Best items you found at thrift stores (Goodwill)?

[kevin qmto]

I swear I didn't make a special trip to goodwill, I swear! I was just going next door to pickup my broken-ass PS4 from the Retro Game Rescue shop. This goodwill never has tennis stuff anyways. But I felt that pulling sensation and figured maybe they'd have some decent athletic shirts for a couple bucks.

And hanging on the wrack next too the always neglected 50 year old worthless golf clubs, was this: A Prince Precision DESTROYER. For $4.67. And in more than decent condition.

First things first. the "Mighty Ducks" paint job quickly grew on me. It's not quite as good looking as the Precision Graphite 700PL, but its from the same era. Man, Prince liked to do some smooth fade paint work and I approve. I don't know where this slotted into their mid 90's lineup, but I was intrigued by the OS headsize coupled with only a 600 Power Level, well below what I was expecting. Heck, the later Triple Threat Graphite was an 800PL and that's considered a more players stick. This should be interesting to hit with.

Gaze upon it with your eye face.

 

[dak95_00]

Does anyone else think I’m crazy that of the old mono shaft wood rackets I’ve tried, I usually have an easier time playing with entry level wood rackets (like Rawlings, Spalding, and the Sears racket, provided they’re still in good shape), than the higher end rackets of the day, like Kramer autographs and max ply forts. Something about the old low tension nylon strings, it’s just easier for me to get into a groove and hit decent shots.

I have the same experience. My favorite is a cheap Dunlop.

 

[djNEiGht]

@kevin qmto

quack quack quack quack!!!

 

[kevin qmto]

@kevin qmto

quack quack quack quack!!!

Yes, indeed.

 

[djNEiGht]

Kings fan here...but I do enjoy the Mighty Ducks movies.

and yes...some awesome 80s/90s fade paint jobs.

 

[kevin qmto]

It's been too long since @Grafil Injection chimed in. This aught to lure him back, another set with the Max 200g.

 

[optic yellow]

It's been too long since @Grafil Injection chimed in. This aught to lure him back, another set with the Max 200g.

The FH at :58

 

[kevin qmto]

The FH at :58

My buddy is kinda a lanky awkward tennis player (comes with being rail skinny and 6’ 5) but he can hit a real winner every so often. That day was so hot, even within that one set, I had to start keeping the balls out of my shorts pockets to keep them from getting too wet.

And while I do like playing at this rec center, the nearby water park atmosphere is something I could do without.

 

[5sets]

Finally found “my” grail. Oh sure I’ve found some gems, great for a quick flip on the auction site or have a friendly hit with like a St Vincent Pro Staff, pro tour 280, or Snauwaert ATP 85 Pernfors. I’ve had a Wilson Ncode ntour 95 up on that i scooped up for $5 on the auction site, but nobody bit, so I took it out for a hit. And when it came time to play actual sets I didn’t bag it and reach for my modern stick. I stuck with it and crushed my boy. Everything about this racquet was great. A lot easier to swing than my my vcore pro 97h with ample power weighing in at 11.5 Oz with the lead at 3 and 9 from the previous owner which I left on. No shoulder pain. Which makes sense considering the 61 RA listed. Sh*T I may make a this my tournament and league frame. It’s over 20 years old, same as a Big Bertha in golf. I don’t see anything in todays market that close. Vcore 95? Textreme Tour 100P? 16/20 string pattern, under 11.5 Oz strung, and under 65 RA…… time to sell off my $200 racquets and get more of these..

 

[optic yellow]

It’s over 20 years old, same as a Big Bertha in golf.

The original Big Bertha is antiquated a bit in terms of clubhead size but possibly the best feeling metal driver ever produced.

Edit: Oh it looks similar to the HH? I have a HH 5.3 from that era (OS but still) and it is amazing racquet tbh.

 

[5sets]

The original Big Bertha is antiquated a bit in terms of clubhead size but possibly the best feeling metal driver ever produced.

Edit: Oh it looks similar to the HH? I have a HH 5.3 from that era (OS but still) and it is amazing racquet tbh.

