BallReviews

General Category => Miscellaneous => Topic started by: bamaster on April 28, 2004, 01:12:25 AM

Title: You ever buy a DUD?
Post by: bamaster on April 28, 2004, 01:12:25 AM

I've heard of people buy a certain ball that is supposed to hook off the lanes and then they say something like "it's a spare ball".  Never understood that.  I've never bought a ball that wasn't at least close to what I expected.

Now I HAVE drilled a ball badly and then once I redrilled it, it performed as expected.  Similarly, I have bought a ball that hooked much more than I hoped, but I am always able to calm the ball down with polish.

So, have you ever bought a ball that was a complete dud?

Tony
http://www.allBowling.com

Title: Re: You ever buy a DUD?
Post by: LuvThatWhiteDot on April 28, 2004, 04:16:55 PM

Striking Red 3-D Offset Hammer, the Super Hook.

My nicknames for it were Super Hookless and the 3-DUD

I also hated the Columbia Chaos.  I drilled it two different ways and it went as straight as a White Dot.  I sometimes think I got the only lemon they ever produced.
--------------------
White Dot
A friend will be there to bail you out of jail, but a REALLY good friend will be sitting next to you saying "Damn!  That was fun!"
http://faldo.atmos.uiuc.edu/FBL/mkting.html

Title: Re: You ever buy a DUD?
Post by: Goof1073 on April 28, 2004, 04:31:27 PM

The latest "DUD" for me was a Roto-Grip Fuel...that thing just didn't match up to my game at all.  But like Bob Hanson said...give it to someone else (which I did) and it will work wonders (which it did!).

There really isn't such a thing as a bad ball, just bad match-ups!  Ofcourse some balls have had their issues and only worked well for a few people.  Cases in point:  The old Phantoms and Helix's...both balls were very drilling specific!!!!

Title: Re: You ever buy a DUD?
Post by: heckler17 on April 28, 2004, 04:33:14 PM

Throttle/R, I was expecting that ball to take a left turn in the backend, but it didn't do sh*t...I also had a storm tour power, that was that biggest POS i've ever owned...but i've seen good reviews for these balls, more for the tour power...

Title: Re: You ever buy a DUD?
Post by: bamaster on April 28, 2004, 04:43:33 PM

The Tour Power was probably the best ball I ever put in my hand.  Absolutely the most readable control ball ever manufactured.  

They didn't sell worth crap because they didn't hook out the house.  But they really were popular with the Tour boys.  Many of them still use it.  

I still have mine, although I can't use it because I have a contract with Dyno-thane.  But one day.... I will use it again.

Tony

Title: Re: You ever buy a DUD?
Post by: LuckyLefty on April 28, 2004, 04:49:00 PM

Yeah, I've had a couple of real duds and other's liked them.

For me
Nighthawk Menace,(sanded it probably when particle balls were brand new and probably shouldn't have been sanded), never did one damn thing good with it!
Ebonite Vortex II, no top weight just never hit.  Command Zone arc drilled cg way down just was so early could never use it!
Red Fuze again no top weight and never got it to work right till I polished to 2000!  Threw 4 in a row.  Another lefty saw it, thought he'd rip me off and buy it cheap(please buy it I thought).  Bought it and threw 6 in a row in league right off the bat!

Carbide pearl hated it!  Liked the Carbide!

Last but not least the Storm X-it having release problems and couldn't get it to turn or hit quite right.  Goodbye to all above!

Others (who've loved all above!), the lake, the rack!

REgards,

Luckylefty
PS hundreds loved!

Title: Re: You ever buy a DUD?
Post by: revolution808 on April 28, 2004, 04:54:51 PM

TRACK CHAMP!! just never reacted well, and couldnt carry for beans.. made me never buy track again.

--Kellen--
losers complain, while champions shut up and bowl!!!

Title: Re: You ever buy a DUD?
Post by: BuddiesProShopcom - Bill on April 28, 2004, 05:04:52 PM

I think a couple of the other posters have hit it when they say "it doesn't match my game".  I think that some balls don't match some bowler's game.

We have customers that are dead set on buying a ball.  You try to talk them out of the ball because you just their game and know it isn't going to work for them.  The person will buy the ball and they hate the ball.

I think that a pro shop knowing the bowler's game and the bowler doing research on the ball will help eliminate these "DUD's".  

