Help in a blade selection, please

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Foreward 1. I'm 55 years old ... in a good physical shape, but still 55 ;)
Forewad 2. I played regularly when I was 11-14 yo, then I stopped for 40 years, started again 6 months ago ... I play regularly 8-10 hours a week ... still, just since 6 months.

Forewards ended :)

When I started 6 months ago, I had no real idea about which blade I had to buy. I bought (quite randomly) a DHS Wang Liqin Magic. It's not bad, as for my impression, but as a matter of fact I can't make no real comparison with other blades.
Now I would like to buy a "second blade" ... and here problems come!

Reading through various internet sites, I see the recommendation for beginners is to buy an elastic blade with good control.
Though my way of playing (today) is quite offensive, and I often made of flat hits, blocks and smashes, I can take it into consideration, probably some more control would be welcome.
Price is not a big issue, I love TT and I could accept to buy a more expensive blade such as Nittaku Violin, if it would be a good choice for me and could probably last for years. But I imagine it is elastic but maybe too speedy, so I don't know whether it could be a good idea for my today's level.

Other possible choices often suggested are:
- Stiga Allround Classic
- Donic Appelgreen Allplay
- Yasaka Sweden Classic (or Yasaka Sweden Extra)
- (maybe less known, but I see it's beloved by owners) Nimatsu Maestro All+

Could more experienced players of this form help into:
- undertanding whether what I wrote above make sense? ;)
- choosing a blade between the ones I mentioned? (I mean: someone could even tell me something like "why do you thing a Nittaku Violin would not be a good choice? At the beginning you will feel it's too fast, then you will adapt and take advantage in time")
- helping me to understand possible differences between them? (I mean: are they all very similar in speed and control? Or there are notable differences?")
- (potentially) other suggestions?

I thank in advance anybody who will be so kind to help me :)
 
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I’m in the same situation as you, almost 50, started playing regularly in August 2018. Joined a club 3 months ago.

I went the recommended route. Stiga Allround Classic with Cobra2000 (basically sriver) for 6 months. A brief try of Xiom Vega Elite (absolute shite) and Hurricane 3 Neo (lasted 3 weeks and went dead as rock). Now I have Mantra M on both sides.

The AC is not fast but when I get the angles, wrist snap, body and contact point right, the thing attacks like hell.

I plan to switch to a Primorac in a couple months, it’s a bit faster.

Mantra M does everything, is pretty fast but still has control in this setup. Done.

My advice would be to not get confused by all the options. All round classic or primorac (and other brands have equivalencies) and some modern all round rubber like Mantra M will take you far. When you get to the point that you know you need more of this or that you will also know what to upgrade.
 
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Reading the description of your style I could say that a flexible blade won't be in your favour. Go for something stiffer like Stiga AR Carbon, Violin or some AR balsa blades. Choice is huge but stay away from heavy ones
 
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I would recommend Petr Korbel or Maze Magic with Rozena or Mantra (M or H). The Mantra series is really good for blocking and flat hits. Rozena is fine for flat hits but in my opinion it is better than the Mantra series for looping and it has the spring sponge and high tension technology which makes you feel very confident in your shots if you like the spring sponge (something that the Tenergy series have). Petr Korbel and Maze Magic is super controllable and a good choice that would last you a long time and has the premium butterfly quality which is super comfortable when your playing with it. If you want something slower then I would recommend those blades with Sriver which is a pretty slow rubber. Primorac is also a good choice but for Primorac I would recommend the Japan version since I find it a bit more flexible.
 
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There have actually been a lot of good points made in just a few comments. frankhond's post is excellent, particularly from someone more recent to playing.

Fruitloop's statement that a Violin is not too fast is the first thing I thought as well.

And Kolev's point is important. If you are mostly making direct contact and hitting flat, a blade with more flex does not do that well.

However, if you wanted to develop your skills and improve your technique, a large part of improving technique is about learning how to spin the hell out of the ball. Particularly how to topspin the hell out of the ball. But leaning how to generate a lot of spin on any shot whether a serve, a push, a chop or a loop, that is a large part of what constitutes higher level skills.

So, even though you make more direct contact a blade that has some flex and that will help you develop the skills to generate more and more spin would be worthwhile.

It sounds like any of the blades on your list including the Violin should be fine for you. But I have another blade to consider.

Xiom Offensive S

It is in a pretty similar speed category as a Primorac Off-. It may be a hair faster than what you were thinking. But I have a feeling the speed won't be too fast. And it is a little thicker than any of the blades on your list (6.1mm as compared to a range of 5.2 to 5.8mm for the blades on your list). So, it is a little stiffer and less flexible than the blades on your list.

