Are there any other fools like myself that cant find a better racket? I have 2 frames hybrid strung in the mid 40s that I have been using since 1988 or 9 that I keep returning to after trying all kinds of different frames. Any others that still use? And if so why? I feel it is the perfect combination of power with control. Like to hear if any others feel the same
Yamaha secret 4
- Thread starter chrisb
- Start date
michael valek
Hall of Fame
Would love to try them but never did. I remember it sounding like a thunderous cracking hammer.
Racket Crazy
Rookie
I have had one for a while, but never got much use out of it because it felt like I was swinging a ton of bricks, and due to the stiffness and plow-through I had a difficult time getting any kind of rally going with this racket.
I was curious which string you use and exactly what tension(s) you have tried? [emoji848]
Sent from my SM-G920F using Tapatalk
I was curious which string you use and exactly what tension(s) you have tried? [emoji848]
Sent from my SM-G920F using Tapatalk
LOBALOT
Hall of Fame
Those look like neat racquets.
I guess I am older than you guys. My high school racquet was the Yamaha YFG-20 which I feel was a trailblazer. In an era where most of the players used small headed wood/aluminum/steel racquets with a few using the new giant prince racquets my racquet was a mid-size.
Made of fiberglass it had great feel for its day.
I was very upset when I broke my last one the summer after high school. This big kid blasted a first serve to me up the T in the ad court that was just long and I attempted to block it and it clanked off the top of the frame. As I was ready to return the second serve I looked down at the shadow of me holding my racquet on the court and thought wow my racquet looks odd. I attempted to return the second serve and the ball kind just feebly bounced into the net. I looked at my racquet and it had snapped between 10 and 2.
I see them every now and then on the auction site. You gave me an idea for a Christmas item for my list!
I guess I am older than you guys. My high school racquet was the Yamaha YFG-20 which I feel was a trailblazer. In an era where most of the players used small headed wood/aluminum/steel racquets with a few using the new giant prince racquets my racquet was a mid-size.
Made of fiberglass it had great feel for its day.
I was very upset when I broke my last one the summer after high school. This big kid blasted a first serve to me up the T in the ad court that was just long and I attempted to block it and it clanked off the top of the frame. As I was ready to return the second serve I looked down at the shadow of me holding my racquet on the court and thought wow my racquet looks odd. I attempted to return the second serve and the ball kind just feebly bounced into the net. I looked at my racquet and it had snapped between 10 and 2.
I see them every now and then on the auction site. You gave me an idea for a Christmas item for my list!
retrowagen
Hall of Fame
I keep an 04 around, strung with Leoina 66 at 50 pounds. With such a “dead” string, it plays pretty well... definitely much more to my liking than most widebody frames of the same era. The cosmetics on that racquet are also brilliant... it reminds me of the old Ruf Porsche “NATO” test vehicle, a 930 painted crudely with German army surplus OD paint, and used by the Ruf shop to test their engine and suspension projects in the late 1980’s.
Exactly, got more than 200 frames now but not so much time to play. Consider long bad weather period in my region.
Sadri i think?
PBODY99
Legend
You're wellcome man.
coachrick
Hall of Fame
I strung a couple for the NCState team(Sadri) when they visited U of South Carolina. I think three of their top six used the 30...red/black being the perfect color for them! As I recall, "our" Chris Mayotte(older brother of Tim) handed Sadri his only regular-season loss that year and Sadri came within two points of Mac in the NCAA final!
I played the 50 for a bit and the YGR for a minute. Sold a TON of 30s, mainly to folks transitioning from wood.
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coachrick
Hall of Fame
Sold a bunch of 30s back in those days; but very few 20s as the 20 didn't have the "fit and finish" of the 30 and 50 and a cheesy grip as I recall.
The 30 and 50 had a strange whistle when swung with speed...some liked it, others hated it
PBODY99
Legend
I switched to the YFG 30 & then the 50 after HEAD's Ashe Comp 2 failed to be a suitable replacement for the original Ashe Comp.
I settled on dropping the outside mains making it a 16 x 20.
The EOS at less than 10 ozs & Head heavy was the frame Wilson sued over since it violated the Hammer patent which led to them leaving the US market AFAIR.
I settled on dropping the outside mains making it a 16 x 20.
The EOS at less than 10 ozs & Head heavy was the frame Wilson sued over since it violated the Hammer patent which led to them leaving the US market AFAIR.
vsbabolat
G.O.A.T.
Yamaha left tennis completely because of that lawsuit worldwide. It’s a real shame Yamaha isn’t in tennis anymore.
coachrick
Hall of Fame
I also dropped a main on either side, skipping top and bottom to make the pattern look more balanced. Same with the Yonex 7500 and 8500(WAY too many strings in those!).
