Final consensus on the frames. There was a great mix of flex and feel from all 4, ai98, PCT, PC95+ and the 330g, and all shared something in common, a non-traditional hoop shape.
The difference in patterns, 1-16x19, 1-18x20 and 2- 16x20, all produced varying ball heights and spin, the PCT produced the most lift and spin-funk out of all of them in my estimation. Probably due to the tip-speed, as it had the lowest SW out of all. I really want to spend more time with this one. I just can't really groove with the woofer grommets, the relationship between string-bed and frame move in 'mysterious ways'. It definitely feels way more flexier than the non-tour PC, yet has just enough crispness and stiffness to put shots away with minimal effort. Was not the best volleying frame of the bunch and it didn't necessarily have the best touch, but it did produce a mean slice and I could really paint the lines out there. The most consistent and biggest sweetspot of the bunch.
The PCT95+ is a beast of a frame, and after sitting down with it again, I can say it felt the most natural to serve with. What an old-school feeling frame? What happened to wilson and head? Aren't they supposed to be churning out 'classic' feeling frames? Every iteration of prestiges, radicals, 6.1's and pro-staffs, with the exception of the 95 and 90, have felt 'gimmicky' and lack luster for the past 3-4 years. Babolathas offers some nice feeling frames in the PCT and PC95+, classic feel and response. The PC95+ has one draw-back, you really have to be aggressive with it, no middle ground, just like the PresMid. Plain jane defense, which I like to play sometimes to open the court up, is not as conducive as some of the other offerings. But what a vanity stick? Would love to see how it performs with a fresh bed of copoly.
The 330g suffers from the same minus as the PC95+, not the best stick out there for defense. Aggressive b-line and net play is where it shines, not necessarily like the PresMid, where at times it feels like a frantic race to strike, much more forgiving than that, but along those lines. I struggled with consistency on serve when compared to the other frames, but when you nail it, there is no return in wait. Again, when your 1st serve percentage is hovering 50, you're losing more than winning. Maybe I'm just not good enough to serve consistently with this frame, but having tired legs and mind towards the end of a 3 hour session and the 330g becomes a liability. It wasn't so much the static weight but the SW coupled with it. It felt like 340+SW at times. The serve is so important to, in terms of consistency and the 330g doesn't want to assist, what you put in, you get out, and while you have to appreciate the sticks honesty, it's not the most forgiving as well.
The ai98...... Hands down the most comfortable and confidence inspiring frame of the lot. Could really zip through 2nd serves, play defense and change to offense in one shot. The ball seemed, at times to meld into the string bed, not quite melt. Strange, because regardless of whether I as hitting center, this feeling wasn't reproducible at all times.
I'm more than likely picking up a PCT and ai98. I'll play extensively with each one, try different set-ups and then ultimately choose one. All the demos had the 3/8's grip and I feel as if the 330g and PC95+, the heavier of the bunch, could've benefited from a size down, as these grips tend to run large anyway, but the PCT and Ai98 played well for me regardless of the grip size, which says a lot.
:lol:
