Does anyone remember the Head Graphite Pro?

Backhanded Compliment said:
Its a USA made one... dang does it have great topspin potential for a 90 sq inch 18x20 pattern frame with dead syngut that is decades old. Volleys like a dream too.
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That’s why I’ve never left the Prestige Pro/Classic 600 it’s very special racquet that got its 19mm bean width with 18x20 in a 90 head size you get surprising power and spin that should not happen with that setup.
 
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I’ve been playing for almost 30yrs straight been teaching pro for 19years. I’ve played with everything and I mean everything new old , in between . USA ,s best and most obscure impossible to find Eastern European frames too. Prototypes to pro stocks. Head Austria and head USA from 1984 to 1990 those magical six years is where I’ve found the ABSOLUTE BEST HITTING FRAMES ON PLANET EARTH . Hands down . And there were 100’s of models to choose from . I’m never gonna play with anything else . Unless some magical manufacturer comes out and can re-create heads artisanship I won’t ever stop swinging vintage head
 
vsbabolat said:
The Graphite Pro TF WITHOUT the power wedge was designed/ developed for Boris Becker. There was 2 designs of the Graphite Pro TF, one early in 1989 and one later/second half of 1989 with the Power Wedge. The added wider tip or Power Wedge was done because of the popularity of Widebidy designs back then.
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is the one muster played with in 1985 the same one? graphite pro? thanks!
 
federer777 said:
is the one muster played with in 1985 the same one? graphite pro? thanks!
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No, it’s not. The Graphite Pro TF came out in 1989. Muster in 1985 looks like he’s using an Edge. Since the photo I have seen is black and white and the racquet is black in the photo. I think Muster in 1985 was using the Comfort Edge.
 
vsbabolat said:
No, it’s not. The Graphite Pro TF came out in 1989. Muster in 1985 looks like he’s using an Edge. Since the photo I have seen is black and white and the racquet is black in the photo. I think Muster in 1985 was using the Comfort Edge.
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I think we are talking about the same pic, it is hard to tell, but thanks all the same!
 
vsbabolat said:
No, it’s not. The Graphite Pro TF came out in 1989. Muster in 1985 looks like he’s using an Edge. Since the photo I have seen is black and white and the racquet is black in the photo. I think Muster in 1985 was using the Comfort Edge.
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by the way, do you know when the black graphite pro issued?
thanks!
 
This thread needs some more eye candy ...
head_graphite_pro3c.jpg
head_graphite_pro3a.jpg
 
Ooh yes
This racket plays a lot different with the caps too.. makes it “ feel” more stiff
And with leather power pads even softer than normal imho
 
They never will but it would be fun to see this brought back out ... it’s way too box beam, flat beam , simple beam to get away with these days .. although wilson did w/ the Federer 85 sq inch .. so why not..
Being a 89.5 and box beam I can see why they wouldn’t want to waste their time with it.but head is still one of the last manufacturers to still have a true midsize in their current stables.. maybe the only one.. but that being said..
I have no idea why they wouldn’t put ought the head PT 630/ 280..
it’s head size and frame shape is totally “ modern “ still , completely viable for” today’s “ game .. it’s just weird ..
they really should do it . One in the 18x20 another in a 16x 19..
some fun graphics and some new fandangled unobtainium marketing material and wham bam the best new head racket since...........well you know
 
I looked around for this, but there is not 1 definitive source of info on this: what are the specs on the Black Graphite Pro, US version (with the US Flag on the side, 'Graphite Mid-Plus' on the top of the handle)? Mine says 64-72 lbs on the side of the racquet.

I found one but the grommets flaked off when I tried to restring. I cut up a IG Prestige CAP (just the entire CAP part, so now I have the part that fits within the channel of the frame), but now the balance is 33.5 cm !
 
tennisnoob1949 said:
I looked around for this, but there is not 1 definitive source of info on this: what are the specs on the Black Graphite Pro, US version (with the US Flag on the side, 'Graphite Mid-Plus' on the top of the handle)? Mine says 64-72 lbs on the side of the racquet.

I found one but the grommets flaked off when I tried to restring. I cut up a IG Prestige CAP (just the entire CAP part, so now I have the part that fits within the channel of the frame), but now the balance is 33.5 cm !
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Feels firmer then the turquoise one is all I know . And heavier .. I feel the turquoise hit better too but I may be biased
 
I had one of these in my possession a few weeks ago (turquoise with white grommets) in Grade A condition. But it was 7mm short and I didn't want to do any mods to make it standard so I returned it. Sorry, I cannot remember the country of manufacture: maybe Czech (if that's possible). Lovely stick, tho, for certain.
 
