DrTompu
New User
Really nice frames, enjoy! Although in my opinion Octane paintjob has been the best ever for custom TC's.Angell-Santa came yesterday. Online order to doorstep was 7 calendar days.
The Official Angell Users Club
- Thread starter The_Racketeer
- Start date
You must hit with a ton of spin to break strings in your Angell 97 18x20. I've played Tier 1 Black Knight 18g (1.18mm) in mine for 2 years and never broke them once. Longest I probably left them in was probably 12-15 hours. I also only play on hard court so if you're on clay that may also contribute to faster breaking.
flanker2000fr
Hall of Fame
I only play on hard court or astroturf, but I hit a pretty hard ball (not always in court, unfortunately). Mostly, I have a lot of action on my serve, either in slice or kick, and I suspect this is where I do a lot of damage to the strings. Then, all it takes is a big forehand hit slightly or frankly off center to break the string.
pico
Hall of Fame
How about Big Hitter Silver 7 Tour 1.25mm? Gamma Moto 1.23mm?
flanker2000fr
Hall of Fame
Some more to add to the list...
I actually don't remember a lot of string talk regarding the Red. Because it is pretty soft RA-wise, plus the Twaron, I would lean towards trying stiffer or more powerful strings as long as your arm is ok.
Thanks. Arm comfort is part of the reason for a possible switch to K7 Red so wouldn't want to go too stiff, but I know it is a softer racket.
topspn
Legend
No issues with a crisp string on the K7 red. It will play plush with virtually anything. However a soft string soft frame is just a trampoline so go crisp.
When you order the frames unstrung, how are the grommets? Do you have to widen the tie-off? When I ordered mine, I had them string it up. I can't quite see the grommets in your pictures or on their angell site.Angell-Santa came yesterday. Online order to doorstep was 7 calendar days.
Helpful to know. I’m used to using softer polys so not 100% sure what qualifies as “crisp”. Am I on the right track with these? I also usually play 17 but wonder if 16 makes more sense in the k7 red.
Signum x-perience
Kirshbaum pro line ii
Volkl cyclone
Hyper g
I've never had to widen the "given" tie off hole. I've seen a few videos of people like Richard Parnell that create a closer tieoff hole using an awl, but I've never bothered.
I string myself and usually two-piece, but that was with my 18x20s. I commented a week or so ago that the 16x19 100 (not sure about 97 amd 95 yet) does have a double-blocked hole which would make stringing with softer thick string quite difficult.
I have since used around-the-world and that worked well.
On Angells, the grommet holes are small but the tie-off grommet holes are larger. That's why I think you have to do the tie-offs where the manufacturer meant them to be done, I'm not sure if you can widen (enough) a grommet hole not meant for tie-off, they are that small.
I have never wanted for power with my 18x20s. If anything it took a long time to find the right string to control the frames power - 18g Black Knight for me.
This is a benefit though, I have never served bigger than with my Angell 18x20. I am very much looking forward to warmer whether and my new family of 16x19s to see if they carry the same DNA, I'm sure they will.
Now, the 18x20 is not a Pure Drive, I would even assume that the Pure Strike 18x20 is probably a little more powerful.
And fwiw, I string my 18x20 between 45-48lbs depending on weather/heat.
delosalpes
Rookie
I’m currently playing with the VCore Pro 97D and loving it, though I would appreciate a bit of a higher launch angle. And it just so happens that I’ve fallen down the Angell rabbit hole.
How do you think the TC97 18x20 and 16x19 customized to similar specs to the 97D—320 static weight unstrung, etc—compare to the 97D?
How do you think the TC97 18x20 and 16x19 customized to similar specs to the 97D—320 static weight unstrung, etc—compare to the 97D?
I'll be hitting with my 97 16x19 for the first time this weekend so I'll be able to give a better answer then, but I can already guess that the 97D would likely be right in the middle with regard to launch angle. The 18x20's launch angle is low, even for an 18x20 because the string spacing is so tight. It is equally as tight as my LM Prestige Mid which is a 93in 18x20.
