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Author Topic: Is the Blue/Violet Tornado discontinued?  (Read 4211 times)

Ric Clint

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Is the Blue/Violet Tornado discontinued?
« on: May 05, 2003, 10:24:11 AM »
Is this ball out of production, yet? If not, does ebonite plan to keep it in there line for a long while to come? A friend of my thinks it's still in production - he says that it Ebonite will always have it in stock because it was a ball designed for a specific purpose? Does anybody know???


Thanks!



 

Goof1073

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Re: Is the Blue/Violet Tornado discontinued?
« Reply #1 on: May 06, 2003, 05:06:09 AM »
According to our contact they are going to discontinue the ball.  Not totally sure when though.  It seems like Ebonite is ready to release a few new balls since they have already discontinued the V2-Pearl and the V2-Blue/Black is next on the chopping block.  

Brian Pursel

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Re: Is the Blue/Violet Tornado discontinued?
« Reply #2 on: May 06, 2003, 05:38:57 AM »
The Tornado Blue/Violet is being held over for the 2003-2004 catalog lineup.  the Red/Silver color was the one that is being replaced.

The V2 Pearl was discontinued, yes, but the Vs Black/Blue is stillin the catalog line.  My pro staff would be extremely upset should this ball go by the wayside.

Brian Pursel
Product Manager
Ebonite
Brian Pursel
VP Marketing
Columbia Industries

Jeffrevs

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Re: Is the Blue/Violet Tornado discontinued?
« Reply #3 on: May 06, 2003, 05:58:27 AM »
Goof,
I heard the pearl and the particle are gone ...........going to be replaced by what they're calling a V2Dry, and V2Oil, along with the original.......
--------------------
Jeff

seadrive

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Re: Is the Blue/Violet Tornado discontinued?
« Reply #4 on: May 06, 2003, 07:01:17 AM »
Jeff, I wonder if this is just a name change (i.e. V2 Pearl = V2 Dry and V2 Particle = V2 Oil), or are they really different balls?

On a different topic, is the V2 solid currently in production the same in all respects as the original V2, the one with "TRIMAX" on the side?  Anyone know?

Brian Pursel

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Re: Is the Blue/Violet Tornado discontinued?
« Reply #5 on: May 06, 2003, 08:08:50 AM »
The only ball in the V2 line that is being discontinued is the V2 Pearl.  The V2 particle and V2 Sanded (blue/black) are still in the line.

The two new V2 balls for 2003-2004 are different core designs and coverstocks than the existing V2 balls.  Information on all the new catalog balls will be posted the first week of June, when the line is introduced to distributors and pro shops.

The V2 with the Trimax and the V2 with the V2 logo are exactly the same ball, just an updated logo.

Brian Pursel
Product Manager
Ebonite
Brian Pursel
VP Marketing
Columbia Industries

seadrive

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Re: Is the Blue/Violet Tornado discontinued?
« Reply #6 on: May 06, 2003, 08:12:52 AM »
Thanks for the info, Brian.  Can't wait to check out Ebonite's new equipment!

Goof1073

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Re: Is the Blue/Violet Tornado discontinued?
« Reply #7 on: May 06, 2003, 11:02:28 AM »
Thanks for the info Brian!  The information I got was second hand information from a NEBA bowler that has friends who are staffers.  Evidently the buzz he heard was not accurate.  This is good as the thought of the V2 being discontinued put a large wave of fear in the hearts of a lot of people in my area.  Lots of people were ready to run out and buy up a stash of them...myself included.

Can't wait to see the V2Dry...sounds great!  So does the early June info release mean the balls are going to be available at the same time?

Ric Clint

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Re: Is the Blue/Violet Tornado discontinued?
« Reply #8 on: May 06, 2003, 05:16:13 PM »
Brian, is it true that the Tornado Blue/Violet was designed for a specific purpose?

I've used one on a Medium shot playing inside and the ball has got to be the best ball I've thrown on that shot! It does have alot of backend, but wowsers, the ball carries so great!!!

So for Ebonite to still keep it in production for another year, must mean that there's alot of people still buying them and that there's still a great demand for that ball???




Brian Pursel

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Re: Is the Blue/Violet Tornado discontinued?
« Reply #9 on: May 08, 2003, 05:38:08 AM »
Jake:

Unfortunately the market for standard urethane is not extremely large.  In today's game, having a strong core inside of a urethane ball sort-of defeats the purpose.  Most throw urethane to alleviate over-reaction and to play in higher friction areas.  Creating a core that revs up quicker and flares more will cause the ball to be that much more responsive to the friction.  Generally, what you get is a ball that is too strong for the dry, but the coverstock is too weak in the backends to be able to move inside.  There are definite times when urethane would work, but those times are too infrequent to create the demand needed to be able to properly market the ball.

In answer to the question of the Blue Tornado, yes, we have sold many Tornados, both the Blue/Violet and the Red/Silver.  These balls are designed mostly for entry level bowlers that are looking to develop a hook.  Think of them as the Maxims of reactive balls.  The majority of Tornados are sold to relative newcomers to bowling although the core design will allow accomplished players to play on the light to medium patterns.  Kim Terrel used the Tornado to win the US Open last year, needing a ball that retained energy in the shorter pattern, then reacted strongly to the friction in the back of the lane.  There is nothing special about the Blue/Violet compared to the Red/Silver, other than the color sold better.  We change colors in the Tornado line to keep pace with the colors that are popular in sportswear.

Brian Pursel
Product Manager
Ebonite
Brian Pursel
VP Marketing
Columbia Industries