Honestly I’m surprised at that. It feels newer and the wideness is much less pronounced than early widebody frames from Head or Wilson.That racket is from 1989. Dunlop’s first line of widebodies
" what the hell is sorbothane anyways? "Honestly I’m surprised at that. It feels newer and the wideness is much less pronounced than early widebody frames from Head or Wilson.
Just goes to show it's not the arrows, it's the archer, but that really is a horrible racket! Aluminum widebody, two words that shouldn't be allowed on a frame! I have a feeling in thirty years time people will obsess over today's junk, like Wilson Countervail sticks and original Head Graphenes. Haha!Even though I buy lots of crap, I can usually resist buying cheapo aluminum big box sticks for $3 bucks at goodwill. Not this time. All because of the name.
Meet the 'Head Standard'. The most unpretentious tennis racket ever made. I hope the paper cover that came on it from the factory just said "tennis racket". Anyways, I bought it, took some photos of it, and proceeded to use it in a set against a 4.0 guy on my USTA team and took the set 6/2 with the mighty Standard. (he usually only plays doubles so cut him some slack).
I’m the man in white, wielding the Standard.
As expected, it has heaps of power, so serving with this is actually pretty nice.
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does that tension range seem ludicrously high for an aluminum stick?
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Haha it’s the rackets only somewhat uncommon feature. I can only fathom they thought the wider frame would perhaps make the aluminum less wobbly? It’s certainly easier to play tennis with this Head Standard over the last big box aluminum stick I got for kicks, the Wilson Federer lol. Maybe it’s the higher string tension of this. The Fed felt like it was strung with cheap nylons at 45lbs.Aluminum widebody, two words that shouldn't be allowed on a frame!
From the giant auction site, I had to get this at £9.50.
Supex Pro (or Pro Supex?) Titanium Tour: 105sqi, 18x19, 320g strung, 20.5mm beam, 32.75 balance. Seems to be a Head Radical OS copy, and feels pretty darn good so far.
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I'm fairly sure the carbon weave is painted on!
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No-name butt-cap that comes off to reveal a PU moulded handle filled with black stuff:
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When I started reading, I thought you meant THE Head Standard, ca 1970s. THAT would have been a real test!!!Haha it’s the rackets only somewhat uncommon feature. I can only fathom they thought the wider frame would perhaps make the aluminum less wobbly? It’s certainly easier to play tennis with this Head Standard over the last big box aluminum stick I got for kicks, the Wilson Federer lol. Maybe it’s the higher string tension of this. The Fed felt like it was strung with cheap nylons at 45lbs.
i dig the chicken logo on your Superx Pro.
Weren’t those still made from stainless steel?When I started reading, I thought you meant THE Head Standard, ca 1970s. THAT would have been a real test!!!
Yours does sound a bit balloon-like; but you handled it well!!!
MY earliest "widebody" metal frame was the Wilson TX 6000...very aero! From the late '70s
No, recycled 1955 Cadillac bumpers, as I recall.Weren’t those still made from stainless steel?
When I started reading, I thought you meant THE Head Standard, ca 1970s. THAT would have been a real test!!!
have you hit with this yet? what does the stiffness feel comparable to?Head Genesis 660
that's sick dude! is it stiff or flexible?From the giant auction site, I had to get this at £9.50.
Supex Pro (or Pro Supex?) Titanium Tour: 105sqi, 18x19, 320g strung, 20.5mm beam, 32.75 balance. Seems to be a Head Radical OS copy, and feels pretty darn good so far.
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I'm fairly sure the carbon weave is painted on!
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No-name butt-cap that comes off to reveal a PU moulded handle filled with black stuff:
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It's on the flexible side like an Ultra Tour/Pro, or a bit more flexible, so 58-62 RA I'd estimate. Strung with syngut it has medium power and good control.that's sick dude! is it stiff or flexible?
I have a couple of the old Red Head Pros; but not a Master nor Standard. I do have a couple of TieBreakers hiding somewhere, one with 1970s Blue Star!just looked up that 70s Standard. Hmm sounds like a challenge. Would you accept a full set with a Rawlings Tiebreaker and we’ll see which lasts longer, the racket or my arm? (Weighs 392g strung!)
It was not a thrift store this time but an auction site just had to share it anyway. I was so lucky apparently in the summertime the usual people who buys racquet from this site must have been on holiday because they missed it. There were also no bidding they just asked for a fixed price of about 15 dollars. I did some research it really is the very first generation of the pure drive so very lucky find.Wow, the only Babolat I've ever seen at a thrift store was that aluminum "Eagle" one lol. I'm no expert but I think that's a 90s Babolat for sure.