A website called http://www.bowlingballdynamics.com/ does a great job of doing this type of Analysis.  I filled out the survey, and he sent me a very detailed set of information on the balls that I like and the balls that I didn't like.  Through this I started to realize what differentials I liked, and what coverstocks worked best for me.  In his listing, he also give you similiar balls that will match up to your favorites.

We have found that if you watch the Differentials on the balls that you like, there will be a range (say .040-.045, along with coverstock ie. Particle Pearl or Reactive Solid), and when you stay in that range, you find balls that match you better.

--------------------
Thanks
Bill
BuddiesProShop.com
"The Place All Bowlers Shop"

Title: Re: You ever buy a DUD?
Post by: Belgarion on April 28, 2004, 05:05:52 PM

aggression --  never really did anything

time zone -- no flip at all...just kind of glides into the pocket

Title: Re: You ever buy a DUD?
Post by: LuckyLefty on April 28, 2004, 05:09:45 PM

Added to what Buddy, Bill said above.

Chris his sidekick has posted recently regarding high differentials, his dislike for them and then a solution.

He had been having great luck with balls in the .45 range of diff(most drilled like 4 1/2 or 5 X cg out slightly).  He hated all the X factor balls - diff.58.

Then he posted drilling one like 6 X 5 and loved it.  So that is one way to get a .58 ball to think it is a .45!

REgards,

Luckylefty
PS again this from a guy who sanded a Nighthawk Menace to 220 and then never threw one good shot with it till it was gone in week 1!  Oh we learn!

Title: Re: You ever buy a DUD?
Post by: DP3 on April 28, 2004, 05:42:40 PM

The only people that complain about "Duds" are flufflers and flingers with no hand.
--------------------
-DJ Marshall
"Repetition beats luck everytime"

Title: Re: You ever buy a DUD?
Post by: crankncrash on April 28, 2004, 06:54:09 PM

RG Fuel, i could use it on dirt only, so much for that being my oil ball! gave it away, other guy liked it for a little bit but he was getting tapped all the time so he put it in the locker.. never to be seen again.  I get a lot more on the ball than he does, i got less movement than he did, makes about 0 sense to me, if i got near oil with that ball it wanted to run away! But i guess it would make a nice replacement for my too hot if that ever dies.  O well it was not a match for me, i didnt find the top fuel to be much better either, i guess that core does not work in my hands!

Title: Re: You ever buy a DUD?
Post by: MTFD24 on April 28, 2004, 07:08:20 PM

The only ball I can remember being a "total DUD" was the Ebonite Omega (black). I tried several drillings, and nothing seemed to work with it. Can't even remember too many of them around here.
--------------------
The Older We Get, The Better We Were
www.MTFD.com - a NY State Vol. Fire Department
www.BowlWNY.com - local & national stories by Joe Ciccone
http://www.FDracing.com The worlds fastest firemen in the origional Xtreme Games

Title: Re: You ever buy a DUD?
Post by: pin-chaser on April 28, 2004, 07:19:45 PM

No...but I am one! An old Dud....
--------------------

Bowling Tips and Articles at: www.bowlingknowledge.com
IRC: Internet Relay Chat on Dalnet #striketalk. 24x7x365

Title: Re: You ever buy a DUD?
Post by: jjweb on April 28, 2004, 07:48:01 PM

Storm Ultra Hot, I could've thrown a pillow and get better carry.
--------------------
The bowling gods said "let there be strikes" and then there was Dyno-Thane!

Title: Re: You ever buy a DUD?
Post by: janderson on April 28, 2004, 07:56:28 PM

quote:

---

Some balls fall into the category of being condition specific, and not totally outstanding even on the best condition ( the real duds for me )  Balls like the Tour Power and Pulse are very condition specific, but when they are right, nothing else comes close.

---

Couldn't agree more.

There are also bowlers on the extreme -- extremely fast or slow, extreme axis rotation or lack thereof, extreme axis tilt or lack thereof, etc -- who choose and drill an extreme that is just horrible.  When you add an extreme lane condition in there, you suddenly have a "dud".

