MAX 200G 40th Anniversary?

Grafil Injection

Hall of Fame
Something should be done?

MAX-200-G-Range-1.jpg


From L-R: version 7 'Purple', version 6 'Glossy', version 5 'Teal', version 3 'Grafil Injection', version 2 'Graphite Injection', version 1 'Graphite'.
 
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Grafil Injection

Hall of Fame
Oh yes, I don't expect SRI-Sports Direct-Sumitomo-Dunlop-Srixon to bring out a new version! There's no way they'll be able to replicate the Grafil injection process nowadays! I'm just thinking about a gathering in the UK around Wimbledon. Perhaps a tournament where it's the only racket allowed, Steffi and JMac in attendance!
 

bluetrain4

G.O.A.T.
Oh yes, I don't expect SRI-Sports Direct-Sumitomo-Dunlop-Srixon to bring out a new version! There's no way they'll be able to replicate the Grafil injection process nowadays! I'm just thinking about a gathering in the UK around Wimbledon. Perhaps a tournament where it's the only racket allowed, Steffi and JMac in attendance!

Anyone else use it? Not necessarily Slam-champion caliber players, but just players who were around during that era of racquets and had decent careers.

In high school I used Max 400i which was in the same vein in terms of size and Grafil injection, but not the same weight/balance. I loved it.

Did they ever try some cheeky marketing with Graf and Grafil. Lol.
 

vsbabolat

G.O.A.T.
Anyone else use it? Not necessarily Slam-champion caliber players, but just players who were around during that era of racquets and had decent careers.

In high school I used Max 400i which was in the same vein in terms of size and Grafil injection, but not the same weight/balance. I loved it.

Did they ever try some cheeky marketing with Graf and Grafil. Lol.
There were quite a few players that used the Max200G and other IMF’s. Christiano Caratti used the Max 400i. Omar Comparesi used the Max200G. Ramesh Krishnan used the Max200G, Jan Apell used the Max200G
 

socallefty

G.O.A.T.
Good memories. After using a wooden racquet for the first 2-3 years of playing tennis in the Borg era, I graduated to a Max200G and used it throughout my high school/college tennis days in the Eighties. For whatever reason, I didn’t bring it with me when I moved to the US for grad school and haven’t played with one for the last thirty years.
 

bluetrain4

G.O.A.T.
Anyone else use it? Not necessarily Slam-champion caliber players, but just players who were around during that era of racquets and had decent careers.

In high school I used Max 400i which was in the same vein in terms of size and Grafil injection, but not the same weight/balance. I loved it.

Did they ever try some cheeky marketing with Graf and Grafil. Lol.

Whoops. Looking at pictures, I realize I used the 300i, not 400i.

But my point remains the same - I loved it. Good stuff.
 

jxs653

Professional
But if they were so prone to warping as many peope've been saying, isn't it a flawed method of making racquets?

While ago I wrote in another thread that mid plus or oversize version of Max 200G would be great, and someone replied something like the frame getting warped before finishing writing my post.

Sidenote: I've gone through several 200Gs and didn't experience any warpage problem.
 
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coachrick

Hall of Fame
But if they were so prone to warping as many peope've been saying, isn't it a flawed method of making racquets?

While ago I wrote in another thread that mid plus or oversize version of Max 200G would be great, and someone replied something like the frame getting warped before finishing writing my post.

Sidenote: I've gone through several 200Gs and didn't experience any warpage problem.
A WAY high percentage of the 200Gs I sold (after Mac switched) warped, owing in part to the heat of the American Southeast and in part to the high tensions folks were using to harness the power(especially those coming from wood to the 200G blaster!!).

I've told the story before...Mac switched to the 200G in my hometown of Columbia, SC in an exo against Vilas. No announcement, he just had a few strung up and switched that night. The 200G had been a fair seller to that point; but the warehouse in Hartwell, GA was completely sold out in three days after the switch(and this was before any sort of "social media" to spread the word).
 

coachrick

Hall of Fame
But if they were so prone to warping as many peope've been saying, isn't it a flawed method of making racquets?

While ago I wrote in another thread that mid plus or oversize version of Max 200G would be great, and someone replied something like the frame getting warped before finishing writing my post.

Sidenote: I've gone through several 200Gs and didn't experience any warpage problem.
IMO, the 400i "should" have been the ticket; but it never caught on in my area. I played the 300i for a minute; but it was a club(much like many 200Gs were).
 

Grafil Injection

Hall of Fame
I believe many pros used the racket early to mid 1980s as woods disappeared, but there wasn't so much marketing in those days unless you were a GS winner. Most keen amateurs had tried it.

