prestigeww
Rookie
Does anyone know if there will be a new prestige released soon and if so when? I was so disappointed by graphene I'm looking forward to something new.
Thanks in advance
Thanks in advance
new prestige release?
- Thread starter prestigeww
- Start date
TennisManiac
Hall of Fame
You're not the only one disappointed in that line.
I've asked a Head rep that same question. Two years he said.
I've asked a Head rep that same question. Two years he said.
RalphJ
Banned
What makes you think a newly painted frame will offer anything different? The XT Speeds weren't exactly an improvement over the regular Graphene models. XT Rev Pro? This is an example of Head's whacked out disassociation with its customers, general players, and what is actually considered viable tennis equipment. It will be a new paint job, and possibly a worse feeling racquet.
torpantennis
Legend
Light, hollow and stiff is the name of the game. No thanks.
Franklin_B
Semi-Pro
If it's a grapheneXT version, expect much the same thing with a few different colours on it.
prestigeww
Rookie
thanks for the responses. I used the ig youtek prestige for a couple years then the new ones came out and I was so upset i switched all together.
I never said anything about a newly painted frame and no difference in lay-up...I was hoping for a new composition. I have not hit with the XT's and have no desire to either because like franklin said, they'll be the same with some new colors.
For now i've switched back to the POG mid until head decides to make another decent racket...
cheers
I never said anything about a newly painted frame and no difference in lay-up...I was hoping for a new composition. I have not hit with the XT's and have no desire to either because like franklin said, they'll be the same with some new colors.
For now i've switched back to the POG mid until head decides to make another decent racket...
cheers
derek08844
Rookie
Sadly they probably increased or stayed the same because of where the general tennis public is heading
RalphJ
Banned
Head is in a confusing phase at the moment (atm). I would like to see administration personnel changes that went on between 2013 and 2014. Head screwed the pooch royally. Its a shame that these companies make these fatal mistakes. Like Prince. Market analysts = failure. Head intentionally killed one customer base for a perceived customer base (all derived from market analysts, surveys, and office research).
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prestigeww
Rookie
i agree ralphj, the whole prestige following is likely upset with their new direction.
15love i used the flexpoint prestige mid then gave the ig ytek mp's a try and eventually settled on those. i ultimately prefer a mid but the mp with the right amount of lead gave me a similar feel.
i find it hard to believe many people buy that graphene but sadly im sure ppl without previous prestige experience do.
anyone with a prestige setup here?
15love i used the flexpoint prestige mid then gave the ig ytek mp's a try and eventually settled on those. i ultimately prefer a mid but the mp with the right amount of lead gave me a similar feel.
i find it hard to believe many people buy that graphene but sadly im sure ppl without previous prestige experience do.
anyone with a prestige setup here?
Franklin_B
Semi-Pro
I like the paint job of the graphene prestige, so that's something. Looks better with black CAPs too.
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leohaegger
Guest
Oh, and the old Prestige's widows starting to whining again...
I respect the old school people here, but i think the Graphene Prestige is a very good racquet. Does it have the famous feel the Prestige have? No, but i got more power and spin with it.
If you don't like the new Prestige racquet, it's ok, but, in my point of view, instead of complaining about the new line, you can stay with your old Prestiges. No one is forced to buy every line of racquet...
I respect the old school people here, but i think the Graphene Prestige is a very good racquet. Does it have the famous feel the Prestige have? No, but i got more power and spin with it.
If you don't like the new Prestige racquet, it's ok, but, in my point of view, instead of complaining about the new line, you can stay with your old Prestiges. No one is forced to buy every line of racquet...
maxpotapov
Hall of Fame
AeroPro Drive has even more power and spin!
Old Prestiges won't last forever, so should I switch to Babolat when they retire?
prestigeww
Rookie
@leohaegger, i was more concerned in finding out information about a new prestige, but thanks for the comment.
also, this is just my opinion, no need to say i'm whining and complaining. rackets lose liveliness and suffer wear and tear after years of play so sometimes you are forced to switch.
@maxpotapov if youre currently using a prestige, it would be quite a switch to an apd
also, this is just my opinion, no need to say i'm whining and complaining. rackets lose liveliness and suffer wear and tear after years of play so sometimes you are forced to switch.
@maxpotapov if youre currently using a prestige, it would be quite a switch to an apd
sundaypunch
Hall of Fame
I get what you are saying, but if you aren't a touring pro that goes through 12+ frames per year, you can buy enough IG Prestiges to last a lifetime. They are readily available in new condition at a much cheaper price than the current Graphene models.
