Wilson QC Fails Yet Again, Despite Paying Extra For Matched Racquet Specs!

[Mirdad]

I just ordered a Wilson Blade 98 16X19 CV and asked the TW to match Wilson's specs. I paid extra for this service.
Here are Wilson's specs:

Strung Specifications
Head Size:98 sq. in. / 632.26 sq. cm. Length:27in / 68.58cm Strung Weight:11.3oz / 320.34g Balance:13.1in / 33.27cm / 3 pts HL Swingweight:326 Stiffness:66

The racquet I received was strung with Technifibre NRG2 17 ga black.
The static weight was just about spot on. The h/l balance was 4 its HL but that could of been because it was strung with multifilament 17ga. So far, I'm happy.

The problem was the unstrung swing weight was only 286. Adding multifilament 17 gauge strings would most likely be less than 30 pts to the SW, but to make things easy I'll go ahead and add 30 + 286 = 316 for total SW. That's a heck of a lot less than the published strung spec of 326. When I tried to call TW about it I wasn't able to speak directly with a racquet technician but the customer service person said that the racquet tech said the SW I got was within Wilson's tolerance. Really? 10 to 15 pts light in the SW is acceptable, even with paying extra for the racquet to meet published specs?

Any decent player can tell that's a major difference in SW.

I suppose I could just add lead tape to the hoop but I paid extra to ensure the racquet met Wilson's specs. I could live with a SW off 3 to 5 pts but not 10 to 15.
Do you think I'm out of line for feeling this way?

Needless to say, I'm very disappointed.

 

[tata]

So what you're saying is they matched the other specs spot on except swingweight? And their reasoning was that variance in swingweight, despite the request to match, is within tolerance? I mean it does baffle me since you did ask it to be matched so QC variance is irrelevant because that was the purpose of the matching service right? Have you actually measured the sticks?

The confusing part is the specs on the site is an average of a batch so even then it is not a great point of reference. If anything it would be the unstrung specs that you should target so that string type and gauge does not come to play with the specs.

 

[NicoMK]

Needless to say, I'm very disappointed.

Understandably . No surprise from Wilson though.

Maybe you can ask TW for a new one if you haven't played with it yet. Or a refund .

And try Volkl or Prince or Pacific (with their Fischer "no tolerance" thing). Let us know, good luck!

 

[Mirdad]

So what you're saying is they matched the other specs spot on except swingweight? And their reasoning was that variance in swingweight, despite the request to match, is within tolerance? I mean it does baffle me since you did ask it to be matched so QC variance is irrelevant because that was the purpose of the matching service right? Have you actually measured the sticks?

The confusing part is the specs on the site is an average of a batch so even then it is not a great point of reference. If anything it would be the unstrung specs that you should target so that string type and gauge does not come to play with the specs.

I didn’t realize that the specs on their site were the average specs. Thanks for letting me know that. I got the unpublished specs from a different website.
I did measure the racquet as I have a balance board and scale but I don’t have a machine that measures SW as it’s too expensive. The static weight was matched and the h/l balance was only 1 pt lighter which I’m okay with. However, I did measure the fully strung SW using the method taught by the TW University and came up with around 310 to 314 which makes sense as strings usually add about 25 to 30 points. I really liked the demo I hit with and wish I had the SW for it. I’m a solid 4.5+ player and like a decent amount of SW in order to perform against incoming pace. I suppose I’ll just try to add enough lead tape to increase the SW but it’s not the same as having a factory supplied frame that already has the desired SW.

 

[JoaoN]

I might be wrong, but i think the matching service provided by TW has the goal to give, in your case, 2 matching rackets, meaning that these 2 rackets specs will match each other, and not the published specs.

 

[tata]

Their matching service has options. You can get them to match a certain spec so definitely can match website. They are flexible with that service. In my case I have asked them to pull out the phantom with the lowest swingweight in a batch (12 at random). If I was not happy with that batch then I'd have to pay again for another batch to be done to compensate them for their time.

