Vibration Dampeners -- My experience with this dozen + - Page 3

corbind · 01-14-2012, 08:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by msalamon

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

There are three of them in the picture. Only the bottom clear one is attached while the other two are just to show you the "before" look.

diredesire · 01-14-2012, 09:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 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.

From what I recall, unfortunately, the Prince Silencer is actually illegal for use in competitive/regulated play. Not that anyone ACTUALLY cares or checks, but I thought i'd point that out.

Additionally, installing these isn't really that bad. You don't have to press down on the strings, or anything. weave the dampener, and on the final loop, bring the eyelet of the dampener ABOVE the bottom cross string, and lay it flat on top of the last main string. With one hand, hold the top of the eyelet in place, and yank on the other end of the dampener downwards. It'll slip into place. (This is difficult to describe in text, but I don't have a silencer on hand, or else i'd make a video).

Finally, did you press the Babolat RVS dampener down so it was touching your frame? This is where the dampening happens, IMO. It's not a great dampener of string buzz, but when it's pushed up against the frame, it does a pretty reasonable job of muting buzz.

corbind · 01-14-2012, 11:55 PM

Oh, and in the picture I provided (my last post bottom of page 1) You can see I have a Prince Silencer (bottom clear one) and a Yonex installed but cut/modified a bit to slide down into my frame port.

Why two dampeners? Until something better comes out, the Silencer will always be on all my sticks. It does a fantastic job of dampening while covering 10 of my 16 mains.

The black, V-shaped damp you see at the bottom of he picture is actually not a Babolat Racquet Vibration System damp. It's a Yonex (in my review) and adds almost 4 grams of weight. I'd like to believe that helps ever so slightly to suck up a little low-frequency vibration. If not, then the Yonex is just in lieu of lead weight.

msalamon · 01-18-2012, 12:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by corbind

There are three of them in the picture. Only the bottom clear one is attached while the other two are just to show you the "before" look.

Thanks for posting--this helps quite a bit

Power Player · 01-18-2012, 12:30 PM

The beauty of the Sampras Dampener is that it rarely comes out....IF your racquet spacing is right for the size. The Wilson Blx - no problem..has never come out.

Other racquets, it would fly out pretty often. So it matters the string pattern and the spacing.

PigPen · 04-05-2012, 12:35 PM

Corbind,

Have you review soe of the newer dampeners like the Babolat custom damp II?

Power Player · 04-05-2012, 12:50 PM

^^^^

I can assure you it is goat tastic

Very soft and never comes out. Has little clamps that lock around the first cross when you slide it over.

Has replaced the Sampras as the goat.

Kirko · 04-11-2012, 09:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GS

I have a dozen of various ones in my bag that I found on the courts over the years.
My favorite was an old Dunlop one---it was a black, square-ish thing that folded in half after you installed it around the bottom string, then was held by a clasp. It never came off, but the little top hinge fell apart over time.
So I tried the 3 cent #64 rubber band, and never looked back.

those old Dunlops were Great !

G34 · 04-12-2012, 07:02 AM

#64 rubberband works for me, tied to the two centered mains.

ArliHawk · 04-12-2012, 10:04 AM

Wilson Vibra fun skull and crossbones is my favorite.

corbind · 04-12-2012, 11:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PigPen

Corbind,

Have you review soe of the newer dampeners like the Babolat custom damp II?

Over the past two weeks I've been assembling my orders list for TW. Although those are likely very similar to the round Babolat ones I reviewed and they're $6 a pop, I'm still gonna buy them as well as some others. I figure if my test & review save some guys $ from buying bad damps then I've done my good deed for the day.

PigPen · 04-14-2012, 06:52 AM

^^^

Speaking for myself and other TW posters, we appreciate your efforts for starting and maintaining this great thread. Thanks again.

Satch · 04-14-2012, 06:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PimpMyGame

I am never on court without a smiley, sad or surprised face dampener. Tried the flame, shamrock and a Prince Wimbledon dampener but they just make me feel all odd and stuff. Knocked me right off kilter.

