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Finally upgrading my Nittaku Violin

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jkillashark View Drop Down
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    Posted: 05/29/2023 at 2:17pm
Hey all! Would love some advice on a blade upgrade. USATT ~2000 but have taken a long break throughout COVID and recently started getting back into it. I stopped playing competitively after the 40+ and would just play casual games but the change in pace annoyed me enough to lose interest for a bit. Also girls/dating was a distraction :P. My wife is encouraging me to play more again so less distraction now. 

My style of play:
I play a forehand dominant game with DHS H3 blue sponge and Butterfly Tenergy 05 on my backhand. I prefer short touch play until I can use a powerful forehand loop drive or forehand loop and play mid-distance. I will counterloop poor quality/slow spinny loops with forehand. I prefer to push short with backhand over flipping but will flip when I have to. I prefer to block with backhand until I can get my forehand in play. Against underspin with backhand I focus more on spin and placement with backhand than a powerful backhand drive. My footwork was (note: WAS) excellent due to my forehand dominant play 15 years ago but I'm 35 now and I'm starting to feel it. Fortunately I still have decent footwork that still allows me to cover first attack with forehand but it's not what it used to be. I played in my first tournament in over 4 years a few weeks ago and I felt sore for almost 4 days. My backhand topspin against underspin to forehand topspin against underspin ratio was maybe 1:8 or so.

I've long been a big proponent of all-wood blades. However, I've noticed that in this new 40+ era my Nittaku Violin (NV) has started to feel a bit slow. I've had this baby since 2009 and I've really loved it but I've noticed a shift towards 5W+2C or 5W+2ALC. I've looked into either the Butterfly Viscaria (BV) or the Nittaku Violin Carbon (NVC). The NVC would bring a lovely sense of nostalgia but I'm worried it might be too fast. I have chunky fingers so the small handle on the NV was a nice feel. The BV handle looks kind of big.

For people who have played the Butterfly Viscaria/Nittaku Violin/Nittaku Violin Carbon, what are your thoughts? Thanks in advance!
Butterfly Viscaria FL
FH: Black DHS Neo Hurricane 3 Blue Sponge National
BH: Red Butterfly Tenergy 80

Footwork and forehand is always the answer.
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aerial View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote aerial Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 05/30/2023 at 8:14am
haven't used the violin carbon but was an avid acoustic inner carbon user, liked it a lot

perhaps inner carbon violin would be good? slower low gear and faster high gear when inner carbon is engaged
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stiltt View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote stiltt Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 05/31/2023 at 10:45am
The possibilities are so numerous. 

I can't help but noticing how serious you were using the same blade for so long and I want to underline this has tremendous value. How heavy is your actual Violin? if it is under 85 grams, I highly recommend you try one that is 92 grams or more. 

Staying all wood, another possibility is to contact SDC a.k.a forum member Hipnotic and ask him to make a heavy Violin for you, the same with a thicker core for example?

If composite is a requirement, I have to say the one he is selling there looks so yummy! just get it and be done! I am sure it has a nice woody feel for a composite and the quality is as good if not better than the original.

There is the Apolonia to consider, one is for sale there. You will be amazed at the feel and this one has so beautiful limba outer plies! One wanting to visit the composite world coming from all wood OFF definitely should try the Apolonia.

GOOD LUCK!

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jkillashark View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote jkillashark Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 05/31/2023 at 10:45am
Acoustic Inner Carbon has also come up on my research list! How does it play in terms of:
Serve, short touch, flick, loop, block, mid-distance?
Butterfly Viscaria FL
FH: Black DHS Neo Hurricane 3 Blue Sponge National
BH: Red Butterfly Tenergy 80

Footwork and forehand is always the answer.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote NextLevel Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 05/31/2023 at 1:19pm
It will take time, but going to a faster blade is definitely the way to go - I used to be all wood blades too, but I switched to carbon with the new ball, and I think I wasted a lot of time and should have switched to a really fast blade much longer ago and used spinnier rubbers to tame it.

I would recommend you don't buy anything but test a lot of setups or look at the blade frequency charts to see how far up you are moving in frequency and feeling.  That said, I am confident this will help your game tremendously.  

Forget about your results for a while, just find something you enjoy playing with.  Over time you will adjust.


Edited by NextLevel - 05/31/2023 at 1:21pm
I like putting heavy topspin on the ball...
Cybershape Carbon
FH/BH: H3P 41D.
Lumberjack TT, not for lovers of beautiful strokes. No time to train...
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote NextLevel Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 05/31/2023 at 1:22pm
Originally posted by jkillashark jkillashark wrote:

Acoustic Inner Carbon has also come up on my research list! How does it play in terms of:
Serve, short touch, flick, loop, block, mid-distance?

Inner carbon is definitely an option if you are coming from all wood.  I found the Acoustic (Inner) Carbon to be really slow but you might feel differently about it.
I like putting heavy topspin on the ball...
Cybershape Carbon
FH/BH: H3P 41D.
Lumberjack TT, not for lovers of beautiful strokes. No time to train...
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aerial View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote aerial Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 05/31/2023 at 4:55pm
jkillashark username sounds so familiar, did you use to play a lot of starcraft brood war or counter strike 1.6?
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote jkillashark Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 06/05/2023 at 2:51pm
Originally posted by aerial aerial wrote:

jkillashark username sounds so familiar, did you use to play a lot of starcraft brood war or counter strike 1.6?

