New Racket or Restring?

Discussion in 'Racket Recommendation / Comparison' started by Scrench, Oct 9, 2019.

  1. alana07

    alana07 Regular Member

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    Up the tension to 25lbs next with the Aerosonic and the bounciness at the net should all but go away.
     
  2. Scrench

    Scrench Regular Member

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    Thanks alana07, I didn't know that.

    I'm also considering going up to 28 lbs with Aerosonic since I really enjoyed the 31 lbs. of Victor 66N string on my friends Thruster F.
     
  3. s_mair

    s_mair Regular Member

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    Great to read that update. Regarding the bounciness - it's first of all a matter of you getting used to the extreme repulsion. I'm pretty sure that after a couple of sessions, your brain and muscles will have adjusted. At least I know quite a lot of players who use Aerosonic and are still able to play precise netshots without performing any magic. Maybe raise the tension to ~26'ish lbs. with the next job to avoid a jump that might be too big and is likely to cause some discomfort in your elbow an wrist.

    If you still decide to go for a new racket, then do yourself a favor and spend some time testing as many rackets as you can get your hands on. The TKF is a decent racket, hands down, but there are dozens of other rackets around which have the specs and potential to become "your" new racket. Remember the most important rule when buying a new racket: "The racket chooses you!". ;)
     
  4. Dezlets

    Dezlets Regular Member

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    Does higher tension give u faster but less powerful shots as compared?
     
  5. Scrench

    Scrench Regular Member

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    Dezlets,

    I am still in the early stages of trying to figure this all out, so not really the person to answer your question. I do know that the bottom line answer is always, "it depends on you", your technique, strength, speed of swing, flexibility of wrist, etc... There are other threads that go deep into it. Take a look through these threads:
    https://www.badmintoncentral.com/forums/index.php?forums/badminton-stringing-techniques-tools.118/

    Thanks for ascribing more knowledge to me than I actually have!


    s_mair,

    I was told in another thread I started, where I raved about the TKF, that it was calling for me to be it's master. Funny you should use the same expression:)
    https://www.badmintoncentral.com/fo...-thruster-f-vs-auraspeed-90s-opinions.182771/

    I see you in threads all over the place, and no wonder with 3,774+ posts. If I'm not mistaken you have owned a Thruster K9000, possibly a TKF, and an Astrox 88D. I was just wondering how you would compare the 88D to either of the Thrusters since I'm familiar with both of them. Not having any experience with Yonex or Li Ning rackets, is there any other racket in their lines (or others) I should look at that is similar to the TKF? Honestly, about the only thing I found "wrong" with the TKF was that I would have liked the head to be bigger to get a bigger sweet spot and to be more forgiving of mis-hits. But that would probably slow it down a little, and with the wider, squarish top 20% or so of the head, that might actually be a better option. I don't know.....

    I DO know I can't stop thinking about the TKF. It felt like it played a lot like my K9000, but was faster, more maneuverable, felt less head heavy when moving it around, vibrations didn't seem to transmit through the grip as much (and my friends TKF only has the standard single grip tape whereas my K9000 has the standard tape with an overgrip on top, more cushioning), and was precisely putting shots where I wanted them to go without even thinking about it, whereas I do have to put a little thought into where to hit with my K9000. I thought the weight being distributed equally around the head as opposed to more at the top gave a more solid, consistent smash, and better control of accuracy, and because of that it felt even-balanced to me which I prefer, not head heavy like the 9000. I couldn't believe it, which is why I can't stop thinking about it. I just picked it up and within a few hits was playing like I'd owned it for years and it was an extension of my arm that I didn't even have to think about. Ranting about it again, ...........................sorry! I just get excited when I think about it.

    I really do like the way the K9000 feels now with the Aerosonic, but keep imagining what the TKF would feel like with it. I'm also trying to figure out how much of the difference I felt was because the TKF was strung with Victor's 66N string @ 31lbs, compared to my 9000 with Aerosonc @ only 23 lbs.

    This stuff can make you question your sanity!
     
  6. s_mair

    s_mair Regular Member

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    I loved reading through your (slightly insane) post. It all just sounds so darn familiar.

    And I think we can make this quick and skip the alibi racket comparisons. Just go and that TKF. Your mind has gone so far already in fixing on it, there is basically no other way to make that thinking stop but to buy it. Believe me, I tried and failed many times at the same point. And chances are it really is the racket that was waiting for you.

