Quick story to sum this up; Bought my new AT900P from a local sports store last wednesday, played with it on wednesday night, no problems, it was a UK bank holiday on monday so no badminton, played with it again tonight (only second time i've used it) and despite there being absolutely no reason why it should have broken, no clashes, not a single floor clip, nothing.... it started playing really strangely, almost like it has lost its reliability. Between games I sit down and inspect it, and there's a crack on the outside of the frame at about 2 o'clock as you look at it. The crack doesn't go all the way through, about half way through. What I can't figure out, is how it would have broken without banging it, and if I take it back to the store, they send it to Yonex, and Yonex say it was my fault, is that it? Is that money down the pan? I'm absolutely savage about it as I know it was nothing I did, I've heard some real horror stories about Yonex getting it wrong. Any advice? Cheers, Sandmandj.
If you played with it with the factory string in you DEFINTELY have grounds for demanding a new one under the warranty, especially since you report no clashes or anything (which could mean a manufacturing fault). Whatever we might say about Yonex on here, in my experience they are very good indeed at honouring the terms of warranties (though the wait for a new racket can be a bit variable).
Cool, cheers. I've just realised I posted this in the wrong section, so apologies before I get told off. Another thing that's puzzling me, is that the crack is on the outside of the frame, surely with the strings pulling it inwards, the crack should be on the inside.... it's properly weird.
Hey Sandmandj! Sorry to hear about your racket maybe it was a faulty racket to start with by the manufacturers, I have a similar problem I bought a Karakal M-Tec 70 last week I've been waiting for it for ages for it because most places are out of stock, So anyhow First time i played with it it didn't feel that good because of the original strings on it and I think the tension was like 22LBS so I tried to have it restrung to about 26/27 LBS with Bg 80 strings which ive done with my other rackets and the inside of the frame in the middle cracked!! I was gutted And there is no way of returning it as like you said they will say it's my own fault. It says on the racket that it can take upto 30LBS but clearly not. Anyway there is this place that repairs broken rackets I have not tried it yet but I will call them soon to ask how much it would cost. Here's the addr http://www.racquetrepairs.co.uk/
its quite surprising but most of the top yonex rackets are so fragile. Awesome rackets but dam they break easily lol using it twice u should be able to make the warranty claim no worries.