Head (Prestige) mid history
- Thread starter Tennis Man
- Start date
boinz
Rookie
I believe VSB mentioned before, that the older Prestiges are weighed by grip size too.
I had a all brown PP that's similar weight and balance to yours. sold it becos it was too heavy for me to play. thankfully I come across another match pair that's 330g unstrung 31cm balance. now those are my specs
I had a all brown PP that's similar weight and balance to yours. sold it becos it was too heavy for me to play. thankfully I come across another match pair that's 330g unstrung 31cm balance. now those are my specs
vsbabolat
G.O.A.T.
Thats why yours is heavier. Its a "LM" which stands for Light Medium which is the heavier weight of the Prestige Pro. The lighter one is marked with a "L" which means Light.
chrischris
G.O.A.T.
Resorted back to retrying the beloved PT600 today.. windy day and found the mass and plow really helpful in hitting intothe wind.. nice nostalgic feel, love the racket!
prestigeww
Rookie
alright, for the people who have hit with many of the rackets in the prestige line, what are the top 3 for you and why?
also include racket specs if you want
also include racket specs if you want
boinz
Rookie
those with Tarwon plays best
PT630Wannabe
Professional
Yeah, there was a stretch where they couldn't use the name "Prestige" due to some legal wranglings. So they called it the Classic Mid. It's the same racquet.
MichaelChang
Hall of Fame
Never hit with a Redondo mid, but have hit with its dad: Type C heritage.
At some point I thought the Type C Heritage is just the dupe of HEAD classic mid, I could barely tell the difference in play. only main difference is the regular bumperguards (not the CAP on HEAD mids). Too bad the Type C is so rare now.
At some point I thought the Type C Heritage is just the dupe of HEAD classic mid, I could barely tell the difference in play. only main difference is the regular bumperguards (not the CAP on HEAD mids). Too bad the Type C is so rare now.
vsbabolat
G.O.A.T.
He did and then switched to the Prestige Pro 600.
1st Seed
Professional
Thanks Chang.I once ballboyed for you.You told me to slow down cause i was making you look bad.Honest.If its really you lol That's exactly what I was reffering too.The Type C' Its such an additive stick to not use
.My elbow loves it.Great for my flat as a pancake game.And so solid and consistently stable.With gut mains,And 100% Graphite frame .Even more butter then my PB10's,
Hence I'm hoping the Classic MId"aka PC600 will be very similar,with minor variences.
.My elbow loves it.Great for my flat as a pancake game.And so solid and consistently stable.With gut mains,And 100% Graphite frame .Even more butter then my PB10's,
Hence I'm hoping the Classic MId"aka PC600 will be very similar,with minor variences.
I have a Redondo Mid, never saw Type C Heritage, can you please compare these two racquets.
MichaelChang
Hall of Fame
The Type C Heritage is a grey stick, not the same as red Redondo. Now let's not hijack this thread.
For those who interested in Redondo vs C Heritage, found an old thread:
https://tt.tennis-warehouse.com/index.php?threads/pro-kennex-laver-heritage-series-type-c-93.170415/
For those who interested in Redondo vs C Heritage, found an old thread:
https://tt.tennis-warehouse.com/index.php?threads/pro-kennex-laver-heritage-series-type-c-93.170415/
Sorry if I write here. But I read about Century plus in the Plasma's list so I permit to myself to write a question. I had HEAD Century mid. Someone could tell me its characteristics? About weight, balance and the rest. I'd like so much to discover those numbers. Thanks in advance
serveandvolE
Rookie
I just wanted to add a finding to Head's history since I use the Graphite Edge as my daily driver. From what I can determine through Head's ads in magazines, the Graphite Edge came out in 1980 and most likely not in 1982. I have pictures of the 1980 ad and another one from 1981. That is all!
Ad1
Ad2
Ad1
Ad2
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kevin qmto
Legend
I wish I could get this level racket history for other brands, I'm trying to piece together an Adidas timeline myself but its really difficult.
Great info here though, really fun to read up on.
Great info here though, really fun to read up on.
galain
Hall of Fame
It's a real shame Tom Martinez doesn't seem to post here any longer. Back in the days of the old board he did some great threads on racquet history. Bloodlines and Racquets of the Pro's.
I couldn't even name the year exactly - perhaps around 2005 or 2006? The Wayback Machine may help someone find these.
Old thread but I haven't been on in ages, but looking at getting out and selling a lot of stuff. I'm having trouble finding much info on the Special Edition Tour Pro (red/blue) frames. I have two, 10/10, cap gromments, one has original butt cap (like a 5/8) but the other is more modern as I picked up some #2 pallets.
Any ideas of value? I saw a couple on The Flea, but the were pretty ragged at $60-ish (and tax, now!) and shipping, and this is a beautiful PAIR, so I assumed there could be a little more 'collector value' to a like-new set vs just having one.
Oh, yea....and were these made with Twaron??
Thanks
Any ideas of value? I saw a couple on The Flea, but the were pretty ragged at $60-ish (and tax, now!) and shipping, and this is a beautiful PAIR, so I assumed there could be a little more 'collector value' to a like-new set vs just having one.
