...for the first time, I shoot what would be a good game score-wise: 208. Now here's the issue.

I bought this ball about a year ago to try out a ball with the original Bomb core. I already owned a Dirty Bomb by that time and didn't like it, but that ball had short pin-to-PAP and CG-to-PAP numbers.

So I get the HDB and drill it "thumb leverage" on the drill sheet. This basically comes out to 4.25 x 3.75 with the pin over the bridge. Call it "thumb leverage" or whatever you like but on other balls, this is a drilling I've had a lot of luck with, especially on solid coverstocks. Tends to get down the lane a good bit, make a decently hard turn to the pocket and carry well.

The HDB comes from the factory with what feels like a 600 or 800 matte finish. Given the reputation of the Bomb core and with this surface on the ball, I was expecting an oiler, or at least something I could play on heavy shots.

That didn't turn out to be the case. I'd get this weird angular motion from the ball on mediums even with a solid coverstock with surface. I posted a review 6/22/08 and was kind to the ball but at the same time noted some of the weirdness I was seeing. As 2008 ended, the ball had worked itself out of my bag completely.

So when I got ready to sell off some equipment recently, I thought about this ball. But I decided to polish it up first and see what happened, since solids with pin-over-bridge drillings for me tend to like that. So I left the finish at box level but polished it with Storm ReactaShine.

Tonight, I didn't start with that ball. I started with something else on Lanes 1 and 2 in our league. That pair is noted in our house for being difficult. Typically, one lane will have hooking mids and slick backends, with the reverse on the other lane. Lanes 3 and 4 are worse. The oil machine "wakes up" starting on Lane 5, apparently.

On our pair tonight included the following: Rev-dominant slow-speed guy, top-level woman bowler throwing a spinner (and I mean her PAP is like 2 over 2 up), speed-dominant low rev senior bowler, me (tweener), guy who throws 25-mph rockets straight at the pocket (and I mean straight) with a conventionally-drilled Hammer No Mercy.

I open up with 179 that includes either six or seven strikes, and nothing else but splits, none of which I convert.

Second game -- get ready to laugh -- I shoot 137 with four splits, a flagged 10-pin and 2 makeable spares that I chopped. I switch to the HDB in the 10th and go X9/ and figure it can't be worse in the third game.

Now, here's the strange part: Rev-dominant guy has already moved to plastic. Female spinner is almost in front of the ball return. Speed-dominant low-rev senior has already backed down to a Tornado polished up so high you can see yourself in it.

Me? I'm standing right of where I usually stand, hand almost completely under the HDB, playing down and in and still having trouble getting it to finish (until about the 7th frame). I shot 208 with one split and one missed spare (10-pin) and at least a couple of doubles. I had a good ball reaction overall. Ball lopes through the heads even better than my HRG, then revs up and has great continuation.

But is the HDB a dry-lane ball? Even with a pin-up drill and polish, I wouldn't figure this thing to be weaker than almost everything else I own. At this weakness, I'm not sure how much use it would have for me on any other given night.

I love the Diamond cores. I like the WAS core. I like the Fusion core. And my first two experiences with a BuzzBomb/R suggest I REALLY am going to like the Doomsday core. But the original Bomb core, I'm not so sure.

Anyone else throw the HDB and can comment?

Jess

I had some of the same issues with both of my HDB's though nowhere near to the extent you are saying. What I experienced was that as the lanes transitioned I would go from playing it straight up about 8 to 6 (which I thought was less than expected from the ball) and when I would make a two and one move right the ball would lose all energy. I believe it is a match up issue which is to say that for me and my brother, both tweeners, the original bomb core does not work well. Have had 7 between us and all are either sold or collecting dust in basement.

Would not go so far as to say that this core is a dud, couple of friends with higher rev rates have destroyed the lanes with my stuff, just seems to me to play better for people with bigger hand. I personally had the same issue to a lesser degree with the BuzzBomb. That said, like most Lane 1's the hit is still fabulous when the balls are lined up.