and really liked it. Playing NSix-One 18x20 but wanted a lighter, more maneuverable frame with a softer feel, and the nBlade fit the bill perfectly. No frills, great feel, forgiving, nice paint job, great on groundstrokes off both sides (really does help your one handed bh). I've found my new stick.. i know i'm late to the game here, but let's hear some nBlade luv...
Just demo'd the Nblade...
- Thread starter jjl
- Start date
My nBlade is still a problem for me.
Groundies and serve are okay as the frame is light and one has time to generate frame speed. But volley is awful. Too light, no inertia. I am fooling around with lead but to no avail so far. I tried 4.5 grams at 10 and 2 today and hated it. Even tho it is some 10 pts HL due to my large 5+ inch grip, it felt head heavy.
I will not give up on it yet as it took me a while to get the nPro to feel good. But it too is volley weak so I never play a match with it. But fun to hit with as it is so light. Ncode 6195 is still my sweet frame these days.
Groundies and serve are okay as the frame is light and one has time to generate frame speed. But volley is awful. Too light, no inertia. I am fooling around with lead but to no avail so far. I tried 4.5 grams at 10 and 2 today and hated it. Even tho it is some 10 pts HL due to my large 5+ inch grip, it felt head heavy.
I will not give up on it yet as it took me a while to get the nPro to feel good. But it too is volley weak so I never play a match with it. But fun to hit with as it is so light. Ncode 6195 is still my sweet frame these days.
basil J
Hall of Fame
I also loved the 6.1 18 x 20 but it wreaked havoc on my shoulder. Can you do a comparison betwen the ncode and the nblade please. I happily am using a redondo now, but really miss the wilson grip and the spec on the 98" nblade and the redondo 98" are very close. Thanks in advance.
i also started having arm, shoulder and elbow issues after a grueling one hour session with the 6.1 18x20. In comparison, the nBlade plays lighter and softer but no sacrifice in control. pured shots felt great. it also seems more 'aerodynamic' to me, maybe due to the flat beam in the throat, it's just easier for me to get around, particularly on the backhand side. the only potential downside i saw was at net, where the 6.1's additional heft helped me to punch through volleys, but i think i can adjust, and the way the nblade worked on the baseline more than compensates. bottom line, i'm going to pick up 2 nblades.. they really do play like the old school graphite frames that i miss...
D
DURICA533
Guest
Left the ROK and PS85 for the nBlade. MUCH easier on the joints (as I was recovering from shoulder surgery) and awesome with topspin drives! Yes, I agree the weakest point of the nBlade is the volleys. With other rackets all you have to do is stick your racket out to get good pop. I am retraining myself with the nBlade to punch through the ball. So far, so good. It's working and it really hasn't been a downside for me as of yet. If there is a day that I am not volleying well with the nBlade, I take out my SurgeX which is a volley monster.
I look at the tradeoff. The nBlade is SOOOO good with the topspin drives that in doubles play I can launch dipping rockets from the backcourt avoiding the need to volley excessively. I am sticking with the racket. The pluses way out weigh the negs and it by far has been the most comfortable racket for my recovering shoulder.
I look at the tradeoff. The nBlade is SOOOO good with the topspin drives that in doubles play I can launch dipping rockets from the backcourt avoiding the need to volley excessively. I am sticking with the racket. The pluses way out weigh the negs and it by far has been the most comfortable racket for my recovering shoulder.
My son (16) uses the Nblade98. Its a good all-around racquet that gives control on the baseline. In contrast to some other posts his volleying is pretty good with the Nblade. The 18x20 stringbed helps him control his volley depth. Although lightweight, its swingweight has pretty good heft. And it looks good too.