My thrifted Ncode ntour is orange with white writing, think Justin Henin. A few google searches say she played the h tour with this paint cosmetic. BLX and K factor models came later, Roger playing the smaller 90 in head size. I just bought a gravity pro mp. It’s the closest spec I could find that is fairly recent. It has 100 in head size but low RA and 16/20. Hopefully some lead at 3,9, and 12 o’clock will get it up in my wheelhouse.

 

[optic yellow]

My thrifted Ncode ntour is orange with white writing, think Justin Henin. A few google searches say she played the h tour with this paint cosmetic. BLX and K factor models came later, Roger playing the smaller 90 in head size. I just bought a gravity pro mp. It’s the closest spec I could find that is fairly recent. It has 100 in head size but low RA and 16/20. Hopefully some lead at 3,9, and 12 o’clock will get it up in my wheelhouse.

Why even go with the modern stick? I really feel like not enough has changed with racquets to make playing 20+ year old racquets a bad idea. I mean if you really love the NTour, and reading reviews + correlating with my HH 5.3 experience, very easy to see why. I would definitely grab one of those in a heartbeat and play it if I found it in a store.

 

[kevin qmto]

Why even go with the modern stick? I really feel like not enough has changed with racquets to make playing 20+ year old racquets a bad idea. I mean if you really love the NTour, and reading reviews + correlating with my HH 5.3 experience, very easy to see why. I would definitely grab one of those in a heartbeat and play it if I found it in a store.

I too am of the mind that post 2010, very, very little technological gains have been made. Basically each company found a few flavors of rackets that all play relatively well, then spend the rest of the year thinking up marketing to make people think they need it.

Oh, and any left over time goes into how to build them as cheaply as possible.

Anyone notice how even China isn’t cheap enough for Wilson now? Pro Staff Precision 100’s are coming from Cambodia, and Hyper Hammer 5.3’s are made in India. Besides some ancient woods, I had no idea any tennis racket factory was based in India.

 

[optic yellow]

I too am of the mind that post 2010, very, very little technological gains have been made. Basically each company found a few flavors of rackets that all play relatively well, then spend the rest of the year thinking up marketing to make people think they need it.

Oh, and any left over time goes into how to build them as cheaply as possible.

Anyone notice how even China isn’t cheap enough for Wilson now? Pro Staff Precision 100’s are coming from Cambodia, and Hyper Hammer 5.3’s are made in India. Besides some ancient woods, I had no idea any tennis racket factory was based in India.

What gains do you think there were from 2000 to 2010? I just ask because the Satellite Tour I found feels completely usable now, as does my (thankfully made in China) HH 5.3. I genuinely can't envision what I am giving up by using stuff like this over something like a YouTek IG.

You are of course right about the bigger picture trends. The same thing is apparent in golf clubs, where drivers and fairway woods from the past 5-7 years are far more notorious for breaking during routine usage than older models. And golf club manufacturers obviously are better known than tennis racquet manufacturers for squeezing minimal to no gains out of yearly product refreshes, then insulting the intelligence of their customer base with inane nonsense marketing copy. To their credit there is a moderately noticeable difference in performance (a little bit with power, mostly with forgiveness) between the average driver/fairway wood/hybrid from 2010 and now, but like tennis racquets things have really really stagnated from 2016/2017 onward.

 

[5sets]

Why even go with the modern stick? I really feel like not enough has changed with racquets to make playing 20+ year old racquets a bad idea. I mean if you really love the NTour, and reading reviews + correlating with my HH 5.3 experience, very easy to see why. I would definitely grab one of those in a heartbeat and play it if I found it in a store.

My feeling is that the graphite gets old and is not as reliable and/or strong as it was when it came out on the assembly line. The same way childrens plastic car seats expire. Also, if I do go this route, I pick up another one or two on the auction site, then what in three or four years when I wear down these frames that are already 20+ years old? I did play the Ti and i Radicals eight years ago when I got back into tennis after a 15 year break but these thrift store and auction site racquets definitely seem a little worn down and preloved for regular play.

