Secrets of the Dunlop Max 200G

paoloraz

New User
here it is part of my 200g collection...
two green stripes
351impy.jpg


pro's and mac signature
5qssp.jpg


grafil injection version...
23uohhc.jpg


...but I have much more!! :)

BTW, some people says that the last 'Pro' version is lighter... I don't think so. Simply, it was offered only with the Light (L) weight, while the previous versions were also manufactured with LM and even M weights. But if you take a two green stripes-squared holes light frame and a light 'pro' frame they weight equal...indeed, except for the buttcap and the lenght of the grip they are exactely identical (aroung 365 grams strung)!! I also believe that in the pro version they put the horrible plastic grip not only to save money, but also to get the same weight of the version with the longer grip. LM frames are around 375-380 grams and M ones in the 385-390 round.

IMO, the square holes frame with six grommets came out in 1985 and not 1983...

Finally, a curiosity is that Mac always used the 'made in england' buttcap of the first version, with the black leather grip with small 'dunlop dunlop dunlop' around , until he retired, that is, the grip of the wooden maxply mcenroe...the funny thing is that when, in '82-'83, he did actually used the maxply mcenroe racquet used the brown leather grip of the standard maxply fort!!
 
Last edited:
here it is part of my 200g collection...
two green stripes
351impy.jpg


pro's and mac signature
5qssp.jpg


grafil injection version...
23uohhc.jpg


...but I have much more!! :)

BTW, some people says that the last 'Pro' version is lighter... I don't think so. Simply, it was offered only with the Light (L) weight, while the previous versions were also manufactured with LM and even M weights. But if you take a two green stripes-squared holes light frame and a light 'pro' frame they weight equal...indeed, except for the buttcap and the lenght of the grip they are exactely identical (aroung 365 grams strung)!! I also believe that in the pro version they put the horrible plastic grip not only to save money, but also to get the same weight of the version with the longer grip. LM frames are around 375-380 grams and M ones in the 385-390 round.

IMO, the square holes frame with six grommets came out in 1985 and not 1983...

Finally, a curiosity is that Mac always used the 'made in england' buttcap of the first version, with the black leather grip with small 'dunlop dunlop dunlop' around , until he retired, that is, the grip of the wooden maxply mcenroe...the funny thing is that when, in '82-'83, he did actually used the maxply mcenroe racquet used the brown leather grip of the standard maxply fort!!

-Perhaps it's been answered already but which version of the racquet did McEnroe himself use all those years? Does anyone know? And which is the first "pro" version of the frame. Sorry, but my head is spinning with all of the variations. Thanks!
 

vsbabolat

G.O.A.T.
-Perhaps it's been answered already but which version of the racquet did McEnroe himself use all those years? Does anyone know? And which is the first "pro" version of the frame. Sorry, but my head is spinning with all of the variations. Thanks!

McEnroe used the 2 green stripe cosmetic and the ones that were green and gold stripe that said Grafil Injection starting in 1988 to the end of his career.
 
McEnroe used the 2 green stripe cosmetic and the ones that were green and gold stripe that said Grafil Injection starting in 1988 to the end of his career.
Thanks - did he use mediums? I've heard some say the pro version was slightly stiffer. Would this also be your assessment? I'm thinking of picking one up as the warped one isn't cutting it for me :) I had one for about a year in the mid 80's and I believe I lost it :)

I've been hitting with wooden racquets lately finding even more control than the K90's I've hit with for the past few years. The MAX200G is a nice happy medium. Though I think I'm tempted by the 150G since I love the smaller head. Ever hit with one of those?
 

paoloraz

New User
McEnroe used the 2 green stripe cosmetic and the ones that were green and gold stripe that said Grafil Injection starting in 1988 to the end of his career.

I think he used for some years also "his" signature version, the green and gold one with the Graphite Injection writing, also after 1988...I have a picture on an Italian tennis review showing that this was the cosmetic of his frames at the 1990 USO. In 1991 I don't remember; in 1992 at the Australian Open he used total black 200g's (no logo, nothing), then in wimbledon he used the "grafil injection" cosmetic: since 1991, the 200g took the name of "200g pro" and was sold in two cosmetics: the purple green one used by Graf and the classic one, grafil injection but with written "max 200g pro", used by mac.

