Rumors started on the Chinese forums claiming that there would be 2 limited version rackets coming out in March, AT 700 Thomas/Uber Cup & ARC 10 PRE. Anyone got news about this??!!!
The Armortec series is finished, and no one uses the 700 anymore (professionals) do what would be the point?
Bloody hell - the AT700 just won't die, will it?! An Arc 10 LTD I can see - it sold thirty-billion in red.
If this is true, then this will be the 5th AT700, (1st gen, SuperBrands, 2nd Gen, OG Limited) but just don't see why... And another Arc 10 ? Well maybe hopefully this time it will be the original black colour (which I have seen in person before) that's the only reason I'd buy it...
Never mind a black LTD edition - the production one should have been black. Yonex's biggest mistake to date, IMO.
Before the OG2008 AT700LTD came out, a lot of people mistook the AT SuperBrands LTD as the Thomas Cup 2004 LTD edition [AT700], as the 5000 racquet batch were produced and came out about the same time in May, when the Thomas Cup was held. There was however an orange coloured MP90/99 which was indeed Thomas Cup 2004 LTD. People in the Chinese forums are still talking about this mythical and legendary "Thomas Cup 2004 LTD edition AT700" time and again
Actually that was for the 2006 TUC in Japan to get it perfectly straight (the MP90). Saw the above opening news on badmintoncn and supposedly a TW special or something. ARC10 Pre does actually sound like it could be the venom one . But if it it's Taufik's turn to get his instead of his forced Z-Slash special I wouldn't bet on it being the venom paintjob . http://bbs.badmintoncn.com/thread-241757-1-1.html
I see, thank you for correcting what I said regarding the Orange MP90 But I doubt that this new AT700 will be comparable to the 1st gen and SB versions (both are 2003 and 2004). I noticed that the 2005 and 2006 batches of "1st gen" AT700 are less head heavy and more "overall balanced". One more interesting fact is the OP states that the AT700 in question is "Uber Cup commemorate" and I do not see any mention of "Thomas Cup", although it could be just a typo. Arc10Pre on the other hand is stated to be a "Olympic 2012 commemorative Taufik Hidayat" racquet..
Funny that you mention it, was wondering as well about early AT700 1st gen and later ones. My two 2004 ones actually seem more headlight (but haven't added the MP strips yet) compared to the 2006 ones and overall all of them are not that headheavy (statically anyway) but might be because they are all G3. Static bp 2004GR , deadstock incl. plastic & BG68Ti: ~304mm (or ~ at the first leg of the M for Modulus) Static bp 2004GR , deadstock incl. plastic & BG68Ti: ~306mm (or ~ at the G of High) Static bp 2006BX , unstrung + mp strips and plastic wrapper still on: ~303mm (or ~ at the third leg of the M for Modulus) Static bp 2006SW, unstrung, no mp strips, no grip (bare wood): ~314mm (or ~ at the A of Titanium)
Good comparison. Here are mine: Static bp 2003CD, unstrung and plastic wrapper still on (3UG4): ~299mm Static bp 2004SP, unstrung and plastic wrapper still on (various amounts, all 3UG4): ~298-302mm (or 300±2mm) Static bp 2006IP, unstrung and plastic wrapper still on (various amounts, most 3UG5 and also 3UG4): ~296-300mm (or 298±2mm) On comparison, my new VT80 4U are 310mm bp
If the AT700 were to have a final evolutionary end point, it would be at the Li Ning N90. Not expecting yonex to create anything as good as the AT700 line ever again.
No further info but (apparently) another limited edition Z-Slash is out in Japan Just confirmed what I suspected , will update in the regular Z-Slash thread ...
It is not an official Yonex release, as in it wil never appear in their catalogue. It is a custom release for what appears to be the pro shop of the japanese badminton association(?) (BP = badminton pro shop union) In any case Taufik seems to be back to ARC10 for good
You're probably right there, he was using it in all of his All England matches, unless like the topic of this post states, there may be an ARC10 PRE.
Yes at first I thought this might be one in the same mold as mentioned above but then remembered it was "that time of the year" so checked if it couldn't be a BP version instead and turns out it is. Found a shirt is was looking for as well that is pretty much sold out elsewhere, now to find a way to order it . Would be nice for a normal ARC10 to come out in a new colour without being linked to some event or player so still "eagerly" awaiting the outcome as well .