D
DURICA533
Guest
also I just saw that it was either the NCAA doubles champs or the US open jrs boys dubs champs that one of the partners of the winning team was using a nBlade! Can't get that far without a good volleying stick!!
i just came off playing three straight matches with the nblade
i cant say i admire its volleying, the n95's is much greater
after a while you don't feel like swinging, its soo light. it requires major lead to play well
i didnt like serves too well either, the n95 outclasses it in that department too
the groundies were okay, just the balls werent as heavy (or so it seems)
just my opinion
i cant say i admire its volleying, the n95's is much greater
after a while you don't feel like swinging, its soo light. it requires major lead to play well
i didnt like serves too well either, the n95 outclasses it in that department too
the groundies were okay, just the balls werent as heavy (or so it seems)
just my opinion
Even though my son likes the Nblade I can't hit with it. Of course he's a ranked Jr and I'm a somewhat shaky 3.0.
He demoed the N95 and didn't like it. I guess thats why there isn't a "one racquet fits all" on the market.
D
DURICA533
Guest
I know with regards to serving, it took me awhile to get used to a sub 12 oz. racket. When my timing is down, I have blammo power, placement and comfort. It being light gives me an advantage in changing the depth of the ball in an instant and my endurance in match play.
I have said this before. I have played with guys around 4.5-5.0 who don't have full kinetic swings and they have a hard time getting pace off the racket.
I have said this before. I have played with guys around 4.5-5.0 who don't have full kinetic swings and they have a hard time getting pace off the racket.
MordredSJT
Rookie
I'm playing with a weighted up nBlade MP, and in my original estimation of the stock frame I mentioned that it was not very good at the net. It has loads of touch, but it is too easily pushed around. It isn't unstable, but the lower static weight caused a lot of recoil for me. After having played with the stock frame and my heavier versions a little more I am able to volley much better with the stock frame than I did initially. It isn't a great volleying frame, but it isn't a bad one either...it just takes some getting used to. I still prefer it with the extra weight though.
I think serving wise my initial difficulty was also due to the weight. I believe that being so used to a heavier racket had me grooved on a certain swing speed. It has taken me a while to get to the point that I can consistently produce the extra racket head speed necessitated by the lack of weight. Again, I still prefer my weighted version for serving though...
I think serving wise my initial difficulty was also due to the weight. I believe that being so used to a heavier racket had me grooved on a certain swing speed. It has taken me a while to get to the point that I can consistently produce the extra racket head speed necessitated by the lack of weight. Again, I still prefer my weighted version for serving though...
Try putting your lead at 3 and 9 o'clock. On mine I put about 13 g total, 6.5 at 3 and 6.5 at 9. Then i put about 15 grams near the butt. I get tons of pop on the serve, it vollies fantasic, and my groundies have never been better. Also make sure you have a pretty lively string in the nBlade. It makes a huge difference.
MordredSJT
Rookie
I have about the same at 3 and 9, 12g. I also have 6g at the top of the grip and 20g around the butt. It volleys beautifully.
Of course, mine is the MP...aren't you using the OS paulfreda?
Of course, mine is the MP...aren't you using the OS paulfreda?
D
DURICA533
Guest
klngnbrgd-
....you put 15 grams near the butt. Where exactly? Was it in the trap door?
....you put 15 grams near the butt. Where exactly? Was it in the trap door?
Update ....
I tried adding 8g; 4 at 530 and 4 at 630 today on my nBlade.
This time it felt good. Still has a very light feel and nice pop.
Even volleys were okay. I may try tightening the strings on
the next restring but in general the frame is playable now.
But I still prefer the weight and solidity of my nC6195.
I tried adding 8g; 4 at 530 and 4 at 630 today on my nBlade.
This time it felt good. Still has a very light feel and nice pop.
Even volleys were okay. I may try tightening the strings on
the next restring but in general the frame is playable now.
But I still prefer the weight and solidity of my nC6195.
I switched to the nBlade after pulling my rotator cuff after previously using a number of heavier racquets (200G HM, 200 M-fil). I think the nBlade is as good as any I've used. Unlike a lot of posts here, I think the nBlade is an excellent racquet for volleying, and I spend a lot of time at the net. Unlike people here, I actually like the flex of the racquet when volleying - I can feel the ball much better with the nBlade than with my double parnter's n6.1. Not to mention the touch is much better with the nBlade. I string mine pretty loose (54 lbs) with Gamma TNT 17, and use only a rubber band as a dampener.
