Donic Ovtcharov True Carbon

piligrim wrote: AndySmith wrote: lucifer wrote: makes you wonder who is their target. for almost the same price you can buy a timo boll spirit or a viscaria. <span style="line-height: 1.4;">From a very quick google search, I can buy the True Carbon for €87, which is £73 (damn you Brexit, that exchange rate sucks).</span> I'm not allowed to buy Butterfly products from outside my territory, so I can only get a Viscaria from my official vendors, and their price is fixed at £120. The True Carbon is 60% of the price of the Viscaria.  And that's with me spending 5 minutes searching - could probably get it cheaper with more effort. So it's aimed at people like me, I guess? you can't do directly comparison for €87 you only get True Carbon. you don't get Viscaria you get what you pay for

I'm only comparing on price, with the argument that it's "close" to the price of the Viscaria, which it is not. It's a cheaper alternative. I'll leave the comparison of the performance of the two blades to those who have used both. See earlier in this thread for that.

I presume you've used both to make the "get what you pay for" comment. What did you think of the True Carbon?

Has anyone tried the fl handle? Is it similar to Vis too? 

I have the flared handle TC. Very comfy little bit thicker than the norm and not as long and thin as the Crest handle for me. Does remind me of the Stiga legend size handle a bit. Blade balance is really good as others have commented.

piligrim wrote: AndySmith wrote: I presume you've used both to make the "get what you pay for" comment. What did you think of the True Carbon? I didn't use True Carbon but I used other "alternatives" to Butterfly blades. and I realized if you want Viscaria, for example, you should buy Viscaria. if you want TB ALC you should buy it and not to look for alternatives

Yes, but what if you like a Viscaria and want it in ST? 

AndySmith wrote:   The True Carbon is 60% of the price of the Viscaria.

You're way wrong, Andy.

TurboZ wrote: If Dima use TC and win Gold in Rio

what??? you mean Dima can beat Jike and Ma Long????

piligrim wrote: TurboZ wrote: If Dima use TC and win Gold in Rio what??? you mean Dima can beat Jike and Ma Long????

Beating Ma Long is a long shot (pun intended ) but Dima's recored against Jike is 3-5 and he won the last match so that is not too far fetched.

I am ok with the argument that for people who live in the US and Europe, Japan, Korea, etc. $150 is not completely out of line these days for a blade that can be used for many years, but I think the discussion of the True Carbon is really not a question of price (although it is indeed less expensive than Butterfly ALC blades).  

Some people -- like me -- are going to like the True Carbon on its own merits, irrespective of its price. 

I think it stands equally against any blade currently sold by Butterfly, and it will be preferred by people who like blades with ST handles that are more round than square, especially if they have large hands.  If you are seeking the elusive ST Viscaria, stop looking and just buy one of these.  The handles are a bit on the largish side, so if you like your handles very thin or more square, you won't like this. 

I actually now play with this blade and I played with Viscaria since 2007.  I have also owned TBS, TB-ALC, ZJK-ALC, and Xiom Stradivarius, and at one time or another I have at least hit with many of the Butterfly ZLC and sZLC blades (as well as several other company's ALC blades, which aren't as good).  People can decide for themselves if that experience means anything, but I think I have a strong basis for posting an opinion on this, certainly more than people who have not actually played with the True Carbon. 

Let me add one other thing.  I spent a stupid amount of money having two custom Viscaria ST blades made for me, and sold them both a couple of weeks later.  But I am still very much liking my True Carbon.  It is a better blade than those were.  I am not going to say it is better than the really good FL Viscarias I was using, but I find that ST handles are really suitable for me.  And orignal Viscaria ST blades for for $500 now!

Baal, are the handles solid and weighty or pretty hollow (the Donic Crest series handles felt very hollow)?

Where to buy OTC now as TT11 is out of stock and I don't want to pay the retail price at megaspin?

kindof99 wrote: Where to buy OTC now as TT11 is out of stock and I don't want to pay the retail price at megaspin?

kindof99 wrote: Back-ordered only.

AndySmith wrote: To me, this is just a waste of cash that could be spent on other things because I'd play at the same level, and with the same happiness.

that the point. I don't feel I play at same level and have same happiness if I use substitute blade

AndySmith wrote: Secondly, as a matter of principle I avoid BTY these days because of their price rigging, which I find unethical.  I don't expect everyone to agree or do the same, and it doesn't eat me up or make me want to protest outside their head office or anything, but there you go. IMO, most of Butterfly's attraction is just a carefully designed and coordinated aura that they've built up over the years.  Of course their stuff is well made and performs well, but their pricing used to be much more in-line with the market average (with perhaps a 10% premium on top).  Since their enormous price hike and introduction of territorial restrictions, they just don't represent value for money any more.

I can agree that Butterfly prices could be lower but if you won't but there stuff you just punish yourself.

AndySmith wrote: But don't kid yourself - you don't "get what you pay for" (except in the literal sense of paying money to get a thing) with Butterfly. As you say "if you want a Viscaria, buy a Viscaria".  Yes, but perhaps ask yourself why you want a Viscaria, and is it a rational decision you're making?  Why won't a really similar blade for far less money do the job?

because in my opinion it's not similar. it's ok to buy other brand. I for example like Infinity for example. but not because it similar to some butterfly blade that i think too expensive.

AndySmith wrote:  Because I'd rather save money and take my family out for the day, or save towards our next holiday, or any number of other things.  Money (unlike the wood to build blades) doesn't grow on trees.

if you not EJ and don't buy new blade every week then no reason to save few bucks on blade that you will use for many years.

Well, almost all US online stores have it. Just need to pay a little more. I can order one from Megaspin and have it next Monday. 

Funny how people are willing to continually post an opinion about a blade they haven't used.