Regarding warping, the later version with long handles seem to fair better (Glossy, Purple). I believe the McEnroe Signature version was the first with the 55lbs warning to prevent warp. As far as I can tell, there were 7 main paintjob variants in the 10 years, with about 20 paintjobs in total including 'Pro' sub-variants.

DescriptionYearsName on FrameBeamColoursGripMAX LettersArrows / ChevronsCaseGraphite / Grafil lettersPatentTension Instructions
1aGraphite Tapered (round holes)1982MAX 200G22-18 (per 150G)Black - semi-mattInitially black leather perforated, then solid with gold 'Dunlop' embossedGold openMedium gold & greenHalf vinyl case with red velvet liningGRAPHITE at 12 o'clockUK Patent Pending (granted May 1982)None
1bGraphite Constant (round then square holes)1983-85MAX 200G, MAX Series21.5 constantBlack - semi-mattBlack leather or brown leatherGold openMedium gold & greenHalf vinyl case with red velvet liningGRAPHITE at 12 o'clockUK 2015886 & US PATENT 4297308None
2Graphite Injection (McEnroe)1985-7MAX 200G, MAX Series21.5Dark GreenBrown leatherGold openSmall gold & greenHalf vinyl case with red velvet lining or full caseGRAPHITE INJECTION at 4 o'clockUK 2015886 & US PATENT 4297308McEnroe recommends 55lbs
2bGraphite Injection Pro / Pro II / Pro III1985-7MAX 200G, MAX Series21.5Dark GreenBrown leatherGold openSmall gold & greenHalf vinyl case with red velvet liningGRAPHITE INJECTION at 4 o'clockUK 2015886 & US 4297308McEnroe recommends 55lbs
3Grafil Injection1988-MAX 200G, MAX Series21.5Black semi-mattTan leatherGold swirlyLarge gold & greenHalf vinyl case or full case with white liningGRAFIL INJECTION 4 o'clock, HYSOL GRAFIL neckUK 2015886 & US PATENT 4297308Performs best at not more than 55lbs
3bGrafil Injection PRO 1, Pro 21988-MAX 200G, MAX Series21.5Black semi-mattTan leatherGold swirlyLarge gold & greenHalf vinyl case or full case with white liningGRAFIL INJECTIONUK 2015886 & US PATENT 4297308Performs best at not more than 55lbs
4Golden Grand Slam (Steffi)1989MAX 200G. Special Edition & Grand Slam21.5Dark GreenBlack leather Fairway with Grand Slam written in goldGold swirlySolid gold top, open green below and in 2 hoop positionsFull synthetic case with GGS writingGRAFIL INJECTIONUK 2015886 & US PATENT 4297308?
5Teal1989-MAX 200G21.5Teal-purple fadeTurquoise leatherRed swirlyLarge red & whiteHalf or full case in green textileHysol Grafil fibre injection (3x better VR)PatentedPerforms at its best at not more than 55lbs
5bTeal Pro II1989-MAX 200G PRO II21.5Teal-purple fadeTurquoise leatherRed swirlyLarge red & whiteHalf or full case in green textileHysol Grafil fibre injectionPatentedPerforms at its best at not more than 55lbs
6aGlossy (black)1990MAX 200G21.5Black top gold spots. Dark green sides. GlossyTurquoise leatherGold swirlyGold & turquoise closeHalf or full case in green textileGRAFIL FIBRE INJECTIONPatented Injection Moulded Frame52-55lbs recommended
6bGlossy Pro (black)1990MAX 200G PRO21.5Black top gold spots. Dark green sides. GlossyTurquoise leatherGold swirlyGold & turquoise spacedFull case in black syntheticGRAFIL FIBRE INJECTIONPatented Injection Moulded Frame52-55lbs recommended
7Purple-Black (Pro)1991-93MAX 200G PRO, PRO III21.5Purple-black fade. 16 gold dotsPurple leatherNeon greenNoneFull case in black syntheticGRAFIL (handle). INJECTION MOULDED (outside hoop)PatentedNone
 
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Grafil Injection

Hall of Fame
But if they were so prone to warping as many peope've been saying, isn't it a flawed method of making racquets?

While ago I wrote in another thread that mid plus or oversize version of Max 200G would be great, and someone replied something like the frame getting warped before finishing writing my post.

Sidenote: I've gone through several 200Gs and didn't experience any warpage problem.
Yes, my 32 year-old frames are also un-warped. As a novel process the MAX 200G was not sufficiently tested at high tensions >60lbs, despite being common in the wood era, so it took until around 1984 for a strong recommendation to not go above 55lbs to be added. So I don't think people can say the process was flawed if the aim was to make a racket comprehensively better than any wood, but with similar playing characteristics (weight & flex). However, by the end of the 1980s the game had changed, so IMF was no longer competitive for larger hoops, but Dunlop/Slazenger were also not slow to move to the current standard pre-preg baking process having used it since the late 1970s.
 