If these were so great, it shouldn't really matter what the new ones are like. Use the fact that they are not desirable at the moment to your advantage and stock up.
prestigeww
Rookie
@sundaypunch you're right. I guess I was just excited to see if a new prestige was going to be coming out!
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leohaegger
Guest
That's what i am talking about!!! If you don't like the new Prestige, start collecting the old versions. The IG version is very good.
Tennis is moving towards one direction (power), and i understand that HEAD is adapting its line of racquets to this direction. The old people, who like touch and feel, will be replaced by the new people, who like power and spin, just as Life is. And i don't get the control i want on an APD, but in a Graphene Prestige, i got power and spin on an precise and stable racquet. You don't need to exaggerate on that, using a comparison between Prestige and APD, @maxpotapov.
Does it mean the modern tennis we see or play is better than the old school tennis in the 70s/80s/90s? I don't know, depends on your point of view, but this trend is here to stay.
It's better to accept that and move on....
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maxpotapov
Hall of Fame
As I argued many times before, they should've left Prestige line alone, making it a "heritage" brand and selling out at $140 to older folks who can appreciate finer things in life.
Speed and Radical have all the power and spin for new generation. And then you have Extreme if you need some more.
Speed and Radical have all the power and spin for new generation. And then you have Extreme if you need some more.
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leohaegger
Guest
I understand your point of view...
Swingwise does it feel light and easy to swing or heavy and stiff?
what weight do you normally play with?
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leohaegger
Guest
For me, it is light and easy to swing, and my racquet has 13 oz (leather grip, OG and weight on 3 & 9 position), but i've always used heavy racquets.
prestigeww
Rookie
mrmike sounds like a plan to me.
I suppose you're right about the changing trend of rackets leohaegger. For me, i can generate enough power and spin with an old school frame like the pog im using. I just recently switched to an older frame for the feel and I would say im relatively young at 22.
I guess i just didn't want to see the classic touch and feel offered from the prestige line give way to more and power and spin. That being said, I don't think the graphenes are awful rackets, but now they play more similarly to other models.
I suppose you're right about the changing trend of rackets leohaegger. For me, i can generate enough power and spin with an old school frame like the pog im using. I just recently switched to an older frame for the feel and I would say im relatively young at 22.
I guess i just didn't want to see the classic touch and feel offered from the prestige line give way to more and power and spin. That being said, I don't think the graphenes are awful rackets, but now they play more similarly to other models.
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leohaegger
Guest
This brings one question: Can an old school frame generate power and spin for a modern game? Yes. But i think the trend will be making racquets for a modern type of tennis we see nowadays.
And from i have saw here, even the brands are gearing towards this. If HEAD, for example, offers a sponsorship to a kid or a teenager, it will offer pro stock Graphene Prestige or Radical instead of PT57A, TGK or older version of the pro stock mold. Of course, there will be pro players using the old mold, but less than we see today.
Franklin_B
Semi-Pro
I'll still give the prestige a chance in the future. If they could keep the solid feel and give a bit more power and spin, sure I can work with that. One thing I wish I could try is the MP with a gut/poly hybrid (every demo is full poly or cheap syn gut) as that could work if it gives a bit more feel.
prestigeww
Rookie
yea when i hit with it I think one racket had rpm and one racket had lux/synthetic hybrid
iceman_dl6
Professional
Graphene, imo, absolutely kills the feel. I haven't tried the Graphene Prestige but I did demo the Graphene Radical awhile back and hated the hollow and stiff feel. Terrible "technology" imo. For me, the IG Prestige was a fantastic line.
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leohaegger
Guest
I don't think so. The Graphene is not as plush as IG, for example, but it has more feel than 95% of the racquets you find nowadays.
Sometimes people overreact too much about this, saying the Graphene Prestige look like Babolat frames, and blah, blah, blah, but it is not.
I always advise people to demo the racquet by yourself and do your judgement instead of listening to what other people say. And it applies to every racquet you hit.
Harry_Wild
G.O.A.T.
Total agreed with the majority of comments! Head needs to go back to the Prestige heritage of the 600 series. Current Prestige racquets are just crappy; they are too light!
prestigeww
Rookie
I agree Harry Wild.
leohaegger do you use any of the graphene prestiges and if so, with lead? I'm thinking with a bit of lead in the handle/ 3&9 it could be ok.