 

[Irvin]

As I understand it when you get the TW matching service there are different levels provided. You can have the rackets matched so they are both the same. You can have the rackets matched to you specifications. Or you can get 2 or more rackets with the closest specs. Suppose you ask for 2 rackets in 1/2 grip size that are the closest to each other and they only have 2 rackets. You get whatever they have. Suppose they only have 1 racket in 1/2 grip. You get that one and 1 goes on backorder and you get another when it comes in.

 

[avocadoz]

TBH, I don't think Wilson even has a tolerance protocol in place or even any form of QC. Just look at the quality of Ultra Tour's pj and you'll know. They just don't give a $h1t.

 

[Dartagnan64]

How does a racket with an identical static weight, length and balance have such a big difference in SW? I can see it if the frames were different because of various polarization issues, but in an identical layup that seems like a measurement error.

Fortunately SW is pretty easy to adjust. Lighter grip and a bit of lead at 12 O'clock and you are golden.

 

[Irvin]

How does a racket with an identical static weight, length and balance have such a big difference in SW? I can see it if the frames were different because of various polarization issues, but in an identical layup that seems like a measurement error.

Fortunately SW is pretty easy to adjust. Lighter grip and a bit of lead at 12 O'clock and you are golden.

It is impossible. How’s that for an answer? But if there are polarization issues (meaning the layup is not identical in like racket then you have a problem. And if the grommets are a few grams off here and there or the weight of the butt cap, or the grip then you have more problems.

 

[aaron_h27]

Not just Wilson but my DR 98's came about 10-14 SW pts under spec also

 

[Dartagnan64]

Well the best thing about Wilson QC control issues is you have a built in excuse for when you play bad. So there's that...

 

[Irvin]

Not just Wilson but my DR 98's came about 10-14 SW pts under spec also

As long as they all came out the same that’s pretty good. It would be bad if one was 10 pts under and another 14 pts over. Count yourself lucky.

 

[t_pac]

I didn’t realize that the specs on their site were the average specs. Thanks for letting me know that. I got the unpublished specs from a different website.
I did measure the racquet as I have a balance board and scale but I don’t have a machine that measures SW as it’s too expensive. The static weight was matched and the h/l balance was only 1 pt lighter which I’m okay with. However, I did measure the fully strung SW using the method taught by the TW University and came up with around 310 to 314 which makes sense as strings usually add about 25 to 30 points. I really liked the demo I hit with and wish I had the SW for it. I’m a solid 4.5+ player and like a decent amount of SW in order to perform against incoming pace. I suppose I’ll just try to add enough lead tape to increase the SW but it’s not the same as having a factory supplied frame that already has the desired SW.

The DIY method of measuring SW is easy to get slightly wrong and that can have a big impact on the number you come up with. I'd try and get them measured properly.

Sent from my Pixel 2 using Tapatalk

 

[Mirdad]

The DIY method of measuring SW is easy to get slightly wrong and that can have a big impact on the number you come up with. I'd try and get them measured properly.

Sent from my Pixel 2 using Tapatalk

Agreed. I never liked calculating SW without the machine. However, the 286 unstrung SW is still way too low. Of course I"m going by the fact that adding strings will increase the SW by about 30. Your point about having a machine calculate the real SW is advisable. Question is where can I do that? Will a pro shop have one? The pro shop in my neighborhood doesn't. I guess I'll call around.

 

[mad dog1]

Agreed. I never liked calculating SW without the machine. However, the 286 unstrung SW is still way too low. Of course I"m going by the fact that adding strings will increase the SW by about 30. Your point about having a machine calculate the real SW is advisable. Question is where can I do that? Will a pro shop have one? The pro shop in my neighborhood doesn't. I guess I'll call around.

