Pro Kennex Ace Series

tkoziol

tkoziol

Rookie
There is already a great thread on this with some info that I compiled. However, the thread was started in '07 and the classic racquet talk thread was formed in '09. So I'm creating a thread here. I'm gonna need some serious help from everyone! I know there are quite a few classic PK owners out there. I'm looking to compile specs. I'm probably wrong on a lot of these. Any help would be appreciated. Additionally, I would love a tier ranking from anyone who remembers how these frames were marketed/distributed. Obviously some were high end pro shop models, and others were cheaper and sold in big box stores. Having trouble nailing down which ones are high end....

Here is what I have so far:

-Boron (stiffest) RARE 10% boron 90% graphite (high end?)

70 flex 361 grams 9-10 points HL 80 pounds MAX

-Diamond (stiff) RARE 5% boron 95% graphite (high end?)

65 flex 360 grams 6-8 points HL 75 pounds MAX

-Black Ace (little flex) only yellow letters!!!! (red letters is 85 inch head) 100% graphite (high end?)

60 flex 400 grams 4 points HL 70 pounds MAX

-Silver Ace (average flex) 80% graphite 20% fiber (high end?)

55 flex 350 grams to 365 grams 7-8 points hl 68 pounds MAX

-Olympic Ace (more flex) 70% graphite 30% fiber (low end?)
is this a thin beam or widebody???


-Bronze Ace (flexy) 60% graphite 40% fiber (high end?)

-Composite Ace (very flexy) 50% graphite 50% fiber (low end?)

-Copper Ace (insane flexy) 60% fiber 40% graphite (low end or high end?)

50 flex 335 grams-350 grams 7-8 points HL 62 pounds MAX

-Fiber Ace (bad flex) unstable 70% Fiber 30% graphite (low end?)

-Ace Lite (similar to black ace) RARE 100% graphite ultra light weight (high end?)

60 flex 325 grams to 345 grams 8 points HL 65 pounds MAX
 
Bronze Ace, had a throat piece, pro shop lowest price model.
Diamond,Black,Sliver I purchased at pro shops.
Black Ace Micro pro shop.
Ceramic Ace 75 G/25 F/ 5 percent ceramic ?
 
Blue Ace was the midsized open throat wood-graphite. I have a feeling this frame was a generic woody (can't be certain though) and perhaps Kunnan Lo was the OEM. I've seen what looks to be exactly the same racquet with different cosmetics as Emrik's Vila 2000 and Rossignol's G2000.

I think your Silver Ace flex figures may be a little low. It's a fairly firm stick. Higher end I'm pretty sure.

And I don't know if the Copper Ace had the same composition as the Bronze Ace or not. Also I think a higher end stick.

The ones I remember in Oz as being higher end were the Diamond, Black, Silver, Bronze and Copper Aces. The micros came out a few years later I think.
 
galain said:
Blue Ace was the midsized open throat wood-graphite. I have a feeling this frame was a generic woody (can't be certain though) and perhaps Kunnan Lo was the OEM. I've seen what looks to be exactly the same racquet with different cosmetics as Emrik's Vila 2000 and Rossignol's G2000.

I think your Silver Ace flex figures may be a little low. It's a fairly firm stick. Higher end I'm pretty sure.

And I don't know if the Copper Ace had the same composition as the Bronze Ace or not. Also I think a higher end stick.

The ones I remember in Oz as being higher end were the Diamond, Black, Silver, Bronze and Copper Aces. The micros came out a few years later I think.
Click to expand...

I would second that. I had a few hits with the Silver Ace and the Black Ace back in the 80's, and they were some of the stiffest racquets I came across at this period. Probably around the mid 60's, and that was quite high at the time.
 
I have found a Pro Ace for sale near me at an almost reasonable price. Does anyone have any experience with how this racquet plays and what its specifications might be?
The bridge on the frame has some additional 3 dimensional form that the rest of the Pro Kennex Aces don't seem to have.
http://www.80s-tennis.com/pages/pro-kennex-pro-ace.html
 
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galain said:
RDM - never seen it before but it looks very similar.
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Thanks for the reply. I took a punt and picked up the one I found anyway. I guessed I couldn't go too wrong with a close relative - given the nice things people say about the Golden Ace.
 