All of this is also pretty string dependent. You can manipulate launch angle to pretty decent degrees (pun intended) by choosing different string/tension combos. For me, using Black Knight 18g (1.18mm) at 46lbs has created the right blend of height and spin for me in the 18x20. I can imagine myself leaning towards a 16g / 1.30mm shaped string or a round 16L / 1.25mm string in the 16x19 to achieve a controllable launch angle while still creating plenty of spin for the heavier ball that I am looking for.
delosalpes
Rookie
Thanks. Look forward to hearing how it goes with the 16x19. I’m currently playing Signum Pro Tornado 1.17 in my 97D strung at 23kg/~50lbs. And it’s my favorite set up so far probably similar to the BK but with a bit more pop. The thing is—I like to play with a gut/poly hybrid and it didn’t work out too well the first time around with the 18x20 string pattern. I’ll have to try in again now that I’ve acclimated myself to the tighter string pattern.
First "family" outing today with all 3x Angell 16x19s. Quick thoughts now, and more detailed review to follow later today or tomorrow. Played a full set with each. 6-0 6-0 6-1
The 95 - strung with Diadem Solstice Power 1.30 at 45lbs. Lots of spin on tap, power was not out of control, but hard to flatten out balls and keep them in. Serves were great, all power and spin variation was there.
The 97 - also strung with same Solstice setup. Maybe it was confidence in the beam after 3 years with the 18x20, maybe it was the slightly higher RA, maybe it was because I was warmed up. But, I was thumping the ball with the 97. Almost full shot repertoire on tap. Still had to be aware of overhitting.
The 100 - the bully of the bunch. Strung with Solstice Black 1.30 at 45lbs. Had to be very aware to keep myself reigned in, couldn't flatten the ball put, but as long as I hit with spin it was a monster. Easily hit the most difficult to handle balls and the 100 always makes defense easier. The the tradeoff was that shorter mid court balls were hard to hit aggressive approaches on because of the power. Serve was nasty.
It's going to be a fun year
The 95 - strung with Diadem Solstice Power 1.30 at 45lbs. Lots of spin on tap, power was not out of control, but hard to flatten out balls and keep them in. Serves were great, all power and spin variation was there.
The 97 - also strung with same Solstice setup. Maybe it was confidence in the beam after 3 years with the 18x20, maybe it was the slightly higher RA, maybe it was because I was warmed up. But, I was thumping the ball with the 97. Almost full shot repertoire on tap. Still had to be aware of overhitting.
The 100 - the bully of the bunch. Strung with Solstice Black 1.30 at 45lbs. Had to be very aware to keep myself reigned in, couldn't flatten the ball put, but as long as I hit with spin it was a monster. Easily hit the most difficult to handle balls and the 100 always makes defense easier. The the tradeoff was that shorter mid court balls were hard to hit aggressive approaches on because of the power. Serve was nasty.
It's going to be a fun year
pico
Hall of Fame
How would you compare the TC97 16 x 19 with its 18 x 20 brother?
BTW, do you or anyone know how would the tc 101 compare w/ the 100? interms of power. I'm assuming w/ the box beam it'll have a lower launch angle...
Mkiske
Semi-Pro
Happi
Hall of Fame
Go TC95 then you will have Power 9 and Control 9
tennis_balla
Hall of Fame
I have a TC90 I’d be willing to sell, in the purple/blue flip flop color.
I'm curious...what are the specs on your tc90?
tennis_balla
Hall of Fame
L4 grip but I replaced the original Angell leather with a Babolat one. 330gr weight, 310mm/10pt headlight balance. I’ve only really coached with it, does have a plaint chip at top of the head, strung only twice.
Thank you...that's not quite what I'm looking for. I have a couple of the current version and enjoy them
Mkiske
Semi-Pro
I've already had the Tc95, but it is very demanding for me. I prefer a racket with a bigger headsize.
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tennis_balla
Hall of Fame
No problem
great! what swing weight did you ask for?
pico
Hall of Fame
I didn't ask for a specific but I imagine my specs should fall in the 330 - 340 points range which is my preferred.
Long post incoming. Full initial impressions of the Angell TC 95, 97, and 100. Plus string impressions of Diadem Solstice Power.
Played three days in a row, which may not have been the smartest thing for my elbow, but by yesterday's session I felt almost completely back to normal. No pain whatsoever during actual play - including serving.
All three frames' specs are the same: 320g, 12pt hl, L3 wilson grips. The 95 and 97 have leather, the 100 has synthetic base grip. Overall, very happy once again with the quality of Angell frames. All of them came in right on spec. The only small complaint I have is that the Angell leather is very dry, which sounds like an odd complaint, but one of my Wilson Pro Overgrips slipped off its wrap because I prefer to wrap with very little overlap and not use the little adhesive sticker because over time it damages the base grip. So, for yesterday I made sure to overlap the start and had no issues. In comparison, the black Kimony leather grips I have on my TC97 18x20s are very tacky. So tacky that they are the first and only leather grip I would feel somewhat comfortable playing almost full speed using.