Oh, yea....and were these made with Twaron??
Thanks
teachingprotx
Legend
Yeah they are great hitters ice and flexy much like a max 200 g flex. But more in the head . Ra 44-48 I’d say
Heavy buggers .. unfortunately they aren’t worth much maybe $ 25 - $40 for grreat shape ..
vsbabolat
G.O.A.T.
No Twaron. They were pretty flexible and not that sought after
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teachingprotx
Legend
I love all those “ medium “ flex 1980’s racquets head made back then .
And there is a ton of them too .
And they all hit incredibly similar.
All of them
so if you are a person that likes true midsize frames and enjoy super soft controlled sticks , look no further than
The club pro , team pro , pro tour ,
Special edition , magnum , etc .
They all hit the same more or less .
And there is a ton of them too .
And they all hit incredibly similar.
All of them
so if you are a person that likes true midsize frames and enjoy super soft controlled sticks , look no further than
The club pro , team pro , pro tour ,
Special edition , magnum , etc .
They all hit the same more or less .
Grafil Injection
Hall of Fame
Was the positioning of the original Prestige 'Mid-Plus' Graphite (gold coloured) ever confirmed, within the rest of the Pro mould rackets? We know that Graphite Pro is 80/20, and Comp Pro 60/40 graphite/fibreglass layups. Was Prestige 'Mid-Plus' the Euro equivalent of the US Special Edition Pro (100% graphite)? Or was Prestige 'Mid-Plus' a lower range model, like the Club/Team etc Pros?Excellent info, thanks
So this Head (Graphite Pro mold) was called a "Prestige", 2 years before a Prestige Pro existed, I can see why I was confused!!!
kevin qmto
Legend
Try as I might, I can’t even find a picture of the gold colored Prestige. (Well, except for the unrelated Wilson Prestige lol)
Grafil Injection
Hall of Fame
Here you go:
I understand from other threads that it was made in Austria around 1985-6 in the Graphite Pro mould (although it doesn't say Pro); but weirdly it has the semi-matt paintjob of the later Taiwan Edges and Pros. Perhaps glossy gold would have been too lairy! I haven't seen it in any adverts, so I don't know whether it was above the GP with 100% graphite, or if it could have been a lower range model, and 'Graphite' is just a standard indication of a composite frame.
Nadal15thslam
Hall of Fame
@vsbabolat I hear something that keeps moving inside my frame, it's a small thing that could easily be taken out if I know how to remove the buttcap but I don't know how (it doesn't have a trap door). Do you have any idea how it's supposed to be done? For a Head Prestige Pro brown 1st gen
vsbabolat
G.O.A.T.
You might have some drill flash in there. You have 2 options.
Option 1 is: if you have replacement grommets, take the grommets out and shake the debris out of the racquet and gently hitting it on a pillow or soft surface. The debris will come right out. Then put your new grommets in and you’re done.
The second more painful option is remove the butt-cap from the pallet. The butt-cap is stapled to the pallet. You must take an awl and pry off the staples from the butt-cap. When you remove the butt-cap you might get a nasty surprise of silicone. Even for retail racquets back in the day HEAD would adjust the racket to have it in specs with silicone. You can see if there’s a hole in the butt-cap but sometimes there isn’t. That’s why the best way is to remove grommets and just put new grommets in. But we live in a time with limited supply of grommets.
Nadal15thslam
Hall of Fame
Are grommets for all the Prestige Mids interchangeable? If they are I think I'll just get new grommets because now I have the original grommets that are pretty worn out.
vsbabolat
G.O.A.T.
Grommets for the PC600, I.Prestige Mid, FXP Prestige Mid, MG, YT, and IG Prestige will fit.
I installed IG Youtek grommets (the translucent one) on my i.Prestige MP and they fit no problem. But the holes on the frame are a little too big that there are gaps between grommets and the frame.
onehandbh
G.O.A.T.
I have grey/black with gold striped Head racquet that has "Special Edition" write at around 5:30 and 6:30 on the head.
On the top of the handle it says "Pro Midplus" and on the side of the throat it says "100% Graphite. No CAPS.
End of buttcap says "Made in Austria". 18x20 string pattern.
Is this the same thing as the Head Graphite Pro?
I compared it to my Pro Staff 85 and the head looks slightly larger but smaller than my Wilson 6.1 95.
Are there any current head racquets that use a grommet (available on TW) that could fit in this racquet?
vsbabolat
G.O.A.T.
It’s the same MOLD as the Graphite Pro. The layup is different. The Special Edition Pro is 100% graphite layup that’s much stiffer than the Graphite Pro.
If there is any IG Prestige Mid grommets left those would fit but I would trim off the Cap grommets part as the Special Edition Pro has a grommets strip and the CAP grommets will change the balance and add weight.
onehandbh
G.O.A.T.
Do you remember what kind of grip it came with? Was it a leather grip? The one I have (bought from a thrift store) is missing the grip. (just bare pallet).
vsbabolat
G.O.A.T.
Yes, it came with a tan leather grip.
onehandbh
G.O.A.T.
