Info on Head Graphite Pro 600.

F

francescomcenroe

New User
Hi everybody,

my name is Francesco, i'm a new user and i'm from Italy. As my nickname shows i am a McEnroe fan.
I'm writing to you to have technical details on Head Graphite Pro 600 racquet, the one with the increasing profile. It's a racquet of last 80's and i did not find any information on internet.
Please, help me!

Regards,

Francesco
 
I do not have the spec, but you must be referring to the black graphite pro with "power wedge" design, which has wider beam at upper hoop. It is very stiff frame. How do you like it? If you feel too stiff, try the black graphite pro of the prior model (contant beam). Tha frame was used by Emilio Sanchez, Sergio Casal, ALberto Mancini, etc.

In USA, it maybe comparable with the wide body elite pro (beige metallic color). I have the black graphite pro, the elite pro, elite master (all with power wedge design) .....too stiff frame for me.
 
Alex,

thank you very much. You are right, i'm talking about the black one with a wider beam at upper hoop. I do not feel as a very stiff racquet, i feel as a soft touch frame: in fact last week i tried the Wilson N six N code and i felt it very stiff and very hard and heavy for my arm.

Thank you very much for your help.

Francesco
 
francesco,

tandayu is correct. The GP 600 with Twaron was a modest 1989 widebody release by Head.

I recall the GP 600 had an aerodynamic cross section, and only a single power wedge at the top of the racquethead. The Elite and Elektra series of 1989 had double power wedges (shaft, top of head), and they were presented as more top-of-the-line and were also more expensive than the GP.

I also recall the GP 600 had a white-colored widebody half-CAP (Computer Aided Protection) bumper guard (covering the 10 o'clock to 2 o'clock positions).

As tandayu notes, the GP 600 got little attention from Head pros at the time, all of whom were mostly busy with the Prestige Pro 600.

Saluti dall'America!
 
Thank you very much!
What kind of player do you think it fits better?
You say that it is a "modest" release by Head: do you think that Prestige Pro or Wilson pro staff models (of that time) are better than GP 600? Why you say that? Do you think that the GP 600 has some weak point? If you compare GP 600 to Prestige Pro (Ivanisevic model) or Wilson pro staff (Edberg model) is it stiffer or less stiff (sorry but i don't know the exact english term) than these?
Thank you very much.
I just want to understand if this is a good racquet and if it fits to my game or if i have to change to a new model fitting better to me.

Regards,

Francesco
 
The GP 600 is a stiffer racquet than both the Prestige and the Pro Staff mids, in two ways. First, the upper part of the hoop will play much stiffer than those other two frames, because the GP 600's frame is widest at that point. Also, the aero profile of the GP 600's shaft also acts as a stiffening agent for the frame. If you were to have the same frame materials and composition as the GP 600, but with a conventional cross-section, you'd get a more flexible response.

Understand that the added stiffness is not necessarily a bad thing. Compared to the other mids you cite from that period, the GP 600 is a very good netrusher's frame, but not necessarily as well suited for a baseliner (who traditionally prefer a more flexible frame). The GP 600's feel is inferior to that of the other two mids, but it's still a very nice frame that doesn't exist much today.

By 'modest', I meant that the GP 600 was not a top-of-the-line release by Head in 1989. Above it were several other frames, the Elite Pro and Master & and the Elektra Pro and Master. Head was going widebody-crazy then, and the GP 600 was a more affordable but still high-quality option.
 
I thank you very much for your suggestions.
You say that it is a stiff frame: I use a 25/24 kilos for my strings and probably this way i get a more flexible response from this frame. In fact i'm able to make good and strong shots from the baseline and on the serve too. Probably if i use a higher tension (e.g. 27/26 kilos) i should feel all the stiffness of the racquet (and probably have more control on my shots but less power). I thought that it was good for a baseliner for its increasing hoop; instead you say that it is good for a net game. Probably it has a balance towards the grip (in Italy we say towards the heart of the racquet) rather that the upper part of the racquet (in Italy we say the head of the racquet).

Please, let me know your opinion on what i mentioned above.

Regards,

Francesco
 
Hi everybody,

I found 2 old italian tennis magazines of 1991 where there are all technical details on Head Graphite Pro 600 (european version) i try to translate in english:

Head Size: Mid Plus 600 sq. cm.
Composition: Graphite (60%), Fiberglass (35%) and Twaron (5%)
Frame Flexibility Grade: Medium/Stiff
String pattern: 18x20
Suggested String Tension: Natural Gut and Synthetic: 24-28 Kilos
Other: patented CAP protection; SPW (single power wedge) increasing profile on the upper hoop
Grip Type: double density
Wheight/Grip Size: SL 2-4; L 2-5
Colour: black
Game Level: very good/good/medium
Type of player: all (pro, expert, club,...)
Type of game: versatile

If somebody has interest in some technical details on racquets of early nineties (i think it's hard finding on internet) please let me know and i try to translate in (my poor) english all i have.

Regards,

Francesco
 
I would be interested if you can find the spec for graphite pro (mid plus) and prestige pro 600. These 2 frames not sold in USA.
 
For graphite pro (mid plus) i did not find anything (may be you are talking about the constant profile version of graphite pro 600? Probably it's a model of half '80s out of the market in 1991).

