BallReviews
General Category => Miscellaneous => Topic started by: Juggernaut on May 06, 2015, 10:38:32 AM
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Been bowling for quite a while now (since the late 70's/early 80's), and I've seen bowling go through all the changes. From the time rubber balls and wooden lanes were still popular, to the modern days of reactive resin and synthetic lanes.
"Back in the day", bowling balls used to last practically forever. Just clean it once in a while, and you were set for decades of fun.
My, how things change, which brings me to my question.
I used to buy LOTS of new balls. It wasn't unusual for me to have several of the same balls, with differing surfaces and drillings. At one point, I carried about 10-15 different urethane Hammers to tournaments with me.
But, I've gotten older, and have slowed WAY down. I don't really bowl many/any tournaments anymore, and my work schedule only allows for one league a week, so my question is, "How long can I realistically expect a good, modern ball to last?
The stuff I'm using now is from 2007/2008. I clean them like clockwork every time I bowl, and they seem to be doing just fine. Is this really possible, or am I just kidding myself?
Also, out of curiosity, how long is the shelf-life of a NIB reactive ball? I've got one in the closet from 1993..................
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I recently bowled with some old friends and neither of them had a ball newer than 2008, but the balls they mainly used were from late 90's, early 00's. This is on older wood lanes, so needing hook in a box certainly isn't necessary. Both were effective and averaged about as much as they thought they should.
I told one of the guys that if he had a couple newer balls, bowled on wide open house shots, and believed it possible, that he would average 25-30 pins more than he was. A new house opens in his hometown soon, so we'll see.
In a roundabout way, I'm trying to say that you have to ask yourself what you want/expect out of your bowling game now. If you are bowling once a week with a few tournaments you aren't expecting to win, then your equipment is likely the best matchup since you can predict their reactions. Newer equipment has potential for more hook and hitting power, but you may not like the reaction shape as they will likely be sharper than your current stuff. If your situation changes, then you will need newer equipment to keep pace with the leaders.
I've asked a few pro shop guys about older balls sitting and they all agreed that they should still be good provided the core doesn't settle. We've all seen balls crack.
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Unless you get a "bad" ball - one that loses reaction quickly and doesn't respond well to oil removal, modern balls should still last 5+ seasons. Super aggressive balls might have to eventually be moved down a slot in your arsenal, but unless you're highly competitive and bowling on very demanding conditions, the drop off in performance is really not that big. I think too many people blame bad performances or changing lane conditions on under performing balls.
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It has now been several years since I bowled a league or even darkened the doors of a center for a few games with an office party...but...that being said, I would have no qualms about continuing to use older equipment. Sure the shape may not be one that crosses a ton of boards, but the older stuff will still work.
The last office party we had, I took in a tote with a Sonic X and a Pearl Assault along with a second tote that had a Gold Grenade (polished urethane) and an old Roto RH (the Roto version of the Yellow Dot bleeder). I had looks to the pocket with all of them.
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Shot 300 to win a tourney last summer with my original Blue Midnight Quantum. The original 3 (Forest Green, Midnight Blue, and Scarlet) were introduced in 1994. Not too bad for a ball 20 years old.
I also regularly use Robo Rules from the old Track regime that came out in 2004. Still hit great and works on everything I have seen. I bowled on the Tokyo sport pattern last week and needed my 3rd strongest Robo to tackle the pattern. Shot over 700 with it.
My only new ball is an Arctic Sniper from Motiv. The Robos are my next newest stuff, a decade old now.
3835
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I bought a Columbia Power Surge when it was issued in 1999 and used it for nearly 10 years. I cleaned the ball at the lanes after nearly every series and resurfaced the ball once. The Surge's reaction was still pretty good after many, many games. With that neon purple coverstock, it also looked great turning the corner. I retired the Surge mainly because it was 16 lbs., and I was moving to 15 lbs. But it was one helluva ball in its prime.
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I have a Columbia black U-dot (1987) that I use as my primary spare ball. I can use it as a second or third piece in the bag on a THS or a piece late in a block on a torn up tournament shot.
Also, I have a Fab Blue Hammer and a Fab Burgundy Hammer (both purchased in 1994) that are my second and third choice, respectively, for a spare ball. I have used the Blue Hammer on the WTBA Athens pattern and PBA Cheetah pattern.
I have one other piece, a Track Sensor II (pearl reactive purchased in 1995), that I've used on a THS during pot games. Back in the day on wood lanes, that ball hit HARD. I could use it on the fresh and it haf more down lane motion than my Blue Hammer.
