My AT 500

[lohpp]

Is a Sintec AT 500 -- Good but is 4U -- too light for me.

[lohpp]

another view

[cooler]

i prefer seeing the top half, , 9 to 3 o clock section

[Dill]

We don't get these in the UK, it's amazing how much it looks like the Yonex version, I had no idea they push it so far to look like a direct competitor.

I know it may have been discussed before but what is Yonex's take on this? I assume they have tried a lawsuit of some description.

[cappy75]

Sintec seems like a very small Singapore brand with limited market (probably limited to local exposure) comparing to the giant that is Yonex. Would the giant go after minnows like Sintec? I am sure that there are many companies like Sintec which try to sell racquets by riding the trend set by Yonex instead of developing their own stuff... afterall, it's cheaper to copy than to create your own line.

There's really not much benefit for Yonex to go after small frys like Sintec. Of course, things will be different if Sintec does, against all odds, get more popular and consequently get into the big guy's radar. I doubt that Yonex would take fakes and clonex seriously given their enormous market share in the racquet world.

[unregistered]

its called amorace since u bought the sintec version. Anyway i THINK the diff between sintec and yonex rackets is that sintec racqs have less muscle power in them. same for mp 77,88,999,99,900 whateva.....

[lohpp]

Who say no power, is the way how you hit it and getting use to the racket. I play can hit from the end of the court to the other end.

[Chia]

i believe what he was talking about is the "muscle power" groves and grommets that are inplace of the standerd grommets

[jamesd20]

Could they (yonex) do anything anyway? It has a different name, is not copying their (yonex) trademarks of ultimum ti, muscle power, the only thing similar is the colour. Could car manufacturer sue each other for painting each others cars the same colour (eg.red)?

[Dill]

Well even if the colour is simmilar (I think it is more blue than the 500) the design is clearly copied, looking at the shaft paintwork and the placement of the inserts in the same position at the Yonex rackets on the head. Even the placement and font of the Armorace name is a bit too simmilar.

As for going for the minnows then if enough minnows popped up and took a 1% market share then they would eat into your profit margin regardless.

[cooler]

no, it is NOT the same color. Yonex doesn't sue these cheap cloners because the two rackets ARE NOT THE SAME. In the court of law, only facts and real specification are used for comparison for copyright/patent infringement infraction. Since clones don't use the same material in manufacturing nor perform the same, there is no ground for lawsuit. The pseudo looks and feels of clones are meant to fool the unknowledgable but they won't fool the engineers, lawyers and the judge.

[cooler]

the real armortec has dark blue fading to a more teal greyish blue color

[The Player]

Here are 2 pics of my Armorace 700:

[The Player]

pic #2:

[Yodums]

What does it feel like? Similar to the AT500 if you've tried it or completely different.

You stated that it was 'too light' in your original post which would be a crazy statement if it was similar to the actual Yonex AT500! When I picked up the AT500, I thought it was heavy as hell and that it would be very painful to play through a tournament with that weight flinging on my wrist and arm.

[TheGr8One]

I've held a 3U AT500...it's not heavy as hell..a 2U MP77 is. I don't think Yonex will be sueing them anytime soon...anyone who really wants an AT500 will not get an ArmorAce 500.

[lohpp]

The colour is the same -- pic are taken with flash and look lighter. You see the AT700 pic post by The player -- colour is the same but is know as Armorace. Is too light for me cause is a 4U, I prefer the 3U weight. There got 4U/3U. Please stop here and please do not saying anything about the legal part.

Do they feel the same like the Yonex AT500, I cant tell you because i have not try the Yonex AT500. It is quite good and I like it very much.

[david14700]

I have a Yonex AT500 and the Sintec looks pretty similar in all respects apart from the YY symbol. They seem to have copied virtually all of the rest of the design.

I'm sure Yonex could sue if they wanted to but there are probably commercial reasons for not doing so. You don't need to copy exactly to sue for design right infringement, it only has to be confusingly similar and the objective test isn't judges or lawyers, but the public. Would the buying public be misled? Well, I'm pretty sure no-one on this forum would ever mistake a Sintec for a Yonex, but people less knowledgeable might certainly be fooled.

David

[cappy75]

This is not likely to happen given Yonex's enormous clout in the market. When you have people who get easily offended at the mere suggestion that they possess possible fake Yonex racquets, you'll know that brand loyalty is strong among Yonex users... a testament to the brand's successful marketing efforts. With such loyal customer base, Yonex won't have to worry about other brands eclipsing its stature, much less blatant fakes by those minnows.

In fact, it would cost Yonex more to engage in litigation and pursue every offending manufacturer and seller. Litigation which they might not win due to questionable and contestable legal grounds as mentioned by cooler.

Yonex beat them all by simply doing what made them a success in the first place... meeting expectations and continue winning hearts and minds of future customers.


Originally posted by Dill
As for going for the minnows then if enough minnows popped up and took a 1% market share then they would eat into your profit margin regardless.