Aluminum Racquets

[cadfael_tex]

Reading the thread the other day about someone using a Prince Pro after coming back to playing got me thinking about metal (aluminum specifically) racquets. A Wilson Extra II Oversize was my second racquet after an inherited Spalding Pancho Gonzales woodie. I actually went back to wood (Dunlop Maxply Mac) from the Extra II.

Can barely remember what playing with it was like. What were the general specs on these racquets. Were they lighter than wood? How stiff were they?

 

[Ripper014]

I spent a lot of years playing with a Head Pro and extruded aluminum frame which I liked a lot at the time before moving to the Arthur Ashe Comp 2.

Back in those days rackets came in light medium and heavy... in general the rackets were alot heavier than today. As for flex... the aluminum frames were a lot stiffer than the wood frames... but between the metal frames they varied a bit. The Head Pro being extruded in a diamond like shape was much stiffer than the Head Master another aluminum frame that had a rounder cross-section. The Wilson T-2000 is another metal frame that I found to be quite flexable.

I still had that racket until a few years ago when I gave it away, I should have kept it. Since I have started playing again nostalgia is getting the better of me and I have been wanting to play with some standard size frames.

 

[psp2]

Reading the thread the other day about someone using a Prince Pro after coming back to playing got me thinking about metal (aluminum specifically) racquets. A Wilson Extra II Oversize was my second racquet after an inherited Spalding Pancho Gonzales woodie. I actually went back to wood (Dunlop Maxply Mac) from the Extra II.

Can barely remember what playing with it was like. What were the general specs on these racquets. Were they lighter than wood? How stiff were they?

I string up my Prince Pro (black/black throat) or my Classic (alu./ green throat) once in blue moon for nostalgic sake. They both feel quite nice and a bit flexy compared to my graphite frames. Both weigh around 12.5 oz. strung and have flexes around 58 or so. Sometimes you can get these frames for around $5 or less at Goodwill, etc. and they (IMHO) are really fun to mess around with.

 

[Kirko]

always thought aluminum rackets >>>

mimicked the feel of wood frames solid and flexy. the prince magnesium pro mid. possibly the best racket I ever used.

 

[cadfael_tex]

They weren't woody enough. I went back to wood before going on the graphite. Another question came to mind. Did the tubular aluminum racquets like the Prince Pro and Wilson Extra play like the (not sure what to call them) Head Edge etc?

 

[Ripper014]

They weren't woody enough. I went back to wood before going on the graphite. Another question came to mind. Did the tubular aluminum racquets like the Prince Pro and Wilson Extra play like the (not sure what to call them) Head Edge etc?

The Head Edge was pretty much and oversized Head Master but oval in headshape... it was a pretty flexible racket and easy on the arm. I didn't own one... but friends did.

 

[FedererClone]

They weren't woody enough. I went back to wood before going on the graphite. Another question came to mind. Did the tubular aluminum racquets like the Prince Pro and Wilson Extra play like the (not sure what to call them) Head Edge etc?

The Head Edge line all have 81 sq in headsize (pls correct if I am mistaken as I own two different edge frames) so closer to the older wood frames. There are different frames in the Edge range with differing materials, so each feels different on the court. But for anyone used to a smaller head size they do feel great on the court - once you get the right graphite / graphite composite frame to suit your game.

As for aluminium in general, never hit with it - or wood! I was thinking of having a local wood racquet tournament on my home court for fun this fall as it's pretty cheap to nab some older frames at various Goodwills around town...

 

[Ripper014]

I am pretty sure the original Head Edge was an aluminum extruded frame.

 

[joe sch]

Here are my 2 favorite aluminum rackets, each a very hefty club:

http://woodtennis.com/dayton/birmalwrightditsonmetals2a.jpg

 

[cadfael_tex]

I am pretty sure the original Head Edge was an aluminum extruded frame.

I am trying to picture it in my mind. It didn't seem to have the contruction that my Extra II had.

 

[movdqa]

I think that the Head Edge was extruded too. I did hit with one a long time ago. Head had the Master (blue throat, round head) which was a junior frame (but I saw teaching pros using it too) and the Pro (red throat, oval head). The Edge came out later and had more sq inches and a bigger throat piece. I think that it was brown.

I last used a Head Pro about five years ago. I have three of them in my collection and should hit a few with one soon. Compared to modern racquets (even the Redondo), they are flexible. You can feel racquethead twisting on off-center shots. The Head Pro was even balance I think and my guess is that the ones that I have are in the 14 or 15 ounce area (I should put them on a postal scale). They still do play fine after almost 30 years.

The Head Pros didn't give you the feel of wood but they provided durability and consistency. You could leave them in the car in any weather and didn't have to worry about them getting wet or warping. I'll see if I can post a few pictures tonight.

