Which company has the best quality control?

[carrwash13]

I've tried Head racket and Wilson rackets and I have to say their quality control sucks. From the rackets I've used the frames like the PS 6.1 classic and the I.Radicals all seem to vary in weighting and feel even though they came from the same factory and have the exact same name/model type. So in your guys experience which racket companies don't run into this problem and have the best quality control? I'd like to pick a racket and stick with it but companies are making it really hard.

 

[snoflewis]

you should really run a search. i know for sure there have been several of these threads.

like you've said, wilson and head have awful quality control. i bought two Tecnifibre frames and the balance on them was different by a couple inches. the best i've had are yonex, and many people on these boards will agree that the yonex rackets made in Japan are the best. volkl is also known to have some good quality control as well.

 

[siber222000]

i go with snoflewis, rdx 500 mid was a best racquet that had control for me.

 

[DoubleHanded&LovinIt]

Here are the "popular" answers: Volkl, Fischer, Vantage, and Yonex.

 

[Viper]

Wilson has some the most suckiest control around on their 95 and 98 square inch heads.

 

[tennisadict]

Yones has the best Qc

 

[fastdunn]

Yonex. Japanese are insanely anal about quality control.

 

[Honestlybad]

I have to agree. Yonex have superb quality control.

 

[chess9]

Yonex and Volkl.

I play Wilson, but, well, weights and balances are all over the place.

-Robert

 

[milo]

you should really run a search. i know for sure there have been several of these threads.

like you've said, wilson and head have awful quality control. i bought two Tecnifibre frames and the balance on them was different by a couple inches. the best i've had are yonex, and many people on these boards will agree that the yonex rackets made in Japan are the best. volkl is also known to have some good quality control as well.

yes, no doubt about it. yonex

 

[yonex90]

Has to be Yonex. I wish the other brands were this good.

 

[Offshore]

Here are the "popular" answers: Volkl, Fischer, Vantage, and Yonex.

I second the opinion.

 

[jackofromalsager]

no1 has sed anything about babolat wat are they like for control?

 

[Dedans Penthouse]

Yonex and Volkl

 

[hondas2k]

yonex is the only company made in japan.

other brands that i know is made in CHINA!!!

 

[diredesire]

I think fischer is also an excellent company as far as QC goes, I bought 6 total fischer racquets (2 different model types). All racquets were within 1 gram of each other, and within half a point (balance) of each other. If that doesn't boast excellent quality control, i don't know what does.

 

[astra]

I do not know who is the best, I know who is not - Wilson and Head. My pairs of these brands have been very different especially in terms of swingweight.
During testing I admired the racquet similarity of Fischer.

 

[AndrewD]

Our exercise in quality control

We've been through this exercise at our local pro-shop. Selected 4 of the high-end models from each of the brands offered - Wilson, Head, Volkl, Fisher, Yonex and Babolat- , 20 racquets per brand, weighed them electronically then looked at the results.

The Fischer racquets had an average deviation (rounded to the nearest) from spec of 1 gram, Vokl were 1 gram, Yonex 3.5 grams, Babolat 5 grams, Head 5.5 grams and Wilson 6 grams .

The racquets tested were:
Babolat - Pure Drive (plus and standard), Pure Control standard, Aero Pro Drive (plus and standard), Pure Storm
Fischer - Pro Number One, M Speed Pro Number One, Pro Tour Extreme FT, Pro Tour
Head - LM Radical MP, LM Instinct, LM Prestige (mid and MP), FXP Prestige (mid and MP)
Volkl- T10 V-engine MP, T10 V-engine Mid, DX 8, DNX V1
Yonex - RDX 500, RDX 300, RDS 001, MP Tour-5

 

[NoBadMojo]

We've been through this exercise at our local pro-shop. Selected 4 of the high-end models from each of the brands offered - Wilson, Head, Volkl, Fisher, Yonex and Babolat- , 20 racquets per brand, weighed them electronically then looked at the results.

The Fischer racquets had an average deviation (rounded to the nearest) from spec of .2 grams, Vokl were .2 grams, Yonex 1.1 grams, Babolat 1.2 grams, Head 2.2 grams and Wilson 2.5 grams .

The racquets tested were:
Babolat - Pure Drive (plus and standard), Pure Control standard, Aero Pro Drive (plus and standard), Pure Storm
Fischer - Pro Number One, M Speed Pro Number One, Pro Tour Extreme FT, Pro Tour
Head - LM Radical MP, LM Instinct, LM Prestige (mid and MP), FXP Prestige (mid and MP)
Volkl- T10 V-engine MP, T10 V-engine Mid, DX 8, DNX V1
Yonex - RDX 500, RDX 300, RDS 001, MP Tour-5

Thanks Andrew...that's excellent info and confrms what I've always said around here..that Fischer and Volkl have the tightest specs by far and that head and Wilson are average at best. I bet the same would hold true if the balance and swingweight were measured.