I found some Youtek IG Prestige Mid grommets (TK292), but they are clear color and I would prefer black.
Would any of these also fit?
Microgel Prestige Mid (TK237)
Youtek Prestige Mid (TK237)
Flexpoint Prestige Mid (TK52B)
onehandbh
G.O.A.T.
Thanks. I'll put a leather grip on. Want to see what it plays like in as close to stock form as possible. Then if I don't like it I'll try adjust balance, etc.
vsbabolat
G.O.A.T.
They all will fit but it will be a slight struggle as the holes don’t line up exactly. Again I suggest you trim off the CAP portion so it’s a grommet strip because the full CAP grommet will make the racket too heavy and too much weight in the head.
vsbabolat
G.O.A.T.
What’s wrong with the current grommets?
onehandbh
G.O.A.T.
The current grommets are still okay, but I want to get another set or two, as I don't expect the grommets to be easier to get in the future.
Going to start playing with some of the old racquets in my collection that I have not tried yet. Starting with these three first:
Graphite Pro Midplus
mystery head racquet with a paintjob (Pro Tour 630 under paint?)
Wilson Hyper Hammer 5.3 95 with powerholes
vsbabolat
G.O.A.T.
The grommets should stay fine. The bumper guard is molded onto the frame. Can you post a photo of your mystery racket?
onehandbh
G.O.A.T.
I was considering putting on CAPS grommets or adding some head tape b/c I tend to scrape the court bit on low volleys (folllow-thru) and low balls I am trying to dig up from the baseline.
I'll get the racquet from storage and take some photos.
vsbabolat
G.O.A.T.
You’re better off first trying it with head tape and seeing how it performed stock
teachingprotx
Legend
Also fyi for anyone . The USA special edition red blue and white is just as soft and flexy as the head club pro .
onehandbh
G.O.A.T.
Some photos of the racquet.
I was wrong. It's an i.radical. It may not even be a paintjob of another racquet. I only suspected it could be a paintjob because it used to belong to pro that was thinking of using it awhile back and from what I remember, the i.radical midplus did not use CAPS grommets.
vsbabolat
G.O.A.T.
That is a PT57A in i.Radical paint.Some photos of the racquet.
I was wrong. It's an i.radical. It may not even be a paintjob of another racquet. I only suspected it could be a paintjob because it used to belong to pro that was thinking of using it awhile back and from what I remember, the i.radical midplus did not use CAPS grommets.
onehandbh
G.O.A.T.
The racquet did not have any grip on it when I got it. Bare pallet.
Put it on the scale and it was 339 grams even before putting on a synthetic or leather grip and strings.
Added a synthetic grip and strings and it weighed 370.
374 with an overgrip.
I prefer the feel of a leathergrip under an overgrip, but it's going to add a little more weight.
Got a chance to hit with it yesterday and compared to my 18x20 Blade Pro.
Head Graphite Pro Midplus Special Edition:
mains: TruPro ghostwire at 42 lbs
cross: gosen synthetic gut @ 40 lbs.
Low launch angle, super plush and plow-through.
Wilson Blade Pro 18x20:
mains: TruPro 17g Black Knight @ 42 lbs
cross: Isopeed 17g greyfire @ 40 lbs
high launch angle, lots of spin, but a little too soft for me. Will increase tension about 8-10 lbs next time.
Will probably change the grip to leather.
Grafil Injection
Hall of Fame
Having got hold of a Prestige Midplus gold now, I can answer a few of my questions above, but it's precise date remains unclear, as I have not found an advert.
The weight and balance is essentially the same as my Graphite and Comp Pros, at 360g strung, 32.75 balance. The finish has the clear top coat over the gold paintwork, and the graphics are the same style. This suggests a similar timeframe to those Midplus models, which were listed in Spring 1985. My gold Prestige also has the gold AMF Head label, and since the (same hoop size 89.5sq, but thinner profilei) Austrian Prestige Pro came out in 1986, can we say the Gold Midplus model must have been 1985? A final thought is the label says patent pending, whereas my Graphite and Comp Pros don't mention the patent.
Also worth mentioning is the feel is the nicest of those three. More comfortable than the Graphite Pro whilst still solid and powerful, and none of the excess flex and flutter off-centre that I find in the Comp Pro. If I had to guess I would say 100% graphite.
The weight and balance is essentially the same as my Graphite and Comp Pros, at 360g strung, 32.75 balance. The finish has the clear top coat over the gold paintwork, and the graphics are the same style. This suggests a similar timeframe to those Midplus models, which were listed in Spring 1985. My gold Prestige also has the gold AMF Head label, and since the (same hoop size 89.5sq, but thinner profilei) Austrian Prestige Pro came out in 1986, can we say the Gold Midplus model must have been 1985? A final thought is the label says patent pending, whereas my Graphite and Comp Pros don't mention the patent.
Also worth mentioning is the feel is the nicest of those three. More comfortable than the Graphite Pro whilst still solid and powerful, and none of the excess flex and flutter off-centre that I find in the Comp Pro. If I had to guess I would say 100% graphite.
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