A very Strong weakness of Timo Boll ALC Blade

Timo Hu wrote: kolevtt wrote: Hello, I can recommend to buy another blade TB ALC for comparison or just to make combination with softer rubbers on this blade. Things will become better then. Sometimes there are big differences from blade to blade, that is why I have tested more than 30 blades from a model during the years. With some of them was impossible to play, while some were very good. Two equal blades is almost impossible to find, always there are differences. Sometimes smaller, sometimes bigger, you never know, no matter of the same weight. There are differences in the handles too, it reflects immediately on the balance and playing skills. Don't make general conclusions from just a blade, it will be very very very wrong. Next step will be just to switch to another blade with higher control in the strokes you need for safe play, I am not sure what are your playing possibilities, but I am sure you know them very well and you are enough able to make the correct choice. It is always better do not criticize the equipment, but yourself only. Good luck and have more fun on the table-tennis tables ! I tested 4 TB ALC in total with Tenergy 05 rubbers. Tenergy 05 rubbers are ok because I tried same rubbers on other blade like Amultart, Viscaria, or Timo Boll ZLF. Rubbers give me very good feeling. However, when put these rubbers on 4 TB ALC blades that I tested. All of 4 TB ALC I have tested are dull, stiff, and hard to control. A majority of my club members also have the same comments. 4 TB ALC blades are ordered in different time period, so I don't think it is random for 4 of them to be dull and stiff. Did you use TB ALC before? How's your feeling?

Yes, I have tested more than 10 x TB ALC blades with different rubbers, mostly paddles of another player, but this blade is far of my needs combined with hard rubbers like Aurus, Hexer HD, Rasant or Tenergy.  I had possibility to test it once in a big hall with 2 x T64 - it was definitely better for me. If I have two blades for choice - TB ALC or TBS, then I will get the TBS, as it is little more softer and with higher control, less vibration.

I prefer a Viscaria myself -- well at least the two good ones I have now -- but the fact is that Timo Boll is older than he used to be, has had some back injury issues (trust me, you never fully recover your confidence after that), and is not as quick as he used to be.  At his healthy and young best was never quite as good as ML or ZJK at their best. 

So attributing the fact that he put a few balls into the net against those guys to the equipment  is IMHO just silly.  Also, as Kolev says, no two are the same, something I have also been saying for a long time.  These things are made of wood, after all.  (This idea does, however, play nicely to the subset of forumers who are convinced that equipment choices are the key to their success or failure).  Some blades really do suck. I am personally in possession of two fairly sucky Viscarias.

Someone with access to a large number of TB-ALC blades will find one that is fantastic.

 Also, I am pretty sure Timo and his coaches analyze tape of his matches.  I am pretty sure they see things that lower level players can't see.   

*_strataras_* wrote: I have noticed that thing with TB ALCs.My friend got one from presports years ago in fl handle, and after a year, when I bought mine in st handle, he tried both blades, with the same rubbers, and he saw difference as I did.Never a blade is 100% the same as another of the same model!Always there is a difference, big or small!

It's true, I have always 2 blades, 1 for competition, 1 for "backup", in more than 25 years, I have only 2 identical blades, same weight, same handle, same feel : Primorac Carbon black tag, bought from tibi in this forum

Muted feel tends to be the main property of Btfly ALC blades, it is the thing people who love these blades actually like about them.  Actually, my sense is that the reason Btfly started making the top surface shiny (UV treatment??) with introduction of TB-ALC, ZJK and ZJK-ALC is to counter some of that. 

Also, if they send you a box of 20 of them, I am pretty sure you will find one you like (assuming you are coming from a background of other Btfly ALC blades such as Viscaria and TBS).  But we mortals don't get to pick the absolute best one of the litter.

As for special manufacturing, maybe this is why his blades are good, but I suspect a lot of what goes into making one of the really perfect blades is luck -- some unknown in the manufacturing process that once in awhile just happens.  So you find one of those blades by testing a bunch.