 

[coachrick]

The original Head Edge was a 6000 series aluminum(basically a mid-sized Master). The Red Head Pro was a 7000 series and was a bit stiffer(quite a bit by my feel). The Master was also a rounder face while the Pro was more oval(the Edge was even more oval). The rounded cross-section of the 6000 series frames allowed for even more flex while the angular cross-section of the Pro(and later the Vector) made the frame stiffer. I couldn't play with the Master to save my life but used the Pro for many years and played with the Edge in '78-79. I begged Head to produce the Vector as a stiffer version of the Edge but it took them a good two years to finally make it...a bit too late as the composite frames were really taking over by then. There is even a String-Lok Vector(individual strings held in place with 'barrels') and you could convert the Pro and original Edge to String-Lok if you were bored to death .

 

[coachrick]

...and...there was the Head Standard(light blue throat) that we sold prestrung as an 'entry level' metal frame. Don't know how Head could make a frame 'cheaper' than the Master, but they did it. Had all sorts of problems with the butt caps pulling off...cheesy grip also on the Standard.

Herman's World of Sports had a SMU version of the Master and probably the Standard and Edge as well--essentially different colored throat pieces--so you might see some different looks(especially in the Mid-Atlantic area and northward) compared to the colors mentioned in this thread.

I hit with my Red Head yesterday(after starting with a T2000 and switching to a T3000). Hit near the middle and the Red Head will do anything you ask!

 

[movdqa]

 

[movdqa]

Note the stringalings - basically what they used to do to deal with grommet damage to protect strings. 18x20 string pattern. I usually strung with tournament nylon at 58 pounds.

I swung these through the air and they felt pretty easy to swing. I guess that's what happens when you're used the the KPS88.

It would be interesting to string up a Head Pro with 17-gauge multi like Sensation.

 

[movdqa]

You can see that these racquets were well-used - there are a lot of court scratches on the outside but there's no structural damage. The extruded aluminum approach makes for a very strong racquet.

I did like the Master for hitting around. Very forgiving and I think that it felt lighter than the Head Pro. The Head Pro was a wonderful control racquet, great for flat or sliced shots. Also very good for flat serves given the high static and swing weight and a high sweet spot.

 

[coachrick]

Note the stringalings - basically what they used to do to deal with grommet damage to protect strings. 18x20 string pattern.

It would be interesting to string up a Head Pro with 17-gauge multi like Sensation.

Head was pretty good about quality control but occasionally a throat piece just didn't line up with the drilling in the frame. We would use the tubing throughout the throat(almost always did that on the PDP Open of similar design). Currently, I leave out one main on either side and one top cross to open up the pattern a bit...eliminates some of the shared holes as well.

I put Prince Syn. Multi in my current Red Head...not bad at all. Back in the old days(and IF I could afford it), I would string with Babolat AFV 17ga @ 62#(tighter with a synthetic) and always install a fresh Fairway grip on my 5/8 L. One strip of gauze tape at the heel and off I would go! Ah, the good old days!

 

[jimbo333]

Those photos are the biggest I've ever seen!

Just tooooooo big!

 

[CollegeBound]

always thought aluminum rackets >>>
mimicked the feel of wood frames solid and flexy. the prince magnesium pro mid. possibly the best racket I ever used.

I don't recall any steel or aluminium racquet that came remotely close to emulating wood. I still hit occasionally with my old Prince Pro and Dunlop Maxply. The aluminium always feels stiff in relation to the woodie. The Mag Pro (I only used the 90) was rigid compared to the woodie. Great racquet, but not flexy in the slightest when put against wood.

 

[movdqa]

My experience is that aluminum racquets are stiffer than wood but they are closer to wood than to modern racquets. I can feel the flex in the Head Pros and it's quite a bit greater than what I feel in the Redondo which, by modern standards, is quite flexible.

You're also comparing a fairly large racquet to a small one.

 

[coachrick]

Of course, one major difference was that the aluminum rackets 'held' their flex characteristics for much longer. I would use the Slaz Professional from time to time...felt fantastic for the first couple of weeks but would become increasingly more flexible over the second or perhaps third stringing. As stiff as it was, compared to other wood frames, even the Slaz Pro would feel like a noodle(especially in the top of the face) after a while.

The Dunlop Maxply was perhaps the worst offender. Nice feel at the top of the hoop when new, quite the flexy sponge after a couple of stringings. Just the nature of wood fibers, I reckon.

Having said that, I still hit with 30 year-old Kramers and Evert Autographs that feel pretty darned good IF you hit just below center. If you miss-hit by too much, the ball simply doesn't go anywhere!