crap thrown their way for using "old" designs in cores and covers - Elite, Lane Masters, to name a few were hated. Now bigger companies are starting to run out of ideas it seems and redoing old "vintage" balls.

From different "batches" you're not going to get the exact same ball. I have owned 3 hyroads from different years, two of which had the same layout. The current one I'm using, 2012 seems to have a quicker response off the dry. The first gen and second ones were a bit smoother.

I'm not well educated on ball tech and design, but I think you can only do so much to a ball before you start "renaming" and using fancy words to sell the same ball and ball design. This is the reason I buy mostly balls on clearance.

I've used storm strictly for over 5 years and I did okay. No $$ made and no honor scores, but I loved the hyroad on sport patterns. But using smaller companies like Lane Master, Lord Field, and Elite I have cashed and raised averages. In fact, I got a radical Rave on $49.95 at buddies (not really a big name company) and less than three months I made just under $500 with the ball. shot personal best (cashed) at the stadium on a non THS pattern (700+, 689) using lane masters and Lord fields with old designs two piece cores. With Storm, brunswick, and Ebonite, I haven't had the same experience.

Anyway, I don't follow ball companies like many of you, it's just I noticed over the last couple of years and most recently, there are more "remakes", "vintage", or name tweaks of an old ball from the past by the bigger companies.

Like the new tremendous? Same everything as the guru but you save $15!!!!! What a deal!!!!

I'm not complaining either. I don't see enough oil except for tournaments in Vegas to ever use stronger balls. I'll gladly take re-releases that fit in the medium to lighter oil categories. If it's not broke, it don't need fixing

LOL!  Yes, this is hilarious to me and “Tremendous-ly” disappointing at the same time.  I would have liked to believe that Radical was listening to their customers.
 
Let’s take a “Ridiculous” look at the situation regarding Radical’s two new balls.  Who in the world was asking for another Guru after five iterations of the same ball?
 
Remember this….  Guru, Guru Mighty, Guru Master, Guru Supreme, and the Guru Limited.   Five of them.  Now they trying to give bowlers the new “Tremendous”?!  That is just plain and simply, RIDICULOUS!  LOL.

Now the “QUICK FIX” is worse than the “Tremendous” to me.  In my opinion, it’s a tremendously bad idea.  Radical did their best to try to tell everyone that the “FIX” was the ball for all good bowlers because you could drill it anyway you wanted for a specific reaction out of the ball.  Symmetric or Asymmetric, you could get it drilled anyway you wanted for that desired reaction.  It didn’t matter because the one ball for all, the “FIX” would solve you issue on the lanes.  One ball for all!
 
Now they come out with the “QUICK FIX”, which is supposed to give you a quicker response in the back of the lane.  WAIT, Radical!  Just wait!  Didn’t you try to tell us that your “FIX” would be quick off the dry based upon certain drillings?  Wow!

Now you give bowlers the “QUICK FIX”?  It sound like someone is trying to make some quick “CASH” and it’s just tremendously obvious that the FIX is in for that ball junkie bowler, who just loves to buy new equipment.  LOL!
   
Say this like Eddie Murphy when he was imitating Ricky Ricardo from the old I Love Lucy shows….

Ah, HA, HA, HA…  It’ just a “RIDICULOUS”!!!

Peace!

At least when Lane #1 had Brunswick pouring their balls they were often producing superior balls (worth premium charged tougher call).  That diamond core (and others as well) at the time were a differentiator.  I agree largely what you say today however which is why many of the small fry (including Lane #1) are disappearing.  Still really enjoy how hard my Stealth Bomber (yes yes 900 poured) hits with that crazy mass bias (when I can find enough oil to use it) and was glad to get one of those NIB before they are gone.  On paper there are balls better for cheaper (especially since cover stock is now 5 years old) but its nice not to be throwing the same generic balls as everyone else sometimes (tournaments aside).  Or maybe I am just Judge Smails getting out Billy Baroo level obnoxious.