I think strings can add up to 40 SW points

 

[tata]

Wilson QC ruined their chance of me buying the ultra tour. I had a demo of it but it played so sluggish that it was 100% way off spec in terms of balance and SW. My friend and I were very quick to drop it and pick up the other demos we had.

 

[Jakesteroni]

switch to Yonex.

 

[lidoazndiabloboi]

I just ordered a Wilson Blade 98 16X19 CV and asked the TW to match Wilson's specs. I paid extra for this service.
Here are Wilson's specs:

Strung Specifications
Head Size:98 sq. in. / 632.26 sq. cm. Length:27in / 68.58cm Strung Weight:11.3oz / 320.34g Balance:13.1in / 33.27cm / 3 pts HL Swingweight:326 Stiffness:66

The racquet I received was strung with Technifibre NRG2 17 ga black.
The static weight was just about spot on. The h/l balance was 4 its HL but that could of been because it was strung with multifilament 17ga. So far, I'm happy.

The problem was the unstrung swing weight was only 286. Adding multifilament 17 gauge strings would most likely be less than 30 pts to the SW, but to make things easy I'll go ahead and add 30 + 286 = 316 for total SW. That's a heck of a lot less than the published strung spec of 326. When I tried to call TW about it I wasn't able to speak directly with a racquet technician but the customer service person said that the racquet tech said the SW I got was within Wilson's tolerance. Really? 10 to 15 pts light in the SW is acceptable, even with paying extra for the racquet to meet published specs?

Any decent player can tell that's a major difference in SW.

I suppose I could just add lead tape to the hoop but I paid extra to ensure the racquet met Wilson's specs. I could live with a SW off 3 to 5 pts but not 10 to 15.
Do you think I'm out of line for feeling this way?

Needless to say, I'm very disappointed.

The published specs on the WIlson site is:
Unstrung weight 304g
Unstrung Balance 32.5cm / 6Pt HL
No SW spec.

I never like using the Strung specs listed on the retail sites as the most exact measurement, as they can all vary. I will use them as a reference point. But if you are looking for the most "exact" spec, then you will have to look at the specs on WIlson/Head/Babolats actual site. If you wanted to compare SW from the retailers, TW has it listed at 326, MW at 327, Express at 316. So just from those numbers, you can see there is variance between all the strung rackets. Now what strings were they actually strung with? We don't really know. also, since you werent taking the SW specs from an RDC machine, there can definitely be some mistakes.

I was told before Racket brands never list the SW numbers because they can vary so much.

 

[4-string]

The published specs on the WIlson site is:
Unstrung weight 304g
Unstrung Balance 32.5cm / 6Pt HL
No SW spec.

I never like using the Strung specs listed on the retail sites as the most exact measurement, as they can all vary. I will use them as a reference point. But if you are looking for the most "exact" spec, then you will have to look at the specs on WIlson/Head/Babolats actual site. If you wanted to compare SW from the retailers, TW has it listed at 326, MW at 327, Express at 316. So just from those numbers, you can see there is variance between all the strung rackets. Now what strings were they actually strung with? We don't really know. also, since you werent taking the SW specs from an RDC machine, there can definitely be some mistakes.

I was told before Racket brands never list the SW numbers because they can vary so much.

Exactly. Strung specs makes no sense, and frankly 17g multi wouldn’t be my first choice for that racquet.

16g poly could bring sw up to 326, up to TW’s specs. [emoji6]

Not defending Wilson in particular, but amazing how people knocking Wilson qc based on anecdotal evidence. All the 10 Wilson racquets I have purchased the last 5 years or so have all been within 1g of announced UNSTRUNG specs.

I have had both Babolat and Ynex racquets that were more off spec actually, but still close enough.

 

[DJTaurus]

switch to Yonex.

I respect yonex and played with most of them till newer ones like ezone98,vcore 98 and vcore pro 97. Still lacking behind in terms of feel on ball contact compared to Wilson racquets. Only dr98 had decent feel and provided enough feedback on contact. Most yonex sticks are either harsh or muted

 

[Mirdad]

Exactly. Strung specs makes no sense, and frankly 17g multi wouldn’t be my first choice for that racquet.

