Our pro shop installed the switch-a-grip many moons ago. We installed them in virtually everyone's equipment because if you can just get that one thumb perfect, then all of your balls would feel great. Then after a few weeks of use, we started seeing problems with the system "wearing" out. It was from a few different bowlers, some that use 2 balls, others that use 4 or 5. It didn't matter, the knobs on the ends were wearing out and they wouldn't hold. So we then ordered the Vise IT system. Needless to say, we have yet to have one thumb wear, break, or even have any troubles at all. Since then, we have completely stocked our pro shop with the IT. This system is hands down the the best thumb changing system on the market. Hope this helps...
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Rainbow Lanes Pro Shop, Clayton, NC

Vise Grip Staff "choice of champions"


Edited on 8/16/2009 1:22 AM

If u want to use switch thumb Us iT forget the swtich grip is blows. Both has its problems but iT is better.

i have the newer ones... the 3rd design I believe and I havent had a problem at all and I use it across 5 balls for the last 3-4 months. and my brother has had it for about a month now on 2 balls and no problems either.

but if I had the choice id get the IT.

Id be using the IT but when my pro shop guy went to the expo vise didnt show up at all and worse the man supposed to operate the booth didnt even receive a phone call that they werent coming. (not sure if its true but I trust my pro shop guy) nothing I can do when something like that happens. Ive been happy with my switch grips but I also did refuse to get the 1st or 2nd gen inners.
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tournament average: 219

tweener
medium revs
medium speed
specs and ball layouts in profile

currently throwing
Visionary (O.P. / O. SS. / Glad S.)
Rotogrip (rogue cell)
lanemasters (black pearl)

I think the latest versions of the Switch Grip have been improved and are probably pretty good for most bowlers.  Lou Marquez posted on allbowling.com that NOW Turbo recommends that the Switch Grip is NOT for all bowlers.  I happen to be one of them.  I like my thumb holes very tight, which I would say I have very little grip pressure, but my thumb being tight pulled on the tabs.

Below is one of Lou's quotes with my reply.

http://www.allbowling.com/forum/showthread.php?t=40218

quote:

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 Originally Posted by Turbocoach  View Post
JoeyC,

Our first generation products were not intended for all of the bowling public it was intended for bowlers with clean releases not so snug of a thumb but bowlers who varied greatly in size during competition, we can't stop drillers from try to recommend the product to bowlers who have tendencies of excessive grip pressure, tight thumb holes or excessive torque at release.
As we handled these issues by a case by case basis and learned more about the varying styles we made changes to the product through revisions. We are now comfortable in saying that all styles can now handle the product safely without failure.
I'm really glad you found a product that fits your needs, all I’m saying is that when the tech calls and product replacement come to my desk for approval it was so small of a percent that it’s negligible at best and glad that they have stopped based on these revisions. Now my calls are to help shops with their first installation and how to extend the lifespan of the product or tweak the product from core expansion and contraction issues which all interchangeable thumb products will go through over time. Some companies are just too new to see future problems yet and some are experiencing them currently.
Just seems that some people make our product seem that it’s the worst thing to come along. We have many shops daily looking to turbo to buy this product and many others have had great success with the product for their customers ver 6 years. If our product was so bad then why would we continue to increase sales on a daily basis.

I wish you continued success in your bowling this season

Peace
Turbo Coach
Funny how this was never mentioned at that time. My issue was not so much with the product, but how you treated me. I and/or my customers broke many of the early ones. You/Turbo never mentioned anything from the above statement. EVERY time you stated that it was driller error. I installed 100's of Switch Grips. I ate the cost on replacing broken ones regularly, as Turbo would not replace them. There was no other interchangeable thumb system at the time. I was one of the early shops to get the Switch Grip, I think before you were there Lou. Definitely before the stopper came factory installed, Lori had to send me one. I will let my reputation speak for me, I know/knew what I was doing, there was NO driller error 60-100 times.

I was and am on Vise staff. I was still using the Switch Grip any way, just thought it was great. It hurt physically when I broke them, but I stood behind them anyway. During the 2007 Tour Trials, my Inner broke during the first day's practice session, I could tell it was coming, and had been using this one for a number of months. Jeff Carter gave me a blank inner from his own stock, and the pro shop at the Trials drilled the new one as he installed them regularly. On day 5, some 40 games and some practice sessions in, this brand new inner shattered into multiple pieces with my ball going up about 8-10 feet in the air and coming down onto the pair next to me. Jim Nesbitt, owner/pres of Vise, was sitting behind me, following my cross as he is good friends with a player I was crossing with. A piece of the the inner landed on the table he was sitting at! (While wearing my Vise patches, nice) Jim didn't get mad, upset, nothing. He asked if he could have my shattered inner, at that time, he decided to re-design the interchangeable thumb they were working on. He didn't want this to EVER happen to another bowler.

I have had many conversations and emails with Jim, NEVER once did he bad mouth Turbo, only tried to speak of what he wanted his product to do. He has been nothing but above and beyond professional dealing with me. I don't know why. Technically, I violated my contract. He probably should have dumped me. He took me to dinner the day of the Tour Trials, has since sent me an embroidered golf bag (I don't play golf) and all the grips and IT's I need since being in Oklahoma.

I never got decent treatment from Turbo, except by Lori, who was always superb. She had been to my shop a couple times and always showed her gratitude for the amount of Turbo product that I kept in stock. Sorry Lou, I AM venting a little, but your post just struck me wrong, and you seemed to bad mouthing the competition while not ever mentioning their name yourself. Turbo never replaced any of my broken inners, it was always my fault. Yet, I kept selling them, and encouraged other shops in the Houston area to invest in them, I was at the forefront of getting then Joe Burnett Bowling Supply to order them and keep them in stock. I don't have anything bad or to say about you Lou, as I don't recall if I ever dealt with you personally, and have heard many good things about you, your knowledge, and your work. Like I said, TO ME, you came off with a "Holier Than Thou" attitude in your earlier post and combined with my dealings with Turbo persons over 2 years ago, I had to give my opinion.

I have to agree with an earlier poster, if Turbo's product was so good at the time, there wouldn't have to be 2nd, 3rd, 4th, D generations. In theory your competition, didn't have to bad mouth you, the product did it for you.

Mike Austin
(formerly) Mike Austin's Precision Pro Shop
Houston, TX

Sorry so long, Tony likes big boobs!

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Storm
Brunswick