avant garde >>

[Kirko]

remember these ? the 1st very light rackets from the mid-eighties. just crossed my mind, I remember Whitney Reed using them in a senior's tournament in las vegas yrs. ago.

[fortun8son]

I just strung one of these here in Las Vegas. LOL
I had never heard of this company before.
Heaven knows how long it sat in the closet/garage.
It was marked Gold Graphite Mid-Size at the throat and Braided at the head. along with a recommended tension of 68M-66C and a buttcap that said Avant Garde made in japan.
It strung up very easily and seemed like a pretty nice stick.

[Colpo]

Never hit with one, but always well-reviewed by the industry media, particularly the panelists at World Tennis. Sub-11 oz. strung racquets were sort of a new thing, and their reactions suggested a future trend in that direction. Why not ? Easier to swing, etc. ... if one can get the balance right, made sense.

[mad dog1]

i remember these, too...never hit with one either.

[fortun8son]

I just picked up two NOS Graphite Gold Oversize. They look great.
I'm a bit technologically challenged, so no pics, but if you go to the site that cannot be named and search lot#190785753034 you can see one.
They appear to be 26.75, 14x18, maybe 102"-ish and say M-70, C-68 on the throat.
These are made in Malaysia, not Japan like the one I strung in July.