Yes to both!
Butterfly Viscaria FL
FH: Black DHS Neo Hurricane 3 Blue Sponge National
BH: Red Butterfly Tenergy 80

Footwork and forehand is always the answer.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote liulin04 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 06/06/2023 at 5:09am
Violin I last used around 2009ish, but quickly moved onto Acoustic, and then composite Butterfly and Nittaku blades due to changes in the ball composition and other new rubbers being introduced.  I'd say give Nittaku Barwell Fleet a try, the glass fiber carbon gives you the extra speed and power as opposed to your Violin.  Butterfly Viscaria, Harimoto IF ZLC, or even the Harimoto SZLC will be a good option, each has their own advantages, especially the Harimoto series with the inner insertion of the composite fibers compared to Viscaria's outer insertion.  Good luck on your selection.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote aerial Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 06/06/2023 at 9:59am
Originally posted by jkillashark jkillashark wrote:

Originally posted by aerial aerial wrote:

jkillashark username sounds so familiar, did you use to play a lot of starcraft brood war or counter strike 1.6?

Yes to both!

haha I thought I remembered seeing your username on some of the scbw forums back in the day... had some intense flashbacks to those days... 1a2a3a4d5d6d7z8z9p0p gg no re :D

also, to answer your questions on acoustic inner:
Serve: I use a tacky rubber so no issues on service, also the inner carbon is not bouncy like outer carbon, so I feel service was under control

short touch, flick: acoustic inner in my opinion has a very woody feeling, quite soft, I like this feeling a lot. Over the table shots are very under control. I used to use an old Stiga Offensive Classic but with the new ball it just felt like I was missing something on the higher gear spectrum.

block: since it is inner carbon, I felt like the block would stay on the racket longer and If I spun the ball a little, I could control it back onto the table. When trying to block with outer blades like viscaria I would oftentimes block out of bounds

 loop, , mid-distance: looping is really fun with acoustic inner, the limba outer plies are so soft to bite the ball and I feel like I can really spin the ball, plus the carbon adds some extra speed. I like it a lot. The only reason I switched was that it was a little head-heavy for me, and my backhand was kind of bad with it... my EJ bug is too strong I ordered a custom blade inner carbon FH (to mimic acoustic inner) and outer carbon BH (to mimic the TBALC/Viscaria composition) 

I used to own two acoustic inner's but sold one. If you are interested I can sell you my other one, although it is normal sized handle. I used to use large size handle but, felt like it was too large for me, and caused me to have an overly tight grip, the normal size is a bit smaller compared to other blade manufacturers (but fits like a glove for me though). PM me if interested in the normal size handle acoustic inner... :)
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote jkillashark Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 06/06/2023 at 1:41pm
Originally posted by aerial aerial wrote:

Originally posted by jkillashark jkillashark wrote:

Originally posted by aerial aerial wrote:

jkillashark username sounds so familiar, did you use to play a lot of starcraft brood war or counter strike 1.6?

Yes to both!

haha I thought I remembered seeing your username on some of the scbw forums back in the day... had some intense flashbacks to those days... 1a2a3a4d5d6d7z8z9p0p gg no re :D

also, to answer your questions on acoustic inner:
Serve: I use a tacky rubber so no issues on service, also the inner carbon is not bouncy like outer carbon, so I feel service was under control

short touch, flick: acoustic inner in my opinion has a very woody feeling, quite soft, I like this feeling a lot. Over the table shots are very under control. I used to use an old Stiga Offensive Classic but with the new ball it just felt like I was missing something on the higher gear spectrum.

block: since it is inner carbon, I felt like the block would stay on the racket longer and If I spun the ball a little, I could control it back onto the table. When trying to block with outer blades like viscaria I would oftentimes block out of bounds

 loop, , mid-distance: looping is really fun with acoustic inner, the limba outer plies are so soft to bite the ball and I feel like I can really spin the ball, plus the carbon adds some extra speed. I like it a lot. The only reason I switched was that it was a little head-heavy for me, and my backhand was kind of bad with it... my EJ bug is too strong I ordered a custom blade inner carbon FH (to mimic acoustic inner) and outer carbon BH (to mimic the TBALC/Viscaria composition) 

I used to own two acoustic inner's but sold one. If you are interested I can sell you my other one, although it is normal sized handle. I used to use large size handle but, felt like it was too large for me, and caused me to have an overly tight grip, the normal size is a bit smaller compared to other blade manufacturers (but fits like a glove for me though). PM me if interested in the normal size handle acoustic inner... :)

You know, I just watched Kang Min's Old Boy and it brought back such nostalgia. Every now and then I'll watch Artosis rage on YouTube and it's such good fun.

Thank you for the info

I use DHS Hurricane 3 Blue Sponge and use Butterfly Tenergy 05 on backhand but am switching to 80 because I notice I focus more on blocking than looping from backhand but still will loop if the opportunity is right.

I think I landed on Viscaria and will give that a try for a season. I've had the Nittaku Violin since I was a poor college student and was able to do really well in local tournaments and grew really attached to it. I'll stick to the Viscaria for at least a year but thanks for the offer though! Maybe after a year our paths can cross and I'll be craving a blade with a tad bit more speed than Viscaria and I'll reach out :)

1a2a3a4a5a66tttvvvvvvv7s8s9s0s (Terran)


Edited by jkillashark - 06/06/2023 at 7:09pm
Butterfly Viscaria FL
FH: Black DHS Neo Hurricane 3 Blue Sponge National
BH: Red Butterfly Tenergy 80

Footwork and forehand is always the answer.
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