16g poly could bring sw up to 326, up to TW’s specs. [emoji6]

Not defending Wilson in particular, but amazing how people knocking Wilson qc based on anecdotal evidence. All the 10 Wilson racquets I have purchased the last 5 years or so have all been within 1g of announced UNSTRUNG specs.

I have had both Babolat and Ynex racquets that were more off spec actually, but still close enough.

I agree, the unstrung spec is more relevant. I won't mention the competitor's name but I got the unstrung SW from their website and it was 316. The unstrung SW spec that I was sent is 286. 30 pts is very unacceptable to me. I don't believe 16 g poly would raise the SW by 40 pts. I'm using the NRG because I'm able to get almost the same amount of topspin and control as poly but with the added comfort. I string my own racquets so I don't mind restringing more often. That being said, I will be experimenting with some poly hybrid set ups in the racquet to dial the control in further. My days of using full poly are over as I prefer a little more comfort. I might just have the TW remove the fee for "meeting manuf specs" and I'll just add some lead tape.

 

[Mirdad]

As I understand it when you get the TW matching service there are different levels provided. You can have the rackets matched so they are both the same. You can have the rackets matched to you specifications. Or you can get 2 or more rackets with the closest specs. Suppose you ask for 2 rackets in 1/2 grip size that are the closest to each other and they only have 2 rackets. You get whatever they have. Suppose they only have 1 racket in 1/2 grip. You get that one and 1 goes on backorder and you get another when it comes in.

Thanks for pointing that out Irvin. My main gripe is they (TW and probably all other resellers) don't tell you the tolerance levels that you can wind up with.

 

[Mirdad]

I respect yonex and played with most of them till newer ones like ezone98,vcore 98 and vcore pro 97. Still lacking behind in terms of feel on ball contact compared to Wilson racquets. Only dr98 had decent feel and provided enough feedback on contact. Most yonex sticks are either harsh or muted

I've tried many Yonex racquets and just don't sync up well with the racquet shape. I don't know why as that shape is supposed to open up the sweet spot more. I've always been a Wilson Pro Staff fan but never had this problem before.

 

[Mirdad]

I always thought the manufacturers spec for the SW was spread throughout the racquet is such a way to keep the h/l balance intact as well as the static weight and even flexibility. Therefore, I am accustomed to think that by adding lead tape to various areas of the hoop might take away from the original racquets playability. Do I have this right? Or can I just add lead tape to various locations until I'm happy with the performance? If so, then this is a nothing burger and I'll just have to experiment by adding lead tape to certain areas of the racquet. I have a balance board and scale so I can ensure that the h/l balance is what I desire as well as static weight.

 

[lidoazndiabloboi]

I always thought the manufacturers spec for the SW was spread throughout the racquet is such a way to keep the h/l balance intact as well as the static weight and even flexibility. Therefore, I am accustomed to think that by adding lead tape to various areas of the hoop might take away from the original racquets playability. Do I have this right? Or can I just add lead tape to various locations until I'm happy with the performance? If so, then this is a nothing burger and I'll just have to experiment by adding lead tape to certain areas of the racquet. I have a balance board and scale so I can ensure that the h/l balance is what I desire as well as static weight.

Some of the manufacturer tolerance ive seen is +/- 7grams. Now if you happen to get 2 rackets on opposite spectrums, you're looking at a 14 gram difference which is a whole lot. And within that 14 gram difference, you will have a array of different balance and SW on each racket. What I've come to find is, personally, when I choose my rackets, I would look for the most HL out of the batch of rackets. Usually the most HL one will give me a lower SW. Then I can add lead to the hoop to increase the SW however I would like. It's much better than having a stock racket with too high of a SW, and not much room for adjustments.