I remember that I for my 19 years birthday (1992) I asked this classic version as a gift to my girlfriend, I saw her (the racquet) in a shop and I was in love with her...but then my girlfriend bought me the purple green one and I was really disappointed...but of course I could't display that!! ;-)

After he retired, Mac used also the purple green one in exibitions until 1995-96...on youtube you can see a match against sampras where he hit the purple green one.
 

paoloraz

New User
Thanks - did he use mediums? I've heard some say the pro version was slightly stiffer. Would this also be your assessment? I'm thinking of picking one up as the warped one isn't cutting it for me :) I had one for about a year in the mid 80's and I believe I lost it :)

I'm also curious about the weight of the racquet used by mac: L, LM or M? That's THE question!! :)

And maybe also the gripsize...I guess it's a 4 5/8...
 

paoloraz

New User
-And which is the first "pro" version of the frame. Sorry, but my head is spinning with all of the variations. Thanks!

At the beginning, the "pro" add to the standard "max 200g" name was used in few cases, nobody really knows in what these "pro" frames differ to the standard ones. Someone says that Dunlop used the "pro" add to frames that meet exactely the specifics. To my knowledge, the first "pro" add came out with the graphite injection (mac signature) 1986 model

Then in 1988 came out the "grafil injection" max 200g paintjob. And also here we have examples of a small number of frames identified with the "pro II" extension to the name, and maybe also with "pro" (never seen one however).

Then in 1991, the "pro" extension was included into the "regular" name of the model, which became "max 200g pro". This version was sold in two different paintjobs: the purple and green one and again the classic one, green and gold stripes with written Grafil Injection. In this period, small number productions was labelled "max 200g proIII". I saw pics of the purple green with this logo, never the classic version, but who knows? ;-)
 

vsbabolat

G.O.A.T.
At the beginning, the "pro" add to the standard "max 200g" name was used in few cases, nobody really knows in what these "pro" frames differ to the standard ones. Someone says that Dunlop used the "pro" add to frames that meet exactely the specifics. To my knowledge, the first "pro" add came out with the graphite injection (mac signature) 1986 model

Then in 1988 came out the "grafil injection" max 200g paintjob. And also here we have examples of a small number of frames identified with the "pro II" extension to the name, and maybe also with "pro" (never seen one however).

Then in 1991, the "pro" extension was included into the "regular" name of the model, which became "max 200g pro". This version was sold in two different paintjobs: the purple and green one and again the classic one, green and gold stripes with written Grafil Injection. In this period, small number productions was labelled "max 200g proIII". I saw pics of the purple green with this logo, never the classic version, but who knows? ;-)

Actually they added Pro to the "Regular" Grafil Injection branded frames in 1990. The difference being it had the longer handle for two handed backhands, a different font on the side of racquet for 200G, and thh word Hysol was removed from the frames.
IMG_0725-2.jpg

IMG_0115.jpg
 

nalvarado

Semi-Pro
I have no business wanting one of these but they look so beautiful. Perhaps one will find its way to me via the thrift store.
 

paoloraz

New User
Actually they added Pro to the "Regular" Grafil Injection branded frames in 1990. The difference being it had the longer handle for two handed backhands, a different font on the side of racquet for 200G, and thh word Hysol was removed from the frames.

Virginia, you are "almost right" in the sense that the graphics with the smaller and squared 200g font and the lack of the 'Hysol' word on the side of the frame characterised also the last lot of "normal" graphil injection 200g frames (i.e. not "pro" jet). Also the colour of the painting was somehow different...instad of being full dark, it becomes somehow deep green-ble (petrol I would say) at the top of the head. These features, with the addition of the longer handle, were maintained also since the end of 1990 for the new denomination "max 200g pro".

I think that for the year of introduction of the regular pro edition there might be country differences (in Italy I would guess that it was in the end of 1990)

66y9zs.jpg

5js70p.jpg


And, of course, I love talking about the secrets of my beloved 200g's :)
 

paoloraz

New User
IMG_0725-2.jpg


This is a beauty, this is what I wanted for my 18th birthday...Virginia, I'm soooo envy!!!! :)

Beautiful racquet, really...
 

paoloraz

New User
This is the Dunlop ads for the launch of the "new" 1991 pro version (the review is of the beginning of january 1991) where you can find the new purple green and the old versions, both "pro". Then there was an associated game, you had to write the name of players who was actually using "anonymous", e.g. red and black 200g, with different logos... there were many! Martina used in a wimby final the black version, and Omar camporese (best ranking n. 18, winner of Milano and Rotterdam ATP events) for years used a red 200g (see below) with the "scaglia" logo on the strings (see below, scaglia was a manufacturer of raquets and, especially, stringing machines). I remember an advertisment of Scaglia where they were advertaising their racquets by putting a photo of Omar actually using the 200g!! :-D
2ahikxl.jpg

