Help me understand the massive diversity in price range of all wood 5 ply blafes

[merlin el mago]

First you need to know what's your target for your style of playing.

 

[nablaz]

I'd just like to add that a Korbel Japan, in Japan, costs the equivalent of around 30 euros... Pretty cheap if you ask me. I bought two for clubmates during my last trip there.
I have no clue why it's so expensive elsewhere, seeing that it's not considered a premium product at all there.

 

[AcZending]

Other member gives you the key with Korbel made in Europe or korbel made in Japan, same blade different quality

I want comparison of Lebrun blade with Loki to see if 7 times price is justified. Not getting korbel as that’s too expensive

 

[AcZending]

I'd just like to add that a Korbel Japan, in Japan, costs the equivalent of around 30 euros... Pretty cheap if you ask me. I bought two for clubmates during my last trip there.
I have no clue why it's so expensive elsewhere, seeing that it's not considered a premium product at all there.

Bro since I’m not going to jpn soon I can’t do that option

 

[Egon]

Butterfly's high prices, in addition to direct production costs, also include marketing and sponsorship costs for a large number of athletes. They also invest in research and development. I don't think Loki is involved in research and development

 

[ShakehandJpenCpenEnjoyer]

If you want to know, you have to try them both by yourself.

I want comparison of Lebrun blade with Loki to see if 7 times price is justified. Not getting korbel as that’s too expensive

But for beginners the difference might too little to be noticed.
Loki makes great blades. I like to build rackets with Loki blades for my newbie friends.

 

[nablaz]

Butterfly's high prices, in addition to direct production costs, also include marketing and sponsorship costs for a large number of athletes. They also invest in research and development. I don't think Loki is involved in research and development

Again, Butterfly prices are a lot more reasonable in Japan. In fact, they are largely in line with other brands/manufacturers there...
I think their high prices abroad have much more to do with their chosen distribution model than with the factors you mentioned.

 

[Tony's Table Tennis]

wood is pretty complicated, and quality (type and country of origin) all plays a role.
Cheaper blades will source cheaper raw materials.
more expensive blades has the budget to source more expensive raw material

the different grades, can be seen in furniture and musical instruments too.
So you can't just compare the rating of all round blade across the different price points.
you get what you pay for.

 

[AcZending]

wood is pretty complicated, and quality (type and country of origin) all plays a role.
Cheaper blades will source cheaper raw materials.
more expensive blades has the budget to source more expensive raw material

the different grades, can be seen in furniture and musical instruments too.
So you can't just compare the rating of all round blade across the different price points.
you get what you pay for.

O understand that. What o hope to find out is how much of the price of Lebrun all+ is inflated due to tibhar and his name? If the difference in quality is small enough to be ignored or is it that better as advertised…

 

[merlin el mago]

I want comparison of Lebrun blade with Loki to see if 7 times price is justified. Not getting korbel as that’s too expensive

Surely isn't 7 times better but surely have much better quality if Lebrun isn't made in China....

 

[Tyce]

Surely isn't 7 times better but surely have much better quality if Lebrun isn't made in China....

Nothing wrong with China made nowadays. They have extensive manufacturing experience there, but the good quality stuff is usually for the domestic market.
China understands very well that if they want to move forward internationally, they can't only be shoveling crap to export.

As for 7x better, obviously not. I don't even know how you would measure that?
Well, maybe if 7/10 blades play similarly as opposed to 1/10?

 

[merlin el mago]

I don't agree about China products, if you pay you get very very good stuff but you have to pay like in Japan, EEUU or Europe....or more!!!

 

[merlin el mago]

The real problem about Chinese products is the quality control (consistency) so you never receive exactly the same thing, and this for me is a very high problem.

 

[Tyce]

The real problem about Chinese products is the quality control (consistency) so you never receive exactly the same thing, and this for me is a very high problem.

Absolutely. And while Loki might be a step above Lemuria and Stuor, they all basically make blades that are supposed to sell because they look like more expensive and popular blades.
But if you happen to have one that plays nicely, you will never find one with almost the same feeling. Unless you buy 10 of them at which point you've got 9 blades you don't like and might as well have gotten one of those EU or Japan brands.

 

[merlin el mago]

Unfortunately the same happens with rubbers....

 

[Tyce]

Unfortunately the same happens with rubbers....

Tbf it applies to most manufactured products. Cutting costs can be done by cheaper methods and higher tolerance in quality control.
Some rubbers come with a hardness range, others just say "medium".

 

[Tony's Table Tennis]

my experience with cheaper blades is indeed inconsistency and generally the blades are heavier too.
perhaps blade experts are able to help give more on the cost of raw material vs quality.

blade is all about feeling and quality material can give better feeling.
for the users of 40 or 6 dollar blades, perhaps feeling is not there, so maybe it is ok.
as per the other thread, maybe this is also where rubbers play a bigger role for the levels of such users.

wood is just so complicated, and blade provides the feeling, and if you understand it, you understand it.
if you don't, then you can just see it as an alternative to 7 times cheaper the price and go for it.

No different to music instruments like violin where the experts can hear differences in the quality of the tunes from different quality of woods and other materials.

 

[merlin el mago]

Tony the same with rubbers, you pay for premium and arrives one premium & 3 or 5 no premium...or more.

 

[SorryForTheEdge]

The brand name definitely is a factor

 

[merlin el mago]

World has changed, I own an old BTY Primorac Off-, no one new Japanese nor European are near the quality of old blades.

Blades are different animal than rubbers, are like the wine: aging are better.