BallReviews
General Category => Miscellaneous => Topic started by: Jesse James on September 22, 2017, 09:27:54 PM
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There have been millions of balls created, but there are just some balls that seem to stand out, over time. For me there were some balls that just naturally fit my style, and the kind of hook shape on the lanes that I am looking for! And then there are some balls that I loved because of the confidence they gave me, or the honor scores I was always able to achieve with them! I love a lot of the newer stuff, but generally speaking only get to use them at tournament time, because they are so strong. Here's a few offerings that I remember well....
Storm: Prodigy and VG
Roto Grip: Horizon Solid & Pearl
Ebonite: The One & Killer Instinct Pearl
Brunswick: Red Alert & Strike King
Columbia: Messenger & Reaction Rip
Hammer:3D Offset & Toxic
Track: Animal & Project X
Azo: Fantasy X
Visionary: Orange Warlock
I often wonder, is there a collective attribute running similarly in all these balls? Or is there a certain reaction relative to my style, that made me like these pieces?
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AMF Sumo is the best urethane ball ever made. The thing can friggin still handle house shot even today 25 years after release. Visionary has a few that are close behind.
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Ebonite Tidal Wave Wipeout
Track Freakazoid and Xception
Columbia 300 Aftershock pearl
AMF Velocity and Maximum Velocity
900 Global Break and Bank
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Storm - Bolt Pro
DV8 - Dude
C300 - Blue Aftershock
Ebonite - Tidal Wave II
All were pieces I felt extremely confident in throwing on almost any condition I came across.
drillbit
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Rotogrip = Saga
FaBall = Black Hammer, 3D Offset
Storm = Virtual Gravity
Brunswick = Danger Zone original
Ebonite = TurboX
Motiv = Jackal Ghost
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Ebonite- Mission
Columbia- Cuda c
Brunswick- Vapor Zone, Deep Violet Zone
Storm- Green Bolt, El Nino, Lucid, Virtual Gravity
Faball- blue hammer
Excalibur
AZO Area
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Pre urethane:
1. Manhattan Rubber
2. Brunswick LT-48
2a. Columbia300 Yellow Dot
Urethane era (pre dynamic core):
1. Columbia300 Black U Dot
2. Columbia300 Slate U Dot
Urethane era (dynamic core):
1. Anything Faball
2. Ebonite Black Turbo
2a. Ebonite Blue Nitro
Resin era:
1. Brunswick Inferno
2. Columbia300 Outrage
(Several "runner-ups", including Blue Thunder, Granite Gargoyle, and B/G Centaur)
3. Ebonite V2
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My favorite ball ever though is my C300 EPX T1. Man does that ball hit hard (harder than Hy-Road imo). Of course most would call it the worst ball ever made and give me a few months when mine will probably crumble in the ball return and I will have the same opinion. At least I didn't spend $300+ a decade of inflation to get mine. Ouch.
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Roto Grip: Cell, Totally Defiant
DV8: Grudge Hybrid
Brunswick: Mastermind Intellect, Mastermind Einstein
Ebonite: The One
Track: 505C
These are only the ones I've really, really liked. There has been lots of pretty good ones across the brands. Just not quite up to the level of those listed above off the top of my head.
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AMF - Black Angle
Brunswick - LT-48
Columbia 300 - Black U Dot
Hammer - Black Hammer
Motiv - Recon RX1 Silver
Roto Grip - Hyper Cell Skid
Storm - Frantic
Track - 607A SE
Visionary - The Crow
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900 Global: Break Point
AMF: Bone XS
Brunswick: Black Rhino
Columbia: Eruption
DV8: Diva Divine
Ebonite: Firebolt S/O
Hammer: Black Hammer
Motiv: Venom Shock
Roto Grip: No Rules Pearl
Storm: Hyroad
Track: Assassin
Visionary: Raven
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Original Inferno
Columbia Action
Gamebreaker/Gamebreaker 2
Black Widow
IQ Tour
Marvel Pearl
Cell Pearl
Kinetic
And a special shout out to these rare balls that I absolutely loved but were kind of obscure.
Columbia 300 Special (Reaction Ricochet Cover, tall bell shaped core)
Dynothane Crisis (Purple version poured by Storm)
Bowl America Patriot (poured by faball. Spike core, Reaper cover, 7-8" flare)
Storm USA Gold (Special Edition Erase-IT)
Insite Almighty (Brunswick pour. Low load particle, high RG/high diff assymetric core)
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AMF Angle Evolution
Brunswick Python
Columbia Rock On
Ebonite Red Mission
Hammer Viscious
Lane 1 Pink Panther
Motiv Venom Shock
Roto Grip Uproar
Storm HyRoad
Track TKO Punch
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Ebonite: Red wolf pearl 851 with it
Columbia: Cuda C
Radical: Reax V2 pearl
Storm: XXX factor
Brunswick: Aura
Track: Threat
Lane #1: BoomRang
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Good question, I'm gonna have to think about this one and report back.
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Storm: Hy-Road and Frantic
Roto Grip: Nomad Dagger
Motiv: Sigma Sting
Brunswick: Zone
Columbia: Cuda/C and Piranha
Track: 505T
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Ebonite turbo x 1996 (I bowled recreationally at this time, till 2000/1)
Ebonite V2 and Predator
C300 scout particle and jazz
Track Slash
RG mystic and horizon solid
Storm depth charge and hyroad for the last 7-8 years straight.
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Original Inferno
Columbia Action
Gamebreaker/Gamebreaker 2
Black Widow
IQ Tour
Marvel Pearl
Cell Pearl
Kinetic
And a special shout out to these rare balls that I absolutely loved but were kind of obscure.
