Classic Yamaha rackets

[joe sch]

Classic Yamaha rackets

1973 was the year Yamaha entered the tennis racket market when almost all rackets were still made with wood. Yamaha surely helped usher in the modern graphite racket era by pushing the limits with more powerful racket options during the wood era. I remember the fiberglass yfg-30 rackets in handsome red and black options when I was playing a Wilson JK autograph. Like most woody players, I could not wait try some hits with those rackets and it was quite surprising the additional power and different feel from wood.

I have a few of the yamaha models and just recently sold one of my yfg-30s to a freind. I reviewed the Yamaha history info and some pictures and wanted to post here for some others to enjoy.

Yamaha Corp was founded in 1887 by Nippon known for musical instruments.
Yamaha now produces all kinds of sporting and electronic equipment.
1973 was the year Yamaha entered the tennis racket market when rackets were still using wood. The YCR 128 & 130 models were released.
In 1974 Yamaha started making frames of polyurethane reinforced by fiberglass and
1975 was the start of the Yamaha fiberglass rackets made of pure fibreglass epoxy with a core of Nylon.
The 1975 model was the YFG-30 including black and white rakets.
The 1976 model was the YFG-50 which added carbon to the fiberglass frame.
The 1976 YCR models were also released using composite racket sandwiched between aluminum sheets.
The 1981 several additional models including:
YFG-10 which is more head light and flexible than other YFG models
YFG-20 which increased the YFG-30 head size by 20%.
YFG-50 which added carbon to the fiberglass frame.
YFG-70 which added carbon to the fiberglass frame.
YFG-90 which used carbon and graphite for the frame.
Image wood rackets with a mono-shaft and open throat models

 

[coachrick]

Quite a nice listing and rundown...But, We actually had the YCR 124 and 126 a fair bit BEFORE the YFG series came out. I played them for a while; but they were as dead as wet wood in the top of the face(compared to what I preferred). Hard plastic "power pads" required care, especially with nat gut(ended up tubing those). It was an interesting alternative to the Arthur Ashe series from Head...much prettier frames from Yamaha(until they chipped). Thinnest waffle grip and shortest(shallowest?) butt cap ever! All kinds of problems keeping the hard plastic butt cap attached to the foam handle. Slight taper to the handle. The triple-tuning fork logo was COOL ! Frames were shipped in boxes shaped almost like a triangle(presumably to save space as they were bundled big end/little end to form a rectangle quite a bit smaller than two regular boxes laid side-to-side. Individual boxes and "wax paper" wrapping for each frame. Great shipping/gift boxes!

The YCR suffered from the same fate as the other box/sandwich construction frames like the Ashe, Rossignol R40 & RT, et al...delamination in the summer heat of central South Carolina. The YGR-70 was a BEAST !!! Taught with it for a year or so til my arm almost fell off! (It was in some ways a forerunner to the Secret 04 in the stiffness department).

Oddly, I don't have a representative Yamaha model from the '70s in my collection. Only one I have is the Bronze 90 "Ceramic" ca 1987 or so.

 

[joe sch]

Quite a nice listing and rundown...But, We actually had the YCR 124 and 126 a fair bit BEFORE the YFG series came out. I played them for a while; but they were as dead as wet wood in the top of the face(compared to what I preferred). Hard plastic "power pads" required care, especially with nat gut(ended up tubing those). It was an interesting alternative to the Arthur Ashe series from Head...much prettier frames from Yamaha(until they chipped). Thinnest waffle grip and shortest(shallowest?) butt cap ever! All kinds of problems keeping the hard plastic butt cap attached to the foam handle. Slight taper to the handle. The triple-tuning fork logo was COOL ! Frames were shipped in boxes shaped almost like a triangle(presumably to save space as they were bundled big end/little end to form a rectangle quite a bit smaller than two regular boxes laid side-to-side. Individual boxes and "wax paper" wrapping for each frame. Great shipping/gift boxes!

The YCR suffered from the same fate as the other box/sandwich construction frames like the Ashe, Rossignol R40 & RT, et al...delamination in the summer heat of central South Carolina. The YGR-70 was a BEAST !!! Taught with it for a year or so til my arm almost fell off! (It was in some ways a forerunner to the Secret 04 in the stiffness department).

Oddly, I don't have a representative Yamaha model from the '70s in my collection. Only one I have is the Bronze 90 "Ceramic" ca 1987 or so.

Your correct coach, the YCR 128 & 130 were actually released in 1973, Yamaha's first rackets, so my summary needs edit, thanks.
Id love to give you yfg model if you want one in your stash. For you, Id trade for a beer and a few hits Hope your enjoying some nice fall weather, its been wonderful in Dallas.

 

[Nacho]

Classic Yamaha rackets

1973 was the year Yamaha entered the tennis racket market when almost all rackets were still made with wood. Yamaha surely helped usher in the modern graphite racket era by pushing the limits with more powerful racket options during the wood era. I remember the fiberglass yfg-30 rackets in handsome red and black options when I was playing a Wilson JK autograph. Like most woody players, I could not wait try some hits with those rackets and it was quite surprising the additional power and different feel from wood.

I have a few of the yamaha models and just recently sold one of my yfg-30s to a freind. I reviewed the Yamaha history info and some pictures and wanted to post here for some others to enjoy.

Yamaha Corp was founded in 1887 by Nippon known for musical instruments.
Yamaha now produces all kinds of sporting and electronic equipment.
1973 was the year Yamaha entered the tennis racket market when rackets were still using wood. The YCR 128 & 130 models were released.
In 1974 Yamaha started making frames of polyurethane reinforced by fiberglass and
1975 was the start of the Yamaha fiberglass rackets made of pure fibreglass epoxy with a core of Nylon.
The 1975 model was the YFG-30 including black and white rakets.
The 1976 model was the YFG-50 which added carbon to the fiberglass frame.
The 1976 YCR models were also released using composite racket sandwiched between aluminum sheets.
The 1981 several additional models including:
YFG-20 which increased the YFG-30 head size by 20%.
YFG-50 which added carbon to the fiberglass frame.
YFG-70 which added carbon to the fiberglass frame.
YFG-90 which used carbon and graphite for the frame.
Image wood rackets with a mono-shaft and open throat models

Nice post! I remember my dad played with the Yellow version in the late 70's. I think it is still in the basement of our house I will have to dig it up!

 

[Autodidactic player]

My two Yamahas spaghetti strung:

 

[joe sch]

Would be a fun pair to take out for a hit. The classic wood and speghetti string job and the fiberglass yfg with the sparse speghetti wrap.

 

[Ciaron]

Joe did your research reveal anything on a YFG 10. I seem to recall one lurking in my collection .. black and yellow .

 

[joe sch]

Joe did your research reveal anything on a YFG 10. I seem to recall one lurking in my collection .. black and yellow .

I do have at least one YFG 10 and it is listed as a 1981 model.
The model Im looking at is NOS with a hangtag, without any specifics, other than its more head light and has better vibration dampening than the other YFG fiberglass models. Lots of generic marketing verbage.
This model is a SL 4 1/2 and 12 1/4 oz.
Its black with a yellow throat. Not sure what the "new flex pattern" is for the YFG 10 vs others ?

 

[coachrick]

Hope your enjoying some nice fall weather, its been wonderful in Dallas.

Nice mornings; but it was 92 again today! Still better than one month ago!!!