Donnay Pro One Oversize & Prince Graphite Comp : can anyone make a comparison ??

[AndrewD]

When I joined this message board 3 years ago, my main aim was to find a suitable replacement for my 80's model Prince Graphite Comp Series 110. I had thought the POG OS would do the trick, bought one and was very disappointed. The Graph Comp is more flexible and has a marginally smaller head size (despite being an OS). Tried the 03 Tour MP and while it was nice it just wasn't an adequate replacement. The Diablo MP came close but the feel was a bit vague and it didn't have the flex I wanted. The NXG OS was just terrible, and the Radical OS frames have too tight a string pattern (the Graphite Comp is 16x19).

Now the Donnay Pro One Oversize is available and I'm curious to know how that might compare to my old Graphite Comp 110. Unfortunately I can't demo the Donnay (I live in Australia) so have to rely on the contributions of fellow TW board members.

If anyone who has used both racquets can provide me with a comparison it'd be greatly appreciated.

 

[Kirko]

Andrew, I've hit with both years ago; the orginal Donnay though. I preferred the Donnay by far. I thought they both had nice flex, but the Donnay was more stable and swung more like a mid-plus size frame eg. easy to manipulate. hitting from the baseline easy enough for both frames, but serving & hitting mid-court the vote from me is Donnay. hope this helps.

 

[AndrewD]

Kirko,

Thanks. I love the Graphite Comp and would continue using it but, unfortunately, they're hard to come by in good condition and even tougher to find here in Australia (few were imported). So I have to look for other options.

I might have to find out exactly where the new Pro One flexes as that is a key consideration. The Prince has some nice flex in the throat but is firmer (not stiff) in the head. That's my ideal combination although I'm happy enough with a constant flex through the head and throat. What I don't like is a flexible head and stiff throat.

 

[NoBadMojo]

Andrew I really dont think any of these remakes of old racquets are going to feel like the racquets they originally were or even how racquets were in general back then. I really dont think they even make that type of low modulus graphite prepreg anymore..the graphite now is
generations different. It's much lighter and stiffer and stronger, and you dont need as much of it in the matrix I dont believe.

Curious if you've ever tried any of the Fischers from the pro1 type of mold? that would give you the opp of what you dont like and most cant deny most versions of those have a lot of ball feel

 

[Kirko]

Andrew I really dont think any of these remakes of old racquets are going to feel like the racquets they originally were or even how racquets were in general back then. I really dont think they even make that type of low modulus graphite prepreg anymore..the graphite now is
generations different. It's much lighter and stiffer and stronger, and you dont need as much of it in the matrix I dont believe.

Curious if you've ever tried any of the Fischers from the pro1 type of mold? that would give you the opp of what you dont like and most cant deny most versions of those have a lot of ball feel

advice worth considering about these "re-intro" frames. the presitge that TW sold was very little like the 1988 version I used and loved. actually the only racket that is made today that reimnds me of the feel & "sound" of rackets from "yesterday" is the older pr0-kennex 5G PSE.

 

[tennisee]

Come on Andrew - just buy a couple! They look cool, they're cheap, the specs are great, the aussie dollar's strong... What more do you need to know?
(I nearly bought a pair for fun, but I've been very good and I have a long term relationship with my Vantages that is worth preserving)

 

[AndrewD]

I don't expect any racquet to feel identical to my Graphite Comp, if for no other reason than that the frame is 24 years old and will have softened up a touch. However, what I would like is a similar enough head size, string pattern and flex. The 03 Tour MP could have been okay as it has the open pattern and flex I want but lacked a solid feel just wasn't comfortable in the hand. The Diablo MP could have been fine but it lacked the extra flex I was after and I could never find a blend of weight, balance and swingweight that brought its playability into line with the Graphite Comp.

Essentially, replacing the Graphite Comp is only one option I'm exploring and although it would be my first preference it does seem like a tall order. The other, potentially most likely scenario, is to replace my t10mp Gen2 with the C10.

I had discarded the Gen2 due to what I perceived to be a lack of power and penetration. However, since I've been playing more and more tournaments, most especially singles events, I've found that I can accommodate a fraction less power but I can't do without a high degree of touch/feel and control. Without those two ingredients I'm making a lot more errors off my second shot (groundstroke or approach), losing a lot more points, games and matches than I should.

