Best items you found at thrift stores (Goodwill)?
- Thread starter flashfire276
- Start date
thenewbig3
Hall of Fame
Be careful with your arm and shoulders. I hit with it for 15 minutes and my shoulder and arm felt "constipated" for 2 days (apparently this is what inflammation can feel like). Had no issues with Yonex OPS and other aluminum rackets or any other racket ever.
I've always wanted to post on this thread and finally an opportunity!
Got this yesterday at local Salvation Army store. This thing feels like a hammer! It creaks a bit with some shadow swings, I'm afraid to break it if I hit with it.
Last edited:
kevin qmto
Legend
I don’t know if different runs of the T2000 hit differently but I’ve always found them to play quite well. Mine doesn’t seem to creak much, though my Tenex clone of a T2000 certainly does.I've always wanted to post on this thread and finally an opportunity!
Got this yesterday at local Salvation Army store. This thing feels like a hammer! It creaks a bit with some shadow swings, I'm afraid to break it if I hit with it.
thenewbig3
Hall of Fame
Seeing kevin use his T2000 with absolute abandon is what made me look for a T2000.... Absolutely the worst racket (only due to pain and inflammation) I ever hit. I have mounted it next to an American Flag in my home... Never to be removed again.
kevin qmto
Legend
I have to think whatever string was in it had to have some effect.
thenewbig3
Hall of Fame
Yeah the random combination of unexpected harmonics in the vibration combination including old string, steel, leather, weight, swingweight etc.... were just not compatible with my body.
BDAZ
Hall of Fame
Found this exact racquet at Goodwill a few months ago. It hits great! I used the 95 sq. inch version in high school so it was nice to get its companion.$3.99 Goodwill find.
Pro Kennex Composite Destiny 110 AVC
353g / 7HL / 343sw w/ 16g SG
Was not as powerful as I expected so enjoyed hitting with it with a player of slightly lower level but able to rally consistently. Great impact feel.
Grafil Injection
Legend
Incoming..
Last edited:
Grafil Injection
Legend
Revelation Tour Pro Exact:
Such a late 1990s model it has the honeycomb butt-cap of the Muscleweaves. 20-26-24 dual-taper, and interestingly just 310g strung. But the balance is 34.25 even so all of the 30g missing weight has come out if the handle area compared to earlier Revelations. The hoop still feels pretty stable and the sweet-zone large. Quite a modern easy-playing stick really; it does not feel small at all even though it's 'only' 95sqi.
Such a late 1990s model it has the honeycomb butt-cap of the Muscleweaves. 20-26-24 dual-taper, and interestingly just 310g strung. But the balance is 34.25 even so all of the 30g missing weight has come out if the handle area compared to earlier Revelations. The hoop still feels pretty stable and the sweet-zone large. Quite a modern easy-playing stick really; it does not feel small at all even though it's 'only' 95sqi.
Last edited:
retrowagen
Hall of Fame
Picked up a decent looking Youtek Radical OS for a whopping $3.00 yesterday. Paid more for the celebratory beer!
kevin qmto
Legend
The last OS radical, congrats. End of an era that lasted from 1993-2009.
BDAZ
Hall of Fame
kevin qmto
Legend
I’ve had good luck getting those types of scuffs off with my fingernail or a plastic razor before.
thenewbig3
Hall of Fame
Ive used LA's totally awesome cleaner or Isopropyl alcohol.. The Synergy DB 26 is an awesome racket...Especially with Prince SG with Duraflex.
kevin qmto
Legend
I almost wanted to give this thing its own thread but I don't want to be too self important about my finds. It was indeed a Goodwill find after all. Umm, where to start. I have no idea what this is even called despite it having legible english text on it. To my eye, that says "Ca 1 hay" Would that be pronounced Calhay? See A Number 1 Hay? what in the world? I suppose the model name is World 1, but since there's no space it could well be Worldi for all I know.
It looks very 'Kunnan Lo'ish to me, but it doesn't line up 1:1 for any frame I own that was manufactured by them, though I know that doesn't rule them out. There's zero text on the frame apart from the front, not even country of origin stamp. Head size appear to be right at 90sq in, weight is 344g strung, and overall quality feels quite high. Nice leather grip, classy green stripes, full grommet strip. If it came strung, those have been removed and it now has Leoina 66 installed at what feels like mid 50's tension, right where I like it. I'm gonna bet it hits quite well.
FB link: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1627103527677645/permalink/3361439124244068/
Can you identify anything?
It looks very 'Kunnan Lo'ish to me, but it doesn't line up 1:1 for any frame I own that was manufactured by them, though I know that doesn't rule them out. There's zero text on the frame apart from the front, not even country of origin stamp. Head size appear to be right at 90sq in, weight is 344g strung, and overall quality feels quite high. Nice leather grip, classy green stripes, full grommet strip. If it came strung, those have been removed and it now has Leoina 66 installed at what feels like mid 50's tension, right where I like it. I'm gonna bet it hits quite well.
