BallReviews
Reviews => Ebonite => Topic started by: admin on December 31, 1969, 06:00:00 PM
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Description:
Exceptional backend hook
Asymmetric core creates strong midlane roll
Sanded surface for increased traction
Specifications:
Line Killer Instinct
Color Red/Tangerine
Coverstock Reactive Solid
Core 2-piece Asymmetrical
RG 2.48
Differential 0.062
Factory finish 1000 grit
Weights 14 thru 16lbs
Lane Conditions Heavy Oil
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This ball can really hook. i drilled thsi ball stacked leverage. My axis is 5 3/4 by 3/4 and i have a high track on this ball. reads the midlane strong, yet doesnt overreact. kind of disappointed on the HEAVY oil though. wasn't my first choice out of the bag, but it ended up back in there. Pantera 4x4 worked better. maybe just need to work with surface. hits harder than most balls i've thrown. doesnt get overly aggressive on the midlane like you would think. actually seems to back up as it gets through the front portion of the lanes. flares are adequate (maybe even the cause of backing up). drill thsi ball with low flares is you want the best result. or early roll....
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Hey here we go. Do not be fooled this ball is something special in the world of of New high end aggressive bowling balls. This ball gets a hold of the lane but does not quit in the back. I have only drilled one and I am not sure that I will need another one. I put the pin 4.75 in form my PAP and the CG 3.75 with out a hole and WOW. I was very impressed, and with my Rev rate(375 to 425) and ball speed (17 to 19mph) I am not usually so impressed with high end aggressive balls. If you are lucky enough to be where there is a good proshop and your ball driller is good at matching your game to conditions, do not be afraid of this ball. It is very good.
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The Killer Instinct's by Ebonite flat out give me more angle and area in the midlane than any other Ebonite recent release. The Killer Instinct sanded is drilled with pin at 3 1/2 inches and bomb in strong position, there is a balance hole in my PAP. The surface was left in box condition. Starting pin was 2 inches out and starting top weight was 3 ounces.
The conditions bowled on thus far include choppy wood with a 38 ft wall pattern with prodigy oil, 36 ft second shift wall pattern on proanvillane ,36 ft medium volume sport pattern on proanvilane, and a 39 ft medium volume sport pattern on proanvilane.
The Killer Instinct sanded was a bit too strong in box condition on the 38 ft wood pattern even just after the lanes were dressed, the ball still had a nice strong arc but had no energy saved to create a powerful angular backend. However the surface in this particular center is choppy and just about any low RG ball with surface will roll up. The reaction was similar on the second shift proanvilane condition, but with a bit more pop in the midlane. HOWEVER, the Killer Instinct Sanded rolled like a hydrogen bomb on the fresh 39 ft sport pattern. WOW I had area from the outside like never before. The increased volume of oil in comparison to the other conditions allowed the ball to explode on the backend even without the additional lane help from the pattern. I have to say that until that moment I had not seen the true capacity of this ball, and again....WOW. Killer Instinct Sanded has a dramatic look rolling down the lane, it is colorful, impressive and will be noticed.
Since I do not get to bowl on first shift leagues and my ball speed is soft to moderate after a full days work in the shop, the Killer Instinct Pearl would be better suited for myself in leagues, but for those with firm to fast ball speed and those who do bowl on fresh conditions in league by all means consider purchasing the Killer Instinct Sanded. These two balls are the best high performance releases from Ebonite and moving from one ball to the other for differing lane conditions is a piece of cake if your pro shop technician matches the ball to your game.
Jim Lewis
Ebonite PBA Regional Staff
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I was able to throw this ball at the Ebonite Demo Day here in Brookpark, Ohio back in the middle of December. You can check my profile for my specs, but just know that I have good speed and a lot of hand.
All of the balls at Demo Day were drilled with the pin under the ring finger and the cg stacked below.
My first impression of the Killer Instinct Sanded was that it is a STRONG versatile oil ball. I got to throw this ball on 2 lanes with different volumes of oil. One lane was oiled heavily in the middle, with some dry bump outside of 5, and not much dry on the backend. The other lane was pretty much burnt up from earlier play on it.
On the oil lane, this ball flat out shined. I could swing decent boards in the oil, have a sharp arc turn to hole, and extreme hit. A little deeper into the oil, swung extremely wide, hit the dry bump, SNAP to the hole, and pin destruction. Nearly shot 800 in 3 games experimenting different lines with this ball!
