Yonex Ezone DR CLUB!!!!~~~!!!

L

Luke Yonex

Rookie
Dutchdiva said:
I have the old yonex ezone dr 98 and i read that many people added some lead tape at 3 and 9 o clock to higher the swing weight. How many grams of lead tape should i use?
And can you just 'cut' the lead tape? (https://www.tennisdirect.nl/wilson-lead-tape - for instance, this is in total 40 grams, that is quite a lot right?)
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I think they add about 14 grams tops. so 40 grams would do a few rackets . I think they add it at 3 and 9 to increase the sweet spot not for added swing weight however maybe its for both reasons. https://tt.tennis-warehouse.com/index.php?threads/how-many-grams-of-lead-tape-should-i-add.119464/
 
A

aaron_h27

Professional
Just a warning for those messing with lead, for some odd reason using short strips at 3 & 9 (4 inches) gave me a lot of arm pain and created a lot of hotspots on the string bed, I now use 8 inch strips going from about 2 to 5 and 7 to 11 and have had much better luck. I do it the same way Osaka does. Feels a lot more comfortable than stock and bigger sweetspot. I like lead better on the sides rather than 12 for this frame. it's still very easy to swing. I have added 16g total so far and it's still very easy to swing.

I added 6g at noon and the racket became unwieldy so this way is easier to bump up the SW gradually and get a bit more forgiveness. No loss of spin so far.
 
D

Dutchdiva

New User
So i added a total of 5 grams of lead at 9 and 3 (2.5 grams at each side) but the racket feels like its a completely different one! Very strange that only 5 grams can do that. Acutally gave me some arm pain but i think I will get used to it. Its has a lot more swingweight and maybe a little bit more stability altough the spins seems harder to create.

(yonex ezonze dr 98)
 
Nick777

Nick777

Semi-Pro
Dutchdiva said:
So i added a total of 5 grams of lead at 9 and 3 (2.5 grams at each side) but the racket feels like its a completely different one! Very strange that only 5 grams can do that. Acutally gave me some arm pain but i think I will get used to it. Its has a lot more swingweight and maybe a little bit more stability altough the spins seems harder to create.

(yonex ezonze dr 98)
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5gr is not a little..... Its to much!
 
A

aaron_h27

Professional
Dutchdiva said:
So i added a total of 5 grams of lead at 9 and 3 (2.5 grams at each side) but the racket feels like its a completely different one! Very strange that only 5 grams can do that. Acutally gave me some arm pain but i think I will get used to it. Its has a lot more swingweight and maybe a little bit more stability altough the spins seems harder to create.

(yonex ezonze dr 98)
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I get arm pain from adding too much lead at 3 & 9 too, a mixture of noon and 3 & 9 works for me
 
acintya

acintya

Legend
anyone tried the Dr 100L and whats your opinion?i tried 98 and 100L and the 98 feels a lot more "slugish" to me. i wonder if anyone is playing the 100 L or im the only one
 
Nick777

Nick777

Semi-Pro
Dutchdiva said:
Really? Haha i thought it was a good amount to start with! I read Some theads and many people start with 5?

But what woud you suggest for this racket?
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1 or 2 gr is a good starting point, i have 1gr total at 11-1 and its fine for me
 
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Bartelby

Bartelby

Talk Tennis Guru
You increased the swingweight by ten points, so not so very strange at all.

I put 1.5 grams at 12 as a way to counter-balance the 6 grams a grip adds.

Dutchdiva said:
So i added a total of 5 grams of lead at 9 and 3 (2.5 grams at each side) but the racket feels like its a completely different one! Very strange that only 5 grams can do that. Acutally gave me some arm pain but i think I will get used to it. Its has a lot more swingweight and maybe a little bit more stability altough the spins seems harder to create.

(yonex ezonze dr 98)
Click to expand...
 
J

JoaoN

Rookie
Ok, so after a long period of testing a lot of racquets, and also losing a lot of money (can't demo where i live), i gave the DR 98 a try.

Just a brief background. Played in the last 2 years with - Babolat Pure Drive Tour (2015); Head Youtek IG Prestige MP; Babolat Pure Strike 16x19 (PS17); RF97 autograph; Vcore Pro 97s 310g and 330g; and Head Prestige Touch Pro.

Of the above, i really liked the Vcore Pro 97s, and they were my main sticks for a while but i was missing the hability to hit some balls with a little more pop, so i decided to buy an used DR98 to tryout.