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It really depends on what you are looking for in the ball. Most disappointing balls are those that guys buy as hook monster with a lot of surface. They lose reaction quickly and I have always found it difficult to maintain or return such balls to box condition. This was an issue even back in the urethane era where strong balls often came at 500 grit box condition. Those urethanes also soaked up oil, and the oil penetration made it difficult to return those balls to their performance out of the box
Balls that are bought primarily for house conditions can last a long time if you aren't looking for a super aggressive surface, which is really not necessary anyway on house shots.
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Thanks for all the replies guys.
Like I said, I've become the old guy that bowls one league, in one house, on a reasonably easy THS. As long as you've got a decent release, and are reasonably accurate, you're going to hit the pocket a lot.
I just want something that will read the oil pattern, and still finish. Like I said, my 7/8 year old stuff is still passing the "eye" test, but sometimes the carry seems "off". Just figured most of that was me and not being nearly as sharp as I used to be, and not that the equipment was "worn out".
There is some cool looking stuff out there right now, maybe I should just break down and get something newer for next season, eh?
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For some reason I find my older stuff on a house shot works the best.
I have a Brunswick Diamond Back I polished a few years ago I shot 300, 3rd week of the season with it this year. I also have a Lane 1 Enriched Uranium. Mid season I brought that back out and had six week straight weeks nothing under 700 with a 795 and 96 clean in a row with an ave of 248 during that time. When I buy new stuff it is for my Sport league and tournaments. I clean them after each use and resurface after 30-50 games and try and extract the oil also. So I keep going back to my old stuff when ever I get in a slump and for some reason it gets me out of it.
I think both ball are between 8-10 years old & the lane 1 has over 500 games on it
Just my .02
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For some reason I find my older stuff on a house shot works the best.
I have a Brunswick Diamond Back I polished a few years ago I shot 300, 3rd week of the season with it this year. I also have a Lane 1 Enriched Uranium. Mid season I brought that back out and had six week straight weeks nothing under 700 with a 795 and 96 clean in a row with an ave of 248 during that time. When I buy new stuff it is for my Sport league and tournaments. I clean them after each use and resurface after 30-50 games and try and extract the oil also. So I keep going back to my old stuff when ever I get in a slump and for some reason it gets me out of it.
I think both ball are between 8-10 years old & the lane 1 has over 500 games on it
Just my .02
Older balls aren't so aggressive off the friction, which helps a lot.
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One of my most favorite balls ever is my Clutch Pearl, which is 6 years old? Love it so much I am sitting on a nib one just in case! Still works just fine.
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have a 900 Global Break pearl thats over 8 years old and still shooting 300s & 800 sets with it, as long as you take care of your equipment and keep them clean I dont see why they wouldnt last 10 plus years if not more.
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I bowl with two Dynothane Vendettas (original and particle). Bought them in 2004/2005 and some of the most reliable and snappy equipment I have.
I maintain them religiously with our products to protect them from ball death. The next few sandings the originals serial will be removed so I need to get that engraved back into the coverstock.
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The balls in question are an AMF Code, an AMF Hype reactive, and a Bwick Fury. They've been maintained really well, and like I said, they still pass the "looks great going down the lane" test.
With all the talk seeming to focus on the new conditioners killing the covers on modern balls, it's good to hear I'm not the only guy throwing rocks from 7/8 years ago and getting decent results.
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Bruns Fury was a ball that was hyped as a super strong piece of equipment. However it quickly morphed into a very pedestrian piece of equipment. Not bad on a house shot, but couldn't handle the heavy flatter patterns that I purchased it for.
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Bruns Fury was a ball that was hyped as a super strong piece of equipment. However it quickly morphed into a very pedestrian piece of equipment. Not bad on a house shot, but couldn't handle the heavy flatter patterns that I purchased it for.
I had one of them. It could handle the heaviest oil...for about 5 frames. I could clean it with a strong cleaner like Lane Masters and it would be right back to being an oil monster, for about 5 frames. It became "oil shined" faster than any ball I have seen. If you used it in shadow, forget it, by the first or second frame it was done on heavy oil until you cleaned it. It did OK on medium oil after becoming shined though.
You could put it a ball oven after maybe 30 games and oil would pour out of the ball. It was way too maintenance intensive to be practical.
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I still have balls from the 90's, and 00's that work just fine and I use them regularly. But I am the exception to a lot of rules because I refused to re-learn how to bowl and continue to hit up on the ball a lot. So the more aggressive modern coverstocks are just too much for me personally. But the older stuff works just fine because I can create angle and reaction with my hand.
But as far as the ball itself, they probably have 1000's of games on them. They get de-oiled and resurfaced on a yearly basis and work just fine year after year.
