Ok I read on the Ebonite site that it seems there is an opinion that the Ebonite balls die out the fastest. Not sure how anyone would really know what balls die the fastest. But what manufactures are having their balls last the longest. I like Ebonite products but at a $200 a pop I would like to get a ball that will hold up. I know that cleaning them is important. But hell they can't even agree on what is the best way to do that. Some say to heat them,while others say that will damage the ball. I know I asked the Brunswick booth at the nationals to put a new ball in their oven and see if anything came out but they wouldn't do it. Others claim the bath method is the way to go. Ebonite says the Hook Again is their choice. Is there any of the high end equipment out there that hold up well.