AceyMan said:
I had one of these in my possession a few weeks ago (turquoise with white grommets) in Grade A condition. But it was 7mm short and I didn't want to do any mods to make it standard so I returned it. Sorry, I cannot remember the country of manufacture: maybe Czech (if that's possible). Lovely stick, tho, for certain.
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7mm is that like a 1/2 inch or more?
Most all my heads of that era a wee bit short , it helps for more control believe it or not.. I’m not saying that head did that on purpose.. I always assumed it was due to the hoop routine squashing from tension ( pulled string )
 
AceyMan said:
I had one of these in my possession a few weeks ago (turquoise with white grommets) in Grade A condition. But it was 7mm short and I didn't want to do any mods to make it standard so I returned it. Sorry, I cannot remember the country of manufacture: maybe Czech (if that's possible). Lovely stick, tho, for certain.
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Czech wasn’t possible then. It was either Made in USA, Frame Austria Made in USA, or Straight up made in Austria
 
teachingprotx said:
7mm is that like a 1/2 inch or more?
Most all my heads of that era a wee bit short , it helps for more control believe it or not.. I’m not saying that head did that on purpose.. I always assumed it was due to the hoop routine squashing from tension ( pulled string )
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It was right at a ¼ inch which is 6.35 mm, so not 7mm to be precise. The string job seemed balanced and I compared the hoop to other frames and it wasn't overly round nor ovalized. It may have been modded but I didn't want to disassemble the grip to investigate.
 
I doubt anyone out side of us crazy short frame lovers would of modded it shorter. .. I suspect it was a hair shorter from its beginning.... 2 of my head comp pros are 26.5 from new .. maybe head did it on purpose.. for all I know
 
Sorry to resurrect this old thread - but I've returned to playing with my Graphite Pro, and absolutely loving it. As my game's gotten better and I've gotten fitter, the racquet has also gotten easier to use (somewhat surprisingly). Definitely keeps me honest from a form perspective - can't hit a decent ball with bad form with this racquet.

One question: my Graphite Pro is the Black US version with the US Flag on the side of the shaft. Two things are different from the ones I've seen pictures of: (a) Tension range is 64 - 72 (higher than the usual 55-70) and (b) There is no mention of Glass or Fiberglass in the text on the side of the shaft - just says 'Tubular Graphite'. Were some of these Graphite Pros (maybe specific runs) made with graphite only with no Fiberglass?
 
tennisnoob1949 said:
Sorry to resurrect this old thread - but I've returned to playing with my Graphite Pro, and absolutely loving it. As my game's gotten better and I've gotten fitter, the racquet has also gotten easier to use (somewhat surprisingly). Definitely keeps me honest from a form perspective - can't hit a decent ball with bad form with this racquet.

One question: my Graphite Pro is the Black US version with the US Flag on the side of the shaft. Two things are different from the ones I've seen pictures of: (a) Tension range is 64 - 72 (higher than the usual 55-70) and (b) There is no mention of Glass or Fiberglass in the text on the side of the shaft - just says 'Tubular Graphite'. Were some of these Graphite Pros (maybe specific runs) made with graphite only with no Fiberglass?
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No, these were all graphite/fiberglass composites, it’s just that Head would not advertise or announce the composition proportions, as many manufacturers would (i.e,. 80% graphite, 20% fiberglass was a common one). The 1988 turquoise model added a little bit of ceramic fiber to the layup of the Graphite Pro, but it was short-lived, as Head pulled the model from its catalog for 1989, replacing it with a frame with the same name, same head size, but different, more aerodynamic mold. However, certain sponsored Head-using pros (such as David Wheaton) continued with disguised older Graphite Pros on tour!
 
retrowagen said:
No, these were all graphite/fiberglass composites, it’s just that Head would not advertise or announce the composition proportions, as many manufacturers would (i.e,. 80% graphite, 20% fiberglass was a common one). The 1988 turquoise model added a little bit of ceramic fiber to the layup of the Graphite Pro, but it was short-lived, as Head pulled the model from its catalog for 1989, replacing it with a frame with the same name, same head size, but different, more aerodynamic mold. However, certain sponsored Head-using pros (such as David Wheaton) continued with disguised older Graphite Pros on tour!
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Thanks for the response. I use this Graphite Pro and a Red/Orange Club Pro, and the latter is definitely softer but has this somewhat strange feel compared to the former, which has a much more solid and muted feel which I enjoy. I'm debating looking for a Navy Blue Club Pro or a Comp Pro to see if I can replicate the feel of the Graphite Pro. Given the depth of your knowledge on these racquets - how would you compare the the 3 racquets with each other as well as with the Head Prestige Classic (which I know is a different mold)?
 
