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Hello All.
I'm a relatively new player to the sport, having played a bit in my teens and then given the game a nice 15-ish year hiatus. Recently getting back in the sport, I quickly got past the premade bat level (played for a bit with a Stiga Fury which felt good and fast, if a bit inconsistent.)
After reviewing my options, and checking some other forums and threads, the general consensus was that a "middle of the road" blade will help teach good control, touch and stroke mechanics. To that end, I bought a Butterfly Timo Boll All+, well rated and reasonably priced, and paired it with the classical Butterfly Sriver L in 1.7mm for both forehand and backhand. I paid a bit extra for the professional makeup after sweating over how to glue rubbers and watching a few youtube videos.
When I first started playing with it the bat felt heavy compared to my premade bat and other bats I'd tried.. Part of this was due to different balance in the blade, this blade is a bit more top heavy. The other part was because... well, it's heavier.
The second thing was the feedback. I could almost directly "feel" if I made a good shot, and making good shots felt much better. I can completely see what most experienced players meant when they talked about "feedback".
The third part was the increased control. It felt like I could really put the ball wherever I wanted, unless I messed my shot up.
And the fourth part was the speed... it felt slower.
Don't get me wrong, I can still generate speed, but this blade and combination doesn't give me anything for free, I really do have to ~generate~ that speed.
My block and backhand percentage, which was sort of iffy before, started steadily rising (and it's still rising.). 2 months in, backhands do not feel so much like a gamble any more. My forehand loops, especially against backspin, are much more consistent. (We have a really good defensive player where I play.) My serves are now mediocre, up from "I'll just put the ball into play". I'm still working on getting them short enough without popping them up too much. The blade performs solidly throughout everything I try with it. I feel like it has a good amount of dwell time. The only thing that I seem to struggle with is defensive cutting/chopping - I'm still a bit inconsistent here, probably moreso because it's not a shot I practice a lot rather than the blade being unable to produce it. That said, this setup isn't very tacky. I'd say middle of the road.
In summary, I would rate this blade and rubber combo a solid performer, with a few gears that you can work through. And in another 2 months or so I'll probably "graduate" to some slightly faster rubbers, like Yasaka V - I expect the blade to perform just as consistently. It won't generate hurricane loops or tornado spins, but it'll more or less force you to develop good touch, good technique and good stroke mechanics. I would recommend it to anyone starting out in the sport with serious intent, or someone who's a novice and wants to work on their game.
Feel free to add any questions you may have, I'll try to answer to the best of my "beginner ability".
Thanks,
S
I'm a relatively new player to the sport, having played a bit in my teens and then given the game a nice 15-ish year hiatus. Recently getting back in the sport, I quickly got past the premade bat level (played for a bit with a Stiga Fury which felt good and fast, if a bit inconsistent.)
After reviewing my options, and checking some other forums and threads, the general consensus was that a "middle of the road" blade will help teach good control, touch and stroke mechanics. To that end, I bought a Butterfly Timo Boll All+, well rated and reasonably priced, and paired it with the classical Butterfly Sriver L in 1.7mm for both forehand and backhand. I paid a bit extra for the professional makeup after sweating over how to glue rubbers and watching a few youtube videos.
When I first started playing with it the bat felt heavy compared to my premade bat and other bats I'd tried.. Part of this was due to different balance in the blade, this blade is a bit more top heavy. The other part was because... well, it's heavier.
The second thing was the feedback. I could almost directly "feel" if I made a good shot, and making good shots felt much better. I can completely see what most experienced players meant when they talked about "feedback".
The third part was the increased control. It felt like I could really put the ball wherever I wanted, unless I messed my shot up.
And the fourth part was the speed... it felt slower.
Don't get me wrong, I can still generate speed, but this blade and combination doesn't give me anything for free, I really do have to ~generate~ that speed.
My block and backhand percentage, which was sort of iffy before, started steadily rising (and it's still rising.). 2 months in, backhands do not feel so much like a gamble any more. My forehand loops, especially against backspin, are much more consistent. (We have a really good defensive player where I play.) My serves are now mediocre, up from "I'll just put the ball into play". I'm still working on getting them short enough without popping them up too much. The blade performs solidly throughout everything I try with it. I feel like it has a good amount of dwell time. The only thing that I seem to struggle with is defensive cutting/chopping - I'm still a bit inconsistent here, probably moreso because it's not a shot I practice a lot rather than the blade being unable to produce it. That said, this setup isn't very tacky. I'd say middle of the road.
In summary, I would rate this blade and rubber combo a solid performer, with a few gears that you can work through. And in another 2 months or so I'll probably "graduate" to some slightly faster rubbers, like Yasaka V - I expect the blade to perform just as consistently. It won't generate hurricane loops or tornado spins, but it'll more or less force you to develop good touch, good technique and good stroke mechanics. I would recommend it to anyone starting out in the sport with serious intent, or someone who's a novice and wants to work on their game.
Feel free to add any questions you may have, I'll try to answer to the best of my "beginner ability".
Thanks,
S
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