D
DURICA533
Guest
dave108,
I agree with you. I came back from a shoulder surgery. I tried to go back to my ROK/PS85 and then I went down the list of a ton of other rackets. Since my shoulder was more sensitive, I could feel shock a lot more and a tug when I would hit forehands. The nBlade was the only racket that still retained 'players' (fast swing) feel while being very comfortable. very comfortable.
I agree with you. I came back from a shoulder surgery. I tried to go back to my ROK/PS85 and then I went down the list of a ton of other rackets. Since my shoulder was more sensitive, I could feel shock a lot more and a tug when I would hit forehands. The nBlade was the only racket that still retained 'players' (fast swing) feel while being very comfortable. very comfortable.
MordredSJT
Rookie
I agree that there is loads of touch to be had at the net with the nBlade. In my opinion whether it is a good volley racket depends on what level you are playing at and what kind of ball you consistently see at net. It is more than adequate for dealing with low to medium paced balls that are not extremely heavily spun. I find that high pace and heavy spin magnifies the lack of recoil weight and the racket gets too easily pushed around. If you don't play people that blast balls at you with heavy spin this won't really be a big issue. If you do, you have to be able to adjust to this characteristic of the racquet...or add some weight to it. Either way, it has its good and bad points at the net.
I play with some people (probably 4.5 - 5 level) who can hit very hard and with tons of spin. I agree that the nBlade can get pushed around, but only if my technique is poor and I'm swinging too much on my volleys - but I would argue that is the case for any racquet regardless of its weight. If I am focusing on taking the ball in front I don't find the nBlade gets pushed around at all. On the contrary, I find volleys to be very effective. As with any racquet, some will like it while others won't. I don't like my partner's n6.1 all that much (no feel), even though it is as solid as a brick and hardly ever gets pushed around.
MordredSJT
Rookie
I find quite the opposite in my experience. When the racket is in motion to the ball independent of my body motion it will usually remain stable. I find it to recoil the most on reflex volleys and even when my body position is very sound and I am holding the racquet still. I tend to use extremely minimal hand motion while hitting volleys. My weighted nBlade might be even more brick wall like than my 6.0 85 or n6.1 Tour 90 in this situation. The stock nBlade folds back far too much for my tastes and seems to require much more of a driving volley technique. This is getting down to personal taste here I think...
Again, I'm sticking by my statement that the nBlade has obvious positives and negatives at net...and while it isn't a horrible racquet at net it isn't a great racquet either. It is a great racquet at the baseline.
Again, I'm sticking by my statement that the nBlade has obvious positives and negatives at net...and while it isn't a horrible racquet at net it isn't a great racquet either. It is a great racquet at the baseline.
POG OS is another
D
DURICA533
Guest
Modred and Dave have very good points here. Especially Modred in regards to holding the racket stable and dealing with recoil off of heavily hit balls. As Dave mentioned, If I keep proper technique with the racket out in front and am driving my volley I am cool. If its a reflex and am playing at a higher level, more often the volley is just a wimpy sputter.
At first I was extremely un-nerved by this. However, the more I play the more I am getting used to creating proper volley motion.
Modred, is your weighted nBlade a killer at net or is it "more liveable" than the stock?
At first I was extremely un-nerved by this. However, the more I play the more I am getting used to creating proper volley motion.
Modred, is your weighted nBlade a killer at net or is it "more liveable" than the stock?
I recently hit with (for about half an hour) a Head Liquidmetal Prestige MP and absolutely loved it. Its about 12 oz strung, I would say, and headlight, with plenty of feel and comfort. If I was going to replace my nBlade, I would look for one of those. Too bad Head doesn't make them anymore (tried the flexpoint prestige and didn't like it).
I agree, this is getting down to personal taste and more likely, how I was taught to volley (back in the days of wood and wood-graphite beasts). Racquet in front, step to the ball, drive through, minimal movement of the racquet, etc... In that sense, the nBlade reminds me of my older wood and wood-graphite frames, lots of flex!
StunLock
Semi-Pro
personally i didnt liek the flexpoint prestige either... it played hollow and stiff, the 2 things that i dislike the most
Check out Avery M5