I have played USTA Open tournaments (circa 1987) with both the Graphite Pro and the navy blue (1987) Club Pro. The Graphite Pro was the stiffest variant Head made in that mold; the Club Pro was the most flexible. It seems there was a slight difference in feel between the navy blue 1987, red/orange 1988, and silver/blue 1989 Club Pros; I think it lies in the different plastic durometer used in the grommet systems (the later white ones being more brittle and harsh). Out of all the “box beam” Head Pro variants, I liked the 1987 Club Pro and Team Pro the best; they were cheaper racquets, but well made (in Austria) and had great feel and power. Only drawbacks I noted (as a USTA 5.0 at the time) was that one couldn’t string them too tightly, otherwise they’d “potato chip” like the Dunlop Max 200g also tended to, and that when playing a very hard hitter, it could be a challenge to accurately redirect the power in a heated groundstroke rally. With the added flex came extra feel, but a loss of control. String it tighter, like above 60 pounds, to enhance control, and the racquet would warp. I went through a bunch of them during the course of a season, then switched in 1988 to the new Elite Pro and was quite content until I started playing Fischer in 1991. Today, I still play mostly with the Elite Pros, which were a slightly more flexible and headlight version of the Prestige. I did playtest the Prestige, and have had numerous Prestige Pros and Prestige Classic 600’s, all customized to my favorite specifications, but just never felt perfectly in synch with them. The Comp Pro you mentioned was a popular frame in its time, but I also didn’t find them to my liking... sort of a “reverse Goldilocks” situation, where on paper it should have been “just right,” but was characterless and flavorless, with better racquet options (for me) available elsewhere in the Head lineup.
 
retrowagen said:
I have played USTA Open tournaments (circa 1987) with both the Graphite Pro and the navy blue (1987) Club Pro. The Graphite Pro was the stiffest variant Head made in that mold; the Club Pro was the most flexible. It seems there was a slight difference in feel between the navy blue 1987, red/orange 1988, and silver/blue 1989 Club Pros; I think it lies in the different plastic durometer used in the grommet systems (the later white ones being more brittle and harsh). Out of all the “box beam” Head Pro variants, I liked the 1987 Club Pro and Team Pro the best; they were cheaper racquets, but well made (in Austria) and had great feel and power. Only drawbacks I noted (as a USTA 5.0 at the time) was that one couldn’t string them too tightly, otherwise they’d “potato chip” like the Dunlop Max 200g also tended to, and that when playing a very hard hitter, it could be a challenge to accurately redirect the power in a heated groundstroke rally. With the added flex came extra feel, but a loss of control. String it tighter, like above 60 pounds, to enhance control, and the racquet would warp. I went through a bunch of them during the course of a season, then switched in 1988 to the new Elite Pro and was quite content until I started playing Fischer in 1991. Today, I still play mostly with the Elite Pros, which were a slightly more flexible and headlight version of the Prestige. I did playtest the Prestige, and have had numerous Prestige Pros and Prestige Classic 600’s, all customized to my favorite specifications, but just never felt perfectly in synch with them. The Comp Pro you mentioned was a popular frame in its time, but I also didn’t find them to my liking... sort of a “reverse Goldilocks” situation, where on paper it should have been “just right,” but was characterless and flavorless, with better racquet options (for me) available elsewhere in the Head lineup.
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I always enjoy your posts Retrowagon.
 
retrowagen said:
No, these were all graphite/fiberglass composites, it’s just that Head would not advertise or announce the composition proportions, as many manufacturers would (i.e,. 80% graphite, 20% fiberglass was a common one). The 1988 turquoise model added a little bit of ceramic fiber to the layup of the Graphite Pro, but it was short-lived, as Head pulled the model from its catalog for 1989, replacing it with a frame with the same name, same head size, but different, more aerodynamic mold. However, certain sponsored Head-using pros (such as David Wheaton) continued with disguised older Graphite Pros on tour!
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Did the Silicon Carbide fibers soften the GP compared to the version that did not have those fibers? If not, what was the reason for introducing this?
 
tennisnoob1949 said:
Did the Silicon Carbide fibers soften the GP compared to the version that did not have those fibers? If not, what was the reason for introducing this?
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SiC fibers (colloquially, “Ceramics”), similar to aramids (like DuPont’s Kevlar, or BC Enka’s Twaron) was used for lightweight vibration tuning of carbon composite layup matrices.