Recently I had a few Pure Strikes. 1 PS was stock so heavy already, SW 311 unstrung. The 3 other rackets, I had to add 5 grams at 3 and 9, then more lead at 12 o clock to get the SW up to 311 as well. I can understand your frustration with the SW differences. Some brands will have better quality control than others.

 

[Grieeegoorr]

I think the only way Wilson will be able to rectify it's QC issues and restore customer faith is to recommence production in St Vincent.

 

[Mirdad]

The TW got back to me today and informed me that the service I requested (cost $10) of matching specs to the manufacturer only covers static weight and HL balance, NOT the swingweight. They said that "as soon as you take swingweight into consideration it will then have to be the $20 custom service fee. Additionally, as mentioned over the phone, the swingweight is within manufacture tolerance."
Okay this is all fine and good but I wish someone would have informed me that when they say they will meet the manufacturers spec that doesn't really cover ALL the specs. It appears that they would of added lead tape under the bumper guard for me if I would be willing to pay the full $20. Of course if I knew that then I would of paid the upgraded fee. As it turns out, since I already have a balance board and scale, I just added the lead tape myself and I'm now happy with the racquet. While I don't know the actual SW, the good news is that the delivered HL balance was 1 point lighter than spec so the additional lead tape did not cause the overall balance to be too heavy. In fact, I might add some lead to the handle in order to make the racquet a little more H/L bringing it up from 3 pts HL to about 5.

The main lesson learned here is you have to be adept at tweaking the racquet to what you desire and possess the necessary equipment to do so. Having said that, I'm not sure I would spend the bucks on a RDC machine. But the reality is it doesn't matter what the SW weight is. What matters is if you can swing it properly without duress.

 

[Mirdad]

Exactly. Strung specs makes no sense, and frankly 17g multi wouldn’t be my first choice for that racquet.

16g poly could bring sw up to 326, up to TW’s specs. [emoji6]

Not defending Wilson in particular, but amazing how people knocking Wilson qc based on anecdotal evidence. All the 10 Wilson racquets I have purchased the last 5 years or so have all been within 1g of announced UNSTRUNG specs.

I have had both Babolat and Ynex racquets that were more off spec actually, but still close enough.

What strings do you recommend? I'm thinking of going back to a 16g multi or a 17 g poly, and possibly a hybrid.

 

[gazz1]

Look up oxymoron in the dictionary and you will see it defined as “Wilson Quality Control”

Sorry about your experience...especially when you paid to avoid this problem.

I’ve learned the hard way with Wilson and Babolat.

Yonex are pretty good, and my Angell rackets are exceptional - balance and swing weight perfect but weight out by 0.2g...oh, and I ordered them a month apart!!!

 

[avocadoz]

The TW got back to me today and informed me that the service I requested (cost $10) of matching specs to the manufacturer only covers static weight and HL balance, NOT the swingweight. They said that "as soon as you take swingweight into consideration it will then have to be the $20 custom service fee. Additionally, as mentioned over the phone, the swingweight is within manufacture tolerance."
Okay this is all fine and good but I wish someone would have informed me that when they say they will meet the manufacturers spec that doesn't really cover ALL the specs. It appears that they would of added lead tape under the bumper guard for me if I would be willing to pay the full $20. Of course if I knew that then I would of paid the upgraded fee. As it turns out, since I already have a balance board and scale, I just added the lead tape myself and I'm now happy with the racquet. While I don't know the actual SW, the good news is that the delivered HL balance was 1 point lighter than spec so the additional lead tape did not cause the overall balance to be too heavy. In fact, I might add some lead to the handle in order to make the racquet a little more H/L bringing it up from 3 pts HL to about 5.

The main lesson learned here is you have to be adept at tweaking the racquet to what you desire and possess the necessary equipment to do so. Having said that, I'm not sure I would spend the bucks on a RDC machine. But the reality is it doesn't matter what the SW weight is. What matters is if you can swing it properly without duress.

