The Yonex VCORE 98 fanclub

[RGT]

Hi all,

This thread is for all you VCORE 98 fans out there. I feel that this frame is often overlooked and it doesn't seem to get the praise it deserves. I know there is a VCORE 2018 thread already but I think this frame deserves it's own dedicated thread.

So please post your thoughts on this frame, on strings setups and customization options!

Mine are strung up with YPTP 1.25 yellow at 22/23kg. I added a Oehms leather grip so it now weights 325g with a 30.6 cm balance. Love it!

Cheers,

RGT


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[Alexh22]

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[TennisHound]

I see several 4.0s and 4.5s using this one. A couple of the best juniors in Louisiana use the Ezone 98. I actually liked the SV98, but I haven’t tried the VCore yet.

 

[4hand5lice]

Count me in. I have 2 that I string with cyclone 16 at 45#. I’ve got a little bit of tape at 3 and 9 and a leather grip and I am a happy camper. Love the maneuverability and the spin potential is fantastic. It has been my go to for about 6 months now and I don’t see that changing any time soon.

 

[1HBHfanatic]

gotta agree, this y.vcore.98 surpriced me
I have the y.v.95 and don't like it as much as the 98 I tried
the 95 was a bit harsh, the 98 being bigger dissipated that same shock a lot better
but I also think that MOST yonex frames need to be modified with LEAD at different spots, to suit the player!!

 

[Ashtonbrewer94]

I love all 3 main lines of Yonex rackets, but for whatever reason, the VCore 98 gives me arm pain, even with a poly/gut hybrid. Racket performs very nicely though. I’m currently using a new VCore pro 97 310 weighted up to 354g and it will be my stick of choice for the foreseeable future (unless the upcoming Ezone 98 changes my mind lol).

 

[Classic-TXP-IG MID]

Acquired a VCORE 98 Plus... added a leather grip, 6g at 7" above the butt cap, and two overgrips (as it was a 4 3/8). The first with no overlap and the second as normal. The racquet now weighs 346g strung.

I play very well with it and am not having too much difficulty with the added length. The shots are deep and weighty, and the ball shoots through the court. The feel is crisper than preferred, but definitely not uncomfortable. I have a feeling that a VCORE 95 Plus would have been more up the alley as a foray into Extended racquets, however, it does not exist at this time.

The racquet serves very well, from the limited amount of serves I hit, and I may need a little time to adjust with my timing, etc, but not something that should be a problem in the long run. I also love the look and feel of the racquet in hand, as well as, how it feels being held by the left hand for a OHBH.

I have also acquired an Extended C10 Pro and a Tecnifibre TFight 325 XL Texalium, as a further foray into the Extended racquet world. Both of these models are plusher, but all of them feel very nice to play with and have quite a bit of power.

So it's Good Times... Good Times.

 

[McLovin]

VCORE 98+ convert here (I have 3 of them). Tried the SV when it was first released, but it was too stiff. The new iteration is noticeably softer, and while I’ve been a 16x20 user for a while, I’m fully adjusted to the 16x19 of the VCORE.

Mods are:

• Replaced base grip w/ Tecnifibre X-tra Full. Frames are 3/8, but I like 1/2, and Yonex grips seem to run large to me, so this gets me where I want.
• Built up the butt cap so there’s some flare. Used the Tourna Power Cap and cut the bottom out so it’s essentially a ring around the cap.
• Playing weight (string, overgrip, dampener, tax, tags, title, etc...) is around 338g.

I *may* chop one of mine 1/8 in to see if it improves mobility at the net in doubles, but I’m going to give it a few more matches indoors before doing something that drastic.

Toyed with some different strings, but I’ve settled on Laserfibre Native Tour at 50lbs.

 

[Rabbit]

VCORE 98+ convert here (I have 3 of them). Tried the SV when it was first released, but it was too stiff. The new iteration is noticeably softer, and while I’ve been a 16x20 user for a while, I’m fully adjusted to the 16x19 of the VCORE.

You know, I demoed the VC98 when it was in its 16X20 form and hated it. The racket felt, as TW's review said, disconnected. I didn't know how anyone could play with it. I demoed it again in the current guise and loved it. I played a match with it and found it had a little to a lot more of everything compared to the Volkl VS10T I was using.