The Angell 95 16x19 - I will say that this frame has lived up to its hype in all areas except power. It's funny that the posts just above mine talk about how much of a rocket launcher it is, but side by side with the 97 and 100 it was the least powerful of the three. Now, it is still a rocket launcher, huge serves, lots of healthy pace on returns. But if the 95 is a rocket launcher, then the 97 is an Abrams tank, and the 100 is an ICBM. So far, the 95's favorite quality to me is its ability to impart "secret spin". I hit several balls over the weekend where the height over the net was not crazy high, but the bounce/kick afterwards was much bigger than it should have been. Put another way, if the ball went over the net at 4ft, it had a requisite heavy bounce as if I had hit it 10ft over instead. This is a "non-linear" quality to use one of the only scientific terms I'm familiar with. Some of this I'll credit to the string. Thankfully, the 16g 1.30 Diadem Solstice Power that is in both the 95 and 97 broke in by Saturday, and was still going strong yesterday. It was almost uncomfortably stiff on Friday, but the past two days it has been performing as advertised. In both the 95 and 97 this string lets me essentially double the size of the court. Because I grew up a Monica Seles fan, I still have the habit of going for sharp angles off both sides. These are not "Djokovic safe" targets by any means. And the 95 was the best in really hitting these with nasty results.
The Angell 97 16x19 - I'll try and talk differences here so the rambling isn't quite as long. I can already tell that I am the most comfortable with the 97 and it is probably due to the box beam. In fact, I realize that I have always been a box-beam-man thinking back on my past main frames. Pure Strike original, Head LM Prestige Mid, Angell 97 18x20, the Babolot Pure Control + Team, all box beam, all feel/felt great to me. The 97 has slightly less parabolic ball creation ability, but the tradeoff is more power. The 97 has the exact same setup - Solstice Power at 45lbs, and to me it just hits a slightly bigger ball. Slicing with both the 95 and 97 with this string can get dangerously fun. @topspn and I played on Saturday, and we had several big time backhand slice battles that were quite fun.
The Angell 100 16x19 - The 100 is strung with Diadem Solstice Black 16g 1.30 at 45lbs. The black does feel a little softer which is a good thing to me. It was more playable right off the machine. I like this string more than the regular Solstice Power, and if I was going to string it again on the 100 I would probably up tension to 47 or 48lbs. The 100 with this string is like a 2000lbs rodeo bull (ie: you can only really control it for 5-8sec at a time if you're lucky). If I was going to get tournament serious, I would probably lean towards trying to find the best string for the 100. As long as you execute correctly the thing just hits such a huge ball. In contrast to the 95, it has very "linear" height to bounce ratio and it seems to be very difficult to handle once it lands because of the pace+spin combo that you get with every stroke. The 100 is also the frame that gives a big boost to defense which is always a hard thing to give up once you've gotten used to it. The 95 and 97 are less forgiving in this department.
The most difficult shot across all three frames has been the service line approach shot. I had been very dialed in with the 18x20 on this shot (plus the 18x20s are 10g lighter) and so there were several instances where I pushed this shot long, or over compensated with spin and they landed short than I wanted from the baseline. But, as I get used to all three rackets this should come around in the next few months.
All three of these frames with 16g thicker string topped out at 343g / 12.1oz. This is the upper limit of what I would be able to play with for extended periods of time. I was actually surprised I played as well as I did yesterday with the accumulated fatigue. All of which is a good sign. The serves with all three were fantastic. I was able to hit deuce-side slice out wide with pace and was able to place my first serves with good confidence. The only thing left to come around is my big ad-side kick. This is likely due to the weight of the frame which requires all those micro-adjustments in swing timing from the body.
Played three days in a row, which may not have been the smartest thing for my elbow, but by yesterday's session I felt almost completely back to normal. No pain whatsoever during actual play - including serving.
All three frames' specs are the same: 320g, 12pt hl, L3 wilson grips. The 95 and 97 have leather, the 100 has synthetic base grip. Overall, very happy once again with the quality of Angell frames. All of them came in right on spec. The only small complaint I have is that the Angell leather is very dry, which sounds like an odd complaint, but one of my Wilson Pro Overgrips slipped off its wrap because I prefer to wrap with very little overlap and not use the little adhesive sticker because over time it damages the base grip. So, for yesterday I made sure to overlap the start and had no issues. In comparison, the black Kimony leather grips I have on my TC97 18x20s are very tacky. So tacky that they are the first and only leather grip I would feel somewhat comfortable playing almost full speed using.