Weird. I thought if static weight and HL balance matched, SW would follow.

 

[Mirdad]

Weird. I thought if static weight and HL balance matched, SW would follow.

Look up oxymoron in the dictionary and you will see it defined as “Wilson Quality Control”

Sorry about your experience...especially when you paid to avoid this problem.

I’ve learned the hard way with Wilson and Babolat.

Yonex are pretty good, and my Angell rackets are exceptional - balance and swing weight perfect but weight out by 0.2g...oh, and I ordered them a month apart!!!

I like Angell racquets too. My favorite is the TC100 63RA but I just don't get the accuracy from a frame larger than 98 sq". I'd love it if Angell made a 98 sized frame along the likes of the TC95 or TC100. I tried the TC97 but did not like the low trajectory, although I'm tempted to buy another one and weight it up more in the head. I haven't tried the K7 as I hear it's lacking in stability and requires lots of weight put on it. I seem to do well with frames shaped like the pro staffs and no smaller than 97 and no larger than 98.

 

[Mirdad]

Weird. I thought if static weight and HL balance matched, SW would follow.

One would think so, but I guess it depends upon where the swingweight is spread out in the frame. For instance there could be extra SW in the throat of the racquet which would not effect the HL balance much if any.

 

[snoflewis]

how do you know it’s out of spec by sw? Ive never seen unstrung sw on a production racket. Also tw’s sppecs are an average of a handful of frames they had in stock. Those specs may not be entirely accurate either

 

[gazz1]

how do you know it’s out of spec by sw? Ive never seen unstrung sw on a production racket. Also tw’s sppecs are an average of a handful of frames they had in stock. Those specs may not be entirely accurate either

Some manufacturers list unstrung SW

 

[Mirdad]

how do you know it’s out of spec by sw? Ive never seen unstrung sw on a production racket. Also tw’s sppecs are an average of a handful of frames they had in stock. Those specs may not be entirely accurate either

The average strung SW of 326 is posted on the TW website. Mine unstrung was measured by the TW as 286. They told me that 16g poly strings would add about 30 points to the SW. That would give me only 316 for SW, yet their average is 326. In my opinion, that is a big difference especially for someone who had to pay for the service to match the specs. I was later informed after receiving the racquet that I could have paid 10 bucks more ($20 total) and they would have leaded up the racquet for me to match the 326 SW. But no one at the TW told me that they only meet the static weight and HL balance......NOT the SW. I was also told that Wilson considers an unstrung SW of 286 to be on the low end of their acceptable tolerance.
I'm over it now......I merely added lead tape to 3, 9 and 12 o'clock and some under the but cap to give me a SW that I can hit well with. I'm still tinkering with it but I've decided this was a blessing in disguise as it allows me to dial in the exact specs that work best for me. I will never know what the finished SW is as I can only rely on the less than accurate method of swinging the racquet myself (see TW University for the method). The bottom line is that if you know the exact specs you want the TW can lead up the racquet for you but it will cost 20 bucks. However, what I've learned from this experience is you are better off starting at a lower static and lower SW because you can experiment and add weight accordingly.

 

[gazz1]

I remember the TW specs on the DR98+ were way understated.

 

[gazz1]

I like Angell racquets too. My favorite is the TC100 63RA but I just don't get the accuracy from a frame larger than 98 sq". I'd love it if Angell made a 98 sized frame along the likes of the TC95 or TC100. I tried the TC97 but did not like the low trajectory, although I'm tempted to buy another one and weight it up more in the head. I haven't tried the K7 as I hear it's lacking in stability and requires lots of weight put on it. I seem to do well with frames shaped like the pro staffs and no smaller than 97 and no larger than 98.

