First custom setup

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Jan 2018
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Hello,
So I am looking to buy my first custom setup and definitely need some help! I am currently borrowing a couple of my friends bats to try out. I have a petr korbel blade with g3 fx rubbers and a donic appelgren all play senso v1 with donic desto f1 and coppa jo silver. I like the spin on the g3 fx but it's a little slow for me. The donic has nice speed but lacking a little on the spin. Note: these rubbers are a little old so correct the me if I'm wrong. So I was looking for something that has nice spin and speed. My play syle is all around (feel free to ask more specific questions about my hits). I have watched some reviews and was intrigued by the rozena and rasanter r42, but I have not played with them yet. If anyone could give some recommendations on blades and rubbers, that would be great! Thanks
 
says 2023 Certified Organ Donor
says 2023 Certified Organ Donor
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If you want absolute rock bottom prices fro a usable bat, go to colestt.com or zeropong.com they will get you a usable setup so cheep you could get two for the price of an expensive sheet of rubber. Cole gives out free assembly edge tape and bat case, his lowest middle of the road specials are around $35 and up complete.

If you want an assembled setup for the price of a moderately expensive blade, get a pro-special from paddlepalace.com expect to pay $80 to $120 for a middle of the road setup without case.

If you want to pay anywhere from $160 and up for a complete setup, checkout the shop where I am the janitor. If you ask around, maybe you can get the Goon Squad discount. My expensive stuff will run $230 to $250 on average, that is too much money to toss around if one is just starting out, unless their stock options at work are real good. My stuff in not cheep, but is quality and actually value for the right situation. Starting out TT without a large budget in not that situation.

If you want to pay a lot of money to get a popular blade and top of line rubbers, expect to pay $130 to $400 for the blade alone and chip in another $150 for a pair of Tenergy, maybe $100 to $120 for a pair of other top of line rubbers. Must be a dozen places to stuff like that.

Generally I recommend a new player to check out colestt.com and tryout 1-5 setups... that sounds like a lot, but 5 setups from him can cost anywhere from $175 to $400 depending on what you are getting... $175 is an little below the average price for one of my blades complete with rubbers. By the time you go through a few setups, you kinda got a feel for stuff and will either settle in on another setup, or become Equipment Junkie extraordinaire, thus buying every possible setup on the planet.

I always recommend a new player to go middle of the road for speed/power on equipment until they get better, then go for a play style and equipment that makes it easier. By this time, the player is ready to pay more money for a setup.

Save your funds and buy from colestt.com and get started, you will likely do business with him a lot. His $8 XP 2008 is a rubber I have used for years, middle of road and good control, not a do the dishes modern rubber, but control. Use his stuff and learn TT and you will be in a better position to discern stuff for yourself a little down the road.

Whatever you do, brag or simply discuss it on TT forums and have a ball with pics and stories, we are all into that stuff.
 
says 2023 Certified Organ Donor
says 2023 Certified Organ Donor
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A typical control setup from colestt.com would be a blade (Yinhe 896 or Instinkt) with XP2008 on at least one side, maybe a faster rubber for FH like 999 on a custom sponge, still good control and excellent non-sweat in humidity.

The 896 is part of the "Der_Echte Special"... which is a backup bat to use when main bat breaks... but I still play close to normal level with minimal money... The 896 is $16 USD, a new sheet of XP2008 is $8 and I recycle a FH rubber from a broke blade. $24 before shipping is a good deal in my book and that setup lasts. Totally middle of the road, right up your alley.
 
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says 2023 Certified Organ Donor
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Don't worry about boatloads of spin right now, you get that later when you are in better position and can make a good whip. A lot of people see me spin the crap outta the ball with my Nexy Karis, then they buy it and moan they don't get the same overwhelming spin... well, I got a stroke for it and try real hard to spin first and ask questions later. A control rubber like Karis will also help you deal with incoming topspin too, so nothing wrong with playing without a ton a spin right away. Landing ball on the table more often is so under-appreciated by players of all levels.

I keep it in play with an $8 rubber on BH on some of my bats, there is a value in that, several in fact. Basically, you handle opponent's ball easier, you land more shots, and you have to learn how to use body and your whip better. Not too bad a thing I say.

