Picked up a slightly used timeless to give it a shot. Didn't want to spend for a NIB one, since there have been mixed reviews online. I don't have a ga-zillion (that's a technical term) revs, so I was a bit worried ( most reviews said the super crankers liked it best). Most reviews also said it was super strong on the backend - so avoid "pin up" and longer pin to PAP distances. So - I went with my favorite layout.
My ball speed is 15.5 to 16 mph at the camera downlane and I'm somewhere in the 350 to 375 rpm range. I put the pin 4.5" from my PAP, above my ring, CG below with a weight hole on my PAP. I hit the surface with a blue Trizact pad (about 1500 grit) and polished with Ebonite factory finish. Throwing the ball on a higher volume house shot.
For a polished hybrid, the ball is pretty strong. Seemed to get easy length and good recovery downlane. The ball was not at all flippy for me. More of a strong arc motion. I have found that I need to be very aggressive with the ball at the bottom. If I try to just go through it easy and smooth, the ball doesn't really react on the backend. I couple shots either missed the pocket right or just caught the headpin and left a bucket. On the plus side - if I would grab it a little on the bottom, it didn't seem to over react on the backend - it just hit harder!
Have bowled two sets with it so far - 658 and 703. Started out playing 10 at arrows about to 7-8 downlane. I could miss a few inside downlane (maybe in to about 10) and still hit the pocket really well. If I missed outside any further, the ball would hit the dry early. It didn't over react, but would burn up a bit and hit flat. Left a few 10 pins by missing out and one pocket 7-10. As that line started to dry up, I moved a few boards left with my feet - playing 13 at arrows to around 10 downlane. This really seemed to be the sweet spot for me. It kept the ball in the oil a bit longer to get downlane and didn't hit the dry early. Really had some nice shots here and strong Messengers that came rocketing across the deck. After a game here, the hit and backend seemed to soften up and I started leaving some more 10 pins... Move again inside 17 to 10 and boom back at it again.
An interesting reaction for me... Never seems to have a big over reaction... Paying attention to ball reaction (or the leaves) tells you when to move... The ball seems to just hit flat, not jump. It definitely needs some oil up front. I don't think it would roll well on the dry. Not really jumpy on the backend - smooth and strong. I can see where people say that higher rev plays would like this ball. I think it's a really playable ball for mediums.
I actually really enjoy throwing this ball. I tend to like to be more aggressive with the ball - and occasionally grab the ball too much. This ball no only accepts it, but seems to like it! Probably just my house shot wall covering this up and making it look good - but what I have seen so far.
I could get inside (some) with this ball and no worries about recovery... Also didn't seem to push too far down lane (this happens to me a lot.. come in behind the head pin and leave 10s). Seems to hook in the right spot.
Scott
