Author Topic: To be brand loyal or not to be?? (Read 3344 times)

slp300 · « **on:** January 23, 2011, 10:42:19 AM »

What are some of you guy's thought's on this? For the last couple years I have only used Storm and Roto Grip. My driller recently talked me into trying a 607 A-SE. I am just wondering how some of the better bowlers on here feel about this..Well any bowler really lol. I'm going to try the 607 for the first time tomorrow night i will post my experience.

Norm3v · « **Reply #16 on:** January 25, 2011, 10:51:23 PM »

I love Storm's equipment and buy mostly their Storm and Roto Grip brands. However, the best ball I've ever thrown and still throw is the Ebonite Mission. I don't throw anything else Ebonite because nothing really seems to fit in my arsenal, but plan on getting the Mission Domination drilled longer and change the surface to 4000 to step down from my Mission. I also have a Brunswick C System 4.5 which I love, and I use a Brunswick Powrkoil wrist support because it is hands down the best wrist support for me.

I agree with others, if you work for a company, then stick with them obviously. If not, buy the best equipment for your game.

gadgetman · « **Reply #17 on:** January 26, 2011, 05:04:20 AM »

I believe it depends on the bowler, his style, comfort zone, expectations, alley conditions. While its true different mfg. are better known for their anchor products as pertaining to lower or higher Rg's, and Diff. , coverstocks that react to friction more or less, etc., their are two major reasons to be objective with ball choices,

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1st is scoring with what ball or balls gives the individual his best chance once he matches up to conditions he is bowling on at any given time. The second it the fun and challenge of trying different mfg.

If all someone wants to do is show up for social reasons, just use an alley ball, otherwise if we spend time and effort to improve and enjoy at the same time, I believe it behooves us to research and work on varieties of game plans and work on being as versatile as we can be. There is so much more to this game then in the past with rubber, plastic and urethane and one can only learn that by being open to the new technologies in this game. A lot of effort by all mfg. goes into to providing us with new stuff continuously. Why not support them to keep doing this while progressing ourselves?

Edited by gadgetman on 1/26/2011 at 6:28 AM

BackToBasics · « **Reply #18 on:** January 26, 2011, 08:45:47 AM »

The biggest advantage of staying with company is it makes it much easier to ensure the balls you are drilling react the way you intended and to avoid unintentional overlaps. Each company's covers react differently and they "grade" them differently. A medium oil piece in one may be stronger than another. It's easy to drill a medium piece from another company to go below your medium-heavy piece but to have it turn out very close in strength to your current piece.

I believe that at least the big 3 (Ebonite Int, Brunswick, Storm/Roto) have a wide enough variety of covers/cores/reaction shapes to allow staying within that company. If you are starting from scratch, it may be easier to pick across company's (i.e Taboo, Wicked Seige, Vibe).

Steven · « **Reply #19 on:** January 26, 2011, 10:09:25 AM »

BackToBasics wrote on 1/26/2011 9:45 AM:
The biggest advantage of staying with company is it makes it much easier to ensure the balls you are drilling react the way you intended and to avoid unintentional overlaps. Each company's covers react differently and they "grade" them differently. A medium oil piece in one may be stronger than another. It's easy to drill a medium piece from another company to go below your medium-heavy piece but to have it turn out very close in strength to your current piece.

BackToBasics gets a big +1. I'm surprised most others don't get this......

It's laughable how many bowlers jump around buying different balls from different companies only to find they've flushed another $150-$200 for another overlap piece.

Being 'brand loyal' has nothing to do with being an unpaid staffer and everything to do with being a smart ball buyer. This isn't to say that it doesn't make sense to occasionally buy a ball from another company if it clearly fills a specific need, but it's not necessary in most cases.

scotts33 · « **Reply #20 on:** January 26, 2011, 10:20:53 AM »

I used to be a very loyal brand specific user. No more I wasted mucho $$$ on balls that did not match up to me and my stats. My bad. I'll use anything I can score better with.

I disagree with those that say you need to stay with one brand to work one ball off of another. What if the whole line stinks? I can name a few that are poor IMO.

Some manufacturers are way ahead of the game tech wise. Covers better, core tech better, match up better.

The only reason to stay brand loyal is if you are getting paid or getting free equipment. That's not most of us.

BTW...I've seen staffers in the past with lousy ball reaction and if they had the ability to use other pieces they may not have painted themselves in a corner.

Scott

Edited by scotts33 on 1/26/2011 at 11:21 AM

j0hnny2x · « **Reply #21 on:** January 26, 2011, 10:26:56 AM »

Personally I think it is a question to what you match up with. I have tried a bunch of different manufacturers over the past couple of years and seem to match up best with roto/storm stuff. What works for me doesn't necessarily work for someone else though. I think that is the beauty of having options.

rvmark · « **Reply #22 on:** January 26, 2011, 10:30:03 AM »

Steven,

I respectfully have to disagree with this. In working with my pro shop I have been able to select balls from different companies that fit into the different slots in my bag. Ironically they all are from EBI companies at this time but I am not afraid to try other brands. When working with a driller that knows your game you can effectively look at multiple companies to fit your needs.