On the burnt lane, amazingly, I could still throw this ball! Sure, I had to stand nearly on the lane next to me, but if I swung it from over the left channel to the edge on the right, it would snap back to the hole hard and hit HARD. This was a big change from other oilers that burn or move early on burnt conditions.
This ball is a MONSTER in terms of hook, but has decent length and won't burn on dry. I think this is due to it being reactive, not high-load particle. Make no mistake though, it HOOKS A LOT! It moved more than any ball for everyone throwing it, crankers and strokers alike. If you need an oil ball, here it is.
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Wow!! This ball is a hit. I used this ball at the Bradley Open when the lanes were absolutely flooded. (it saved me) Nothing else in my bag (including my Obsession) would do anything (the Obsession would roll too early and die on the backend)
On a light to medium pattern this ball is just way too strong if you have any hand. I threw this in league Monday night on an big wall shot. I usually can't play too deep on this pattern because their is so much oil in the middle. The Killer Instinct worked great. I was able to play 18 to 13 and keep it out of the dry boards. This ball has also been a hit for my customers. If you need that extra movement from the ball because you can't get it from your hand... this is the ball for you!
Great color, too!!
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Doug Davidson
Ebonite PBA Regional Staff
Davidson's Pro Shop
1137 Sweitzer St.
Greenville, Ohio 45331
937-417-3940
doug.davidson@pba.com
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After hearing some bowlers say this ball turns hard(matched up) and others say this ball hooks and quits(not matched up) I decided to fill a gap in my arsenal. I need something for oil without a sharp breakpoint. I understand the Killer Instinct Sanded can turn a corner on the right condition, but how versatile is it?
I drilled my Killer Instinct Sanded with pin 4" from pap 1 1/2" above grip midline(under fingers) BOMB 1" right of the val and weight hole on midline 5" from grip centerline.
On a long oil wall this Killer Instinct Sanded worked great as long as I stayed in the oil. If I hit the dry to soon it burnt up. Recently I bowled on so much oil nobody had much hook. I went to the Killer Instinct Sanded and had 7 to the gutter. This ball out hooks my Obsession and V2 Particle. The Killer Instinct sanded laid out this way rolls dead early and arcs. If you use this ball and it seems to not hook it is not the balls fault. It's yours. So if you don't want to polish the Killer Instinct Sanded find oil, and the more oil the better. Then....
BOWL TO WIN
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One thing about this ball, you'll definitely be noticed when you throw it.
Ebonite touts the Killer Instinct series as their big backend series.
Specs:
3" pin
3 oz. TW
Drill specs:
4 1/2 X 4 (pin over bridge)
Box finish / shiny
I got the K.I. as a freebie for bowling the TAC, so I picked the cool looking one (sad, I know). I talked to the Ebonite guys and they really touted it's versatility.
I first threw it dull and it was simply too much. With this layout, it definitely got down the lane and when it hit the dry, you knew it. A dull ball being over/under was kind on scary, a lot of cover and not enough core.
I threw it in a Ballworx machine and got it bright and shiny and I now have what could be one of the best swing balls I've ever had. Even shiny, the cover still reads the lane well, but it stores enough energy that it will do U-turns down the lane.
I'm really anzious to throw this on my current house shot. I've been struggling because of the light heads and funky backends, but I could really see the K.I. bringing smiles to my face.
The best comparison I can give you is a V2 sanded with a lot more angularity. Similar amount of hook, but a whole lot more pop down the lane.
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Mongo the UnLefty
Why the Mini be hatin' on the leftside?
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I tried a new lay out for me with a ball that hooks. I first polished the ball to a very good shine. I drilled the ball with the pin 1 inch from my axis. The CG is below my middle finger and the bomb is at about 165 degrees. I wanted to see how the ball would roll with the pin so close to my axis. With this drilling I need to play more up the boards than with my big hook shot. When I tried to hook this ball it would stop on the back end. But when I square up I get very good backend. For me it will be a good ball for medium to high oil patterns. I also need oil in the heads to make this ball work with this drilling.