RDM said:
Does the Graphite Ace (wood graphite composite Golden Ace lookalike) compare favourably (playing wise) with the Golden Ace or not?
http://i40.tinypic.com/ioovgn.jpg
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I happen to be looking at a specimen of each of these as I write this. Both the Golden Ace and the Graphite Ace are identical in head size, shape, drill pattern, grip flake, throat geometry, etc, and both identify being made of American ash and maple wood, with graphite face. Where they differ is in beam widrh: the Graphite Ace measures 14.75mm thick, where the Golden Ace measures 17.80mm. It’s accordingly stiffer, and heavier.
 
retrowagen said:
I happen to be looking at a specimen of each of these as I write this. Both the Golden Ace and the Graphite Ace are identical in head size, shape, drill pattern, grip flake, throat geometry, etc, and both identify being made of American ash and maple wood, with graphite face. Where they differ is in beam widrh: the Graphite Ace measures 14.75mm thick, where the Golden Ace measures 17.80mm. It’s accordingly stiffer, and heavier.
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Thanks retrowagen.
I ended up getting the Graphite Ace anyway and it seems to hit very nicely. It weighs around the 355g mark which would by extrapolation put the Golden Ace over 400g I'm guessing.
 
RDM said:
Thanks retrowagen.
I ended up getting the Graphite Ace anyway and it seems to hit very nicely. It weighs around the 355g mark which would by extrapolation put the Golden Ace over 400g I'm guessing.
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Just measured my pair: the Golden Ace, 355g; the Graphite Ace, 350g - both strung and with their original leather grips.
 
retrowagen said:
Just measured my pair: the Golden Ace, 355g; the Graphite Ace, 350g - both strung and with their original leather grips.
Click to expand...
Must be slightly different constructions/materials then as the Golden Ace should have 20% more "volume" based on your thickness measurements (and everything else being equal).
 
So after looking at this.. I stumbled on a pretty clean comp Ace. Didn’t really pay attention to the pic above but this one is not oval shaped like all the other aces i’ve Seen. But rather it is an isometric shape just like a Yonex.

Didn’t Kennex oem for Yonex back in the day? Looks awfully close to that shape.

 
Ultra 2 said:
So after looking at this.. I stumbled on a pretty clean comp Ace. Didn’t really pay attention to the pic above but this one is not oval shaped like all the other aces i’ve Seen. But rather it is an isometric shape just like a Yonex.

Didn’t Kennex oem for Yonex back in the day? Looks awfully close to that shape.

Click to expand...
I think Kunnan may have made some of the lower end YY rackets(not sure); but the upper tier rackets were proudly made in Japan by Yonex(unless there are some that slipped by me).
 
coachrick said:
I think Kunnan may have made some of the lower end YY rackets(not sure); but the upper tier rackets were proudly made in Japan by Yonex(unless there are some that slipped by me).
Click to expand...

Thanks! It looks like the same shape as the Yonex. Yeah, now I remember that the rexking was made in Japan.
 
Ultra 2 said:
Thanks! It looks like the same shape as the Yonex. Yeah, now I remember that the rexking was made in Japan.
Click to expand...
BIG difference as we had customers who would NOT touch a racket made in Taiwan but would happily buy a frame from Japan(or Europe back when you could find those!). This was in the '80s.
 
coachrick said:
BIG difference as we had customers who would NOT touch a racket made in Taiwan but would happily buy a frame from Japan(or Europe back when you could find those!). This was in the '80s.
Click to expand...

Yes! I loved the craftsmanship from Japan back in the day. Owned some Nikon 35mm SLRs, Mizuno Forged Golf Clubs, Daiwa/shimano fishing reels & still own a Wilson A2000 ball glove.. all made in Japan.

Most of my racquets were Prince.. so I believe they were all made in China.
 
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Ultra 2 said:
Most of my racquets were Prince.. so I believe they were all made in China.
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Yours may have been. I believe the amazingly popular Prince Pro aluminum was a product of Taiwan(at least initially). It was almost 40 years ago, so don't quote me on that ;)
 
I picked up tennis again last year after a 10 year absence (51 now).
I started wondering what "new and improved" rackets were out there that I might benefit from, considering a change from my Yonex RDX300 Mid's. The main thing on my mind was "arm friendly".
Being a tinkerer, and having a little klipper-mate stringer, I proceeded to try some newer (but not new, rarely willing to spend more than $80) rackets, starting with Yonex (Ai 100), then Volkl (Organix 8, 9, 10), and Prince (Tour 100 ESP and ESP Pro). Nothing stood out at all.
Then I started going older. I picked up an Prince Chang XL Mid and OS. Still nothing special.
Finally I happened to stumble over this thread, and I picked up a Boron Ace, Copper Ace, and Golden Ace (just for kicks). At this point, I have about a dozen rackets in my basement, and the one I like the most is: the old Copper Ace I got for <$20 shipped.
Weighing in at 360g, it just has such a nice feel, and a nice sound. I have it strung with Klip synthetic gut @58.
I can see my ground strokes slightly jump off the court, something I don't see with any other racket I've tried. Flat serves are solid bombs. I'm still trying to get the hang of the slice with the Copper Ace, and my attempts at the kick are worse than normal.