Mrs Retrowagen and I were on a much needed holiday this week, to the lovely town of Pacific Grove, California. Normally, we make the rounds to the various thrift and charity shops thereabouts (see what the Other Half donate!); this time was no different. It was evidently mid-80’s Head week: a late Graphite Director, with its original head cover and broken natural gut string, its fancier brother, the TXD (with broken grommet), and a Composite Master with broken frame. Also spotted a Prince Pro 110 in pretty average shape. I kinda felt like a tourist on a safari in Africa, where the only animals appeaing to be seen were a sick water buffalo and a vulture. No racquets came home with me this time.
Asking prices were high: $15 each, in this case. The Comp Master was broken though its frame, useful only if I were in need of its grip pallets or butt cap, and I’m not. The TXD was slightly tempting—it’s Head’s top of the line racquet in 1984 and 1985–but the “snowshoe” Director head shape never made sense to me, and this specimen needed a new grommet set (NLA for the last 30 years).why no racquets? You never know if the value will increase.
Asking prices were high: $15 each, in this case. The Comp Master was broken though its frame, useful only if I were in need of its grip pallets or butt cap, and I’m not. The TXD was slightly tempting—it’s Head’s top of the line racquet in 1984 and 1985–but the “snowshoe” Director head shape never made sense to me, and this specimen needed a new grommet set (NLA for the last 30 years).
I have been a pretty decent player and racquet collector for the last 39 years, so I know when to grip ‘em and when to flip ‘em, and have a fairly keen sense on what’s trash and what’s cash.
So I received the racquet turned out it was not exactly what I was hoping for. The seller didn't mention the grip was built up with some plastic thingy, not a heat shrink sleeve but something else and a custom butt cap so not the original Babolat one. The balance was way too head light with this build up. I removed the deteriorating grip which turned out to be a replacement grip only on there. I put a single overgrip on just to get an estimation of the grip size with the build up, 4 1/2, yikes. With a replacement grip it would be much too large for me so I had to dig in with the scissors and remove the plastic handle enlarger.Not thrift store but a swedish online auction site. I just scored a Babolat pure drive first generation I believe for about 15 dollars, condition looks ok just put some tape on the bumper guard probably. Thats first generation right?
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Sorbothane is a material typically found in specialty insoles. It was originally designed to mimic the fat in your heel pad.Alright, I think I've been cheating recently by going to Play it Again Sports, so here's a honest find from a Goodwill. For $3.67 tax included I picked up this Dunlop Max Impact Mid. It's not a museum piece, and it was unstrung, so I put in some Gamma Livewire 17 @55lbs. Will hit with tomorrow. These were made when, early 90s right? Anybody use em?
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what the hell is sorbothane anyways?
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Dat constant taper yo. Constant Beams are for suckas right?
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If you're worried that RG + 2OGs will be too squodgy, try putting the OGs on the handle first with no overlap, then use a firm but nice RG like Wilson Sublime or Volkl V-Sense on top.So I received the racquet turned out it was not exactly what I was hoping for. The seller didn't mention the grip was built up with some plastic thingy, not a heat shrink sleeve but something else and a custom butt cap so not the original Babolat one. The balance was way too head light with this build up. I removed the deteriorating grip which turned out to be a replacement grip only on there. I put a single overgrip on just to get an estimation of the grip size with the build up, 4 1/2, yikes. With a replacement grip it would be much too large for me so I had to dig in with the scissors and remove the plastic handle enlarger.
It turned out the grip was built up even more under that with some sticky tape so I removed that as well and when everything was stripped down to the bare handle I realized the butt cap was not even nailed on there so now I have a butt cap that will not fit on what seems to be a grip size 0 handle, it feels really small and has a 0 engraved on the handle so it probably is.
So now I probably need to order a grip size 0 butt cap and attach it, that is no problem really but then I need to figure out how to build up the grip again to my preferred size which is somewhere around 4 3/8 including overgrip. I'm thinking heat shrink sleeve, thick replacement grip and one or two overgrips should do it. Maybe I will lose some bevel feel but as long as I make it the right size it should be fine. It will be a work in progress for a while. before I can take it to the courts.
Great find! Now customize it to Fognini’s specsNot thrift store but a swedish online auction site. I just scored a Babolat pure drive first generation I believe for about 15 dollars, condition looks ok just put some tape on the bumper guard probably. Thats first generation right?
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Thanks will try to. Have never built up a size 0 handle before but should be doable, anywhere between a size 2 and 3 will do.Great find! Now customize it to Fognini’s specs![]()
If you end up putting a shrink sleeve on there, I would measure it after and so on after each layer. Just so that you don’t to take it off/on again if it isn’t right where you want it.Thanks will try to. Have never built up a size 0 handle before but should be doable, anywhere between a size 2 and 3 will do.