FB link: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1627103527677645/permalink/3361439124244068/
Can you identify anything?
Sanglier
Professional
“Cathay” was what the Europeans called China during the time of Marco Polo. You still see it used occasionally as part of chinese brand names today. When Kunnan et al were growing up, ROC was recognised by the UN as the sole legitimate government of “one China” (until it lost that seat to PRC around the same time graphite racquets were born); militant separatism and identity politics of recent decades were largely foreign to Kunnan’s generation, at least in those days.
kevin qmto
Legend
Wow, learn something new everyday. I figured it probably wasn't actually supposed to say Ca1hay but I also thought they wouldn't name their brand something that most Americans would probably pronounce like "Kathy" lol. Someone on FB posted that it looks similar to the Black Max II, but the drill pattern is definitely different, the BMII is less dense further from the middle of the hoop, and I also think the bottom of the throat split is more narrow on the World I above.
I wonder when these were made and where they were sold, can't imagine there's many out there, its a goose egg on the bay. Google images pulls up one other frame by them, and I can't even find another photo of the one above anywhere.
Grafil Injection
Legend
It's nothing to do with BM2, which has the more rounded-beam mould of the Panther Pro Ceramic etc.
The wide-open 16x17 pattern might be an idiosyncrasy to search for, as it doesn't appear to be mis-strung. And the beam is the other one to check. There's a touch of my No-Name Classic II going on (ignoring the cross-bar), which was very thin.
Last edited:
kevin qmto
Legend
Found this Head Ventoris 660 at the Salvation Army for $4. Great shape, though I still think I'd rather find a good condition Polaris 600 or 660 as its my favorite looking of that line. Not sure where this one sat at price wise on the galaxy full of Head 'Star Trek' numbered sticks, I'm always surprised at just how many different models there were, and how most were available in 2, sometimes 3 head sizes. The double power wedge on this one isn't nearly as extreme as the Genesis's. This one's made in Austria and has a stringing sticker from The Sports Authority dated March 1993. The Prince strings it mentions are still in it, and feel fine like most syn guts do.
FB Link:
www.facebook.com
FB Link:
Tennis Vintage and Classic Racquets (Rackets) Show, Buy or Sell | Head Ventoris 660 | Facebook
Head Ventoris 660. One of the space age Head dual taper beam widebodies of the early 1990's, but its beam taper isn't as radical as the flagship Genesis. I'm not sure where this one sat price wise,...
www.facebook.com
Last edited:
kevin qmto
Legend
I found an old ad from 1992 that mentioned the Ventoris is the most flexible of the main line space themed sticks. But also around that time it appears like they just added a ton of additional models and hierarchy became quite confusing, some of them were the same price as others etc. such as the Head: Galaxy, Universe, Mercury, Zephyr, Zenith, Aspire, Accurace (not Yamaha!), Epic, Legend, Triton, Pulse, Tech, Circuit, Intrepid, Tribute, Vision, Vector, Polar, Streak, Spirit, and Dominion.
Try saying that lineup out loud 3x fast
And that's just what comes up by searching "Head 660 tennis" on the bay right now, and finding any frame with that start trek font with accompanying head size number. It's unreal. Makes Pro Kennex's late 80s lineup bloat look positively restrained.
Last edited:
kevin qmto
Legend
Ok, @teachingprotx wondered about this frame, and after hitting with it, I think it's a real winner. Best Yonex frame I've used in a while. It's the RQ-60, and it was the most entry level graphite in Yonex's 1991 product catalog. I now own three frames featured in said catalog (RQ-380, and RQ-320 being the other two) and I like them in inverse of their price and hierarchy in it lol. This one, with its far more restrained widebody mold, and plush graphite composite layup, feels wonderful to swing, and has the most aesthetically pleasing paint job of the three models. No upper head wobble like on other cheaper graphites, and fairly plush. Strung with what appears to say "Wilson Hammer" string. When did Wilson make a syn gut string called Hammer? Yonex didn't even bother applying any layup, head size, weight, string tension range or patent info on this one, its bare bones, entry level, and I'm here for it. I have a video of my first match in a long time that I need to edit, and I crush quite a few balls with this thing. I can serve without pain so long as I keep my motion a bit abridged and try to limit wrist snap.
Grafil Injection
Legend
I wonder if the RQ-60 is somehow linked to the R-50 that Cash and Shriver used briefly just before, as the colours are quite similar. So a wide-body version that's just as flexible as the thin-beams?
kevin qmto
Legend
Almost forgot your fb link sir. Here you go.