 

[Bambooman]

My feeling is that the graphite gets old and is not as reliable and/or strong as it was when it came out on the assembly line. The same way childrens plastic car seats expire. Also, if I do go this route, I pick up another one or two on the auction site, then what in three or four years when I wear down these frames that are already 20+ years old? I did play the Ti and i Radicals eight years ago when I got back into tennis after a 15 year break but these thrift store and auction site racquets definitely seem a little worn down and preloved for regular play.

I have never detected any deterioration of old thrift shop racquets that were in basically NOS condition.

The matrix a racquet is made from is way more protected than a kids plastic toy.

 

[5sets]

I don’t want to change the whole theme of this thread to tennisnerd pro stock stuff but some google searches say Kei is playing the htour (similar) in addition to Henin under updated paint. Nice to see him back, and winning albeit at Jordan Thompson’s expense.

 

[5sets]

What gains do you think there were from 2000 to 2010? I just ask because the Satellite Tour I found feels completely usable now, as does my (thankfully made in China) HH 5.3. I genuinely can't envision what I am giving up by using stuff like this over something like a YouTek IG.

You are of course right about the bigger picture trends. The same thing is apparent in golf clubs, where drivers and fairway woods from the past 5-7 years are far more notorious for breaking during routine usage than older models. And golf club manufacturers obviously are better known than tennis racquet manufacturers for squeezing minimal to no gains out of yearly product refreshes, then insulting the intelligence of their customer base with inane nonsense marketing copy. To their credit there is a moderately noticeable difference in performance (a little bit with power, mostly with forgiveness) between the average driver/fairway wood/hybrid from 2010 and now, but like tennis racquets things have really really stagnated from 2016/2017 onward.

The changes you speak of might not have to do so with the equipment themselves as they do with the game changing. i.e more flick of the wrist shots, Rafa style arming, Tiafoe backhand bunting. Nobody could get away with that in the Eighties. As the game becomes more spin oriented, flat hitting frames don’t work as well. I’ve been using the Volkl c10 pro which I like before my find, but wider beamed lighter racquets are much easier on the run.

 

[kevin qmto]

What gains do you think there were from 2000 to 2010? I just ask because the Satellite Tour I found feels completely usable now, as does my (thankfully made in China) HH 5.3. I genuinely can't envision what I am giving up by using stuff like this over something like a YouTek IG.

You are of course right about the bigger picture trends. The same thing is apparent in golf clubs, where drivers and fairway woods from the past 5-7 years are far more notorious for breaking during routine usage than older models. And golf club manufacturers obviously are better known than tennis racquet manufacturers for squeezing minimal to no gains out of yearly product refreshes, then insulting the intelligence of their customer base with inane nonsense marketing copy. To their credit there is a moderately noticeable difference in performance (a little bit with power, mostly with forgiveness) between the average driver/fairway wood/hybrid from 2010 and now, but like tennis racquets things have really really stagnated from 2016/2017 onward.

I think I meant that as less that major strides were made from 2000-10, but more as by 2010, the main manufacturers had decided what worked as a ‘serious’ performance stick, and since then very little has changed. During the 2000’s, Head sold very light control oriented sticks to very heavy control oriented sticks. And rackets from say, the Ti release series play very differently from the Micro Gel series (just to name a couple, and they were only 7 years apart)

Just look how the size/quantity of just about every manufacturers lineup decreased from the early 2000’s to the 2010’s, except maybe Babolat. I think they were more just picking up the space vacated by the mass shrinking of the industry as a whole. Pro Kennex went from a lineup of like, over a dozen different yearly models to maybe 4-5 now.

Remember there used to be a time Wilson thought they could charge like $200 for the higher end fan head shape sledgehammers. Imagine them putting out a fan head racket priced at an inflation adjusted $300 now. You just can’t. The modern market would never accept it because it’s so boxed into a specific shape, weight, flex etc. people only want minute changes I guess.

