Post by: slp300 on January 23, 2011, 10:42:19 AM
Post by: mainzer on January 23, 2011, 07:24:49 PM
I like to stick with one companys stuff, it is easier to setup a arsenal when you have balls designed to work together not mish mash of different covers and cores. Currently I am using Seismic Because I like the look I get from 900s covers.
Every once in awhile I will toss something in their different though, Like currently I have a MoRich RIP/R in my bag along with old AZO Ultima RP I use both more for leagues than anything else.
"Complexity lay within the artistry of execution"
+++Henry Zou+++
Founding FatherBR Inquisition
MainzerPower
Post by: snowspike1 on January 23, 2011, 08:39:58 PM
are you being paid by them.... If not then why stay with the 1 brand...
Post by: rvmark on January 24, 2011, 12:43:27 PM
My bag this year is made up of the following:
Columbia Pure Physics - Med. Heavy to Heavy
Track 715C Medium-Med. Heavy
Track 300C Med. Light-Light Med.
With these three and my plastic I am able to cover most of the conditions that I see.
I look for the ball to fill my slot for my game and am not that worried about having them all from the same company.
Mark
Edited by rvmark on 1/24/2011 at 1:57 PM
Post by: 9andaWiggle on January 24, 2011, 01:05:33 PM
Unless you're being paid by a company to be 100% brand loyal, why would you want to purposely limit your choices? I like to keep my options open!
9~ Internet Tough Guy and
Cyberspace Sheep Lover
Post by: slp300 on January 24, 2011, 01:46:56 PM
Post by: cheech on January 24, 2011, 03:58:04 PM
sacred heart university bowling, jr.
greatest accomplishment:shooting 603 and not shooting one 200 game(130,173,300)...lol
balls for sale in my profile
everyone is born right handed, only the gifted overcome it
Post by: kidlost2000 on January 24, 2011, 04:15:38 PM
I've used a lot of Brunswick and Morich the past several years with great success. I've tried several other brands here and there along the way with some success. Not many companies put out a bad ball these days.(can't afford to)
Sometimes you may have to tweak the cover for your style of bowling or condition but other then that there is nothing wrong with trying some of the other great offerings out there. Your not a Pro getting paid to use a product so don't feel you should be limited.
Be good, or be good at it.
Post by: r534me on January 25, 2011, 01:18:30 AM
I know some friends who are brand loyal but I am not anymore. I use what ever works at the time. Plus, I always tweak the cover to make it work for me. The only ball oob I have is the natural.
However, if someone were giving me free balls then I would be very brand loyal.
Seaside Pro Shop - Pacifica, CA
Visit them and visit often!
Post by: dizzyfugu on January 25, 2011, 01:24:50 AM
Personally, I would not limit myself this way. How often does it happen that you need a certain recction shape, and "your" brand just does not offer a good basis to achieve it? I think it is also an intelligence aspect to get to know other manufacturers and their product concepts. Lanemasters balls, with their high RG and lower differential, used to be "different", or VBP balls. IMHO, trying out such pieces is never wrong. You can surely stubbornly stick to one brand (esp. when you are paid for it), but I do not see much benefit from a player's point of view.
I have gladly been trying out´a wide range of manufacturers and balls, and I found it to be a great source for learning.
DizzyFugu - Reporting from Germany
Confused by bowling? Check out BR.com's vault of wisdom: the unofficial FAQ section
Confused by bowling? Check out BR.com's vault of wisdom: the unofficial FAQ section
Edited by dizzyfugu on 25.01.2011 at 2:26 AM
Post by: 9andaWiggle on January 25, 2011, 05:50:09 AM
However, if you ARE loyal to one company, it makes it much easier to coordinate and match your bag, towel, ball, and snazzy shirt so you look like a paid professional! lol 
9~ Internet Tough Guy and
Cyberspace Sheep Lover
Post by: Romulus Cogswell on January 25, 2011, 10:45:03 AM
I never really set out to be brand loyal but I had great success with 2 storm balls (all I had in that time) over a span of 12 years so I've stayed with what works. I've since bought a Virtual Gravity and Hy-Road but finally switched to another brand with the Brunswick Slingshot for my "left arm experiment".