Tennis Vintage and Classic Racquets (Rackets) Show, Buy or Sell | This is the Best Yonex frame I've used in a while | Facebook
This is the Best Yonex frame I've used in a while. It's the RQ-60, and it was the most entry level graphite in Yonex's 1991 product catalog. I now own three frames featured in said catalog (RQ-380,...
www.facebook.com
Grafil Injection
Legend
I wonder if the RQ-60 is somehow linked to the R-50 that Cash and Shriver used briefly just before, as the colours are quite similar. So a wide-body version that's just as flexible as the thin-beams?
It's a fairly similar blue to the R-50.
BTW, you must find yourself an RQ-180. They are really nice hits IMO. Totally useable today in SL spec.
Almost forgot your fb link sir. Here you go.
Tennis Vintage and Classic Racquets (Rackets) Show, Buy or Sell | This is the Best Yonex frame I've used in a while | Facebook
This is the Best Yonex frame I've used in a while. It's the RQ-60, and it was the most entry level graphite in Yonex's 1991 product catalog. I now own three frames featured in said catalog (RQ-380,...
It's a fairly similar blue to the R-50.
BTW, you must find yourself an RQ-180. They are really nice hits IMO. Totally useable today in SL spec.
kevin qmto
Legend
Interesting, there’s a NOS white RQ-180 on the bay right now, and with it is a leaflet with stringing instructions for several models, including the RQ-60, and it’s the only one I see where Yonex recommends stringing the crosses 5lbs lower than the mains.
Bisquick
Semi-Pro
@kevin qmto - remind me again - which barricade you like. There’s a white n black one listed in my local bst. Never tried one of these. If the price is right I might pick it up.
kevin qmto
Legend
Just the standard Adidas Barricade. Not the Tour or Tour Lite.
kevin qmto
Legend
Found this oddity recently. I usually see these steel/wood hybrids sold as the Kawasaki Hi-Elite, but this one was badged as a MacGregor Tourney. Supposedly the best of two worlds, the power of steel with the control/touch of wood and the stiffness from a full hoop fiber reinforcement. I will say my fears of the head feeling disconnected or loose were unwarranted, it feels very solidly attached indeed, and doesn't feel as though its going to separate in any way. Sure the fiberglass sandwich face of the wood hoop has yellowed a little, but its not warped in the slightest and the leather grips is still tacky. It should hit fine, comes in at 368g strung and feels slightly head light. I wonder how much it cost? Would it be more or less expensive than your average woodie of the time?
For some reason it came in an Adidas head cover that Jimmy Connors signed. At least I'm pretty sure that's a legit signature. I have no means to authenticate it, but comparing it to other things he's signed it looks pretty spot on. If one was going to fake a Connors signature in an attempt to make something worth more, they probably wouldn't have him sign a product he never used or a brand he never endorsed, and its signed upside down. Plus the fact the previous owner gave it away for free.
FB Link: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1627103527677645/permalink/3369102646811049/?app=fbl
pics:
For some reason it came in an Adidas head cover that Jimmy Connors signed. At least I'm pretty sure that's a legit signature. I have no means to authenticate it, but comparing it to other things he's signed it looks pretty spot on. If one was going to fake a Connors signature in an attempt to make something worth more, they probably wouldn't have him sign a product he never used or a brand he never endorsed, and its signed upside down. Plus the fact the previous owner gave it away for free.
FB Link: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1627103527677645/permalink/3369102646811049/?app=fbl
pics:
Last edited:
Grafil Injection
Legend
I think I've seen early 1960s adverts for the Tourney where it was around the top-of-the-range price-wise, like Maxplies etc. But by the 1970s, they were more mid-range offerings, of probably old stock. I think it was actually replaced by a Tourney model of traditional wood only.
Always wondered if they just made a normal wood racket and sliced out the middle to insert the steel shaft, or if they made the hoop and handle separately.
Always wondered if they just made a normal wood racket and sliced out the middle to insert the steel shaft, or if they made the hoop and handle separately.
retrowagen
Hall of Fame
I’m sure the steel shaft patched in that racquet would have seemed like a technological upgrade to the market of the day.
But to a decent player trying it, it would have quickly disappointed. There’s a logical reason why all tennis racquets after that looked unlike it! ;-)
Someone probably put the adidas cover in front of JC at a tournament after a match in the mid-1970’s, he scribbled his sig, and moved on to the next. It’s kinda cool, though; must have been special to some amateur tennis enthusiast who was a Connors fan (but who played Nastase’s racquet?) at the time.
But to a decent player trying it, it would have quickly disappointed. There’s a logical reason why all tennis racquets after that looked unlike it! ;-)
Someone probably put the adidas cover in front of JC at a tournament after a match in the mid-1970’s, he scribbled his sig, and moved on to the next. It’s kinda cool, though; must have been special to some amateur tennis enthusiast who was a Connors fan (but who played Nastase’s racquet?) at the time.