    I haven't owned neither an AX88D not a TKF but have tested both for a couple of games (although not in my preferred string setup). The AX88D is a great racket too, but has a completely different feel. Victor rackets usually feel more direct - meaning it transfers more vibrations from the stringbed to the fingers. So the Yonex feel is more damped. If prefer one or the other is very personal. Given that you've clicked so much with the TKF, it's very likely that you enjoy a more direct feel.

    Oh, and the head shape of the TKF is not that much smaller. It even has those "ears" at 10/2 o'clock that slightly enlarged the sweet spot towards the top. So expect that you get used to the different shape in no time.
     
  7. alana07

    alana07 Regular Member

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    I have both TK9000 and TK F, both 4U and strung with Aerosonic @ 25lbs.
    TK 9000 has more oomph in smashes, accuracy with drops are pretty good as well. Even though it has the box frame design but it ain't slow in defending. Typical old school smasher's weapon.
    TK F is the modern weapon, good power in smashes and drops are deadly accurate.
    Both rackets are a pleasure to play with, can't go wrong with either.
     
  8. Scrench

    Scrench Regular Member

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    s_mair,

    As you can tell, I'm completely obsessed with the game, driving my wife crazy talking about it, and can't stop thinking about it from dusk till' dawn. It's this kind of passion that helps me to get pretty good at sports very quickly. I haven't just dived into the deep end, I swallowed the whole pool. I knew you'd been down this road before (and may still be kicking up dust on it!), and I think you are right that the only way to scratch this itch is to buy the TKF and live with it and the 9000 until it's clear which one fits me better. I think I've already benefited from the "ears " of the TKF because I seem to have less mis-hits with it.

    alana07,

    Thank you very much for that first-hand comparison. I kind of got the feeling that the TKF is a Thuster with more modern tech in it, like the Polyfill and tri-designed head. It just feels like the 9000 refined in every way to make it suit me. And I realize that the TKF doesn't have the raw power in smashes the 9000 has, how could it since the 9000 really is head heavy. But I've also learned that the majority of winning shots, at least around here, don't come from smashes, but from drop shots, accurate down-the-line drives, accurately placed unexpected serves, and simply hitting the bird where the other guys aren't. I'd guess smashes only win about 10% of the rallies around here, and I constantly frustrate my opponents by returning most of their smashes anyway. I love it when they keep hitting smashes over and over again, wear themselves out, then I win the point with a simple, effortless drop. I'd rather play relaxed, accurately, smash only when necessary, win, then call it a night.

    I played with both rackets again tonight, in particular singles games against the owner of the TKF, and half-way through the game we would switch rackets. Instantly, I noticed again that the TKF was faster, more manueverable, and less tiring. It just took less effort to make it do it's thing. And I had a bunch of mis-hits with my racket, none with the TKF. Again, I didn't want to take my racket back.

    One thing I did notice is that the Aerosonic on my racket feels like it lost a lot of it's original pop and crispness after only 4 hours or so of use. I may be wrong, but I'm chalking that up to the strings settling in and losing some of their tension and elasticity. Whatever the reason, I want that original feeling back! I'm guessing I strung it too low as well at only 23 lbs. and maybe now it's down to 19-21? The TKF also didn't feel as crisp as it did a week ago, but if that Victor 66N string mimics Yonex BG66UM, then as you pointed out, a big drop in tension and liveliness is normal after about 8 hours of use for that string. I'm also starting to doubt whether I like the thinness of Aerosonic (.61). It feels sometimes like it's cutting into the bird (and I have seen feathers fluttering down around me on smashes) whereas the .66 (both the Victor and the 66UM I had before the restringing) feels more solid, more connected to the bird. It's like I can feel the bird and individual tiny strings with Aerosonic, but .66 feels like I'm hitting the bird with something solid, like a wall, not a net. This feeling is hard to describe.