 

[AndrewD]

Come on Andrew - just buy a couple! They look cool, they're cheap, the specs are great, the aussie dollar's strong... What more do you need to know?
(I nearly bought a pair for fun, but I've been very good and I have a long term relationship with my Vantages that is worth preserving)

My major concern is the stiffness. I initially bought (3 years ago) the POGOS assuming it would be almost identical to the Graph Comp. Unfortunately it was stiffer and didn't have anywhere near as much feel. The Donnay Pro One is listed as being 100% graphite, whereas the Graph Comp is 80% graphite, 20% fibreglass. So, my concern is that I won't get anywhere near the response I'm looking for. That being the case, the C10 would be a better option and I wouldn't have wasted a couple of hundred dollars.

 

[tennisee]

Did you ever try the Warrior OS? I remember you asking about that years ago.. Funnily enough when I read the Donnay and Agassi Rad Specs I thought of leading up my old Warrior OS to similar weight/balance and seeing how it went; (would be similar w/b to my current stick) I've not hit it for a couple of years..

 

[AndrewD]

Did you ever try the Warrior OS? I remember you asking about that years ago.. Funnily enough when I read the Donnay and Agassi Rad Specs I thought of leading up my old Warrior OS to similar weight/balance and seeing how it went; (would be similar w/b to my current stick) I've not hit it for a couple of years..

I found the Warrior OS a good racquet but, ultimately, too stiff for my liking. I got good results but, as with every other stiff racquet I've used and enjoyed (PD, APD, nSix-One 95) the lack of feel eventually frustrated me. The other factor is that, up until about 3 months ago I was still having considerable trouble with Plantar Fasciitus (heel spurs). As a result, my mobility was limited and I was relying a lot more on the racquet to generate power and spin. Now it seems I've reached a point where the pain seems to be far less noticable. Not sure if that's because the problem is going or I've become so used to the pain that I don't notice it much any longer. Either way, I'm moving a lot more freely and am able to get to shots in enough time to hit with my own power and can reach up fully on my serve to generate pace. That being the case I have less need of a powerful racquet than one which offers a lot of flex for feel and control.

 

[tennisee]

Onya - Yeah, I had the Warrior OS when I was newer to the game (but still an old fart, mind) and by trial and error found that I needed <65 ra stiffness and soft strings to prevent pain in the wrist and elbow. Settled on a 63 ra Vantage 95 18x20 after getting best results from an LM Rad but having to lead it too much - current stick is perfect; I won't be changing for a few years.
I hit with a 95 16x19 Prince graphite a week or so ago (was it a pro? comp? need to check - a mate's dad was using it and had passed it on to him) an 80s (? maybe 90s) dark grey widebody, great spin, rocket launcher, but I could feel my arm falling apart with each hit. Good luck in the quest.

 

[counterpuncher]

Tried the 03 Tour MP and while it was nice it just wasn't an adequate replacement. The Diablo MP came close but the feel was a bit vague and it didn't have the flex I wanted. The NXG OS was just terrible, and the Radical OS frames have too tight a string pattern (the Graphite Comp is 16x19).

While I haven't used the Donnay O/S or POG O/S I have played with the O3 Tour MP, Diablo MP and now own an Agassi LE. I think this isn't one you should so easily discount. While it doesn't quite have the flex of the two Prince's I played with, it is still fairly flexible (feels like around 64), is solid and has good spin (almost as much as my RDS001 mp) as the pattern is fairly open. The one I have is an L2 (L3 with the overgrip), weighs just under 340g from memory and the swingweight is around the 320's. I like it quite a lot, but don't think I'll ever switch to it and probably offload it as I like mp racquets. This is available in Aus so you should be able to demo it.

 

[OnyxZ28]

This probably won't solve your problem, but what about the C10 OS? They float around here or there on the auction site.

 

[AndrewD]

This probably won't solve your problem, but what about the C10 OS? They float around here or there on the auction site.

Thanks. The C10 OS would be a better option than the Agassi LE Rad OS due to the flex. Unfortunately, I'll be very lucky to find a C10 OS to demo and I don't think it's the sort of frame I should buy without testing first.