I've seen some drastic beam tapers before but that throat hump takes the cake! Funny that within a few years of these variable beam widebodies, Head then went all in on Constant Beam frames and made sure to print that on everything that featured it.I had sworn I‘d kicked my Op/Thrift Shop addiction. But I succumbed today.
An as new Head Elite Pro 600. Interesting double taper/power wedge/nodal profile.
Not many of these floating around out there I expect.
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I recall a few mad years of curvy rackets, when I believe there was even a triple tapered model from either Head, Wilson, Yonex or PK. I wonder if any actual performance change was demonstrable.I had sworn I‘d kicked my Op/Thrift Shop addiction. But I succumbed today.
An as new Head Elite Pro 600. Interesting double taper/power wedge/nodal profile.
Not many of these floating around out there I expect.
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Love the later era wood with graphite inlaid frames. Tend to stay a lot straighter.I've seen some drastic beam tapers before but that throat hump takes the cake! Funny that within a few years of these variable beam widebodies, Head then went all in on Constant Beam frames and made sure to print that on everything that featured it.
I picked this up for under 20 bucks locally for a wood racket event next month! Pro Kennex Blue Ace, the sequel to the Golden Ace, I'm not sure there's any actual difference between the two frames, except the paintjob and name.
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The Head “Nodal Concept” frames worked as advertised, and were more plush than other widebodies of the era, but they had a few downsides:I recall a few mad years of curvy rackets, when I believe there was even a triple tapered model from either Head, Wilson, Yonex or PK. I wonder if any actual performance change was demonstrable.
You are telling me and I honestly don’t know how they justify their pricing with some frame, especially older ones and the condition itself.Picked up a HPS 6.1 on theBay recently, had my offer accepted. Looked good enough in the ics, turned out to be darn near flawless on arrival. It's a "stretch" model, but only about 1/4"-1/2" longer than my old Trusty Rusty 6.1. It'll do just fine.
I need to check out some Play It Agains soon, but the ones around Atlanta seem to be pretty proud of their frames. I blame ALTA for that...
The Head “Nodal Concept” frames worked as advertised, and were more plush than other widebodies of the era, but they had a few downsides:
1. White plastics, which immediately became brittle and broken;
2. The “power wedge” widening at the top of the hoop was a very effective launching pad for klunky mishits for players who used moderate to heavy amounts of spin;
3. The weird side profile (resembling an anaconda that had recently ingested a hippopotamus) felt odd in the non-racquet hand.
Head offered these new in 1989, and if I recall, they were gone in 1991. I was playing the original Head Elite Pro in 1988, and when I was told that my favorite tool had been redesigned, naturally, I was intrigued… and then horrified. I played tournaments through 1990 with my old cache of the 1988 Elite Pros, and in 1991 switched to playing Fischer frames.
Thanks for the info retrowagen. How did the 600 compare flex wise to the original Elite Pro? Do you think it was similar or stiffer? By the looks of the profile variation Head were trying to have distinct flex points just above the handle, and at the top of the throat. An attempt to to increase "ball pocketing" feel?
Why are there extra tie off knots?Restrung this later model Wilson Sting today. (LXN Element mains, white syn gut crosses @55lbs) Color matched because might as well give it some style. I picked this up new in packaging about a year ago from goodwill.
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GDP buttcap means nothing to me, but I'm sure this was made in China like all 2000s wilsons.
I’ll be honest, I’m no stringing expert, I just drop them off at my local pro shop and swing the things. I have no idea.Why are there extra tie off knots?
What are the specs on this late Sting? Was it still a serious racket at that time, or a Wallmart special? The 'Power Slots', bridge design, grommet strip and paintjob look like a basic model to me. (no offense, I am in awe of your other rackets)Restrung this later model Wilson Sting today. (LXN Element mains, white syn gut crosses @55lbs) Color matched because might as well give it some style. I picked this up new in packaging about a year ago from goodwill.
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GDP buttcap means nothing to me, but I'm sure this was made in China like all 2000s wilsons.
I'm not an expert on being able to find or even less measure advanced racket stats like swing weight, twist weight. I could probably find balance if I made a board for such things, but alas, all I've done is weigh it, which comes in at 320g (11.3oz).What are the specs on this late Sting? Was it still a serious racket at that time, or a Wallmart special? The 'Power Slots', bridge design, grommet strip and paintjob look like a basic model to me. (no offense, I am in awe of your other rackets)
Looks like the stringer shorted himself on the main (on the left side) so added more and shared a tie off with the cross string at 9T.Why are there extra tie off knots?