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Grafil Injection

Hall of Fame
A WAY high percentage of the 200Gs I sold (after Mac switched) warped, owing in part to the heat of the American Southeast and in part to the high tensions folks were using to harness the power(especially those coming from wood to the 200G blaster!!).

I've told the story before...Mac switched to the 200G in my hometown of Columbia, SC in an exo against Vilas. No announcement, he just had a few strung up and switched that night. The 200G had been a fair seller to that point; but the warehouse in Hartwell, GA was completely sold out in three days after the switch(and this was before any sort of "social media" to spread the word).
That the late 1984/85 McEnroe signature version came with a 55lbs recommendation is no coincidence! I believe he used the 'Medium' version (13.5oz, 380g unstrung), whereas the 'Light' version (12.5oz, 350g unstrung) was most popular.
 

vsbabolat

G.O.A.T.
But if they were so prone to warping as many peope've been saying, isn't it a flawed method of making racquets?

While ago I wrote in another thread that mid plus or oversize version of Max 200G would be great, and someone replied something like the frame getting warped before finishing writing my post.

Sidenote: I've gone through several 200Gs and didn't experience any warpage problem.
There were 2, 95sq.in head size in the Max800i and the Max500i. The 500i was a real club.
 

vsbabolat

G.O.A.T.
That's a gem! Almost too mint to play with. This is where I get confused: Swirly MAX and Grafil Injection indicate >1984, but black & gold grip suggests original 1982 version. Did you add that grip?
I added nothing. This is an actual John McEnroe Max200G from his personal stock that was set up by Dunlop in England. This is a 1988/1989 model. McEnroe kept the original butt-cap and original black grip with gold Dunlop for his frames no matter the cosmetics.
JPM senior passed away a few years ago. A storage unit went unpaid that senior owned. In the storage unit was a a treasure trove of John’s personal Maxply McEnroe that were really Maxply Fort in Maxply McEnroe paint, personal Max200G from 1988/89, and the infamous 1984 runner-up Davis Cup trophy. All these items found their way to auction
 
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vsbabolat

G.O.A.T.
That's a gem! Almost too mint to play with. This is where I get confused: Swirly MAX and Grafil Injection indicate >1984, but black & gold grip suggests original 1982 version. Did you add that grip?
This is the original 1982-1983 round string hole Max200G. Then in 1984 the string wholes became square.
This is a 1986/87 Max200G with John’s signature.
The grip changed to tan fairway, the butt-cap design changed to more flare, no MIE and a recessed surface where the flying D is.
 
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Grafil Injection

Hall of Fame
This is the original 192-1983 round strung whole Max200G. Then in 1984 the string wholes became square.
This is a 1986/87 Max200G with John’s signature.
The grip changed to tan fairway, the butt-cap design changed to more flare, no MIE and a recessed surface where the flying D is.
Thanks, that explains it. I like Mac's taste! You don't know the date of the black glossy finished Pro version do you (turquoise & gold chevrons, no lines but gold dots, dark green glossy sides)? I'm guessing 1990.
 

vsbabolat

G.O.A.T.
Thanks, that explains it. I like Mac's taste! You don't know the date of the black glossy finished Pro version do you (turquoise & gold chevrons, no lines but gold dots, dark green glossy sides)? I'm guessing 1990.
Yeah, that’s from 1990 wasn’t sold in the USA.
 
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vsbabolat

G.O.A.T.
Yeah, I guess she started a tournament with the Dunlop exposed, then when she got near the final Yonex finalised her contract! Funny seeing her against Graf with the same racket but different logos!
I remember Martina using the Max200G in 1988 in full cosmetics. Then at the 1988 US Open Martina went back to a real Yonex RQ-180.
1987 Wimbledon Martina was using the Max200G blacked out with a white strip and Yonex stencil.
 

Grafil Injection

Hall of Fame
Good memories. After using a wooden racquet for the first 2-3 years of playing tennis in the Borg era, I graduated to a Max200G and used it throughout my high school/college tennis days in the Eighties. For whatever reason, I didn’t bring it with me when I moved to the US for grad school and haven’t played with one for the last thirty years.
I played with one for the first time in 30 years a few weeks ago, expecting it to be a fun nostalgia trip. But this is no mid-life crisis frame, it's completely useable today with everything you need unless you're a Nadal-esque loopy spinner.
 

