haqq777
Legend
Sure, and yet you're still replying here. Bravo. Guess you're not as smart as you think you are.
Just bought a Prince Classic Response 97
- Thread starter haqq777
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Sure, and yet you're still replying here. Bravo. Guess you're not as smart as you think you are.
JonnyAbs
Semi-Pro
It's kinda heavy as it is, but I have on an overgrip and a Wilson Shock Trap vibe absorber. You will notice that this frame vibrates like crazy with a basic dampener, and a longer one is required because it was hurting my arm otherwise. The extra weight of the dampener seems to make the racquet more solid while eliminating vibration and elbow pain.
haqq777
Legend
Thanks! I agree it does feel heavy (but comfortable heavy). I do have one of those dampners, the long ones, lying around, will give it a try.
JonnyAbs
Semi-Pro
Did you get a chance to hit with it yet, fanboy?
I am still rocking with it. Won my match on saturday 6-0, 6-3 and in the second set, I was switching back to my PA and old racquet from college. I started going for all winners to drop a few games but it wasn't working with the Response because I was hitting them. When I switched to the PA, I started missing horribly long, which is the history I have had with it, so that helped me lose a few games. When I went back to the PR at 5-3, I was afraid I might have a little trouble adjusting to the lower power level and launch angle, but it was no trouble, and I took the final game pretty easily. I was shooting for 6-3 and I got it exactly, which was a win for me. I didn't want a 6-0, 6-0, nor did I want to have trouble finishing the second set once I brought him up to 5-3. Keep in mind this was an opponent at the lower end of 4.0 with little fire power.
haqq777
Legend
Did you get a chance to hit with it yet, fanboy?
I am still rocking with it. Won my match on saturday 6-0, 6-3 and in the second set, I was switching back to my PA and old racquet from college. I started going for all winners to drop a few games but it wasn't working with the Response because I was hitting them. When I switched to the PA, I started missing horribly long, which is the history I have had with it, so that helped me lose a few games. When I went back to the PR at 5-3, I was afraid I might have a little trouble adjusting to the lower power level and launch angle, but it was no trouble, and I took the final game pretty easily. I was shooting for 6-3 and I got it exactly, which was a win for me. I didn't want a 6-0, 6-0, nor did I want to have trouble finishing the second set once I brought him up to 5-3. Keep in mind this was an opponent at the lower end of 4.0 with little fire power.
Haha, I was about to post feedback yesterday but my two year old kept me on my toes. Just got time to get back on here.
Your results with CR97 are amazing! I have to say, I'm loving the CR97 too. So much control I could not believe. Being used to the powerful Babolat sticks, it was a pleasant surprise when I started hitting. I did not put the dampener on at first but after a few hits I could not stand the pinging sound so I added that long dampener to help keep vibrations at bay. I was hitting slightly lower but equally heavy ball. Excellent blend of plow-through, spin and power. The stick is not as powerful as the PD or APD I have, but definitely not low powered. The most awesome part is I was expecting a long time in adjusting to it but it took maybe 2-3 groundies and I was blasting away at it with outstanding precision. My net clearance was lower than usual w/o compromising heaviness, and my hitting buddy asked me multiple times the name of the racquet (so I'm guessing he was impressed, lol). I spent maybe 10-15 mins altogther at the net and this stick shines at volleying too.
Serves were brilliant. Flat and slice were going wherever I wanted them to go and kick serve was bouncing higher than my opponents shoulder once it bounced.
I am not kidding, have not had so much fun in a long time. Could not find a single negative about the stick. No need for adding weight, just an overgrip and a dampner and the stick is good to go. Gets an A+ from me
JonnyAbs
Semi-Pro
you going to use it over the APD?Haha, I was about to post feedback yesterday but my two year old kept me on my toes. Just got time to get back on here.
Your results with CR97 are amazing! I have to say, I'm loving the CR97 too. So much control I could not believe. Being used to the powerful Babolat sticks, it was a pleasant surprise when I started hitting. I did not put the dampener on at first but after a few hits I could not stand the pinging sound so I added that long dampener to help keep vibrations at bay. I was hitting slightly lower but equally heavy ball. Excellent blend of plow-through, spin and power. The stick is not as powerful as the PD or APD I have, but definitely not low powered. The most awesome part is I was expecting a long time in adjusting to it but it took maybe 2-3 groundies and I was blasting away at it with outstanding precision. My net clearance was lower than usual w/o compromising heaviness, and my hitting buddy asked me multiple times the name of the racquet (so I'm guessing he was impressed, lol). I spent maybe 10-15 mins altogther at the net and this stick shines at volleying too.
