First off I have to thank Richie and Chuck for getting this piece to me so quickly. They both feel this is going to be the best ball of the Massacre line and I have to agree thus far.

Here''s an actual picture of the ball:
http://www.dougsproshop.net/images/MyArsenal/bluedeath1.jpg

The colors of this ball are very sharp and striking. It''s perhaps the best looking ball they have ever produced.

The ball they sent me has a 3-4 pin and a top wt of 4-3/4 oz. I was worried about the high top wt due to the drilling I had in mind but it proved to be no problem.

I wanted a ball to complement my Lunatic and Red Death. I drilled the Blue Death very similar to the Lunatic figuring I could use them in tandem after the Red Death started hooking too much.

So I settled on a 35* x 5-1/4 x 75* layout with a 1"x2" weighthole at the P3 location...

http://www.dougsproshop.net/images/MyArsenal/bluedeathlayout.jpg

I have been struggling with my grip a bit lately so I had Mr Mo Pinel himself refit me at a recent seminar I attended. The Blue Death is the first new bal lI have drilled using his measurements. I am not sure if it is the ball or the new fit that renewed my bowling but I had an awesome night tonight with the ball.

First game I started standing 27 and playing 15 to 8. The ball revved very easily down the lane, picked up the roll at 40 feet and just exploded on the backend. The hit of this ball is by far better than anything I have used recently. The old trademark Lane 1 CRACK at the pins is back. I pitched the ball out a bit too far in the 4th frame and the ball cut early and left me the 6-9-10. I struck until the 2nd ball in the 10th where I had a thumb malfunction and dumped the ball into the right channel, made the spare for a 257 out of the box. Very happy.

Game 2 was a measly 206 due to some operator error and again needing some fine tuning on the thumbhole. I made a small adjustment of 3 and 2 through the game but that was all.

Game 3 saw me open with a 4 bagger then I left back to back 10 pins followed by back to back 9 pins. I made a move back right and struck out the rest of the way.

Total for the night was 685 which is my high on the season. However the thing that impresses me about the set is the lack of moves I had to make on the approach. Normally I would have moved in excess of 10-12 boards but the Blue Death held the line very well and allowed me to stay in the pocket.

I am very impressed with the Blue Death thus far. In my opinion this ball beats out the Dynamo X-2, Red Death, Dynamo and Massacre.

This is the "Gotta Try" ball from Lane 1 this fall.
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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:
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Edited on 11/28/2009 7:40 PM

Ive only got about 10 frames on my tester on a burnt up shot ,but the glimpse I saw of this ball is a very good reaction even on the toasted shot, clean up front with a nice hard change of direction, looks every bit as impressive as the Red death, will be shooting on a fresh heavier shot tonight and will get a true feedback on it

thus far tho Doug is right on, a must have
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www.bowlingballexchange.com

Triggerman

F.O.S Loud, F.O.S. Proud

Lane #1 Baby

Our house shot is very finicky and balls that get lots of length tend to have over/under issues. Balls that roll too much get too much midlane and by the end of game 2 you are scratching your head.

The Blue Death gets length but not too much, has backend but not too much but most importantly it hits and hits HARD.

I don't see any medium oil condition where this ball WON'T be able to be used. The versatility of the core and coverstock should lend themselves to any style of bowler on a medium condition. I can also see this ball being successful on longer Sport patterns due to the recovery potential of the ball.

I feel Lane 1 should have saved their "Ball of the Year" campaign for this ball... the ball is THAT good.
--------------------
Doug Sterner
Doug's Pro Shop
Owego, NY
http://dougsproshop@aol.com
www.dougsproshop.net
Lane 1 Buzzsaw...The Official Power Tool Of Bowling
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rolled mine the whole set last night, it is drilled almost identical to my red death (red death has 4" pin this has 3" pin) with the blue I am 5 boards right of the red at my feet, 3 boards right at the arrows with the same break point (I can get the blue wider with out the over reaction i see out of the red) the Blue death for me is about 2 feet longer then the Red death, both balls targeting the 8 board at the break, red death starts its move about 42 feet whereas the Blue is about the 44-45 foot mark  carry was exceptional and easy easy length, love the fact I can get up and throw both as hard as I want and get great reactions out of them, Blue death is definitely a great compliment to the Red death, so much so on a house shot, I would have trouble picking one over the other, it would come down to which line gave me the best carry percetage
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www.bowlingballexchange.com

Triggerman

F.O.S Loud, F.O.S. Proud

Lane #1 Baby

Well Randy it's tough to say because I don't really care for my X-2 all that much. I have tried it at various finishes and I have yet to find one I am satisfied with.

I have my X-2 drilled pin over ring with cg out and a small hole 1" below my PAP. Traditionally this has been a very good layout for me but I am just struggling with the X-2. I am seeing a lot of over/under at higher grits and too much roll and weak hit with lower grits. The ball does hook...and hook quite a bit I just can't get the surface right to get the reaction I want WHERE I want it.

I liken the reaction I see here to be VERY similar to the pin under ring Supernova XP I had a few years back. I get more length with the Blue Death than I do most other Saws (except my Evolution) and the backend is strong but not super-snappy. It is angular enough to carry out the 10 pin at our house but not so angular that I am smacking 9 pins. Dare I say this in the Lane 1 forum? I threw the Brunswick C-System at the seminar last week and I am seeing a lot of the same TYPE of reaction out of the Blue death...it just has a different look overall....

As I have said I am still doping out my new grip so I will report more as I get more comfortable with the new grip.
--------------------
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

Doug,

Is that gloss ont he ball in your pictures, the stock OOB finish?

Thanks.
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"None are so blind as those who will not see."

Report for my second outing with the Blue Death.....

Used it in the same league on lanes 5-6 this time instead of 1-2.

Typical house shot again, 36 feet of oil buffed to 42 I am told. 55 units in the middle tapering to about 20 at the 10 board then a big drop down to like 6 at the 5 board. Prodigy oil over 40 year old wood lanes, professionally refinished over the summer.

Started practice with the Red Death. Then I switched over to the Blue Death since the red was going high. I had trouble getting to the pocket with the Blue but then I remembered...hey wait, this is a PEARL ball...slow down a bit. I have been using a lot of solids recently which have required me to keep the speed up. Slowed down just a touch and there was the shot...standing 27 playing 14 out to 8.

Threw the front 4 in practice, stoned a 9 pin, stoned another 9 pin then went sheet for a 268.

Game 2 saw a strike in the first frame then the alley owner came over and wanted a bowler's ball repaired. Needless to say I was a bit upset but I did it. Came back, the ball didn't come off my hand right and went high to leave me a washout. Picked up a pair then struck next frame. 4th frame left me the nice 4-6-7-9-10. By now my head is gone from the game and I shoot 181. I found something in the 10th so game 3 has promise.

Game 3....moved 2 left and 1 at the arrows as well as getting into the ball a bit more. 9 pin spare, strike, 10 pin miss off the sheet for 258.

The Blue Death has given me new life on our house pattern. The ball does not require area codes worth of moves and it holds the hitting power for the entire set. I am loving life so far....

The Blue Death is the best ball I have thrown in a long time. The Lunatic I was using is a great ball but the Blue Death gets a hair longer and has a better move on the backend and hits harder.

Again...try the Blue Death...it's the best ball I have used in a long time....


--------------------
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