Did McEnroe play the "Max 200G" or "Max 200G Pro" or both?

[AlfaAce]

Does anyone know if McEnroe actually used the regular "Max 200G" or a "Max 200G Pro" painted to look like the regular "Max 200G"? I don't recall having seen him use the "Max 200G Pro" with it's standard paint job. I'm sure which ever he played it was modded the way he liked it.

[Hannah19]

Knowing that the difference between 200G and Pro are small and that he would have had a custom made frame, does it really matter if his 200G qualified as a Pro?

[Virginia]

I heard or read from somewhere (can't remember where), that as each frame came off the production line, the "better" ones were designated "pro". I don't know how they were assessed, or whether indeed this is true.

[wlinchon]

Originally Posted by Virginia

I heard or read from somewhere (can't remember where), that as each frame came off the production line, the "better" ones were designated "pro". I don't know how they were assessed, or whether indeed this is true.

I also heard the same thing as Virginia did. A while back, I bought some new Max200Gs from someone who said that he had worked at the Dunlop factory in the UK before they were shut down. I picked his brain and he said the IMF's quality control was difficult to manage. So the 'best' ones were labeled 'Pro.' Not only the 200G, but I do recall that other IMFs had Pro and non-pro versions (like my other favorite, the Max400i).

Speaking of that, I once saw a Steffi Graf Max200G up for sale. It had her initials on the frame. Was going to get it, but the condition was not the best and it was going for much higher than I felt comfortable paying. I believe it had a Pro designation.

[big ted]

he used them for the most part of 1983 to ~1997 so im sure hes used both. i thought the pros didnt come out til a couple years after the regular ones but i may be wrong

[max]

I've got an old photo from Tennis magazine; he used it. It was the same frame as before.

[vsbabolat]

I believe racquets with the labeling of Max200G Pro was specific to market. The USA did not get the Max200G Pro until 1990. When the "Pro" did come to the USA it was lighter, felt more flexible, was only labeled as Grafil (not Hysol Grafil like before)and had a longer grip than "non Pro" it replaced.

[paoloraz]

Originally Posted by vsbabolat

I believe racquets with the labeling of Max200G Pro was specific to market. The USA did not get the Max200G Pro until 1990. When the "Pro" did come to the USA it was lighter, felt more flexible, was only labeled as Grafil (not Hysol Grafil like before)and had a longer grip than "non Pro" it replaced.

The second generation 1986-88 200gs (graphite injections) had "pro" and "standard" versions. Never noticed any difference, except the cosmetic. The 1988-1990 first Grafil version (with hysol grafil on the side) was not available in the "pro" version (as fas as I'm concerned).

By the middle-end of the 1990 the standard version was no longer avaible, and all the 200gs had the "pro" signature.

Depending on the market, they were available in the "classic" "grafil" cosmetic (without hysol on the side), or with a dark-blue finishing or, starting from 1991, with the purple green cosmetic used by steffi graf. Except from cosmetics, this last iteration of the 200g had a longer grip and different grommets on the throat. The grafil version had leather grip, the purple green a different one. They are not lighter, softer than previous ones. They are just painted differently: within the same weight category (say, L), same gripsize (no overgrips) and unstrung, they weight the same as an 1985 200g (squared holes).
According to Dunlop (citation taken from an Italian tennis magazine of the time), the 200g pro was built using longer graphite bars and a different mix with nylon to add some points of stiffnes...never noticed this difference...

After the 1992 AO (fully dark 200g) Mac used the clssic "grafil" cosmetic of the 200g pro throughout his last year as a pro (1992). After 1992-1993, the 200g was available only with the purple green cosmetics. In senior events he used the 200g with this painting until at least 1995 (check on youtube, there's a video of an exibition sampras-mac where he used the 200g).

