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Author Topic: Darkness, 1st Impressions  (Read 5421 times)

iamone78

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Darkness, 1st Impressions
« on: February 09, 2014, 07:04:16 PM »
I got mine Wednesday and put holes in it on Thursday. Went with a 65*x5"x45*. I was  hearing that this had a similar ball motion as the 900 Global Favorite. Using the same layout, I bowled on a 40ft, 2.5:1, 20ml shot this weekend. Wasn't able to use it more than a few balls in warm up. This ball has some tremendous potential! Great midlane read, and a very strong arch move with great continuation through the pins. Like the Network, this one definitely keeps the pins low. Bottom line, this one is very predictable. I do not see any quit in this ball. So far my initial impressions are good and I hope to throw it more to get a better ball review on it.
H. S.
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Impending Doom

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Re: Darkness, 1st Impressions
« Reply #1 on: February 09, 2014, 08:30:53 PM »
So far, everyone seems to be going 5 inch pin to pap. Notice any actual pop with the 5 inch pin? Since my Train fiasco, I don't think I know anything about laying a strong symmetrical ball lol.

bowlingman817

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Re: Darkness, 1st Impressions
« Reply #2 on: February 09, 2014, 10:04:09 PM »
I prefer symmetrical core  balls about 80 percent of the time. That being said i keep my drillings simple since the dynamics of the symmetrical cores will want to be more midlane dominant. I always drill pin above or below the bridge and keep cg in palm or swing out a touch. I always let cover, core and surface be the driving force behind the motion and not the drillings. Try a simple weaker layout and you might be surprised at how more reaction you may get.

iamone78

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Re: Darkness, 1st Impressions
« Reply #3 on: February 10, 2014, 08:53:09 AM »
Yes, definitely has some backend pop. I forgot to mention that I was seeing 6" + of flare. My layout on this was one I have used on the Favorite, Sure Thing, King Cobra, and Grip It. Definitely moves harder off the dry than than those mentioned above. Pin up layouts match up better for me and I find better results with the 5" pin. I pretty much stay with 4 layouts that seem to cover everything for my game. I know there had been some discontent with the Train line. However, this core and cover so far seem to be a great match up.
H. S.
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Impending Doom

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Re: Darkness, 1st Impressions
« Reply #4 on: February 10, 2014, 09:20:57 AM »
Come the end of the month, I plan to make my yearly "I deserve this" trip to the pro shop, and punch the Network and Darkness (Thanks, TJ!), Incinerate, Protocol, Grip It, Sure Thing, and Desert Hook. Gonna lay out the Network/Protocol 50x5x35, Sure Thing Rico, Grip It 2.5x65 with a hole, and Desert Hook 5x65 (Haven't decided on if I want a hole or not.) But I am totally unsure on how to lay out the Darkness/Incinerate. Lots of people see their Incinerate work well with smaller val angles (Make it transition harder, I assume), but I'm unsure. Going to throw my buddys, who says that his Incinerate is strong, but not as early as I may think.

tdub36tjt

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Re: Darkness, 1st Impressions
« Reply #5 on: February 10, 2014, 10:16:17 AM »
What kind of layout you use on the Train Doom?

Impending Doom

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Re: Darkness, 1st Impressions
« Reply #6 on: February 10, 2014, 11:10:40 AM »
My first Train I laid out 60x5x65, and it was very early and smooth. Too early at every surface I had it at.

Then I got another Train, and a Freight Train. Drilled those 60x4.5x30, and my Freight Train is only useful on Mediums, and then it goes dead left off the spot. The second Train just seemed to never do anything as well. I may just not match up well to that weightblock, and I am OK with that. I thought that maybe if I drilled one stronger with a hole down it might be better, but I am OK with not finding out.

tdub36tjt

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Re: Darkness, 1st Impressions
« Reply #7 on: February 10, 2014, 04:48:26 PM »
My first Train I laid out 60x5x65, and it was very early and smooth. Too early at every surface I had it at.

Then I got another Train, and a Freight Train. Drilled those 60x4.5x30, and my Freight Train is only useful on Mediums, and then it goes dead left off the spot. The second Train just seemed to never do anything as well. I may just not match up well to that weightblock, and I am OK with that. I thought that maybe if I drilled one stronger with a hole down it might be better, but I am OK with not finding out.

I think the problem (at least for me) with the Train is that cover. The s76 hybrid for me was just a very weird cover. I did shoot 299 with the the Train and 298 with the Bank Roll but they were both very weird balls to say the least. One time using them they would seem awesome and the next time they would literally go dead straight. The day I shot 298 with the Bank Roll I had an awesome look and all the sudden in the middle of the next game I threw what I thought was a great shot and it hit the 6 pin in the face. Thinking maybe it was a fluke stuck with it and did it again. That cover was just weird for me. It was like out of no where it would go dead straight. I think it was just thrived on oil and if it wasn't there it was game over. I did put a coat of control it on the Bank Roll and it turned into a monster. Might want to try it on the Train if you still have it.....I did love the Train when I first got it and bought a 2nd but the love turned into a love/hate real fast. Never really could get a grip on what that cover wanted....

Also the Train core was funky too because the pin actually ends up not marking the actual low rg axis. Something about the core design moved it. I don't remember the exact specifics but If I remember right it moved the low rg axis almost 3/4" up on a line from the pin through the cg. So a 60 x 4.5 x 30 may have ended up being a 60 x 5 x 15 which would transition super fast in the back and make it pretty condition specific. Just my 2 cents.

Impending Doom

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Re: Darkness, 1st Impressions
« Reply #8 on: February 10, 2014, 04:53:25 PM »
See, I love my Bank Roll. The Trains just... Didn't roll well for me. Whatever. I'm still here.

tdub36tjt

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Re: Darkness, 1st Impressions
« Reply #9 on: February 10, 2014, 04:59:39 PM »
Yeah it happens for sure. I've had a handful of the SA balls just not match up for me. But I've had way more that were really good. And even the ones i didnt match up with still had their days.....just how it goes

900DJ

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Re: Darkness, 1st Impressions
« Reply #10 on: February 10, 2014, 05:09:48 PM »
For me the freight train was a horrible match.  Several surface changes, three drillings and I basically had a glorified 10 pin spare ball, just would not move!  But the train, I have loved that ball.  Shot a couple honor scores with it.

iamone78

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Re: Darkness, 1st Impressions
« Reply #11 on: February 17, 2014, 11:45:02 AM »
Finally had a chance to get some games on this ball this past week. So far so good. I am really liking the results so far. I had a chance to use it for all 3 games in league this past week. The results: 230, 278, 269; 777. Just like the Network, the further left I moved, the better the reaction. I left no 10 pins left, one 7 pin left and a 4 pin. Very predictable and smooth ball motion. Layout is the same as my Grip It at 60*x5"x45*. Just like I was hearing, very similar motion as the Favorite, but stronger cover. If I was to miss right, it didn't over-react and come trucking back. It held line and struck. Never had any issues on wondering if it was going to carry or not. Definitely look forward to putting some more games on this one.
H. S.
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Impending Doom

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Re: Darkness, 1st Impressions
« Reply #12 on: February 17, 2014, 02:06:09 PM »
From a friend of mine, Darkness is an arrow stronger than the Network, and he estimates that the Incinerate is an arrow stronger than the Darkness. Ooooooooooh yeah