 

[mixtape]

It’s over 20 years old, same as a Big Bertha in golf

I still use my Big Bertha 3 & 5 woods from 20+ years ago. (Golf is expensive)

Anyway, made a quick stop at a goodwill and saw 2 Wilson Burn racquets (black & orange) for $3.99 each. Lately they price any racquet that looks new at an insane average of $20-$25. Upon inspection, both racquets were cracked at the top, one was split in two. Whew.

 

[5sets]

I still use my Big Bertha 3 & 5 woods from 20+ years ago. (Golf is expensive)

Anyway, made a quick stop at a goodwill and saw 2 Wilson Burn racquets (black & orange) for $3.99 each. Lately they price any racquet that looks new at an insane average of $20-$25. Upon inspection, both racquets were cracked at the top, one was split in two. Whew.

As do I, I don’t play more than 2-3 times a year so I can’t fathom paying $400 for a new driver. In fact i thrift and yard sale my clubs and balls as well.

 

[Bisquick]

Picked up a second Woodie - playing these exclusively. Reliving my high school years

 

[5sets]

Sweet, I scooped up three woodies today ; Rosie Casals yellow impact, Dunlop Rod Laver, and a Japanese Hi Shot. More impressed with a Yonex RexKing 22 with leather case though. Love those. Each under $5 American.

 

[Grafil Injection]

It's been too long since @Grafil Injection chimed in. This aught to lure him back, another set with the Max 200g.

Doesn't seem to be any problem for you to manoeuvre. What are your weight and balance specs? I had to eat my words about <370g recommendation a bit recently when I found a 390g version that was absolutely fine for 1.5hrs.

 

[kevin qmto]

I'm on a small weekend vacation playing paintball. The paintball is going awfully, but the thrifting between the pb days is going well, I suppose. I'm in Chicagoland, and there's a couple thrift stores within driving distance of my hotel. And as luck would have it, I found some similar frames that were worth inspection. The Head Atlantis.

I found both that Atlantis 600, and 660. Firstly, the 660 was found at a Goodwill for $2.99. It's in 9/10 condition, and even the original grip feels pretty good. But here's the odd part. So, head is usually quite consistent in their frame size names, but look here. This is a 660 frame, or 102 sq in. AKA Midplus all the way...

But, look at the top of the hoop, and it says "Oversize". In what world is this 102sq in. frame Oversize??? Pretty sure most other Head 660 frames are called Midplus. Head themselves labeled a 104 sq in. frame (ATP Pro model) as Midplus a few years later. Did Head's internal designation change or is this simply a typo from the factory???

I later went to a different thrift store about 30 mins away, and as luck would have it, I found the 600 Atlantis frame to snap some pics. At $25 I passed on picking it up, but it was in decent shape.

Why do you think these early 90's Head frames all have this issue where the stats stickers crack and flake like this? Yet the other graphics don't have this issue, just the interior stats. It's like this on nearly all their early-90's Widebody frames.

 

[optic yellow]

I'm on a small weekend vacation playing paintball. The paintball is going awfully, but the thrifting between the pb days is going well, I suppose. I'm in Chicagoland, and there's a couple thrift stores within driving distance of my hotel. And as luck would have it, I found some similar frames that were worth inspection. The Head Atlantis.

I found both that Atlantis 600, and 660. Firstly, the 660 was found at a Goodwill for $2.99. It's in 9/10 condition, and even the original grip feels pretty good. But here's the odd part. So, head is usually quite consistent in their frame size names, but look here. This is a 660 frame, or 102 sq in. AKA Midplus all the way...

But, look at the top of the hoop, and it says "Oversize". In what world is this 102sq in. frame Oversize??? Pretty sure most other Head 660 frames are called Midplus. Head themselves labeled a 104 sq in. frame (ATP Pro model) as Midplus a few years later. Did Head's internal designation change or is this simply a typo from the factory???

I later went to a different thrift store about 30 mins away, and as luck would have it, I found the 600 Atlantis frame to snap some pics. At $25 I passed on picking it up, but it was in decent shape.

Why do you think these early 90's Head frames all have this issue where the stats stickers crack and flake like this? Yet the other graphics don't have this issue, just the interior stats. It's like this on nearly all their early-90's Widebody frames.