It also was a very trendy ingredient in the tennis racquet biz, commencing in 1986. By 1987, every manufacturer had one model, usually in white, featuring ceramics... the tough stuff that NASA used for the protective tiles on the Space Shuttle! I personally look back and think of it as one of the first “bandwagon”-style marketing-driven technology cycles the racquet industry entered.
 
retrowagen said:
SiC fibers (colloquially, “Ceramics”), similar to aramids (like DuPont’s Kevlar, or BC Enka’s Twaron) was used for lightweight vibration tuning of carbon composite layup matrices.

It also was a very trendy ingredient in the tennis racquet biz, commencing in 1986. By 1987, every manufacturer had one model, usually in white, featuring ceramics... the tough stuff that NASA used for the protective tiles on the Space Shuttle! I personally look back and think of it as one of the first “bandwagon”-style marketing-driven technology cycles the racquet industry entered.
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Got to say - since re-starting tennis about 3 years ago, I've enjoyed the prestige tour, prestige classic and the graphite pro the best of all the racquets I've tried. Usually, after a tough session, I convinced myself that I need more power / bigger head size etc. and end up trying a bunch of racquets usually sourced from the TT Boards here, only to eventually find my way back to 90 sq in racquets (The Wilson K90 used to be the one I usually got back to, now it's the graphite pro). I've realized that with the amount of tennis I play (2-3 hours per week only), the quality of my tennis (typical 4.0 stuff), enjoying the game is probably a lot more important, and these graphite and club pros are at the top of the bunch from that perspective. IMO, only racquets that come very close in terms of feel are the Tec TFight 315 (2013 version) and the PT 280. And the graphite pro can be bought for a fraction of their price (~$30-$50) on the auction site if one is willing to deal with the hassle of finding new grommets.
 
The 1989 Graphite Pro with power wedge should have been the new Boris Becker Racket that time! Look at the little blue and red stripes at the Racket. A note to the Puma. He played with that in Show Matches 1988 and felt comfartable with it but the contract never happened because of disagreements of future promotion activities.
 
tennistiger said:
The 1989 Graphite Pro with power wedge should have been the new Boris Becker Racket that time! Look at the little blue and red stripes at the Racket. A note to the Puma. He played with that in Show Matches 1988 and felt comfartable with it but the contract never happened because of disagreements of future promotion activities.
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The earlier 1989 Graphite Pro TF straight beam WITHOUT the PowerWedge should have been Boris Becker’s racquet.
 
Does anybody know the specs for the Head Graphite Comp XL? Its the current racket I use but it seems to have a bad effect on my arm whenever it makes impact causing my arm to brake or stop during the swing. Trying to find a better racket to fix this
 
Waterboy747 said:
Does anybody know the specs for the Head Graphite Comp XL? Its the current racket I use but it seems to have a bad effect on my arm whenever it makes impact causing my arm to brake or stop during the swing. Trying to find a better racket to fix this
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What is the static Weight strung of yours?
 
Waterboy747 said:
Does anybody know the specs for the Head Graphite Comp XL? Its the current racket I use but it seems to have a bad effect on my arm whenever it makes impact causing my arm to brake or stop during the swing. Trying to find a better racket to fix this
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That’s a recreational racquet. The Graphite Pro we are taking about was a premium high performance tennis racket.
 
Just came across a Graphite Pro today at a thrift store. It had a small crack at the top of the frame and the hedguard was cracked in several spots so I left it. Neat teal color though.
 
teachingprotx said:
Oh dear god one of the best discussions on racquets ever whenever
Vsbabolat and retro start chiming in back to back I will ALWAYS STOP SIT DOWN BE STILL AND LISTEN.
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Agree those two are both high level players who have played and compared many of the best rackets rackets from the wood era thru the transitional graphite era. Also, @dr325i knows tons about the current rackets and specialized in Head stock and is a TX player and a great guy to train with. Maybe we all meetup one of these days in 2022 for some hits and racket trials
 
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joe sch said:
Agree those two are both high level players who have played and compared many of the best rackets rackets from the wood era thru the transitional graphite era. Also, @dr325i knows tons about the current rackets and specialized in Head stock and is a TX player and a great guy to train with. Maybe we all meetup one of these days in 2022 for some hits and racket trials
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Would love to, with you highly esteemed colleagues and friends!
 
Im borrowing a Graphite pro black paint today will test it during the next few days. Im putting thin gauge poly mains and soft multi thin gauge at 50 lbs in it... Unusually hot temps at the moment here so the ball could fly. Stoked!
 
Graphite pro black was a Joy to hit with.. 78 F Florida hardcourt and sunshine didnt Hurt. Flexy with very Nice feel. Thought sweetspot felt bigger than expected and Great mass on the groundies... . A gem in short.
 
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