Serves were brilliant. Flat and slice were going wherever I wanted them to go and kick serve was bouncing higher than my opponents shoulder once it bounced.
I am not kidding, have not had so much fun in a long time. Could not find a single negative about the stick. No need for adding weight, just an overgrip and a dampner and the stick is good to go. Gets an A+ from me
haqq777
Legend
Too soon to tell, to be honest. I need to play with CR 97 for a few more days and figure out. Always been with my trusty APD so will be a tough one to completely switch. I just might wait and see how CR97 pans out this season and then decide. What about you? Switched from PA for good or still deciding?
JonnyAbs
Semi-Pro
switched for good. placed my pure aero for sale already. too tough for me to control.
haqq777
Legend
Well good for you! Makes perfect sense. One of the guys I hit with also switched from his PA because of the same reason. It requires too much RHS all the time he said otherwise balls sail long. Doesn't work very well for guys with short or medium swings. And besides, you're seeing remarkable results with CR 97 too so I think you made a good decision
Thamel90
Rookie
I just tried it out with 3 grams up in top (Inside the hoop for now). Definitely much better. For me at least, this frame needs a beefed up SW due to its high static wt & very HL balance, and bringing the sweet spot up never hurts. I tried lead at 3&9 for a while and my game became really spotty. The frame is already twist stable & has a nice wide sweet spot, so I lost some maneuverability when I tried lead at the edges.
Similar experience here. Couldn't stand the feel, or lack of it, and weighting it was a nightmare. Just couldn't gel with this racquet.
Guess we just don't like Prince. The Response 97 to me felt like a plank. My current 97 (Angell TC97) is night and day in terms of feel. The Prince just felt poorly constructed.
JonnyAbs
Semi-Pro
Still using the APD or did you make the switch to the PR97? I almost lost to someone I shouldn't have yesterday. Won first set 6-3, dropped second 6-7, and won the third set tiebreak 10-5 after being down 3-5. I was up 4-2 in the second set, but from then on, I couldn't hit anything and he wasn't missing. I was using a 4.5 grip with two overgrips, but that seemed too much and I lost top spin in the second set. After stripping off one of the overgrips before the match tie break, I was hitting a lot better. Something still makes me want to try the Textreme 95 or 100P, but I will likely resist and stick with this since it is treating me well.Well good for you! Makes perfect sense. One of the guys I hit with also switched from his PA because of the same reason. It requires too much RHS all the time he said otherwise balls sail long. Doesn't work very well for guys with short or medium swings. And besides, you're seeing remarkable results with CR 97 too so I think you made a good decision
haqq777
Legend
Hi @JonnyAbs, still using the APD. I really love the PR97 but for some reason after I played a set with it (and feel like I should say it is most definitely me, not the stick) I started feeling like the stick was too noodly. Very soft and lack of power. As I age I think my power and stamina drops as I near end of the match. I'm 33 so not exactly old but nowhere near the energy and stamina I had at 22.
As a matter of fact, I have a very similar story like yours. Friday over the 4th of July weekend, I was practicing with one of the regulars at my club. Match started, was playing very competitive, won the first set 6-4. Second set I do not know what happened, gradually by middle of the set I started netting and just struggling with strokes. I knew something was off. Was a break down at 1-4 and I knew I was in trouble so switch back to APD at the changeover. Won the game (barely) but couldn't recover the break and lost the second set 3-6. Won the third set easy peesy 6-1. I think once my confidence returned I blew my opponent away (who plays on a local high school team). But it should have been a straight setter.
I need to play more with PR97 and hit a lot more before I can make it my permanent racquet. Another issue I think I had was the grip size. TW did not have my size. I use 4 3/8 but PR 97 has 4 1/2 (and only size available), and then on top I have to have an overgrip on it making it quite a fat grip. I really think by the mid of second set my forearm was tired and hence the errors. I really do not recommend switching sticks mid match, let alone those that have different grip sizes. I had a tough time and needed a few games adjusting.
I'm hitting again after work today and try to figure out what happened there, lol - hopefully doesn't happen again. But that is what I always worry about; consistency. Never had issues like this with APD and PD all during college days and high school before that. Then again, maybe it was just me. Would be wrong to blame the stick.
JonnyAbs
Semi-Pro
We are about the same age. I am 34. Honestly, I think it could be due to fatigue from a heavier racquet. I used to use dunlop 200 tours that probably weighed 12.5 ounces with a 350 SW. I stopped enjoying tennis at times because swinging those clubs made me so damn tired. I would do well in the first set, but then my game would degrade as I got tired and I would sometimes lose the second and third sets as a result.
