First Bat Advice please

Anyway:

Budget Buster setup:

Blade: Yinhe Galaxy 896
Rubbers: Air Illumina Delta

One step up:

Blade: Yasaka Sweden Extra or Stiga Allround Evolution
Rubbers: Yasaka Mark V, Xiom Vega Intro, Vega Europe or Vega Pro

One step up:

Blade: Butterfly Primorac Off- or OSP Virtuoso Off-
Rubbers: Nexy Karis M, or one of the Vega rubbers

A side note, even though Butterfly Roundell is actually a good rubber for a beginner, the reason I would not recommend it in any of these setups is, it is much more expensive than it should be. For what it is and what it does, it is just way overpriced. But, if it cost $25.00 USD, I would be recommending it on one of the setups listed above.

Just start of slow with an allround blade and perhaps cobra rubbers. Usally what world elite players used in the early 70´s and then move step by step to faster things as you develop your tecnique. Mark V would be step 2 in this plan for example

Interesting thread.

If you get coaching, you can use whatever you want but something in the reasonable range (All+ to OFF blade, medium to medium hard rubber is best).

If you don't get coaching, you will build up a lot of bad habits so it doesn't really matter.

I think there are a lot of good Palio premades (see Ben Larcombe's review) that would suit your needs well. If you are in the US, give Colestt a call.

No short cuts to getting good at TT. Good coaching and lots of practice are the short cut. Equipment can make it easier but can't replace the hours.

thegr812k said:

Hi Carl,

Thanks for helping simplifying all the info. I have spent some time reading all the posts and making a shortlist and funny enough it ended up almost identical to yours in this post.

At this point i have narrowed down my choice to:

Blade: Yaskaka Sweden Extra or Butterfly Primorac
Rubber: Mark V, Vega Intro/europe/Pro

What thickness rubber would you recommend?

How does this sound?

I would be interested on peoples thoughts. Im struggling to decide if i go with a Vega, which one will be best suited to me.

Also,i live in the UK is there a recommend or prefred dealer?

There is no rush so i dont mind waiting for delivery from abroad.

Click to expand...

Ok. I would say Intro or Europe. I never played with Intro, but it sounds good. I tried the Europe and it's definitely good.
Either 1.8 or 2.0 does well. In the Vega series the 1.8 is significantly slower than the 2.0 (at least this was the case with the Pro, which I owned. I've tried the Europe only in 2.0). I would say, if you go with the Intro, buy 2.0, because it's not that bouncy, but with Europe the 1.8 might be a better choice for improving.

Anyway, you will enjoy your new weapon, it's a different world from supermarket premades.

yes Intro in 2.0 is a great choice

thegr812k said:

Also,i live in the UK is there a recommend or prefred dealer?

Click to expand...

I just did a quick search for you. As this is you first custom-made bat, it is easier to buy the blade and rubbers from the same shop. They will then assemble the bat for you and send in the post.

I think your best option for the mix of brands you mention will be Thornton's Table Tennis, but others may have other suggestions:

Xiom rubbers: https://thorntonstabletennis.co.uk/product-category/05rubbers/rubbers-rubbers-xiom/
Yasaka rubbers: https://thorntonstabletennis.co.uk/product-category/05rubbers/rubbers-rubbers-yasaka/
Butterfly blades: https://thorntonstabletennis.co.uk/product-category/04blades/blades-blades-butterfly/
Yasaka blades: https://thorntonstabletennis.co.uk/product-category/04blades/blades-blades-yasaka/

When you order, make sure you select option for 'bat make-up' and they will assemble for you.

Check out this website, its in UK.
http://www.teessport.com/

look for Allround section in Blades. I recommend the Stiga ALL classic.
Rubbers can go for 'yasaka Mark V' with 1.8 or 2.0 sponge. or 'Butterfly Sriver L' 1.7/1.9. can also try the chinese rubber 'Friendship 729 super' in the 2.0 sponge. It's only £9.99.

I still use Yasaka Mark V on my BH and I have been playing for a few years on and off and am definitely not a beginner but the rubber still does what I need.

Hope this helps

thegr812k said:

Hi Carl,

Thanks for helping simplifying all the info. I have spent some time reading all the posts and making a shortlist and funny enough it ended up almost identical to yours in this post.

At this point i have narrowed down my choice to:

Blade: Yaskaka Sweden Extra or Butterfly Primorac
Rubber: Mark V, Vega Intro/europe/Pro

What thickness rubber would you recommend?

How does this sound?

I would be interested on peoples thoughts. Im struggling to decide if i go with a Vega, which one will be best suited to me.

Also,i live in the UK is there a recommend or prefred dealer?

There is no rush so i dont mind waiting for delivery from abroad.

Click to expand...

About the thickness: I say go with max. You’ll adjust to it soon enough - read post fr yesterday for why.

The rubber: all three Vega would be great. IMO, since no one here is coaching you/has seen you play, you should go with your own preferences at this point. But we can help you understand what the choice is about.

You can think of the choice in those terms:

- Intro: Easiest to control, but less spin and speed.

- Euro and Pro (vs intro): Harder to control (but not that hard), more spin and speed. This takes more work and patience. But it can also help you identify what to work towards as you improve: the difference in results between your good and bad shots will be greater.

Euro vs Pro: There’s more to it, but for your choice you can just think of it in terms of what it takes to get strong spin.

- Euro (vs pro): softer sponge = easier to compress = less force needed generate strong spin on active shots (which requires getting the ball to sink into the sponge a little).

- Pro (vs euro): harder sponge = harder to compress = more force needed to generate strong spin. Benefit? Generates more spin (and speed) on good active shots. (Other benefit: harder sponge is usually easier to control in short game/very soft touch.)

