The distinguishing feature of this ball is that it keeps on coming.  Send the ball to the dry and when it starts hooking it keeps on hooking.  You can go deep and bounce the ball off dry boards on the outside.  

For people with less hand and still want to cross boards, this would be the ball for you.  There is no rollout. Hands people may find this ball flippy.

The ball will work best on mediums/medium heavy oil.  Out of the box there is too much shine to go through heavy oil.  The RG is not high, but the polished pearl surface get the ball gets it down the lane saving energy for a strong move on the backend.

The ball was drilled with the pin just above the ring finger and the CG moved toward the PAP for almost maximum positive side weight.  No balance hole.  (About a 5 X 4 drilling.)  I throw slower speed, more of a tweener.

A lot of bang for the buck.

Woweeee………

Thanks Hank and Roger for the sample ball.  I first have to note for the readers here that I took off the factory surface, sanded it to 600 grit (sanding lines are around the center of the grip) and re-shined it with Storm X-tra Shine.  This makes the ball read the end of the pattern smoother and accentuates the hard arcing move on the backend.  Leave the factory finish on it and you’ll see more of a hockey-stick shape that needs friction to “get the corner”.

In my configuration, the RS-1 can best be described as mid lane read like the Rush, backend angularity like the Apocalypse.  I know what you’re thinking that those two reactions are at the opposite ends of the spectrum and that’s not possible.  But consider that the RG level of the RS-1 is only 1 point higher than the Rush and the differential is currently the #7 ball on the market.  Believe me or not is up to you, but for those that pick up this ball, you’ll soon find out.

I would recommend drilling this ball in CG-out configurations to heighten the core dynamics.  I think balls drilled in “stack”, “12:00”, “75 degree” type layouts will not read the backend as predictably as with layouts kicked out to the side.

Hank and Roger know how much I like my Silver Streak Solids and I emailed them yesterday to tell them I retired my original SS Solid in favor of the RS-1, and it wasn’t a hard decision.  Give it a look in box finish, knock off the factory shine and try that and make your eventual decision on what surface gives you the best look on the lane.

For pro shop operators, Roto Grip has a benefit program called the “STAR Pro Shop Program” that rivals the other company programs being offered by Columbia, Ebonite, Hammer, Track and even Storm.  At just $295 for the first year this program paid for itself 20 times over last season for our shop and it can for you too.  (Click on the story at http://www.rotogrip.com/stories.aspx?fullstoryid=145)

Check it out at www.rotogrip.com under the ”Pro Shop Tools”, then STAR Pro Shop links.

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Steve Richter
Roto Grip Test Staff Member

Roto Grip does it again!

If you liked the retro roto series but were unable to find one on Ebay or your local pro shop your going to love the RS-1. The RS-1 is extremely clean down the lane.  When the Rotary 3 core kicks in, look out the pins don't have a chance.  This ball hits with the best of them.  Keep it around the head pin and you'll see immediate results.  Shine and stack it and the lefty will love it.  The righties however might want to drill it with the pin a little higher, once the oil pattern becomes blown out.
With equipment like this, why would you want to throw anything else.

CKO

Just drilled one earlier this week. Pin was 1"-2", small label shift (1/2 POS) leaving pin in 1:30 position. This ball makes retiring my Pearl SS easier. I was very impressed by the way this ball cleared the fronts as well as it's hitting power.

Hank and Roger, Great Job!
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Tony Walton
Roto Grip Staff Member

RAW NAKED POWER!!!!!!

Phenomenal power at the pins! Big hook if needed. Versatile.

Drilled it 5 (pin) x 5 (cg) Great midlane read. Suprising continuation through the pins.  Awesome pin action. Clean through the front like a pearl but so very strong through the mid lane and at the break point. Multiple 700's and a 300 since drilling it. Played a very wet condition. I was able to square up with the ball and still get a great read.  Backend power made up for lack of early traction.

Right hander likes to watch his ball hook :  I drilled the RS-1 stack leverage.  Partly to see how much this ball will hook.  At the breakpoint the ball went SIDEWAYS. My customer was estatic. I was amazed.

Low rev low speed lefty - Put pin under ring finger and cg kicked a little.  Ball pick up very well in mid lane. Hitting power is fantastic. He can comfortably throw longer strings of strikes.  He has had 289 and 290 last 2 weeks.

As a "non-rotogrip staff member," I can give a real review of the RS-1.  I picked one up with a 3" pin and just a touch over 3 oz top weight.  Layed the ball out with a 4.5 X 5 layout in hopes of having a ball for drier lanes.  This gave basically a label drill with the pin above the ring finger.  No weight hole was required.  I left the ball in box condition.

After drilling the ball, I took it out for the traditional couple test shots to make sure everything fits and the ball doesn't roll over any finger/thumb holes.  Synthetic lanes, 40ft medium heavy house shot.  On this condition, the ball got great length, but was very touchy at the break point and seemed to be very speed sensitive.  No big surprise as this isn't the condition the ball was designed for...  The ball did show signs of having a strong recovery, even on this heavier oil shot.  

I really had bought this ball with hopes of covering more of the medium dry to dry lane conditions.  Thus I saved it for the following night:  league night at a old wooden-lane house, shot of the week has been medium oil that severely breaks down.  Almost seems as though the deeper you move, the earlier the ball jumps.  Started out on the fresh shot playing down the boards and scoring well...then warm-ups were over.  At the start of the night, I moved five left with feet and strung the next 5 in a row.  Very nice length with the ball and a smooth & predictable break point.  The backend reaction was stronger than most other balls I own.  Just like clockwork, that line disappeared and I was forced to move further inside.  The RS-1 is PLENTY strong to play any sort on inside line, providing you have any sort of hand at all.  I had no problem getting the ball back, as a matter of fact, it was actually a little stronger than I had expected (especially with the relatively tame layout).  Unforunately by the last game the lanes became so dry that the RS-1 was virtually unplayable.  At this point I had moved in a deep as possible (due to ball returns), standing at 50, crossing the arrows at 25 and swinging the ball out to around 10 at the break point.  Not because the ball would roll out, but rather because I was unable to achieve enough  length from the ball.  Based upon this, I would say that even though this ball is a pearl, it is on the stronger side.  Best conditions would be medium oil, as the ball is too strong for dry lanes unless you either spin the ball, have no hand, or have high ball speed.  The ball looks very good (love the red/grey swirl pearl) and has plenty of backend to recover from just about anywhere on the lane.  Although this ball seems to be fairly condition specific (most useful on medium oil and thus overlaps with most everything else), I have the rate the ball above average for backend strength and overall good looks.  Because I wanted a ball to cover the drier conditions, I am going to wet-sand the cover to a higher grit, then polish again...trying to achieve more length.  Any questions, feel free to PM me.

S^2
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I think it's the duty of the comedian to find out where the line is drawn and cross it deliberately.

George Carlin

I am a 17-18 mile per hour cranker about 420-450 revs.
I have my RS1 layed out with pin under middle cg swung to 530 and a rev hole half inch under my pap
This ball gets great lenght and a very aggressive flip this ball turns ove like it is being shot at in a bad neiborhood. I am so impressed with the reaction on this ball. I cannot use this ball on dry patterns thought it is way to over reacting. Oh I play on a 42 foot pattern med to heavy oil. Well this is what I think of this ball!!