Spalding gc-20

2kJosh · 07-06-2011, 08:42 PM

I was digging through our bucket of old racquets and i found a spalding gc-20 it seems like a nice racquet but the grip was a bit torn up. so i have some question: Was this racquet before or after the pro staff 6.0?, How heavy is it normally?, and what is the headsize on it? Thank you for your help.

galain · 07-06-2011, 10:55 PM

I remember this about 1985/1986. Could be an earlier release but back in those days Australia was a gazillion miles from anywhere so things often took longer to reach us.

Pro Staff was what, 84?

coachrick · 07-07-2011, 07:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by galain

I remember this about 1985/1986. Could be an earlier release but back in those days Australia was a gazillion miles from anywhere so things often took longer to reach us.

Pro Staff was what, 84?

"You can't get there from here"

I used the GC 20 for my PTR-USA certification in 1981. Dennis and the staff were Spalding folks back then and I thought having the 'newest thing' from the pro shop would make an impression.

It was likely brand new at that time as I don't recall seeing it in Atlanta for a while after my return.

Probably made by Kunnan...similar to the Bancroft ?Scorpion? of the same era(mold-wise, anyway).

Don't Let It Bounce · 07-07-2011, 09:40 AM

Black and orange, nice cosmetics, right? Those were standard-sized (65-70 sq in head), IIRC, and well before the PS Mid. I don't remember anything in particular about the weight, but I'd expect it to be the usual for standard-sized racquets, ~350g-400g. I bet it would be a nice hit.

EDIT: Looking at old photos I believe I am mistaken, and that the GC-20 had a smallish midsize rather than a standard-size head.

ritton07 · 07-07-2011, 10:41 AM

.. Claudio Panatta (Adriano's less famous brother..) using the GC-20,

2kJosh · 07-07-2011, 03:19 PM

Thanks guys I hit with it today amazing feel goes great with my s/v style I only I could find another oh well.

galain · 07-07-2011, 10:26 PM

Coachrick - always a font of knowledge!

2kJosh - nice to hear it's a nice hit. I've been toying with the idea of picking one up myself. They come up fairly often and as far as I know, it's an all fiberglass frame. Sounds like fun.

ritton07 · 07-08-2011, 07:54 AM

retrowagen · 07-08-2011, 09:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by galain

Coachrick - always a font of knowledge!

2kJosh - nice to hear it's a nice hit. I've been toying with the idea of picking one up myself. They come up fairly often and as far as I know, it's an all fiberglass frame. Sounds like fun.

I do believe the name offers a clue as to the composition: GC = "Graphite Composite"; 20 = 20% Fibreglass. Or was that 20% graphite???

Virginia · 07-08-2011, 10:35 AM

A little off topic but the Chris range of racquets were all the same mold, but with different compositions. Top model had boron, then came the Power-G 100% graphite, then the Competition 80/20 graphite/fibreglass and finally the Avenger 50/50 graphite/fibreglass.

Incidentally, the fibreglass in these frames was "S2" fibreglass - supposedly stronger. Does anyone have any info on "S2"?

coachrick · 07-08-2011, 11:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Virginia

A little off topic but the Chris range of racquets were all the same mold, but with different compositions. Top model had boron, then came the Power-G 100% graphite, then the Competition 80/20 graphite/fibreglass and finally the Avenger 50/50 graphite/fibreglass.

Incidentally, the fibreglass in these frames was "S2" fibreglass - supposedly stronger. Does anyone have any info on "S2"?

An excellent way to develop a line of rackets, IMO. Back in the '70s through '90s, quite a few companies took advantage of this techinque...allowing some interchangeability of bumpers/grommets, etc. Head, Wimbledon, Wilson, Chris and others had a 'progression' of materials, stiffness, price throughout their lines while using the same mold for the various layups. It was very common when a brand wanted to offer SMUs to large retailers...same mold, different cosmetics and sometimes, different compositions. Brilliant in its simplicity.

Here's just an intro on S2 fiberglass:

"S-2 Glass® Fiber Family of products offer a combination of six vital enhanced properties critical for your demanding applications. Compared to conventional glass fiber, the ehnanced properties of S-2 Glass® fibers result in better weight performance, and when compared to aramid and carbon, they deliver better cost performance."

There's an eighteen page brochure...IF you are trying to fall asleep!

http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&sourc...14eJoQ&cad=rja

vsbabolat · 07-08-2011, 12:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by retrowagen

I do believe the name offers a clue as to the composition: GC = "Graphite Composite"; 20 = 20% Fibreglass. Or was that 20% graphite???

I think it was head size. Because there was a GC-30 that was larger.

retrowagen · 07-08-2011, 02:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vsbabolat

I think it was head size. Because there was a GC-30 that was larger.

