Sanwei Fextra 7 + AK47 blue for an advanced beginner (offensive)?

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Hello guys,

I've returned to playing table tennis after a while. Till now I've been mostly playing with some premade rackets, but guys that are playing with are saying that I'm good enough to buy something that will fit me better.

I've made a research on different forums/ yt/ tablettennisdb etc. (I know it should be rather controllable and not too fast) and I'm still not sure what to choose.

I prefer playing more offensive (but I'm still learning different shots so I don't want to build something that won't let me progress in different elements of the game).

I found for example that consists of Sanwei Fextra 7 + AK47 Blue on both sides. What do you think about it?

Could you maybe give some advice what and how to choose a good equipment?
 
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Maybe Sanwei Taiji both sides because it is easier to use and also soft.
I liked Taiji better too. The pink one.
Don't you think it may be a bit too slow for a forehand? (Just read some opinions on tabletennisdb.com)

I found also something like 729 Friendship Focus III snipe - some people are recommending this rubber because it's similar to the Sriver-FX. Would it fit?
 
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says Spin and more spin.
says Spin and more spin.
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I do find it interesting that you are questioning the people who are answering you based on what you have read when they are answering based things they have actually tried (not just read about) and based on what you have explained: playing with premade rackets, returning to play after a break.

My guess is that the info Yogi and IVegita have given you is more useful than you realize. However, for us to give you actual useful info on what would be good for you, we would probably need to see footage of you playing. Can you make a short video 15-30 seconds of you hitting a few FHs and a few BHs. We will be able to tell what kind of equipment will be most useful for you when we actually have seen you hit a few balls. Anything else would really just be guessing. The camera on any cell phone should be good enough for the footage.

The trouble with comments on equipment from a site like tabletennisdb or any other site where it is people writing their feeling about a piece of equipment is:

1) We have no idea the level of the person making the comments on the equipment so we have no idea if they have any ability to tell the difference between things that are good and bad, useful and unuseful, fast, slow, spinny, not spinny.

2) The comments of a player exponentially higher level than you, saying a piece of equipment is good for him, that may not be good for you. The comments of the same player saying something is too slow, well, it may still be too fast for you.

3) The comments of a low level player, often low level players do not realize they are low level players and think they know what they are talking about when they just simply don't. I have heard low level players say something was spinny that absolutely was not. I have heard low level players say something was not spinny enough when the actual issue is their technique was not good enough to feel how to use the equipment.

Given all that, if you are making a switch from a racket bought in a package fully assembled, like a toy store table tennis racket, to a racket built with each piece (blade and rubbers) chosen separately, probably something simple is best.

So, even though you say you are an "Advanced Beginner" (this idea makes me smile) you probably need something more simple than you realize. For instance, would a 7 ply blade really be what is going to be best for you?

I would suggest a 5 ply blade instead. 5 ply, all wood, All+ or Off-.

I would try very simple basic rubbers. The ones Yogi has suggested sound like they would be good. Xiom Vega Intro or Xiom Vega Europe would probably be fine too but likely more expensive.

The Friendship rubber you asked about would likely be fine as well.

But for blades, my guess is, something like this would be good:

Donic Appelgren Allplay
Butterfly Primorac
Stiga Allround Evolution

If you wanted something inexpensive from China a Yinhe Galaxy 896 would be fine although not as good as any of the blades I listed above.

One of the big mistakes most players below the semi-pro level make is to get equipment that is faster than they need. If the equipment is a little slower than you think you need, but it helps you grab and spin the ball well, you will improve more quickly than if you had a faster setup. This is partly because, the slower setup helps you but you still have to do the work. The faster setup makes it so you need to cut down your stroke to get the ball on the table. The slower setup makes you have to take a fuller swing. You want to need to take a fuller swing to get what you can out of the setup: you want that. That will help you improve faster than a racket that makes the ball go fast even when you have messed up.

I have a friend; he is a pro tennis player. He is quite a high level at table tennis as well. If he was better at the intricacies of serve and receive and reading spin, he could be pro level. He uses a Stiga Allround Classic (really slow) with Mark V rubber on both sides (also really slow) and because of how good his technique is on the topspin shots, his loops and drive shots are faster and more powerful than most top pros despite the slow equipment. The shots are fast because his technique is so freakin good on the offensive shots. So, on the offensive shots, in a sense, he has better technique than a lot of top players. But, he cannot handle the reading of spin that it takes to make it to a higher level. If he was to quite tennis (no reason when he makes his money playing tennis) and switch full time to TT, he could probably get to top 300 in the world with the right coaching.

And all he needs to use is one of the slowest blades on the market and some of the slowest rubbers on the market.

Get something that grabs the ball well, helps you spin, but is not so fast that it makes it so you don't have to do some of the work.

And see if you can show us a video.
 
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I specifically choose taiji since you came from a premade. Also, the Fextra will give you a good amount of speed.


Don't you think it may be a bit too slow for a forehand? (Just read some opinions on tabletennisdb.com)

I found also something like 729 Friendship Focus III snipe - some people are recommending this rubber because it's similar to the Sriver-FX. Would it fit?
 
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Thank you guys for advice. Sorry for the delay but I forgot to take my tripod on the training last time (I have 2 trainings a week for 2-3 hours). I'll try to record something and send you on friday.
 
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