Fischer Retro, tension range?

[!Tym]

Is there anyone who has tried both the Fischer Retro and the OLDER Fischer rackets such as the Vacuum Pro 90 and the Vacuum Pro 98 who can compare?

I've tried some of the new Fischers, and they're still muted and damp, but don't have the same organic, satisfying feel of the orginals. In other words, they feel more synthetic to me. Not bad, just not special to me anymore.

The Fischer Retro looks like it's been discontinued already, so I'm thinking this maybe my last chance to grab a few before they're gone forever.

Basically, it does look like the ceramic has been added back to the material layup in these; however, what I'm not sure about is the tension range. A wide range is stated for the Retro, whereas on the old ones they had WAY narrow tension ranges and very low too.

You couldn't really string it higher than say 54lbs. or so, or all that signature feel would just dissapear and it just didn't feel right at all anymore. It was the weirdest thing.

Wondering if the expanded tension range is just a marketing ploy if indeed the material layouts are still basically the same. Maybe they should still be advertising the Retro with those old 52-55 type tension ranges they used to have.

Thanks.

 

[louis netman]

Nowadays companies (especially smaller ones like Fischer) need to attract a braoder range of players to their frames, hence the broader tension range. I love lower tensions now, but ten to twenty years ago, I would have been turned off if the frame told me I needed to string in the high 40s/ low 50s...

 

[Keifers]

In addition to the reason that louis netman offered, I suspect that the 50-70 lbs tension range has to do with Gamma being the distributor of Fischer racquets in the US. Someone (I think it was tkoets) mentioned that while the tension range of the M Speeds is also 50-70, this is only in the US. European M Speeds have the range as 50-60 lbs.

Re the Retro, the frame certainly has the words "SIC Ceramics" at 12:00 on the hoop. But people knowledgeable about Fischer racquets (including AAAA) have expressed doubt that any of the recent Pro No. 1s have ceramics, and suggest that the Retro also likely does not have Ceramics. It would be wonderful to find out from Fischer in Germany what the truth is.

 

[AAAA]

Re the Retro, the frame certainly has the words "SIC Ceramics" at 12:00 on the hoop. But people knowledgeable about Fischer racquets (including AAAA) have expressed doubt that any of the recent Pro No. 1s have ceramics, and suggest that the Retro also likely does not have Ceramics. It would be wonderful to find out from Fischer in Germany what the truth is.

Keifers it was Mr. Contradiction who expressed his opinion as fact that the recent Pro #1s contain NO ceramics at ALL. Personally I'm not sure why the recent Pro #1s feel different because things like flex, flex distribution, graphite weave as well as different quantities and distribution of ceramics could from my laymans perspective affect racquet 'feel'.

 

[frekcles]

The Fischer Retro looks like it's been discontinued already, so I'm thinking this maybe my last chance to grab a few before they're gone forever.

Is this true? I recently bought an older Fischer frame from Louis and would like to know if the retro will make a nice backup racquet or is the feel entirely different. The frame I bought is the red/silver Pro No. 1.

Many thanks for your input.

 

[007]

The red/silver Pro #1 has ceramics in the layup and was the VT98 Pro with different cosmetics. When the red/black Pro #1 came along ceramics were dropped and they haven't returned.

 

[iscottius]

Is there anyone who has tried both the Fischer Retro and the OLDER Fischer rackets such as the Vacuum Pro 90 and the Vacuum Pro 98 who can compare?

I've tried some of the new Fischers, and they're still muted and damp, but don't have the same organic, satisfying feel of the orginals. In other words, they feel more synthetic to me. Not bad, just not special to me anymore.

The Fischer Retro looks like it's been discontinued already, so I'm thinking this maybe my last chance to grab a few before they're gone forever.

Basically, it does look like the ceramic has been added back to the material layup in these; however, what I'm not sure about is the tension range. A wide range is stated for the Retro, whereas on the old ones they had WAY narrow tension ranges and very low too.