I also have a 4 1/2 as well with an overgrip, which I like because I have a fat hand, and I tried a second overgrip on top of it in my match on Sunday. It worked well in the first set, which I took 6-3, but I was up 4-2 in the second and started losing games. Lost the second set in a tie break (7-5).
Before the third set comen tiebreak, I stripped off the second overgrip because I think the thick grip was adding weight and giving me less wrist action for topspin on my forehands, and I played much better in the comen and won it 10-5. He was actually up 3-5 at one point, and I rattled off 7 straight points. I was hitting confidently again when I took off the second overgrip and getting more spin.
(sorry I just realized that I already told you this story above, lol)
I have also noticed that I hit much better with a long, heavy dampener than I do with a normal small one. I think the extra weight in the hoop gives me more plow through and more control. Its not a significant amount of weight, but its enough. It also gets rid of this racquet's nasty vibration. I think you said you are already using a long dampener.
Maybe you can go with no overgrip, or if you dont like the resi-pro grip, replace it with a leather grip or another replacement grip of your choosing. However, you might just play better with the APD.
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zalive
Hall of Fame
Precision Response 660 mp from the mid '90's is low powered but it doesn't feel like a plank. It's a hitters stick, comfortable just enough, with full control over groundstrokes. I've met a guy who plays for long years with this stick (660), he tried the new Response 97 as well but didn't like it near as much.
Thamel90
Rookie
Im playing one of mine with Blackout 1.24mm @ 40#. The headsize and 16x20 pattern works pretty well with it
ushynoti
Rookie
Is Blackout a multifilament string? At 40 lbs? Sounds like it would be like hitting with a pillow and no power, since the racquet is already lacking in power lol
pfrischmann
Professional
I think this is the best volley racquet I've ever used. I had it next to the RF-97 and the 6.1 95 and Rebel 95 and the Response was easily the best. My hitting partner and I were almost giddy with the shots we could make. Unfortunately, I really disliked it on everything else. It felt "rubbery" on ground strokes and serve. If I was a pure S&V player, I would consider it. I served well with it, just didn't like the feel.
FWIW.
FWIW.
wsk429
Semi-Pro
If you base your purchase decision on a sample of 4 or 5 players associated with TW, then you might as well have bought it blindly.
haqq777
Legend
Have a few colleagues and other friends in my club that use this stick as well. Was not solely based on TW reviews. Turns out it is indeed a wonderful stick, would definitely recommend you try it if you're in the market for one.
haqq777
Legend
I string full bed poly (Cyclone) at 48-52 range. Works well with this stick at least for that range.
haqq777
Legend
Black Out is a copoly by Pro's Pro. Great string IMO.
wsk429
Semi-Pro
The reason I'm still wondering is because I don't know anyone else swing it. Perhaps, I should just demo the stick for myself.
haqq777
Legend
Definitely! Go for it. I have a bunch of friends in my club who have this because all got it on sale and most used Prince sticks anyway. I should have demo the stick myself but got impulsive & didnt. Got lucky and liked it in the end. I'm a Bab user so wasnt sure how I would like the difference in feel but really liked it. I would definitely recommend you try it.
ushynoti
Rookie
That's about where I strung mine with poly and I was not super blown away by it, seems like this racquet gets a lot of comments from people like it plays "rubbery", lacks power, and I pretty much agree with that, I'm wondering why they play that way. I'm thinking these frames were not really made for poly strings but rather normal synthetic gut, multifilament or natural gut strung at high tensions, since that was kind of the era when these frames came out. That's why I wanted to see if anyone has tried that setup. I have a natural gut/ copoly setup in mine but I strung it too low and it just feels kind of mushy and lacks power. I'll bet that high tensioned syn gut would bring out the power in these frames, would be nice to know if anyone has tried it and can confirm it...
Thamel90
Rookie
Pentagonal poly from Pro's Pro
if you are playing this racquet stock it needs gut to wake the frame up. I have been using 16g syn gut at 55 and while it plays good with that switching to gut in the mains really makes the racquet play much better at the net and off center hits...the hoop is a little dead in the upper portion. Poly is a bad idea in this frame...too stiff i think...
haqq777
Legend
Interesting. Perhaps you like more power although surprisingly I was coming off from Babolats, the most powerful sticks around, and I definitely did not feel this stick lacked power and was rubbery. Perhaps different folk different strokes. Also, I'm guessing with hybrid you went too low on Natty gut. I always string natty a few pounds higher than copoly I hybrid with otherwise I get the mushy feel. I'm keen to know how monofilaments play in this. Please do post your experience if you try it or hear about someone who has used it.