1zx7htt.jpg


Across '80s and '90s almost every Italian davisman and many pros were using or had used the 200g: Canè (best ranking 26), Nargiso (Winner junior Wimbledon), Camporese, Caratti (QF australian open, SF Milan in 1991) an anonymous one with the Estusa logo on the strings, Gaudenzi (best ranking 18, SF Montecarlo 1995), Pozzi... Caratti and Pozzi then switched to the 400i.
 

paoloraz

New User
McEnroe used the 2 green stripe cosmetic and the ones that were green and gold stripe that said Grafil Injection starting in 1988 to the end of his career.

Quick check on old tennis journals, vsbabolat you are right, he started using the grafil injection in 1988 until 1990. Then I have that memory of him using the previous version at USO 1990, but I can't find check now... in 1991 I guess he almost never used the 200g, he was changing a number of different raquets (e.g. in the chicago final with pat he was using a different stick, as well as at the USO, at wimbledon he used the prestige pro), then he was back to the 200g at the Australian 1992 with an annonymous one, and since then used again the grafil injection with the "max 200g pro" logo. Not sure about what he used in 1986 and 1987 (when in 1986 he was back by the end of the year, if the memory assists me right, he was still using the double green version, as you suggest)
 

vsbabolat

G.O.A.T.
Virginia, you are "almost right" in the sense that the graphics with the smaller and squared 200g font and the lack of the 'Hysol' word on the side of the frame characterised also the last lot of "normal" graphil injection 200g frames (i.e. not "pro" jet). Also the colour of the painting was somehow different...instad of being full dark, it becomes somehow deep green-ble (petrol I would say) at the top of the head. These features, with the addition of the longer handle, were maintained also since the end of 1990 for the new denomination "max 200g pro".

I think that for the year of introduction of the regular pro edition there might be country differences (in Italy I would guess that it was in the end of 1990)

66y9zs.jpg

5js70p.jpg


And, of course, I love talking about the secrets of my beloved 200g's :)

I used the Max200G and variants from 1983-1991. In the Spring of 1990 I got the Max200G Pro with the longer grip and different font G.
 

Virginia

Hall of Fame
I recently acquired a Pierre Cardin racquet bag on German E**y, which came with a mint Bjorn Borg Donnay and a mint Kneissl Cup Star. I had taken these beauties round to my stringer, to show him, along with a couple of frames that needed restringing. I had removed my usual racquet (Chris Competition) to make room for the others.

When I got to my tennis club yesterday, I realised that the Chris racquet was missing and I had the choice of playing with either of the above two racquets or my "stealth mode" 200G, that happens to be the only graphite frame that fits into the dedicated racquet pocket on the front of the bag. Incidentally, my stringer immediately recognised it, even though it's painted black and only part of it was showing in the pocket.

No contest really, as the Kneissl weighs about 14 oz and I didn't want to risk the pristine Donnay, so I got out the 200G, wondering how I would handle it and getting my excuses all ready!

Much to my delight, it played like a dream, just as easy for me as the Chris competition. And boy, with good preparation and a good swing, the ball went like a rocket.

A few people noticed that I wasn't playing with my usual racquet and marvelled at the small head. Naturally I couldn't resist pointing out that it was injection molded, had no grommets and was McEnroes racquet of choice for a large part of his career.
 

Hannah19

Professional
^^^ Welcome to the club of tennis heaven past, present and future, welcome to the MAX 200G club of afficionados...!!!
Glad to have you a bord, Virginia..
 

Virginia

Hall of Fame
Thanks Hannah19. :) But did you not notice that it was me that started this thread?

I have ten 200G's and thought I was doing well until I saw paolaraz's wonderful collection. But jimbo is probably the king of 200G's - he has 17 different versions! Hopefully he'll be back here posting before long.

Once again, I have to say this frame is spectacular - smooth, powerful with a full swing and a joy at the net. My backhand benefits particularly well with the 200G, as I have a full take back and really drive through the ball. :)
 

Virginia

Hall of Fame
I just weighed a few racquets: My Chris Competition weighs 12.5 oz, the 200G I've just played with weighs 14 oz and the Kneissl Cup Star weighs 14.6 oz. No wonder that one felt heavy!

