I thought I knew all of the POGs but I need help!!!

[dak95_00]

I just purchased a used POG on that auction site. It is a little different than the others I have or have seen.

My experience:
I own 2 single stripe 90s and a four stripe 90. (none say midplus) yes, 93s!

I own a four stripe 110. (not oversize) yes, I know!!!!

I have owned a Graphite 2 midplus.

I have seen and held 1977 Graphites w/o head guards/grometts w/ leather for cushion between the strings and the frame.

Here is where you can help.......
This racquet is a midplus 14x18 string pattern. It is slightly larger than my 90s making me think it is a 95. It is 28" long w/ a long grip. It has absolutely no graphics. The headguard says Prince and the buttcap is also a Prince. The part that throws me the most is that the frame isn't as "boxy" as a normal graphite and looks more like the frame of my Prince Michael Chang Titanium Longbody w/ its curves. It is all black and shiny except where there are blemishes from play. The grip is also long. It has 8 string holes at the throat (4 on each side of the center) which is different from ALL Prince models that I have seen. Finally, it has etched into the side of the racquet just above the handle in three lines TC31E, CT4-7, & #42.

Any ideas or knowledge?????

 

[Bud]

I just purchased a used POG on that auction site. It is a little different than the others I have or have seen.

My experience:
I own 2 single stripe 90s and a four stripe 90. (none say midplus) yes, 93s!

I own a four stripe 110. (not oversize) yes, I know!!!!

I have owned a Graphite 2 midplus.

I have seen and held 1977 Graphites w/o head guards/grometts w/ leather for cushion between the strings and the frame.

Here is where you can help.......
This racquet is a midplus 14x18 string pattern. It is slightly larger than my 90s making me think it is a 95. It is 28" long w/ a long grip. It has absolutely no graphics. The headguard says Prince and the buttcap is also a Prince. The part that throws me the most is that the frame isn't as "boxy" as a normal graphite and looks more like the frame of my Prince Michael Chang Titanium Longbody w/ its curves. It is all black and shiny except where there are blemishes from play. The grip is also long. It has 8 string holes at the throat (4 on each side of the center) which is different from ALL Prince models that I have seen. Finally, it has etched into the side of the racquet just above the handle in three lines TC31E, CT4-7, & #42.

Any ideas or knowledge?????

It's probably a PJ of a Michael Chang. I believe in stock form they were that blueish color... also, the mid/mid+ (95 sq. in.) was 14x18 and they were 28" long. Also, the specs for customization further suggest the PJ. CT may be the player's initials.

It may also be one of those special test racquets.

 

[JW10S]

When Prince first introduced the 'Long Body' graphites I was sent a few to try out. Two were the Michael Chang oversize models and two were smaller headed mid-size or mid-plus frames and as you say had more rounded frames. I don't remember what the MP models were called (they definitely weren't Michael Chang models though). And if I recall correctly they had green and purple pj's. I didn't think much of the Chang models but remember having an extended try out with the MP's. They were very solid racquets. I don't think they stayed in the line very long. Sounds like you have a prototype of this frame.

 

[Bud]

When Prince first introduced the 'Long Body' graphites I was sent a few to try out. Two were the Michael Chang oversize models and two were smaller headed frames (95-98) and as you say had more rounded frames. I don't remember what the MP models were called (they definitely weren't Michael Chang models though). And if I recall correctly they had green and purple pj's. I didn't think much of the Chang models but remember having an extended try out with the MP's. They were very solid racquets. I don't think they stayed in the line very long. Sounds like you have a prototype frame.

Was that the Precision line? I have a Precision Ascent Lite that is 97 sq. in. with the greenish PJ and the rounded beams that is also 14x18... but it's 27" long.

 

[Bud]

I just purchased a used POG on that auction site. It is a little different than the others I have or have seen.

My experience:
I own 2 single stripe 90s and a four stripe 90. (none say midplus) yes, 93s!

I own a four stripe 110. (not oversize) yes, I know!!!!

I have owned a Graphite 2 midplus.

I have seen and held 1977 Graphites w/o head guards/grometts w/ leather for cushion between the strings and the frame.

Here is where you can help.......
This racquet is a midplus 14x18 string pattern. It is slightly larger than my 90s making me think it is a 95. It is 28" long w/ a long grip. It has absolutely no graphics. The headguard says Prince and the buttcap is also a Prince. The part that throws me the most is that the frame isn't as "boxy" as a normal graphite and looks more like the frame of my Prince Michael Chang Titanium Longbody w/ its curves. It is all black and shiny except where there are blemishes from play. The grip is also long. It has 8 string holes at the throat (4 on each side of the center) which is different from ALL Prince models that I have seen. Finally, it has etched into the side of the racquet just above the handle in three lines TC31E, CT4-7, & #42.

Any ideas or knowledge?????

What is the beam width?

 

[JW10S]

Was that the Precision line? I have a Precision Ascent Lite that is 97 sq. in. with the greenish PJ and the rounded beams that is also 14x18... but it's 27" long.

The Precision Ascent Lite is a different racquet than the one I was talking about which was definitely 28" long.

 

[MikeCrowChip]

I had the ascent lites. the beam was 25mm, and was Prince's version of the hammer. You'll be able to tell them apart from any Graphite line. It has no crossbar.

 

[Bud]

I had the ascent lites. the beam was 25mm, and was Prince's version of the hammer. You'll be able to tell them apart from any Graphite line. It has no crossbar.

Really? Were they head-heavy like the hammers?