Right you are! - I had a buddy with a GC-30 (with blue graphics), roundabout 1983. That model looked to me then as the Spalding analogue to the Head Graphite Director, with the GC-20 being their direct mark to the Graphite Edge (although in my humble opinion, the Head models had a plusher feel and were more stable, albeit slightly less manoeuverable - by dint of their narrow and less substantial shoulders, the Spalding models felt somewhat "floppy" or more sensitive to torsional twist on off-center hits).

Seems like lots of racquet model names in the 80's had numbers equivalent to the percentage the hitting area was larger than "standard": Rossignol with their 100/150/200/300 (drop the final zero and you have the rough % larger than standard), the 1986/7 Kneissl lineup with Masters 10/25/30 and Spark 25/35, etc. ...

MesQueUnClub · 07-08-2011, 05:42 PM

Speaking of GC-20 and GC-30, anyone has heard of or has any experience with Donnay GTI-25 ?

EDIT : I had written GC-25 earlier. my mistake.

vsbabolat · 07-08-2011, 06:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MesQueUnClub

Speaking of GC-20 and GC-30, anyone has heard of or has any experience with Donnay GC-25 ?

I have heard of the CGX 25

Virginia · 07-09-2011, 11:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by coachrick

An excellent way to develop a line of rackets, IMO. Back in the '70s through '90s, quite a few companies took advantage of this techinque...allowing some interchangeability of bumpers/grommets, etc. Head, Wimbledon, Wilson, Chris and others had a 'progression' of materials, stiffness, price throughout their lines while using the same mold for the various layups. It was very common when a brand wanted to offer SMUs to large retailers...same mold, different cosmetics and sometimes, different compositions. Brilliant in its simplicity.

Here's just an intro on S2 fiberglass:

"S-2 Glass® Fiber Family of products offer a combination of six vital enhanced properties critical for your demanding applications. Compared to conventional glass fiber, the ehnanced properties of S-2 Glass® fibers result in better weight performance, and when compared to aramid and carbon, they deliver better cost performance."

There's an eighteen page brochure...IF you are trying to fall asleep!

http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&sourc...14eJoQ&cad=rja

Thanks, coach - very useful - I've often wondered about S2.

galain · 07-10-2011, 10:15 AM

Nice to know about the composition good people. I stand corrected, (like I often do!)

MesQueUnClub · 07-11-2011, 12:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vsbabolat

I have heard of the CGX 25

I typed wrong. I wanted to write : Donnay GTI-25. Anyone heard of this one?

v-verb · 02-10-2013, 04:58 PM

Found a Spalding GC 20 locally yesterday. with cover. $6. Can't wait to try it out!

07-06-2011, 08:42 PM	#1
2kJosh New User Join Date: Jul 2011 Posts: 95	Spalding gc-20 I was digging through our bucket of old racquets and i found a spalding gc-20 it seems like a nice racquet but the grip was a bit torn up. so i have some question: Was this racquet before or after the pro staff 6.0?, How heavy is it normally?, and what is the headsize on it? Thank you for your help. __________________ "We're gonna have to sweeten some of these jokes. You know what sweeten means, right? That’s a showbiz term for "add sugar to." Mitch Hedberg

07-06-2011, 10:55 PM	#2
galain Hall Of Fame Join Date: Feb 2004 Posts: 1,823	I remember this about 1985/1986. Could be an earlier release but back in those days Australia was a gazillion miles from anywhere so things often took longer to reach us. Pro Staff was what, 84? __________________ "A closed mouth gathers no feet"

07-07-2011, 09:40 AM	#4
Don't Let It Bounce Professional Join Date: Sep 2009 Posts: 1,417	Black and orange, nice cosmetics, right? Those were standard-sized (65-70 sq in head), IIRC, and well before the PS Mid. I don't remember anything in particular about the weight, but I'd expect it to be the usual for standard-sized racquets, ~350g-400g. I bet it would be a nice hit. EDIT: Looking at old photos I believe I am mistaken, and that the GC-20 had a smallish midsize rather than a standard-size head. __________________ Is it solipsistic in here, or is it just me? Last edited by Don't Let It Bounce : 07-11-2011 at 06:19 AM.

07-07-2011, 03:19 PM	#6
2kJosh New User Join Date: Jul 2011 Posts: 95	Thanks guys I hit with it today amazing feel goes great with my s/v style I only I could find another oh well. __________________ "We're gonna have to sweeten some of these jokes. You know what sweeten means, right? That’s a showbiz term for "add sugar to." Mitch Hedberg

07-07-2011, 10:26 PM	#7
galain Hall Of Fame Join Date: Feb 2004 Posts: 1,823	Coachrick - always a font of knowledge! 2kJosh - nice to hear it's a nice hit. I've been toying with the idea of picking one up myself. They come up fairly often and as far as I know, it's an all fiberglass frame. Sounds like fun. __________________ "A closed mouth gathers no feet"

07-08-2011, 07:54 AM	#8
ritton07 Rookie Join Date: Jan 2009 Posts: 106