Diary of a Racketaholic

[Ross K]

Originally Posted by GarryClarke

Ross,im very surprised you liked YPTP 125 in the j100 at that tension and expected to hear you say balls were hitting the fence!!!!

i played YPTP in my PD @ 52/50 and felt i could have raised the tension to 54/52 as it does have an initial breaking in period and just felt it was a tad too powerful!!!
i enjoyed the softness of it and i like full beds of poly in the PD,have got a couple of sets left and fancy trying YPTP in my blade 98 but im not sure it will give me the control i really like from that frame but you can only try


cheers garry

Hmm, hard for me to give you a definitive answer as a), I haven't played long enough with the string to have a fully developed idea on what you raise, and 2, I've tried 4 or 5 different string-jobs with the J and every one of them (including PPT) bar maybe Alu saw me hitting long a bit too often for my liking - a lot/some of which I'm convinced is actually down to me not being properly grooved and dialed in with the frame (which itself is a testimony to my bad habit switching too much between the Juice and PD, and constant change-ups in mod set ups - about which I plan on only checking these frames from now on with no mods at all, and I plan on looking at the PD with PTT to get a closer comparison to the J).

BTW Garry, I also didn't find Big Ace in the PD @ 45s too powerful. I could have gone lower actually. Not as good all around for me as PPT in the Juice, but a nice poly, not quite my thing.

[Murray_fan1]

Originally Posted by Ross K

Well, I can confirm that Poly Pro Tour @ 47 lbs in my J100 was a lot to my liking.

One my favorites. I just strung some up @ 52 in the Prestige to compare with Polybreak.

[klementine79]

Originally Posted by JGads

So you got the 98? 93 might also be a try since she's so used to the Mid, and Chris and Andy loved that thing and I think they actually found it to be pretty maneuverable.

Black Ace 93 also sounds like a great fit - for me my description has always been that it's an easier to use Prestige Mid or PS 85. Same type of laser ball control and feel but in an 11.6 package instead of 12-plus. The '2012 version' TW just had has a sw of only 320 or so, but even the old BA 93 I felt was much easier to wield than a Prestige Mid despite a 330 sw, as the static was still about 11.6 or so. Unfortunately both of these frames are hard to find now.

Gotta stop reading this thread at work.. skipped right by this!

PK is always under my radar and for what reason, I'll never know. Looked at the specs again and this could be a great fit for her. If the trimmed and stripped PresMid (with a little compensating lead love at 12) isn't cutting it or is too of a foreign feel from the familiar, I'll have to go this route.

The BlackBlade will get a work-out tonight at the indoor courts. Sadly, I'm sitting by, watching her lesson/training. That's alright, burning the tips/instruction into my subconscious.

[Ross K]

^ Talking of the Black Blade, I haven't actually caught a whole lot of feedback re the the 16x19 Darth Vader stick, so any RHs who've had the pleasure, what's the story? How much are we liking it? Just wondering if I've been putting too much emphasis into checking out the 99s, maybe the new APD too, and neglecting what could be a potentially fantastic frame.

[Power Player]

The Blade slays the 99S if :

You want solid feel
Control
Less power - but still a good amount
Did I mention the feel?

But yeah, it is a hybrid between a prestige and APD. Not sure what the 16x19 is like, but the 18x20 is amazing.

[GarryClarke]

[quote=BTW Garry, I also didn't find Big Ace in the PD @ 45s too powerful. I could have gone lower actually. Not as good all around for me as PPT in the Juice, but a nice poly, not quite my thing.[/QUOTE]

hi Ross

i really like Big Ace in the PD @ 44/42 and ive also played it in the Blade 98 @ 51/48 which i liked too,yes its not too powerful which in the PD is great as i like to hit hard with spin and pepper my opponents baseline,serves were great too with bags of power with good direction/spin on them.
its just a shame pro supex is to stop making it and had an email from the place i get it from to let me no they only have a few sets left and havent found anywhere else in the UK that stocks it so its a sad time

Big Ace in the blade 98 @ 51/48 played pretty good with excellent control and low power but enough to play well in doubles,power on my serves wasnt very good but i can live with that,
i did re-string Big Ace @ 44/42 in the blade but its lost the control i love but my serves were more powerful than strung @ 51/48,im going back to 51/48 in the blade as im liking that low powered/control "PP" boardy feeling lol

cheers Garry

[JackB1]

Originally Posted by Power Player

The Blade slays the 99S if :

You want solid feel
Control
Less power - but still a good amount
Did I mention the feel?

But yeah, it is a hybrid between a prestige and APD. Not sure what the 16x19 is like, but the 18x20 is amazing.

apples and oranges my friend

[Power Player]

I think Ross would enjoy the Blade in a demo. Thats all Im sayin.

[JackB1]

Originally Posted by Power Player

I think Ross would enjoy the Blade in a demo. Thats all Im sayin.

The new Blade 16x19 felt really nice in the store....well balanced and not too heavy...not too light. Just a bit too much "playa-stick" for me

BTW....what level of player is old Rossy?