Nutshell:

Short term results: Intro > Euro > Pro

Spin and speed on good shots: Pro > Euro > Intro

There’s no bad choice here; and IMO you should go with what you yourself prefer given those options.

thegr812k said:

Hi Carl,

Thanks for helping simplifying all the info. I have spent some time reading all the posts and making a shortlist and funny enough it ended up almost identical to yours in this post.

At this point i have narrowed down my choice to:

Blade: Yaskaka Sweden Extra or Butterfly Primorac
Rubber: Mark V, Vega Intro/europe/Pro

What thickness rubber would you recommend?

How does this sound?

I would be interested on peoples thoughts. Im struggling to decide if i go with a Vega, which one will be best suited to me.

Also,i live in the UK is there a recommend or prefred dealer?

There is no rush so i dont mind waiting for delivery from abroad.

Click to expand...

It sounds like you are right on the right track.

Any of those choices would be good.

As far as thickness: I know the standard direction is that you get thinner rubbers when you start. I personally like the Werner Schlager concept that you use Max. But I would say any thickness from 1.9 or 2.0 to Max would be fine.

I just feel like, if you want to learn the technique of spinning the ball, then Max would actually be what you would want. And since you are getting a blade that has good control, you should be able to handle Max for any of those rubbers.

If you were thinking you were going to be a more flat hitting player, or you were thinking you were going to do a lot of chopping, then one of the thinner options like 1.9 or 1.7 or even thinner would be okay. But if you want to have a setup which can do everything with and which will help you learn looping well, I prefer Max for that. And you are choosing rubbers that are easy enough to control and a blade that is good for your needs, so I feel like Max will be a good option.

But the people who explain why they feel you should get thinner rubbers will have a point. In some ways they will be right. But I feel like improving technique is all about learning to spin, and Max is best for that.

I think OhWell and I think a lot alike.

The posts on where in the UK to buy seem really helpful from both TTTom and Ndragon.

Have fun choosing.

NO !!!!!!!

OP ought to be overwhelmed with hundreds of choices to Goon Squad mind trick him into agonizing over a decision for at least a few hundred hours to lose his mind and hire a therapist...

Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk

... then be tricked by elite illuminati to personally procure and try TWO or more of each possible product in the search of perfection match... thus obtaining Ultimate EJ Status...

Carl, why not create a verified Ultimate EJ title for TTD and award a few outstanding members...

Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk

I know, right? How dare we not let this be fake news: https://mobile.nytimes.com/2010/02/27/your-money/27shortcuts.html?referer=

Der_Echte said:

... then be tricked by elite illuminati to personally procure and try TWO or more of each possible product in the search of perfection match... thus obtaining Ultimate EJ Status...

Click to expand...

Sir Der_Echte, sorry for praising you directly "in da face", but I read your post once about "Causing trouble in California" ... and you become my personal best [Edit] well ok ok ... maybe not like the "best the bestest" but definitely in the first 10 ... ok 20, definitely not 50 ... ; )

jawien said:

Sir Der_Echte, sorry for praising you directly "in da face", but I read your post once about "Causing trouble in California" ... and you become my personal best [Edit] well ok ok ... maybe not like the "best the bestest" but definitely in the first 10 ... ok 20, definitely not 50 ... ; )

Click to expand...

As you get to know Der_, you realize there is nobody who packs as much info coded into as short a message.

The goon squad has been trying to figure out how to get him out of there way for quite some time now.


Sent from The Subterranean Workshop by Telepathy

UpSideDownCarl said:

The goon squad has been trying to figure out how to get him out of there way for quite some time now.

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Have you tried drones and super intelligent Tesla-SpaceX autopilots? There is too much info to be left unsqueezed!

Ps. Nice company you guys have here. Almost failed to stay longer by making fool out of myself a little with the other post I made. Hope you forgive me : )

Watching Szocs and Ian Marshall commentary - good t2 game.
J.

jawien said:

Have you tried drones and super intelligent Tesla-SpaceX autopilots? There is too much info to be left unsqueezed!

Click to expand...

Der has an NSA SpyPhone that does some amazing things. It reeks havoc on Tesla Autopilots and Drones.

jawien said:

Ps. Nice company you guys have here. Almost failed to stay longer by making fool out of myself a little with the other post I made. Hope you forgive me : )

Click to expand...

In the company, Der is the janitor and I am the janitor's assistant. The CEO is stockpiling Karis M because the goon squad has been sending drones and autopilots after his stash. Der showed the CEO how to use Pokemon Go to throw the artificial intelligence off the trail and get them to fall through the trap door on the Brooklyn Bridge.

thegr812k said:

Hi All,

I am about to place my order for the following:

Blade: Butterfly Primorac
Rubbers: Vega Europe BH & FH 2.0

Only thing im unsure on is whether to swap out the FH to a Vega PRO? and im still not 100% sure i have made the right choice on rubber thickness.

Does this setup look ok?

Click to expand...

What blade is this? Not the OFF Butterfly one right?
Stick to something in the allround section. Use teesport website, tick the allround, tick Butterfly/stiga/donic and choose one from there.
As for rubbers tbh I would definitely not recommend ESN or rubbers meant to replace speed glue for players that haven't been coached at all or haven't got a solid technique down. and even then I would still recommend rubbers like Mark V, Sriver, Mendo etc.
For rubber thickness 2.0 is fine, don't go for max. Unless you are an advanced player looping the ball on both sides or getting coached regularly I advise to stay away from anything fast and springy (you will end up losing to players worse than you because of you giving away so many free points).