Author Topic: Anyone else notice how fast the Alpha Max loses its bite? (Read 10634 times)

Nicanor · « **on:** March 27, 2011, 11:40:44 PM »

I bought a couple of Alpha Maxes but have only a few games on the ball. But the Alpha Max sold very quickly here and I see a lot of them being thrown. Many of the bowlers stated that after a couple of weeks, the ball stopped hooking. This is very general with bowlers that might not have a lot of knowledge about surface prep. I noticed it in one of my Alpha Maxes also and wondered if it had to do with the Chemical Friction Technology.

I had a 200 Ablaron pad in the bag and for three of the bowlers I used some water and the 2000 Abalron pad (used previously) by hand and cleaned the ball and used a ball cleaner after the Ablaron use. The ball pretty much came back to life. When I went home, I used a 2000 used Ablaron pad with water slow speed on my Alpha Max and cleaned the ball with Clean and Tacky. The ball really came back to life.

So looking at the picture of the Alpha Max coverstock, it makes me wonder how dureable the coverstock is and when we do use an abrasive on the ball, how is it really effecting the coverstock?

Nicanor (Ten On The Deck)

cappy718 · « **Reply #16 on:** April 01, 2011, 01:55:56 PM »

I dont understand JLS...why is alcohol bad? I've done exactly what you said turns your rag black and mine never does. The alcohol always gets it all off for me. Please explain...

~Scott

"Celebrate we will, cuz life is short but sweet for certain"

jls · « **Reply #17 on:** April 01, 2011, 02:51:47 PM »

Is your ball polished or left dull...

Did you use something like Clean & Dull or Motiv Scuff Gel?

Now if you are using your ball polished, alcohol will strip the polish off...Therefore you would

have to re-polish the ball after every cleaning...

If you use a good ball cleaner that is made to work with polish, you will not have to re-polish

your ball after every cleaning...You may get 6-9 games between polishing...

And that saves you money...

cappy718 wrote on 4/1/2011 1:55 PM:I dont understand JLS...why is alcohol bad? I've done exactly what you said turns your rag black and mine never does. The alcohol always gets it all off for me. Please explain...

~Scott
"Celebrate we will, cuz life is short but sweet for certain"

jls

cappy718 · « **Reply #18 on:** April 01, 2011, 11:49:34 PM »

ahhh...most of my balls are unpolished...hence why it doesnt matter to me i reckon. My gladiator pearl is right now, but now it wont hook either....going to have to take that back down....i guess alcohol will do the trick...lol!

~Scott

"Celebrate we will, cuz life is short but sweet for certain"

jls · « **Reply #19 on:** April 02, 2011, 08:51:31 AM »

Sir, let me see if I undersatnd what you are doing...You cleaned your balls with alcohol...And then

you took a cleaner like clean & dull and re did the ball? Using a clean towel? And the towel did

not get dirty? If so that's a first to me... Then I would say you are doing a good job cleaning your

bowling balls...

Now as for the ball that won't hook...Have you tried a hot water bath...Then hit it with a 500 pad and work

it up to 1000 and then a 2000 pad...

cappy718 wrote on 4/1/2011 11:49 PM:ahhh...most of my balls are unpolished...hence why it doesnt matter to me i reckon. My gladiator pearl is right now, but now it wont hook either....going to have to take that back down....i guess alcohol will do the trick...lol!

~Scott
"Celebrate we will, cuz life is short but sweet for certain"

jls

cappy718 · « **Reply #20 on:** April 02, 2011, 03:47:36 PM »

JLS...I was playing with the cover on the Gladiator and I had hot water bath/resurface by hand to 1000AB/polished by hand. Think I went a little overboard on the polish is all. 1000 AB and I couldnt control it...should have went 2000 first before polish oh well...I'll get it figured out

Anyhow, kind of hijacked this thread...I've wanted a c system ball, but I've heard soooo many differing reviews, I'm kind of glad I've not gotten one now.

~Scott

"Celebrate we will, cuz life is short but sweet for certain"

toomanytenpins · « **Reply #21 on:** April 05, 2011, 07:31:45 AM »

When I first thru my max I thought I had finally found the ball I was loking for for the tougher shots. I had to move 15 boards left of where i was playing with my other stuff just to keep the ball right of the head pin,I may have thrown a half a game with it. Since then I have not been able to get it to wrinkle on any shot. It lost all the recovery I saw when I first thru it. I bathed it and it is still the exact same nothing. If I had never seen its potential I never would Have believed it, I have never had a ball lose this much this fast.

my style, the art of bowling without bowling

JJ · « **Reply #22 on:** April 05, 2011, 11:12:26 AM »

My Alpha Max has been very weak from the get go. Bowling This Month rated it the same as the Hammer Taboo. It is not near as strong as my Taboo. I drilled the Alpha 3 1/2 from my PAP and stacked to be more aggressive. I have to move my stance and my target 4 boards to the right to get it to react at all. It has a consistent roll but it sure isn't any where near as strong as I thought is was suppose to be. I have to start it in the drier boards to get it to react at all. My Revolver covers as many boards as my Alpha does. Our house uses Brunswick control oil and is more oily than any house in the area.