[paoloraz]

A bit out of topic but...btw tonight is a sad night...back home from the court, I noticed a crack in the head of one of my beloved max 400i that for sure was not there before today!!
Virginia, did you have ever experienced something like that?
Is the 400i somehow more fragile, underdimensioned than the 200g??? Very strange...

[jimbo333]

Originally Posted by paoloraz

A bit out of topic but...btw tonight is a sad night...back home from the court, I noticed a crack in the head of one of my beloved max 400i that for sure was not there before today!!
Virginia, did you have ever experienced something like that?
Is the 400i somehow more fragile, underdimensioned than the 200g??? Very strange...

This is common I'm afraid

The slightly larger max400i seemed to have a design weakness that the max200G didn't have, and they often cracked unfortunately!

[jimbo333]

Originally Posted by paoloraz

The second generation 1986-88 200gs (graphite injections) had "pro" and "standard" versions. Never noticed any difference, except the cosmetic. The 1988-1990 first Grafil version (with hysol grafil on the side) was not available in the "pro" version (as fas as I'm concerned).

By the middle-end of the 1990 the standard version was no longer avaible, and all the 200gs had the "pro" signature.

Depending on the market, they were available in the "classic" "grafil" cosmetic (without hysol on the side), or with a dark-blue finishing or, starting from 1991, with the purple green cosmetic used by steffi graf. Except from cosmetics, this last iteration of the 200g had a longer grip and different grommets on the throat. The grafil version had leather grip, the purple green a different one. They are not lighter, softer than previous ones. They are just painted differently: within the same weight category (say, L), same gripsize (no overgrips) and unstrung, they weight the same as an 1985 200g (squared holes).
According to Dunlop (citation taken from an Italian tennis magazine of the time), the 200g pro was built using longer graphite bars and a different mix with nylon to add some points of stiffnes...never noticed this difference...

After the 1992 AO (fully dark 200g) Mac used the clssic "grafil" cosmetic of the 200g pro throughout his last year as a pro (1992). After 1992-1993, the 200g was available only with the purple green cosmetics. In senior events he used the 200g with this painting until at least 1995 (check on youtube, there's a video of an exibition sampras-mac where he used the 200g).

Just wanted to say this is a brilliant post, best I've seen about the max200G in years!

I agree completely with this info, especially the weight of the PRO being same as normal version (actually PRO versions may be slightly lighter in weight, but SL was introduced, and was quite common, and taking into account PRO rackets had longer grips, so it is difficult to measure equivalent PRO and non-pro rackets)

One thing though, are you saying Mac used the paintjob of the max200Gpro as shown above in the photo, in 1992?

[max]

Originally Posted by vsbabolat

I believe racquets with the labeling of Max200G Pro was specific to market. The USA did not get the Max200G Pro until 1990. When the "Pro" did come to the USA it was lighter, felt more flexible, was only labeled as Grafil (not Hysol Grafil like before)and had a longer grip than "non Pro" it replaced.

I might be wrong, but have used both and they seemed merely cosmetically different. Just a way to keep up sales in an "old" frame.

[paoloraz]

Originally Posted by jimbo333

This is common I'm afraid

The slightly larger max400i seemed to have a design weakness that the max200G didn't have, and they often cracked unfortunately!

Oh, thank you...I see...what a pity...it's the only one I have in gripsize n. 5!! I'm old school...started with wood as a child...these modern L3 things are damned small for my hand and continental-for-everything grip...

[paoloraz]

Originally Posted by jimbo333

Just wanted to say this is a brilliant post, best I've seen about the max200G in years!

I agree completely with this info, especially the weight of the PRO being same as normal version.

One thing though, are you saying Mac used the paintjob of the max200Gpro as shown above in the photo, in 1992?

Thank you jimbo for the appreciation!!

Yes, mac used the grafil version with the pro paintjob in the second half of 1992...I have seen many pictures showing that in the tennis magazines of the time...I dont have a scanner with me now, but maybe I'll post a couple of them, e.g of the mac ride in Wimbl up to semi that year!

