Dunlop max racquets

[georgeyew]

I have been using the max 300i off and on for several years and I have a 200G on reserve. I have idolized the max racquets since the 80's and have imagined myself hitting blistering forehand passing shots and wicked slices with the racquets. But once I get out on the court, they play completely different than what I imagined. The flex forces me to change my strokes drastically. If I make contact with the ball even slightly late, it feels like the racquet bends backwards and I get no power at all. I desperately want to like the racquets and play well with them. Are there any tips to playing with these racquets?

Update: Just read the thread below on the Max 200G. Sounds like the racquets are outdated for today's game. Very sad, I get nostalgic when I hold the racquets in my hand.

 

[vsbabolat]

I have been using the max 300i off and on for several years and I have a 200G on reserve. I have idolized the max racquets since the 80's and have imagined myself hitting blistering forehand passing shots and wicked slices with the racquets. But once I get out on the court, they play completely different than what I imagined. The flex forces me to change my strokes drastically. If I make contact with the ball even slightly late, it feels like the racquet bends backwards and I get no power at all. I desperately want to like the racquets and play well with them. Are there any tips to playing with these racquets?

Update: Just read the thread below on the Max 200G. Sounds like the racquets are outdated for today's game. Very sad, I get nostalgic when I hold the racquets in my hand.

Good footwork and early preparation. Make sure you’re always leaning into your shots and make contact out in front. If you don’t you will be punished

 

[Frankc]

As with any more flexible control frame, more lively strings will really help. Good advice above - the "modern" wrist roll and just arm the shot will punish you. Footwork and weight shift is everything...
The pocketing feel of those frames always amazes - MCS is good for me at low tensions, and thin natural gut amazes me with easy power (with the weight shift and footwork).
(Off topic, at my very large public tennis centers, tennis is looking more and more like paddleball...)

 

[Frankc]

True, but I always have a 200G in my bag for practice serving. That beauty will remind you if your technique is sloppy. Rewards the right stuff...

 

[max_brat]

Got a Max 200g, which I have been hitting with for fun. Thought of playing with it in a match just scares me.

You'd be surprised. I've been playing with a 200G for the better part of a decade (I'm 28 now), and I absolutely love playing singles with it. Yes, a PS85 is easier to use, but a Max 200G rewards mishits, and I've played some of my best points in matches using a Max 200G.

 

[max]

I played with the Max 200G for about ten years, also played with the PS 6.0/85. PS better by far for serving; perhaps best-serving racquet I've played with ever. I dumped the Max since I wasn't getting as much power on my serve and I needed.

ABSOLUTELY great for playing dynamic, attacking tennis: the Max 200G lets you hit precision groundstrokes, wonderful attacking approach shots and fab volleys. It made me an aggressive player.

Like any oldie, you need to have right technique. Just smacking the ball with the racquet might work for the average Babolat, but the Max takes a real stroke to make it go.

 

[max]

You'd be surprised. I've been playing with a 200G for the better part of a decade (I'm 28 now), and I absolutely love playing singles with it. Yes, a PS85 is easier to use, but a Max 200G rewards mishits, and I've played some of my best points in matches using a Max 200G.

Shoot! I should string up one of mine!

 

[chrischris]

Shoot! I should string up one of mine!

What string and gauge? Tension?

 

[max]

not string sensitive. I used to use synthetic gut, Prince synthetic gut soft, at 55 lbs.

 

[chrischris]

Ok i have 4 of these and 3 have just that gosen syn gut. Tension feels low round 50 or so
May put a powerful thin multi in the 4th.
X one Biphase or Tgv prolly

 

[max]

Gosen syn gut should work fine. A multi? might feel mushy; racquet's quite soft already. but ymmv.

 

[Dino Lagaffe]

As I started collecting racquets some 25 years ago, the Max-series was something I focused on. I still really like them, and enjoy playing with them, but obviously one can't expect them to play like modern racquets. Here is a picture of some of my Max-series racquets.

https://imgur.com/WKABlqk

 

[georgeyew]

Very nice collection. Thanks for sharing.