JJ

jls · « **Reply #23 on:** April 05, 2011, 03:03:29 PM »

I agree, to me the Alpha Max is not that great on heavy oil patterns...However if used with

their ruff buff polish on more of a medium pattern, the ball works great...

I would sand it to either a 1000 pad or a 2000 pad finish, depending on your ball speed, and then hit

it with ruff buff...

JJ wrote on 4/5/2011 11:12 AM:My Alpha Max has been very weak from the get go. Bowling This Month rated it the same as the Hammer Taboo. It is not near as strong as my Taboo. I drilled the Alpha 3 1/2 from my PAP and stacked to be more aggressive. I have to move my stance and my target 4 boards to the right to get it to react at all. It has a consistent roll but it sure isn't any where near as strong as I thought is was suppose to be. I have to start it in the drier boards to get it to react at all. My Revolver covers as many boards as my Alpha does. Our house uses Brunswick control oil and is more oily than any house in the area.

JJ

jls

BackToBasics · « **Reply #24 on:** April 06, 2011, 06:27:45 AM »

I would have to strongly disagree with both of you. Firstly, out of the box the Alpha is fairly strong but I would say that it would be useful on medium-heavy. However, since it has one of the new "super" covers, hitting it with 1000 makes it one of the most aggressive balls out. I've hit some fairly oil conditions with the Alpha and it handle it with no problem. I will admit that the cover really needs to be refreshed pretty frequently.

jls wrote on 4/5/2011 3:03 PM:I agree, to me the Alpha Max is not that great on heavy oil patterns...However if used with
their ruff buff polish on more of a medium pattern, the ball works great...
I would sand it to either a 1000 pad or a 2000 pad finish, depending on your ball speed, and then hit
it with ruff buff...
JJ wrote on 4/5/2011 11:12 AM:My Alpha Max has been very weak from the get go. Bowling This Month rated it the same as the Hammer Taboo. It is not near as strong as my Taboo. I drilled the Alpha 3 1/2 from my PAP and stacked to be more aggressive. I have to move my stance and my target 4 boards to the right to get it to react at all. It has a consistent roll but it sure isn't any where near as strong as I thought is was suppose to be. I have to start it in the drier boards to get it to react at all. My Revolver covers as many boards as my Alpha does. Our house uses Brunswick control oil and is more oily than any house in the area.

JJ

jls

jls · « **Reply #25 on:** April 06, 2011, 08:24:26 AM »

Sir, you certainly are entitled to your opinion...My was based comparing the Alpha Max to other

heavy oil balls...Like the Nano, the Mission 250K, the Taboo and the World Beater..

To me these balls all performed stronger in heavier oil conditions than the Alpha Max did..

However once polished with Ruff Buff the Alpha Max was super on more of a med - med heavy

shot...And one could get deeper into the nite and still use the alpha Max..

I would also put both the Marvel and the Theory stronger.

I find the Alpha to be a great ball, but not a monster snow ploy on heavy oil...

BackToBasics wrote on 4/6/2011 6:27 AM:I would have to strongly disagree with both of you. Firstly, out of the box the Alpha is fairly strong but I would say that it would be useful on medium-heavy. However, since it has one of the new "super" covers, hitting it with 1000 makes it one of the most aggressive balls out. I've hit some fairly oil conditions with the Alpha and it handle it with no problem. I will admit that the cover really needs to be refreshed pretty frequently.

jls wrote on 4/5/2011 3:03 PM:I agree, to me the Alpha Max is not that great on heavy oil patterns...However if used with
their ruff buff polish on more of a medium pattern, the ball works great...
I would sand it to either a 1000 pad or a 2000 pad finish, depending on your ball speed, and then hit
it with ruff buff...
JJ wrote on 4/5/2011 11:12 AM:My Alpha Max has been very weak from the get go. Bowling This Month rated it the same as the Hammer Taboo. It is not near as strong as my Taboo. I drilled the Alpha 3 1/2 from my PAP and stacked to be more aggressive. I have to move my stance and my target 4 boards to the right to get it to react at all. It has a consistent roll but it sure isn't any where near as strong as I thought is was suppose to be. I have to start it in the drier boards to get it to react at all. My Revolver covers as many boards as my Alpha does. Our house uses Brunswick control oil and is more oily than any house in the area.