Post by: David Lee Yskes on January 25, 2011, 12:18:38 PM
I bleed Storm and Roto-Grip...........
I mean I've been throwing Storm loyally since 98...... why?? because I love the stuff they are putting out there for us to use..... my first Roto-grip was the Fuel.... sadly it was stolen from me lol.......
But I've recently picked up two RG Theory's........
Why do i stick with these?? because I know I can go in and have a ball drilled up and for the most part know how this ball will react before I get to the lanes...
I mean I'll never use Brunswick..... If I had another ball company to chose from , I'd go with Columbia.....
" Lift Your Skirt Grab Your Balls and Learn How to Bowl "
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Post by: Zanatos1914 on January 25, 2011, 12:36:27 PM
brand loyal if on contract....
2 Fingers 4 Life
I Am The 3 Fingers Nightmare
Post by: Slick300 on January 25, 2011, 04:39:27 PM
Ebonite International`s four brands cover all of the shapes even the staff guys for their individual companies use the other brands under their umbrella during the week. I use balls from all 4 brands and am able to get the shapes I`m looking for.
Ray Lathrop
Better Bowling Concepts
Post by: Norm3v on January 25, 2011, 10:51:23 PM
I love Storm's equipment and buy mostly their Storm and Roto Grip brands. However, the best ball I've ever thrown and still throw is the Ebonite Mission. I don't throw anything else Ebonite because nothing really seems to fit in my arsenal, but plan on getting the Mission Domination drilled longer and change the surface to 4000 to step down from my Mission. I also have a Brunswick C System 4.5 which I love, and I use a Brunswick Powrkoil wrist support because it is hands down the best wrist support for me.
I agree with others, if you work for a company, then stick with them obviously. If not, buy the best equipment for your game.
Post by: gadgetman on January 26, 2011, 05:04:20 AM
I believe it depends on the bowler, his style, comfort zone, expectations, alley conditions. While its true different mfg. are better known for their anchor products as pertaining to lower or higher Rg's, and Diff. , coverstocks that react to friction more or less, etc., their are two major reasons to be objective with ball choices,
\
1st is scoring with what ball or balls gives the individual his best chance once he matches up to conditions he is bowling on at any given time. The second it the fun and challenge of trying different mfg.
If all someone wants to do is show up for social reasons, just use an alley ball, otherwise if we spend time and effort to improve and enjoy at the same time, I believe it behooves us to research and work on varieties of game plans and work on being as versatile as we can be. There is so much more to this game then in the past with rubber, plastic and urethane and one can only learn that by being open to the new technologies in this game. A lot of effort by all mfg. goes into to providing us with new stuff continuously. Why not support them to keep doing this while progressing ourselves?
Edited by gadgetman on 1/26/2011 at 6:28 AM
Post by: BackToBasics on January 26, 2011, 08:45:47 AM
The biggest advantage of staying with company is it makes it much easier to ensure the balls you are drilling react the way you intended and to avoid unintentional overlaps. Each company's covers react differently and they "grade" them differently. A medium oil piece in one may be stronger than another. It's easy to drill a medium piece from another company to go below your medium-heavy piece but to have it turn out very close in strength to your current piece.
I believe that at least the big 3 (Ebonite Int, Brunswick, Storm/Roto) have a wide enough variety of covers/cores/reaction shapes to allow staying within that company. If you are starting from scratch, it may be easier to pick across company's (i.e Taboo, Wicked Seige, Vibe).
Post by: Steven on January 26, 2011, 10:09:25 AM
BackToBasics gets a big +1. I'm surprised most others don't get this......
It's laughable how many bowlers jump around buying different balls from different companies only to find they've flushed another $150-$200 for another overlap piece.
Being 'brand loyal' has nothing to do with being an unpaid staffer and everything to do with being a smart ball buyer. This isn't to say that it doesn't make sense to occasionally buy a ball from another company if it clearly fills a specific need, but it's not necessary in most cases.
