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Author Topic: Brand loyal?  (Read 8662 times)

Metal_rules

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Brand loyal?
« on: February 21, 2013, 11:53:04 AM »
I would like to here some opinions on brand choices? Do you stick with one company / brand or do you use any brand? I know staffers have to use only the brand they signed with, but I am not a staffer an I choose to use ROTO GRIP. My reason is easy, I do match up well with their equipment. I like the way it rolls and hits. so I am sticking with them. I don't feel that I am missing out on other company's equipment because I am confident that the choices I am making are the best for me at this time, so why experiment? whats your take?
« Last Edit: February 21, 2013, 11:55:38 AM by Metal_rules »
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storm22

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Re: Brand loyal?
« Reply #16 on: February 21, 2013, 08:19:25 PM »
I'm a Storm guy through and through.  Just match up well with me.  Would like to try everything, but as JPbowling said above, finances and a wife get in the way of that. LOL

RSalas

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Re: Brand loyal?
« Reply #17 on: February 21, 2013, 11:36:15 PM »
I'll throw anything that will strike.

It helps that I know a guy who gives me great equipment advice.  You all know him as JustRico.   ;)
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billdozer

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Re: Brand loyal?
« Reply #18 on: February 22, 2013, 12:00:48 AM »
Im usually utah only only because I have more success with it, and I get less equipment that doesnt match up with me.  I do try to pick up most of the latest and greatest of each company especially when a new piece is making quite a bit of buzz..
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sdbowler

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Re: Brand loyal?
« Reply #19 on: February 22, 2013, 10:50:41 AM »
Totally a personal preference, person by person thing. While it is nice to pick and choose between companies, finding balls that work together designed by different companies becomes more difficult, whereas if you stay with one brand and they design balls the right way, there tends to be alot less gaps between balls. Just my take.
What I have said for years. Easier to stick with say Brunswick and pick their equipment to fill in gaps. I use to be loyal to Track way back when Columbia made them in Texas. Nobody used them up here so it was nice to have stuff nobody else had. Made it easy to find my equipment that way as well. Switched to Brunswick thanks to a friend who worked at the Nationals booth. Makes it easy to decide on a new ball knowing you want from that company. Now yes there are also issues with being loyal to one brand. Lots and lots of great equipment out in the market.

tommyboy74

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Re: Brand loyal?
« Reply #20 on: February 22, 2013, 12:21:14 PM »
Currently I have balls from Storm, Roto Grip, Track, Ebonite and Hammer.  However, I use my Roto Grip/Storm arsenal almost exclusively now.  It's because the reaction shapes and the core/cover combos have matched up better for me than any other brand.  Plus, I find that the Storm/RG lines allow me to more easily mix/match balls to fit practically any pattern I face.

I will say the Hammer/Ebonite/Track stuff has been pretty good though.  Just a touch more condition specific than I would like and the reaction shapes don't always match as well.  But, the Track 505T was and is the best out of any EBI ball I've thrown.  That ball still gets some pretty good use when the medium patterns around here have a bit more volume.
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Heavy:
MOTIV Jackal Legacy
MOTIV Mythic Jackal

Med-Heavy:
MOTIV Trident Odyssey
MOTIV Forge Fire
MOTIV Covert Revolt

Medium:
MOTIV VIP ExJ Sigma
MOTIV Sigma Sting
MOTIV Pride Solid

Medium-Light
MOTIV Venom Shock
MOTIV Tribal Fire

completebowler

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Re: Brand loyal?
« Reply #21 on: February 22, 2013, 05:10:58 PM »
To me it makes no sense to limit yourself to one company. All it takes is learning some basics about core shapes and numbers and which companies offer what covers. I can build a complete arsenal tomorrow of 5 balls from 5 brands without missing a beat.

The Resurgence core featured in about 8 Columbia balls at this point is one of the best and most unique ever. Very rolly and predictable without giving up hit. Storm makes great high end covers....then just works them down the product line by using milder cores and cover prep. Ebonite has probably the best entry level ball with the Cyclone.

I would be able to deal with any condition with an original Cyclone, Eruption, Crossroad, Nano Pearl, and Nightmare. And cover prep is what makes the matchup....not the company. Look for stuff that users say handles cover adjustments well and you can't go wrong.

Or keep doing what you're doing and getting the same result.

Gizmo823

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Re: Brand loyal?
« Reply #22 on: February 23, 2013, 03:47:30 PM »
I used to be brand loyal, and there are some pros and cons.  First of all, most companies equipment tends to ROLL very similar.  For instance Brunswick tends to be early and smooth, Storm tends to be long and strong.  However, being that you want several different looks in your bag, staying within a brand can limit your choices.  At the same time, if one brand fits your style better, you will have a lot better idea what you're getting from each new ball you buy, it will be different but still feel familiar.  Being in the pro shop industry for so long, I feel that I have a very good grasp of equipment in general and have only just recently started comparing balls individually regardless of what company makes them.  However, most companies swing back and forth.  Hammer will have some really good pieces out while Brunswick puts out a couple duds, and then it will swing the other way.  I usually use one brand at a time, but with each successive purchase may choose balls from a different brand.  I currently have a Motiv Sigma Tour, a Deep Purple Taboo, a yellow pearl Misfit and a Brutal Nightmare, but really only throw the DV8s, the others I keep for certain looks or very specific conditions or shot shapes.  Might get on a Storm kick next or maybe go back to Hammer or Motiv.  Ultimately though, I don't especially support unending brand loyalty, but I do believe it's more beneficial than hopping around. 
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sdbowler

