Federer's racquet Depolarized?

To get back to the subject of this thread, here's my take on this:

OK, so in some older photos, we see Fed with some lead placed at the throat. This does't necessarily mean that during the time his frame was a depolarized setup. I mean, he could of very well had lead under the bumper as well as in the handle end as well, on top of having lead on the throat.
 
I find it odd that he'd put lead in the throat of the PS85, then allegedly play with a retail K90. I feel a virtual vacuum of mass in the K90's throat. I've always felt it to be the one knock on the frame.
 
I actually hit well with the K90. I only use it for matches against weaker players and use it for some training/drilling.

I'm able to generate lots of topspin on the FH side -- opponents tell
me that the ball has lots of action, kicking up suddenly.

I find that that frame is very solid. I just can't get monster serves going, consistently. Also, I have a hard time blasting return winners/returns. I do get return winners, but rather from the control, hitting down the line/sharp angle cross court etc.

The other drawback is that my FH grip is pretty extreme on the western side, and so this frame doesn't have the extra head width for the margin for error needed for heavily cut shots -- with the acute angle of attack.

Midplus for me.
 
Strings And Things said:
I actually hit well with the K90. I only use it for matches against weaker players and use it for some training/drilling.

I'm able to generate lots of topspin on the FH side -- opponents tell
me that the ball has lots of action, kicking up suddenly.

I find that that frame is very solid. I just can't get monster serves going, consistently. Also, I have a hard time blasting return winners/returns. I do get return winners, but rather from the control, hitting down the line/sharp angle cross court etc.

The other drawback is that my FH grip is pretty extreme on the western side, and so this frame doesn't have the extra head width for the margin for error needed for heavily cut shots -- with the acute angle of attack.

Midplus for me.
Click to expand...
I like you also play with a extreme western grip, with the k90. It's just a matter of timing your shots and you'll get it dont worry ;)
 
Feds racquet started out as being underpolarized. But you just cant add polarization..first you must depolarize, and then you can repolarize, all the while being careful not to hyperpolarize, as thats' just not good. The correct polarization depends on if the racquet is located in the northern hemisphere or the southern, because there is nothing worse than reverse polarization
 
nalk7 said:
I like you also play with a extreme western grip, with the k90. It's just a matter of timing your shots and you'll get it dont worry ;)
Click to expand...
Well, I never said that I didn't "get it". I did say that I can play well with it. I just said that compared to a midplus, the K90 isn't worth it for folks with extreme modern strokes. If one has extreme grips/modern strokes, then why choose a narrow-headed frame like the K90? There are wider headed frames out there afterall.

If you've ever read "The Inch That Changed The Game", you'd know what I mean in-depth.

I can hit fine, no problem. But with a midplus (wider head), you can hit with a more closed face, or take a sharper angle of attack upwards at the ball. With a smaller head, the angle cannot be as acute without hitting the frame. This is all simple, logical physics. ;)
 
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NoBadMojo said:
Feds racquet started out as being underpolarized. But you just cant add polarization..first you must depolarize, and then you can repolarize, all the while being careful not to hyperpolarize, as thats' just not good. The correct polarization depends on if the racquet is located in the northern hemisphere or the southern, because there is nothing worse than reverse polarization
Click to expand...
LMAO. Are you serious?
 
Strings And Things said:
Well, I never said that I didn't "get it". I did say that I can play well with it. I just said that compared to a midplus, the K90 isn't worth it for folks with extreme modern strokes. If one has extreme grips/modern strokes, then why choose a narrow-headed frame like the K90? There are wider headed frames out there afterall.

If you've ever read "The Inch That Changed The Game", you'd know what I mean in-depth.

I can hit fine, no problem. But with a midplus (wider head), you can hit with a more closed face, or take a sharper angle of attack upwards at the ball. With a smaller head, the angle cannot be as acute without hitting the frame. This is all simple, logical physics. ;)
Click to expand...

I know what ur talking about, Ive played with the pS 6.1 all my life, and for a little while with the APD. For some reason I love the k90, I just feel more comfortable with this stick :p thanks for the suggestion anyways.
 
NoBadMojo said:
Feds racquet started out as being underpolarized. But you just cant add polarization..first you must depolarize, and then you can repolarize, all the while being careful not to hyperpolarize, as thats' just not good. The correct polarization depends on if the racquet is located in the northern hemisphere or the southern, because there is nothing worse than reverse polarization
Click to expand...

That's deep, man. That's real deep.
 
I am pretty convinced that this, taken from the technical description of the K90 has something to do with the subject:

(K)ompact Center

(K)ompact Center is a new industrial design innovation that improves handling, maneuverability and provides additional feel. Directly inspired by world #1 Roger Federer.

But ofcourse, its worded so abstract that its impossible to be sure..
 
Povl Carstensen said:
I am pretty convinced that this, taken from the technical description of the K90 has something to do with the subject:

(K)ompact Center

(K)ompact Center is a new industrial design innovation that improves handling, maneuverability and provides additional feel. Directly inspired by world #1 Roger Federer.

But ofcourse, its worded so abstract that its impossible to be sure..
Click to expand...