JJ

jls

jls

frike300 · « **Reply #26 on:** April 06, 2011, 11:21:34 AM »

I know there have been a bunch of replies to this topic but I will echo some of them. The Alpha Max is a generation 4 super cover and is very aggresive. I found with my 3.5's which are gen 2 I needed to bring the ball back to box every 24 games, or it lost hook. Best way to do it is on a haus for about 45 sec to 1 min per grade. Remember if balls don't soak up oil, they won't hook so you have to bring it back every so often.

Mike Freundel

Brunswick Regional Staff

duvallite · « **Reply #27 on:** April 06, 2011, 12:16:43 PM »

From previous posts, I know you have had a whole lot of different balls that you feel never lived up to their hype, either being duds for you or dieing quickly. Since you've tried so many different ones, can you list the ones that you feel worked as advertised on their recommended lane conditions? I'm just curious.

toomanytenpins wrote on 4/5/2011 7:31 AM:
When I first thru my max I thought I had finally found the ball I was loking for for the tougher shots. I had to move 15 boards left of where i was playing with my other stuff just to keep the ball right of the head pin,I may have thrown a half a game with it. Since then I have not been able to get it to wrinkle on any shot. It lost all the recovery I saw when I first thru it. I bathed it and it is still the exact same nothing. If I had never seen its potential I never would Have believed it, I have never had a ball lose this much this fast.

my style, the art of bowling without bowling

DON DRAPER · « **Reply #28 on:** April 06, 2011, 05:58:07 PM »

Although I don't own a C-System Alpha max yet I do own the other balls in the C-system line. I bought the 2.5, 3.5, and the 4.5 as soon as they were available on the market. I am most impressed with all three of these balls. But, like every modern bowling ball they have conditions where they shine and conditions where they are not appropriate. That being said, these balls respond very well to changes in surface on the coverstock. And they react like new when resurfaced and have been sent thru the Revivor. I have seen no loss in hitting power and/or carry by performing some simple maintenence on a regular basis.

Andyman3333 · « **Reply #29 on:** April 06, 2011, 05:59:05 PM »

In general. I think any ball whether brunswick, storm, ebonite or any other brand loses bite after so many games. I'm a fan of balls only after I get some significant games on them and get some oil absorbed into the track. I prefer a more mellow overall reaction and tend to think (not necessarily right) that balls with a few games on them work better for me. The fresh out of the box reaction on any ball I've had has lasted no more than 6-9 games. Even for Nationals at the end of April, I'll clean all my gear this week or next and make sure I get 6 -9 games on all of them before heading to Reno.

PROFILE
340-370 revs
18 mph
230 book on THS
200 book on PBA

In the bag: C-System Alpha Max, 3.5, 2.5, Wicked Siege, Evil Siege, Damage, Slingshot, Avalanche Slide, & my trusty Swarm.

toomanytenpins · « **Reply #30 on:** April 17, 2011, 03:05:14 PM »

Ok,I did the hot water,I use cleaner after every time I bowl,and I even picked up a 2000 abrillon pad 2 keep from using the green scratch pad,but,as of yet,the alpha max has lost at least 60 percent of the hook and recovery it had,and is really ,after less than 10 games,is about to be out of the bag all together. I have never seen a non particle ball die this quickly. This ball,in reaction,is no better than my rising star on anything that I play on. It Is on my list of biggest disapointing. Its not even as strong as my polished taboo which is my drier lane ball. The problem I have though is that it was sooooo strong the first time i threw it I cant believe it got so weak so fast

my style, the art of bowling without bowling

Author Topic: Anyone else notice how fast the Alpha Max loses its bite? (Read 10634 times)

Nicanor

Anyone else notice how fast the Alpha Max loses its bite?

cappy718

Re: Anyone else notice how fast the Alpha Max loses its bite?

jls

Re: Anyone else notice how fast the Alpha Max loses its bite?

cappy718

Re: Anyone else notice how fast the Alpha Max loses its bite?

jls

Re: Anyone else notice how fast the Alpha Max loses its bite?

cappy718

Re: Anyone else notice how fast the Alpha Max loses its bite?

toomanytenpins

Re: Anyone else notice how fast the Alpha Max loses its bite?

JJ

Re: Anyone else notice how fast the Alpha Max loses its bite?

jls

Re: Anyone else notice how fast the Alpha Max loses its bite?

BackToBasics

Re: Anyone else notice how fast the Alpha Max loses its bite?

jls

Re: Anyone else notice how fast the Alpha Max loses its bite?

frike300

Re: Anyone else notice how fast the Alpha Max loses its bite?

duvallite

Re: Anyone else notice how fast the Alpha Max loses its bite?

DON DRAPER

Re: Anyone else notice how fast the Alpha Max loses its bite?

Andyman3333

Re: Anyone else notice how fast the Alpha Max loses its bite?

toomanytenpins

Re: Anyone else notice how fast the Alpha Max loses its bite?