LCW new racket 2012 anyone knows ( Yonex Voltric Z-Force ) ?

**george@chongwei** · 01-16-2012, 11:37 PM

Wow, much have been discussed about this racket.. My wild guess for the lauching of this racket..: during or before the all england 2012

**AzrinRain** · 01-16-2012, 11:43 PM

Originally Posted by george@chongwei

Wow, much have been discussed about this racket.. My wild guess for the lauching of this racket..: during or before the all england 2012

Would you go all the way to England to get it? If your guess is right?

**halucf** · 01-16-2012, 11:55 PM

So much hype for this weapon. Did manage to see it up close when LCW string snap during his match with CL in MO semifinal. But unlucky couldn't take a photo of it. Saw the stringer quickly unstrung his racket and hid it

**george@chongwei** · 01-16-2012, 11:57 PM

Originally Posted by AzrinRain

Would you go all the way to England to get it? If your guess is right?

No plan for that...

**AzrinRain** · 01-16-2012, 11:58 PM

Originally Posted by george@chongwei

No plan for that...

Any Malaysians going to England to watch the AE? Ehehe..

**ants** · 01-17-2012, 12:01 PM

Well, there are protos that is specially made for the players only. As in totally out of the normal specs
when the racket is launch. Generally prototypes that is used has already almost complete specs and 100% materials and technology that the claimed. However the difference is usually on the racket frame and not
the shaft.

Originally Posted by thunder.tw

There are a lot of things I don't don't know about the development of the raquet. However it beggers the imagination the LCW would compete in two high profile tournaments with an incomplete racquet in need of tweaking. From a marketing perspective it's sheer folly not to make some kind of comment about the racquet even if it is just a fluff release indicating something new is coming (they've done this before). I can't see how squandering the momentum that's been created is a good idea. What's the point of sponsoring the #1 player in the world, introducing a new racquet that he then uses to come roaring back in the new season especially after ending the last season weakly. This is a dream scenario for any equipment supplier. But I'm not in marketing so perhaps a better strategy is to wait for the AE and risk another one of LCWs mental collapses. I suppose if that happens you can always just release a marketing video showing a couple of lab technicians dropping the thing from the roof of a 30 ft building.

Even if Yonex doesn't have a new racquet ready they should just put that paint job on a bunch of Arcsaber 7s. People will still snap them up and most of them will be convinced its a new racquet.

**Mark A** · 01-17-2012, 12:03 PM

However the difference is usually on the racket frame and not the shaft.

... and, at least once, the paint job. I'm still vexed by the change from Gade's black Arc 10 to the red one we all ended up with

.

**thunder.tw** · 01-17-2012, 08:45 PM

Originally Posted by ants

Well, there are protos that is specially made for the players only. As in totally out of the normal specs when the racket is launch. Generally prototypes that is used has already almost complete specs and 100% materials and technology that the claimed. However the difference is usually on the racket frame and not
the shaft.

Sure, all perfectly valid. But if they are merely testing a development stage prototype why not paint it up like a regular Voltric 80? Surely, you're not telling me that the paint job indicates they are still testing this racquet and want to keep it under wraps????

I don't really care if they release the racquet ever. I'm merely puzzled by what their thinking is. If they are in the development stage of a new racquet which they don't intend to release soon, then giving it a distinct and very noticeable paint job is stupid as it will harm sales of the VT-80 as people defer purchase in anticipation of a near release of an updated product that in reality ins't slated for release. If this racquet is indeed a product that is pretty much at pre-launch. Then remaining silent about it at the peak of all the buzz that has been generated is equally stupid. It is surprising to me that a company's who's marketing efforts have ranged from the sublime to the absurd is remaining silent on this.

***cobalt*** · 01-17-2012, 09:08 PM

I don't think any top player will play two entire tournaments (SSP and SS, no less) with a racquet that is supposed to be yet under development. If at all this is not the exact same as the commercial release, it would then qualify IMO as the RC (Release Candidate) i.e. which has already passed the stages of beta-testing.

A possible scenario for YY's silence: that LCW possibly pushed to use this racquet because he was very pleased with it, and KKK/TBH jumped on the bandwagon. ...but Yonex is not yet fully prepared to make the market release. Many issues could be the reason; publicity campaign not ready; production not ramped up; distribution not fully on board....

***kwun*** · 01-17-2012, 09:22 PM

what actual racket LCW uses and what it looks like can be 2 completely independent things.

most Chinese players uses customized or special spec'ed version of their racket, some are even older model repainted.

LCW could well be using a customized version of a racket that Yonex gave him.

as for why use the new paint? it is about marketing. the fact that this thread has 30+k views within just a few week already speaks for itself.

