Manufacturing Old School Frames

[Lee James]

I was just wondering why is it that racquet companies won't produce and sell their flagship frames of the past? It seems like it would be a cool idea as those frames usually have such large followings. For instance, how awesome would it be if say Wilson brought back the PS 85, Head reintroduced the PC 600, or if Dunlop brought back its MW200G. I know that they are all uber interested in bringing out the newest and best racquet tech in order to squeeze more money out of their customer base, but I don't see how it could be so difficult to continue manufacturing say just one classic frame. I'm just disappointed that I've never had the opportunity to know what a PS85 or PC600 feels like. Resale prices are ridiculous!

 

[db379]

perfectly agree!

 

[Rorsach]

Most of the stuff used in those racquets doesn't even exist anymore. And are the oldies really that expensive? Compare the price of a new K90 with a PC600, there's not much in there, especially when you start to talk about used racquets. A good PS85 can be had for well under the price of a new, modern stick.

 

[akoni]

the market for these types of racquets aren't big enough. even if they continued to manufacture just a handful of classic frames i doubt they would make enough money off of them to justify the cost of making them.

 

[Blade0324]

Because the only real people that would be interested in these old frames that you are speaking of exist on the TT boards. 99% of the playing population today does not want these older frames and much prefer the new ones that are produced today.

 

[roundiesee]

Lee, it's a shame you've never had the chance to play with either a PS85 or a PC600 from yesteryear; you would be surprised re the quality of frames from the past. Only Prince still makes POG Mid and OS. It's difficult for Wilson to make the PS85 as these have been largely replaced by the K90 and KPS88. As for Head I think it's possible to sell their frames as they still make them for the pros in Austria. They just need to make "runs" for TW like they used to. Maybe if we petition hard enough TW and Head would get together again for us posters!

 

[HeadPrestige]

Lee, it's a shame you've never had the chance to play with either a PS85 or a PC600 from yesteryear; you would be surprised re the quality of frames from the past. Only Prince still makes POG Mid and OS. It's difficult for Wilson to make the PS85 as these have been largely replaced by the K90 and KPS88. As for Head I think it's possible to sell their frames as they still make them for the pros in Austria. They just need to make "runs" for TW like they used to. Maybe if we petition hard enough TW and Head would get together again for us posters!

Agree that it is too bad he never got to play with classics like the ps85 or the pc600... but at least he has the racket that is closest in feel to the ps85.

 

[VGP]

Because the only real people that would be interested in these old frames that you are speaking of exist on the TT boards. 99% of the playing population today does not want these older frames and much prefer the new ones that are produced today.

I'd change that to 99% of the playing population does not know of these older frames.....

 

[Capt. Willie]

Because the only real people that would be interested in these old frames that you are speaking of exist on the TT boards. 99% of the playing population today does not want these older frames and much prefer the new ones that are produced today.

Unfortunately, I must agree.

 

[Deuce]

Because the only real people that would be interested in these old frames that you are speaking of exist on the TT boards. 99% of the playing population today does not want these older frames and much prefer the new ones that are produced today.

I'd change that to 99% of the playing population does not know of these older frames.....

Right.
It's not that "99% of people" "prefer the new ones that are produced today" - because to PREFER something, one must be aware of at least one alternative.
And most people have never tried the older frames. If they would try them, I'm quite sure that many would be pleasantly surprised.

 

[Lee James]

I'm going to make it my personal quest to get my hands on a pc600 and ps85. I must know that feeling! lol I see everyones point though about people just not knowing how great these old frames were. Someone mentioned that TW & Head got together once to re-release the pc600. How did that come about? Was there a movement from the members of TT to TW asking that they try to get those frames or was it just a one & done sort of special?

 

[NoNameZ]

I agree that people don't know of these classics. Some people aren't even aware of more modern rackets.

 

[AndrewD]

Guys,

Just remember that when those classics were on the market, the majority of the racquet buying public still preferred other frames. 99% of them were aware of those racquets and/or had the opportunity to try them (and other, similar options) but they selected something else.

Apart from a small portion of today's market (a smaller portion than back in the heyday of those racquets), things would be no different today.

 

[blue12]

I played with ps85's in high school. I also played with a 200G. I really think I'd select the the aerogel 200 over both of them.
KPS88 and head prestige are nice frames also though, I might have gone with one of them but the dunlop was so much cheaper, especially used.

 

[Deuce]

Guys,

Just remember that when those classics were on the market, the majority of the racquet buying public still preferred other frames. 99% of them were aware of those racquets and/or had the opportunity to try them (and other, similar options) but they selected something else.

Certainly not in my part of the world.
20-25 years ago, I saw mostly Wilson Pro Staff 85s, Stings, Kennex Black and Silver Aces, Dunlop Max 200Gs and Black Maxes, Prince Graphites and Precision Graphites, Head Graphite and Composite Edges... and other racquets that are considered 'classics' today.

That was the case largely because the selection of racquets was considerably smaller then than it is today, and each model also stayed on the market longer than they do today.

 

[roundiesee]

I'm going to make it my personal quest to get my hands on a pc600 and ps85. I must know that feeling! lol I see everyones point though about people just not knowing how great these old frames were. Someone mentioned that TW & Head got together once to re-release the pc600. How did that come about? Was there a movement from the members of TT to TW asking that they try to get those frames or was it just a one & done sort of special?

Lee, I couldn't tell you exactly when that happened; must have been about 4-5 years ago. TW sold out all their Prestiges, and then decided to do several "runs" with Head. These were fantastic in terms of quality (reportedly designed/manufactured in Austria and finished in the Czech Republic).
Maybe vsbabolat, deuce, pro_tour_630 and other Head experts could chime in.
I managed to dig up this old link (not sure if it works)>>
http://web.archive.org/web/20031204145745/www.tennis-warehouse.com/descpageRCHEAD-PCSMU.html
Only $119, how silly of us not to stock up back then...oh well, that's life...

 

[Deuce]

Lee, I couldn't tell you exactly when that happened; must have been about 4-5 years ago. TW sold out all their Prestiges, and then decided to do several "runs" with Head. These were fantastic in terms of quality (reportedly designed/manufactured in Austria and finished in the Czech Republic).
Maybe vsbabolat, deuce, pro_tour_630 and other Head experts could chime in.
I managed to dig up this old link (not sure if it works)>>
http://web.archive.org/web/20031204145745/www.tennis-warehouse.com/descpageRCHEAD-PCSMU.html
Only $119, how silly of us not to stock up back then...oh well, that's life...

To be honest, I was always skeptical of the TW claim of an exclusive partnership with Head on these Prestige Classics - that Head made them because TW asked them to.
For one, because there was at least one other retailer who also had these same Prestige Classics at the same time - while TW was claiming that they were "exclusive to TW".

I think it more likely that Head had some Prestige Classics left over from years earlier, and TW and the other retailer won the bidding for them.
I don't claim to know all the details and facts - but the latter explanation seems more plausible to me.

I bought 4 of them, by the way - from the other retailer (closer to home) - before the price on them ridiculously sky rocketed.