To me, the Yonex VCore 98 has great maneuverability, it seemingly slices through the air. The sweet spot is one of the most generous I've experienced and delivers both great feel and power. At net, for whatever reason, I seem to be more out in front on my volleys. Stick at net is really good as well. Serves are much improved with the Yonex. I get more direction, power, and spin. The greatest boon to my game though is off the ground. This racket delivers power and spin in spades. It is almost effortless. The frame really encourages you to swing out. I play the 98 in a half and agree the grips do feel a bit large, but I don't mind at all. I also love the grip shape. The VCore 98 specs out stiffer than my old Volkls, but in play it flexes at just the right spots. I love the feel when you center a ball in the string bed.

I bought a Yonex VCore 95 off the large auction site to try. It is a nice frame. IMO, it feels almost exactly like the Volkl C10 I used forever. It is the previous cosmetic, which I really like. Between it and the 98, I'll stick with the 98 thank you.

I have 3, the first one I bought was red. I then discovered they made them in black and ordered two in the Galaxy cosmetic. It's kind of neat. The red one helps me with my rotation. I keep the red one between the other two in my bag and play front, middle, back....front, middle, back. I have mine strung with Gosen OGSM 1.15 at 54 in the mains and Luxilon TiMo 1.10 at 50 in the crosses. Luxilon has dropped TiMo from the lineup, so once my supply is exhausted, I will probably either go all synthetic gut or substitute Luxilon Ace in the crosses.

 

[sargeinaz]

I said in the other thread, that I just demoed 3 rackets. The VCORE 98+, the blade 18x20 and the Yonex 97 HD. I can’t lie, after an hour, I only played with the VCORE 98+. Racket has good feel, huge sweet spot, stable, great controllable power. I’ve never even used an extended length racket. My game is basically a flatter game. I like to serve and volley and come to the net. I choked up on volleys, and It didn’t seem to be a problem (but I’ll reserve judgement on this since I didn’t volley too much with it). There was some issues with timing and getting in position due to the extra length, but I feel I could adjust.

I couldn’t believe how much I liked this frame. It’s terrible that the Plus doesn’t come in galaxy black, though the red isn’t bad (I wish it was gloss not matte). with the Plus, I simply played better than with my Volkl Tour 10MP. better results and with less effort. It felt like cheating. It feel firmer than my volkl, but it’s very comfortable (I only use multi strings).

After reading fellow volkl user Rabbits positive comments, I think I’m going to have to demo the standard length VCORE 98 alongside the plus again and see which I prefer. Because the way I played with the Plus, it’s making me want to switch back to Yonex from volkl. Great job Yonex!

PS-Yonex base grips are still terribly thin and crappy, I guess that’s something they’ll never fix lol

 

[Rabbit]

@sargeinaz - I agree with you on the cosmetics. The Galaxy is great, but I wish it was glossy.....really glossy

I think you're going to love it.

 

[RGT]

I'm going to experiment with some different string setups the coming weeks. What are your favorite setups? I'm using yptp 1.25 at 23/22kg now, thinking of trying poly tour strike and cyclone. Any other good full poly string setups for the vc98?

cheers!

 

[maxterrier]

I use LXN original in full bed 21/21, good control with moderate power, perhaps it lacks feel because the vcore flex, i’ll try YPT strike next week

 

[RGT]

I use LXN original in full bed 21/21, good control with moderate power, perhaps it lacks feel because the vcore flex, i’ll try YPT strike next week

Cool, let me know how it works out for you!

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[kblades]

For those of you that have hit with both the Vcore 98 and EZONE 98, how do they differ? On paper they look so close to one another - same static weight and balance, swingweight and stiffness very close, thinner beam on the vcore (which would typically equate to better control) but Ezone has 8 mains in the throat versus 6 in the Vcore which I would think would offset it.

I previously played with the PS 16x19 One7 until it wrecked my elbow. Switched to the Vcore Pro 97 310 and enjoyed it, but I miss some of the free power I had in the PS and extra forgiveness. So now I’m looking at switching to either the Ezone 98 or Vcore 98. I actually just picked up an Ezone 98 demo to hit with tonight, and plan to get the Vcore 98 to demo for my next league night. Just curious to hear others’ feedback as well.

