BallReviews
Equipment Boards => Hammer => Topic started by: 2handedrook12 on October 09, 2014, 09:07:03 PM
-
For those who have thrown a Vibe, please state which one(s) you threw. I have always been interested in this ball (along with the Cyclone and the Freeze)
Is Hammer retiring this series? Are there any balls similar to them?
-
I still have my original Blue Vibe and I've been around many people who have thrown the Cherry, Emerald, and Cobalt versions.
I'm not sure what Hammer is doing with the series or core for that matter as I would be all over another ball if it had the Vibe symmetric core but a different name. I really have never been able to compare another ball to them, I've seen plenty rolled and I've had mine for 5+ years and I haven't been able to find something similar.
The Vibe core has matched very well with covers Hammer has used and they roll well on Medium-lighter oil conditions. Pearl covers have gotten length and had a more angular backend while solid covers got length through the heads and started their move a little earlier with strong continuation.
-
I had the cherry Vibe for a long time in my arsenal. It really excelled more with sport patterns than a THS. I can't remember the layout but it did have a long pin-to-pap and the cover prep was odd too......500 abralon with a big dose of U.F.O. polish. I have no idea why it all worked out that way but it did. It never was a "true" dry lane ball but it was solid in that medium-light volume category.
-
I had the original solid blue vibe, and I had two onyx vibes. Sadly, I didn't appreciate the solid blue at the time. It is a great ball for tougher patterns. I tried using it on house shots, which is not it's strength. As such, I got rid of it only to regret it later.
The Onyx was a different story. I got the pair for $85 apiece as a PBA member discount when I still had my card, and the ball was amazing. I'm not usually the type to own two of the same ball, but these were fantastic! The onyx was truly one of the most versatile balls I've ever used. With the polished box finish, it was great on mediums with clean backends. It was smooth and strong throughout the lane. If you knocked the shine off of it, it could handle some serious oil, just about anything but a true flood.
Truth be told, the onyx vibe was one of the best all-around balls I've ever thrown, and I've thrown a ton of bowling balls! I pretty much throw all Storm these days, but if I could ever find another Onyx at a reasonable price, I would snatch it up in a heartbeat; it's that good.
All in all, it seemed like most balls in that line were pretty darn good if you matched the balls up to the bowler and conditions, but I guess you could say that about all bowling balls. The nice thing about the Vibes was that the price point was very reasonable, so you got a ton of performance for a very nice price.
-
I had the original solid blue vibe, and I had two onyx vibes. Sadly, I didn't appreciate the solid blue at the time. It is a great ball for tougher patterns. I tried using it on house shots, which is not it's strength. As such, I got rid of it only to regret it later.
The Onyx was a different story. I got the pair for $85 apiece as a PBA member discount when I still had my card, and the ball was amazing. I'm not usually the type to own two of the same ball, but these were fantastic! The onyx was truly one of the most versatile balls I've ever used. With the polished box finish, it was great on mediums with clean backends. It was smooth and strong throughout the lane. If you knocked the shine off of it, it could handle some serious oil, just about anything but a true flood.
Truth be told, the onyx vibe was one of the best all-around balls I've ever thrown, and I've thrown a ton of bowling balls! I pretty much throw all Storm these days, but if I could ever find another Onyx at a reasonable price, I would snatch it up in a heartbeat; it's that good.
All in all, it seemed like most balls in that line were pretty darn good if you matched the balls up to the bowler and conditions, but I guess you could say that about all bowling balls. The nice thing about the Vibes was that the price point was very reasonable, so you got a ton of performance for a very nice price.
I regret never having the blue or Onyx! :P :P
-
I regret getting rid of the blue vibe when I did. I got plenty of use out of my Onyx Vibes. I'd love to get another, but the only places I've seen them tend to be on the sites where clowns are calling them "gems" and asking $250+. The Onyx was a great ball, but I can find other really good balls for far less than that price tag!
-
The Vibe series from Hammer.... Simply the BEST series of balls, hands down!
It is sad to say that Hammer has decided to retire the line & rumor has it that another line will be coming out in the future to replace this line (no info yet, but can't wait)... I LOVED the Vibe series so much that I have at least 1 of every Vibe made. I have thrown all of the US releases and still use a few of them to this day (Onyx, Cobalt, & Envy)... The original Blue & Onyx were the best of this line & now the most expensive to purchase NIB. At one time, I had a complete arsenal of just Vibes to combat any lane pattern...
If you have a chance to get one of the Vibes (any of them), please do so & put your favorite drill pattern in that ball, & you will love the reaction you see in that ball. It was the best bargain for the price in the bowling industry!
