BallReviews
Equipment Boards => Lane #1 => Topic started by: Nicanor on August 16, 2009, 08:09:53 AM
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I had a chance to throw my Gemstone once before leaving for San Francisco and it seemed like a weak HRG. I have the pin along side my ring finger and CG stacked, 3 inch pin and 3 oz top. My Storm Jolt polished was too strong, pin over the bridge and the CG kicked right a little and the Gemstone went almost completely straight and hit very weak. Is that due to having only half a weight block?
I know I only threw it once and I'll throw it again on Monday, possibly tonight, but I was hoping to get some input from other bowlers who has thrown the Gemstone.
Thanks,
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Nicanor (Ten On The Deck)
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Haven't thrown it yet, but I posted a couple of days ago that I'd watched one of our resident Sawheads throw one and thought it looked like the HRG in his hands. And since the original HRG had what amounted to the Columbia Action cover on it, I could definitely see how the Gemstone would be a weaker HRG.
His was a little too strong to be called truly "weak," but it's definitely weaker than anything I've seen from L1 in awhile other than the Chainsaw. For those of us who bowl on toast, that might not be such a bad thing.
Jess
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I agree Jess. I got the ball for lighter oil, I'm just hoping the core/I'm not giving a review, just what I noticed on the first chance I had to throw the ball.
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Nicanor (Ten On The Deck)
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I am thinking that this ball is going to be just the cat's meow for our men's league this fall.
My BuzzBomb was good to start the night and my Evolution was way too much ball to end the night. My pin axis THS didn't cut it.
My Playmaker was a great ball on this shot but I ended up deeper by the end of the night than I really wanted to play.
I think the Gemstone is going to make a good "up the track" ball for house shots.
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Doug Sterner
Doug's Pro Shop
Owego, NY
http://dougsproshop@aol.com
www.dougsproshop.net
Lane 1 Buzzsaw...The Official Power Tool Of Bowling
For Real Time Interactive Bowling Conversation:
BowlingChat.net (http://"http://www.bowlingchat.net")
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I hope you're right Doug. I don't see it unless the oil is short and light and free of carry down. I'll get to try it tomorrow, but the first time I threw tha Gemstone on light oil when my Jolt solid polished was too much ball, I got the ball to the pocket with absolute no carry. That is with no surface adjustment or prior use. I'll write more after i throw the ball some more. I was just trying to get some feedback from someone else who threw the Gemstone.
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Nicanor (Ten On The Deck)
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Nicanor, I have put a few games on my Gemstones(2) as well, and they both roll very very heavy in the backend. I dont have much experience with my HRG but yeah, I can also see some similiarities from the two.
I even have mine laid out with both pin up drillings and they still dont seem to want to get through the heads that clean. I have much better time getting the Dynamo X2 through the heads vs. these balls. I can say though, I ahve shot some numbers with these balls... When the shot is fresh with clean backends, thats when this ball will shine. Even some of the bigger games I have on these, the ball didnt do anything fancy, just simply got it done.
I would suggest to some of the people fixing to buy one of these to go with a length drilling. I dont think the pin down stuff will work well... Just my 2 cents. Will continue to play more with these things... John
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Never had an HRG...but to compare the Gemstone to other recent balls stronger off the dry than my Mars or Neptune...weaker in lightish oil than my Link.
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Don't have the Mars, but my Neptune was much stronger then the first impression of the Gemstone. I'm not passing judgement, I could have been on the wrong lane condition or off my game that day, but my Blue dot was stronger then the Gemstone the first time i threw the ball. Hopefully I get a chance to throw it tomorrow.
Thanks for the replies.
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Nicanor (Ten On The Deck)
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Was it marketed as a weak resin ball??
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Yes. it's I, the Inverted One..
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quote:
Was it marketed as a weak resin ball??
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Yes. it's I, the Inverted One..
900Global doesn't release the strength ratings for Lane #1 and Seismic, but I would have to say yes, it was marketed as a weak resin. The price is in the entry-level range and the core is set up much the way Storm's entry-level Tropical series works.
Jess
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Lane #1 is marketing it for medium conditions:
"The sparkling Ruby/Saphire GemStone shines on all medium conditions."
quote:
Was it marketed as a weak resin ball??
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Yes. it's I, the Inverted One..
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Second day with the Gemstone was much better. But to me for my game, the Gemstone is not for medium oil.
The condition I got the Gemstone for was Monday mornings. Fresh stripped lane condition shorter oil strong back end. The Gemstone was great on this condition until we got some carry down, then I had to put it up. So with good ball speed and a fair amount of revs, this ball will be a very good light oil ball or second shift ball.
Thanks for the replies.
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Nicanor (Ten On The Deck)
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quote:
Second day with the Gemstone was much better. But to me for my game, the Gemstone is not for medium oil.
The condition I got the Gemstone for was Monday mornings. Fresh stripped lane condition shorter oil strong back end. The Gemstone was great on this condition until we got some carry down, then I had to put it up. So with good ball speed and a fair amount of revs, this ball will be a very good light oil ball or second shift ball.
Thanks for the replies.
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Nicanor (Ten On The Deck)
That's pretty much the take of my local Sawhead tester, too. Looking at the core, I expected it to not like carrydown (particularly if it exhibited HRG-like qualities). Watching him throw backed it up.
Our local guy uses it on two conditions: fresh with clean backends, and late in a block as the last step before going down to his Chainsaw.
He had it out the other night and swapped back and forth with his BuzzBomb/R and there was a pretty clear difference in reaction, i.e. the BB/R was a ton stronger, especially in the midlane. Of course, the BB/R to me has always been a midlane monster.
Jess
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The "weakness" of the Gemstone compared to other L#1 equipment is not surprising, given the high RG of this ball. The only other L#1 ball with a higher RG was the Crystal Diamond Buzzsaw, and the HRG comes in lower:
15 lb RG Min RG Max Diff
Gemstone 2.61 2.653 .043
Clear Buzzsaw 2.654 2.666 .012
Uranium HRG 2.55 2.583 .033
Even my Bullet, which moves very little, has a lower RG than the Gemstone. This seems like a good down-and-in ball. I just watched djbigsmooth's video as he pipes the Gemstone up the second arrow for devastating effect: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MRvyk_k2gbY
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Thanks for those numbers doug... Thats very good to know. John
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After watching the big smooths video I have to say I need to drill this ball... and NOW!!!!
That is exactly the reaction I have been in search of for our house shot....wow I can't wait!!!!
A ball that doesn't start up at 25 feet and turn left at the enfd of the pattern...WOW!!! I am stoked!!!!
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Doug Sterner
Doug's Pro Shop
Owego, NY
http://dougsproshop@aol.com
www.dougsproshop.net
Lane 1 Buzzsaw...The Official Power Tool Of Bowling
For Real Time Interactive Bowling Conversation:
BowlingChat.net (http://"http://www.bowlingchat.net")