I'll likely just stick to my POG's until a new line is released.
leohaegger do you use any of the graphene prestiges and if so, with lead? I'm thinking with a bit of lead in the handle/ 3&9 it could be ok.
I'll likely just stick to my POG's until a new line is released.
Franklin_B
Semi-Pro
I haven't played with either, but the instinct MP went down in stiffness with the XT version. Perhaps they are pulling back a bit. The prestige MP could be in the cards for me if that was the same case.
RalphJ
Banned
I agree. The Prestige needs a little more mass in the throat and a less polarized (weight at tip 12:00) setup. They could take away from the tip, and add it again to the throat. If they're so worried about stiffening it up, this one change will add stiffness.
Lets face it, they will never again return to the IG line (which IMO was the best line for all the Heads Speed, Radical, and Prestige). But they might as well shoot for a 98" 18x20 Speed-like racquet. It would sell. Hopefully they will put this current prestige (God-awful-thing) out of its misery.
vsbabolat
G.O.A.T.
I can't wait for that!!!!
LapsedNoob
Professional
Perhaps Head should consider continuing the Graphene tech in some lines and return to IG and similar techs for others.
Graphene in the Extremes, Instincts, maybe Speeds.
No graphene in the Prestige and Radicals.
They've always needed to make their recent technology fit across all lines, maybe they are cutting themselves short in insisting it must be so.
Graphene in the Extremes, Instincts, maybe Speeds.
No graphene in the Prestige and Radicals.
They've always needed to make their recent technology fit across all lines, maybe they are cutting themselves short in insisting it must be so.
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sundaypunch
Hall of Fame
This is a perfect illustration of why the Prestige was changed. We have a poster that loves the feel of the IG, but actually plays a RF97A - one of the stiffest, worst feeling racquets on the market.
No offense intended, I also thought the IG felt great and play a RF97A
I will take performance over feel though.
RalphJ
Banned
This is a perfect illustration of why the Prestige was changed. We have a poster that loves the feel of the IG, but actually plays a RF97A - one of the stiffest, worst feeling racquets on the market.
No offense intended, I also thought the IG felt great and play a RF97A
Well, I know of a poster that left the IG Prestige, only when he was completely horrified at what Head had done to the new Graphene Prestige. As far as I remember, he went a whole year demoing and ended up at the RF97, which is an excellent racquet made by a completely better company.
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eaglesburg
Guest
Is the radical supposed to be in between the extreme and prestige line
Doubles
Legend
The Radical used to be a complete tank, and it's own racquet completely. That was a long time ago, though. Then it morphed into a lighter, more flexible version of the Prestige MP. Now it's something completely different.
RalphJ
Banned
The RF97 is to the Graphene Prestige MP, as a
McLaren MP412C is to a brand new Datsun B210.
smalahove
Hall of Fame
This is a perfect illustration of why the Prestige was changed. We have a poster that loves the feel of the IG, but actually plays a RF97A - one of the stiffest, worst feeling racquets on the market.
No offense intended, I also thought the IG felt great and play a RF97A
I play with the RF97A, and ime, I agree it has a specific stiff feeling, but I would def not call it a stiff racket along the line of the Graphene Speed Pro or Prestige Pro (which I own/ed). Fwiw, I find the IG Prestige Pro (which I own), a much stiffer playing racket, much in part to the harshness outside of the sweet spot.
I find the 6.1 95 the only racket that ressembles the RF97A.
Imo, none of the Head models are similar. Even the Graphene Prestige Pro and the PS97 have little in common.
prestigeww
Rookie
i have not yet hit with the rf97's. do they hit similar to the ig prestige line?
RalphJ
Banned
The GPMP is a different racquet than its predecessors. I'm starting to see that it has quite a bit more power. There is absolutely no feel to it. It feels neither solid nor pushed around. There's nothing but a slight ping to it. No feel. You only feel the strings. If you put stiff poly in it (RPM, Lux) then its pingy and vibrates. If you put softer poly in it, there is no feel. Nada. Its weird.
Is it better than the others? No, just different. Either way, it is the best racquet in its spec range - because there is no other racquet in its spec range, lol.
Head needs to add a little more substance to the throat of it, and give it the XT paint job.
Is it better than the others? No, just different. Either way, it is the best racquet in its spec range - because there is no other racquet in its spec range, lol.
Head needs to add a little more substance to the throat of it, and give it the XT paint job.
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maxpotapov
Hall of Fame
What a wonderful feeling of... nothingness :roll:
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maxpotapov
Hall of Fame
Question: "modern feel" means feeling numb or feeling empty?