I'm the same...bought the TC97 originally in 16x19 and it just didn't work for me...not enough power.
The TC100 70RA was a better fit. Great racket but I would love it in a 98.
There is a new K7 Lime - 18x20, but not sure about that either for me.
I think my next step would be the TC95. I hear that it plays more like a 97/98 and has many of the same attributes as the 100 with a bit more control.

 

[el sergento]

The OP actually got lucky. The SW is below spec. That's good news because 1 gram of lead at 12 = 3 SW points. Meaning that, if your calculations are correct (which they probably aren't tbh), you can get to your prefered SW with ~3 grams of lead at 12, which would be negated in terms of balance by an overgrip. Now, if your SW was above spec, you'd be screwed because there's nothing to be done about that.

It is impossible. How’s that for an answer? But if there are polarization issues (meaning the layup is not identical in like racket then you have a problem. And if the grommets are a few grams off here and there or the weight of the butt cap, or the grip then you have more problems.

This incidentally happened to me the last time I bought Wilson sticks. I took my balance board and scale to a shop and bought two matched Kfactor 6.1's. Once they were all laced up, one was like10 pts over the published SW specs and there was nothing I could do about it. Never bought Wilson again.






I lied, I bought a reissued P85

 

[Nicholas Noker]

This is a direct quote from their website

Racquet matching service
For a $10 fee a Tennis Warehouse USRSA Certified Master Racquet Technician will sort through racquets, measuring them on the Babolat RDC, to find you a matching pair. A matching pair is defined as two (or more) racquets chosen from a random set that "match to each other" in static weight, balance point and swingweight. Once sorted, the racquet's unstrung specs are labeled and affixed to the racquet's handle packaging for customers to retain.
The service fee covers the cost of handling, measuring and sorting racquets. The fee is not contingent upon finding a match and is a non-refundable service fee.

So swingweight is supposed to be covered under the service but they kind of dig themselves out of any trouble with the disclaimer at the end there...

 

[mad dog1]

...you are better off starting at a lower static and lower SW because you can experiment and add weight accordingly.

Yes. Much easier to add weight to an underspec stick than to remove weight from one that is overspec.

 

[Syfo-Dias]

Wilson could easily fix QC issues if they wanted to. But if people keep paying top dollar for bad QC they're never gonna fix it. There are plenty of things made in China with tight tolerances, but it costs more to do.

 

[jmacdaununder2]

Remember that 'quality control' is really just how far off target spec a frame has to be before they won't retail it. If they were actually prepared to reject a substantial percentage of frames off of the production line, and only sell those examples which met stringent manufacturing tolerance targets, their qc would, no doubt at a significant cost to them, appear to be exemplary. They don't need tighter manufacturing tolerances, they just need to care enough to put customers above profit. At least TW offer something of a solution, albeit one that requires you to fork out extra for something that should really be inherent.

 

[tata]

They'll fix it when Roger and Serena stop playing. Maybe. Just maybe.

 

[DJTaurus]

They are hyping clash as hell all these months and they can’t even send proper specked sticks at play testers all over the world (camo version). And now they dare asking us 250$ for the retail version. How many times you tested Wilson sticks, liked them and the ones you bought played totally different...?

http://tt.tennis-warehouse.com/index.php?threads/what-makes-wilsons-quality-control-so-bad.575058/

http://tt.tennis-warehouse.com/inde...-control-is-a-joke-shame-on-them-ps97.591367/

http://tt.tennis-warehouse.com/index.php?threads/wilsons-quality-control-questions.512354/

 

[Crocodile]

From what I've seen the Blade CV models have been a problem for Wilson since day one, and they really need to fix things up for when the new model arrives because currently its unacceptable.
The main problem for them has been the SW's and, that can be fixed if the pair you own is such that you prefer the heavier one, but not the other way around.