    So what string is out there that has good repulsion that will retain it's original feel longer with only a drop in tension? I think I like a softer feeling string, like BG66UM, but I've never tried BG80 or the "hard" strings. I'm thinking of giving Li Ning No.1 a shot at 28 lbs. since the Victor 66N string was originally 31 lbs. and is probably down to about that already. s_mair, don't you have a lot of experience with that string? At this rate with Aerosonic, I'd want to restring about every 4 hours or so. But that's completely impractical since I have to send my racket off for restringing, which is also why I need something with good longevity. Since I've now experienced what fresh string can do, I'm addicted, and now believe that string selection is every bit as important as racket selection if you have the ability to feel it. Thanks a lot guys for turning me into a string junkie:)
     
    #28 Scrench, Oct 25, 2019
    Last edited: Oct 25, 2019
  9. Scrench

    Scrench Regular Member

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    Doing some homework and reading that Li Ning No. 1 has a slippery feel to it, something I'm sure I wouldn't like, but No.1 Boost is supposed to cure that with better repulsion.

    NBG98 or 99? LN No. 5?
     
    #29 Scrench, Oct 26, 2019
    Last edited: Oct 26, 2019
  10. phantan123

    phantan123 Regular Member

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    If you want something with a lot of control, i myself and many others would definitely recommend BG80 but note that it is a bit harsh on the shoulders, if you feel like you can take Aerosonic at 25-26lbs then keep BG80 at 24lbs. It is noticeably less repulsive than Aerosonic but the control and feedback is superb.
    Regarding your question between NBG98 or 99 then i'd go with NBG99.
    1. NBG 98 is also slippery and you dont like that.
    2. NBG99 is like a much thicker Aerosonic, very repulsive for the gauge while still very much playable, i'd recommend stringing this at 26-27lbs.
     
  11. Scrench

    Scrench Regular Member

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    Phantan123,

    I definitely value control more than power, but I do lack in the power department which is why I tried Aerosonic first. I do also have shoulder problems, but I'm trying to work on better smashing technique to lessen that. In terms of Aerosonic, I think I'd jump to 26-28 lbs. to let it settle in around 23 for the long haul. I never really considered BG80 because everyone talks about how hard it feels and the lesser repulsion. But does it retain it's new-like feel while merely dropping in tension at first? And how long does it keep that feeling?

    A thicker Aerosonic sounds good, but same questions.
     
  12. phantan123

    phantan123 Regular Member

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    IMO since BG80 is hard, it will feel like its more fresh after a while because of that extra feedback, but from my experience BG80 does lose noticable amounts of repulsion after time but the control is still there. Also, BG80 does have excellent tension retension so you dont need to worry as much about it dropping.

    I also use NBG 99 since what i wanted was something more durable than BG80. Aside from the points i mentioned above, NBG 99 does remain playable for a long time, not as good as BG80 since it is much softer, thats why i recommend going much higher in tension for the appropriate feedback. If you have shoulder problems then i would totally recommend this even at high tensions around 27-28lbs.

    Another option would be either BG85 or BG80P but i havent used either yet (trying BG80P soon). BG85 is like a more powerful, less hard version of BG80 albeit less durable while BG80P is pretty much the same but much more durable. Some people hate BG80P because it doesnt feel as hard as BG80 but that would be unfair to the string since its supposed to be a solution to the problems of BG80(lack of repulsion and durability) while the playability isnt far off.
     
  13. Scrench

    Scrench Regular Member

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    It was mentioned earlier that LN1 plays at an acceptable level for around 30 hours. How many hours would you say NBG99 gets?

    I'm more interested in having a string that retains it's good playing qualities for as long as possible once it has settled in, not how well it holds it's tension, or how long it lasts. Right now I feel like AS has already lost a perceivable amount of it's playability after only 4 hours, but I'm not sure if that's because of the tension drop or because it is already dying out. I never tried BG66UM fresh, but have read many reviews where it starts to die quickly. An AS or 66UM quality-of-play string that retains those qualities for preferably 30 or more hours is what I'm looking for.
     
  14. J the Bob

    J the Bob New Member

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    I string nanogy 99 at 28lbs and it lasts 3 months on average before it snaps, for reference I play around 5 hours a week. For the first few hours it takes a bit of breaking in, probably because I string a bit too high, but by the next session it settles and is very nice for about a month or more. In the last week of the string life it is badly frayed and control, repulsion and feel are really bad, but at this point it usually snaps.
     
  15. s_mair

    s_mair Regular Member

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    I'm rather biased when it comes to LN1 since it's my go-to string for almost 4 years now. I've tried many others in the meantime, but so far couldn't find another candidate that offers a better combination in terms of repulsion, control and long-term playability. And IMO it fits your definition of "BG66UM but with better durability/playability" really well. So if you plan to test several strings over the next months, then LN1 is a must IMO.