Sadly, that is true, although it depends a bit on how picky you are.  In my case the type of Viscaria that I like, a bit slower and softer, is extremely hard to find now, and used to be easy to find (say four+ years ago).  However faster, lighter, crisper ones are easy to find now, and I have three that are very similar to each other.  If someone likes that kind best (like one of my practice partners), they are in luck.  I am out of luck and hopefully nothing will ever happen to my two good ones (by which I mean good for me).  Maybe I would not have too much trouble adjusting to these slightly faster new ones, I am really not sure, but for now I don't have to.  In general it is hard to find two identical things made out of wood.

Baal wrote: Sadly, that is true, although it depends a bit on how picky you are.  In my case the type of Viscaria that I like, a bit slower and softer, is extremely hard to find now, and used to be easy to find (say four+ years ago).  However faster, lighter, crisper ones are easy to find now, and I have three that are very similar to each other.  If someone likes that kind best (like one of my practice partners), they are in luck.  I am out of luck and hopefully nothing will ever happen to my two good ones (by which I mean good for me).  Maybe I would not have too much trouble adjusting to these slightly faster new ones, I am really not sure, but for now I don't have to.  In general it is hard to find two identical things made out of wood.

Edited by *_strataras_* - 07/08/2014 at 2:17am

+1 Vlad0

Edited by aroonkl - 07/08/2014 at 5:35pm

popperlocker wrote: Interesting theory. However, like Baal said in a thread a while back. Butterfly blades vary greatly from one another. You can find a vicaria that plays like a timoalc and vice versa. I have a timoalc that plays hard as a rock, very little dwell. And I have another that plays with lots of dwell.  My theory as to why Timo hits the ball into the net, is because his technique+equipment makes it difficult to counter very powerful balls. Yan An hits lots of balls into the net as well, and I think every pro does it when they are too slow to react/don't have enough momentum to counter the ball.

Baal wrote: Can't compare which of popperlocker's blades?  He has two that are quite different.  We don't know much about Timo Boll's blade, but no reason to just assume they are all that much different from commercial versions, which are often very good blades used by many very high level and professional players.  It is not impossible of course (although I doubt it), but there is no reason to assume it.  What is sure is that the ones he gets are all exactly the weight he likes them, and I suspect that he tests a bunch before selecting the ones he wants, even if they are in some way custom made for him.  *  especially since TB-ALC at the outset was designed with Timo Boll in mind (as was TBS before the speed glue ban).  In a sense the entire blade is a custom design for Timo Boll!  So why then go ahead and change it dramatically and make it worse so you can sell it to other people!

+1

It's his most popular signature model...

It is/ was one of the best selling blades for Butterfly used by many fellow pros around the world...

Timo sends balls into net because he is hypnotized by Ma Long's perfect circular arm movement, it's obvious. Not because of blade. Also, Chinese players choose shirt colors to irritate him.

NextLevel wrote: Why the necromancing, bard?

Edited by bard romance - 12/13/2016 at 10:14am

bard romance wrote: LethalForehand wrote: its a good point, I have to agree with most of it. PLayed the TB ALC for a short time only then gave it away, its so hard and bouncy that when you need dwell time to dig into the wood for powerloop its just not there. It occurred to me before that the reason for german top players (Boll, Baum, Steger...) to brush loop more than power-loop is their blade. Its good that someone else have come to this conclusion too. God, they even brush-loop high balls... watch Boll putting away a popped up serve.. .so much unnecessary brushing... On the other hand, none of the chinese powerloopers use blades that are hard on the outside. They all have blades with soft feel. I also agree with none of the amateurs probably being able to handle those blades. Ma Long's blade, viscaria, TB ALC fancy fancy, but where is the control?? Today saw a 2700+ US kid struggling with his viscaria in a high pressure match situation. He got tight from pressure and the lack of control was immediately evident. With these blades your grip is just 10% not loose enough, the angle is not perfect and the ball goes all over the place from blocks and touch-shots. just my 2 cents though. --someone who can handle the ma long blade well in practice but not uses it bc in matches misses too much with it.... Please please please tell me this post is sarcasm or a massive troll...

"2700+ US kid" kind of give it away...

TMB ALC is amazing. Simple as that,there is nothing related to winning or losing.

I should have purchased the Zhang jike alc instead.