Head from early 90s: have you ever seen this silver badge?

[Tacco]

Hi everyone, this is my first thread... and post too!
I'm from Italy, I play with... love and collect Head rackets. Recently, I found several frame with Trek Font writings (early 90s), some of them belonging to the Pro Series family, with a "strange" silver badge under the handle. It's identical to the standard and famous silver badge of every Made in Austria Head racket from 80s and early 90s, but there's no Made in Austria writing on it. This is the badge I'm talking about:



My question is: is it possible that a Head racket from early 90s was produced in a country different from Austria and/or Czech Republic? I think... no. I believe Head started to produce in China (or Malaysia) in late 90s or early 2000, not in the Trek Font era. So, since there's no Made in Austria writing under the handle, maybe they could be the first example of Designed in Austria frame by Head, without any stressing by the company. I'm not sure, it's only a logical deduction: no Made in Austria writing, so no 100% austrian production, but not yet Chinese plants in that period. It remains only the possibility that these rackets were made in Austria and finished in Czech Republic, but no one at marketing had decided yet to put that writing on their frames. Just few months later, the classic silver badge with Made in Austria writing was replaced by the holografic one, the Made in Austria writing moved from the but cap to the frame (under the Head writing on the side, or just above the plastic collar over the handle), Trek Font writings disappeared from Head paintjobs and Designed in Austria writing made its first appearance over Head rackets.
What do you think about: is this reconstruction valid for you or not?
When Head started to produce its fame in the Far East? Have you ever seen this silver badge on a Head frame? Do you know where are produced rackets with this badge?
I hope somone of you, Head guru, can help me in finding the answer to all these questions...
Ettore

[vsbabolat]

The silver logo butt-cap sticker with Made In Austria from the late 1986/87, then went to Silver sticker with red ski tip logo in 1991, black sticker with sliver logo in 1992 and then to the hologram sticker in 1997.
Can I see photos of the racquet in question?

[Tacco]

These are some rackets with this badge. I don't know if they are european model only, or maybe their name and paintjob are simply different from USA to Europe, but if someone had, played, know or recognize one of them...

Head Impulse 600:



Head Drive 660:


Head Stratos 600:

[Tacco]

Thanks VS... I was uploading while you were writing...
Here are other pictures:

Head Victory 660:


Head Specter Plus (Pro Series):

[vsbabolat]

Those were all European models only. They never crossed the Atlantic.

[vsbabolat]

That Impluse 600 looks very interesting.

[vsbabolat]

They all have the same butt-cap without made in austria? Because even the junior graphite racquets were made in Austria at that time.

It looks like these might be some lower end frames.

[retrowagen]

I remember in 1989, the US market got the first of many Asian-made Head frames: the Match Pro, a 600cm2 constant-beam widebody that was, at the time, downmarket from their Austrian-made lines. I seem to recall this model was made in Taiwan. I also vaguely recall the buttcap sticker was a silver one as seen at the top of this thread.

[Tacco]

Originally Posted by vsbabolat

That Impluse 600 looks very interesting.

This one is the only I own. My brother played with it during early 90s.

Originally Posted by vsbabolat

They all have the same butt-cap without made in austria? Because even the junior graphite racquets were made in Austria at that time.
It looks like these might be some lower end frames.

Yes, same butt-cap without writing. Have you ever seen it before?
I own two Graphite Evolution 3 (junior racket): one with standard butt-cap with Made in Austria writing (and Leconte Series writing on top of head) and the other with the butt-cap I posted above (no writing), and Graphite (Series) instead of Leconte Series writing. They are identical, only different butt-cap, writings on top of Head and a little bit different shade of blue paintjob. It seems that you're right in saying "It looks like these might be some lower end frames", but in your opinion are they Made/Designed in Austria or not?

Originally Posted by retrowagen

I remember in 1989, the US market got the first of many Asian-made Head frames: the Match Pro, a 600cm2 constant-beam widebody that was, at the time, downmarket from their Austrian-made lines. I seem to recall this model was made in Taiwan. I also vaguely recall the buttcap sticker was a silver one as seen at the top of this thread.