Post by: scotts33 on January 26, 2011, 10:20:53 AM
I used to be a very loyal brand specific user. No more I wasted mucho $$$ on balls that did not match up to me and my stats. My bad. I'll use anything I can score better with.
I disagree with those that say you need to stay with one brand to work one ball off of another. What if the whole line stinks? I can name a few that are poor IMO.
Some manufacturers are way ahead of the game tech wise. Covers better, core tech better, match up better.
The only reason to stay brand loyal is if you are getting paid or getting free equipment. That's not most of us. 
BTW...I've seen staffers in the past with lousy ball reaction and if they had the ability to use other pieces they may not have painted themselves in a corner.
Scott
Edited by scotts33 on 1/26/2011 at 11:21 AM
Post by: j0hnny2x on January 26, 2011, 10:26:56 AM
Personally I think it is a question to what you match up with. I have tried a bunch of different manufacturers over the past couple of years and seem to match up best with roto/storm stuff. What works for me doesn't necessarily work for someone else though. I think that is the beauty of having options.
Post by: rvmark on January 26, 2011, 10:30:03 AM
Steven,
I respectfully have to disagree with this. In working with my pro shop I have been able to select balls from different companies that fit into the different slots in my bag. Ironically they all are from EBI companies at this time but I am not afraid to try other brands. When working with a driller that knows your game you can effectively look at multiple companies to fit your needs.
Mark
Post by: Steven on January 26, 2011, 10:44:58 AM
Scott: It's no secret to anyone who's been here for a while that I'm a big Lane#1 guy. They produce most every reaction I need, working one ball off the other. But I round the arsenal off with a few Ebonite/Columbia/Hammer pieces for variety and specific setups.
However, if it wasn't Lane#1, I'm sure I could build a complete and effective arsenal around any of the majors. I'm not sure which ones you consider poor.
Post by: Juggernaut on January 26, 2011, 12:25:50 PM
First off, I want to say that I have always been known to "march to a different drummer", and my bowling is no exception.
I always tend to stick with one manufacturer at a time, and over the years have had complete setups from several. The thing that sets them apart for me is the level of customer service I have received. Some have been excellent, some have been lackluster.
I am currently throwing an AMF CODE, ORBIT EXTREME, VILLAIN, and SIDEWAYS, with a blue pearl HYPE waiting in the wings.
This is because of Eric Thomas and the crew there. He has answerd my e-mails numerous times, always giving great advice, and always taking the time to help me, 1 SINGLE BOWLER!
They have ALWAYS been responsive and customer aware, and will always be the manufacturer I look to first when I am in the market for new equipment.
Their equipment, while overlooked by many, is as good as you will find on the market, and their designers are as innovative and creative as any. Add in the fact that the president of the company is himself an innovative coverstock guru who CREATED the soaker coverstock, and you have the recipe for some great equipment.
"Yeah, I throw AMF. What's it to ya"?
Post by: retiredbowler on January 31, 2011, 09:23:23 PM
In Order I would throw:
Ebonite
Columbia
Track
Hammer
Storm
Roto Grip
900 Global
AMF
That's 8 companies made here in the USA that I would throw. I would not be interested in anything else at this point, but I would not be exclusive to anyone of those 8 unless I was paid.
Post by: ecc0_9879 on January 31, 2011, 10:36:50 PM
well I had a 607 a se the ball was way more angular than any storm or roto I have thrown and over all a great ball just way to jumpy for me. I have track motiv lane one and brunswick in my bag. I throw what ever is cool and works for me till the start giving me equipment and i dont have to pay for it i am gonna throw what I want and what looks good to me even if it a ball from each and every company out there
http://s572.photobucket.com/albums/ss169/ecco_9879/
Post by: CHawk15 on February 01, 2011, 12:10:07 PM
Unless you're getting paid to throw a company's equipment, there is no reason to limit yourself to one company. Personally, I'm using Columbia, Hammer and Storm this season. I use Onyx Vibe / Freeze on my Tuesday night scratch League and my Prodigy / Full Swing on Scorpion on Thursdays.