Well, all i can say is that my hitting partner spent the whole night with a: "What the hell is going on?" or "Where did that come from?"

Amazing stick, i was doing lots o damage with my serve and forehand, right blend of power/spin/control, and i could serve and hit bombs for hours, without any disconfort on my elbow, shoulder, wrist, etc.

Did a miss the control of Vcore pro 97? Yes, a bit. Will that hold me from switching to DR 98? Never.

Long story short, i have some blue DR98 coming to me in the next few days.
 
mscream

mscream

Semi-Pro
@JoaoN totally agree, that was my experience with the DR98 as well, one of the very few racquets that is so well balanced that it feels like an extension of the arm. :D The only problem is that it's not available anymore. I'm hoping that Yonex will see the light and go back to the DR98 with the next EZONE iteration (hopefully this year).
 
J

JoaoN

Rookie
mscream said:
@JoaoN totally agree, that was my experience with the DR98 as well, one of the very few racquets that is so well balanced that it feels like an extension of the arm. :D The only problem is that it's not available anymore. I'm hoping that Yonex will see the light and go back to the DR98 with the next EZONE iteration (hopefully this year).
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Yes, i was lucky enough to find some in mint condition here on my country, so i purchased 3, 2 like new and 1 with a few scratches. Also bought 3 sets of new grommets, 3 new cushion grips, and i think i am ready to kick some asses.
 
G

gburgh

New User
For those using the DR 98+, what string/tension do you find works well? I've been using Hyper G 17 in the mid-high 40s in my Phantom 100 18x20 but wonder if a 16 gauge and slightly higher tension may be better with the 98+
 
ej28405

ej28405

New User
I’ve been using the 93p for a little while but started developing some hand pain along with not being able to direct the ball down the line some of the time. Think it might be too handle heavy / head light for me.

As a result of that I have been switching between the ezone 98 blue and ezone dr 98 blue. I strung both the same with klip lightning hybrid 17g NG mains 58 lbs, crosses 55 lbs which was the same string i was using in the 93p 18x20. Its a bit lively in both frames with not a ton of spin (not a fan of poly’s due to RC issues). I’m finding that I serve better with the ezone and also maybe give it a slight edge on ground strokes but net play hands down goes to the dr98. I play mainly doubles so think I’m leaning towards the dr98. Does anyone have any suggestions for making it better to serve and hit groundies with? Lead tape? Strings/Tension? Not opposed to full bed of NG but unsure which to go with and tension. I generally like a tighter tension but also need a little more spin. Thanks
 
P

PMF

New User
ej28405 said:
I’ve been using the 93p for a little while but started developing some hand pain along with not being able to direct the ball down the line some of the time. Think it might be too handle heavy / head light for me.

As a result of that I have been switching between the ezone 98 blue and ezone dr 98 blue. I strung both the same with klip lightning hybrid 17g NG mains 58 lbs, crosses 55 lbs which was the same string i was using in the 93p 18x20. Its a bit lively in both frames with not a ton of spin (not a fan of poly’s due to RC issues). I’m finding that I serve better with the ezone and also maybe give it a slight edge on ground strokes but net play hands down goes to the dr98. I play mainly doubles so think I’m leaning towards the dr98. Does anyone have any suggestions for making it better to serve and hit groundies with? Lead tape? Strings/Tension? Not opposed to full bed of NG but unsure which to go with and tension. I generally like a tighter tension but also need a little more spin. Thanks[/QUOT
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If you want your DR98 to be a little more lively on serves and groundless, you could try gut mains with poly crosses. That's what I use in mine. I find the hybrid pack from Babolat works pretty good. VS Touch 16 in the mains with RPM Blast 17 in the crosses. My last tension setup was 56/54. It lasted a long time.
 
L

Luke Yonex

Rookie
Gut mains and soft poly is what i think i will try next. I have TE so strung one of my Dr98s full nat gut 58 lbs. The other one (I have two) I strung with Timo 110 in the mains with babolat xcel in the crosses 50 lbs. I thought the gut would be better and more arm friendly however I am liking the poly and mutifilment combination much better. Maybe I strung the gut to high? Hopefully when/if it losses some tension i will gel better with it. I still like it just not as much.
 
D

dax_q

Rookie
Not sure if this has been asked on here before, but has anyone cut half an inch off of the Plus model so it is a standard size? I came across 98+ when I was looking for more racquets. I play with the standard length version and am having trouble selling or trading the Plus for some reason(Racquet is in great shape). Theoretically with some weight added to the handle, it should play the same right?
 