On prestige pro 600 i found:

Head Size: Mid Plus 600 sq. cm.
Composition: Graphite (80%), Fiberglass (10%) and Twaron (10%)
Frame Flexibility Grade: Very Stiff
String pattern: 18x20
Suggested String Tension: Natural Gut 23-27 Kilos, Synthetic 24-28 Kilos
Other: patented CAP protection; traditional section; air dynamic profile
Grip Type: double density
Wheight/Grip Size: SL 2-3; L 2-5 (315-345 g)
Colour: brown-red translucent
Game Level: pro/expert
Type of player: attack/all court
Type of game: attack/all court

One question: what do you think about Head Prestige Classic 600 racquet (made in Austria)? Do you think there are better or more valuable version of Head tennis racquet? Regards, Francesco
 
Thank you Francesco, I have been looking for that infos.

The Prestige pro 600 was used by Goran, and other pros (sanchez, Casal, Wheaton?), then Head changed to Prestige 600 in 1991-1992 (with green bumper guard, no cap, used by Amos mandsdorf). However, Thomas Muster has a version of Prestige 600 with lime green cap, but it could be a paint job of a PC600. The original european "made in Austria" pc600 was released in 1993-1994 and was used by numerous pros: Goran, Safin, Muster, Mancini, Borg (senior tour), Reneberg, Boetch, Gustavo, Chesnokov, Goellner, Karbacher, Rosset, and in form of Paint job of LM prestige and i prestige by many pros until today (argentinian, French, dutch, German, Marocco, etc.).
 
francescomcenroe said:
Thank you! And what about Head Prestige Tour 600? Francesco
Click to expand...

PT600 has suspension grip. I was told it was for USA market. Jason Stoltenberg used this racket.
 
Graphite Pro 600 Grommets (single power wedge beam)

To revive an old thread, I recently picked up 3 brand new wide body Graphite Pro 600's with the single power wedge beam, off fleabay. All three are in their original full size covers that look like some sort of padded blue jean material.

I own a used one and it hits magnificently. It has the same sweet feel as the box beam GP600. The major drawback to these is the brittle white grommets that Head used at the time on some of their player's racquets. Even the CAPs on this racquet are egg shell brittle. I was playing a doubles match with it, recently, and pieces of the top CAP bumper/grommet shattered and landed on the court after a shank... the other team called a 'let' from the distraction :oops:... I blamed it on an old racquet :twisted:

Do the Elite and Elektra 600 grommets with the double power wedge fit these GP 600's? I'm hesitant to use any of these 3 brand new ones knowing the grommets are virtually irreplaceable. It's a shame the grommets are so rare.
 
Bud said:
Do the Elite and Elektra 600 grommets with the double power wedge fit these GP 600's? I'm hesitant to use any of these 3 brand new ones knowing the grommets are virtually irreplaceable. It's a shame the grommets are so rare.
Click to expand...

Yes, Bud, they do. The Graphite Pro TF and Comp Pro TF with single "Power Wedge" (both only in the Head catalog in 1989) utilize the same grommet as the Elite Pro 600 and Elektra Pro 600 (both "Nodal Concept" with double Power Wedge) frames.
 
retrowagen said:
Yes, Bud, they do. The Graphite Pro TF and Comp Pro TF with single "Power Wedge" (both only in the Head catalog in 1989) utilize the same grommet as the Elite Pro 600 and Elektra Pro 600 (both "Nodal Concept" with double Power Wedge) frames.
Click to expand...

Thanks RW... were any of the grommets mentioned... NOT the brittle white ones?
 
No, of course Head only made the brittle white ones for these four frames during this era.

I bought a NOS set for a Comp Pro TF last year from a vendor on the big auction site; those seem to be OK for the time being. But I don't expect them to last more than a few years.
 
More Information needed on HEAD COMP PRO 600

In reading the thread so far I am not sure that anyone has accurately identified the racquet I have.

It is a TWARON FIBER Comp Pro ( not Prestige or Graphite Pro)
Has the power wedge tm but no visible signs of anything dramatic.
Isn't a widebody. Made in Austria.

Is a deep grey/purple metal flake colour with white string protection strip from 10-2 as described.

I guess it will be less in value than the Prestige models but please advise!!!!

thanks Rod
 
rodracquet said:
In reading the thread so far I am not sure that anyone has accurately identified the racquet I have.

It is a TWARON FIBER Comp Pro ( not Prestige or Graphite Pro)
Has the power wedge tm but no visible signs of anything dramatic.
Isn't a widebody. Made in Austria.

Is a deep grey/purple metal flake colour with white string protection strip from 10-2 as described.

I guess it will be less in value than the Prestige models but please advise!!!!

thanks Rod
Click to expand...

What additional information do you need? It was created around the same time frame as the other single power wedge frames (Graphite Pro 600, Graphite Master 102), etc... probably late 80's or early 90's. It also contained those really crummy, brittle white grommets.
 
2 piece pattern

hello. does anyone know the 2 piece string pattern for this racket? will it be ok to string like a prestige mid?

thanks
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

F
Info on Wilson Pro Staff 7.5.
Replies
37
Views
14K
ey039524
E
C
HEAD Team Pro 600?
Replies
1
Views
1K
cukoo
C
mtommer
Head Tour 600. Anyone heard of it?
Replies
0
Views
471
mtommer
mtommer
mtommer
Head Tour 600. Anyone heard of it?
Replies
5
Views
1K
mtommer
mtommer
S
Head Graphite tour 600
Replies
4
Views
1K
henwal_of_sweden
H
Back
Top