 

[XFactorer]

For those of you that have hit with both the Vcore 98 and EZONE 98, how do they differ? On paper they look so close to one another - same static weight and balance, swingweight and stiffness very close, thinner beam on the vcore (which would typically equate to better control) but Ezone has 8 mains in the throat versus 6 in the Vcore which I would think would offset it.

I previously played with the PS 16x19 One7 until it wrecked my elbow. Switched to the Vcore Pro 97 310 and enjoyed it, but I miss some of the free power I had in the PS and extra forgiveness. So now I’m looking at switching to either the Ezone 98 or Vcore 98. I actually just picked up an Ezone 98 demo to hit with tonight, and plan to get the Vcore 98 to demo for my next league night. Just curious to hear others’ feedback as well.

Ah, yes, paper stats can be deceiving. The feel is pretty different - VCORE being stiffer. I think I get a little more pop with the VCORE but my wrist doesn't feel great after it. I've retired my VCORE 98 to the closet. The EZONE 98 is softer and gives a similar level of power. I've strung both at 45 lb with the same string once to do a side by side. I like the EZONE line more for its plush feel. VCORE is crisper and I get some more spin and control. After all, the VCORE was born with the '3D Vector Control Shaft' that helps dictate Distance, Depth and Direction(? someone else more motivated can check their marketing materials back when the first VCOREs came out). EZONE is all about energy return and power, not much focus on spin (at least not in the marketing). For me, the EZONE wins in terms of feel and comfort.

 

[maxterrier]

Finally i test the yonex poly tour strike

YPTS is more firm than LXN original but the confort is similar

I like the direct feel and the power, similar to alu power and it is also more consistent.

No diferencies between iron gray and black

I’ve bought a reel [emoji6]

 

[lasse]

Hello!
have just bought 2 vcore 285 g, how can I get them as 305 g? leather grip and 4g at 3 and 9 ??

 

[mike841]

Fun racquet to use, but slightly brassy feeling and the string pattern is a bit too open.

If they could sort those things out, it would be alot better.

Oh, and give it some gloss paint not that matte stuff.

 

[snoflewis]

Fun racquet to use, but slightly brassy feeling and the string pattern is a bit too open.

If they could sort those things out, it would be alot better.

Oh, and give it some gloss paint not that matte stuff.

what tension was your racket strung at? Im not getting any of the brassiness so im wondering if the racket is tension sensitive as some other yonex sticks

 

[mike841]

what tension was your racket strung at? Im not getting any of the brassiness so im wondering if the racket is tension sensitive as some other yonex sticks

It definitely verges on the slightly brassy side with strings like PTP ~ 52. Probably wouldn't be noticeable if you used a multi, but then you'd lose alot of spin and its the string pattern is a bit too open for a string like that.

 

[snoflewis]

It definitely verges on the slightly brassy side with strings like PTP ~ 52. Probably wouldn't be noticeable if you used a multi, but then you'd lose alot of spin and its the string pattern is a bit too open for a string like that.

im using tf ice code 17 at 48/45.6 on a constant pull and havent had issues with feel. Now that i think about it, my demo came with some multi strung tighter and it was a bit jarring. Feel was much better with the current setup

 

[McLovin]

Fun racquet to use, but slightly brassy feeling and the string pattern is a bit too open.

If they could sort those things out, it would be alot better.

Oh, and give it some gloss paint not that matte stuff.

They tried that already: its predecessor, the VCORE SV 98, had a 16x20 pattern. I think the consensus on the newer version has been overwhelmingly positive, even from staunch 16x20 supporters like me, but there are some who prefer the previous version.

 

[mike841]

They tried that already: its predecessor, the VCORE SV 98, had a 16x20 pattern. I think the consensus on the newer version has been overwhelmingly positive, even from staunch 16x20 supporters like me, but there are some who prefer the previous version.

Definitely not overwhelmingly positive. If you read that long Vcore thread regarding the current range, about the half the people were negative about the racquet. The SV98 wasn't much liked, not because of the string pattern but because it was even more brassy feeling than the current line.

 

[McLovin]

Definitely not overwhelmingly positive. If you read that long Vcore thread regarding the current range, about the half the people were negative about the racquet. The SV98 wasn't much liked, not because of the string pattern but because it was even more brassy feeling than the current line.