James Campbell
Ebonite South Region Staff Member
ccampcsc@aol.com
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When I first bought this ball i was able to do something i have never done before. I was all the way left on the approach and opening up the lane great, was standing around 30 and lettin the ball go out to about the 10 board and it was wheelin back even goin through the nose once in awhile. But then after 3-4 weeks of use the ball died. It didn't hook at all. I used a 3m burgundy pad to sand it and hook but it didn't. I had to move about 15 right and through it up the driest part of the lane to get it to the pocket and then it would leave the 10 pin. Then i polished it and i still hand to stand about 12-15 and threw it up and in but then it carried the 10 pin. I was very happy with this ball in the beginning cuz it was exactly what i was looking for and was exactly what ebonite said it would do. Now my firestorm out hooks my killer instinct sanded.
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Ike Brownfield
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Drilled this ball with a 4 ½ “ pin, the CG 4†from my PAP and the bomb at 90* which placed it in my thumb. This ball hooks. With this drilling I could not get the ball down the lane, but I wasn’t bowling where there is a lot of oil. If I sent this ball out to the right, it just burnt up and would not recover. This ball wanted to roll in the midlane. I polished it with the Particle Polish and the ball then went farther down the lane, gave me a strong arcing backend reaction and a powerful hit. This ball is a winner when it is matched up correctly with condition.
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Bowl to Win
Mark Johnson
Ebonite Regional Staff
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This is my first review. First game out of the pen with this ball I shot a 244 and the ball did exactly what it said it would on heavy oil. The following game I shot 217 with three pocket 7-10. Bad luck I know. Third game of the league I shot a 158. The Bad thing about this ball is once you hit carrydown PUT it AWAY. It will not work and will out. I left four pocket 5 pins. This ball does everything it is supposed to do on fresh oil but once you hit any kind of carrydown put this ball away because it is not worth it.
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BaRBaDoS
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I received a Killer Instinct from Billy Myers Jr, my ball driller for 4 years now. I am a lefty with not a ton of revs but more of a tweener. This ball allowed me to play between 3rd and 4th arrow with no problem. On very heavy oil, like 1 - 1 with 85 units for 48 feet, I was still able to swing the ball. Compared to my V2 strong, it hooks about 8 boards more. I have had no problem with carry down issues and the ball hooks all day long!
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It's not my fault you aren't left handed!
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I got this ball because my friend was using the same ball. He is having trouble hooking this ball but from the review and spec I read, this ball is supposed to hook a lot and hit really hard. I try to show my friend that it's the way he bowls and it's not the ball. I talked to the pro shop guy before drilling and he drilled it pin above my ring finger. I don't know about other drilling specs and I'm a tweener, med. speed.
Anyways, this ball hooks and hit really hard in the pocket. People are right about this ball. You really have to learn the right way to throw this ball. If it doesn't hook and/or doesn't hit hard in the pocket, you are throwing it wrong. I only bowled 11 games with this ball and with 195+ ave over that 11 games (I'm an 180 ave bowler). I'm still trying to find my consistancy with this ball but this ball needs some oil that's for sure.
Many people on this site said this ball will "die" after about 75 games. That's what I'm afraid of. I clean the ball very often and not let oil or dirt build up over the coversotck. I hope that will keep the ball "alive." Keep cleaning throughout the games, even the lane is breaking down. It will let you control the ball better. I will post another review after I have used this ball for awhile. But with the monster hit in the pocket, I can see a 300-game in a near future.
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This is my first ebonite ever thrown, this ball is by far ahead, of my phenom, and is closer to my blackcherry bomb, as far as backend and hitting power go, this ball is awesome...Mine is drilled w/the pin above ring finger, so its about 3 to 4 inches away from my pap, and the MB is liek 1inch from the thumb...so its pretty close to stacked, and has a weight hole way out closer to the back of the ball. This ball is also polished to 2000grit, it skates long, longest ball i've ever had...also hits hard. My black cherry bomb, is more for heavier oil though, but these two balls are a perfect match...thanks ebonite...
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S.T.O.R.M all the way....to the gutter.
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THIS BALL WAS NOT GOOD AT ALL AT LEAST FOR ME. I HAD SERIOUS ISSUES WITH THE BALL ROLLING OVER THE THUMB HOLE. I TRIED DIFFERENT THINGS TO CHANGE THIS BY, DRILLING THE FINGERS DEEPER,SAME W/ THUMB AND THEN PUTTING A WEIGHT HOLE NEAR THE MB. NOTHING WORKED. BUT WOULDNT YOU KNOW IT, I SOLD IT TO A GUY THAT ROTATES THE BALL MORE ON ITS SIDE, AND HE CRUSHED THE HOLE WITH NO ISSUES. OOO WELL. JUST PROVES ITS NOT THE BALL ITS THE BOWLER.
