Vibration Dampeners -- My experience with this dozen +

[corbind]

Originally Posted by SJSA

This is a great post.
I tried 80% of dampeners on the list and ended up with Yonex. It doesn't come off easily compared to other ones.
Prince Silencer Vibration Dampener is hard to install. It was ripped off.

How the heck did you rip your dampener off? As you can see from my reviews, I liked both the Yonex and the Prince but the Prince dampens more.

Take the time to do something right and you'll be rewarded. A good analogy is painting an interior room. Very little time is needed to do the actual painting. 80-90% of your time is spent moving furniture, putting down the tarp, cleaning and taping the walls.

The same holds true for the Prince Silencer. It is hard to install because you have to move two strings to slide each end it. So have a buddy press down on one string while you pull one string up. Take you all of a couple of min and you won't have to do it again.

[Marcus2137]

I use 1 TINY rubberband on each of my prestige rackets and it's perfect.

The rubberband measures 2mm thick unstretched. It's made from latex, so I haven't had one dry out yet. Weighs somewhere around .5g.

Here are some lessons I've learned recently:

-The rubberband only works well on my Prestiges. On my tweener racket, it isn't enough and it still pings a lot, I use a Gamma Shockbuster on that racket and it's perfect. The shockbuster on my Prestiges is too much and I loose some feel.

-If I install the rubberband too tight, my Prestiges start pinging again. The trick I found is to tie them just tight enough to hold themselves from sliding down the string, but no tighter or else they aren't effective anymore.

-On my friend's Prestige Mid, the rubberband and button dampener don't work, it takes a Shockbuster to stop the pinging.

-The Djokovic orange button dampener is perfect for the IG Speed racket it came with, but if I put it on the Prestige, it still pings some. But with the small rubberband on the IG Speed, it also pings; so they can't be switched.

Every racket is different and needs a different dampener. My theory now is that I want just enough dampener to stop the pinging on whatever racket I'm using, but no more dampening than that. I hate pinging/vibration, but now I will find the dampener that is just barely good enough to stop the pinging, but no more.

[mxmx]

Originally Posted by Marcus2137

I hate pinging/vibration, but now I will find the dampener that is just barely good enough to stop the pinging, but no more.

I agree...one can actually use too much dampening in my opinion...

The best vibration dampeners ive ever used, was Prince vibracap. The only thing is that they would loose too often and they would cost too much. Probably off the market now...

http://thumbnail.image.rakuten.co.jp...00x300&s=2&r=1

[Ramon]

I just installed the Wilson Shock Trap. It covers 8 strings. I compared it to the Gamma Shockbuster, and the Shock Trap seemed to do more dampening. It probably has a similar effect to installing 4 single traditional dampeners.

[latershow]

Anybody know where I can get these Prince Silencer dampeners, and have them shipped internationally, since TW doesnt seem to have them?

[zapvor]

this was a great review. i have to try out the yonex one

[corbind]

Originally Posted by latershow

Anybody know where I can get these Prince Silencer dampeners, and have them shipped internationally, since TW doesnt seem to have them?

Edit: well do your own search "prince silencer dampener" and you'll get a lot of possibilities.

Edit #2 here ya go: http://www.racquetballwarehouse.com/...?pcode=EKTDAMP

[corbind]

TW now sells MY FAVORITE DAMP and I went crazy when I saw this -- http://www.racquetballwarehouse.com/...?pcode=EKTDAMP

because it is EXACTLY like the Prince Silencer damp I reviewed in my article. How can this Ektelon damp be exactly like the Prince? How do they not get sued? A quick net search reveals Ektelon is a subsidiary of Prince. So Prince just slaps the different name brand on it and markets it to rackeball players since the Ektelon brand is known much better there.

Nevertheless, at least TW now sells my favorite damp! It shows in the damp section here on TW but the link goes straight to RW.

[corbind]

Update: I bought a fantastic scale the measures down to 1/10 of a gram. So took out all my dampeners and weighed them and added that info to my OP for the all the weight geeks.

[Torres]

Originally Posted by corbind

#1 Prince Silencer. There is no comparison. It does the best job silencing the ping and my favorite of all the ones I've ever tried. I now have five of these...

