Ah, that makes sense then. I was under the impression it was created prior to the PS 85. The frame makes even less sense knowing when it came out.
Worst rackets of all time
- Thread starter Autodidactic player
- Start date
vsbabolat
G.O.A.T.
The Pro Staff Midsize came out in 1984
I assumed that since you posted that she switched to it in 1984.
vsbabolat
G.O.A.T.
Yes
Jack the Hack
Hall of Fame
Interesting to see the posts on the '87 Jack Kramer Staff. I was a big Wilander fan in high school ('86-'90) and I wanted to play with the same Rossignol racquets that he used, but no tennis shop carried them in my town and I don't remember being able to get them via mail order from the places advertised in Tennis magazine back then. Anyway, I spoke to the guy who ran our local tennis store and he told me that he could get the Rossignols, but that he didn't recommend it because he didn't trust their warranty support. Instead, he recommended the Wilson Jack Kramer Staff, which he said had a similar composition (with the fiberglass) and was basically a clone of the Pro Staff, but with a little more flex. In fact, I believe the Kramer Staffs were all made in the famous St Vincent factory, where the best Pro Staffs came from. Anyway, the Kramer Staff was about $30 or $40 dollars cheaper than the Pro Staff, so I went for it. I had two of them, both of which broke by the time I finished my senior year.
The crazy thing was that I used to break strings a lot when I was using nylon, so a neighbor who had a stringing machine turned me on to this new string called "kevlar." Not knowing what I was doing, I had heard that Borg strung his racquets at 70lbs, so that's what I ended up doing... stringing my Kramer Staffs at 70lbs with a full bed of 15 gauge kevlar. The flexiness of the frames was probably the only thing that saved my arm. But the Kramer Staff was already a near zero power frame with a tiny sweet spot, so the kevlar made it even harder to play with. However, I was able to moonball and slice like a MoFo, which was very successful at the high school level. I went 11-1 in league in my senior year, and I know this because I etched it on the handle of my last Kramer Staff when I retired it, which is hanging on the wall in my study (with a nice slight crack in near the upper hoop).
The way I had it set up, volleying with that Kramer Staff was a nightmare. I blame that racquet for not becoming a better net player in high school. It wasn't until I was in college, playing with a 100 square inch frame that was more powerful and forgiving, that I actually learned to volley well.
In retrospect, I've always thought that if I had been directed to a different racquet like the Prince Original Graphite OS instead, I would have become a better overall player faster.
BTW - I recently found and purchased a couple Rossignol F200 Carbons. One was in mint condition with the cover, which I hung on my wall with some of my autographed Wilander stuff. The other one I hit with a few times, and I actually liked it. However, the POGO would have been better.
The crazy thing was that I used to break strings a lot when I was using nylon, so a neighbor who had a stringing machine turned me on to this new string called "kevlar." Not knowing what I was doing, I had heard that Borg strung his racquets at 70lbs, so that's what I ended up doing... stringing my Kramer Staffs at 70lbs with a full bed of 15 gauge kevlar. The flexiness of the frames was probably the only thing that saved my arm. But the Kramer Staff was already a near zero power frame with a tiny sweet spot, so the kevlar made it even harder to play with. However, I was able to moonball and slice like a MoFo, which was very successful at the high school level. I went 11-1 in league in my senior year, and I know this because I etched it on the handle of my last Kramer Staff when I retired it, which is hanging on the wall in my study (with a nice slight crack in near the upper hoop).
The way I had it set up, volleying with that Kramer Staff was a nightmare. I blame that racquet for not becoming a better net player in high school. It wasn't until I was in college, playing with a 100 square inch frame that was more powerful and forgiving, that I actually learned to volley well.
In retrospect, I've always thought that if I had been directed to a different racquet like the Prince Original Graphite OS instead, I would have become a better overall player faster.
BTW - I recently found and purchased a couple Rossignol F200 Carbons. One was in mint condition with the cover, which I hung on my wall with some of my autographed Wilander stuff. The other one I hit with a few times, and I actually liked it. However, the POGO would have been better.
graycrait
Legend
@Fedinkum , I purchased a racket with the Natural handle off the bay a while back. It was some cheap big box racket with someone just jamming the Natural handle on it. I cut off the handle of PCG 107 and epoxied and added a bolt (safety first
so the contraption didn't come apart. On a one handed forehand even a semi western grip is tricky. The Blackburne pictured is another story. I have got to restring that thing with something that doesn't launch balls to the moon. The BB is head heavy to the max even though it weighs 309g, my homemade natural weighs 353g.
so the contraption didn't come apart. On a one handed forehand even a semi western grip is tricky. The Blackburne pictured is another story. I have got to restring that thing with something that doesn't launch balls to the moon. The BB is head heavy to the max even though it weighs 309g, my homemade natural weighs 353g.
Fedinkum
Legend
You are one mad engineer! Human survival really needs more people like you! Respect, my man!!@Fedinkum , I purchased a racket with the Natural handle off the bay a while back. It was some cheap big box racket with someone just jamming the Natural handle on it. I cut off the handle of PCG 107 and epoxied and added a bolt (safety first
graycrait
Legend
coachrick
Hall of Fame
Truth in advertising would suggest that name should have been the "UNnatural".
At least the "Handler" had a descriptive moniker!
graycrait
Legend
@coachrick , I have tried for at least an hour to play with my version of the the Natural, tried to get a good D1 player to hit with it, who tried for 2 minutes. It has been hanging on the wall since.
Fedinkum
Legend
That is an interesting observation. That would make a good training tool actually.
Gonzo Panchales
New User
Rossignol produced alu-fiberglass composite racquets in the late seventies/ early eighties. They were the only fiberglass racquets I know of that warped - and they all warped, with no exception.
Another dishonourable mention- the Head Specter. A catapult with no ball control whatsoever.
Another dishonourable mention- the Head Specter. A catapult with no ball control whatsoever.