 

[coachrick]

400i ......sleeper......coulda been a contendah!!!!

 

[vsbabolat]

400i ......sleeper......coulda been a contendah!!!!

I loved the 400i but I broke a few of them and went back to the 200G. I have a NOS I bought on the big auction site still in the old school wood clear plastic bag with Dunlop and the flying D in red.

 

[Frankc]

400i ......sleeper......coulda been a contendah!!!!

Seems sorta light - not sure about that open string pattern...
That all said, didn't miss a serve as I served up several on a freshly strung 400i... Hmmm... nice flex in the shaft (can see that possible breakage)- but worth a second look....

 

[georgeyew]

Where are you guys breaking the 400i? What part of the racquet is the weakest?

 

[vsbabolat]

Where are you guys breaking the 400i? What part of the racquet is the weakest?

In the shaft above the grip. All of them in the same place

 

[B-Line]

Got a Max 200g, which I have been hitting with for fun. Thought of playing with it in a match just scares me.

Seen this

 

[galain]

Where are you guys breaking the 400i? What part of the racquet is the weakest?

Mine broke just at the point on the outside of the throat as it becomes the head. The frame itself is still intact but there's a piece missing from this area like a jigsaw puzzle. I'm a bit hesitant to use it anymore.

My 200g is still going strong. I know there wasn't a huge amount of choice back then but looking back, it always surprised me that this was the frame McEnroe chose to use. Just from the way it hits and how it feels, I'd think I'd more likely have seen it in the hands of a player like Lendl or Becker. A bigger hitter. It's really super satisfying for smacking the ball with.

 

[Frankc]

Agreed, interesting choice... just imo and with my eyes, he plays a slightly different game with wood and then the 200G. Love watching his gifts at work... with the 200G, my ears tell me that he is stringing very, very loosely and enjoying a sorta lively catapult action - great power and still great hands. Let him stay with the new tech of other players.
With the earlier woods (his control and power with a Kramer or Fort still mystifies me) his shots seem more precise, solidly varied and the sound tells me that his strings are still medium/loose.

For, imo, a real range of wizardry with wood, I am amazed at Mac's back to back wins in the 79 USO. In the SF, he works Connors over with ,as Newk comments, shots with so much "work", over, under, flat and varied power. A masterpiece of variety - then in the Finals, he blows through Vitas with speed and superb power tennis. Those two matches, back to back, present the beauty and range of our game...

 

[PT280 Fan]

True, but I always have a 200G in my bag for practice serving. That beauty will remind you if your technique is sloppy. Rewards the right stuff...

I do pretty much the same thing with my Kneissl Aeramic Pro 25. It's about 87.5" and though I have played and won doubles matches with it, I'd never use it in serious competition. That being said, it's perfect for grooving strokes and serves as it's about the same weight and balance as my bevy of main frames (Donnay Pro One GTs currently #1 in my bag).

 

[georgeyew]

I'd think I'd more likely have seen it in the hands of a player like Lendl or Becker. A bigger hitter. It's really super satisfying for smacking the ball with.

Lendl strung his racquets at 70+ lbs. I don't think any of the Max racquets would have been able to handle that. Otherwise it might have been a good match.

 

[yonexRx32]

What string and gauge? Tension?

Prince synthetic gut original 17g works wonders.
For a taste of nirvana, use natural gut in the mains and Prince synthetic gut original in the crosses.

 

[retrowagen]

Mac strung his with natural gut, 45 pounds. Also had asymmetric weights added to the frame; like many, always played a certain side up.

If you string a Max 200g over 55 pounds, it will almost certainly warp the head, almost like a damaged wood racquet.

 

[shamaho]

Update: Just read the thread below on the Max 200G. Sounds like the racquets are outdated for today's game. Very sad, I get nostalgic when I hold the racquets in my hand.

immho that is totally irrelevant... any of us... ok... most of us... would be whipped by a masterfull player wielding wood rackets nevermind the Max 200G...
it's all about skill and experience....

and by masterfull I don't mean an ex-ATP player... I mean a good solid Pro (regardless of age) with many "competitive miles" under his belt.

