A new Injection Molded racquet from Dunlop - Neo Max 2000?

[BreakPoint]

Shockingly, I ran across this racquet on a Japanese website:

http://www.tennisfield.co.jp/2011-11-dunlop-neomax2000.html

It's a brand new model from Dunlop Japan and they claim it is Injection Molded, just like the original Max 200G was. How is that possible? I thought all the machines and tools needed to make injection molded frames were destroyed and gone forever after Dunlop closed it's only factory that made them in England over 20 years ago?

If this frame is indeed really injection molded then it should play and feel much closer to the original Max 200G than the new Biomimetic Max 200G does (which plays and feels nothing like the original Max 200G).

They also have a a Neo Max 3000 model that's also injection molded, which I guess is supposed to be a successor to the original Max 300i?

http://www.tennisfield.co.jp/2011-11-dunlop-neomax3000.html

 

[Vlad_C]

Interesting.
Apparently it was released at the end of 2011, exclusively for the Japanese market. Most likely a limited edition.
And they were made in China.

The specs are not impressive though - static weight is only 320g.

 

[Rock Strongo]

If I remember correctly, it was braided graphite with a dampener molded into the frame.
Had it been sold here, I'd jump all over it.

 

[MAXXply]

I noticed these as well...320gms ain't that bad, with some lead it seems right in my wheelhouse as the TW playtesters would say.

The relatively straight shafts remind me of the old Spaldings or Prince Morph Beams. The PJ while true to the Dunlop heritage of black and racing green, is a catastrophe of Jap-lish sensibilities. I just associate it with the opening titles of those whacky Japanese variety shows often poked fun at by western audiences.

Slightly off-topic but I have found buying tennis gear online from Japan a very straightforward and pleasant process. No shipping restrictions on the you-know-what-brands. Much less aggravation than dealing with established online sellers elsewhere.

 

[vsbabolat]

That racquet is not really Injection Molded.

 

[max]

I remember seeing this come out, and being excited by the concept. I'da boughtten one.

 

[BlueB]

It misses the key component... It is not grometless.

 

[BreakPoint]

That racquet is not really Injection Molded.

I would be shocked if it was.

 

[BreakPoint]

It misses the key component... It is not grometless.

But is that really proof that it's not injection molded? I mean why can't they add a grommet strip onto an injection molded frame? I don't see any reason why they can't.

 

[BlueB]

I didn't mention it as a proof of anything. However, the grometless was one of the original's trademarks...

I guess you could reverse the question too - why would they add the grommets on a solid injected frame?

 

[big ted]

i think you can order it but its $280

 

[BreakPoint]

I didn't mention it as a proof of anything. However, the grometless was one of the original's trademarks...

I guess you could reverse the question too - why would they add the grommets on a solid injected frame?

Because strings used to eat through the original Max 200G's frame. Also for the same reason they put grommets on non-injection molded frames - to provide additional protection to prevent premature string breakage.

 

[High street sw19]

It's BS no Asian factory can (or would wan't to) replicate the old lead melting manufacturing process, don't buy in to the hype and if you do I have a bridge going cheap on the Thames open to offers ;-)

 

[vsbabolat]

Because strings used to eat through the original Max 200G's frame. Also for the same reason they put grommets on non-injection molded frames - to provide additional protection to prevent premature string breakage.

Strings did not eat through any of my Max200G frames. Never heard of that before. I played with the Max200G for almost 10 years. None of my friends that played with the Max200G never had strings eat though them.
You have to put grommets on a frames that had had the holes drilled.

 

[MAX PLY]

^^^
Agree with the above. I played with the 200gs begininning with a prototype and until the late 90s when I finally made a switch and my stockpile of Dunlops was dwindling. I also strung a ton of those for other people in the day. I never, never had a string eat through the frame. Had many spoon and had a few break but never had that problem.

Back on topic, the Neo Max has interested me for some time even thought it does not appear to be an entirely injection moulded frame. I just got sucked in on its appearance. Maybe I should buy one but I am afraid I woud either be deeply disappointed or have to take a really expensive trip to Japan and bring back a boatload of frames.

 

[jimbo333]

Strings did not eat through any of my Max200G frames. Never heard of that before. I played with the Max200G for almost 10 years. None of my friends that played with the Max200G never had strings eat though them.
You have to put grommets on a frames that had had the holes drilled.

I agree 100%. The strings have never eaten through the frame of the Max200G ever. I've seen literally 100's of these, and this has never ever happened.