 

[Mirdad]

Here's another interesting and frustrating story. I asked the owner of the local retail tennis shop in my area if he could measure the specs of the Wilson racquet that I was thinking of buying. He glared at me and said Wilson only has problems with their QC when they are near the later stages of their production runs before switching to a new model. In other words, he was insinuating that Wilson shipped their out of spec runs at the latter end of the product cycle. He actually refused to let me measure the specs so I just walked out of the store.......very frustrated. But there is yet another lesson in this story as well. I decided I would never buy even so much of a can of tennis balls from this tennis shop. In fact, this experience made me buy my own stringing machine. The bottom line for those of us who really care about our equipment is we should put the QC part of the equation into our own hands. I know it costs more money but in the long run I think it's worth it. Peace of mind and the ability to be make subtle changes to our equipment is most important. Granted, most of us aren't professional or even open level players, yet we love the game and are passionate about the quality of our sticks and strings etc... Like others have pointed out, it's better to stipulate that you don't want to go over the SW as you can always add on weight. A balance board is less than 50 bucks, a scale also less the 50 bucks. Yeah, a stringing machine will cost you quite a bit but you can buy a used one for a couple hundred bucks. I'm having a blast trying different strings set ups. It's been much better for my arm and my overall game.

By the way, in case you folks don't already know, Angell makes custom frames that have extremely tight tolerances.......and many of them can be purchased at a different RA levels. I own one of their TC100's and it's a great stick. However, I don't jell very will with sticks larger than 98 sq" as I tend to lose control. Every year or so Angell puts out a new racquet. Perhaps they will make one that rivals the Blade in a 16X19 and 98 head size? Also, they don't charge much more than $200 per frame......they also give great customer service.
https://www.angelltennis.com

 

[tata]

They are hyping clash as hell all these months and they can’t even send proper specked sticks at play testers all over the world (camo version). And now they dare asking us 250$ for the retail version. How many times you tested Wilson sticks, liked them and the ones you bought played totally different...?

http://tt.tennis-warehouse.com/index.php?threads/what-makes-wilsons-quality-control-so-bad.575058/

http://tt.tennis-warehouse.com/inde...-control-is-a-joke-shame-on-them-ps97.591367/

http://tt.tennis-warehouse.com/index.php?threads/wilsons-quality-control-questions.512354/

Didn't even make it past the demo. Had an ultra tour in a demo batch. Played nothing like the spec. Felt so head heavy. Put off already and did not want to risk it.

 

[Jster]

The average strung SW of 326 is posted on the TW website. Mine unstrung was measured by the TW as 286. They told me that 16g poly strings would add about 30 points to the SW. That would give me only 316 for SW, yet their average is 326. In my opinion, that is a big difference especially for someone who had to pay for the service to match the specs. I was later informed after receiving the racquet that I could have paid 10 bucks more ($20 total) and they would have leaded up the racquet for me to match the 326 SW. But no one at the TW told me that they only meet the static weight and HL balance......NOT the SW. I was also told that Wilson considers an unstrung SW of 286 to be on the low end of their acceptable tolerance.
I'm over it now......I merely added lead tape to 3, 9 and 12 o'clock and some under the but cap to give me a SW that I can hit well with. I'm still tinkering with it but I've decided this was a blessing in disguise as it allows me to dial in the exact specs that work best for me. I will never know what the finished SW is as I can only rely on the less than accurate method of swinging the racquet myself (see TW University for the method). The bottom line is that if you know the exact specs you want the TW can lead up the racquet for you but it will cost 20 bucks. However, what I've learned from this experience is you are better off starting at a lower static and lower SW because you can experiment and add weight accordingly.

Avg strung sw might not be the same strings you know?

 

[Mirdad]

Avg strung sw might not be the same strings you know?

True....also I was informed by TW that they measure with the average SW with 16 g installed, but I don't recall if they said it was a multifilament or a poly which would make a difference but not that much. My guess 3 to 5 pts higher SW with poly versus multi using the same gauge as that is what most posters have quoted on this message board. I will be removing the 17 ga multi I have in there now and installing RPM blast 17 ga so that should help a little bit.