You couldn't really string it higher than say 54lbs. or so, or all that signature feel would just dissapear and it just didn't feel right at all anymore. It was the weirdest thing.

Wondering if the expanded tension range is just a marketing ploy if indeed the material layouts are still basically the same. Maybe they should still be advertising the Retro with those old 52-55 type tension ranges they used to have.

Thanks.

string your retro 55 + or - 5

 

[Bora]

I've tried some of the new Fischers, and they're still muted and damp, but don't have the same organic, satisfying feel of the orginals. In other words, they feel more synthetic to me. Not bad, just not special to me anymore.

Amen, this is what I have been trying to say. I am wondering if the new Magnetic Pro Ones have a similar feel. Well, I'll be finding out this weekend when I play with them.

 

[Marius_Hancu]

string your retro 55 + or - 5

I am at 58lbs with a bloody cheap poly, but it works OK for the time being ... waiting to change it though.

The racquet feels to me a bit tinny, thus I think a softer string would help.

 

[!Tym]

string your retro 55 + or - 5

Hi, I thought I read that you used the MSpeed No. 1 98. If so, how does that compare to the Retro?

Thanks.

 

[NoBadMojo]

I played the VTPro98's for a long time as well as the Fischer Steeb.
In my opinion, there hasnt been ceramics in the Fischer frames since they quit stating the tension range of 54-56 or so. or at least none of the racquets since felt like there was ceramics in there. The feel of those was distinctive and they truly didnt perform or feel great if you went lo or high with the tension or had a stringer who didnt know what 54-56 really meant. the VTPro98 was an amazing frame I thought and one of the very few frames with ceramics in there that actualy played well..the Ceramic craze was very short lived as ceramics are best used for insulation on the space shuttle and such rather than a material to include in tennis racuets i think, but somehow Fischer was able to pull it off. The blue/purple/goldish iteration of the VTPro98 was kind of a paintjob work of art as well with the real exposed layup in places

 

[iscottius]

Hi, I thought I read that you used the MSpeed No. 1 98. If so, how does that compare to the Retro?

Thanks.

the retro is a nice racquet, decent feel playability, solid but nothng too special. the m speed is incredible, power, feel, control, spin, large sweetspot, manuerverable--for me the best racquet that I have ever played. strung with bab tonic 59lbs

 

[JediMindTrick]

the retro is a nice racquet, decent feel playability, solid but nothng too special. the m speed is incredible, power, feel, control, spin, large sweetspot, manuerverable--for me the best racquet that I have ever played. strung with bab tonic 59lbs

So how is the sweetspot, power level, spin and feel of the Retro compared to the M Speed?

 

[iscottius]

So how is the sweetspot, power level, spin and feel of the Retro compared to the M Speed?

The sweetspot is slightly bigger on m speed, power level is similiar, slight edge to M speed, Spin hands down M speed, Feel hands down M speed

 

[!Tym]

The sweetspot is slightly bigger on m speed, power level is similiar, slight edge to M speed, Spin hands down M speed, Feel hands down M speed

Just curious, have you ever tried the true original Fischers with the ceramics in them as well that had the ultra low and narrow tension ranges?

Those rackets had a completely unique and signature feel in my opinion that it seems was not duplicated in the *supposed* reintroduction of an old classic design in the Retro...i.e. I think Fischer missed the boat by offering a watered down version of the true orginals.

It's hard for me to believe that the old Vacuum Pros would lose hands down in terms of feel to the M Speed, at least I think the feels would be on par.

Thanks again.

 

[iscottius]

The oldest fischer racquet that I played with was the red & silver pro # 1 330 grams, which was a very solid and good feeling racquet (I don't know if there were actual ceramics in it), I do not go back to the fischer stich models or original vacuum ceramics.

I have played and demoed alot of racquets that are known for feel, C10 pro, Prestiges, RDX, POG, and the M speed strung with gut at 59 lbs is IMO the best feeling racquet that I have used. It is a soft frame, flexy. You get alot of ball feel and dwell time. The racquet is crisp and comfortable.