So, don't sweat it if you don't own the spinniest rubber on the planet, your spin will come with time.
 
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says + Drinkhall Powerspin Carbon with Aurus Prime and Omega...
says + Drinkhall Powerspin Carbon with Aurus Prime and Omega...
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I totally agree with Der_Echte, you must get a beginners' blade and rubber first. That will help you to learn and explore bat angles, control, speed and spin strokes. Once you get an understanding on Under spin, Side spin, Top Spin, Serve receive, Loop, Block, Drive and Flick; develop your strokes to add more speed and spin.

Rozena and R42 are top of the line rubbers and are not recommended for Amateurs or Intermediates.

Being in the US, ColesTT and ZeroPong are the best for quality equipment at cheap rates.

My recommended blade for you:
- Galaxy 896
- Gambler Zen
- LKT Ayous Hinoki

Rubbers:
Globe 999 on FH
Galaxy Sun/Moon on BH


This will give you best of both worlds (Tacky and Non Tacky)
You can switch the bat from FH to BH depending on your gameplay.
 
says The sticky bit is stuck.
says The sticky bit is stuck.
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Hello,
So I am looking to buy my first custom setup and definitely need some help! I am currently borrowing a couple of my friends bats to try out. I have a petr korbel blade with g3 fx rubbers and a donic appelgren all play senso v1 with donic desto f1 and coppa jo silver.

I'm not sure why people are suggesting to buy other blades, arguing they're cheap. You already have a Korbel and an Appelgren Allplay, and both are excellent blades. It may depend on your level, but the Korbel is a bit more speedy and the Appelgren Allplay is a wonderful match for an allround playing style, suitable for just about all levels of play. You have fastish rubbers on the Allplay, and moderately fast ones on the Korbel. You think the Korbel with the fancy nu-skool Sriver is slow; I beg you to reconsider after contemplating the power in your strokes for a bit.

My first advice for you would be to clean the rubbers and see what that brings. I wouldn't necessarily advise Rasanter or Rozena; excellent rubbers, but very fast and the first thing we all should keep in mind is what dear Der says, the importance of actually getting the ball back on the table first and foremost. Consistency is king, and the next thing to consider is that it's your stroke that is the basis for spinning it (that's also just what Dr. Der orders).

You might consider using something like Vega Intro or Vega Pro on either frame, if you think the rubbers are too much past their prime. Both are very good, and Vega Pro (also quite a speed beast) will bring the sensation of speed and spin if you can master it. This is all academic, of course, assuming you have at least the beginnings of a solid game, decent footwork and technique pat down.
 
This user has no status.
Hello,
So I am looking to buy my first custom setup and definitely need some help! I am currently borrowing a couple of my friends bats to try out. I have a petr korbel blade with g3 fx rubbers and a donic appelgren all play senso v1 with donic desto f1 and coppa jo silver. I like the spin on the g3 fx but it's a little slow for me. The donic has nice speed but lacking a little on the spin. Note: these rubbers are a little old so correct the me if I'm wrong. So I was looking for something that has nice spin and speed. My play syle is all around (feel free to ask more specific questions about my hits). I have watched some reviews and was intrigued by the rozena and rasanter r42, but I have not played with them yet. If anyone could give some recommendations on blades and rubbers, that would be great! Thanks

Instead of borrowing you could ask to buy one of their bats and as someone said clean the rubbers and see where that takes you. If they good after that just stick with them until you get a real understanding of the game and get a very personalised playstyle and way of contacting the ball.
If the rubbers are still lacking you could just get a couple of new sheets of the same or go for a Do It All rubber like Mark V both sides again until you get a better understanding of the game and your game in particular. Then you can do more personalised shopping :)

Good luck
 
This user has no status.
This user has no status.
New Member
Jan 2018
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Thanks! Yes I do really like the feel of the appelgren allplay. The rubbers in the petr korbel are pretty dated, was first going to get new ones, but they are out of production. Both set ups are about 5+ years old. I will look into the Vega pro! Thanks for your suggestion!
 
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