Seems that the most likely scenario is that I'll try the C10 (the MP) first and see how that goes. If it doesn't fit the bill at least it will be easy to sell

 

[plum]

Pro or Comp or Both

I just picked up a couple of prince racquets on ****, ultimately trying to get something similar to the POG OS, without spending over a $100. I got a Prince Graphite Comp XB, and the Racquet that came today is what i am confused about; It was listed as a Prince Graphite Pro, but on the racquet it says Graphite Comp. On the Cover it says Pro 110. So I am wondering why there is a difference between the racquet and cover. The Racquet is Black with a Green and Gold trim line. I am unfortunately a relative late blooming beginner, but interestingly after reading a really good article I started thinking the modern racquet era was a scam like the pharmaceutical business. I decided I wanted a 12 oz racquet to play with and several Prince 80's racquets seem to fit the bill. I re-started with a Dunlop 900G and although switching from racquet ball was an obvious challenge, the 9.5 oz head heavy strung didn't seem to suit me anymore. As soon as yesterday, I put the Comp XB in my hand; I had an all around improvement in my game. Especially on service return. I can't wait to try out the Graphite Comp. It has a thinner beam but feels about as heavy as the XB. What really amazes me is these original string jobs that still seem like 65+ pounds and is probably one of the downsides of yesterday's racquet switch. Balls hit from inside the baseline without topspin were flying out. Makes me wonder if I should restring these to 60 pounds or less.

 

[AndrewD]

the Racquet that came today is what i am confused about; It was listed as a Prince Graphite Pro, but on the racquet it says Graphite Comp. On the Cover it says Pro 110. So I am wondering why there is a difference between the racquet and cover.

I think you should just go with the obvious answer - the cover belongs to another racquet.

The Racquet is Black with a Green and Gold trim line.

That is the Graphite Comp (Series 110). It should look like the one in this picture, second from right (original cover at back)
http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a240/AndrewDtw/Picture091.jpg

What really amazes me is these original string jobs that still seem like 65+ pounds and is probably one of the downsides of yesterday's racquet switch. Balls hit from inside the baseline without topspin were flying out. Makes me wonder if I should restring these to 60 pounds or less.

If you need more control you need to string tighter, not looser.

 

[plum]

Yeah I guess it is the Graphite Comp. Are you saying I should be happy to have this over the POG? It feels a little more head heavy than the XB Comp?
Do you know what the weight is. I'm guessing it might be less that the Xb, maybe even under 12 OZ? The thing with the sting tension is that my control improved as far as placement, but when the ball hits my sweet spot watch out, the ball takes off! I'm not sure how to control this racquet reaction/response?
I certainly don't want to keep hitting long on these shorter balls!

 

[plum]

P.S. Did you ever find one of these? I am looking at one on **** 4 5/8 right now. What's your grip size. I see a little mini crack in mine close to 11 0 Clock. Must be the fiberglass. Can't wait to try out this one tomorrow! Too bad my right knee's rear ligament feels sore. Any suggestions? I suppose I should stretch more. My X-country Run seemed to make it worse.

 

[AndrewD]

Are you saying I should be happy to have this over the POG?

Where did I say that?

Do you know what the weight is.

You could just weigh it. All the ones I've ever seen have been 12oz+.

Tighter strings give you more control but the rest of it is technique and practise. Might take you a little while to find your groove but you should get there. Also, if the racquet hasn't been restrung lately you should get that done.

 

[Nastase]

andrew... I am curious what you are using for grommets on the Comp? I have one I bring out once in a while, absolutely love it...grommets are brittle and cracking...I am sure there are hundreds of old comps buried in closets out there, would like to find 3-4 good ones.....BTW did you ever play with the Spectrum Comp? How would you compare to the Graphite comp in terms of stability + power? The Spectrums seem far more readily available.

 

[goldenyama]

You could try the Avery M5, it's more flexy than the POG.

 

[ratm355]

If anyone's interested, I've got a Prince Graphite Comp for sale:

http://tt.tennis-warehouse.com/showthread.php?t=238382



They're really nice rackets. Has a little more weight and flex than the Donnay.