The Angell 95 16x19 - I will say that this frame has lived up to its hype in all areas except power. It's funny that the posts just above mine talk about how much of a rocket launcher it is, but side by side with the 97 and 100 it was the least powerful of the three. Now, it is still a rocket launcher, huge serves, lots of healthy pace on returns. But if the 95 is a rocket launcher, then the 97 is an Abrams tank, and the 100 is an ICBM. So far, the 95's favorite quality to me is its ability to impart "secret spin". I hit several balls over the weekend where the height over the net was not crazy high, but the bounce/kick afterwards was much bigger than it should have been. Put another way, if the ball went over the net at 4ft, it had a requisite heavy bounce as if I had hit it 10ft over instead. This is a "non-linear" quality to use one of the only scientific terms I'm familiar with. Some of this I'll credit to the string. Thankfully, the 16g 1.30 Diadem Solstice Power that is in both the 95 and 97 broke in by Saturday, and was still going strong yesterday. It was almost uncomfortably stiff on Friday, but the past two days it has been performing as advertised. In both the 95 and 97 this string lets me essentially double the size of the court. Because I grew up a Monica Seles fan, I still have the habit of going for sharp angles off both sides. These are not "Djokovic safe" targets by any means. And the 95 was the best in really hitting these with nasty results.
The Angell 97 16x19 - I'll try and talk differences here so the rambling isn't quite as long. I can already tell that I am the most comfortable with the 97 and it is probably due to the box beam. In fact, I realize that I have always been a box-beam-man thinking back on my past main frames. Pure Strike original, Head LM Prestige Mid, Angell 97 18x20, the Babolot Pure Control + Team, all box beam, all feel/felt great to me. The 97 has slightly less parabolic ball creation ability, but the tradeoff is more power. The 97 has the exact same setup - Solstice Power at 45lbs, and to me it just hits a slightly bigger ball. Slicing with both the 95 and 97 with this string can get dangerously fun. @topspn and I played on Saturday, and we had several big time backhand slice battles that were quite fun.
The Angell 100 16x19 - The 100 is strung with Diadem Solstice Black 16g 1.30 at 45lbs. The black does feel a little softer which is a good thing to me. It was more playable right off the machine. I like this string more than the regular Solstice Power, and if I was going to string it again on the 100 I would probably up tension to 47 or 48lbs. The 100 with this string is like a 2000lbs rodeo bull (ie: you can only really control it for 5-8sec at a time if you're lucky). If I was going to get tournament serious, I would probably lean towards trying to find the best string for the 100. As long as you execute correctly the thing just hits such a huge ball. In contrast to the 95, it has very "linear" height to bounce ratio and it seems to be very difficult to handle once it lands because of the pace+spin combo that you get with every stroke. The 100 is also the frame that gives a big boost to defense which is always a hard thing to give up once you've gotten used to it. The 95 and 97 are less forgiving in this department.
The most difficult shot across all three frames has been the service line approach shot. I had been very dialed in with the 18x20 on this shot (plus the 18x20s are 10g lighter) and so there were several instances where I pushed this shot long, or over compensated with spin and they landed short than I wanted from the baseline. But, as I get used to all three rackets this should come around in the next few months.
All three of these frames with 16g thicker string topped out at 343g / 12.1oz. This is the upper limit of what I would be able to play with for extended periods of time. I was actually surprised I played as well as I did yesterday with the accumulated fatigue. All of which is a good sign. The serves with all three were fantastic. I was able to hit deuce-side slice out wide with pace and was able to place my first serves with good confidence. The only thing left to come around is my big ad-side kick. This is likely due to the weight of the frame which requires all those micro-adjustments in swing timing from the body.
This will be a beast of a frame! What strings are you planning to try first?
pico
Hall of Fame
Thanks. I was hoping you would give me feedback on the TC97 16 x 19 vs 18 x 20 but I wanted to get the order in today and not delay. I am mostly an 18 x 20 guy anyhow. I go full poly on my racquets and so going to try 1.25mm Signum Hextreme on the mains and 1.25mm Kirschbaum Max Power on the crosses.
Fed Kennedy
Legend
Love. Begs the question. TC 101?
