Seeking advice for blade choice

[NextLevel]

I appreciate your opinion, it was very informative and I caught the idea. Thank you!

Before posting I tried different blades of my tt partners to understand what I prefer more and just to feel the difference. I believe that my progress so far is quite impressive and I understand what I need to do to improve my confidence in the game and skills as well. My choice may look quite impulsive but I've been through pain and blood during my training with Cybershape, self-diguring to understand why my forehand has such a low quality. Now, I have more knowledge about the game and myself as well, I will be responsible for all consequences and If I fail to master my new blade I will switch my setup to one of the suggestions in this thread. Moreover, I will train hard to develop the feeling for my new blade and I really want to, as you said, gain a "mind-body connection" with my new blade.

The one thing I will grant you is that the blades you listed, while they generally appeal to the same players that the Cybershape is designed to appeal to, they all have regular head shape and softer composites than the Cybershape which is pure carbon (though they claim it is a special carbon). Since you have tested them, it is all good. I would personally choose the Viscaria as I prefer its handle to the Boll ALC, and the Boll ALC outer veneers seem a bit more polished, but they are all fine blades. I also like the Innerforce ZLC, I have never quite liked innerforce ALC, I prefer the Innerforce ZLC in my practices. But everyone is different. Other than Harimoto, I don't know anyone who at the top level uses and Innerforce ALC and even in that case, just use the Harimoto. just as Dima uses his own Innerforce ALC.

 

[Haraold]

i have a Hexagonal Blade,too.You think some of your technique failings come from the shape of the blade?
I have some difficultys myself with wrist interaction and the aerodynamic of the blade shape myself,but in other aspects like smash ,punchblock etc i am better with the shape.

 

[Der_Echte]

Dear Dear_Echte,
Thank you for your comment and I respect your experience on TT, but it was just about nothing.

I believe that TT is a great place for a decent and argumentative discussion. To improve my skills and find proper equipment I tried my best to be specific enough to describe my problem thoroughly - so please, be specific enough to give meaningful advice.

I sandwiched good advice between two layers of sarcastic, yet realistic. (yes, so many players actually go for the superstar setups for the sarcastic reasons I described.

A reasonable choice would be a setup that allows the developing players to make it easy to perform the most common shots... serve, return, opening loop, loop drive, counter loop.

Usually, a somewhat slower wood blade and modern control oriented or modern dynamic control oriented rubbers with a bias towards soft sponge do this mission and every maker has so many of these.

A few examples would be my setup Donic PPP OFF- blade, Aurus FH and Aurus Soft BH

or...

BTY Korbel T05FX/Rosena

Donic Waldner senso OFF- Donic Bluestar A3 / Donic Bluestorm Z3

Stiga Clipper OFF- Stiga DNA Platinum M/S

These are just three examples of hundreds possible.

One could and should go with soft sponged rubbers both sides until consistent impact in strike zone is developed, then go to a medium sponged rubber on FH.

You made your choice already with equipment that will not make it so easy to develop some of the important shots, but it is always possible to select final equipment, train with that, adjust with time and get there.

The argument for somewhat slower stuff is that it is easy to feel the ball, know when you mis-strike, and it is easier to produce spin at all speeds.

There is no single correct answer in TT, but many people who have been around the block will show what is proven.

 

[Haraold]

well I for myself sometimes decide to go the route of buying Equipment which is probably to demanding for my level,but I do it as an intrinsic motivation for myself.
If i train properly i will be good enough to master or at least level that type of equipment and if not,I can say it wasn´t meant to be.
Nowadays I probably would lay on the side of starting with a composite blade.
The funny Thing is that the Person Powerplay was one of the first mainstream models with a composite veneer.
Don´t you underestimate the Power of the Cloth or Wool or was it satin? fiber in the PPP DER_Echte?
I remember when it came out and was probably as fast,etc as the other 5 or 7 plies but it had that "wow That shit hits different" even if it was mostly Imaginary.
But some Blades have that mystic attached to them,when i first got it I remember thinking:"my backhand smash hits differently now!"
Not to mention it has the most badass Handle of all the blades ever.

 

[Haraold]

Well as for the Blade recommendation,there are myriad of options.
I would go with the contact Sergio SDC handmade Blademaker,or some other blademaker.
You won´t regret it and you will get almost always a Blade which is as good if not better suited for your needs.

 

[Der_Echte]

well I for myself sometimes decide to go the route of buying Equipment which is probably to demanding for my level,but I do it as an intrinsic motivation for myself.
If i train properly i will be good enough to master or at least level that type of equipment and if not,I can say it wasn´t meant to be.
Nowadays I probably would lay on the side of starting with a composite blade.
The funny Thing is that the Person Powerplay was one of the first mainstream models with a composite veneer.
Don´t you underestimate the Power of the Cloth or Wool or was it satin? fiber in the PPP DER_Echte?
I remember when it came out and was probably as fast,etc as the other 5 or 7 plies but it had that "wow That shit hits different" even if it was mostly Imaginary.
But some Blades have that mystic attached to them,when i first got it I remember thinking:"my backhand smash hits differently now!"
Not to mention it has the most badass Handle of all the blades ever.