Out of curiosity how do you attach the ends to the stringbed?

http://www.princetennis.com/pc/catal...encer_zoom.jpg

[ArliHawk]

I'm really liking the US Open Dampeners by Wilson. They are small like the Tecnifibre ones, and work real well.

[corbind]

Originally Posted by Torres

Out of curiosity how do you attach the ends to the stringbed?

http://www.princetennis.com/pc/catal...encer_zoom.jpg

Notice the picture I have here has 4 tiny O-rings on my old racquet. I just used this picture as an example of what it would be like when the Prince Silencer is installed. It sits with two strings crossing in its middle O.

Okay, to install the Prince Silencer start by getting a friend to help you (trust me on this). Have him push down on the string where the red arrows are. Two thumbs on each side of the cross string works best.

While he's pushing down on that string, you'll pull up on the cross string where the blue arrows are while sliding one of the Silencer dampener's ends between the strings. There is not much room between strings so hard to do alone but I've managed it many times. But SO much easier with a friend's help.

[Chyeaah]

Does vibration dampeners actually do anything, i heard that they reduce feel.

[Ross K]

Brilliant thread corbind. I'm very fussy re dampeners - though I do find it depends on the frame.

[COPEY]

Definitely one of the best (if not the best) thread I've seen on dampeners. Drives me nuts when I see guys posting things like "it healed my TE" or "after installing a dampener I had much better control and power!" lol

Originally Posted by Torres

Out of curiosity how do you attach the ends to the stringbed?

http://www.princetennis.com/pc/catal...encer_zoom.jpg

You can install them without the assistance of another pair of hands, but it's no fun. Corbind, I respect the fact that this particular dampener is your favorite, but I hate 'em lol. In my opinion, for what little extra muting they provide when compared some others, the process of installing them just isn't worth it to me. When someone hands me a racquet to restring with one of those bad boys in it, I hand it back and ask them to remove it. If you're installing it by yourself, you run the risk of tearing the ends, especially if it's an older dampener that's dry-rotted a little.

For racquetball racquets they're easy to get in and out because typically the highest tension you'll see is around 35lbs.

[ArliHawk]

I have a couple of Babolat Loony Damps that seem to be quite similar to the Wilson VibraFun. Very solid dampers with a bit of personality.

[corbind]

Originally Posted by COPEY

...You can install them without the assistance of another pair of hands, but it's no fun. Corbind, I respect the fact that this particular dampener is your favorite, but I hate 'em lol. In my opinion, for what little extra muting they provide when compared some others, the process of installing them just isn't worth it to me...

Yes, the Prince Silencer is a PITA to install but I look at it this way. Spend a couple of minutes now to put it on and it will never come off during play...EVER! So only when you restring do you need to get your fingers and thumbs ready again for some pain. But I like this one so much the pain is easily worth it.

Originally Posted by COPEY

...If you're installing it by yourself, you run the risk of tearing the ends, especially if it's an older dampener that's dry-rotted a little...

The first one I tried to install myself. I struggled for a bit and decided to go for it. Yea, dumb move. slid the thing in but pushed so hard ripped the end in half so $3 down the drain.

The next time I tried to install one (waited until the next day) I got help and it was very easy with 4 hands. If I were smart I'd build a little tool to help me do them easily. But I'd spend 4 hours making one when I could just have a friend help most any time.

[COPEY]

Originally Posted by corbind

Yes, the Prince Silencer is a PITA to install but I look at it this way. Spend a couple of minutes now to put it on and it will never come off during play...EVER! So only when you restring do you need to get your fingers and thumbs ready again for some pain. But I like this one so much the pain is easily worth it.

Well hey, that's all that matters. I use a Volkl V1 Classic Midplus, and they come with these dampeners. The Volkl DNX Vibrastops are a pain to install as well because they have an extremely snug fit. I've never had one come off (so far), but I also understand that the chances of it coming off are infinitely greater than the Silencer.

Anyway, I admire your committent to that particular product (you're a better man than I am lol), and again, great thread, bud!

[msalamon]

Can someone post a picture of teh Prince Silencer installed--I'm still a little bit confused on how to install it.
Thanks

[msalamon]

Can this be installed before I string my last cross? Might be easier to install this way???