 

[MikeCrowChip]

Yep. I took the grip off and the butt cap, there's no Elastoplastic grip. It was just an empty shell underneath...similar to wilson's hammer. It wasn't as head heavy as some of the wilsons, so it wasn't super duper powerful...but it was definately head heavy. I like that the throat was spread apart. Not profile wise, but from face one going up from the grip, it gradually opened up to the head of the racquet like traditional racquets. Not like, say the nTour, which i feel the throat was too open for my liking. ...anyways.

I always felt the stick was slowed down by its straight 25mm frame. It seemed and felt bulky when you swung it. It wasn't super stiff...the power rating was 620 for my mid plus. It had some nice control, but way to unstable and felt like you were hitting with a hollow bat. A dampener was definately required...i think it came with a P-style one. There was also a sister Lite racquet, the Laser Lite.

 

[Princegod]

I just purchased a used POG on that auction site. It is a little different than the others I have or have seen.

My experience:
I own 2 single stripe 90s and a four stripe 90. (none say midplus) yes, 93s!

I own a four stripe 110. (not oversize) yes, I know!!!!

I have owned a Graphite 2 midplus.

I have seen and held 1977 Graphites w/o head guards/grometts w/ leather for cushion between the strings and the frame.

Here is where you can help.......
This racquet is a midplus 14x18 string pattern. It is slightly larger than my 90s making me think it is a 95. It is 28" long w/ a long grip. It has absolutely no graphics. The headguard says Prince and the buttcap is also a Prince. The part that throws me the most is that the frame isn't as "boxy" as a normal graphite and looks more like the frame of my Prince Michael Chang Titanium Longbody w/ its curves. It is all black and shiny except where there are blemishes from play. The grip is also long. It has 8 string holes at the throat (4 on each side of the center) which is different from ALL Prince models that I have seen. Finally, it has etched into the side of the racquet just above the handle in three lines TC31E, CT4-7, & #42.

Any ideas or knowledge?????

It sounds like a prototype or experimental racket. Take a photo and post it.

 

[dak95_00]

Okay, I posted pics to Shutterfly. The first pic is the racquet between a 28" Chang Titanium Oversize and a 26" (Jr.) Chang Graphite Oversize. The next pics are of the throats of the Graphite? and then the Changs. Then I took pics of the engravings followed finally by the racquet between two of my POG 90s.

Here is the link.
http://share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=0IaN3DdqyYsnKw&emid=sharshar&linkid=link4

 

[Princegod]

You could have inherited this guys frame.. Was it a 4 1/2 grip? Seems to match the description.

http://tt.tennis-warehouse.com/showthread.php?t=39901

The grommets at the throat were like that on Chang Titanium 95 and Original Chang 95 racket. The Chang Titanium had the white suspension grommets, but he mentioned he replaced them, so could have replaced them with the standard Chang grommets which I believe fit. The initials "CT" makes me think it's a painted Chang Titanium. Also the grey rubber collar around the top of the grip looks like it's from a Chang Titanium.

 

[dak95_00]

Nice try. The grip is a 4 3/8. I do like the Chang Titanium theory and the C. T. because that does merit some logic. The butt cap is the same as my Chang Titanium model so I know they are of the same time period. However, the paint job isn't a 1/2 butt operation and the biggie..........

It still has 8 grommet holes in the throat instead of every other Prince Graphite/Chang models whether oversize or mid with only 6. I could be wrong since I don't own or have access to any Chang midplus models.

I did just hold it up to my NXG mids and it looks very, very close (head shape=not as round as normal Prince models) to it but w/ a 14x18 instead of 18x20 (10 grommet holes in throat) and the cross bar isn't split but is solid.

This has also got to be one of the few Prince Graphite models that the main string pattern would start at the top instead of the throat.

Regardless, I'm probably just going to pass it on as I have no need for a 28" racquet. I just want to have an idea of what it is.

 

[dak95_00]

Can this frame /grip be cut down to 27"? I'll search for how to do that. Also, where do you get a replacement grip long enough for the extended Prince grips?

 

[PBODY99]

You have one of the Prince preproduction frames. I've come across quite a few living less than an hour from their Princeton HQ.
The line of script is the manufacturing code for the layup of the model. They are sometimes donated to youth tennis programs in the Delaware Valley.
Most of the replacement grips are long enough for the extra long handles of the 28 inch frames.

 

[Princegod]

Can this frame /grip be cut down to 27"? I'll search for how to do that. Also, where do you get a replacement grip long enough for the extended Prince grips?

The old Prince Duratac and Duratred replacement grips used to be made long enough for extended rackets. Not sure about now. TW can probably tell you though.

 

[Princegod]

Here is a pic of the Original Chang 95 throat area. Photo kinda sucks since I had to zoom in, but you can see the four loops on the bridge.

 

[dak95_00]

Ooh....Looks like you might be right. Is it a 14x18 pattern?

 

[dak95_00]

Okay, I just looked it up on the Prince site and they were 14x18 and started stringing mains at the head so it is all coming together. Finally, I'll have to figure out if it is a Graphite or a Titanium.

I'm guessing the C.T. is still a Titanium and I bet it is an initial run from the factory like PBODY99 has said. The paint is too good to be someones half-hearted effort to make it look decent. I peeled off the grip as it was old, dirty/nasty, and unplayable. I have a new DuraRib grip that I'll see if it'll fit and I may give it a hit or two.

I'm still not crazy about the 28" thing but I gave less than $30 for it including shipping.

 

[Princegod]

It's probably a preproduction Chang Titanium though it has the standard grommets instead of the suspension. I'm guessing when Prince are testing frames they keep everything pretty basic. Then later they add more bells and whistles (suspension grommets) for full production.

 

[dak95_00]

Thanks for the help; if I didn't say so before. The DuraRib grip fit just fine and I was even able to overlap it nicely to make it a little bigger where I like it. Who knows? Maybe this will become my grail of racquets!