 

[shamaho]

Update: Just read the thread below on the Max 200G. Sounds like the racquets are outdated for today's game. Very sad, I get nostalgic when I hold the racquets in my hand

One more case for skills over gear... didn't you notice Johnny Mac remaining so competitive in the champions Tour with much younger players for soo many years? ... and yet he was still using his 70s technique (in a unique style ok but continental grip for most if not all shots - that's classic old outdate technique!) and yet....

 

[shamaho]

Dammit, you just made me decide to string my 200g up with some nice synth or multi.... and go out on my next friendly match...

 

[BlueB]

J Mac doesn't play with his old Max anymore... for long time.

Those are pretty crappy racquets, btw. Better than wood and maybe Head Artur Ashe, but any true graphite frame is better. I started getting TE just from hitting around with Max 200. I have two of those...

 

[georgeyew]

I started getting TE just from hitting around with Max 200

I don't think that is possible considering how soft the racquet is.

 

[georgeyew]

One more case for skills over gear... didn't you notice Johnny Mac remaining so competitive in the champions Tour with much younger players for soo many years? ... and yet he was still using his 70s technique (in a unique style ok but continental grip for most if not all shots - that's classic old outdate technique!) and yet....

I restrung the 300i with Tournament Nylon at 52lbs (up from 40lbs) and it plays a lot better now. I still have to hit out in front to get solid contact, but if I am late, I learned to just block the ball back using the mass of the racquet. Still don't think it will be my main stick, but I am happy that I can up my level of play with it.

 

[vsbabolat]

J Mac doesn't play with his old Max anymore... for long time.

Those are pretty crappy racquets, btw. Better than wood and maybe Head Artur Ashe, but any true graphite frame is better. I started getting TE just from hitting around with Max 200. I have two of those...

Max200G is one of the most arm friendly racquets ever and it is a true graphite racquet

 

[coachrick]

Max200G is one of the most arm friendly racquets ever and it is a true graphite racquet

But a bit of a club...some I've had were over 14oz
The Mizuno Lendl was a bit of a reincarnation about a decade later.

 

[BlueB]

I don't think that is possible considering how soft the racquet is.

Very possible. It vibrated in a wrong amplitude for my taste and it was too heavy. Anything that doesn't jive with one's body specifics and mechanics can cause discomfort.

 

[BlueB]

Max200G is one of the most arm friendly racquets ever and it is a true graphite racquet

Wasn't comfy for me, see one post above.
Well, it does have ground graphite mixed into nylon matrix, but not a true graphite-epoxy laminated racquet of widely accepted definition of a "graphite racquet".

 

[shamaho]

Very possible. It vibrated in a wrong amplitude for my taste and it was too heavy. Anything that doesn't jive with one's body specifics and mechanics can cause discomfort.

Just to tease you, the keyword that gave you away was "it was too heavy. ...doesn't jive with one's body specifics and mechanics..." - clearly your mechanics are not up to those rackets (where you have to use the kicectic chain) but clearly suited to the modern ones where you can use your arm to muscle the ball ;-)

 

[georgeyew]

A little off topic but I've always thought that the 400i has a open string pattern (16x18). I looked at my Tennis magazine from 1988 and the ad for the racquet showed 18x20 and labeled it a dense string pattern. Were there different patterns for the racquet?

 

[vsbabolat]

Wasn't comfy for me, see one post above.
Well, it does have ground graphite mixed into nylon matrix, but not a true graphite-epoxy laminated racquet of widely accepted definition of a "graphite racquet".

And that’s what gave the Max200G it’s unique playing characteristics. Injection of nylon and graphite gave it very thick internal walls with pillars. The vibration frequency is very low and short.

