Anyone interested in CUSTOM rackets?

**adonis** · 12-21-2009, 07:02 PM

i think the designs look great so far though honestly i'm not a big fan of model numbers (Urumi 400 & Kanobo 400).

this may seem like a dumb question, but where does the customization come in?

**Easy Tiger** · 12-21-2009, 07:20 PM

Not sure it does at the moment. Manufacturer is not keen on the idea, so I'm looking into doing a small run. At this stage though I'm just going to do 4 samples with different specs to see how the quality is and see what the different materials are like.

**adonis** · 12-21-2009, 07:40 PM

i have to agree. too much customization implies added effort and cost. not to mention difficulty in moderating quality as well.

maybe try to keep customization to a minimum? lets say just a part on the shaft where buyers can put in their names, initials or wtv?

if it fails, just make it into your own brand like panda power and zelm which have both done considerably well.

**markache@hotmai** · 12-21-2009, 09:38 PM

Originally Posted by twobeer

The neon-lime one in the last post looks stunning :-)

When Can I order one with the following specifications?

Frame: Isometric, 96hole, triple tapered (wide top slim mid wider bottom), inside-wave, grommet-less, aero-frame, shock-absorption filled.
Lenght: 679mm
weight: ca 88g.
balance: 290mm
t-joint: yy like t-joint or 3d braid or similar to "work around" patent issues.
shaft: slim, tapered, extra long.
handle: 1 cm shorter than regular length
Material frame: Toray M56J + cnt resin at strategic points, Elastic Ti at 3&9 o clock.
Material shaft: meidai tetra-axial woven M56J, 1000T, M30G & M40 (4-axis woven) + CNT resin..

/Twobeer

You need to work with a mold company for the mold first

**Easy Tiger** · 12-22-2009, 02:17 AM

Yeah nobody would have a headshape like that. It would be a great design job though, I'd love to design a full racket from the ground up.

Not sure about grommet-less design though. I'd think that grommets assist with damping to a degree. Does anyone make a grommet-less racket?

**twobeer** · 12-22-2009, 02:35 AM

Originally Posted by Easy Tiger

Yeah nobody would have a headshape like that. It would be a great design job though, I'd love to design a full racket from the ground up.

Not sure about grommet-less design though. I'd think that grommets assist with damping to a degree. Does anyone make a grommet-less racket?

Prince was first I think with grommet-less frames. they have many models with this. li ning also uses partially grommet-less on their free-hole model series /T

**cooler** · 12-22-2009, 02:36 AM

Originally Posted by Easy Tiger

Yeah nobody would have a headshape like that. It would be a great design job though, I'd love to design a full racket from the ground up.

Not sure about grommet-less design though. I'd think that grommets assist with damping to a degree. Does anyone make a grommet-less racket?

yes, prince o3...................

**Easy Tiger** · 12-22-2009, 02:43 AM

Yeah, but the Princes' kinda suck.

I have been doing some research on tetra-axial fabrics since they were first mentioned on the TC series Mizunos. As strength-to-weight is not really an issue with badminton rackets, I see TA fabrics main advantage in a torsional resistance roll, of which they would be better than 2k weave.

Not sure if either are better than filament wound structures though.

**cooler** · 12-22-2009, 02:47 AM

Originally Posted by Easy Tiger

Yeah, but the Princes' kinda suck.

why u say that without justification? Just because o3 doesn't sell well, it didn't prove it was due to grommetless reason. I'm sure u haven't play wif one before.

what is the point of customization without daring to go outside the box? dicking around BP, stiffness and color is elementary. I have done it before, taneepak and others have done it before, for very low extra cost.

**Easy Tiger** · 12-22-2009, 03:32 AM

I've played with the O2, didn't like it at all, and yeah, it's not flying off the shelf.

I know as a product designer how transitions and physical barriers between materials effect vibration transmission, so I see grommets as a good thing, not a bad one.

Don't worry, I'll 'dick around' heaps. That's about all I can guarantee.

**teoky** · 12-22-2009, 03:48 AM

I don't think there's a racquet that is entirely grommetless, usually it is only a certain section.

Other than prince and Li ning, the Babolat X-Feel series are also grommetless on some section.

**twobeer** · 12-22-2009, 06:35 AM

Originally Posted by teoky

I don't think there's a racquet that is entirely grommetless, usually it is only a certain section.

Other than prince and Li ning, the Babolat X-Feel series are also grommetless on some section.

Sure there is.. I have the Prince More rackets somwhere tucked away at home..

http://www.badmintonalley.com/Prince...ce-more-xl.htm

/Twobeer

**twobeer** · 12-22-2009, 06:42 AM

Originally Posted by Easy Tiger

I've played with the O2, didn't like it at all, and yeah, it's not flying off the shelf.

I know as a product designer how transitions and physical barriers between materials effect vibration transmission, so I see grommets as a good thing, not a bad one.

Don't worry, I'll 'dick around' heaps. That's about all I can guarantee.

I assume you refer to Prince O3 speedport rackets (never heard of any O2 line).. Which at least the first one released felt very "plastic".. and the do have durability problems (I know some prince sponsored players using them).

O3 speedport is really a super-sized stringholes.. Before launching these Prince used grommet-less designs on normal size string holes on their Y-shaped prince More and more+ racket ranges.. The direct string contact is really good imop.. But it is of course more complicated to produce racket if they need to be molded or use two halfs (as in the prince case) than to simply drill holse in the frame...

BTW i didn't like the first O3s either (I bought the White, Silver, blue and red :-) ) ..

/Twobeer

**cooler** · 12-22-2009, 01:16 PM

Originally Posted by twobeer

I assume you refer to Prince O3 speedport rackets (never heard of any O2 line).. Which at least the first one released felt very "plastic".. and the do have durability problems (I know some prince sponsored players using them).

O3 speedport is really a super-sized stringholes.. Before launching these Prince used grommet-less designs on normal size string holes on their Y-shaped prince More and more+ racket ranges.. The direct string contact is really good imop.. But it is of course more complicated to produce racket if they need to be molded or use two halfs (as in the prince case) than to simply drill holse in the frame...

BTW i didn't like the first O3s either (I bought the White, Silver, blue and red :-) ) ..

/Twobeer

nod. I too like a all grommetless racket. Advantages outweigh the disadvantages, especially for the high level performance. That's why i questioned the 'it suck' part. O3 design wasn't optimized for badminton IMO, basically prince transfer their tennis design onto their badminton O3 gears, riding on the same marketing train so to speak.

**Easy Tiger** · 12-22-2009, 02:33 PM

Yeah sorry, I keep calling the O3 the O2 for some reason. Not sure what the new versions are like, but for this exercise it's a bit pointless because nobody - myself included - is going to pony up 5-1O grand for a custom mould.

**maa2003** · 12-30-2009, 05:11 AM

nice color ..... are they also from Badminton*** ?

Originally Posted by Easy Tiger

Nah it's not weird. It's HAWT!

I'm going to be looking at two specs in the samples.

Kanabo - Heavy hitter, head heavy. 'Kanabo' is a type of Japanese heavy club used for smashing people over the head.

Urumi - All-rounder, doubles bias, even balance. 'Urumi' is a deadly multiple bladed sword from India. Google it. It's frightening.

Colours are undecided and I'm limited in what I can do with the decals, so no complaints!