    NBG99 is a very good allround string as well with a very good long-term playability. Definitely another candidate to check out. And to mention another candidate - Gosen G-Tone 5. Repulsion on par with LN1 or BG66UM, but with a rougher surface (close to BG80).
    And to make things even more complicated, there is also the Aerobite hybrid stuff that gets loads of cheers all over the place. Wasn't my cup of tea though, but that's irrelevant.

    We are lucky to live in a time with many, many great strings around, so there is no other way to simply start testing a go with your gut (finger?) feeling in the end.
     
  16. alana07

    alana07 Regular Member

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    Same type of string, two different stringers, will give you two different results.
    My racket strung with AS, the stringbed's playability can last easily for two months before it begins to feel dull. Any possibility of trying out a different stringer at your place?
     
  17. phantan123

    phantan123 Regular Member

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    How well a string plays does rely on tension as well as how fresh it is. And these 2 factors both go hand in hand together. If you want the best and longest performance out of a string then you gotta make a sacrifice since no string in the current market can fully match your needs. If there was, everyone would be using it.
     
  18. Scrench

    Scrench Regular Member

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    Update:

    I finally had it with the Thruster K9000. It's a great racket, but just too stiff for me and it made my shoulder hurt. The other night I announced to the folks I was playing with that I was going to sell it on BC, but wanted to offer it to them first at a discount. A friend tried it out, and I tried his racket. We both liked each other's, so I traded him the 9000 for a Yonex Armortec 700, first gen, and $100. It's 1/2" shorter overall, not as head-heavy as the 9000, the shaft is more flexible, and it feels ideal so far. The only thing I've been told about it is that Lin Dan won the Olympics with it, and someone else told me to never sell it. I don't know why or much else about it, but I would like to if any of you know anything about it.

    This has allowed me to experience another string because he had it strung recently with BG65 @ 25lbs. It feels pretty good, but I'd like to get more control and repulsion (power) out of it because my backhand clears are only going 2/3 deep, and I don't feel confident about hitting down-the-line smashes or cross-court drives to the side lines accurately.

    So it's back to strings again. I'm thinking of going with No 1., NBG 99, or Gosen GT5 @ 27 lbs., and hope it settles around 23-24 for the long haul. I thought about BG80 but I'm sure I wouldn't like the hard feeling. I do like the feel of BG65, BG66UM, and VBS66N. Aerosonic turned me off to thin strings with their "stringy" feel and rapid decay.

    I have to say that everything you guys have told me so far has been right on the money, and I really appreciate having a resource like this to super-charge my advancement up the playing ranks.

    Side-note: I played in our Louisiana State Senior Olympics (it's for folks over 55 years old) yesterday, and brought home 3 Gold medals (Singles, Doubles, and Mixed Doubles). I'm figuring that's too not bad for an old fart who has only been playing for 3 months. A lot of my success is due to what I've learned from the pages of this forum, so a big thank you to all of you willing to share your expertise and years of experience.

    Scrench
     
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  19. phantan123

    phantan123 Regular Member

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    Lining no.1 is one of the more harder strings out there, not quite like bg80 but still noticeably harder, and its known for dropping a lot of tension at first but can hold it until it snaps. I dont know about GT5 but i i have heard fairly good things about it.
    If you like BG65, BG66UM then medium feelings strings are your go to, IMO NBG99 sits between them, not as hard as 66um fresh but not a sponge like 65 either. NBG99 also fits the bill for what you are looking for, its much much more repulsive, and the control hands down is in a different league compared to BG65.
     
  20. s_mair

    s_mair Regular Member

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    3 Olympic gold medals? Lin Dan, watch out. There is a new GOAT contender in the ring.
    Congrats mate!

    From this point forward it's basically nothing else but trial and error and personal preference. Yes, LN1 has a significant tension drop in the first 2-4 hours on court, but it's far less extreme than some posts might indicate these days. To compensate, maybe(!) add a pound in the beginning. And it's on par with 66UM in terms of hardness, so at least one league below BG80.

    And let me tell you that you are the dream client for any stringer. You take your strings seriously, you seek for advice (and even listen to it), you give qualified feedback and you're fine with spending a couple of bucks. I could definitely use some of you around here.
     

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