rodracquet
Rookie
A true tennis technology missing link, a DANLO Aluminium tube graphite coated racquet which I certainly have never seen before. Hopefully one of our fellow collectors snapped this one up.
DANLO ALUMINIUM TUBE GRAPHITE COATED 70'S MISSING LINK
- Thread starter rodracquet
- Start date
Sanglier
Semi-Pro
It is indeed. Same head size and shape, same flattening of the shaft below the neck (but a bit more subtle than on the Glaflex, and it stays flattened all the way to the grip), same flex (60 RA), just heavier (by nearly 1/2 Oz) and longer (by more than 1/2 cm), resulting in a much higher swing weight (390 instead of 350).
The Yonex-ish look is probably why the seller thought it was Japanese, but I am quite sure it's made in Taiwan, as there were a handful of other frames made like this coming out of Taiwan in the late '70s, marketed as equal but less expensive alternatives to 100% graphite frames (but they were usually not so honest about how they were made - you have to look at their court rash or go over them with a metal detector to find out that they had an aluminum core). These racquets behave exactly like aluminum frames (which they are), just a lot stiffer.
Unless I am totally mistaken, I think this "technology" was revived during the last decade in the form of "graphite fusion" frames? If so, then this Danlo and its cohorts were more than three decades ahead of their time.
rodracquet
Rookie
It is indeed. Same head size and shape, same flattening of the shaft below the neck (but a bit more subtle than on the Glaflex, and it stays flattened all the way to the grip), same flex (60 RA), just heavier (by nearly 1/2 Oz) and longer (by more than 1/2 cm), resulting in a much higher swing weight (390 instead of 350).
The Yonex-ish look is probably why the seller thought it was Japanese, but I am quite sure it's made in Taiwan, as there were a handful of other frames made like this coming out of Taiwan in the late '70s, marketed as equal but less expensive alternatives to 100% graphite frames (but they were usually not so honest about how they were made - you have to look at their court rash or go over them with a metal detector to find out that they had an aluminum core). These racquets behave exactly like aluminum frames (which they are), just a lot stiffer.
Unless I am totally mistaken, I think this "technology" was revived during the last decade in the form of "graphite fusion" frames? If so, then this Danlo and its cohorts were more than three decades ahead of their time.
You bought it?
rodracquet
Rookie
If yes would love some pics please on a black background.....cheers
Sanglier
Semi-Pro
Well, there are really only three of us who are remotely interested in this stuff, and this one isn't weird enough for the two of you, so . . .
The seller used to live on the other side of the mountain from me. He told me he had over 1000 racquets at one time, but ignored me when I asked if I could visit him; which was probably very wise of him. Then he moved halfway across the country and safely out of my reach.
This is what the frame looks like up-close when overexposed:
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rodracquet
Rookie
Lucky you l bid lowball.....l has never seen this finish before or seen the others you mentioned. Jusr love the bold statement printed on the sides. A great find.
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Sanglier
Semi-Pro
The earliest braided racquets, the Dunlop "Graphite" and "International", both had a clearcoat finish, as did the LiMao "Super Graphite" from Taiwan, made exactly like this Danlo. I think because the outermost layer of these racquets is a braided tube, which is continuous and seamless, in contrast to uni-directional prepregs, which are a patchwork of rolled plies with seams everywhere, they look quite attractive and more high-tech without any paint. The much later Avant Garde "VIP" also had a see-thru finish, but it is so dark that you need to look at it under very bright light to see the braiding underneath. Then there is the Atrigon/ Slazenger Phantom Gold that was posted here recently, which was given a gold-tinted clearcoat finish despite having a woven rather than braided outer ply.
I'm sure that are other examples.