I guess when I said 'overwhelmingly positive', I meant in relation to the SV98. Not many liked the SV98. It was way too stiff, and I prefer stiffer frames.

 

[DJTaurus]

I just bought a random Galaxy 98:

305,1 gr and 31,4 unstrung balance. Official are 305 and 31,5! Enough said about Yonex QC......after my first hit i believe this stick needs 2grams at 3/9 or 10/2.

 

[Angelface]

I have demo'd quite a few racquets in the past weeks, ended up buying the Vcore Pro 97 (310) but didn't gel with it at all, then I playtested Vcore 98 Galaxy 305 and fell in love, now awaiting shipment for two matched racquets weighed in at 305.7 gram unstrung. I'll string them up with Poly tour pro 1.25 which worked very well on the demo racquet, one at 23 kilo (50.7 lbs) and one at 23.5 (51.8 lbs) kilo to test. What I really like about the Vcore 98 305 is that it is very maneuverable, swings fast, big sweet spot and easy access to spin. I couldn't find that much information and reviews about this racquet as compared to others, and the reviews I have seen have not been very positive.

 

[snoflewis]

I just bought a random Galaxy 98:

305,1 gr and 31,4 unstrung balance. Official are 305 and 31,5! Enough said about Yonex QC......after my first hit i believe this stick needs 2grams at 3/9 or 10/2.

1.5g at 12 did the trick for me. more stability never hurts so may also end up adding weight at 10&2 in the future. awesome stick!

 

[Angelface]

Hi all,

This thread is for all you VCORE 98 fans out there. I feel that this frame is often overlooked and it doesn't seem to get the praise it deserves. I know there is a VCORE 2018 thread already but I think this frame deserves it's own dedicated thread.

So please post your thoughts on this frame, on strings setups and customization options!

Mine are strung up with YPTP 1.25 yellow at 22/23kg. I added a Oehms leather grip so it now weights 325g with a 30.6 cm balance. Love it!

Cheers,

RGT


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I'm also thinking about replacing the original grip with a leather grip and adding a overgrip, did you counter-balance with some added weight in the hoop?

 

[snoflewis]

I have demo'd quite a few racquets in the past weeks, ended up buying the Vcore Pro 97 (310) but didn't gel with it at all, then I playtested Vcore 98 Galaxy 305 and fell in love, now awaiting shipment for two matched racquets weighed in at 305.7 gram unstrung. I'll string them up with Poly tour pro 1.25 which worked very well on the demo racquet, one at 23 kilo (50.7 lbs) and one at 23.5 (51.8 lbs) kilo to test. What I really like about the Vcore 98 305 is that it is very maneuverable, swings fast, big sweet spot and easy access to spin. I couldn't find that much information and reviews about this racquet as compared to others, and the reviews I have seen have not been very positive.

im a huge fan of this stick. i found it to swing a bit light in stock form, but it's very solid and the best all-around Yonex stick i've tried in the last 15 years. a good amount of folks here experienced a brassy feel, and i found the same on my demo stick. i think anything under 50lbs will solve that. i'm at 48/46 lbs with TF ice code 17g and doesnt feel brassy at all.

 

[DJTaurus]

1.5g at 12 did the trick for me. more stability never hurts so may also end up adding weight at 10&2 in the future. awesome stick!

I found it very stable even on stock form. What i didn’t like was that it felt too HL and that it lacked mass in the head to punch the ball even more. That’s why i ll start with 3/9 and then try 10/2 for even more HH balance.

 

[DJTaurus]

im a huge fan of this stick. i found it to swing a bit light in stock form, but it's very solid and the best all-around Yonex stick i've tried in the last 15 years. a good amount of folks here experienced a brassy feel, and i found the same on my demo stick. i think anything under 50lbs will solve that. i'm at 48/46 lbs with TF ice code 17g and doesnt feel brassy at all.

I ve only tried cyclone tour at 22kg and it was sooo launchy. Next is hyper g, lynx tour and 4G.

 

[leojramirez]

Haven't tried the 98 but played with the 95 for quite a while. I'm waiting for the next version with vdm as I have wrist issues and theres been reports of folks struggling with its comfort. Currently playing the blade v7 16x19, loving the stability but still adjusting to it, coming from head light frames I'm struggling a bit when attacking the ball.

