This ball is awsome for when the green gargoyle is hooking to much because this ball goes so long u do not have to worry about the dry because it slides threw the oil into the dry and it acts like there is no dry spots at all so if u want a ball that goes long and hits very hard this is the ball for u. U can also  swing or play strait up with this ball it is a really good ball for sport paddern.If u get this ball u should get the particle gryphon so when that thing is hooking to much just pull out that blue sparkle gryhon and u will have no trouble with any kind of oil.So go get this ball if u want a ball that u will not have to worry about it hooking of the lane in dry areas.


Christian J.H. Jensen
Visionary Test Staff

WOW! I love this ball.  The only regret I have about trying Visionary equipment is that I didn't try them sooner!  
    This ball was exactly how I had read it was,  great on medium to lighter conditions with a nice rolling backend. This ball definitely does have a lot of forgiveness to it, especially if you miss in a little.  For me this ball has been absolutely perfect on house shots and short sport shots. It has also been the perfect compliment to my Green Gargoyle when I feel the Gargoyle is a little to squirty.  Overall, this is an awesome ball I would recommend to anyone!

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Bill Grant
Visionary Test Staff Member


Happy Birthday To Me!!!

I have found this ball to be getting better and better the more I roll with it.  I throw right handed and usually run straight down and in when the pattern allows it (see my Charcoal Ex review).  I wanted a ball to expand my game and allow for me to deliver an across and in pattern.  Using this ball, I can come across at the 15-17 board out to 10 and have it come back reliably with lots of control.  I have fairly good arm speed, but tend to run with low revs (bad combination).  The Gryphon allows me to experiment with the line I throw without punishing me for “not rolling dead over my mark”.  It has brought 20 pins to my average easily.  Wish I would have come across this line of balls years earlier.
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Robyn Wood
Visionary Test Staff Member

Ok, after putting some games on my Gryphon on various conditions I'll post my formal review.

The ball is 16lbs with approximatley a 4" pin out distance.  The drill pattern I went with on the Gryphon is 1:30 label, or 4x5 according to my PAP coordinates.  I also took the cover down to 800 to compliment my Crimson Ex better.

You guys can read up on Visionary's website for all the tech data about this ball, but here is what I've seen from it.

These tests were done on both lane surfaces.

Using the Gryphon during my Friday night second shift pattern, the ball gets through the used heads easily, almost too easy.  Sometimes I wondered if it was ever going to turn over,...but when it does WATCH OUT!.  This ball has major backend, it's not skid snap so much but very aggressive arching in nature.  If you're speed inconsistent this ball will be as unpredictable as 28 Days Later's four different endings.  However once you get everything in check, it is easy to lock in with the Gryphon.  My line of play using the Gryphon was slide foot on 36 sending the ball out to 15 as the breakpoint, and the ball had no desire to quit either.

On a fresh upper medium lane oil, the Gryphon again maintained great length through the heads.  This time however, since I was bowling on oil I reduced my speed some in order to keep the ball from sliding past the break point.  It still didn't quit on the backend, and turned over just as hard once it reached the dry.  (Some may have read my thread where I compared the Gryphon to the Carbide Bomb.)  My line of play was slide foot on 25 sending the ball out to 10 as my breakpoint.  I could even keep it tighter and stay inside of 15 if I wanted to.

As all Visionary users know, their equipment punishes the pocket each and every time.  Their add is also correct, calling the Gryphon the hardest hitting and best carrying ball they've made.  This ball will send airborn scouts, helicopter messengers, and other missile like projectile pins all over the place.

Overall it is very versatile with speed, hand releases, and lane conditions.  Once you get everything under control you can use the Gryphon just about anywhere.


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In the old days people used to cut wood with axes.....................now and days...............they just have Executioners do it for them!

Pin_Krusher IS a serious threat to modern day bowling wood as we know it today.

The Blue Sparkle can best be described as boring until you go to collect your bracket money or pick-up your tournament check. I drilled mine 4x4. This ball handles surface adjustments very well. The only negatives about this ball is 1) looks like a plastic ball   2) ball is soo smooth it looks boring.
The draw back to the Blue Sparkle is if your not careful while your using it you keep striking but also seem to keep looking for a different ball. The Blue Sparkle is the perfect benchmark ball. If you can't get a read of the heads,mids,backends and breakpoint(carry) then you don't understand how to read conditions.

VISSIONARY TEST STAFF

Having had a good experience with the slate Gargoyle, I decided to try another Visionary ball.

I bought the ball at the same time I bought a Track X-Factor and drilled both up together with the same pattern. The first time I took it out, I was a little disappointed. There didn't seem to be much hook in the ball and it blew past the breakpoint on every shot.

I put it up for a couple of months, but after my local house began to fall in love with dry lanes, I pulled it back out. Turns out, all I should have done to begin with was bowl more with it. Once I'd knocked the factory sheen off it, it came in nicely.

The ball has a massive backend reaction and clears the heads tremendously well. It's also maintained the integrity of its coverstock far longer than most balls I've used. The X-Factor I bought with this ball now has a distinctly dull look to it; the Gryphon still has that "polished solid" look it had on day one.

The strengths for this ball are medium to dry lanes. It's usable on wet lanes but that doesn't seem to be its strength. It has great recovery right and resists the urge to overjump if you tug it.

Corner pin carry is above average, and it really shines in the swish zone. I've tapped more 2-pins from the backside with this ball than all my other equipment put together. However, I do tend to leave more stone 8s and 9s than usual.

I also like its look; many seem to complain that the ball "looks cheap," but I don't share that opinion. I get asked frequently what kind of ball I'm throwing.

Overall, this was a great ball for the money and I'm now two-for-two with Visionary equipment.

Jess

LANE CONDITION

Length:42'

Volume: "?"

Type (THS, Sport Pattern etc): ths kegal scott street.


COMMENTS When i purchased this ball online from e-bay, I was curious about htis ball's reaction! I have the frankie may gryphon, drilled for more midlane reaction. And the g-3 pearl gryphon, what a reaction on medium oily, medium! But i was taken aback by the smoothness of the blue sparkle gryphon, on a medium to medium dry, "WOW" does this ball show what it can do! Even with the low rg core, it skids effortlessly down the lane and then it's smootly goes to the pocket! I've used this ball, in practice on saturday morning's in the "Bowl your brains out", where the kids around me say  what that ball go! For my money, if you can get your hands on one "Please" do so. You can't go wrong with this, on medium to medium dry. Unless you have a gladitor le! This ball is a good step-down from the g-3!

Likes:how it get's down the lane, turns then "BOOM"!

Dislikes: I wished visionary would remake some of there older equipment like this one!


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