Prince Tricomp 90 - unappreciated

pshulam · 07-05-2010, 07:49 AM

After many failed attempts to sell my mint condition Tricomp 90 with brand new Head Rip Control string for a cheap price (below $20), I have decided to take it out for a spin. I was pleasantly surprised that the racquet has a very crisp, solid feel. It has plenty of power, control, spin potential and stability. I was able to stir the ball with precision. The only gripe is that the maneuverability is not great as it is heavy. Anyway, the Tricomp seems to be an unappreciated racquet. The moral of the story is that do not just go after racquets that are in the Greatest Racquets of All Times (GROT) as there are many great racquets available for cheap.

Virginia · 07-05-2010, 12:02 PM

I agree this is a very good racquet - a good friend of mine has had hers for around 20 years and it's still as good as new, plus it's a very good looking stick. She hits a mean ball with it too!

Don't Let It Bounce · 07-05-2010, 01:29 PM

I've never hit with one, but I'm sure I'm guilty of failing to appreciate it. It came at the beginning of the widebody days, IIRC, and I think I figured at the time if I'm gonna go wide, might as well go all the way and get a Thunderstick. I also assumed it was intended to replace the Spectrum Comp, a racquet I really liked, so there was probably some sort of weird semi-conscious rejection of it going on there.

None of which is rational, of course, and it's very cool to have a racquet you dig, that you can get on the cheap and that hardly anyone else knows about. Enjoy!

MAXXply · 07-05-2010, 04:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Don't Let It Bounce

I've never hit with one, but I'm sure I'm guilty of failing to appreciate it. It came at the beginning of the widebody days, IIRC, and I think I figured at the time if I'm gonna go wide, might as well go all the way and get a Thunderstick. I also assumed it was intended to replace the Spectrum Comp, a racquet I really liked, so there was probably some sort of weird semi-conscious rejection of it going on there.

That's exactly what I was thinking at the time, sheesh, was it 20yrs ago, standing in the tennis shop...thinking heck, if I was gonna go wide, I may as well go for a Thunderstick or Profile.

pshulam · 07-05-2010, 07:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Don't Let It Bounce

I figured at the time if I'm gonna go wide, might as well go all the way and get a Thunderstick. I also assumed it was intended to replace the Spectrum Comp, a racquet I really liked, so there was probably some sort of weird semi-conscious rejection of it going on there.

The beam width of Tricomp is only 22mm (constant beam). The Thunderstick has a dual taper beam (28mm head/24mm shaft). Your assumption may be correct as the Tricomp is very similar to the Spectrum Comp in feel with the exception of additional power.

pshulam · 07-05-2010, 07:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Virginia

She hits a mean ball with it too!

The Tricomp definitely provides sufficient power to drive the ball hard.

MarrratSafin · 07-05-2010, 09:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pshulam

After many failed attempts to sell my mint condition Tricomp 90 with brand new Head Rip Control string for a cheap price (below $20), I have decided to take it out for a spin. I was pleasantly surprised that the racquet has a very crisp, solid feel. It has plenty of power, control, spin potential and stability. I was able to stir the ball with precision. The only gripe is that the maneuverability is not great as it is heavy. Anyway, the Tricomp seems to be an unappreciated racquet. The moral of the story is that do not just go after racquets that are in the Greatest Racquets of All Times (GROT) as there are many great racquets available for cheap.

I'd expect it to be similar to the Spectrum Comp 90- do you have that frame? I thought it is the best Prince racquet ever made, excellent in everything- if the TriComp is like that then it is a great frame as well!

Virginia · 07-06-2010, 02:38 AM

I have both too, MarratSafin and they do seem very similar - great racquets!

VGP · 07-06-2010, 04:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pshulam

The beam width of Tricomp is only 22mm (constant beam). The Thunderstick has a dual taper beam (28mm head/24mm shaft). Your assumption may be correct as the Tricomp is very similar to the Spectrum Comp in feel with the exception of additional power.

The CTS Thunderstick was 32mm at the top of the head with a 'constant taper' (hence the Constant Taper System moniker) to the handle. The Tricomp was the "update" to the Spectrum Comp. It even had the same material composition - graphite, fiberglass, and ceramic (tri-composition). It came out at the same time as the Graphtech DB - another one of my favorites. I think marketing-wise those frames lost out to the CTS line that were made of varying widths and were available in both midsize and oversize headsizes. I remember the ads.....they were good.

Enjoy your Tricomp 90. It was one of those forgotten about or disrespected frames at the time. Not really a widebody, not a conventional racket.

There are so many good frames from the 80's and early 90's that people just don't know about. That's why the 'classic' forum is great. People like us share their memories of their favorites and new or renewed experiences with terrific old frames.

coachrick · 07-06-2010, 06:50 AM

I see you're waxing nostalgic with respect to the 90; but, the oversize was a tinny, hollow, buzzy nothing frame in my opinion. I had a couple of students who used that frame and the only characteristic it had in common with the Spectrum Comp was the graphics...actually, I thought the Tri Comp looked a bit more feminine...fine by me. The original Spectrum was solid, the Tri Comp, not so much. Both had easily chipped finishes that really detracted from the appearance of the frame. Then, there were those terrible, slick gray/white grips. Maybe I was just in a bad mood back then

.