For example, consider a slow speed, up-the-backer throwing some soup-monster (like an Apex obsession with pin-on-PAP) on 50-year-old wooden lanes during the 3rd shift when there was hardly any oil in the heads for the 1st shift.  What you have, is a DUD.  Is it the balls fault?  Hardly.
--------------------
Kill the back row

Title: Re: You ever buy a DUD?
Post by: Phillip Marlowe on April 28, 2004, 08:01:57 PM

quote:

---

The only people that complain about "Duds" are flufflers and flingers with no hand.
--------------------
-DJ Marshall
"Repetition beats luck everytime"

---

EXXXXXCCCCUUUUUUUSSSSE MEEE????  The Throttle R and Animal.  Yeecchhh.  And these from the Company (companies?) that made the excellent Throttle  and Throttle UP and a series of superior equipment (the Magic and Money lines and the Freak Out....Ooooo).
--------------------
"I don't mind if you don't like my manners. I don't like them myself. They're pretty bad. I grieve over them on long winter evenings."

Title: Re: You ever buy a DUD?
Post by: JOE FALCO on April 28, 2004, 08:24:03 PM

There have been two balls that I was sorry I purchased. One I gave away and the second I hang on too hoping I can get something out of it.

The BRIMSTONE MONSTER .. tried and tried with the ball .. never changed the drilling .. but tried ALL conditions and all angles .. finally GAVE IT AWAY!

The LANE 1 EMERALD GREEN. Just can't get this ball to give me a good reading on a line. I find what I think is good and try to repeat it and the ball reacts differently. Lane 1 BUZZHEADS blame me .. but it doesn't happen with other balls! Again .. I didn't change the DRILLING! I continue to HOLD ON to this ball .. HOPING ....

The TWO balls I'm unhappy with are only a SMALL PERCENTAGE when compared to the total purchased!
--------------------
Hit them light and watch them fight
      J O E - F A L C O

Title: Re: You ever buy a DUD?
Post by: Strider on April 28, 2004, 10:53:50 PM

The main dud for me was the Command Zone Arc.  Too strong for Dry, too weak for any oil.  Didn't hit all that great when I did hit the pocket.  I never cared much for the V2 Particle.  I may have given up on it early.  Only tried one drilling, but several surfaces.  Another ball that needed to be dead flush to carry.  Most overrated was probably the Cherry Buzzsaw.  Tried everything with the ball and never got the kind of reaction so many other people did.

After more experimentation, I seem to like medium to med/high RG's and medium differential.  Maybe why I like my Thing more than the Element.  I've yet to see a low RG ball that I liked.
--------------------
Penn State Proud

Ron Clifton's Bowling Tip Archive (http://"http://www.bowl4fun.com/ron/roncarchive.htm")

Title: Re: You ever buy a DUD?
Post by: C-G ProShop-Carl on April 28, 2004, 11:18:49 PM

I buy alot of equipment, and though I have complained about a few balls in the last couple of months, I have only had one ball that I would term a DUD. NOW, this is going to get alot of people going because it was a very LOVED ball, atleast around where I bowl.

The Brunswick Combat Zone. It didn't hook much, and didn't hit well. I saw one guy throw it when it was first released and I thought...looks good, I will pick it up. Next day I had it drilled up, and then sold it probably 10 games later. Probably just not a good match for me.
--------------------
Owner/Operator
C-G Pro Shop

Title: Re: You ever buy a DUD?
Post by: Buzzhead on April 28, 2004, 11:23:09 PM

X Zone low differential. I think I tried 3 different drillings.
Nothing worked. sold it to my brother inlaw for 25 bucks and he uses
it all the time. Now I have a High diff setting here waiting
on some extra cash to redrill to try.
--------------------
Saws are made to cut ANYTHING including 10 pins

Title: Re: You ever buy a DUD?
Post by: Brian Green on April 29, 2004, 12:06:16 AM

for me i had the reaction rev......  that ball was way too over under for me.......   i also had the anomally that hit really hard but went really straight for me........  sold both of them and the guys love em

Title: Re: You ever buy a DUD?
Post by: northface28 on April 29, 2004, 12:07:04 PM

" The only people that complain about "Duds" are flufflers and flingers with no hand."

I still dont know how to respond to such a statement.
--------------------
"I dont have a girlfriend. But I do know a woman who would be mad at me for saying that."- Mitch Hedberg

Title: Re: You ever buy a DUD?
Post by: DP3 on April 29, 2004, 03:57:29 PM

That was a joke for one of my friends that visits the boards.  He's always saying ".... ball sucks or is a dud" and I always call him a fluffer so everything looks like mush in his hands.  Still don't know if he's found this post or not.
--------------------
-DJ Marshall
"Repetition beats luck everytime"