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I believe that if the balls are properly maintained they can last as long as they haven't cracked. I still use my Total NV from time to time when I want a different look. A lot of my other balls have cracked over the years in my garage or storage. If they haven't I would probably still use them as well.
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I had one of them. (FURY)
It became "oil shined" faster than any ball I have seen. If you used it in shadow, forget it, by the first or second frame it was done on heavy oil until you cleaned it. It did OK on medium oil after becoming shined though.
Funny you say it this way. I bought it from a guy who had put 3-4 games on it, and complained it was already dying on him. I got it cheap, cleaned it good, and never used it on anything more than a THS. I don't think it has ever been resurfaced, just cleaned good and scuffed with a green scotchbrite every once in a while.
I am the exception to a lot of rules because I refused to re-learn how to bowl and continue to hit up on the ball a lot. So the more aggressive modern coverstocks are just too much for me personally. But the older stuff works just fine because I can create angle and reaction with my hand.
Man, you sound so much like me that it isn't even funny. I was in that same position, and state of mind as well, until I got to the point I was only bowling three games a week. Not bowling much, plus my now 54 years of age, have conspired to weaken my release to the point I would no longer be considered even close to the cranker I once was. Still pretty accurate, but little more than a stroker now.
I can still do it, but it is no longer the "natural feel" that it once was, and for that style to be consistent, it has to feel "right", and you have to be sharp. It no longer does, and I no longer am. 😩 😕
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Too many people concentrate on reaction on the fresh. You make your money through transition and a lot of times the strong ball from 6-7 years ago is the ticket.
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Strongest balls I carry in my bag are Black Widow Legend, and Marvel Pearl. I only use the legend on very long patterns or occasional house shots. Tamer ( older ) stuff usually works better on house shots. Note how the trend for all manufacturers is to tamer straighter stuff like Tropical Breeze, Freeze, Arson Low Flare and Ride. Lots of other examples I am leaving out, but those are a few I am most familiar with
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Strongest balls I carry in my bag are Black Widow Legend, and Marvel Pearl. I only use the legend on very long patterns or occasional house shots. Tamer ( older ) stuff usually works better on house shots. Note how the trend for all manufacturers is to tamer straighter stuff like Tropical Breeze, Freeze, Arson Low Flare and Ride. Lots of other examples I am leaving out, but those are a few I am most familiar with
As some people I've heard say, the "Big Hook" sells balls but "control" wins the money.
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As mentioned before technology for covers hasn't changed much since proactive bowling balls. Understanding of ball surface and surface finishes however have obviously changed. Any ball, especially more recent balls will last a lot longer then people give credit if the ball is maintained.
We have learned thanks to technology how quickly a bowling balls surface can change to some degree just over three games. This along with the occasional de-oiling of bowling balls will make a huge difference in the long lasting and continued desired reaction of a bowling ball.
After making my own bowling ball oven I have been amazed by some of the bowling balls that absorb oil and some that do not. I have seen some high performance bowling balls never bleed a drop, and some that bleed a lot. I have also seen the same from lower performance balls. Most lower performance/entry level type balls require much less maintenance. Typically they are polished, and they typically do not soak up much or any oil.
The balls you have listed I think will have no issues if you continue to keep them clean, pay attention to surface you wish to keep, and occasionally have them de-oiled. Most people prefer to just go on to the next these days because they want to buy the hype instead of doing some simple maintenance.
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As mentioned before technology for covers hasn't changed much since proactive bowling balls. Understanding of ball surface and surface finishes however have obviously changed. Any ball, especially more recent balls will last a lot longer then people give credit if the ball is maintained.
We have learned thanks to technology how quickly a bowling balls surface can change to some degree just over three games. This along with the occasional de-oiling of bowling balls will make a huge difference in the long lasting and continued desired reaction of a bowling ball.
After making my own bowling ball oven I have been amazed by some of the bowling balls that absorb oil and some that do not. I have seen some high performance bowling balls never bleed a drop, and some that bleed a lot. I have also seen the same from lower performance balls. Most lower performance/entry level type balls require much less maintenance. Typically they are polished, and they typically do not soak up much or any oil.
The balls you have listed I think will have no issues if you continue to keep them clean, pay attention to surface you wish to keep, and occasionally have them de-oiled. Most people prefer to just go on to the next these days because they want to buy the hype instead of doing some simple maintenance.
Not always, some guys just simply enjoy buying new balls. Older, wealthy, retired guy I know buys 2-3 balls a week. Its his hobby.
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True, ive bought a lot and learned a lot from it. Mainly how little difference there is lol. Its hard to convince people sometimes how big the payoff can be on surface and maintenance when buying something new is the sexier choice.