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Hello,
Just thought I'd share my thoughts on my new OSP Virtuoso OFF- blade. I am a low-level intermediate player, striving towards a looping offensive game on both wings. Years ago I was ranked as high as 1500, these days I hover around 1200. Just got back into the game a few months ago.
My previous racket is a Yasaka Sweden Extra, with Rakza 7 MAX on forehand and Rakza 7 2.0 for backhand. I've always loved the YSE's buttery control, and the R7 has done me very well. Truth be told I haven't tried much else on the rubbers. I developed my game with R7 and have just stuck with it.
Anyways, my mid distance looping game is getting stronger, and I wanted to try something a bit faster. The YSE was feeling a bit maxed out. But I didn't want to go too much faster, and I wanted to keep that 5-ply all-wood feel. Combine that with an appreciation for fine wood-working, and the OSP Virtuoso OFF- seemed like a strong option. I decided to keep the exact same R7 rubbers, as I really wanted to change only the blade and see how it differs from the YSE.
I went with the Elcon handle, and 159 mm head length. The Elcon handle is definitely better for my larger hands (I'm 6'4" with long hands to match) that the YSE's flared handle, which always felt too small for me. The blade is 88 grams, so probably a few grams more than the YSE (which unfortunately I forgot to weigh before applying the rubbers).
Believe the hype: This thing just oozes quality. The craftsmanship and quality of wood is just stunning. All of the wood, blade and handle, feels very fine-grained and smooth, much more so than the YSE. This is to be expected for the price point of course, so not a knock on the YSE.
As many have pointed out, and OSP blades are famous for, the feel with this blade is just incredible. Soft flex, but still capable of decent power. In many ways the feel is similar to the YSE, only better. More control and better feedback, and definitely a bit faster. I was concerned that it would take me a while to get used to the new blade, but much to my delight I got used to it almost immediately, and it just as quickly started improving my game. Slight adjustment to get used to the slightly increase speed and weight, but this felt like more of an instant upgrade than a hurdle to overcome.
Lingering on the feedback for a second here.... In my opinion this is what this blade is all about. It's a bit hard to describe, but the feel and vibration thru the handle is just amazing. It gives you so much information as to what's happening with each shot. I find that this inspires a lot of confidence. In short order I found myself going for more loops on my forehand and backhand, often with success.... shots that I would have played more defensively with the YSE. Short game feels better too, chops and slices feel very accurate.
Speaking of the weight, I really wasn't too sure about going with the 159mm head length (the largest size, you can also get it 157 or 158).... but I'm really glad I did. The extra 2mm (YSE is 157mm I believe) really makes a big difference. The increased weight really feels substantially more powerful than the YSE. Of course I don't have a smaller-faced OSP to compare it to, but it does feel like a big sweet spot. I'm really liking the soft flex combined with the added weight. Particularly feels great for forehand loops. The added weight took a little getting used to for over-the-table play, but really not bad at all. Weight balance is a personal preference of course; I think I just discovered that I really like a more head-heavy blade that the YSE.
In conclusion, I couldn't be happier. I think this blade is an excellent step up from the YSE, so mission accomplished. It's a bit faster, and with even more feel and control. Wins all around, with no downsides that I can find. Given my adoration for the YSE, that's high praise. It's at a higher price point of course, but in this case I think you get what you pay for, particularly if you appreciate the craftsmanship. Since the YSE is such a popular blade, I hope others will find this is useful.
Just thought I'd share my thoughts on my new OSP Virtuoso OFF- blade. I am a low-level intermediate player, striving towards a looping offensive game on both wings. Years ago I was ranked as high as 1500, these days I hover around 1200. Just got back into the game a few months ago.
My previous racket is a Yasaka Sweden Extra, with Rakza 7 MAX on forehand and Rakza 7 2.0 for backhand. I've always loved the YSE's buttery control, and the R7 has done me very well. Truth be told I haven't tried much else on the rubbers. I developed my game with R7 and have just stuck with it.
Anyways, my mid distance looping game is getting stronger, and I wanted to try something a bit faster. The YSE was feeling a bit maxed out. But I didn't want to go too much faster, and I wanted to keep that 5-ply all-wood feel. Combine that with an appreciation for fine wood-working, and the OSP Virtuoso OFF- seemed like a strong option. I decided to keep the exact same R7 rubbers, as I really wanted to change only the blade and see how it differs from the YSE.
I went with the Elcon handle, and 159 mm head length. The Elcon handle is definitely better for my larger hands (I'm 6'4" with long hands to match) that the YSE's flared handle, which always felt too small for me. The blade is 88 grams, so probably a few grams more than the YSE (which unfortunately I forgot to weigh before applying the rubbers).
Believe the hype: This thing just oozes quality. The craftsmanship and quality of wood is just stunning. All of the wood, blade and handle, feels very fine-grained and smooth, much more so than the YSE. This is to be expected for the price point of course, so not a knock on the YSE.
As many have pointed out, and OSP blades are famous for, the feel with this blade is just incredible. Soft flex, but still capable of decent power. In many ways the feel is similar to the YSE, only better. More control and better feedback, and definitely a bit faster. I was concerned that it would take me a while to get used to the new blade, but much to my delight I got used to it almost immediately, and it just as quickly started improving my game. Slight adjustment to get used to the slightly increase speed and weight, but this felt like more of an instant upgrade than a hurdle to overcome.
Lingering on the feedback for a second here.... In my opinion this is what this blade is all about. It's a bit hard to describe, but the feel and vibration thru the handle is just amazing. It gives you so much information as to what's happening with each shot. I find that this inspires a lot of confidence. In short order I found myself going for more loops on my forehand and backhand, often with success.... shots that I would have played more defensively with the YSE. Short game feels better too, chops and slices feel very accurate.
Speaking of the weight, I really wasn't too sure about going with the 159mm head length (the largest size, you can also get it 157 or 158).... but I'm really glad I did. The extra 2mm (YSE is 157mm I believe) really makes a big difference. The increased weight really feels substantially more powerful than the YSE. Of course I don't have a smaller-faced OSP to compare it to, but it does feel like a big sweet spot. I'm really liking the soft flex combined with the added weight. Particularly feels great for forehand loops. The added weight took a little getting used to for over-the-table play, but really not bad at all. Weight balance is a personal preference of course; I think I just discovered that I really like a more head-heavy blade that the YSE.
In conclusion, I couldn't be happier. I think this blade is an excellent step up from the YSE, so mission accomplished. It's a bit faster, and with even more feel and control. Wins all around, with no downsides that I can find. Given my adoration for the YSE, that's high praise. It's at a higher price point of course, but in this case I think you get what you pay for, particularly if you appreciate the craftsmanship. Since the YSE is such a popular blade, I hope others will find this is useful.