The other part of this return to tennis is that I got a ball machine and I've been making a very conscious effort to increase the biomechanical efficiency of my strokes, and I have to conclude that better mechanics + heavy racket = better tennis for me. I've just started a TLN league, so the real test is going to be over the next few months. I'm unsure if the weight is going to be a noticeable detriment in match play.
 
Yeah, not much of a newer racquet guy primarily due to the weight. Tried the RF97 and I feel that is the closest to the Prince Racquets I grew up playing with. I feel that I get more out of my older racquets than even what is considered to be one the better frames of today (RF97).

I have a whole collection of the Kennex aces of that era but string pattern are different so it doesn’t fit my stroke/serves & volleys. Your playing style was developed years ago.. so it fits the racquets of that era. Nothing wrong hitting with older stocks.

Racquet collection is a disease.. but it’s quite fun :) and doesn’t break the bank like collecting multiple sets of golf clubs.
 
So, I just got another Copper Ace from the auction, and after I put a fresh over-grip on it, it weighs in at: 338g!!
22g lighter. I'm really curious to see how it hits compared to its heavier brother.
 
R Jamieson said:
So, I just got another Copper Ace from the auction, and after I put a fresh over-grip on it, it weighs in at: 338g!!
22g lighter. I'm really curious to see how it hits compared to its heavier brother.
Click to expand...


Weird. I had a pair I just sold and they were identical at 340g apiece.

Great, great racquets.
 
Pro Kennex Comp Ace 90.
350g Strung Weight. 16x19 String Pattern. 9 Points Head Light. 17mm constant beam thickness and a foam core.
Its geometry looks very familiar but I can’t put my finger on it.
 
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scotus said:
22x30?

I'm not stringing that!
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I wonder if anyone has ever “half” strung one of these (11x15) in order to try and replicate a Snauwaert Hi Ten (12x13) type set up? Having said that, you’d probably struggle to fit the heavier gauge string in - and it would be “lopsided” string wise too.
 
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Kunnan Lo was the OEM for all Prince rackets in the 80s. It even seemed at the time (early 80s) that some of the PK line was modeled after the market-dominating Prince line: Boron Ace = Boron, Black Ace = Graphite, Silver Ace = Comp, Bronze Ace = Precision Graphite, and I think there was a PK that corresponded to the Pro.

To be fair, lots of companies organized their lines from stiffest/most expensive down through less expensive, more flexible frames with increasing amounts of fiberglass, but the PK Aces had a very similar feel to the Prince frames. (That's a high compliment, too.)
 
Don't Let It Bounce said:
Kunnan Lo was the OEM for all Prince rackets in the 80s. It even seemed at the time (early 80s) that some of the PK line was modeled after the market-dominating Prince line: Boron Ace = Boron, Black Ace = Graphite, Silver Ace = Comp, Bronze Ace = Precision Graphite, and I think there was a PK that corresponded to the Pro.

To be fair, lots of companies organized their lines from stiffest/most expensive down through less expensive, more flexible frames with increasing amounts of fiberglass, but the PK Aces had a very similar feel to the Prince frames. (That's a high compliment, too.)
Click to expand...

The Power Ace was the Kennex answer to the mid-ish Prince Pro(and the Dunlop XLT 15 and others)
Head, Prince and Kennex(and Wimbledon) had a model "spectrum" that made sense as you mentioned...pretty much the same silhouette with differing material layups and pricing.
 
RDM said:
I wonder if anyone has ever “half” strung one of these (11x15) in order to try and replicate a Snauwaert Hi Ten (12x13) type set up? Having said that, you’d probably struggle to fit the heavier gauge string in - and it would be “lopsided” string wise too.
Click to expand...
Really tough dealing with even 16ga string in those tiny holes; let alone anything like the 14(?)ga rope from the HI Ten!!!
I sold the heck out of the Micro series rackets when they first came out; but re-orders were near zilch. Stringers didn't want to string them...so they didn't push them!!! Great playing stick...I still have a proto-type Micro Mid !
 
Ceramic Ace. Felt hard and stiff for me to play, but it was just about my first racket, so I knew nothing about playing. It is long gone. Think I got it because Danish player Kenneth Carlsen used it at that point.
 
Pro Kennex Bronze Ace II. 357g Strung Weight. 16x19 String Pattern. 4-6 points Head Light.