-
the vibe series is my favorite of all time. the blue vibe is my favorite ball of all time. that core just works with every cover on everything. i had a purple, black, 3 blue vibes and a cobalt. one of the blue vibes i still use and actually shot 300 and my first 800 a couple weeks ago with it. and i have a red vibe at the shop right now getting drilled. that core is so versatile and just always hooks at the sweet spot of the lane.....as long as youre using it properly (which ends up being most of the time. you can use the solids on fresh and the pearls in transition. unless there is a flood or a long pattern you could carry only vibes and be covered....its a shame they stopped making them. they were consistant sellers for hammer and those spikes are just terrible comparatively
-
For those who have thrown a Vibe, please state which one(s) you threw. I have always been interested in this ball (along with the Cyclone and the Freeze)
Is Hammer retiring this series? Are there any balls similar to them?
Buy all 3 of these balls. Yes the Vibe is discontinued and will be replaced.....eventually but there are plenty available. It along with the Freeze and Cyclone are all similar bowling balls but for the price are different enough that layout and surface could give you a very fun arsenal.
I would safely say this about many of the entry level bowling balls available. They are THS killers, and on tougher conditions can give you a very safe choice for scoring well.
-
I have a grape vibe, cherry vibe and the envy vibe....never got the hype around these balls from my experiences
-
For those who have thrown a Vibe, please state which one(s) you threw. I have always been interested in this ball (along with the Cyclone and the Freeze)
Is Hammer retiring this series? Are there any balls similar to them?
I'm pretty sure the Vibe line is now retired; none of them show in Hammer's current list of balls. http://www.hammerbowling.com/products/balls (http://www.hammerbowling.com/products/balls)
The Cyclone is a true medium oil ball and stronger in oil handling than all of the Vibes except for maybe the old Onyx. It has a stronger cover and a stronger core.
The Freezes are probably as close to the Vibes as is currently possible. The Freeze Pearl can be quite flippy, while the Vibe pearls had a strong backend, closer to hard arcing than flippy. The Freeze Solid is also stronger (earlier and handles more oil than the old Vibe solids (Blue and Onyx), but, again is probably closer, in the most general terms to the Vibes solids. (Not sure about some of the special made recent Vibes made by some local pro shops.)
(I have had and used Cyclones, Freezes, pearl and solid, and several Vibes (Blue, Onyx, Emerald, Midnight); so these comparisons are as I saw them, with the drillings and surfaces I have used.)
I wish I could get a hold of a Blue Vibe today. There is nothing like it anywhere and for the the past several years.
-
For those who have thrown a Vibe, please state which one(s) you threw. I have always been interested in this ball (along with the Cyclone and the Freeze)
Is Hammer retiring this series? Are there any balls similar to them?
I'm pretty sure the Vibe line is now retired; none of them show in Hammer's current list of balls. http://www.hammerbowling.com/products/balls (http://www.hammerbowling.com/products/balls)
Overseas, these balls are still selling.
The Jet Black, Deep Purple, and Purple/Gold Vibe were released within the past year, and are still selling:
http://www.legend-star.com/ball-vibe_deep_purple.html
http://www.legend-star.com/ball-vibe-purple-gold.html
http://www.legend-star.com/ball-vibe_jet_black.html
The Purple/Gold is a hybrid, the Deep purple is a Pearl, the Jet Black is a Solid.
BL.
-
There's an 15lb. Onyx on EBay right now:
Weight: 15 lbs 7 oz
Top: 3 1/4 oz
Pin: 4-5" (fromt he picture, the pin does appear to be a full 5".)
For most people, those specs would qualify this ball as a "blem" yet the seller is "ASKING" $235 for it. (Saving grace is shipping is included.)
Someone will buy this ball. (No, not me. :))
-
ya ive also noticed theres a NIB green vibe for 250 thats been up for over 6 months. vibes are great but not 250+drilling great lol
-
I know this is an old topic, but I started reading it and had to post. I currently have the original solid blue and two midnight vibes. I absolutely love them. I also had the Emerald vibe but it cracked so many times I got tired of fixing it. I would love to have another Emerald 14 lb. It had the best ball motion of any ball I've owned. The two vibes I have now are great for sport conditions and broken down oil conditions.
-
A couple of years ago, I walked into a pro shop here in Florida and sitting on the shelf was a NIB Black Onyx Vibe with a price of $99 drilled. I asked the PSO what the price was undrilled and he stated $99. The way he answered (smart a..) turned me off and I passed. Still regret to this day that I did. Never saw another NIB again.