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RELAX ITS ONLY BOWLING
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It was a disappointment to me also. The best games I had were the first three out of the box. After that I had problems. It would hook off the lane with one roll and not finish with the next. I had it about one month and gave it to a friend. He does ok with it but he has a ton of hand.
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I thought it was just me but this ball is a piece of junk. This is a horrible ball. It hooks great, but it doesn't hook early at all. Please do not buy this ball. I've never had soooo many splits in my life.
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Thank you, TS7299
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OK. This ball officially sucks. I have put it in a box and vowed never to throw it again. Too much over under, not enough backend, no pin action, and false advertising because this junk doesn't hook in oil.
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"Sooner or later a bowler has to face the music. And that bowler...is you Roy." Ernie McCracken
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Ball is 14#. 2 inch pin. Pin is about 4 inches from PAP with the MB on the left side of the thumb. I'm a right handed high rev player.
This ball is great on fresh lanes. I have tested it on synthetics oiled 41 feet in a top hat pattern. There is plenty of head oil and a large oil build up in the middle. The back ends and outside ten boards are squeeky clean. The key in this house is carry. If a higher rev plyer hits the dry too early there is tremendous entry angle and very poor carry.
This ball allows me to start in the oil and feed the ball out to the dry. When I try this with other balls I have to be very careful of ball speed and breakpoint. The KI allows me some room as it is strong enough to finish if I pull it into the oil a little, and it doesn't jump off of the dry too hard if I send it wide.
The ball is carrying very well for me. It actually looks like it is starting to roll out just as it enters the pins. This helps me carry the 4, 9, and 10 pins which I frequently leave with other balls on this condition. It is deflecting enough to carry and this is key to scoring well for me.
The KI with this drill is very smooth. The ball revs up all the way down the lane. You can see it kind of check up in the midlane and then make a nice even, sweeping move to the pocket. It doesn't do well as the lanes dry up as it burns up all its energy before it gets to the pocket. Recovery is poor as is carry as the lane dries up. My KI pearl is a great ball to go to when there is a bit more friction.
Overall my KI is very smooth and an excellent choice on a fresh wet/dry condition. I know others have noted over under with this ball, but I feel this is either due to not enough oil or to aggressive a drill. I would recomend a mild MB placement and I would only use this ball on a wetter shot. This is my #1 fresh lane ball right now. I'm scoring much better with this than with anything else I've tried on this shot.
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Why does everyone laugh when I bowl?
louie
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finally got to throw my KI today after i got it drilled, and all the excess plug that dripped down the side of the ball off(the lady in the shop really f***ed that one up!). threw it on a proanvilane surface, medium oil pattern with some moderate carrydown(after a seniors league). before the lane broke down more, this ball was a beast! i had to move a few times, and it was great! very controllable, and it hit hard! barely left 9s and 10s. i will report more when i bowl in league tomorrow night! so far, another great ball by ebonite!!!
rotofan
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STORM is just the step-brother of Roto-Grip.
You can never decide which one is best!
"Do, or do not. There is no try." Yoda
(Star Wars, The Empire Strikes Back)
http://members.bowl.com/FindAMember/memberView.aspx?ms=8&mp=6861&s=2005-2006
New HI game of 248 with my Roto Grip Spare Tire!!! Heck Yes!!
www.bowlingkingdom.com
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this is my follow up review of the KI sanded. great ball! i loved it on my league shot, it absolutely shattered the rack, and i could play from any angle! and it worked out ok on a tough tourney shot, better than my pin under alter ego. it rolled up sooner, and hit harder. had to play straight up, but it worked out pretty well.
overall: great ball, rolls very strong, hits hard, and its hard to say that color doesnt stick out! 10 outta 10 for the killer instinct sanded!
rotofan
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STORM is just the step-brother of Roto-Grip.
You can never decide which one is best!
"Do, or do not. There is no try." Yoda
(Star Wars, The Empire Strikes Back)
http://members.bowl.com/FindAMember/memberView.aspx?ms=8&mp=6861&s=2005-2006
New HI game of 248 with my Roto Grip Spare Tire!!! Heck Yes!!
www.bowlingkingdom.com
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worst ball ive ever thrown still. I was gonna sell it but I have instead decided to save some poor fool the trouble of using this piece of garbage. So I have decided to break it. Thanks
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"NEVER settle for less."