 

[RGT]

I'm also thinking about replacing the original grip with a leather grip and adding a overgrip, did you counter-balance with some added weight in the hoop?

No I didn't because I didn't feel it needed it. That being said, I tend to like a very HL
frame with a moddest sw. Maybe I will try it sometime soon, starting with 1g at 12. But I'm playing so well with this setup that I'm fairly reluctant to mess with my specs

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[RGT]

For those who say that the 98 feels brassy. It might be your string setup. I compared my frames strung up with msv focus hex 1.23 at 23 kg in the mains and 22kg crosses versus 24m / 23c. The lower tension felt fine, even a bit lively after 2 weeks. The higher tension felt very brassy and boardy. Felt like I took all of the life out of the string. So maybe the frame is a bit sensitive to strings / tension.

Tested weiscannon silverstring 1.25 recently at 23.5/22.5kg and it was feeling great. I think in this type of frame, a high powered string doesn't work. Like someone mentioned, it makes it feel launchy. A low powered string suits it better (in my opinion) so you can just rip it Something to try out for sure!

 

[D-money]

I know this is a fan club thread but I"m thinking of getting this. It sounds like it's string sensitive which is fine with me but I'm looking for a good blend of control and power. So far my favorite stick for this has been the Original Head Graphene Speed Pro 18X20 (the first one with Graphene high 60's stiffness). I haven't liked the recent variants. I'm currently hitting with my old Pure Drive Roddick 2012. I'm assuming given the stiffness of the Roddick the VCORE will be much more comfortable and the crisp response will be nice. But can anyone comment on power level compared to common sticks? I'd have to add some weight to get it up to my preferred swingweight of course *my Roddick is 12.1 with overgrip and a few grams in the tip) . I actually prefer the matte cosmetic and really feel like a 98sq in 16x19 is where I should be looking.

 

[leojramirez]

I know this is a fan club thread but I"m thinking of getting this. It sounds like it's string sensitive which is fine with me but I'm looking for a good blend of control and power. So far my favorite stick for this has been the Original Head Graphene Speed Pro 18X20 (the first one with Graphene high 60's stiffness). I haven't liked the recent variants. I'm currently hitting with my old Pure Drive Roddick 2012. I'm assuming given the stiffness of the Roddick the VCORE will be much more comfortable and the crisp response will be nice. But can anyone comment on power level compared to common sticks? I'd have to add some weight to get it up to my preferred swingweight of course *my Roddick is 12.1 with overgrip and a few grams in the tip) . I actually prefer the matte cosmetic and really feel like a 98sq in 16x19 is where I should be looking.

More powerful than a Blade, and ezone, less powerful than a clash, PA and PD. To me just about perfect on the power front. I'm playing it with tour bite soft at 22kg. I went UT>vcore95>vcore98. The 95 was perfect for transitioning from low to mid/high power. I still have my vcore95s though as I have wrist issues and these allow me to play almost pain free.

 

[D-money]

More powerful than a Blade, and ezone, less powerful than a clash, PA and PD. To me just about perfect on the power front. I'm playing it with tour bite soft at 22kg. I went UT>vcore95>vcore98. The 95 was perfect for transitioning from low to mid/high power. I still have my vcore95s though as I have wrist issues and these allow me to play almost pain free.

Thank you so much for the thoughtful reply that's exactly what I'm looking for.

 

[hudekson]

Hi guys, vc98 galaxy black user here.
Had been experimenting with lead for a month or so and still can't find the right setup :/. Every setup I've tried had ups and downs but none felt quite right. What I basically want is a bit of stability and power because I like to swing full and big.
My last 2 setups were the closest but still not satisfying:
1) 4g (2g each side) at 11 & 1
2) 4g (2g each side) at 4 & 8 outside the frame, 2g at 12.

Any comments, tips?
And yeah, volkl cyclone 1.25 at 25/24kg

 

[Dragy]

Hi guys, vc98 galaxy black user here.
Had been experimenting with lead for a month or so and still can't find the right setup :/. Every setup I've tried had ups and downs but none felt quite right. What I basically want is a bit of stability and power because I like to swing full and big.
My last 2 setups were the closest but still not satisfying:
1) 4g (2g each side) at 11 & 1
2) 4g (2g each side) at 4 & 8 outside the frame, 2g at 12.