You still can spin really well with the Offensive S. I think it is a great blade. But it will be better than the more direct contact shots you are more used to doing than most of the blades on your list. So, it will allow you to grow and develop high level technique, it will not be too fast and it will be better for what you are already doing well when you play.

So, that might be worth considering.
 
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I thank you all for your valuable advice :)

I think it's particularly true that I should "try some other peoples'a blade". Yesterday evening, ate the club, I was playing with a friend of mine (very tight sets, we are at the same level) and I suggested we could exchange our bats for some time.
He was completely unable to adapt to my bat (as I said, DHD Wang Liqin with Donic Coppa X1 on FH, Xiom Musa on BH), his shots went out too frequently (though I try to suggest him to anticipate the point of contact with the ball), and after 10 minutes he wanted his bat back.
On the contrary, I felt immediately comfortable with his bat (a non expensive solution Palio Energy 03 with Kokutaku 868 FH, 729 BH), I had only to make a few adjustments to my game, and the control was honestly easier.
I think I will try to repeat this with other friends and other bats, possibly for more than 10 minutes, in order to clarify my thoughts :)
 
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says Spin and more spin.
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I thank you all for your valuable advice :)

I think it's particularly true that I should "try some other peoples'a blade". Yesterday evening, ate the club, I was playing with a friend of mine (very tight sets, we are at the same level) and I suggested we could exchange our bats for some time.
He was completely unable to adapt to my bat (as I said, DHD Wang Liqin with Donic Coppa X1 on FH, Xiom Musa on BH), his shots went out too frequently (though I try to suggest him to anticipate the point of contact with the ball), and after 10 minutes he wanted his bat back.
On the contrary, I felt immediately comfortable with his bat (a non expensive solution Palio Energy 03 with Kokutaku 868 FH, 729 BH), I had only to make a few adjustments to my game, and the control was honestly easier.
I think I will try to repeat this with other friends and other bats, possibly for more than 10 minutes, in order to clarify my thoughts :)

Yes. Giving a try to equipment other people are using is very useful to help you feel the range of things that may be good for you and what you feel best using.
 
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There were some new developments today which, while not necessarily negating what I wrote above, warrants some thought.

Basically during a 1-1 session my coach bumped me up to Viscaria with Chinese rubbers. I have another post about it. The Viscaria feels like coming home. We will work hard the coming weeks to work me into it.

The moral is, find a good coach and do some 1-1, and try any new equipment.
 
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I have a coach, I practice a lot, and I will try any new equipment whenever I'll have a chance :)

The encouraging thing is that I played yesterday with another guy of the club. He surely is far by being one of the strongest there, still he plays since 40 years. He won, obviously, but there was a game (he won twice 3 sets to one). At the end he told me "you must bend over on your knees, you must work on your concentration, but for the rest you have no problem, you just need to go on and on with your practice". I surely do not want to "get a big head" but I must admit I found his words encouraging.

I will try new equipments, anyway my attention is now also on Petr Korbel and Xiom Offensive S. Thank you all :)
 
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OK, I reopen this thread for a while.

I went on for the moment with my previous racket (and it was a bad idea, my playing level made good progresses lately ... I imagine it is necessary to stay with a racket for at least six months in order to exploit it fully), and meanwhile tried others' players equipment.

Anyway, I think I will buy a second blade in next days. My intention was to buy a Xiom Offensive S, as kindly suggested by someone here. And I think I will do it, but I have a tiny doubt: I hadn't a chance to try the a/m blade, amongst the ones I could try I dad the best feelings from a Tibhar Stratus Powerwood. I'm not sure whether this good feeling went from the blade itself or from the rubbers (Yasaka Mark V - on my blade I currently have Xiom Omega IV Euro on FH and Xiom Musa on BH).

Is there anybody who knows both blades and can tell me something about this Tibhar and where the differences are, compared to Xiom Offensive S?

Thank you in advance for your patience :)
 
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It is hard to really grasp a players level on a forum. If you still are developing your strokes and aim to become better i think you can choose anything as long as it is not to fast. Much better to have to slow than to fast.

If you just want to have fun and win now you can have as fast as possible.

I also read somewhere that you train with a coach. Ask him. He she know how you play.
 
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If the Stratus Power Wood feels good to you, it should be fine.

Offensive S has a smaller head and that gives a little less feeling. Offensive S should be a little stiffer which is good for driving the ball; it also may be a little crisper. Power Wood should have a little more flex and that helps you generate more spin.

Both are good though. So, whichever one you choose should be fine.
 
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