**King's** · 01-17-2012, 09:24 PM

Originally Posted by cobalt

I don't think any top player will play two entire tournaments (SSP and SS, no less) with a racquet that is supposed to be yet under development. If at all this is not the exact same as the commercial release, it would then qualify IMO as the RC (Release Candidate) i.e. which has already passed the stages of beta-testing.

A possible scenario for YY's silence: that LCW possibly pushed to use this racquet because he was very pleased with it, and KKK/TBH jumped on the bandwagon. ...but Yonex is not yet fully prepared to make the market release. Many issues could be the reason; publicity campaign not ready; production not ramped up; distribution not fully on board....

Lots of info tech babble for a baddy forum eh?

Prolly the rackets are just PTFs.

**thunder.tw** · 01-18-2012, 12:54 AM

Originally Posted by kwun

what actual racket LCW uses and what it looks like can be 2 completely independent things.

Of course, that's a fundamental truth. So is observing that the sky is blue. About as useful as well.

most Chinese players uses customized or special spec'ed version of their racket, some are even older model repainted.

Not really news, I'd be surprised if it was just the Chinese players where this was the case. Why would they repaint them?

LCW could well be using a customized version of a racket that Yonex gave him.

Sure it could but if it was just some prototype or not something ready for release why not paint it like a VT-80.

as for why use the new paint? it is about marketing.

No doubt, but marketing what?

the fact that this thread has 30+k views within just a few week already speaks for itself.

Yes as I've mentioned twice, alot of buzz has been generated. If they're going to release a new model why not capitalize on that interest. It's good marketing to create a lot of interest but you have to capitalize on it.

If you are going to release something why wouldn't you strike while the iron is hot?

If you are just tweaking or customizing a racquet with no plans for any pending release then you've cost your selves potential VT-80 sales as people defer purchase in anticipation (in vain) of a possible near term release of a new product.

I don't really have strong feelings about this I'm merely mystified by Yonex's strategy here. Especially given how they've acted during the release of past models.

**thunder.tw** · 01-18-2012, 01:03 AM

Originally Posted by cobalt

A possible scenario for YY's silence: that LCW possibly pushed to use this racquet because he was very pleased with it, and KKK/TBH jumped on the bandwagon. ...but Yonex is not yet fully prepared to make the market release. Many issues could be the reason; publicity campaign not ready; production not ramped up; distribution not fully on board....

Possible, but I remember other releases where they released promotional material well in advance of anyone seeing any prototype racquet.

Either way it'll be interesting to see what happens with this leading up to the AE.

**ssj100** · 01-18-2012, 01:08 AM

I'd really enjoy it if LCW reveals he's actually using an apacs racket painted with Yonex logos hehe. It would emphasise that the racket generally doesn't matter at all (and not just at the "amateur level"). But then 90% of people on this forum would still say otherwise.

And before someone tries to argue with me, I'm not saying that the above is what I personally believe, so there's nothing to argue about with me at least hehe.

***cobalt*** · 01-18-2012, 01:25 AM

Originally Posted by King's

Lots of info tech babble for a baddy forum eh?

Prolly the rackets are just PTFs.

You predicting crash-and-burn?

**King's** · 01-18-2012, 03:23 AM

Originally Posted by cobalt

You predicting crash-and-burn?

Nope, I think they are just tweaking some more by applying P rogram T emporary F ix in hope of forging LCW's Excalibur!

**Voltric** · 01-18-2012, 04:57 AM

Bernama Sports
Jan. 16, 2012

A happy Lee Chong Wei was pursued by the Malaysian Press yesterday after winning the Malaysian Open. One of the biggest questions posed to the World No. 1 was his "new" racket, and the fact that he won the first two Super Series tournaments with a racket that looked like a prototype Voltric. When asked about it, Lee Chong Wei made several revealing remarks for all racket enthusiasts.

"I am somewhat glad that my new racket has garnered a lot of interest from the public. So much so that I was informed of a long (though useless) thread on one of the Internet forums regarding my new weapon of choice. But I am here to tell you that it is an APACS, dressed up as a Yonex. I have been secretly buying APACS for the last two years, disguised as a priest, and it has helped me accomplish a lot of success on the Super Series circuit. In fact I only used the Voltric once, during training, in which I was soundly beaten by Wong Choon Hann. After that I used APACS Tantrums exclusively. And do you really think Lin Dan won the World Championship using a Li Ning? It's actually a painted on APACS Slayer. Ditto Chen Long, who uses a dressed up Nano Power."

There you have it, mystery solved.