[Ross K]

Originally Posted by Power Player

I think Ross would enjoy the Blade in a demo. Thats all Im sayin.

Yes, PP, I've never played the Blade and the new open pattern does interest me - only the 99s especially, and new APD, has kind of relegated it in my thoughts a bit. But, having found maybe my number one issue thus far with the Juice has been the power/launching/lack of control sometimes on g/strokes. And (as you know), having always really appreciated the performance of so-called player's frames. Plus having over the years had regular little detours with these sorts of racs (detours which have been very largely doomed to failure ), well, I am curious here.

Obviously it could be a step too far for me away from the present powerful spin-friendly tweener realm which does seem to suit my game. Then again, perhaps it might add something?

On a wider point, I've been really impressed with the Juice, equally impressed with the Black Drive, so I'm wondering if this may be another good example of a really high class upgrade or whatever.

Anyhow, all pure racketaholic OCD-ing undoubtedly, but, hey, that's what this thread is all about, of course.

[Ross K]

Originally Posted by JackB1

The new Blade 16x19 felt really nice in the store....well balanced and not too heavy...not too light. Just a bit too much "playa-stick" for me

BTW....what level of player is old Rossy?

Don't have your US grading system here, but maybe a 3.5, Jack.

[Ross K]

Gads,

Just read your new excellent APD review/summation on the APD playtest thread. Nice, JG. Makes me wonder if I may just find the Original to be unbeatable out of all these versions of the Aeropro. The black Rafa APD isn't actually a frame I struggle with to keep the ball in bounds. Also, the lower flex of the Original is just a lot nicer than most 70+ similarish tweenerish racs.


mad dog,

Did you switch to the new APD? How are you finding it?

[mad dog1]

Originally Posted by Ross K

mad dog,

Did you switch to the new APD? How are you finding it?

no, i ultimately decided to pass. it's still feels too much like an APD and i need the racquet to feel good when it hits the ball. while it hits a good ball, i just don't enjoy the feel of it as much as my BC20, PK Black Ace 95 special, TT Radical Tour OS, PS85, or POG OS. since i don't rely on tennis to pay my bills, i decided i'd rather stick to hitting with my rather large collection of 'feel good' sticks instead.

[JGads]

Originally Posted by Ross K

Gads,

Just read your new excellent APD review/summation on the APD playtest thread. Nice, JG. Makes me wonder if I may just find the Original to be unbeatable out of all these versions of the Aeropro. The black Rafa APD isn't actually a frame I struggle with to keep the ball in bounds. Also, the lower flex of the Original is just a lot nicer than most 70+ similarish tweenerish racs.

My guess is that would probably end up being the case. If anything, the two sticks are probably similar enough to where there isn't enough reason to spend on the new frame. Plus, yours still has the best paintjob of them all.

In some ways I'm jealous of players who can effectively wield the apd. Was telling MD about one of the all-time league beat-downs I got from some Greek dude who knew just how to wield it, and was just thundering those line-clippers to each corner with such ease all night long. It truly felt unfair.

I've just never been able to get there myself with that frame. And it was always too stiff for my taste, never felt satisfying in the hand. If it works for you, though, and you can keep it under control, then it's definitely one of those sticks that can truly be a weapon and improve one's shots and game.

I also feel like if I played with nothing but that stick for several weeks, I'd probably get far more used to exactly the kind of strokes I have to hit with it and could get to the point where I'd be far more effective. But in the end I tend to always veer back to my control sticks, my feel sticks, so not worth the effort for me.

Would be nice if one day Bab tried to make an apd with a stiffness of like 61. But then, why would they? It's the No. 1 selling frame out there as is, so no need to change what's working.

[JackB1]

Power Player....90 min special on Tennis Channel right now about Agassi.

edit: it will be repeated at midnite. EST

[Power Player]

Thanks Jack, I have seen it many times but it never gets old. Have it on now.

[Boricua]

Got my Vcore 97 Tour this morning. Feels great in my hands. Nice weight. Awesome paint job. Will hit with it tomorrow.

[JackB1]

Originally Posted by Power Player

Thanks Jack, I have seen it many times but it never gets old. Have it on now.

Just watched if for the first time. Great 90 min special. I also really enjoyed his book. Brutally honest.

[Boricua]

I played two sets today with the Vcore 97 tour. Great on flat and spin serves. Backhand slice can de hit low and with pace. Had some trouble with my forehand as it was landing short at times. The control and comfort is much better than with the APD GT . Zero vibration. The full set of Lux 4 may or may not be the one. Serves and bh slice went well but we will see about the forehand. Topspin backhand seems will work just fine but I sliced alot today.I am pleased but it will tale some time to dial in my rhythm and strokes as this racket plays different if compared to the a APD. The Tour feels like a pro racket, the APD like a cheap toy.

[Ross K]

Originally Posted by Boricua

The Tour feels like a pro racket, the APD like a cheap toy.

Cheap toy?...



Oh, Boricua...