Pro Kennex Pro Ace. 320g Strung Weight. 16x19 String Pattern. 6-8 Points Head Light.
 
Bumping this thread because I just played with the Silver Ace I got off the bay today and can’t believe how much I loved playing with it. Very soft but not wet noodle soft. Definitely softer than my Prince TT100P which is listed as RA63. So I’d probably say it was about a 60.

Really nice when you use classic stokes. Just line it up and swing through. Excellent comfort. You really have to use good form on those old frames and I think that’s what I need right now.
 
Don't Let It Bounce said:
Kunnan Lo was the OEM for all Prince rackets in the 80s. It even seemed at the time (early 80s) that some of the PK line was modeled after the market-dominating Prince line: Boron Ace = Boron, Black Ace = Graphite, Silver Ace = Comp, Bronze Ace = Precision Graphite, and I think there was a PK that corresponded to the Pro.

To be fair, lots of companies organized their lines from stiffest/most expensive down through less expensive, more flexible frames with increasing amounts of fiberglass, but the PK Aces had a very similar feel to the Prince frames. (That's a high compliment, too.)
Click to expand...
This makes sense. I came across a PK Pro Tour Ace 90 on the bay recently. It looks basically like a POG mid from that time with the cross bar and all. I haven’t used my old POG mid since high school so I can’t say how it compares but it was pretty stiff and not foam filled. Not at all like the Silver Ace but I imagine this racquet came later.
 
Hello folks..My apologies for my english....I run into this one for 2 days ago.....Found it in Second hand shop for 50 DKKR ca 10 USD...Newer know what You can find there. PK Ace Lite....345 gr strung, 16,5 mm profile, 16/19 pattern...Original leather grip.
Stiffness ( my opinion) 62-63 RA... I added grip and damper and its weight now 351 gr. Played one hour and what a stick...Precision, feel and comfort, manouverabillity.. Strings i believe are still the original one...Need to be changed...
Only downs ( my opinion) when serve You must hit with a full swing otherwise ball ending in net...Maybe with new strings different feel...Its a stick You can relay on in every situation..Small head size force You to play with high focus on the technic otherwise You`ll pay price.
 
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WestboroChe said:
This makes sense. I came across a PK Pro Tour Ace 90 on the bay recently. It looks basically like a POG mid from that time with the cross bar and all. I haven’t used my old POG mid since high school so I can’t say how it compares but it was pretty stiff and not foam filled. Not at all like the Silver Ace but I imagine this racquet came later.
Click to expand...
Yes sir I have that one as well ! It plays very very different from its Prince graphite bar” racket . Similar beam . Mine is the Weight is much lighter in the pro kennex and it’s also much softer than the prince graphite . It’s not as pretty as the Prince either .. but dare I say this .. it hits better than the Prince in my opinion ! Don’t hate me for saying that . What’s very intersting about my kennex is it’s a regular length 27 inches long . But for some ODD reason it looks like a junior racket as far as length . Can’t explain it but I’ve had others comment on it as well .
Folks saying hey ! That looks like a brown prince graphite junior racket :) I say . I know but it’s 27 inches ? They say NO Way:)
 
teachingprotx said:
Yes sir I have that one as well ! It plays very very different from its Prince graphite bar” racket . Similar beam . Mine is the Weight is much lighter in the pro kennex and it’s also much softer than the prince graphite . It’s not as pretty as the Prince either .. but dare I say this .. it hits better than the Prince in my opinion ! Don’t hate me for saying that . What’s very intersting about my kennex is it’s a regular length 27 inches long . But for some ODD reason it looks like a junior racket as far as length . Can’t explain it but I’ve had others comment on it as well .
Folks saying hey ! That looks like a brown prince graphite junior racket :) I say . I know but it’s 27 inches ? They say NO Way:)
Click to expand...
Haha. That's interesting. The one I have seems to have the original 16G syngut they put on at the factory and it is super tight. I haven't decided if I want to restring and really try it out. But your ringing endorsement gives me pause.
 
teachingprotx said:
Thank you for the pics and specs! Wish we knew the RA on these. For some odd reasons next to impossible to find RA values on any of the pro kennex 80’s thin beam true mids:( sadly
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I grew up hitting Ace Lite and 80s Black Ace 98 (actually probably 85 sq.in) and they were on par with PS85. Terrific and comfortable frames. Still have a few in mint and unused condition and just beautiful to even look at.
 
I hope they realice the black ace pro 100. In 16x19 (as the actual, that has the best spin/Control I know). 305gr and 22mm. 60RA. A litle beat more power and stable! The dream raquet!
 
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