Racquet Collectors - Discuss!

Discussion in 'Badminton Rackets / Equipment' started by R20190, Aug 15, 2012.

  1. R20190

    R20190 Regular Member

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    I’m a collector of old Yonex racquets for almost 20 years now and in my time I’ve met other collectors but there seems to be two distinct types of collectors.

    One that is obsessed with acquiring old classic racquets for one’s own pleasure (to play with or as an ornament) and another type that just holds on to them in the hope they increase in value one day.

    I’m the former.

    Now here’s the dilemma...

    The racquets that racquet collectors tend to collect are normally those from a specific period or era or simply those used by their idols and pros such as in the 70s, 80s and 90s... for me the racquets I’m mainly interested in are those used by my idols Zhao Jian Hua, Park Joo Bong, Kim Moon Soo and Heryanto Arbi. But I’m not as interested in racquets before their time... say pre-70s.

    As time goes by, our idols become less and less known by the newer generation of badminton fanatics who would naturally idolise more current players to whom they can relate to. Just as there are very few young players using oval shaped racquets.

    By the same token, racquets that are currently considered valuable classics, because they were once used by our idols or alike may not have much meaning or value to the newer generations of badminton fans and understandably so.

    So surely, there will come a time when current classic racquet values will no longer command the prices they once did even if they are in immaculate condition. As with all collectables, items are only worth what people are prepared to pay for them. If racquet collectors of a certain period become ever scarcer, there will be fewer and fewer people looking to collect them. However at the same time, good condition current classics will become rarer and rarer.

    Fortunately for me, I won't be looking to sell my collectables so their market values don't really affect me. But I personally have two “collections” one I keep for sentimental reasons and never play with, the other is a collection of more modern racquets that I still play with and can contemplate selling one day.


    It would be interesting to see what other collectors think of this.

     
  2. CarbonexFan

    CarbonexFan Regular Member

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    I'm afraid I don't fit in either two types defined. It's just that when I started to play badminton, I wanted to know the differences between the rackets instead of reading about it. And since I don't planning to sell anything, it just happens that the collection expands and old rackets are not up to the work for today's standards. Because I'm not planning to sell anything, the current market price is not important to me, but the improvements are. Some rackets are not made anymore, and it's just that when I'm selling a racket, I may not be able to buy it back anymore. Especially the good ones. I won my first mens doubles tournament with the Boron2/Carbonex21 1st gen. I'm happy I still have those two, safely stored. The emotional value of these rackets are priceless.
     
  3. raistian

    raistian Regular Member

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    I don't collect them for monetary gains - we all know there's crap money in badminton (generally speaking). All of mine regularly see court time & only take a break when the string's broken.

    The main reason for collecting is because every now & then, there's a racquet thats fits my playstyle like a built in t-joint. When that happens, I stock up.

    The second is nostalgia. My first real racquet ie, not dad's hand me down was a cab20 original, which I got when joining badminton school & subsequently broke a few years later after a few junior tourneys. Took me 20+ years of hunting to get another cab20 (the refresh, not sp, or special or tour). It's still my favourite (I guess I'm so used to it) & it reminds me of dad (he passed away a few month ago) - the majority of our father & son time was spent on the court :D

    I love my racquet collection but they're my gear first, collection second. If/ when the cab20 breaks its remains would be framed & hang on the wall because of the nostalgic factor - the others will be binned.

    I also prefer them to die in battle, on court - than stolen/ lost/ broken during stringing.
     
  4. concretemad

    concretemad Regular Member

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    ya. upon a clean and powerful full swing smash. but sometimes, its from your overly eager partner springing from the front to reach the bird, its disaster.
     
  5. R20190

    R20190 Regular Member

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    That was how I began too, I wanted to know what the difference was between the Cab 8SP and 8DX, then a t-joint and built in t-joint racquet, then aerotus vs box shape... and on it went....

    However, it wasn't until the last 10 or so years that I really started to collect old racquets, before I wasn't really a collector and I sold and gave away racquets that I now regret.

    But even though you are not interested in the current value of your racquets as you're not looking to sell them, you may however want to acquire some more later? So perhaps you would need to have some idea of what they are worth?

    Lets take an original Cab 20 for example, someone has an immaculate one for sale, wants the best price he can get for it.

    When would be the best time for him to sell it? Now? 10yrs time? 30yrs time?

    I would have thought that in 10-20 years time, very few badminton players would know of the past professionals that used these racquets or have any nostalgic reasons for acquiring them. Therefore with fewer and fewer people wanting them, would their value diminish with time?
     
  6. R20190

    R20190 Regular Member

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    Same here, but I no longer use my collected racquets. I will try them to see what they are like, then I just store them away. I will make a display and put them all up on a wall one day.

    The only one I would still play with ocassionally is the Cab 21.
     
  7. yurimaster2010

    yurimaster2010 Regular Member

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    Bro,
    If ur the collector lets display some photoes for us to see to wash our eyes...
    Its time for d young gen to see n learnt from these classic masterpiece...
    My all time fav is boron 200.
     
  8. Smichz

    Smichz Regular Member

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    U mean these?
     

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  9. Smichz

    Smichz Regular Member

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    Like i heard from some people,collectible rackets never gets old enough amongst the collectors.Let's say CAB20 yellow or green.To most people nowadays,these r just an old ordinary racket,worthless,n even if u sell it at a cheap price,they don't wanna buy it,cos they thought the newer rackets are better built.But for the collectors,if u got a brand new unstrung,they are willing to pay for a good price.

    I started to play around with rackets like 6 years ago,starting from my first AT900T.Then i read some articles about the classics,n finding them interesting.So,i bought some rackets that i found quite popular during their era,but decided not to keep them all.Just having an experience of keeping them for a while with me is ok.Cos i have to say,however i wanted to get used to them,i came from an ISO head,AT900T.All left from those old rackets now are only the pictures.Starting from the 80s blacken,cab 20 series,n the other cabs.Now i collect only some specific models,which most of them are 90+.

    Aside from collecting rackets,i do play with the new era rackets as well,starting from the Ti10 1st gen,1999 manufactured,to the latest of Voltric Z Force.Used to have the Arc10 Premium,Voltric Z Force Limited,Armortec 700 Premium,but sold them all.Maybe i found myself more suitable playing with the ordinary model.Haha..
     
    #9 Smichz, Aug 29, 2012
    Last edited: Aug 29, 2012
  10. yurimaster2010

    yurimaster2010 Regular Member

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    lets prade all your others collections n review.
    boron200 what a seductive masterpiece...
     
  11. R20190

    R20190 Regular Member

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    Lol, I don't have the most impressive collection. But I have posted a few photos in the "your racquet pics!" thread here (p.57).

    There are a few racquets missing from the photos there, I mised out my Yonex Widebody 30 and I think I may still have my Cab16 somewhere...
     
  12. R20190

    R20190 Regular Member

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  13. gundamzaku

    gundamzaku Regular Member

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    i guess i started out making purchases because i was curious about their performance. after a while, i realized i'm getting more and more badminton bags for the rackets. eventually i realized it's not badminton gear anymore and it naturally turned into a collection. the only time i actually looked to make a purchase for collection sake was when i bought my carbonex rackets...because i had them when i was in grade school.

    now i have rackets that i retired because they are no longer in production, those are unstrung. and rackets that are still in production and i use them once in a while.

    i currently play the best with a cheap yonex carbonex 8600 titanium. and for some odd reason i just can't stay away from oval shape rackets from yonex.
     

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