A curiosity: in 1990, mac used the grafil version (non-pro) during all the year (at queens and wimbledon for instance), but at the USO he used his older "signature" model (graphite injection), which, at the time, was already out of production...again this is witnessed by many pics...

[vsbabolat]

Originally Posted by max

I might be wrong, but have used both and they seemed merely cosmetically different. Just a way to keep up sales in an "old" frame.

The only cosmetic difference is the word Pro.......

[jimbo333]

Originally Posted by paoloraz

Thank you jimbo for the appreciation!!

Yes, mac used the grafil version with the pro paintjob in the second half of 1992...I have seen many pictures showing that in the tennis magazines of the time...I dont have a scanner with me now, but maybe I'll post a couple of them, e.g of the mac ride in Wimbl up to semi that year!

I would be really interested please in seeing a clear photo of Mac using the max200Gpro paintjob version in 1992, I've never seen a photo of this!

I have a custom max200Gpro I was told was made for Mac in a batch in 1991, it has the same paintjob as above and has the black grip with the gold "Dunlops" on it that he always seemed to use throughout his career. I didn't think he ever used these rackets. So that's why I'm interested in seeing that photo!

[jimbo333]

Originally Posted by paoloraz

A curiosity: in 1990, mac used the grafil version (non-pro) during all the year (at queens and wimbledon for instance), but at the USO he used his older "signature" model (graphite injection), which, at the time, was already out of production...again this is witnessed by many pics...

Yes, later in 1990 is seemingly the only time I think he ever used a max200G with his signature on the side. As actually in 86/87 he was still using the earlier/original paintjob of the first max200G.
But I think in late 1990 this was the really rare "Wimbledon/US Open 1984 winner" version, not the 86/87 retail paintjob version with his signature on the side! Again if you have a clear photo of his racket being used from USOpen in 1990, I'd really like to see it!
Edit, thanks I can see I was wrong it wasn't the "Wimbledon/US Open 1884 winner" version, but was indeed seemingly the retail 86/87 version!

[paoloraz]

Originally Posted by jimbo333

Yes, later in 1990 is seemingly the only time I think he ever used a max200G with his signature on the side. As actually in 86/87 he was still using the earlier/original paintjob of the first max200G.
But I think in late 1990 this was the really rare "Wimbledon/US Open 1984 winner" version, not the 86/87 retail paintjob version with his signature on the side! Again if you have a clear photo of his racket being used from USOpen in 1990, I'd really like to see it!

This is a pic from USO 1990...note the two bars below the arrows, it's the graphite injection version, yes maybe the wimbledon/USO winner...the answer is in a tennis magazine where there is a big and nice pic with mac in alleluja position, with the side of the racquet in first stand...but it's at my sea house!! So a little patience, the first time I go I'll take it...

Maybe tonight I'll upload a pic of Wimbledon 1992...I need a magazine located at my mom house!!

[paoloraz]

Originally Posted by jimbo333

I would be really interested please in seeing a clear photo of Mac using the max200Gpro paintjob version in 1992, I've never seen a photo of this!

I have a custom max200Gpro I was told was made for Mac in a batch in 1991, it has the same paintjob as above and has the black grip with the gold "Dunlops" on it that he always seemed to use throughout his career. I didn't think he ever used these rackets. So that's why I'm interested in seeing that photo!

Yep, it's the original grip of the wooden maxply mcenroe he has always used with the 200g...the funny thing is that when he actually used the maxply mcenroe in 1982-beginning83, he always used the leather brown grip of the maxply fort used in 81!! hahahaha...strange guy, isn't he?

jimbo, a curiosity: which is the weight-gripsize of the customised 200gpro? I guess Mac has always used an LM5 - LM 4 5/8, but I'm not sure...

[vsbabolat]

Yup, thats the Max200G with John signature that was 1986-1987. I have the Max200G from 1985 celebrating his 1984 Wimbledon and US Open wins.