As has been said many times though, the Max200G did easily warp due to being strung incorrectly or at too higher tension. Although a slight warp really didn't effect how they played, they were still great!

 

[BreakPoint]

Strings did not eat through any of my Max200G frames. Never heard of that before. I played with the Max200G for almost 10 years. None of my friends that played with the Max200G never had strings eat though them.
You have to put grommets on a frames that had had the holes drilled.

Well, since so many people use very stiff poly strings these days, they now need to use grommets to prevent the stiff strings from eating into or notching the frames? The Max 200G always felt softer to me than other non-injection molded graphite frames, such as the PS 6.0 85. Maybe that's why they warped easier?

 

[Rock Strongo]

Well, since so many people use very stiff poly strings these days, they now need to use grommets to prevent the stiff strings from eating into or notching the frames? The Max 200G always felt softer to me than other non-injection molded graphite frames, such as the PS 6.0 85. Maybe that's why they warped easier?

I'm going to take a wild stab at explaining this, though I might be completely and utterly wrong.

The reason why they were prone to warping is that because the composition is basically nylon and chopped graphite which I presume could only hold so much tension before the nylon basically stretched and it started to spoon. I'd probably imagine that's why people were advised not to string it above 55 lbs.

An injection molded racquet is also inherently thicker inside and the grommets supported by "pillars" if you may (only possible with injection molding, thanks vsbabolat!) whereas a racquet today is actually very thin inside which would further advocate string eating. If you were to find the stiffest poly you could find and string them at the same tension in one IMF and one normally constructed racquet with the grommets taken out you'd see damage on the "normal" stick much sooner than the IMF.

Furthermore, yes. The Max 200G is absurdly soft, but only on lighter strokes. Hit it hard and it stiffens up. The flex rating hovers around the 40-45 mark if I'm right, but like I said it feels significantly stiffer when you add some power.

I haven't seen any damage on my Max 200G and I hope that it'll still provide that addictive feel for years to come.

 

[max]

Because strings used to eat through the original Max 200G's frame. Also for the same reason they put grommets on non-injection molded frames - to provide additional protection to prevent premature string breakage.

Huh. Not on my 200gs. Usually because of the tight pattern, smaller head size, the strings would die out in place.

 

[vsbabolat]

I'm going to take a wild stab at explaining this, though I might be completely and utterly wrong.

The reason why they were prone to warping is that because the composition is basically nylon and chopped graphite which I presume could only hold so much tension before the nylon basically stretched and it started to spoon. I'd probably imagine that's why people were advised not to string it above 55 lbs.

An injection molded racquet is also inherently thicker inside and the grommets supported by "pillars" if you may (only possible with injection molding, thanks vsbabolat!) whereas a racquet today is actually very thin inside which would further advocate string eating. If you were to find the stiffest poly you could find and string them at the same tension in one IMF and one normally constructed racquet with the grommets taken out you'd see damage on the "normal" stick much sooner than the IMF.

Furthermore, yes. The Max 200G is absurdly soft, but only on lighter strokes. Hit it hard and it stiffens up. The flex rating hovers around the 40-45 mark if I'm right, but like I said it feels significantly stiffer when you add some power.

I haven't seen any damage on my Max 200G and I hope that it'll still provide that addictive feel for years to come.

That is a excellent explanation. That is what made IMF racquets so special, the internal pillars.

 

[High street sw19]

It's a myth and marketing BS this racquet is 100% conventional manufacture.

 

[Rock Strongo]

It's a myth and marketing BS this racquet is 100% conventional manufacture.

It's not complete BS. It does have a dampener molded in to it in I think it was the throat which consisted of either graphite and nylon or silicone. There's even a picture somewhere. So it would kind of be like the ISIS system Dunlop used in their Revelations.

 

[High street sw19]

It's not complete BS. It does have a dampener molded in to it in I think it was the throat which consisted of either graphite and nylon or silicone. There's even a picture somewhere. So it would kind of be like the ISIS system Dunlop used in their Revelations.

But that has nothing to do with the original injection racquet's, more people need to challenge the brands on their highly suspect technology claims, there are only so many way's to skin a cat, and there are only a limited number of ways to build a racquet, the rest is without doubt BS.

 

[Rock Strongo]

But that has nothing to do with the original injection racquet's, more people need to challenge the brands on their highly suspect technology claims, there are only so many way's to skin a cat, and there are only a limited number of ways to build a racquet, the rest is without doubt BS.

It's not claiming to be injection molded. It says "with injection molded damper" on it, referring to whatever it is they put into it.

I'd find a picture, but I have a brunch to look after.