L

Luke Yonex

Rookie
I wouldn't chop it. Maybe you asking to much money for it. I customise my rackets but always in a way that I can turn it back to original if I want. Chopping is extreme.
 
ej28405

ej28405

New User
I strung my dr98 at 58/55 with 17g natural gut mains and 17g synthetic crosses and really liked it but it was just a smidge uncontrollable/erratic at times, especially on returns. Thinking of upping the tension to 61/58. Has anyone had success using a higher tension or NG in crosses instead? I also found that (for me) it does everything really well (especially net play) except serves and slices. For some reason I just couldn’t get my timing, placement or pace on serve compared to something like the 93p or newer Ezone. Maybe the balance? Any tips without making it too overly heavy?
 
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D-Lite

D-Lite

Semi-Pro
There is a new New Yonex EZONE PJ! A limited edition to celebrate Osaka's back to back slam victories and subsequent rise to World #1. Yonex have said that the PJ will be limited to 10,000 units worldwide.
Just note, these are the best resolution images I could find - I'm sure more HD images will be released soon.
Any thoughts on the PJ?

 
F

frogboy2002

Rookie
D-Lite said:
There is a new New Yonex EZONE PJ! A limited edition to celebrate Osaka's back to back slam victories and subsequent rise to World #1. Yonex have said that the PJ will be limited to 10,000 units worldwide.
Just note, these are the best resolution images I could find - I'm sure more HD images will be released soon.
Any thoughts on the PJ?

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Such a shame it’s th ezone for a minute thought it was the DR!
 
R

ron schaap

Professional
JoaoN said:
I think the increase in SW only happens because of the extra length, if he cut it (which i wouldn't do), it might go down to the standard SW spec.
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Just dont mutilate good racquets. Why doesnt he choke on the handle like squash players do? Furthermore on serves extra lenght is really beneficial!
 
Classic-TXP-IG MID

Classic-TXP-IG MID

Hall of Fame
Dutchdiva said:
Really? Haha i thought it was a good amount to start with! I read Some theads and many people start with 5?

But what woud you suggest for this racket?
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Try 1.5g each side (3&9), 1g @ 12 and I would counter-balance with 4-5g 7" above the butt cap.

If you only want to put the weight at 3 & 9, I would match whatever you add there with equivalent weight 7" above butt cap.
 
P

PMF

New User
ej28405 said:
I strung my dr98 at 58/55 with 17g natural gut mains and 17g synthetic crosses and really liked it but it was just a smidge uncontrollable/erratic at times, especially on returns. Thinking of upping the tension to 61/58. Has anyone had success using a higher tension or NG in crosses instead? I also found that (for me) it does everything really well (especially net play) except serves and slices. For some reason I just couldn’t get my timing, placement or pace on serve compared to something like the 93p or newer Ezone. Maybe the balance? Any tips without making it too overly heavy?
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When I got my first DR98 in 2016, the stringer accidentally put the gut in the crosses, and the poly in th mains. When I called to complain, he offered to redo it, but I told him "let's try it for a week and let see what happens". I ended up using that string setup for several months, and it worked out great. The Babolat hybrid package in black. VS Touch 16 and RPM Blast 17. I think the tension was 52M x 54C.
 
n8dawg6

n8dawg6

Legend
PMF said:
When I got my first DR98 in 2016, the stringer accidentally put the gut in the crosses, and the poly in th mains. When I called to complain, he offered to redo it, but I told him "let's try it for a week and let see what happens". I ended up using that string setup for several months, and it worked out great. The Babolat hybrid package in black. VS Touch 16 and RPM Blast 17. I think the tension was 52M x 54C.
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despite popular opinion, ive really preferred poly in the mains
 
Classic-TXP-IG MID

Classic-TXP-IG MID

Hall of Fame
Luke Yonex said:
Ok Thanks, I have lead tape on my handle to balance what I put at 3 and 9, However I put it close to the butt cap under where I grip the handle, does this matter much??
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From what I read long ago on the thread here about lead placement and changing or optimizing your racquet, I place roughly what is at 3 & 9 o'clock at 7" above butt cap and about what I place at 12 o'clock on or just under the butt cap. Should that not feel completely right, I then tinker with incremental changes in weight until I'm happy with the balance and feel on shadow swings, shadow serves, and shadow volleys. Then, I test in a match situation. But usually the test shadow swings prove to be quite right and no further changes need to be made.

