Hi fellow BF'ers, My friend just picked up a new Cab 20 for me today in Japan. From looking at the pics on BR and on the Yonex Japan site, I was expecting a greyish looking racquet. Well, have a look, the racquet looks more purpleish and black to me. Did I just pay for a fake? It was purchased from the same store mentioned in a previous thread about where to buy in Japan here on BF. Any insights?
The new one seems to be purple. Cab20 is an old model racket and it has many colors You can check the one on the Yonex's website, which is purple as yours.
Yeah I have looked at those pics. They are so small I couldn't quite tell the color from them, and I recall seeing one in person that was grey before. I didn't know there were multiple colours until you mentioned it. Thanks
From the symbol and serial #, urs is a new design. I believe the newer version tend to be more purple rather than grey/blue as the original one.
the #1 way to tell if a racket is fake or not, is to look at where you bought it from. if you bought it in japan from a yonex official and reputatable dealer, the chances that it is a fake is just about zero. i don't think we even need to look at the racket.
This color has been around for quite a long time in Japan. It is not a fake. Fyi, those Cab 20s being sold in HK or Singapore do not have this color scheme.
I second Ricky. The purple colour Japan version of Cab20 has been out for a quite a while. At least nearly 3years.
In my observation, The JP version is definitely a real Cab 20. But it is not the racket so we called 'Cab 20 Original (Lavender)' in HK or Singapore. Not only the code 'SP' or 'JP' difference, but also the characteristics of both rackets. The JP version is more flexible and lighter than SP version. As I stated before in this forum, the JP version is the identical version of Cab 20 Special which available in HK and Singapore. The Lavender version in SE Asia is the reproduced version of the legendary Cab 20 in 80's. If you grab the Cab 20 Special in hand and swing it you will find it is very similar to the feeling you get from Cab 20 JP. And more importantly, the colour scheme of JP and Cab 20 Special is the same. Therefore, if you want to get the Cab 20 Original, the JP is not the one. If you try the Cab 20 original and find it heavy, the JP version is definitely suit you more. Hope these help.
I don't suppose I can still get a Cab 20 original these days new right? I suppose used will have to be my only option?
Thanks for the info Forrest. I'll be sure to pick one up when I come back later this year. Are these actually new ones? I.e. is Yonex still manufacturing them today, or are these new ones simple overstocks from years gone by?
new production. take a look at this thread for more info: http://www.badmintonforum.com/vb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=7416&highlight=cab20+returns i heard they are out of stock now. is that true, forrest?
Well, I will join the Cab20 club today This one is kind of like the old one with gold lettering at the butt. The serial is 0704331IP, which is in 2003 (so they are still making the old style in 2003) This one is only 3 months older than your purple one.....hmm.....I guess that's the cutoff time then.
Hi Jeff, The racket in the picture is exactly what my friend got. He's got two of them from a long time ago and still has them, one with purple(in the pic you provided), the other is like I forgot, green or orange one of the same thing. Intresting!!!
The most confusing thing about the Cab20 is that it has so many colors versions... (I really think Yonex should come up with a Racket History Book like Swatch did on their watches year book, so that we can understand better and it's easier for collectors)