 

[wilsonfaithful]

I concur

though it pains me to say it wilson QC bites although I happen to know that it was well controled on one of the triad models-my OCD friend bought three and they all were exact duplicates i cant quiet remember the exact one I will ask my friend and find out

 

[AndrewD]

Ed,

Looks like you've got my attempt to work it out in ounces -couldnt do it so just listed the grams.

I would guess that the significant deviations in weight would most certainly have led to a deviation in balance and swingweight - most especially with Head and Wilson. Didn't check those as, to tell the truth, no-one really wanted to spend the time doing it. However, if I had to hazard a guess at the worst offender with balance and swingweight it would be either Head or Wilson (our pro shop doesn't sell Prince - just the brands I mentioned).

Just realised I didn't list the Wilson racquets tested. They were: nSix-One 95 16x18, nSix-One Tour, nSix-One Team 95 (our version, I believe, of the nPS) and nTour 95.

Oh, all weights were unstrung. We thought that eliminating an extra factor (string) would give a more accurate reading.

 

[Liebestod]

Yonex and Volkl may have the best paint job. Prince is also fine. Yet Head and Wilson are terrible...
Some one complain about the paint job on new Volkl DNX series is worse than previous models, not sure about that...

 

[MTChong]

I'm pretty sure Vantage has decent quality control.

 

[Vitaly Evchenkov]

Maybe I am lucky, but I have ordered 4 Babolat Pure Drive's at 2 different times and they were all the SAME balance, and only 3 grams difference between the lightest and the heaviest.
And the paintjobs were all perfect too.... very unlike the Head FXP Radical Tours I bought before that had paint peeling off all around the LM ridges and grommets.
+1 for Babolat Quality Control!

 

[yvp]

You're one lucky guy.The 2 PDs I have differ by,believe it or not, 10 gms!!!Both are originals, and the heavier racquet has an almost even balance and plays as heavy as my LM Prestige MP.
-1 for Babolat quality control

 

[theace21]

Here are the "popular" answers: Volkl, Fischer, Vantage, and Yonex.

The big 3 Prince, Wilson, Head - are missing....What a surprise. They would rather crank out thousands of rackets - than maintain quality!

 

[armand]

I wonder if Wilson and HEAD are so bad that a racquet may not have a balance that is even from side to side.

 

[hondas2k]

No one said Babolat so far

 

[TENNIS_99]

I have 2 LM Radical 4 3/8 bought 6 months apart and they are absolutely in different grip sizes and swing differently.
Good racquets but quality control ?

 

[mctennis]

Volkl has very good quality control. Vantage has very good to excellent quality control also.

 

[ttwarrior1]

lmao, he is not asking about control but quality control. Doesnt anyone here work and know what that means

 

[Lakoste]

We've been through this exercise at our local pro-shop. Selected 4 of the high-end models from each of the brands offered - Wilson, Head, Volkl, Fisher, Yonex and Babolat- , 20 racquets per brand, weighed them electronically then looked at the results.

The Fischer racquets had an average deviation (rounded to the nearest) from spec of 1 gram, Vokl were 1 gram, Yonex 3.5 grams, Babolat 5 grams, Head 5.5 grams and Wilson 6 grams .

Thanks for the info Andrew, do you still have the chart/paper that you wrote the data on, it would be awsome to see the differences between the lightest and heaviest of each model. Also, did you only do weight, or did you also do other things too?

lmao, he is not asking about control but quality control. Doesnt anyone here work and know what that means

Do you know what quality control is? It seems that everyone in this thread has been commenting on quality control, except for you.

 

[Offshore]

lmao, he is not asking about control but quality control. Doesnt anyone here work and know what that means

What are you talking about? QC is exactly what everyone here is talking about. Producing a product consistently within specs with little or no deviation is quality control. I think that you were lyao to your own misunderstanding

 

[Duzza]

lmao, he is not asking about control but quality control. Doesnt anyone here work and know what that means

Thats what everyone IS talking about.....maybe you're the idiot here

 

[ttwarrior1]

quality control means best made rackets, not the control of the rackets

 

[Offshore]

quality control means best made rackets, not the control of the rackets

You may want to go back to business school

Seriously, you are not right on this one.

 

[ttwarrior1]

read the first post dude, everyone screwed it up and started talking about control of the racket.

 

[rrhstennis]

read the first post dude, everyone screwed it up and started talking about control of the racket.

You've got to be kidding me

Anyway, I second that Volkl has excellent control, all 4 of my friend's V Engines were within 2 grams, so he said.

I'm curious to know about Prince? Did anybody mention them? I'm guessing they aren't the greatest but I'd like to see how they measure up to the other giants.

 

[Duzza]

quality control means best made rackets, not the control of the rackets

Haha you could not be more wrong.

 

[ttwarrior1]

he is not asking about the control of the rackets, he is asking about quality control dude

 

[ttwarrior1]

read that and tell me he is talking about the control of a racket?