Hi @Haraold ,

I put $20 custom fatter handles on all my PPP blades... better feel and plays more solid/powerful without losing any sensation of ball or compromising any shot making.

 

[Der_Echte]

I have regained the mental choices of deciding to spin slow/heavy for first ball after a couple years playing my custom fast OFF to OFF+ stuff that had me drift progressively into going for power as first choice... I made a lot of them, but missed enough to hurt my chances. 5-10% less landing percentage translates into a couple points and that is huge.

That is why I slowed down the blade to make it easy to feel the ball and spin. PPP can spin... but it is no slouch at the table when you go for power... so I didn't regret the choice to go with slower wood blade to get me back on track for the "right" choices give my skills and how I would be effective or not vs opponents.

Now that I got back on track with my decisions and shot making, I could easily go back to my beloved fast custom sets from my blade challenge of a few years ago...

Every time i spend 6 months with slower wood blade and go back to faster stuff I always play better.

Still, I think I will stay with the PPP for many more months.

I did move to a firmer sponged rubber on FH (regular Aurus with white sponge 50 degree) and I can still play the slow spin when I want it and the power shots are more quality with higher landing percentage (if the hall is not humid as heck)

Yeah, I gunna stay with the OFF- wood blade, even if I have what it takes to play the faster blades for now.

This is not a mandatory way of thinking for anyone - everyone should believe and act for themselves. my way may not be optimal for everyone, but it has reason and results.

 

[Gozo Aruna]

I have regained the mental choices of deciding to spin slow/heavy for first ball after a couple years playing my custom fast OFF to OFF+ stuff that had me drift progressively into going for power as first choice... I made a lot of them, but missed enough to hurt my chances. 5-10% less landing percentage translates into a couple points and that is huge.

That is why I slowed down the blade to make it easy to feel the ball and spin. PPP can spin... but it is no slouch at the table when you go for power... so I didn't regret the choice to go with slower wood blade to get me back on track for the "right" choices give my skills and how I would be effective or not vs opponents.

Now that I got back on track with my decisions and shot making, I could easily go back to my beloved fast custom sets from my blade challenge of a few years ago...

Every time i spend 6 months with slower wood blade and go back to faster stuff I always play better.

Still, I think I will stay with the PPP for many more months.

I did move to a firmer sponged rubber on FH (regular Aurus with white sponge 50 degree) and I can still play the slow spin when I want it and the power shots are more quality with higher landing percentage (if the hall is not humid as heck)

Yeah, I gunna stay with the OFF- wood blade, even if I have what it takes to play the faster blades for now.

This is not a mandatory way of thinking for anyone - everyone should believe and act for themselves. my way may not be optimal for everyone, but it has reason and results.

what about remain with fast blade but go with softer rubber? What is your opinion on this?

 

[blahness]

I used to own a Cybershape too. My opinion is that the increased air resistance + greater rotational inertia slows your acceleration and reduces your top end racket speed (for me its especially noticeable on the BH and chiquita), and hence the spin capabilities are just not as good. Even Truls flathits a lot with it.

For someone like me who loves chiquita, the head heaviness of the shape also had a toll on my forearm muscles which controls the fingers and wrist. This also leads to worse touch if those parts are constantly stressed and fatigued.

This is why I ended up back with the classic setup which is Viscaria...it's so easy to create crazy spin on it.

 

[Haraold]

well i have gotten to use more of a "wrist Snap" instead of a "Fullbackswing motion" for the chiquita.but it is more on the speedier side than on the spinnier.
But my placement got better with that shape.

 

[Haraold]

And @Der_Echte i also love the PPP that is why my sdc Hexagonal is only with a thin Spectra veneer the rest is a standard ayous core,with a walnut outer ply for crispness.
But all in All it is probably in the off- aswell.

 

[Haraold]

and the most irritating thing at first was,when you snapback with that shape on low balls,i always thought i might hit the table.
But i guess that goes away with time,but if you played a normal shape lets say 75% of your tt time,it is only normal i guess.
I played J.O. Shape also a few years,so i might have an affinity for unusual shapes.

 

[Der_Echte]

what about remain with fast blade but go with softer rubber? What is your opinion on this?

My Opinion is similar... it will not make it easy to do a few things, but easy to do some. A player can with time learn to use it, but it generally takes longer and player does not develop as much.

Equipment choice is about suitability for what a player does often and what will make it easier to do that.

Softer rubber on faster blade generally makes it more difficult on serve receive and a little more difficult on opening loop... but not always.

 

[mightymouse]

Every time I read Der_Echte's comments on Donic Persson Powerplay, I always want to test my Persson Powerplay again.

The problem is my PPP FL (normal and v1 senso) both weigh 83 grams and rather slow. My newer PPP ST (normal, non-senso) weigh 91 grams and 88 grams. They both play differently compared to my 83 grams. Their head size are rather small so transferring rubbers from my other blades always leave few mm hanging on every side.