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Author Topic: Ebonite International 4 brands ranking  (Read 15597 times)

Blueprint

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Ebonite International 4 brands ranking
« on: December 29, 2013, 07:55:39 PM »
How would you rate the 4 ebonite bowling ball brands (Columbia, Ebonite, Hammer, and Track) 1 to 4 (1-being the best and 4-the worst) when comparing them based on best overall brand (timing of new ball releases, ball performance, current line up, etc....)? I saw a post similar to this a while back and wanted to see if any of your views or thoughts have changed now since time has passed and newer equipment has been released.

 

northface28

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Re: Ebonite International 4 brands ranking
« Reply #1 on: December 29, 2013, 08:10:28 PM »
Columbia-1, Track-2, Hammer-3, Ebonite-7, yes, a seven, I know the Ebonite loyalists and apologists will be butt hurt, but Ebonite stuff isn't good. You never see it in shops, leagues, or tournaments.
NLMB 150 Dream Team
#NoTalking
#HellaBandz

Matt Fortney

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Re: Ebonite International 4 brands ranking
« Reply #2 on: December 29, 2013, 08:47:10 PM »
My personal preference and what's popular in my area are pretty different. My preference would be c300, ebonite, track, then hammer. Popularity in my area though is more like: track, hammer, c300 and ebonite.

themagician

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Re: Ebonite International 4 brands ranking
« Reply #3 on: December 29, 2013, 09:24:00 PM »
1 hammer
2 columbia
3 ebonite
distant 4 track (don't see any really)
-Mike
-MOTIV Staff

vkowalski1970

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Re: Ebonite International 4 brands ranking
« Reply #4 on: December 29, 2013, 09:31:44 PM »
Hammer
Track
Ebonite
Columbia
Scandal
Daredevil Trick
IQ Tour Solid
Lights Out
Hustle Ink
Viral Hybrid

billdozer

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Re: Ebonite International 4 brands ranking
« Reply #5 on: December 29, 2013, 09:49:12 PM »
Storm
Kentucky brand 1
Kentucky brand 2
Kentucky brand 3
Kentucky brand 4

Ok now that my Hollywood squares answer is out of the way...


Track
Hammer
Columbia
Ebonite
In the bag [Infinite Physix, Volatility Torque, Night Road, Phaze III, Burner Solid, Hustle AU]
*Now Testing* IQ Ruby, Renevant, another IQ Tour solid
Coming soon...???

kidlost2000

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Re: Ebonite International 4 brands ranking
« Reply #6 on: December 29, 2013, 10:04:46 PM »
Track 1a
Columbia 1b
Hammer 3
Ebonite 4

Yes you read it correctly.
« Last Edit: December 30, 2013, 02:08:27 AM by kidlost2000 »
…… you can't  add a physics term to a bowling term and expect it to mean something.

charlest

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Re: Ebonite International 4 brands ranking
« Reply #7 on: December 30, 2013, 12:02:04 AM »
Track - 1
Columbia -2
.
.
.
Hammer - 14
Ebonite - 15
"None are so blind as those who will not see."

SVstar34

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Re: Ebonite International 4 brands ranking
« Reply #8 on: December 30, 2013, 12:34:18 AM »
Track -》C300 -》Hammer -》Ebonite

Columbia wouldn't have been in my top a couple years ago but their releases in the past year have really put them back on the map.

Track's releases have just been solid with the number series balls

kidlost2000

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Re: Ebonite International 4 brands ranking
« Reply #9 on: December 30, 2013, 01:01:06 AM »
Charlest is freaking hilarious. Read my mind just didn't have the nerve to do it. lol
…… you can't  add a physics term to a bowling term and expect it to mean something.

Walking E

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Re: Ebonite International 4 brands ranking
« Reply #10 on: December 30, 2013, 01:58:33 AM »
1. Track
2. Columbia
3. Hammer
4. Ebonite

That being said, I've been very impressed with some of the Ebonite equipment that I've tested recently, most specifically the Pivot, Legacy, and the Elevate. All are hybrids, so that might be the secret for me. Ebonite just doesn't seem to sell real well in my parts so I rated them last. As a brand, I would throw Ebonite over Hammer, though I'm still more partial to Track and Columbia.

drew999

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Re: Ebonite International 4 brands ranking
« Reply #11 on: December 30, 2013, 07:07:25 AM »
My preference:
1 Hammer
2 Track
3 Columbia
4 Ebonite

For popularity in my area, switch 1 and 2 around.

freak761

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Re: Ebonite International 4 brands ranking
« Reply #12 on: December 30, 2013, 08:30:51 AM »
In my neck of the woods...

