prostaff, not the racquet pictured but my pc 600.

[vsbabolat]

Discovery was the first racquet to have the Suspension Grip.

[Tennis Man]

Originally Posted by MichaelChang

To make this thread more vivid, I borrow the pictures from jetlee2k. You can see most of the Head Mids in his thread:

http://tt.tennis-warehouse.com/showthread.php?t=239764

We've seen enough pictures but I will add the links to other threads and sites. The idea is to complete Head Prestige pedigree.

[Tennis Man]

Originally Posted by vsbabolat

The Prestige Classic and Prestige Tour both have Twaron fiber. For a while there all HEAD racquets had Twaron Fiber.

Does i.Prestige or LMP have Twaron in it?

[Bud]

Originally Posted by Tennis Man

hmmm .... ok, I tried to explain ... this post is about evolution and history of Prestiges, the top player's racquets made of 100% graphite (and Twaron) ... do we really have to bring entire thrift shop in here? no offense

Great compilation!

However, trying to control what is posted on an Internet forum is senseless (and useless).

The most important post is your OP. It's the first thing in this thread that others read and you're free to edit and add to it based on the responses you receive.

[Bud]

Originally Posted by Tennis Man

I compiled a little file from the bits and pieces that our Head gurus shared with us. Basically I put the evolution of Head midsize graphite players' racquets (aka "Prestiges") in a chronological order.

I edited and simplified the original posts. I specifically omited any discussions of Mid Plus frames.
Some of it could be incorrect. Feel free to share the facts and you memories.

Please, don't clutter this thread with senseless comments like "thanks for info", stupid questions about obvious stuff (read carefully) and/or off topic discussions. I will edit it as we go along and eventually it will be complete and correct to our knowledge. Let's keep it clean.

HEAD (PRESTIGE) HISTORY
(courtesy of vsbabolat, retrowagon, other TW members, including myself (TM))

HEAD Ski was founded by Howard HEAD in 1948 (the man that invented Aluminum Skis and the Prince oversize racquet) and in 1970 he sold HEAD to AMF. From 1970 to 1985 AMF owned HEAD. With AMF it was like there was two companies, a U.S. company and a Austrian Company.

Generally HEAD racquets for the U.S. market (Made in USA) were made in Boulder, Colorado, U.S.A. and racquets for Europe were made in Kennelbach, Austria (Made in Austria).
HEAD made a lot of racquets in Austria that were only available in Europe (TM: Flash Edge)

1970's-early 80's saw Head Professional "Red Head" aluminum (197?), miscellaneous Arthur Ashe Comp iterations (197?), Edgewood (Vilas)

1982 line-up was really diverse; by this time, they had worked into three separate head sizes:
- the Graphite Vector, which was roughly 10% larger than a standard sized hitting surface (???),
- the Graphite Edge, which was 20% (the Edge midsize 70 sq inch)
- and the Graphite Director, Head's narrow "oversize" frame, 35% or so larger in hitting area than the classic standard.

All three of these were really good performing rackets, exceptionally smooth and well balanced, still not much top echelon touring pro usage, though.

1984 saw the introduction of higher performance Edge and Director variants, the TXE and TXD, respectively, These were a little narrower in beam, U.S. made, and wonderfully stiff but responsive frames with outstanding feel. Also their first rackets with an obvious bumper guard.

In 1985 AMF was bought by Minstar.

In 1986, the first of Professional (Pro) series offered in North America was the TXP (TX Professional). It was the ur-Prestige, although it was made in USA (presumably one of the last Head rackets made in USA) instead of Austria. It's one of the first to have Twaron in its layup.

In 1986 AMF sold HEAD to Austrian Tobacco. Austrian Tobacco made HEAD Austrian.

In late 1987 Head introduced US-made Prestige Pro which was produced just for a year and presumably was one of the last Head rackets made in USA

In 1988 HEAD closed down the Boulder, Colorado factory having all racquets made in Kennelbach, Austria. The only important HEAD racquet that I can think of right now that Austrian Tobacco did not sell in the U.S.A. was the amazing Made in Austria Prestige Pro 600. A real loss for sure.

1988 was also a watershed year for Head. I think, in the US market they had a great line-up of Professional series rackets (midplus sized):
- the box-beamed Graphite Pro, and Composite Pro, and
- the thinbeam Prestige Pro, Elite Pro (bit more flexy than the Prestige Pro) and Elektra Pro.

The 1988 Elite Pro is the green metallic to black fade with white grommet, bumper, pallet collar and grip. It's the constant beam frame, same mold as the Prestige Classic Mids (albeit with a notch for the half-length CAP bumper; the Prestige Mids had a full-length CAP). This racket was offered for one year only. It was one step flexier than the concurrent Prestige Pro, but was not technically a "Prestige" racket.

In 1989 Minstar sold HEAD, Tyrolia, and Mares to the Management team to form HTM.

In 1989 or 1990 HEAD added the familiar 600 to the Prestige Pro to denote head size. Becoming the Prestige Pro 600.

In the fall of 1991 the Prestige came back to the U.S. market as the Prestige 600. It was silver and grey with bright neon green grommets. It was made in Austria.