haqq777
Legend
That's actually a good point IMHO. I have always liked polys in low 50s. Will see how frame behaves after upping tension to high fifties. Have some cheap Prince Synthetic lying around too. Thinking will try and hybrid that with some natural gut and see as well.
haqq777
Legend
Sounds interesting. Will try and restring next with some synthetic gut I have lying around. Will post back here.
mixtape
Professional
I've been playing with this racquet strung with a full bed of 16 Hyper-G @55lbs. I agree it's a great frame and with the poly, I like the ball pocketing and spin potential. I especially enjoy volleying with this racquet. After about 8+ hours of play with the poly, the racquet has reduced power/control, and has become a bit rubbery as someone mentioned. It feels like the string and racquet are fighting each other to unlock it's full potential.
Fast forward, I restrung with a full bed of 16 PSGD @60lbs and for me, the racquet plays better. I guess the classic racquet and classic string work well together. After these string pop, I've got 17 PSGO to experiment with.
Fast forward, I restrung with a full bed of 16 PSGD @60lbs and for me, the racquet plays better. I guess the classic racquet and classic string work well together. After these string pop, I've got 17 PSGO to experiment with.
ushynoti
Rookie
I strung the natural gut at 55lbs, which to me is lower than natural gut should probably be strung to really unlock it's potential. Natural gut just feels more springy when it's tighter. I guess I got to caught up in the low tension revolution once poly came out, and totally forgot how it was in the old days of syn gut/ multi and natural gut! I have the poly strung at 50 lbs, so that combination together produces a very mushy, low powered response that feels like you swing as hard as you can and the ball just loses pace rather than gains it, lol. Basically it's that rubbery feel that the racquet seems to produce when strings in it go dead. I've played with other racquets with dead poly and it doesn't behave like it does in this one. I'm going to have to bite the bullet and cut out the gut and string it high with syn gut or multi and see if it improves the playability of the frame. I'll let you know how it goes....
ushynoti
Rookie
I honestly believe this frame goes well with anything besides poly, but maybe poly on the high tension end might be tolerable, definitely not on the lower end, I think it totally takes away from the frame's potential. Natural gut and Prince Syn Gut sounds to me like a waste of half a set of natural gut
You might as well string tight with the natural gut, and higher poly on crosses and see if it responds well. My experience is that it doesn't really feel that great, just not buttery enough. I'm praying that a full bed of syn gut/ multi with high tension will do the trick!
ushynoti
Rookie
Yep, sounds about right, same experience it seems for me with the poly in this frame, although the highest I've gone with full bed poly is 45, so kind of rubbery off the bat, lol....That's great to hear about your PSGD experience at 60 lbs, it really gives me hope that it can be a better racquet with syn gut or multi rather than poly!
I used to play with the Response Ti and played well with it. With multis at higher tensions (64-66 lbs) it played very well. Excellent at serving, volleying, groundies (could get lots of spin with the open string pattern), and touch shots. Needed the high tension to control the ball with the multi, especially on my flatter shots. With poly (early versions of poly) it was hard on the arm. The problem with the multis is that it ate strings quickly. I just pulled one out of my closet and strung it up recently with a multi at 66lbs. I think it would also do well with a more modern soft poly at lower tensions.
I have bought this racket 2 to be exact and I have strung 1 with tecnifibre black code 4s at 56lbs. Absolutely no power dreadful. Had it restrung at 52lds same strings. In my previous racket 56lds was always my tension and it plays really good. However something I have never tried before I have put 1 gram of lead at 12 o'clock and it has really opened up the sweets pot in the head. Now I have never used lead before. I have also put on an overgrip on both.
My 2nd racket was babolat addiction in mains and tecnifibre in cross at 56lbs. This set up made the racket buttery soft but again I felt too high tension. It is now strung at 52lds with yonex tour g very powerful and nice. I am not sure which I prefer. Again I have put 1 gram lead at 12 o'clock . Both rackets now weight 350.
To summaries this racket (I've always use prince) if you have used a prince tour 100 before this is a step up with more control and a little less power. I would say a perfect doubles stick. It is string sensitive but once you find your strings please persevere it really is a good racket. However if you are after a powerful racket this is not it. I am a big lad and generate my own power so it suites me. I may not be able to knock people off the court but my word I can manoeuvre them off the court.
If you are an all court player this is your stick if you are a baseline grinder stick to prince tour 100.
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My 2nd racket was babolat addiction in mains and tecnifibre in cross at 56lbs. This set up made the racket buttery soft but again I felt too high tension. It is now strung at 52lds with yonex tour g very powerful and nice. I am not sure which I prefer. Again I have put 1 gram lead at 12 o'clock . Both rackets now weight 350.