I am inspired by the reading of the (K)ompact Center. Thank you.
 
Povl Carstensen said:
I am pretty convinced that this, taken from the technical description of the K90 has something to do with the subject:

(K)ompact Center

(K)ompact Center is a new industrial design innovation that improves handling, maneuverability and provides additional feel. Directly inspired by world #1 Roger Federer.

But ofcourse, its worded so abstract that its impossible to be sure..
Click to expand...
Maybe someone should compare this new "Kompact Center" to the ones on the ProStaff Tour 90 and nCode Tour 90. But I could have sworn that they were all one in the same. Who knows, maybe Wilson isn't lying to us anymore. :lol:
 
The Kompact Center is a new frame cross-section shape that enhances stiffness at key stress points for improved torsional stability.

The Kompact Center is a new frame cross-section shape that enhances stiffness.

Kompact Center is smaller neck for enhanced control.
 
PST90 vs k90: The throat shapes are the same width, and the "kompact center" is actually the same size. They look as though they come from the same mold, except for the longer pallet on the k90. I can take pictures if anyone wants to see.
 
I've had this setup for around 3 months now, and I have no complaints in the power and control department.

I've only measured the strung frame, since I just bought the second frame. The strung frame came in at 8pts HL. And from guestimating, I would say the second frame is a bit more HL unstrung, probably around ~11-12pts HL.

v4b5fn.jpg

wvab85.jpg
 
Alpine, I also have one of the Liquidmetal Radical MP I bought several years ago on a whim. I haven't played with it once yet.

How does the Microgel or Flexpoint compare to the Liquidmetal Radical?
 
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samster said:
Alpine, I also have one of the Liquidmetal Radical MP I bought several years ago on a whim. I haven't played with it once yet.

How does the Microgel or Flexpoint compare to the Liquidmetal Radical?
Click to expand...
Stock for stock, the MG Rad felt a bit numb and hollow, with less SW for me. Might have been the lack of poly. The FXP Rad feels a bit more flexible with more ball feel. The LM Rad. feels the heaviest with the most power.
 
AlpineCadet said:
Stock for stock, the MG Rad felt a bit numb and hollow, with less SW for me. Might have been the lack of poly. The FXP Rad feels a bit more flexible with more ball feel. The LM Rad. feels the heaviest with the most power.
Click to expand...

Excellent, I shall give this racket a shot since the great Alpine uses it.
 
samster said:
Excellent, I shall give this racket a shot since the great Alpine uses it.
Click to expand...
It's a dense string pattern frame, with moderate flex, and a decent SW (around 325, I believe.) Slap on a leather grip and some weight to decrease the head heavy balance, and you'll be close to a beefed up Prestige! That's exactly where I am IMO.

BTW, we should consider this thread as 100% hijacked! ;)
 
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AlpineCadet said:
Stock for stock, the MG Rad felt a bit numb and hollow, with less SW for me. Might have been the lack of poly. The FXP Rad feels a bit more flexible with more ball feel. The LM Rad. feels the heaviest with the most power.
Click to expand...

Hey, I just bought a 2nd hand FXP Radical for some fun and stuffed 50g of weight mainly in the butt/handle but some between 8 and 10 o'clock for a bit of torsional stability and made it more headlight. Gonna give it a whirl tomorrow. Feels like an axe and weighed in at 360g - slightly different to my nBlades!
 
BreakPoint said:
The "pallet" is the handle, so you can't have both a shorter pallet and a longer handle as they are one and the same.

The handles are also not part of the mold. Frames are molded without handles. They come out of the mold with no handles, just the center core, and are known as "hairpins" because the ends have two thin shafts. The handles are molded onto the frame much later on. For pros, the frames are shipped to their stringer/customizer without any handles on them at all. The customizer then molds a custom handle on the frames which precisely matches the size and feel the pro wants.

And, yes, Federer used a retail PS Tour 90 for a short time in 2003 before Wilson made the K90 for him. He then used the K90 with a PS Tour 90 paintjob on it for the remainder of 2003 until May 2004, when he switched to the nCode 90 paintjob over the same K90.

Here's Federer's racquet timeline:

Junior years to 2001: Retail China-made PS 6.0 85 with standard retail paintjob
Early 2002 to mid 2002: PS 6.0 85 with red HPS 6.0 95 Tour paintjob
Mid 2002 to early 2003: PS Tour 90 with red HPS 6.0 95 Tour paintjob
Early 2003 to mid 2003: Retail PS Tour 90 with standard retail paintjob
Mid 2003 to mid 2004: K90 with black PS Tour 90 paintjob
Mid 2004 to early 2007: K90 with red nCode 90 paintjob
Early 2007 to present: Retail K90 with standard retail paintjob
Click to expand...

hey breakpoint is the kfactor and the new blx have braided 20%kevlar???
 
Has not P1 confirmed that Federer plays (at that time played) the K-factor? And do their word not carry more weight than laymens speculations here..?
Also measurings of Federers k-factor have measured up very nicely with stock K-factor + overgrip. Still people here get very agitated with their beliefs and convictions...
 
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