It would make sense their internal designation changed as standards for racquet size shifted upwards.

 

[kevin qmto]

It would make sense their internal designation changed as standards for racquet size shifted upwards.

yeah but it shifted upwards only temporarily? These days they'd never call a 102in frame Oversize.

 

[optic yellow]

yeah but it shifted upwards only temporarily? These days they'd never call a 102in frame Oversize.

No I mean back in the day where the pro standard was 90, 102 would be oversize, now that the pro standard is 97 or 98, 107-110 is oversize.

 

[optic yellow]

I found a Prince Woodie (in good condition) and a Pro Kennex Ceramic Challenger 90 (in adequate condition), each for $8, but not sure if either is worth getting. Prince Woodie seems from threads here like it has a lot of complaints about the hoop bending easily and I can't find anything about that specific PK Ceramic.

(@kevin qmto)

 

[optic yellow]

Update:

Since I couldn't find anything on the Ceramic Challenger 90 I decided my obligation was to obtain it and fill in this critical absence of knowledge with my own review. The full piece is forthcoming, but preliminary findings - with the caveat that I have no idea what string is in it (beyond what appears to be syn gut) nor the tension it is at - is that it has solid power with good feel on groundstrokes and slices like a dream. I did unfortunately notice there tends to be a higher pitched reverberatory rattling on off center or framed hits so I was wondering if anyone knew what that would be. When I used Google the answers I got all said loose material inside the frame but I can reproduce the sound consistently even with very light ground taps of the hoop at 12 or buttcap so it seems like something else.

 

[kevin qmto]

I found a Prince Woodie (in good condition) and a Pro Kennex Ceramic Challenger 90 (in adequate condition), each for $8, but not sure if either is worth getting. Prince Woodie seems from threads here like it has a lot of complaints about the hoop bending easily and I can't find anything about that specific PK Ceramic.

(@kevin qmto)

My Woodie has been quite robust.

 

[Grafil Injection]

yeah but it shifted upwards only temporarily? These days they'd never call a 102in frame Oversize.

Although there were no rules, my recollection is Midsize was anything 80-90sqi, Midplus about 91-100sqi, and Oversize about >100sqi for most companies in the 90s. But the use of a text 'Oversize' label could be slapped on anything for marketing purposes!

 

[retrowagen]

My Woodie has been quite robust.

“It’s big… it’s bad… My Woodie!”

(I doubt The Trashmen were prognosticators of the oversized racquet revolution that appeared one decade later, but who knows?)

 

[mscott5070]

Have found quite a few over the years.

wilson blade v7 16x19
yannick noah stick
boris becker estusa
mcenroe dunlop 200g - green/blk
2 wilson 6.0 pro staffs 85 not stvincent
prince graphites
prince synergy db
head vilas
wilson ceramic 85 - white -- still using it as a playing racket! havent found anything that hits better than it yet!

and about 30 others.

several goldmines for sure. sometimes I get them one after another...other times I go 6 months without finding a single decent stick.
Found some nice woodies too, like a prince woodie.

 

[optic yellow]

Found some nice woodies too, like a prince woodie.

Second argument for the Prince Woodie, I see.

 

[mscott5070]

it had the case and everything. pretty cool stick!
my entire collection can be found here:

https://aztennisflow.com/my-antique-racket-collection

 

[kevin qmto]

it had the case and everything. pretty cool stick!
my entire collection can be found here:

https://aztennisflow.com/my-antique-racket-collection

You have one Kramer in the 1950 section with the later style Wilson font. I was told no rackets came with that font before the late 60s. Ditto for the McEnroe jr in the 60-70, dont think he had a contract as a junior lol.

 

[mixtape]

I found a Prince Woodie (in good condition)

One of my biggest thrift regrets was not picking up a Prince Woodie I saw at a thrift store many years ago for cheap.

 

[Grafil Injection]

You have one Kramer in the 1950 section with the later style Wilson font. I was told no rackets came with that font before the late 60s. Ditto for the McEnroe jr in the 60-70, dont think he had a contract as a junior lol.