This is very interesting: I didn't know that in 1989 Head already have some plants in Far East countries. Maybe this could explain all...
But I think it's very strange that a Pro Series too was produced in Taiwan, China or Malaysia (Specter Plus, last two pictures), and I think that in that case the butt-cap should have a Made in Taiwan (or Malaysia, or...) badge, don't you think so? I saw some Head frame with a silver badge with Made in Malaysia writing instead of Made in Austria one, and they date to early 90s, as the rackets we are talking about...
Ettore

[Tacco]

Originally Posted by vsbabolat

It looks like these might be some lower end frames.

Hey VS, here in Italy there's lot of people waiting for your final opinion about the matter. They know your experience on "Head things" and your reliability about classic frames, so... what do you think about my questions?
Do you agree with retro who remembers the first of many Asian-made Head frames in 1989, maybe with a silver butt-cap sticker as the one I posted (what I didn't understand is if on that sticker there was any "Made in" writing or not...)?
And do you really have never seen a sticker like that on a Head frame?
What is the most likely country of origin of those frames in your opinion? Lower end austrian frames? Designed in Austria/Made in Czech Rep. (but was there a Czech plant in 1989/1990?)? Asian-Made (but... without any writing for that origin? And as for the previous alternative, do you know when Head opened its first implant in China, Taiwan or other east country)?
Ettore

[vsbabolat]

Originally Posted by Tacco

Hey VS, here in Italy there's lot of people waiting for your final opinion about the matter. They know your experience on "Head things" and your reliability about classic frames, so... what do you think about my questions?
Do you agree with retro who remembers the first of many Asian-made Head frames in 1989, maybe with a silver butt-cap sticker as the one I posted (what I didn't understand is if on that sticker there was any "Made in" writing or not...)?
And do you really have never seen a sticker like that on a Head frame?
What is the most likely country of origin of those frames in your opinion? Lower end austrian frames? Designed in Austria/Made in Czech Rep. (but was there a Czech plant in 1989/1990?)? Asian-Made (but... without any writing for that origin? And as for the previous alternative, do you know when Head opened its first implant in China, Taiwan or other east country)?
Ettore

If there is no Made In Austria anywhere on the frame then from that time period they would have been made in Taiwan. I have never seen that sticker without it saying Made in Austria or USA.

[Tacco]

Originally Posted by vsbabolat

If there is no Made In Austria anywhere on the frame then from that time period they would have been made in Taiwan. I have never seen that sticker without it saying Made in Austria or USA.

Thank you very much vsbabolat, very helpful!
I didn't know Head was producing frames in Taiwan in the late '80s/early '90s, I thought its first asian made rackets were the Made in Malaysia ones of early '90s (they have the same sticker, but with Made in Malaysia writing on it), and then the Made in China ones of late '90s...
After all, retrowagen's remembrance was right, so... thanks a lot to him too!
Ettore

[Tacco]

Originally Posted by vsbabolat

The silver logo butt-cap sticker with Made In Austria from the late 1986/87, then ...

Hi vsbabolat, another question for you about sticker, Made in Austria and other writings on Head frames from the 80s.
I often see frame (like Graphite Pro/Master, just for example) with USA flag and little Head USA writing on the throat arms, but with standard silver sticker on the butt-cap saying "Made in Austria". How is it possible? Just because of when Head stopped its production in the USA (in what year exactly?) the continued to put the USA flag on rackets for that market for a certain period (months? Years?), just for marketing reasons, even though they were produced in Austria?
Ettore

[vsbabolat]

Originally Posted by Tacco

Hi vsbabolat, another question for you about sticker, Made in Austria and other writings on Head frames from the 80s.
I often see frame (like Graphite Pro/Master, just for example) with USA flag and little Head USA writing on the throat arms, but with standard silver sticker on the butt-cap saying "Made in Austria". How is it possible? Just because of when Head stopped its production in the USA (in what year exactly?) the continued to put the USA flag on rackets for that market for a certain period (months? Years?), just for marketing reasons, even though they were produced in Austria?
Ettore

Yes, it was for marketing purposes that the USA flag was on the side of the racquet. HEAD Stopped production in USA in 1988.

[Tacco]

Thank you very much (as always...)!
I hope to find some time to take some pictures of all my Head rackets and open a 3d about my collection. Maybe... next summer!!!
Ettore