Mark

Steven wrote on 1/26/2011 11:09 AM:

BackToBasics wrote on 1/26/2011 9:45 AM:
The biggest advantage of staying with company is it makes it much easier to ensure the balls you are drilling react the way you intended and to avoid unintentional overlaps. Each company's covers react differently and they "grade" them differently. A medium oil piece in one may be stronger than another. It's easy to drill a medium piece from another company to go below your medium-heavy piece but to have it turn out very close in strength to your current piece.

BackToBasics gets a big +1. I'm surprised most others don't get this......

It's laughable how many bowlers jump around buying different balls from different companies only to find they've flushed another $150-$200 for another overlap piece.

Being 'brand loyal' has nothing to do with being an unpaid staffer and everything to do with being a smart ball buyer. This isn't to say that it doesn't make sense to occasionally buy a ball from another company if it clearly fills a specific need, but it's not necessary in most cases.

Steven · « **Reply #23 on:** January 26, 2011, 10:44:58 AM »

scotts33 wrote on 1/26/2011 11:20 AM:
I disagree with those that say you need to stay with one brand to work one ball off of another. What if the whole line stinks? I can name a few that are poor IMO.

Scott: It's no secret to anyone who's been here for a while that I'm a big Lane#1 guy. They produce most every reaction I need, working one ball off the other. But I round the arsenal off with a few Ebonite/Columbia/Hammer pieces for variety and specific setups.

However, if it wasn't Lane#1, I'm sure I could build a complete and effective arsenal around any of the majors. I'm not sure which ones you consider poor.

Juggernaut · « **Reply #24 on:** January 26, 2011, 12:25:50 PM »

First off, I want to say that I have always been known to "march to a different drummer", and my bowling is no exception.

I always tend to stick with one manufacturer at a time, and over the years have had complete setups from several. The thing that sets them apart for me is the level of customer service I have received. Some have been excellent, some have been lackluster.

I am currently throwing an AMF CODE, ORBIT EXTREME, VILLAIN, and SIDEWAYS, with a blue pearl HYPE waiting in the wings.

This is because of Eric Thomas and the crew there. He has answerd my e-mails numerous times, always giving great advice, and always taking the time to help me, 1 SINGLE BOWLER!

They have ALWAYS been responsive and customer aware, and will always be the manufacturer I look to first when I am in the market for new equipment.

Their equipment, while overlooked by many, is as good as you will find on the market, and their designers are as innovative and creative as any. Add in the fact that the president of the company is himself an innovative coverstock guru who CREATED the soaker coverstock, and you have the recipe for some great equipment.

"Yeah, I throw AMF. What's it to ya"?

retiredbowler · « **Reply #25 on:** January 31, 2011, 09:23:23 PM »

In Order I would throw:

Ebonite

Columbia

Track

Hammer

Storm

Roto Grip

900 Global

AMF

That's 8 companies made here in the USA that I would throw. I would not be interested in anything else at this point, but I would not be exclusive to anyone of those 8 unless I was paid.

ecc0_9879 · « **Reply #26 on:** January 31, 2011, 10:36:50 PM »

well I had a 607 a se the ball was way more angular than any storm or roto I have thrown and over all a great ball just way to jumpy for me. I have track motiv lane one and brunswick in my bag. I throw what ever is cool and works for me till the start giving me equipment and i dont have to pay for it i am gonna throw what I want and what looks good to me even if it a ball from each and every company out there

http://s572.photobucket.com/albums/ss169/ecco_9879/

CHawk15 · « **Reply #27 on:** February 01, 2011, 12:10:07 PM »

Unless you're getting paid to throw a company's equipment, there is no reason to limit yourself to one company. Personally, I'm using Columbia, Hammer and Storm this season. I use Onyx Vibe / Freeze on my Tuesday night scratch League and my Prodigy / Full Swing on Scorpion on Thursdays.

Author Topic: To be brand loyal or not to be?? (Read 3344 times)

slp300

To be brand loyal or not to be??

Norm3v

Re: To be brand loyal or not to be??

gadgetman

Re: To be brand loyal or not to be??

BackToBasics

Re: To be brand loyal or not to be??

Steven

Re: To be brand loyal or not to be??

scotts33

Re: To be brand loyal or not to be??

j0hnny2x

Re: To be brand loyal or not to be??

rvmark

Re: To be brand loyal or not to be??

Steven

Re: To be brand loyal or not to be??

Juggernaut

Re: To be brand loyal or not to be??

retiredbowler

Re: To be brand loyal or not to be??

ecc0_9879

Re: To be brand loyal or not to be??

CHawk15

Re: To be brand loyal or not to be??