The 200G however did NOT feel in the least heavy, even at 14 oz.
 

Hannah19

Professional
Thanks Hannah19. :) But did you not notice that it was me that started this thread?

I have ten 200G's and thought I was doing well until I saw paolaraz's wonderful collection. But jimbo is probably the king of 200G's - he has 17 different versions! Hopefully he'll be back here posting before long.

Once again, I have to say this frame is spectacular - smooth, powerful with a full swing and a joy at the net. My backhand benefits particularly well with the 200G, as I have a full take back and really drive through the ball. :)

The whole secret of playing with the MAX is to let it do the work.
I stopped putting any effort in it, let it's weight do it for me and I'll end up hitting the most fabulous shots.
 

max

Legend
OK folks, this spring I'm stringing up one of my Kloset Klassic 200Gs.

Virginia, what's a Chris Competition? Associated with Chris Evert?
 

Virginia

Hall of Fame
No, not at all - Chris is the manufacturer's name. They made four models, all from the same mold, in the 1980's - the Executor (boron and graphite), The Power-G (all graphite), the Competition (80/20 graphite and S2 fibreglass) and the Avenger (50/50 Graphite and S2 fibreglass). They were promoted by Pancho Segura for a while. I have each model, except I have three Competitions (one never strung) and two Avengers (neither ever strung), so I'm pretty much set for life.

The Power-G I got courtesy of coachrick - I'd been looking for that one for ages.

They were designed specifically to be "arm friendly", which they definitely are. I'll post a family portrait one of these days.
 

coachrick

Hall of Fame
heres mine

7QTTu.jpg

That is ONE funky string job! I never cared for the 'woodie' pattern used by Dunlop for the 200G...I preferred to keep the mains parallel on the outside and leave out ONE cross at the top...making it look more 'modern' and less wood-like(and having fewer shared holes and less crowded at the top); BUT somebody went overboard on yours! :)

Ginnie, glad to help with the Chris. I haven't hit since being advised to get a knee replacement back around Thanksgiving. Actually, my knee feels pretty darned good and I might have to take my Chris out for a spin!
 

ramos77

Semi-Pro
ha! didn't even notice it! haven't used it since it got re-strung..

do you mean it should have extra cross string, and one less main?

I think you're talking about the gap inbetween the second and third crosses right? weird
 

Hannah19

Professional
^^^ Actually, you are missing 3 (!) cross strings and both outer strings should be coming from 9H going to 10T.
You skip 9T.
 

paoloraz

New User
Thanks Hannah19. :) But did you not notice that it was me that started this thread?

I have ten 200G's and thought I was doing well until I saw paolaraz's wonderful collection. But jimbo is probably the king of 200G's - he has 17 different versions! Hopefully he'll be back here posting before long.

Thank you Virginia...actually the pics I posted show only a 'small' part of my 200g collection...I think I have more than 30-about 40 200gs... most of them are at my mother house...but I hope to gather all of them and to post some picture of my complete collection (including 8 300is!! :)

Although Jimbo has probably more versions than me!!
 

paoloraz

New User
That is ONE funky string job! I never cared for the 'woodie' pattern used by Dunlop for the 200G...I preferred to keep the mains parallel on the outside and leave out ONE cross at the top...making it look more 'modern' and less wood-like(and having fewer shared holes and less crowded at the top); BUT somebody went overboard on yours! :)

The 'woodie'-like pattern was the one used by Mac, while Steffi Graf, especially in the last years with the 200g, used the more modern pattern with all the mains parallel on the outside...but still with the 20x18 pattern.

I tried with both...didn't notice any meaningful difference...but I love the 'classic' woodie-alike more!! :)
 
This racquet has made me a better player, there's no doubt about it.

I still find it to be a handful and the head size is definitely not forgiving, but my backhand has improved dramatically, especially my backhand slice.
 

Virginia

Hall of Fame
^^^^

Same for me and I still practise with it about once a week, just to make me concentrate on proper technique.
 
I always warm up with the Max, especially if my hitting partner and I start with mini tennis. Once I'm warmed up, shoulder is nice and loose, I switch to my Blade Tour and start rifling the ball. The Max really forces you to do everything right, and then the transition to my regular racquet is so easy.
 

lendlmac

Rookie
just got my 4th Dunlop Max 200G Pro Last week 1991 Version, MINT!