Any comments, tips?
And yeah, volkl cyclone 1.25 at 25/24kg

Wonder if you counter-balance those 10g you added to the hoop?
And why not just put long stripes at like 2-3:30 and 9:30-10 areas? That 4&8, 1&11 seem like over-detalization. It should either work at 3&9 or work a bit better at 2&10 - for off-center stability - that’s it. And 12 of course, for extra power and plow.

 

[hudekson]

Wonder if you counter-balance those 10g you added to the hoop?
And why not just put long stripes at like 2-3:30 and 9:30-10 areas? That 4&8, 1&11 seem like over-detalization. It should either work at 3&9 or work a bit better at 2&10 - for off-center stability - that’s it. And 12 of course, for extra power and plow.

I actually did counterbalance it, put 2.5g at thr buttcap and 3g at 7'' + ovegrip. Strips are 10.5cm long and 4mm wide, thats the best I could do since I dont want too much lead - 1g strips are what I am going for. So, they are spread from cca 7:30 to bit over 9. I did try 6g at 3 & 9 and it was pretty slugish. Also, with 10 & 2 it felt like it needed more stability, while the power and plow was really nice.

 

[1HBHfanatic]

-anyone hit with the new 2021 yonex vcore 95/98/100 yet?
-any comparison from the outgoing model?

 

[iceman_dl6]

Here is a perspective from a 4.0 player:

I have been using the Vcore 98 for about 3 weeks now. I wanted something as light and almost as forgiving as the Pure Drive but without its harshness and better control.

I found that in stock form, after 1 2hr session, I had some arm soreness and it felt brassy so that’s why I later added some weight.

I found that adding weight helps with the comfort and power BUT too much will compromise the racquet head speed which is needed for control, spin and flat serves, amongst others.

Up to now, I have tried the following:

-stock with overgrip with 1.5g at 12: Works best for me, but still felt underpowered vs my SV95 and even my Gravity Pro.
-leather grip/2 overgrips with 1.5g at 12: Drop in power and lower launch angle, head felt a bit flimsy and brassy, but control is best at this setup.
-leather grip/2 overgrips with 3g at 12: Comfort is best, but racquet head speed suffers which compromises spin and flat serves. I tried swapping back to the synthetic grip but it made it worse.

I personally prefer polarized setups which is why I don’t like lead at 3,9 or even 10,2.

Unfortunately, even with the best setup (1.5g at 12), it still can’t beat my stock SV 95. The SV95 is light, with power, spin, and is stable. The problem is with lack of depth in volleys and defensive situations.

Honestly, I’m getting tired for searching/modding for the perfect racquet. But, I will give it more time with the Vcore 98 as I can’t handle heavier racquets.

 

[Moveforwardalways]

If a Yonex racquet with a 65 RA is giving you arm issues, you may need to address technique or other causes of arm pain. It’s not the racquet.

 

[iceman_dl6]

If a Yonex racquet with a 65 RA is giving you arm issues, you may need to address technique or other causes of arm pain. It’s not the racquet.

It is the racquet, as the SV95 strung with Lux Savage black at 60 lbs gives me 0 arm pain. I think it’s the lack of stability of the VC98 that is the issue here.

 

[hudekson]

I found that adding weight helps with the comfort and power BUT too much will compromise the racquet head speed which is needed for control, spin and flat serves, amongst others.

Up to now, I have tried the following:

-stock with overgrip with 1.5g at 12: Works best for me, but still felt underpowered vs my SV95 and even my Gravity Pro.
-leather grip/2 overgrips with 1.5g at 12: Drop in power and lower launch angle, head felt a bit flimsy and brassy, but control is best at this setup.
-leather grip/2 overgrips with 3g at 12: Comfort is best, but racquet head speed suffers which compromises spin and flat serves. I tried swapping back to the synthetic grip but it made it worse.

I personally prefer polarized setups which is why I don’t like lead at 3,9 or even 10,2.