Interesting what you say about the Comp 2 Ashe...I don't recall anyone who preferred to stay with the original(when new racket time came) once the Comp 2 became available. We sold a bunch of both, that's for sure! I think my roommate bought a dozen Comp 2s over the years...Leoina 66 @ 64# for the initial stringing on each.
coachrick
Hall of Fame
Maybe they could try Pickleball ???
atatu
Legend
I've got news for you...new PB facility going in South ATX with 16 courts.Maybe they could try Pickleball ???
PBODY99
Legend
@coachrick
The Comp 2 seemed to be temperature sensitive. In the spring a freshly strung frame that was fine @ 65 F degrees was a board at 75`F
It might have just been my style, but the Comp ! did not act like that.
HEAD released a Ashe Comp 3 that ws way softer than the original let alone the Boron infused Comp2.
The Comp 2 seemed to be temperature sensitive. In the spring a freshly strung frame that was fine @ 65 F degrees was a board at 75`F
It might have just been my style, but the Comp ! did not act like that.
HEAD released a Ashe Comp 3 that ws way softer than the original let alone the Boron infused Comp2.
tennisbike
Professional
Off topic: I just love the Yonec 8500 strung 16x18 25 lbs synthetic gut. Love the way it swings.
coachrick
Hall of Fame
yeah, the Comp3 more or less helped kill the series...wet noodle, it was
I have a Comp Edge in pristine condition; but I've never hit it. Not even sure what year it came out; but I reckon it was too late!
coachrick
Hall of Fame
I remember stringing one 8500 with AFV nat gut @ 45# . Initially hit like a board; but played like a dream for months after break-in !!!
My personal 8500 still in my collection was last strung in '95 with a matching green multi. Hits like a champ!!!
coachrick
Hall of Fame
That would be interesting. USTA Texas should get on the bandwagon and make their junior courts at the proposed Cedar Park facility multi-purpose with Pickleball. I don't care to play outdoors after 35 years of tennis on hard courts. I'd be tickled to find a 10-court indoor facility in north north Austin
atatu
Legend
No, the Cedar Park facility is for TENNIS. There is an indoor padle facility in North Austin, maybe when it goes under it can be converted to a pickleball place.That would be interesting. USTA Texas should get on the bandwagon and make their junior courts at the proposed Cedar Park facility multi-purpose with Pickleball. I don't care to play outdoors after 35 years of tennis on hard courts. I'd be tickled to find a 10-court indoor facility in north north Austin
LOBALOT
Hall of Fame
Sold a bunch of 30s back in those days; but very few 20s as the 20 didn't have the "fit and finish" of the 30 and 50 and a cheesy grip as I recall.
The 30 and 50 had a strange whistle when swung with speed...some liked it, others hated it
I don't recall issues with the grip on the YFG-20 but it has been over 40 years.
I also want to apologize to the original poster about bringing up the Yamaha YFG-20 it wasn't my intent to hijack post. I was just really geeked seeing a post about Yamaha racquets.
LOBALOT
Hall of Fame
Thanks for the info that is awesome!
coachrick
Hall of Fame
If they want the facility to be busy outside of tournaments and academies, they should add Pickleball
I guarantee they would get more daily play from Pball.
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coachrick
Hall of Fame
All the Yamaha grips were quite thin; but the 20 grip was like paper. Short butt caps also made repairing them a bear! Liked the tuning fork logo on the bottom however! The same shallow butt caps were on the composite/sandwich frames and replacing one was NOT easy.
Do you recall the triangular shape to the boxes they were shipped in? I remember thinking how cool that was to open a case of them all nestled together so efficiently
atatu
Legend
Have you tried to get a court at caswell lately ?If they want the facility to be busy outside of tournaments and academies, they should add Pickleball
LOBALOT
Hall of Fame
All the Yamaha grips were quite thin; but the 20 grip was like paper. Short butt caps also made repairing them a bear! Liked the tuning fork logo on the bottom however! The same shallow butt caps were on the composite/sandwich frames and replacing one was NOT easy.
Do you recall the triangular shape to the boxes they were shipped in? I remember thinking how cool that was to open a case of them all nestled together so efficiently
I don't remember that. I do remember the logo at the bottom after so many "spins for serve". I did have the grips replaced but being a kid did not do it myself and of course did not use overgrips. I bought the racquet from a really cool sports shop in our town (it no longer exists) and they would replace the grips so I guess they dealt with the mess they were to replace.
Golly you got me thinking. This sports shop was not huge but whatever the sport was they had it and it was the best you could get in that sport. You wanted a kayak.... They didn't have many to choose from but the ones they had were the best. This type of thing. They had a spot in the back where you could demo racquets with a ball machine and net.
I also got my Rawlings Mike Schmidt Autograph baseball mitt there. I still have it and just got it re-laced.
coachrick
Hall of Fame
One of the cool things about indoor Pickleball is that it takes only a flat floor and a space of 1/2 a tennis court(or less). Portable lines and painters tape and Bob's your uncle! Finished concrete wouldn't be my favorite; but darned near any other surface can be used(we don't like MateFlex tile/Sport Court surfaces, however).