 

[BlueB]

Just to tease you, the keyword that gave you away was "it was too heavy. ...doesn't jive with one's body specifics and mechanics..." - clearly your mechanics are not up to those rackets (where you have to use the kicectic chain) but clearly suited to the modern ones where you can use your arm to muscle the ball ;-)

Fire away

 

[BlueB]

And that’s what gave the Max200G it’s unique playing characteristics. Injection of nylon and graphite gave it very thick internal walls with pillars. The vibration frequency is very low and short.

Amplitude is very high.

 

[shamaho]

Well, went out today to play with my practice buddy with my 200g... no play outside due to rain/drizzle and all covered courts were fully booked.... so no play today big bummer...
OTOH I just left the 200g (I had bought second hand) to get a new stringjob - went with Prince Synthetic at 18 Kg (39 lbs)

 

[georgeyew]

Well, went out today to play with my practice buddy with my 200g... no play outside due to rain/drizzle and all covered courts were fully booked.... so no play today big bummer...
OTOH I just left the 200g (I had bought second hand) to get a new stringjob - went with Prince Synthetic at 18 Kg (39 lbs)

I strung my 300i initially at 40lbs with syn gut and it was too loose. At 50lbs it was much more controllable. Let me know how your 200g plays at 39lbs.

 

[shamaho]

I strung my 300i initially at 40lbs with syn gut and it was too loose. At 50lbs it was much more controllable. Let me know how your 200g plays at 39lbs.

I will, but this is not an absolute "thing" - it depends heavily on technique, style, etc... - Although with this one I plan to play Mac style... old-school very mild variations from the base of continental grip, relying on touch.... just for fun you see...? my actual play style is in the sig.

 

[bluetrain4]

I used 300i in high school - absolutely loved it. [Previously I thought I used the 400i, but Googling pics and seeing the colors, I'm pretty sure it was the 300i.] Back then I wasn't using anything other than synthetic gut and I'm sure at the time I had them strung in the mid-60s. [Granted, by coach had taught us how to string on the cheapest of clamp-to-a-workbench stringer, so I'm sure tension accuracy was way off. Lol.]

 

[Grafil Injection]

I have been using the max 300i off and on for several years and I have a 200G on reserve. I have idolized the max racquets since the 80's and have imagined myself hitting blistering forehand passing shots and wicked slices with the racquets. But once I get out on the court, they play completely different than what I imagined. The flex forces me to change my strokes drastically. If I make contact with the ball even slightly late, it feels like the racquet bends backwards and I get no power at all. I desperately want to like the racquets and play well with them. Are there any tips to playing with these racquets?

Update: Just read the thread below on the Max 200G. Sounds like the racquets are outdated for today's game. Very sad, I get nostalgic when I hold the racquets in my hand.

I'm sure you know this, but just in case, what I find absolutely critical when using any racket that is significantly different specs to a 'normal' racket, is to spend at least 10 mins playing in the service box, or against a wall before normal play. If you switch from a light and large frame to a heavy 85, straight into to full shots, you will spend 10 minutes miss-timing and getting frustrated. The best thing is to only play with MAX 200G or similar, and start each day with short shots to ensure your timing is on point. Then you will discover the magic.

 

[georgeyew]

I'm sure you know this, but just in case, what I find absolutely critical when using any racket that is significantly different specs to a 'normal' racket, is to spend at least 10 mins playing in the service box, or against a wall before normal play. If you switch from a light and large frame to a heavy 85, straight into to full shots, you will spend 10 minutes miss-timing and getting frustrated. The best thing is to only play with MAX 200G or similar, and start each day with short shots to ensure your timing is on point. Then you will discover the magic.

I always start out my hitting session by playing mini tennis to get my rhythm in sync. I have not played with the 300i in a couple of years. I think it is time to string it up and crack some forehands!!

 

[Grafil Injection]

Seen this

The sound when Nik hits the 200G is clearly the best!

 

[coachrick]

I always start out my hitting session by playing mini tennis to get my rhythm in sync. I have not played with the 300i in a couple of years. I think it is time to string it up and crack some forehands!!

Y'all are killin' me! I demo'd so many different rackets over 3 decades without a thought! Easy for me to hit full groundies from the baseline vs mini-tennis stuff