When lead only at 12 (used setups with 2g and 3g) I didnt have problems with spin and flat serves, rather I've struggled with volleys and kick serves. Lead at 3 & 9 (or similar locations) really does effect the racquet swing speed too much. Give it a go with lead at 10 & 2 (1.5-2.5g each side), its a nice compromise. Also, I'm planning on putting the leather grip myself, how was the feeling of a racquet that way, since it makes it around 9, 10pts HL?
I also have some arm problems, pain in wrists (earlier gym injury) and elbow pain. Was reading a lot about hybrids and am planning to try some setups with syn gut, multi and round poly in crosses for more comfort. Currently I'm using fb cyclone 1.25 as a more comfortable version of blast. Still, its a pretty stiff poly and with frequent playing it can cause pain. I do have a proper tecnique and full swings, but every recreational player that plays agressive is making lots of mistakes during rallies, and thats whats causing arm problems (arming the ball, mishits, being late and not hitting the ball in front etc).

 

[NRMM]

Hi guys! Wanted to hear your thoughts as Yonex fans and heavy-users... so long story short I'm moving away from Blade 104 and Blade 102 to a 27.25 strung at VS Nat Gut 53/Lux 4G 51 (I really like the control of 4G with the softness and power of VS Touch, including how do both keep the tensions so well...). I just bought an extended 27.25 VCORE Galaxy Black 98 (285g). Given the customisation, final specs are 323 SW / RA 65 / 3 HL.

Would you guys think that I could just use the same strings and tensions as I used on the Blades or would it be just the wrong strings setup/tension/etc for this customised version of the VCORE Galaxy Black 98 (285g) ?

 

[McLovin]

Would you guys think that I could just use the same strings and tensions as I used on the Blades or would it be just the wrong strings setup/tension/etc for this customised version of the VCORE Galaxy Black 98 (285g) ?

I prefer to change as few variables as possible in the beginning. I know it’s an expensive proposition, possibly burning a gut/poly string job, but you really have no idea how it’s (string/tension combo in the new frame) going to play.

So, normal string, normal tension. If it’s too powerful, bump it up 2lbs next time. Not enough power? Bump it down 2lbs (or set it on a flat surface, like your carpet, and gently stand on the center of the stringbed).

 

[NRMM]

I prefer to change as few variables as possible in the beginning. I know it’s an expensive proposition, possibly burning a gut/poly string job, but you really have no idea how it’s (string/tension combo in the new frame) going to play.

So, normal string, normal tension. If it’s too powerful, bump it up 2lbs next time. Not enough power? Bump it down 2lbs (or set it on a flat surface, like your carpet, and gently stand on the center of the stringbed).

Just wanted to give you guys an update on this as you were very helpful.. so this is where I ended up... I'm moving from:

- Wilson Blade 102, 27.5 length, 18x19, 321 weight, 339 sw, 3HL, 67 stiffness. Strung with VS/4G at 53/51. Issues with manoeuvrability and control

to

- Yonex Galaxy Black modified to 27.25 length, 16x19, 319 weight, 317 sw, 6HL, 63 stiffness. Strung with Solinco Tour Bite Grey 17 on mains at 57 lbs and VS Touch Black 1.3 at 55 lbs

Will I potentially get better manoeuvrability and control (sacrificing power) ? Or it there something in the above that would ring some alarm bells to you? A tad worried with the change from 18x19 to 16x19 and higher launch angles for my more attacking flatter game..

 

[NRMM]

Update: so I played last night, half an hour singles, 2 hours doubles. Bear in mind that I've effectively from the Wilson Blade 102 to a customised Yonex Galaxy Black, as per the details above.

Pros

- so much more easier to swing, effortless
- I can play for longer at the same level
- there's so much spin coming from god knows where
- could transition well
- serve was okay, will have to keep working on adapting to the new racquet of course

Cons

- Strung with Solinco Tour Bite Grey 17 on mains at 57 lbs and VS Touch Black 1.3 at 55 lbs feels very comfortable, despite high tension.. I feel that, specially with shots on the run that I lack control. Wonder if that's because of just preparation or the head is too light (6HL), lacks mass.
- at the net, handling heavy returns/body shots, the handle just didn't just have enough stability
- returning heavy serves (one of my best shots) just felt more insecure and unsteady that with Blade 104 / Blade 102

Any thoughts guys?