In 1993 HEAD (HTM) was sold to Austria Tabak (Tobacco).

In 1993 HEAD came out with the Prestige Tour 600 and the larger Prestige Tour 660. These racquets came with the suspension grip of the Discovery series of racquets. In the U.S. the racquet was marketed as the Trisys 300.

In the fall of 1993 HEAD came out with the Prestige Classic 600 ("Star Trek" font), made in Austria for Europe only.

In 1994 HEAD changed the marketing in the U.S. The Trisys 300 became the Prestige Tour 300.

In 1995 Johan Eliasch bought HEAD (HTM) and continues to run it today.

In 1995 HEAD changed the font in Europe from "Star Trek" to today's font. The Star Trek font on the Prestige Classic 600 lasted from the fall of 1993 to the second half of 1995. Then the font changed and the Made in Austria was moved to above the grip.

In 1996 HEAD brought the Prestige Classic 600 to the U.S. In the U.S. it did not have 600 on it (“Mid”)

The first “Designed in Austria” was not completely manufactured in Kennelbach. In order to save costs Head produced the raw racquet in Kennelbach then ship the racquet to it's Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic factory. In the Czech Republic the Prestige Classic 600 was painted, had the pallet, collar, butt-cap, leather grip, and CAP system grommets put on.

Made in Austria Prestige Classic 600 racquets are a darker red color than the Designed in Austria Prestige Classic 600 racquets.

Prestige Tour has a 'Suspension Grip' plastic handle. The Tour generally plays a little softer and feels more flexy - primarily because of the handle system.

'600' on a frame usually means that it was intended for the European market (600 cm - 93 sq. in.).

Around 2000, Head introduced Classic Mid, a Prestige Classic for North America that could not wear the name 'Prestige' because of a legal conflict between Head and Wilson at that time (3 or 4 years ago).

300 is just the 'Trisys' name for the Prestige. The Prestige was also known as the Trisys 300; The Pro Tour was the Trisys 280, the Radical Tour was the Trisys 260, and I think the Lite Tour (green) was the Trisys 240, and so on.

The Prestige Classic 600 were always manufactured in Kennelbach, Austria. Head has yet to outsource the Prestige Classic 600 to China. The first Prestige to be made in China is the Flexpoint Prestige.

In 2001 i.Prestige came out. They were produced until 2004 in Austria.
in 2004 Liquidmetal Prestige came out in time for Australian Open. To my knowledge were made in Austria originally and then partially in Czech Republic.

C.A.P. grommet system:
(courtesy of retrowagon)

*** Any 18x20 pattern, 600cm2 (93 sq. inch head), "Pro" or later Prestige mid can be CAP-ed.

There were three basic molds from 1985 to present day:
1.) "Box Beam" (non-CAP, either fitted with no bumper or a normal bumper):
Graphite Pro
Composite Pro
Club Pro
Team Pro

(there were a few versions/cosmetics of each, and some were made in USA and others in Austria, but the mold is identical across the board for these three models)

NOTE: These can be full-CAP'ed with a little persistence. The depth and width of the grommet slot is not ideal for the CAP, but with some persistence, it will fit and can be strung up.


2.) Thinbeam (1988 only, originally fitted with a half-CAP, all Made in Austria):
Elite Pro
Elektra Pro
Leconte Evolution

NOTE: These can be CAP'ed with a full-length CAP, but they are very difficult to string and the result is less than ideal, in my opinion.

3.) "Prestige" Mids (originally fitted with full-CAP's, of course):
Prestige Pro
Prestige 600
Prestige Classic
Trisys 300 Mid Trisys 270 Mi)
Prestige Tour
Classic Mid
Prestige Classic 600
iPrestige Mid
Liquidmetal Prestige Mid
Microgel Prestige Mid


HEAD PALLETS:
(courtesy of retrowagon)

Basically any frame in group #1 can swap its pallet halves and/or collar with any other frame in that group. But neither part is swappable with a frame from group #2 or 3 above. Groups 2 and 3 can exchange pallets or collars (except for the Trisys 300 or Prestige Tour frames which use a different vibration absorbing plastic pallet system).

It should be noted that some of the Prestige Mids came from the factory without collars (Classic Mid, iPrestige, LM Prestige, MG Prestige...). The pallets are halves that are a fairly brittle foam and need to be heated up with a blow drier and then very VERY carefully pried off, after the butt cap is removed (these pallet halves are affixed with a very sticky double-sided tape at the factory). Then the collar can be slid off, if desired. Otherwise a different pallet can be fitted. If a pallet of a different size is fitted, the correct buttcap corresponding to the size must also be fitted.



http://www.80s-tennis.com/pages/head-prestige-1.html

http://www.80s-tennis.com/pages/head-prestige-2.html

http://www.80s-tennis.com/pages/head-prestige-3.html

http://tt.tennis-warehouse.com/showthread.php?t=239764

Wanted to make a copy of this in case something should happen and all your posts are either deleted or hidden (i.e. nobadmojo)

The FXP Prestige mid also had stock CAP grommets.