I was going to just sit back and not jump in, but since all the hype cost me $200 plus a lot of pain, I finally decided I just can't sit here and give the BustBomb a free pass.

This review is short and sweet. It is neither for the Lane 1 lovers nor the Lane 1 haters. Both are fringe groups whose opinion doesn't really matter.
This is for the normal guy, like myself, who heard all the build up and may be on the sidelines waiting to buy... Here's an honest review from my first Lane 1 purchase....

There is nothing special about this ball. Save your money. This ball is DOA 99% of the time. I believe I gave it an honest shot. I tried it in four houses plus Nationals, after a 2 week wait for the ball. I tried every possible option, 2 different drills, and every possible surface level from 600 to 4000.
It was at all times a purple marshmellow.
Look back through these threads and you'll even see where I tried to help people figure this thing out before drilling mine. Why oh why was I stupid enough to drill it up after hearing all the bad news? Like I said... no one's fault but my own. Caveat emptor, right?

For me, the BuzzBUST was a total waste of time and money. Another experiment gone bad. Props to the Lane 1 hype crew, you got me. I was tired of Big B and wanted to try something new. I did. I paid for it in more ways than one. So now, it'll go on Ebay this week.

There is, of course, no magic ball.

Funny thing though. After losing big time on the BustBomb, I talked myself into trying another new ball from another new company I've never thrown. Still had courage to try a new company I guess. But this time, I chose a ball based on percentage of positive reviews from average people not associated with the brand and stayed away from choosing balls where there was massive controversy. Wow, what a ball... OOB, it turns out to be what I expected from the BuzzBust. I'm headed to the Roto Grip forum now to give it the props it deserves. I need to give time to the positive as well as the negative.
Lane 1 lovers, write your garbage below this. It won't matter. I'm not going to be back on this forum, so will "regrettably" never see it.

I'm out.
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Signature? I don't need no stinking signature...

Probably had 1.5 ounces of bottom weight and 3/4 thumb. A few questions here??

Did your shop operator double check the CG after plugging. What layout did he use and also what statics did the ball have after drilling both times. Was it plugged with a quick plug or 8 hour plug? I am not saying it was drilled wrong or anything like that but the specifics would be nice. I have seen plenty of our balls brought into the booth and I can say that I can't believe some of the layouts and weights people have brought in. I had one the other day with the pin 3.5" from the PAP and the CG was below the thumb hole. There was also no extra hole and it had like 180 grit sand lines on it. Not only was it illegal but this gentelman wanted this ball to go long and this is what he got from his ball driller. He decided to buy a Nova XP and the ball out hooked the BB he showed me by 10 boards down lane. Now here is a guy that can hate the BB becasue it doesn't do what he asked for. Is this the balls fault?? This is only 1 example.

Example 2 was a Solid Cobalt Bomb. The pin and CG were above the fingers and the pin was 5.5" from the PAP. It had 4" deep finger holes and a weight hole that was so deep it met the fingers at the bottom. The guy told me he wanted something for heavy oil and this is how it was drilled. He was stunned as he told me the ball was drilled by the best in town.

I am not badmouthing anybody but there are people out there that do not have enough knowledge to be putting holes in these balls. Not just Lane#1 but all companies. There are also too many backyard,garage and basement ball drillers now that really have no clue. I have at least 3-4 per week that come in and brag about drilling their own stuff in the basement or garage. All I can say is you have to see some of these balls to know what I mean. Some have 2 ounces of thumb weight or 2.5 ounces of side weight after they are drilled becasue they do not have a scale. You really would not believe the balls that need corrections at the scale room and how they are drilled. I have seen some with the CG's on the sides of the balls and the extra holes on the other side. I'm talking 8 inches from the center of the grip. Real doozy's.

I just would not be surprised if these problems were present on the balls that people have not had luck with..

My Tip to backyard pro shop wanna be's...

Not a bash here. Just pay some extra cash and go to a pro shop class. There are several available from Ebonite to Jayhawk to pro shop guys that are willing to teach.

Spend the money..It is worth it.

Beans
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www.beansproshop.com
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Thomas "Beans" Biniek Jr.
PBA Member and Lane#1 Ball Drilling Expert
Thanks for reading and be sure to check us out at the Lane#1 booth in Albuquerque. Check out current eBay auctions at:
http://cgi6.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewSellersOtherItems&userid=bowling_with_leah
Official Pro Shop of "ALL" F.O.S. Members!!!

I bought 3 Lane 1 balls last year and loved them. I raised my average 16 pins with them. (Enriched Uranium - Solid Cobalt Bomb - Red XXXL) However, they were Brunswick made balls. I haven't bought another Lane 1 since they quit Brunswick because of them not getting settled down with one company thus making me a bit leary of their new balls coverstock quality and performance, until proven the new company's manufacturer of the balls is as good as Brunswick's was.

I do love the Lane 1 balls of the past. As said, for the reasons mentioned I haven't tried the newer ones for fear they might not match up to the performance of the older ones. I have been waiting on proof that the newer ones will perform as well as the older ones, but from what I consider the "way-way overdoing of the hype about the balls" by bowlers that are committed to Lane 1, it has scared me off and I went elsewhere and purchased a couple balls from 2 other companies and I am very happy with both balls.

I totally understand where lefty50 is coming from in his topic as well as sympathize with him, as I got caught up in a similiar situtation with Track and similar hype a couple years ago by bowlers committed to Track. You don't know how many times I "almost" bought this new Buzz Bomb, but everytime I came oohh sooo close, a 6th sense told me not to. I simply can't see a ball that is supposedly as strong as the Buzz bomb is supposed to be, working on all of the various conditions some were claiming to use it on. And then to have to polish it with a polish that makes some balls skid thru the break point to make it work didn't make sense either. I figured rather than go thru all of that, just buy a ball that wasn't as strong. I mean why buy the strongest ball on the market and then polish the "H" out of it to tame it down so you can bowl with it. Just buy a ball for the condition a person wants to bowl on. The last factor of me mot buying it is that I never see heavy oil. I see lots of medium and a bit stronger, but never heavy oil. Those are the factors that turned me away from the Buzz Bomb.


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"Whenever I feel the urge to exercise I lie down until the feeling passes away."

Brick