Everything, of course, depends on what you're trying to achieve. The above holds true if I'm trying to maintain the balance of the racquet close to the original figures. If I want to change the balance, then I add more weight to either the head or the handle accordingly.
 
L

lyw1995

New User
Hi! I bought a pretty used Yonex EZONE Dr 98 from a Japanese auction site for cheap. One of the pictures in the listing was blurry. I figured the seller may be trying to hide something. I attached pictures of all the suspect areas for cracks. The first two pictures are the areas of my main concern. On the listing, the photograph of that same area was blurry. So could any of the chips be actually cracks and/or structural damage? Or am I overanalyzing these paint chips?

I served with the racquet today. After the session, my upper arm/biceps were sore, so I was suspicious. I might be sore from swimming/cardio yesterday, but my nonserving arm is not sore. Also, I don't recall any buzzing or tinging sounds. I will hit again tomorrow and observe.

Thank so much for your input!
 
L

Luke Yonex

Rookie
Only someone physically inspecting the racket can tell if its a crack, a picture doesn't give enough information, Just push on it forcefully with your hand and thumb if a gab appears its a crack,. If you are that concerned take it to the nearest tennis club and ask a expert to take a look.
 
C

ChimpChimp

Rookie
lyw1995 said:
Hi! I bought a pretty used Yonex EZONE Dr 98 from a Japanese auction site for cheap. One of the pictures in the listing was blurry. I figured the seller may be trying to hide something. I attached pictures of all the suspect areas for cracks. The first two pictures are the areas of my main concern. On the listing, the photograph of that same area was blurry. So could any of the chips be actually cracks and/or structural damage? Or am I overanalyzing these paint chips?

I served with the racquet today. After the session, my upper arm/biceps were sore, so I was suspicious. I might be sore from swimming/cardio yesterday, but my nonserving arm is not sore. Also, I don't recall any buzzing or tinging sounds. I will hit again tomorrow and observe.

Thank so much for your input!
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Last photo: the racquet has been dropped from a swing. You swing and let go of it and it flies away, rubbing the ground. Mild scratches over a large area suggests so.

Photo 3: it rubs with another racquet in the bag.

Photo 1 and 2: sword fight. The chips being so intense and so small in area suggests so.
 
L

lyw1995

New User
ChimpChimp said:
Last photo: the racquet has been dropped from a swing. You swing and let go of it and it flies away, rubbing the ground. Mild scratches over a large area suggests so.

Photo 3: it rubs with another racquet in the bag.

Photo 1 and 2: sword fight. The chips being so intense and so small in area suggests so.
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very insightful, thanks! jfc a sword fight?! how old were they lol. Yes, the intense chips were found on parallel sides of the frame, so something long and horizontal must have struck it or placed immense pressure on it. Crazy how you deducted that
 
L

Luke Yonex

Rookie
Classic-TXP-IG MID said:
From what I read long ago on the thread here about lead placement and changing or optimizing your racquet, I place roughly what is at 3 & 9 o'clock at 7" above butt cap and about what I place at 12 o'clock on or just under the butt cap. Should that not feel completely right, I then tinker with incremental changes in weight until I'm happy with the balance and feel on shadow swings, shadow serves, and shadow volleys. Then, I test in a match situation. But usually the test shadow swings prove to be quite right and no further changes need to be made.

Everything, of course, depends on what you're trying to achieve. The above holds true if I'm trying to maintain the balance of the racquet close to the original figures. If I want to change the balance, then I add more weight to either the head or the handle accordingly.
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Okay thanks, I like lead at 3 and 9 on my Dr98 and balance it with lead on the handle, maybe I will consider moving it up the handle to 7 and see if I feel a difference. Cheers
 
L

Luke Yonex

Rookie
lyw1995 said:
Does gumtree UK ship to US?
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Gumtree Australia not UK, It depends on the seller, if they are willing to send overseas or not I had a quick look and see someone has a light version for sale in mint condition who is willing to send anywhere in the world, Another person appears to have 3 but its kind of confusing as they are black? Gumtree Australia .

As per gumtree ad.
1X Ezone DR98 Solinco Hyper-G
310g
Bumper/Grommet set 4hrs play time

2X Ezone DR98 Unstrung
New Bumper/Grommet set with each

Pro Respray/Bake on all 3

$120 each
 
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