I've tried Head racket and Wilson rackets and I have to say their quality control sucks. From the rackets I've used the frames like the PS 6.1 classic and the I.Radicals all seem to vary in weighting and feel even though they came from the same factory and have the exact same name/model type. So in your guys experience which racket companies don't run into this problem and have the best quality control? I'd like to pick a racket and stick with it but companies are making it really hard.

 

[AndrewD]

Thanks for the info Andrew, do you still have the chart/paper that you wrote the data on, it would be awsome to see the differences between the lightest and heaviest of each model. Also, did you only do weight, or did you also do other things too?

Lakoste,
I was mainly interested in Volkl and Fischer so only bothered keeping the frame by frame results for those but I can see if anyone has the remaining ones.
Of the 20 Volkl racquets 12 were dead on spec, 4 were off spec by 1 gram, 2 by 2grams and 2 by 3 grams. Each model had 3 racquets that were dead on spec.
Of the Fischer racquets 11 were dead on spec (all 5 of the Pro Number One were exactly at spec), 5 were 1 gram off, 3 were 2 grams off and 1 was 3 grams off.
There was no overall difference between the two brands. The average was 0.6 grams but we rounded up, not down.

We only measured the weight. No-one could really be bothered balancing them (we were just killing time waiting for the courts to dry) or anything more intricate. However, I think you could expect the frames which didn't veer much at all from spec (or veer at all) to be spot on for balance and swingweight as well.

 

[Duzza]

read that and tell me he is talking about the control of a racket?

I was talking about this comment...

quality control means best made rackets, not the control of the rackets

 

[Duzza]

read the first post dude, everyone screwed it up and started talking about control of the racket.

OMG, you're slamming everyone here about not talking about quality control but they are! Quality control is like having 2 Head racquets, same model and the chances are that one will be +/- 2 grams and diff balance to the other. They're saying that the top manufacturers are not totally accurate when producing multiple frames. Sheesh ttwarrior1 you ruined this thread.

 

[AAAA]

We've been through this exercise at our local pro-shop. Selected 4 of the high-end models from each of the brands offered - Wilson, Head, Volkl, Fisher, Yonex and Babolat- , 20 racquets per brand, weighed them electronically then looked at the results.

The Fischer racquets had an average deviation (rounded to the nearest) from spec of 1 gram, Vokl were 1 gram, Yonex 3.5 grams, Babolat 5 grams, Head 5.5 grams and Wilson 6 grams .

The racquets tested were:
Babolat - Pure Drive (plus and standard), Pure Control standard, Aero Pro Drive (plus and standard), Pure Storm
Fischer - Pro Number One, M Speed Pro Number One, Pro Tour Extreme FT, Pro Tour
Head - LM Radical MP, LM Instinct, LM Prestige (mid and MP), FXP Prestige (mid and MP)
Volkl- T10 V-engine MP, T10 V-engine Mid, DX 8, DNX V1
Yonex - RDX 500, RDX 300, RDS 001, MP Tour-5

Your placings for Fischer vs. Yonex agree with my own experiences on both brands. I once had 2 RD Ti-50s bought at the same time and they definately felt different. Whereas 3 Fischer Vacuum Pro Classic(two 90" one 98") and a Fischer Vacuum Comp 95" I bought years apart have the same quoted specs and the feel to my senses is identical.

 

[Semaj]

dont really know if I should revive this thread- what with the argument and all- anyway- what about dunlop, see my post about my different weight dunlops

 

[bayernstern]

Hi there, I can't speak for each manufacturer's process without visiting their factories. If I could visit their manufacturing operations, no doubt I could give you a positive answer.

That being said, I do have the habit of weighting and measuring each racket I demo. After going through that process with 30+ rackets, I can say that Yonex is the only manufacturer that consistently meets published specs. Keep in mind that I have played with Wilson for more than 20 years. So, that's my honest opinion, regardless of affiliation.

Furthermore, the specs Yonex has on their websites, brochures, etc match what is written on the rackets, which in turn match what one measures and weights on the physical rackets themselves. Other manufacturers (don't want to upset anyone, so will not mention names) are often pretty off. For one manufacturer, I even to rackets (supposedly identical) that had different specs written on them! Go figure! Hope this helps. Have a good weekend.

 

[iscottius]

I think fischer is also an excellent company as far as QC goes, I bought 6 total fischer racquets (2 different model types). All racquets were within 1 gram of each other, and within half a point (balance) of each other. If that doesn't boast excellent quality control, i don't know what does.

Agreed, Fischer is second to none

 

[Roger_federer]

Wilson definitely has the best service and their frames last the longest.

 

[jaykay]

Wilson definitely has the best service and their frames last the longest.

I don't think customer service or frame longevity is the definition of quality control. I would think that conformance to specs would be a better measure of QC, where Wilson sux bigtime apparently.