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Re: Brand loyal?
« Reply #23 on: February 23, 2013, 04:17:21 PM »
Completebowler I will tend to disagree with you that it is all cover prep and not the company. I have seen bowlers try many balls from one company and make adjustments to each ball to try to make the ball work, from surface prep to lay outs. They switch to a different company and there it is. So yeah it can be the company. Just from what I have seen in my years of being in the sport. Sometimes yes it is ball to ball from the company I will agree with anyone on that. Myself I have tried Storm and it did not work well for me. Wasn't bad but not great. When I switched from Track to Brunswick everything clicked right away for the better for me.

Whos Left

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Re: Brand loyal?
« Reply #24 on: February 23, 2013, 04:37:26 PM »
I think that anyone who uses sound reasoning for any decisions about what balls
to use is probably correct.

DP3

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Re: Brand loyal?
« Reply #25 on: February 23, 2013, 06:23:57 PM »
It takes two things to make an arsenal over a lot of different brands.

1) A lot of research by the user which calls for attention to the lineage of the company's covers, cores, and attributes.

2) A lot of trust of your driller to guide you along with layouts and cover prep.  No standard layouts, polishes will work the same over multiple companies.

Both of those are things that a lot of bowlers are either, not willing to do on their own, don't have access to the proper tools/drillers/info to help progress their game, or they try to do these things on their own and get it wrong.

Sticking with one company does these things for the average bowler:

1) Creates a sense of belonging. 
- It's human nature.  People love to tout themselves as a Ford/Chevy/Honda/Jeep guy.  The brand awareness creates a sense of brotherhood.  The way that the bowling industry is now, advertising is way too expensive on a national level.  The amateur staffers and "company advocates" are the main sources of advertising directly to the consumer.

2) It takes out the guesswork for the bowler who isn't willing to research on their own.
- Common sense that Company A comes out with a new Solid reactive that performs well for a lot of players then the Pearl counterpart is going to get down the lane a bit easier and have a more angular reaction.  If that series is too strong for the condition, ball down/up to the next line of balls that the company has.

Another thing, is that there's no set industry standard for ball strength ratings.  Ask 100 different people, "What's stronger? A C-System Versamax, a Storm Hyroad, a Columbia Eruption?" And you'll get 100 different answers.  Get all three of those balls in your arsenal and you could have major overlap, or you could have a three ball arsenal that could tackle anything you see.

Topics like these are things that I'll be covering on my upcoming bowling podcast project set for this summer. 

Metal_rules

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Re: Brand loyal?
« Reply #26 on: February 26, 2013, 04:52:47 PM »
It looks like we have many different takes on this topic. but I still feel that sticking with one company is the best, at least for me. I know when to ball up or down. I know when the cover needs to be adjusted. I would need to do allot more research with different brands, so I feel this is the best way for me and I like Roto Grip because it does match up with my game. Would other brands match up, probally yes, but my game has improved, so why change? I will stay with what I am having success with so far. To each his own.
« Last Edit: February 26, 2013, 05:01:06 PM by Metal_rules »
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900DJ

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Re: Brand loyal?
« Reply #27 on: February 26, 2013, 08:26:34 PM »
900 global/amf matches my game the best of everything that I have tried, but I did love the ransom demand from columbia.  Looking to try a storm ball next!

completebowler

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Re: Brand loyal?
« Reply #28 on: March 04, 2013, 09:49:23 PM »
Every company hits a home run from time to time. Virtual Gravity and Mission come to mind as recent examples. If, as an amateur player I were to say I am exclusively gonna use Brunswick then I would be limiting myself from two of the greatest balls ever. It makes no sense.

If you wanna use MOSTLY one brand I get that. But to say brand X is great and disregard other companies releases as being inferior then you just gave the advantage to the guy on the lane next to you.

I have personal reasons I don't use certain stuff. Has nothing to do with performance of the equipment. Right now, I am using a lot of Storm stuff as it matches up to the house and pattern I am bowling on. But I have used a TON of EBI stuff over the years, used to use a bunch of Brunswick. Roto Grip to me is the same as Storm.....minor tweaks between the two brands....very minor.

Finally, as far as a certain brand matching up to a bowler this is one of the great myths of bowling. Balls match a condition....not a bowler. And most of why a ball matches a certain condition is cover prep. To prove my point I would be willing to drill someone their favorite ball/brand and then their least favorite ball/brand. I guarantee if I mess with the covers I could make their favorite ball loom like a turd and the other one look like a gem.

Covers dictate match up. Cores dictate shape. This isn't opinion....it is a fact.

RaginCajun

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Re: Brand loyal?
« Reply #29 on: March 05, 2013, 06:02:39 PM »
Years ago I was brand loyal with Track. Then they went to the # balls
and I didnt like any of them. Went and tried some other brands for a
couple years. Now i'm stuck on Brunswick because their equipment has
been real good to me. I love the Nexus line and the C-System line
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