Yes, there appears to be some double entries in the decade categories. The MaxPly Junior is in Maxply McEnroe style, so early 80s. Nice collection though.

 

[kevin qmto]

Gonna have about 4 rackets to post here once I get some time to dump my memory cards. Be prepared.

 

[kevin qmto]

Found this at Goodwill for $4, but with a 1/2 off sticker attached to it, because the strings were broken LOL. So for 2 bucks (well plus a new grip and strings) I got this Yonex 'Super' RQ-300! I guess Yonex didn't like the phrase Midplus or perhaps it hadn't caught on much yet by the mid 90s. So they call it a 'Super Midzize' instead! Found a NOS example with a 1995 copyright date on the stat sheet.

But this is easily my favorite Yonex frame I've used, of the 3 I own. Had a ton of pop with some Alu Power Black @53lbs. Played a set with it last night. Not in perfect condition as the rubber center grommets have deteriorated, but that was to be expected.

 

[djNEiGht]

I wonder if you can salvage other similar throat grommets. I did tube one racquet I restrung for a player and it seemed to work out

 

[optic yellow]

One of my biggest thrift regrets was not picking up a Prince Woodie I saw at a thrift store many years ago for cheap.

I will attempt to rectify my mistake tomorrow.

 

[kevin qmto]

Just a random thought. Man, I wish you could alter searches on this forum to exclude any posts in the classified section. It really clutters search results by people just looking for information on rackets.

 

[gino]

Just a random thought. Man, I wish you could alter searches on this forum to exclude any posts in the classified section. It really clutters search results by people just looking for information on rackets.

agreed the search function is awful. you cant sort or filter out years either

 

[BDAZ]

You can search by both category/categories and designate a date range, no?

 

[Sanglier]

The standard search doesn't allow you to exclude sub-forums, but it does allow you to limit your search to the specific sub-forum you are reading, or even the specific thread you are reading (which is quite helpful in the case of a marathon thread like this). Simply click on the "Everywhere" tab to reduce your search range.

Sorting the results according to dates or limiting them to a particular date range are among the MANY extra functionalities available under "Advanced search..." I have never had trouble finding the posts I am looking for using these search options.

 

[optic yellow]

Found this beauty for free. Strung poly mains w/syn gut crosses, real nice feel on pure strikes. I remember being told YouTek/IG were the last good Head racquets until they sorted out graphene with G360+ and Auxetic so not surprised. I could notice the spin generation potential even swinging it like a flipper, which really helped me understand why people are so drawn to that stringing option despite the several major downsides. I am assuming with a breakage like that nothing can be done to salvage it so I will probably return it to the source at some point but for now it is fun to look at and make jokes about how lucky I was to trod the same court as Djokovic.

 

[dak95_00]

@kevin qmto
What are you using to post these pictures?

I stopped yesterday on my way home from golfing at two thrift stores. I hadn't stopped in awhile and drove 10 minutes out of my way to check these stores out. I immediately regretted the first stop when I got out of my van and my right hamstring cramped up. I don't know if anyone saw me but I was in pure agony and trying not to scream. It hurt so bad and I was hanging onto my van trying to get my leg straightened out enough to stop. Did I say it hurt? It would've been funny to see.

Anyways....NOTHING! Okay. There were some crappy woods they were asking $8 for but I'm not spending that on those. Maybe next time?

 

[optic yellow]

@kevin qmto
What are you using to post these pictures?

I use postimages.org, it works extremely well.

I stopped yesterday on my way home from golfing at two thrift stores. I hadn't stopped in awhile and drove 10 minutes out of my way to check these stores out. I immediately regretted the first stop when I got out of my van and my right hamstring cramped up. I don't know if anyone saw me but I was in pure agony and trying not to scream. It hurt so bad and I was hanging onto my van trying to get my leg straightened out enough to stop. Did I say it hurt? It would've been funny to see.

Anyways....NOTHING! Okay. There were some crappy woods they were asking $8 for but I'm not spending that on those. Maybe next time?

Did you look for golf clubs too?