I now have 4 Dunlop Max 200gs (2 1st generation) and, one 2nd generation, and one Mint Condtion max 200G Pro and One (1) Dunlop Max 300i

all strung at 46/44 lbs, with VS natural gut.

each racquet blows away all my opponents into submission, so much power from baseline...let the raqcuet do the work, no arm, just swing lightly, and BAM!! LOL

200Gs are the BEST! :twisted:
 

WARPWOODIE

Rookie
Curios to know, I recently acquired a Dunlop McEnroe Limited...it looks like the same racquet as the 200G...but the head is shaped like an egg, not oval like the 200G...is my racquet an offshoot of the 200G?
 

coachrick

Hall of Fame
^^^^

Same for me and I still practise with it about once a week, just to make me concentrate on proper technique.

Careful or you'll 'end up' like Steffi and can hit a topspin backhand only once a year ;) ....'course, if I had her legs and her other strokes, I'd make that trade! (Well, I'd like to keep MY serve :) )....and I'd look strange with HER legs, but you get the idea.
 

coachrick

Hall of Fame
Curios to know, I recently acquired a Dunlop McEnroe Limited...it looks like the same racquet as the 200G...but the head is shaped like an egg, not oval like the 200G...is my racquet an offshoot of the 200G?
Quite a few of the egg-shaped rackets(not the XLT particularly) had a truer 'wood' feel with the flex above mid-hoop and much less power than the 200G. They were interesting for the time...sort of a diminutive sibling to some of the Kneissl models of the '80s.
 

VanillaBean

New User
sorry for reviving this thread but as i was reading i had some questions.
What are the differences between the generations/versions of the max 200g? mainly regarding the earlier generations and feel/performance wise.
Which generation do you believe plays the best?

The multiple generations confuse me:shock:
 

Hannah19

Professional
Mostly the addition of Hysol and Grafil fibers changed the characteristics a bit in the later models. Most dramatic changes were cosmetic.
 

paoloraz

New User
Reading the test of the purple green max 200g pro 1991 version (the latest one) in an old Italian Tennis magazine, it is reported that for this last "pro" version Dunlop used graphite bars of increased lenght to add power and more rigidity, and that they changed the percentages of the mix between graphite and nylon, to the same purpose.

All in all, when using the racquet, I never noticed dramatic differences between the variuos iterations of the 200g. If anything, if you take the very first (round holes) and the very last (purple green 200g pro), the latter seems to play a little bit more like a "modern" racquet...somehow more "solid"...at least this is the impression. Maybe due to the different combination between graphite and nylon and to the different quality of the graphite, maybe due to the different mold used... but these are small differences.
 

Max200G-user

New User
Reading the test of the purple green max 200g pro 1991 version (the latest one) in an old Italian Tennis magazine, it is reported that for this last "pro" version Dunlop used graphite bars of increased lenght to add power and more rigidity, and that they changed the percentages of the mix between graphite and nylon, to the same purpose.

All in all, when using the racquet, I never noticed dramatic differences between the variuos iterations of the 200g. If anything, if you take the very first (round holes) and the very last (purple green 200g pro), the latter seems to play a little bit more like a "modern" racquet...somehow more "solid"...at least this is the impression. Maybe due to the different combination between graphite and nylon and to the different quality of the graphite, maybe due to the different mold used... but these are small differences.

You clearly right, and i thing the best of all is the stripes one with the mac enroe signature, picture here
http://www.google.fr/search?q=dunlo...&biw=1024&bih=672&sei=xSEwUMDJNeLF0QWCrIHoDA#

Regards
 

Max200G-user

New User
This is the Dunlop ads for the launch of the "new" 1991 pro version (the review is of the beginning of january 1991) where you can find the new purple green and the old versions, both "pro". Then there was an associated game, you had to write the name of players who was actually using "anonymous", e.g. red and black 200g, with different logos... there were many! Martina used in a wimby final the black version, and Omar camporese (best ranking n. 18, winner of Milano and Rotterdam ATP events) for years used a red 200g (see below) with the "scaglia" logo on the strings (see below, scaglia was a manufacturer of raquets and, especially, stringing machines). I remember an advertisment of Scaglia where they were advertaising their racquets by putting a photo of Omar actually using the 200g!! :-D
2ahikxl.jpg

1zx7htt.jpg


Whaou ! I got a black stealth version of a french atp player (jerome potier) but never notice this red version !!!

Great !
 
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