Grafil Injection

Hall of Fame
Yeah, that’s from 1990 wasn’t sold in the USA.
I didn't know that. I had heard that some Australia only versions existed too, but I've never seen them. I have a very distant recollection of a sand & green coloured version but that may have been another IMF model. BTW, were the two JMac sticks the same specs? 380g unstrung?
 

vsbabolat

G.O.A.T.
I didn't know that. I had heard that some Australia only versions existed too, but I've never seen them. I have a very distant recollection of a sand & green coloured version but that may have been another IMF model. BTW, were the two JMac sticks the same specs? 380g unstrung?
Yes, it was 2 tone light and dark teal green.
McEnroe’s racquets I have are around 350g-360g unstrung. Not 380g
It’s been a while since I weighed them don’t remember what they are exactly.
 

Grafil Injection

Hall of Fame
Ok thanks. The sand/green one I vaguely remember wasn't very teal coloured. At least not like the teal colour in the two teal-purple fade versions, more of a beige to mid-green.
 

Grafil Injection

Hall of Fame
Yep that's the normal teal (also issued as a Pro-II version). To me they are sage-green fading to purple, but teal seems to be the name most people use.

My recollection is of a light sandy-brown fading to mid-green. It's a real recollection, but I'm probably mistaken. Might have been an original colour that had faded in the sun! To me the original looks slightly green.
 

vsbabolat

G.O.A.T.
Yep that's the normal teal (also issued as a Pro-II version). To me they are sage-green fading to purple, but teal seems to be the name most people use.

My recollection is of a light sandy-brown fading to mid-green. It's a real recollection, but I'm probably mistaken. Might have been an original colour that had faded in the sun! To me the original looks slightly green.
There’s no beige racket. The original is black with green/gold chevrons and 2 green stripes.
 

Grafil Injection

Hall of Fame
Thanks. Must have been a squash racket or something! The other weird one is the single-stripe version I have read about. All the pictures I see are only 1-stripe because the 2nd gold stripe has worn away. The gold paint seems to wear easier also on the chevrons. Do you know if there ever was a real single-stripe?
 

vsbabolat

G.O.A.T.
Thanks. Must have been a squash racket or something! The other weird one is the single-stripe version I have read about. All the pictures I see are only 1-stripe because the 2nd gold stripe has worn away. The gold paint seems to wear easier also on the chevrons. Do you know if there ever was a real single-stripe?
No single stripe racket
 

coachrick

Hall of Fame
Thanks. Must have been a squash racket or something! The other weird one is the single-stripe version I have read about. All the pictures I see are only 1-stripe because the 2nd gold stripe has worn away. The gold paint seems to wear easier also on the chevrons. Do you know if there ever was a real single-stripe?
The squash bat variant was gorgeous. I was like the game jumped an entire century when compared to wood.
 

Grafil Injection

Hall of Fame
No single stripe racket
Thanks, I agree from what I can see. Strange how many threads talk about it. Must be the gold wearing off easily.

You're probably getting bored of my questions, but finally, are the first versions with 18-22 tapered beams the only ones that mention UK Patent Pending, or are there some straight 20.5mm beamed ones before the patent was received?
 

vsbabolat

G.O.A.T.
Thanks, I agree from what I can see. Strange how many threads talk about it. Must be the gold wearing off easily.

You're probably getting bored of my questions, but finally, are the first versions with 18-22 tapered beams the only ones that mention UK Patent Pending, or are there some straight 20.5mm beamed ones before the patent was received?
The tapered were very early production and have even some dating patent applied for. But my 1983 straight beam has both US and UK parents.
 

michael valek

Hall of Fame
I played with one for the first time in 30 years a few weeks ago, expecting it to be a fun nostalgia trip. But this is no mid-life crisis frame, it's completely useable today with everything you need unless you're a Nadal-esque loopy spinner.
Hmm I tried this and be ready for shoulder surgery. None of us are 15 any more.
 

Bambooman

Hall of Fame
I managed to find a thrift shop one in perfect condition. It plays great even with the battered synthetic gut still in it.

I'm just working up the nerve to re-string it as soon as I decide on what to use in it. Maybe a hybrid with gut/ soft poly.
 

coachrick

Hall of Fame
True, but I'm enjoying the MAX 200G so much! Funny going back to a 330g 98 afterwards - feels like a TiS6!
It's funny how people pick up my Pickleball paddle that weighs 9.2oz and talk about how heavy it is!!!
The 200G and the Maxply McEnroe bats were the last two I ever thought I wanted to "choke up on" :)
 

pianotennis

New User
Soft poly at 18kg

I'm still using Max 200g as my main stick, along with original Prestige Pro. I played with full gut, guy/syn or gut/poly hybrid, now I string soft poly at 40 lbs. Yes the feel is not as heavenly good as with gut, but I can swing harder, and you still have everything you need: tons of power and precise control. The rest is footwork.
 
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