To summaries this racket (I've always use prince) if you have used a prince tour 100 before this is a step up with more control and a little less power. I would say a perfect doubles stick. It is string sensitive but once you find your strings please persevere it really is a good racket. However if you are after a powerful racket this is not it. I am a big lad and generate my own power so it suites me. I may not be able to knock people off the court but my word I can manoeuvre them off the court.
If you are an all court player this is your stick if you are a baseline grinder stick to prince tour 100.
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graycrait
Legend
I bought one used strung with pretty fresh NRG2 at what feels like near 60lbs. I'll be returning it. The racket just seems off to me, nothing like my PCG/POGs, C10 Pros or 6.1 95. Mine is 11.8oz with one overgrip. I was sort of shocked how bad this racket feels to me. I better give it another try. I must be missing something. I'm too ambivalent about it to try different strings.
Well just had a 2hr hit with this racket. Strung with tecnifibre black code 4s at 52lds and 1gram of lead at 12 o'clock. Finally I am now getting easy depth from the racket. My backhand forehand and serve was on point. Volleys were to die for. Now here is the interested thing I have coaching twice a month for the last 8 months and the coach says to me to stick with this racket as he says my balls are a lot heavier and he can see how much better my serves are. As I say I still think I get more power from other racket but I can hit a dime on the court with this racket. Also my coach said I could put another gram of lead in the hoop. I will see
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Sent from my SM-G935F using Tapatalk
ushynoti
Rookie
Yeah, it's really weird, the racquet swings well when you just swing it without a ball but once you start hitting with it, it feels like there's no energy being returned to the ball after the hit..
JonnyAbs
Semi-Pro
You might have gotten a lighter racquet and me a heavier one. I am using a full bed of cyclone 16, so that might give me a bit of extra weight, but with one overgrip, my racquet is 347 grams (12.24 oz). With a Sampras dampener, it is 348 grams (12.28oz). If I use a thicker dampener, it goes up to 350 grams (12.35oz). And with a Wilson shock trap dampener, which is long and the most substantial, it goes up to 353 grams (12.45oz). That starts to get a bit heavy to swing around for multiple sets, so I am just using the Sampras one.
ushynoti
Rookie
Personally I felt that it was never the weight of the racquet that was really the issue, it seemed more than heavy enough, and sometimes even a little cumbersome because it was also bulky feeling at the same time, it's just that the feel on impact just felt mushy and unpredictable regardless of where I hit it in the stringbed. It's like I'd hit the ball and have no idea what would happen to it after it left the strings. Truly a bizarre feeling for me, unlike any racquet I've ever used...Compare with the Prostaff 90 which had about the same weight or maybe a tad heavier, the 90 was super predictable and you knew what was going to happen after impact...
Lukhas
Legend
For those who wondered about the dampener in the throat of the frame... Can it be removed? Well...
It's not glued it, the grommets don't go through it, so you can indeed remove it. You have to apply some force to get it out, but it's not fixed in any way. How much does it weight? I had no scale at home, so I had to go to the local post office down the street and it doesn't do decimals, only whole numbers. It weights seven grams, or roughly 1/4th of an ounce. So it is substantial compared to an average "O" dampener which would weight less than 2 grams according to this thread. FWIW, the racquet it was removed from is, unstrung and according to TWE's matching service, 317g (11.20oz) unstrung with a SW of 274 with a balance of 30.9cm (roughly 11pts HL). Considering the position of the dampener (very close tot he middle of the frame) and my own DIY measurements, the balance seemingly hasn't changed.
I'm going to estimate, with the 9 grams of lead tape I'm gonna add to the top of the frame
It's not glued it, the grommets don't go through it, so you can indeed remove it. You have to apply some force to get it out, but it's not fixed in any way. How much does it weight? I had no scale at home, so I had to go to the local post office down the street and it doesn't do decimals, only whole numbers. It weights seven grams, or roughly 1/4th of an ounce. So it is substantial compared to an average "O" dampener which would weight less than 2 grams according to this thread. FWIW, the racquet it was removed from is, unstrung and according to TWE's matching service, 317g (11.20oz) unstrung with a SW of 274 with a balance of 30.9cm (roughly 11pts HL). Considering the position of the dampener (very close tot he middle of the frame) and my own DIY measurements, the balance seemingly hasn't changed.
I'm going to estimate, with the 9 grams of lead tape I'm gonna add to the top of the frame
Weight repartition is key. It has no weight in the upper hoop.
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