1. Hammer
2. Columbia
3. Ebonite
4. Track

The only Track ball you'll see is the 400A and Columbia is starting to pick up with the Antics, Crazy Antics and Eruption Pro, but basically you're gonna see a lotta Storm and Hammer here.

Jesse James

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Re: Ebonite International 4 brands ranking
« Reply #13 on: December 30, 2013, 09:18:32 AM »
My preference:

1. Hammer
2. Track
3. Columbia
6. Ebonite

In popularity in my area, amongst these 4:

1. Hammer & Track
4. Columbia
6. Ebonite

I have thrown a few Columbia pieces, since my personal ball driller was on staff. They were very over/under for me, and too darn aggressive. Could this just have been the way he laid them out? Very possibly, because I have seen other people throw their equipment and the ball motion is different from mine. I like their variety of releases, but they sure release a lot of them. Have not seen the Antics or CA in play yet, but the Eruption Pro is a certified winner.

I have thrown a few Track pieces as well, and gained a good insight as to their strengths and weaknesses, and I must say they are very consistent in overall reactions; they tend to play on the lanes "as advertised"; and people with no hand or a lot of hand, love them equally. I think their quantity of releases is well-measured and timely.

I have been using Hammer for many years, now. Their pieces seem to match up to my game better than others, however, I am undecided on their latest "Blood Lines" that they released. These balls are wildly popular in my area.......but I am not yet convinced of their effectiveness. Not impressed with the Amp line but the Arson line was a big seller in my area.

I very rarely see a lot of EBO pieces. The woman on my team uses a mixture of Ebonite and Track. She just recently started using a Legacy and that piece has an impressive ball motion that I have seen before in some EBO stuff. Not bad at all.
The most impresive piece I've seen by EBO has been the Gamebreaker.
Some days you're the bug....some days you're the windshield...that's bowling!

bradl

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Re: Ebonite International 4 brands ranking
« Reply #14 on: December 30, 2013, 01:56:29 PM »
How would you rate the 4 ebonite bowling ball brands (Columbia, Ebonite, Hammer, and Track) 1 to 4 (1-being the best and 4-the worst) when comparing them based on best overall brand (timing of new ball releases, ball performance, current line up, etc....)? I saw a post similar to this a while back and wanted to see if any of your views or thoughts have changed now since time has passed and newer equipment has been released.

I'm spoiled, being in Las Vegas. I get to see a bit of everything and everywhere. And despite what some say here, I see Ebonite gear in at least 5 - 6 pro shops in this town.

Now, with that said, where I also am at in Sacrament, I'm probably the only person still throwing any Ebonite gear, and I'm in the middle of phasing some of that out for Hammer.

Now, with that said, I'd say this:

1. Hammer
2a. Track
2b. Columbia
4. Ebonite

I say this because of the different performance lines each brand has, timing of releases, and (unfortunately), availability. In Vegas, you have everything everywhere, and you have not only staffers but regional reps from various brands living in town, so it makes the availability of the ball easy, as well as being able to see the performance of the ball. That makes it an even push all around.

Now, when I get out of town, that is another story. Up here in Sacramento, there is only 1 EBI staffer here; I'd have to make the drive to Reno to find a rep (Pam Buckner). There is a bit more exposure to EBI and Ebonite there, but not much.

I haven't found a single person throwing the Pivot in Sacramento; that's what makes me tempted to get one, as it may/should compliment my Cold Blood.

Variety: Ebonite is in trouble here, and they've been in trouble since the end of the Mission series (in particular, the Mission X). From there, it's been downhill. It took a while to catch up in the mid performance range after the Signals, where Hammer and Track have just been belting them out. They are finally starting to do so with the Cyclone series and Legacy, but too little/too late?

Availability: Again, easy in Vegas; 5 pro shops carry EBI gear. Sacramento? Has to be ordered in after purchase, so you couldn't walk out of the shop with a ball. I've noticed that with other equipment as well, so that may just be a regional thing. When I lived in Omaha and in Vegas, I could walk out of the shop, ball in hand, after waiting 30 minutes for it to be drilled. That's why whenever I'm back in Vegas, if I need one, I'll run to that shop, get one punched up, and fly it home with me.

Releases: I think everyone is starting to catch on to the idea of mid-season releases. It used to be that you'd only catch them in the summer in preparation for the new year, and that ball would tie you over; not necessarily so now; case in point would be after Norton won with the First Blood last year.

Overall, if they aren't already in the lab with a pen and pad, Ebonite needs to get to work on R&D fast, otherwise they are going to fall behind of not only their competitors, but the other 3 brands under their umbrella.

BL.