Someone asked about these two a while back.  Since I have both, I took them and tried them together to get a comparison.

If you can read back two years, you can follow the thread here:
http://www.ballreviews.com/Forum/Replies.asp?TopicID=223411&ForumID=15&CategoryID=2

If not, here are some of the highlights:
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Posted by me: 12/30/2008 2:51 PM

I went to the lanes today and brought both with me. Before I went, I restored both close to the factory finish (600 grit) by putting both in the spinner and using green scotch-brite pad on them. I don't think either was at that finish beforehand. The Red Sorcerer has less than 50 games on it and the Blue Warlock has probably close to 1000 games on it.

The lanes had just been oiled, 44 ft THS pattern. I got the worst pair in the house, lanes 1 and 2. They usually dont play anywhere the same, but for the purpose of this comparison, I played the same line just to watch the reactions.
Now, I was told it was the 44 ft pattern, but the balls did not play like it was. I was seeing a much earlier reaction from both balls than I would have expected to see but maybe that was from the 600 grit finish on both.

Basically, I was seeing a strong backend finish from both balls but it was not a skid-snap reaction, more of a strong even hook like both balls were trying to read the pattern in the mid-lane and finishing hard. I could not see much of a difference between the balls as far as length or boards covered. On some shots it seemed that the RS was stronger and on others the BW was stronger so it had to have been operator error. I really was hoping to see more of a difference somewhere, either in the backend or in the front of the lanes, but they were close to each other. Probably the fresh pattern was covering up the differences in the balls.

Usually, urethane should hook earlier and more evenly than reactive balls and that was what I was expecting to see. I think that the BW is a good reactive ball because it is more of an even reacting ball that gives a close look like a urethane and the RS is a stronger urethane ball so that both balls have a similar look on the lanes. But that's just my theory.  
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Charlest Posted: 12/30/2008

Thanks for that effort. It would have killed me to make both balls so strong and early.

It was 44 ft, I'd bet it wasn't a heavy oil pattern. That sure is long in any case. And lanes 1 & 2 in any house are usually one of the least used pairs.

I know the BW is supposed to be smooth, even and early. The RS is supposed to be grabby, esp. at 600 grit, like a Blue Hammer urethane. But I am very surprised at your results.

Any chance of your doing that again, on another day, on another pair, just as a check and balance type of operation???

Thanks a ton, from all of us.
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Berserk Posted: 12/30/2008

One thing to keep in mind is the Sorcerer was geared to approach reactive strength on the backend. Both balls have a 600 grit and the same core model. Both balls should be similer, however one would think that the Warlock would be somewhat longer and sharper at the back. Have to see what others say. I only have a sorcerer and never bothered to pick up a blue warlock because I figured they would be very similar and overlap. For me the Sorcerer is a good medium ball, however its too strong for dryer conditions!

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I Posted: 12/31/2008

Just got back from the lanes and tried the BW and RS again. The lanes had not been oiled since yesterday morning, so while there was still some oil on the lanes, it was not a fresh shot and I also did not bowl on one of the end pairs.

On this somewhat broken down condition, I did see more of a difference between the two balls but it was not a great difference. The RS had a more even arcing movement while the BW had a stronger backend reaction. They seemed to cover about the same number of boards in hook, but how they covered those boards was a bit different due to the coverstock - urethane vs reactive.

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Scotts33 Posted: 1/6/2009

    quote:
The Blue Warlock is much more aggressive overall than the Sorceror.
    endquote.

I wouldn't agree with this. I have both with basic same drill on same lane condtion Sorcerer is 3 to 4 boards total overall hook more and more backend.
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Scott

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PBA-20420 Posted: 1/6/2009

The only ball by Visionary I have not thrown is the AMB Particle. In fact I have both the sorcerer and blue warlock currently drilled label with 3/4 side, no finer or thumb weight and my blue warlock hooks so much on the backend that I leave 6 pins in the pocket. The Sorcerer never has that much angle. Please take note though, I primarily bowl at an AMF Center that only cleans the lanes twice a week. In turn our backends are always dead.

The sorcerer is aggressive compared to other urethane, there is no doubt about that. But when you get on some lanes with any sort of carry down, you will see the Blue Warlock recover a lot more than the sorcerer at any time.

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A_P_K Posted: 8/13/2009

I've found the Blue Warlock to have a special place in my arsenal. Mine is laid out 65x4.5x65 pin under the ring finger.

At it's current surface the over all hook is under my upper medium and over my lower medium equipment.

At OOB it was a dog, rolled out early and didn't do anything at all in the back. If I even got it to the pocket it hit like mush. I fought with it a few games received over under and the initial impression left a bad taste in my mouth. I kept it at 600 but had Black Magic applied to it by a spinner. That helped some but not a lot.

The league I use the BW on now oils longer and buffs to 44 feet but it is still a house shot. I would call the volume medium at best, nothing really more than that. I used it at that surface and had mixed reviews but received the reaction I was looking for. It helped blend out over under, was smooth rolling, controllable without any freakish backend turns. I found that even on some fresh oil the surface was a little too strong to bank off the wall since I don't have enough RPMs to stay inside the oil line. I also had less than stellar results playing tighter and straighter, carry suffered greatly.

I recently sanded it to 4000ab matte and it's a completely different ball. For the conditions I face the reaction became stronger. (for obvious reasons) Before I couldn't really play a swing shot, there wasn't much gas left on the back to finish, now the reaction is similar to my Break pearl. (which is slightly rolly by the way) The biggest difference the Blue Warlock revs up stronger coming off the pattern and has better drive through the pins. It gets down the lane much easier, doesn't require constant adjustments, the simplest ones get you back in business, and still handles the 44 foot pattern easily but finishes much cleaner. I still face less over under with the ball as before and have much more room for mistakes.

For a 12 year old ball the hitting power is tremendous, slaps pins across the deck and back, doesn't keep any wood low for me at all. The cover is extremely versatile, takes to adjustments easily. I prefer the 4000ab matte surface the best so far. It just absorbs oil a little more than I'd like it too.

It's working great as intended to for me on house walls, too bad I didn't pick one up 10 years ago.
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The original Pin Krusher

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Hope this helps.


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