If you were to put me on the spot, right now the only true difference I can really tease out between the 97 18x20 vs 16x19 is the launch angle. Both serve huge. I have to be a little more deliberate with the 18x20 when I want to create heavy spin, but the 18x20 makes it easier to hit flatter and you'll probably find slice easier to control as well. But these are pretty minor differences, and once I find a string for the 16x19 I could probably make them both feel almost interchangeable.
I'd encourage giving Black Knight 18g (1.18mm) a try after the Hextreme.
pico
Hall of Fame
Full bed of Black Knight or just on mains?
Thanks! Honestly, the reception in this thread on the 101 was very lukewarm so it never captured my imagination like the others. That plus there was enough "unstable / twisting-in-the-hand" comments that really made me hesitate. But, It has a slightly thicker beam and may be the final evolution I'm looking for after all. It'll have to wait until 2024 though.
One thing I forgot to mention in my big post is that the 95 definitely feels the fastest thru the air. The 97 is right behind it, but the slightly smaller head, plus D-beam are probably the reasons for it - even if it is only perception.
The thing I am most excited about is that I can finally feel my backhand again. My 18x20s started to feel too light and I was losing the head of the racket in my backswings. But, because all 3x of these are 10g heavier and the weight distribution is different I can feel the shape of my swings much better.
One more epilogue to the original big post is how solid my returns are. I don't give it enough credit, but all three of these frames make my return almost as much of a weapon as my serve. Blast back enough tough returns and you start getting free points just like in your service games. This is where I like all of the 16x19s more than my 18x20. The 18x20 was giving my opponents too many "ball machine" balls. Decent shots, but nothing punishing in them. Not enough pace, depth, or spin to make the opponent uncomfortable. All the 16x19s help in this regard, tougher returns create more opportunities on the 4th ball of the rally.
I've always been more of a full-bed person, but that's probably because I've never gone on a full blown hybrid setup spirit journey. My usual setup in my 18x20s was Black Knight 18g at 47lbs, but the last one I strung up I used a differential of 50lbs mains and 42lbs crosses to try and squeeze a little extra spin/action and it worked well and felt great too.
buttercluck
New User
Strings I’ve liked in my TC97 18x20:
- Hyper G 18 full bed
- Hyper G with Kirschbaum Pro Line II crosses
- Lynx Tour 17 full bed
- Tier one black knight 18 full bed
- MSV hepta twist 17 full bed
The racket plays very low off the string bed, so a thin gauge shaped polyester, strung in the mid to high 40’s with a lower cross string tension will help.
i've been a TC97 16x19 user for many years, not been on here for a long time but have previously said that the tc95 16x19 doesnt hit harder than the TC97, like for like it has always been a myth & i say this after extensive testing, although must be said early 63RA TC95/100'ss had some crazy swingweights until they were finally sorted out with smaller tolerence's.
The TC100 has a noticeably thicker beam to the TC95 so i did find this one to have less control & had to change my game a little to keep it under control.
I also bought a TC101 in Octane, i had it matched to my 97 specs, tbh i can play it side by side with the 97's without really noticing much difference. Still has same characteristics as 97 16x19 fairly low launch angle, stable & nice balance of power/control.
Thanks for this, I remember reading a lot of your feedback on this thread in the 2017-2019 timeframe. I do wonder what a 70RA 95in would have felt like power-wise? The 100 I bought used is a 70RA and in my mind goes toe-to-toe with a Pure Drive.
What is your favorite string in your 97 16x19?
i didn't think there was much difference like for like between the 63 & 70RA's power wise, and even comfort wise it was marginal, i always found the 63 to feel Crisper than i had originally imagined they would be, i remember needing to string the 95 a few llbs lower than my 97's as they could get a bit "boardy".
Ive used all types of strings over the years with the 97, settled on babolat origin (until my reels run out as discontinued) with black knight or any similar cheap poly. I put the Origin in the mains for a big match, plays great, doesn't last too long before it breaks
Ive used all types of strings over the years with the 97, settled on babolat origin (until my reels run out as discontinued) with black knight or any similar cheap poly. I put the Origin in the mains for a big match, plays great, doesn't last too long before it breaks
Classic-TXP-IG MID
Hall of Fame
Just to let you know... Babolat Origin has been re-branded into Babolat RPM Soft and now comes in two colours (golden/reddish/brown and silver).
I too like Origin, and so will be trying to get the RPM Soft reels.
Thanks, nice to hear, I may need a reel before the end of the year.
