another new bat

I don't have experience with the topsheets you are suggesting, but I feel like a super-soft sponge is not so easy to control either. I like medium-hardness sponges with soft topsheets for control, and for the thickness 1.5-1.8 is probably right for a controlled attacker like you.

What are you using now or what were you using before?


Edited by Sparrowhawk13 - 16 July 2010 at 18:03

So what are you seeking in a new setup, some experimentation? Are you seeking more power in addition to the ease of control? More spin?

I think Addoy (like Wakaba and Yuki) is probably reserved for their premade assemblies, not for separate purchase.

I'm wondering about your philosophy on this. To me it makes more sense, if you prefer to play on mediocre equipment, not to waste money experimenting. If you want to upgrade, I think what makes more sense is getting All-around "serious" equipment and not attempting to get "mediocre" equipment. What Cole sells is largely "serious" equipment.

What I feel makes the difference between mediocre equipment and serious controlled allaround equipment is that the serious equipment is more sensitive to spin and speed, both what you try to impart on the ball, and what the ball will impart on the rubber.

I used to play on a premade Butterfly too, one with Wakaba 1.5mm sponge, and when I first upgraded (to Mark V 2.0mm on Tibhar Nimbus All+) what I noticed was that it forced me to learn how to play well, not only because it had more speed and spin and whatever but it would also reward me more for better technique.

So what I'm suggesting is, if you want to experiment, and if you want to use Chinese equipment, try to find trusted all-around "serious" equipment, and get it in a medium hardness, medium thickness (like 1.8mm) sponge. Trusted topsheets include 729 Cream (not my personal favorite, my vote is Mark V but the cost of Cream is less than half), and you can get it easily on Magic Red or Transcend sponges, two that are repeated reviewed as great all-around setups. More obscure these days but equally effective are the Hero Japanese sponge and the German sponge.

The LKT Instinct should serve you fine, but if you're going to experiment with rubbers before you've developed a style yet, I would suggest holding off on your experimenting and either upgrading to serious all-around equipment like I said above, or sticking to your "mediocre" until the time comes when you know what suits your style better and can experiment.

Best to learn on equipment that can do it all and then specialize your equipment to match your style, than to specialize your equipment to what you think is your style before you learn on "serious" allaround equipment. When I was first making a serious racket, that was the prevailing wisdom I received anyway. Basically what I was told was, get allround attacking equipment which can do it all.

That is, if I'm reading your post correctly...correct me if I'm rambling on about the wrong thing. =P


Edited by Sparrowhawk13 - 18 July 2010 at 10:00

well what you are both saying makes complete sense, but the way I'm thinking, (and correct me if this isn't the best attitude) is that I can handle a decent paddle, spin and speed aren't too much of an issue with me.  I can play with my friends Flextra and the crappier Stayer no problem, but the difference I feel when I'm using my crappy Addoy is that I have to do more work to get the ball on the table and win points.  And that extra work is what I feel is benefiting my game and my stroke in the long run.  Some of you might not agree with that, (and perhaps rightly so)  but either way I think that I'm ready for a more serious paddle, considering that I started off learning with a super hard, super tacky chinese rubber 'cuz I knew no better.

Even then with the crappy Addoy my opponents have some trouble dealing with the spin I can generate.  It's just the speed of my shots where I end up suffering the most.

So I'm fairly certain I have my style down.  I loop nearly everything, and I rely on footwork to do most of my hits with my forehand.  I will almost never push, or slice or chop.   That is the only reason I don't just want to go with a "serious all round" paddle.  I know I won't go wrong with it, but I'm certain one setup will be superior to another with respect to my style of play.  I don't mean to say that there's a super magic paddle that will make me a phenom.   But that there is something out there that will be more fun than another.

So when I say experimenting, I'm really just want to feel the things that many of you guys can probably tell me; how will a thick super soft sponge play compared to a thin super soft sponge, in terms of looping?    and then compared to a thick medium/soft sponge or a thin one?  some of cole's topsheets come in different slightly different thicknesses, how should that be considered?  then if I throw in some tackiness how does that change things?  A little bit of tack with a thick  super soft sponge, as opposed to no tack on a thinner super soft sponge or an equally thick sponge, or a thin medium/soft sponge, or a little bit of tack on a super soft thin sponge?  Obviously tackiness makes the bat more sensitive to spin, but how does the sponge thickness and density play into that?  The possibilities are nearly endless, and for now I'll make due with what I have now.  But I practice and play fairly seriously, so I want to be ready for the next set up.  And I don't think it's wishful thinking to get it (at least nearly) right on the first try.  (well it's more like my third try) =)

Thanks for the read!

Also does anyone have any experience with ordering with cole?  From the site it seems like he prefers to conduct his orders through e-mail especially if it's very custom, but he hasn't responded to my inquiry.

One last thing;

Sure, when you play with the mediocre equipment after playing with more serious equipment, you might feel you have better control, but then you go back, and that serious paddle seems too fast. But no matter how much you practice with that mediocre paddle, that serious paddle is always going to be too fast.

I just want to address that point a little more clearly, because I'd like to hear what you think about my theory.  If I play with the slower more controlled paddle, and become consistent enough with it that I can push its (the paddle's) limits so to speak.  That is to say perhaps reach or at least come close to the speed that a better paddle would generate (with the mediocre paddle)..., would that then not better prepare me for using the more serious (faster) paddle? 

I think this makes a least some sense.  Often when I warm up, i'll pick up a nearly no sponge pips out paddle and just push the ball over the net, with maybe a little topspin.  Then I'll put it down and pick up my modest Addoy, and begin to get serious =)  On the days where I don't do that it definitely takes me a little longer to feel warm and ready.  Perhaps its just mental?  Anyway that is a more accurate detailing of my theory so I'm interested to see what you guys think.



Edited by miharbio - 19 July 2010 at 04:12

so a final say on the my choice of rubbers from cole anyone?

and should I just keep buggin cole?  or just wait on him to get to me?  or just place the order throug the site (somehow)?


Edited by miharbio - 19 July 2010 at 06:45

So I ended up buying a range of different rubbers (8 in all)  all different in at least some way so I can really get a feel for some different things.

Palio CJ8000 (1.5mm BLACK) with Dawei Butter (30deg ultrasoft) (1.8mm)
2 x (one red one black) Dawei 2008XP Color: Red Thickness at 2.0 Black Thickness at 1.8
Dawei 388d-1 Quattro BLACK OX

I don't have 4 good blades to put all these rubbers to and even if I did, I'd need to experiment with different combinations  (combination suggestions are more than welcome).  I've glued rubbers before, but I've never really glued a rubber and removed it and glued it again on a different blade, any words of advice?  I'm using Andro Turbo-Fix glue.

I have a pair of andro glue sheets, but are they really easier to remove?  I would have expected the opposite.  I thought that was why you needed to use blade varnish.  Does using blade varnish make it easier to remove rubber?

I'm thinking now what I do after removing the rubber I've glued.  Is there a certain way to remove the old glue residue?

I use rubber cement to glue and hairspray to seal. =]

I'm super cheap I know, but it works so well for so cheap!

And removing rubbers is super easy. I have been meaning to try Free Chack but with rubber cement being as easy as it is to use, and cheap, I figure why not stick with that. I don't do fancy regluing, so if I were to compete I think the fumes would be gone by then.


Edited by Sparrowhawk13 - 23 July 2010 at 19:15