VGP · 07-06-2010, 08:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by coachrick

...easily chipped finishes that really detracted from the appearance of the frame.

That's for sure......

pshulam · 07-06-2010, 07:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MarrratSafin

I'd expect it to be similar to the Spectrum Comp 90- do you have that frame?

Thanks for asking. I have 2 Spectrum Comp 90 - great feel and control!

big bang · 07-08-2010, 10:26 AM

Lots of chicks used it back then, I only remember seeing 2-3 guys using it..

MarrratSafin · 07-08-2010, 07:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Virginia

I have both too, MarratSafin and they do seem very similar - great racquets!

Thanks for your input Virginia- I might just get a TriComp sooner or later!

MarrratSafin · 07-08-2010, 07:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pshulam

Thanks for asking. I have 2 Spectrum Comp 90 - great feel and control!

Yup, really nice frame, and plays well enough even with a cheap synthetic gut! Also like the open string pattern, it's like a breath of fresh air coming from the tight pattern midsized Head frames.

stapletonj · 07-08-2010, 07:44 PM

Back in the day I played the best tennis of my life with the Spectrum 110.

As far as it being a "girly racket" I was a 6'6" 200 lb. big server who rushed the net and volleyed hard. I LOVED it when the opponent tried to lob me thinking
i was slow. I had studied and practiced the scissorkick overhead and hit it pretty well....

(20 years later, 30 lbs heavier and 2 steps slower, not so much) but.....

girly racquet indeed!!!!!

coachrick · 07-08-2010, 08:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stapletonj

Back in the day I played the best tennis of my life with the Spectrum 110.

As far as it being a "girly racket" I was a 6'6" 200 lb. big server who rushed the net and volleyed hard. I LOVED it when the opponent tried to lob me thinking
i was slow. I had studied and practiced the scissorkick overhead and hit it pretty well....

(20 years later, 30 lbs heavier and 2 steps slower, not so much) but.....

girly racquet indeed!!!!!

Spectrum =/= TriComp...You were using the real racket.

Virginia · 07-08-2010, 09:38 PM

I'm a girl and I loved the Spectrum Comp 110 - the men in my club thought it was a heavy racquet. Go figure!

dak95_00 · 07-09-2010, 04:24 AM

I sold one on that auction site a handful of years ago for less than $20 and have regretted it since. I couldn't find a second one and it was before I joined this site. I really liked that racquet. It was a very solid racquet w/ plenty of pop and control. I'd compare it to any of the Wilson 6.1 lines.

max · 07-09-2010, 06:02 AM

Interesting. I've never been a Prince fan but always known the value of th4e Spectrum Comp. Never realized it was "for women only"!

I liked the Graphtech DB when it came out. But I have a mental resistance to the idea of ANY Prince racquet.

07-05-2010, 07:49 AM	#1
pshulam Hall Of Fame Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Minneapolis Posts: 2,355	Prince Tricomp 90 - unappreciated After many failed attempts to sell my mint condition Tricomp 90 with brand new Head Rip Control string for a cheap price (below $20), I have decided to take it out for a spin. I was pleasantly surprised that the racquet has a very crisp, solid feel. It has plenty of power, control, spin potential and stability. I was able to stir the ball with precision. The only gripe is that the maneuverability is not great as it is heavy. Anyway, the Tricomp seems to be an unappreciated racquet. The moral of the story is that do not just go after racquets that are in the Greatest Racquets of All Times (GROT) as there are many great racquets available for cheap.

07-05-2010, 12:02 PM	#2
Virginia Professional Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Auckland, New Zealand Posts: 1,486	I agree this is a very good racquet - a good friend of mine has had hers for around 20 years and it's still as good as new, plus it's a very good looking stick. She hits a mean ball with it too! __________________ See my racquet collection at www.80s-tennis.com/pages/virginia-crawford.html and my addition to the Borg collection of the now rare Donnay Diamant.

07-05-2010, 01:29 PM	#3
Don't Let It Bounce Professional Join Date: Sep 2009 Posts: 1,417	I've never hit with one, but I'm sure I'm guilty of failing to appreciate it. It came at the beginning of the widebody days, IIRC, and I think I figured at the time if I'm gonna go wide, might as well go all the way and get a Thunderstick. I also assumed it was intended to replace the Spectrum Comp, a racquet I really liked, so there was probably some sort of weird semi-conscious rejection of it going on there. None of which is rational, of course, and it's very cool to have a racquet you dig, that you can get on the cheap and that hardly anyone else knows about. Enjoy! __________________ Is it solipsistic in here, or is it just me?

07-06-2010, 02:38 AM	#8
Virginia Professional Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Auckland, New Zealand Posts: 1,486	I have both too, MarratSafin and they do seem very similar - great racquets! __________________ See my racquet collection at www.80s-tennis.com/pages/virginia-crawford.html and my addition to the Borg collection of the now rare Donnay Diamant.

07-08-2010, 10:26 AM	#13
big bang Hall Of Fame Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: behind your curtain Posts: 1,886	Lots of chicks used it back then, I only remember seeing 2-3 guys using it.. __________________ Team-Vantage member