+1 wilson smile is the best (or anything from wilson shaped like

)

Power Player · 04-14-2012, 07:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by corbind

Over the past two weeks I've been assembling my orders list for TW. Although those are likely very similar to the round Babolat ones I reviewed and they're $6 a pop, I'm still gonna buy them as well as some others. I figure if my test & review save some guys $ from buying bad damps then I've done my good deed for the day.

I find them better because they literally never pop out of the string bed.

audioboy · 04-16-2012, 05:13 AM

Does anybody have experinces on Head Perfect Damp?

tlm · 04-16-2012, 05:57 AM

Quote: Vibration dampeners do very little to lessen the low frequency frame shock that goes up the arm.

Dampeners do nothing to reduce frame shock to the arm.

ricki · 04-16-2012, 08:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tlm

Quote: Vibration dampeners do very little to lessen the low frequency frame shock that goes up the arm.

Dampeners do nothing to reduce frame shock to the arm.

tho I can feel in some frames that it matters. Some sticks are uncomfortble without nasty big dampener. I have big prince "P" dampeners for this case http://************.com/images/mediu...s_dampener.jpg

tlm · 04-16-2012, 10:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ricki

tho I can feel in some frames that it matters. Some sticks are uncomfortble without nasty big dampener. I have big prince "P" dampeners for this case http://************.com/images/mediu...s_dampener.jpg

Sorry but you can only hear a difference so that makes you think that you feel the difference. Dampeners do absolutely nothing to prevent vibration to the arm, they only change sound.

Power Player · 05-19-2012, 09:58 PM

I firmly believe that the GOAT dampener is now the new Babolat square dampener. Super soft, never comes out of the racquet due to the locking tabs that hug the cross..the option to mute it even further with the middle insert..just very very quality dampener.

corbind · 05-20-2012, 12:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Power Player

I firmly believe that the GOAT dampener is now the new Babolat square dampener.

Granted the new square version is an upgrade to their previous round version. Yet for my money it's still not nearly as effective as my favorite worm style damp.

01-14-2012, 11:55 PM	#43
corbind Professional Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Chicago, IL Posts: 831	Oh, and in the picture I provided (my last post bottom of page 1) You can see I have a Prince Silencer (bottom clear one) and a Yonex installed but cut/modified a bit to slide down into my frame port. Why two dampeners? Until something better comes out, the Silencer will always be on all my sticks. It does a fantastic job of dampening while covering 10 of my 16 mains. The black, V-shaped damp you see at the bottom of he picture is actually not a Babolat Racquet Vibration System damp. It's a Yonex (in my review) and adds almost 4 grams of weight. I'd like to believe that helps ever so slightly to suck up a little low-frequency vibration. If not, then the Yonex is just in lieu of lead weight. __________________ Becker London Tour, 12.6oz, Wilson gut 17g 65lbs \|\| Prince EXO3 Tour 18x20, 12.5oz, Wilson gut 16g 70lbs, S&V, DII '88-90 Last edited by corbind : 01-15-2012 at 12:04 AM.

01-18-2012, 12:30 PM	#45
Power Player G.O.A.T. Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: On my iPhone Posts: 13,544	The beauty of the Sampras Dampener is that it rarely comes out....IF your racquet spacing is right for the size. The Wilson Blx - no problem..has never come out. Other racquets, it would fly out pretty often. So it matters the string pattern and the spacing. __________________ 🐐ing

04-05-2012, 12:50 PM	#47
Power Player G.O.A.T. Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: On my iPhone Posts: 13,544	^^^^ I can assure you it is goat tastic Very soft and never comes out. Has little clamps that lock around the first cross when you slide it over. Has replaced the Sampras as the goat. __________________ 🐐ing

04-12-2012, 07:02 AM	#49
G34 New User Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: So. Cal Inland Empire Posts: 12	#64 #64 rubberband works for me, tied to the two centered mains.

05-19-2012, 09:58 PM	#59
Power Player G.O.A.T. Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: On my iPhone Posts: 13,544	I firmly believe that the GOAT dampener is now the new Babolat square dampener. Super soft, never comes out of the racquet due to the locking tabs that hug the cross..the option to mute it even further with the middle insert..just very very quality dampener. __________________ 🐐ing