Columbia 300 Special (Reaction Ricochet Cover, tall bell shaped core)
Dynothane Crisis (Purple version poured by Storm)
Bowl America Patriot (poured by faball. Spike core, Reaper cover, 7-8" flare)
Storm USA Gold (Special Edition Erase-IT)
Insite Almighty (Brunswick pour. Low load particle, high RG/high diff assymetric core)
That Patriot was that a blueish Urethane ball?
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Dick Weber 5 Star All Pro
Brunswick Grabber
Columbia Shur-D Pro (original, 1974)
Columbia Yellow Dot
Brunswick Danger Zone (original)
Columbia Power-TORQ
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Original Inferno
Columbia Action
Gamebreaker/Gamebreaker 2
Black Widow
IQ Tour
Marvel Pearl
Cell Pearl
Kinetic
And a special shout out to these rare balls that I absolutely loved but were kind of obscure.
Columbia 300 Special (Reaction Ricochet Cover, tall bell shaped core)
Dynothane Crisis (Purple version poured by Storm)
Bowl America Patriot (poured by faball. Spike core, Reaper cover, 7-8" flare)
Storm USA Gold (Special Edition Erase-IT)
Insite Almighty (Brunswick pour. Low load particle, high RG/high diff assymetric core)
That Patriot was that a blueish Urethane ball?
Is that the same as the ASU Patriot? Few of those NIB floating around on the internet for like $300.
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Storm: Hyroad
Roto Grip: Horizon Solid
Track: VooDoo
Ebonite: V2 Solid
Bruswick: Vapor Zone
Columbia: Wicked
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Brunswick - Inferno, Danger Zone
Ebonite - Angular One, Total NV/NVS, Play Maker, Game breaker
Hammer- 3-D offset, Blue Hammer, Black Widow, Vibe
Columbia 300 - Fuse, The Beast
Roto-grip - Cell, Cell Pearl, Neptune, Mars, Rumble
Storm - Natural, The IQ Tour series, Marvel Pearl
Motiv - Venom Shock/ Strike, Covert Revolt, Primal Rage
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Original Inferno
Columbia Action
Gamebreaker/Gamebreaker 2
Black Widow
IQ Tour
Marvel Pearl
Cell Pearl
Kinetic
And a special shout out to these rare balls that I absolutely loved but were kind of obscure.
Columbia 300 Special (Reaction Ricochet Cover, tall bell shaped core)
Dynothane Crisis (Purple version poured by Storm)
Bowl America Patriot (poured by faball. Spike core, Reaper cover, 7-8" flare)
Storm USA Gold (Special Edition Erase-IT)
Insite Almighty (Brunswick pour. Low load particle, high RG/high diff assymetric core)
That Patriot was that a blueish Urethane ball?
Is that the same as the ASU Patriot? Few of those NIB floating around on the internet for like $300.
That is what I am wondering, couldn't remember the other part of the name. Thanks!
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900G: Boost/Respect (Boost might take this over soon)
Brunswick: Danger Zone HPD
Columbia 300: Yellow Dot
Ebonite: Mission
Faball: Black Hammer
Hammer: Purple Hammer Pearl
Motiv: Venom Shock
Roto Grip: Asylum
Storm: Wipe Out
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Original Inferno
Columbia Action
Gamebreaker/Gamebreaker 2
Black Widow
IQ Tour
Marvel Pearl
Cell Pearl
Kinetic
And a special shout out to these rare balls that I absolutely loved but were kind of obscure.
Columbia 300 Special (Reaction Ricochet Cover, tall bell shaped core)
Dynothane Crisis (Purple version poured by Storm)
Bowl America Patriot (poured by faball. Spike core, Reaper cover, 7-8" flare)
Storm USA Gold (Special Edition Erase-IT)
Insite Almighty (Brunswick pour. Low load particle, high RG/high diff assymetric core)
That Patriot was that a blueish Urethane ball?
No, this reactive version of the Patriot was a deep Navy Blue/Red polished solid. Very tame cover with a ton of flare. Distributors had them for as cheap as $25.
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Visionary: Purple Ice Executioner
Midnight Scorcher
Brunswick: Warp Zone
Insite: Almighty
Morich: Colossus
Hammer: Crimson Sledge hammer
Brad
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Brunswick Black Diamond (bowled my only 300 game & high series - 784 - with it in 1972)
Dynothane Energy ( Used it as my primary ball for about 8 years)
JohnP
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Brunswick: Inferno, Teal Rhino Pro, Danger Zone, Rampage
Storm: Modern Marvel, Frantic
Roto: Critical theory
Visionary: Executioner
Motiv: Orange Recon
Lane 1: It was blue, similar in color to the super carbide bomb
Ebonite: Werewolf
Hammer: Black widow bite, Anger
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I haven't replied in more than 11 years!
My favorites:
Ebonite V2 Solid.
Hammer Black Widow.
Hammer Cherry Vibe.
Storm Depth Charge.
Storm HyRoad.
Brunswick Absolute Inferno.
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Original Inferno
Columbia Action
Gamebreaker/Gamebreaker 2
Black Widow
IQ Tour
Marvel Pearl
Cell Pearl
Kinetic
And a special shout out to these rare balls that I absolutely loved but were kind of obscure.
Columbia 300 Special (Reaction Ricochet Cover, tall bell shaped core)
Dynothane Crisis (Purple version poured by Storm)
Bowl America Patriot (poured by faball. Spike core, Reaper cover, 7-8" flare)
Storm USA Gold (Special Edition Erase-IT)
Insite Almighty (Brunswick pour. Low load particle, high RG/high diff assymetric core)
That Patriot was that a blueish Urethane ball?
No, this reactive version of the Patriot was a deep Navy Blue/Red polished solid. Very tame cover with a ton of flare. Distributors had them for as cheap as $25.
Ah I didn't initially see you said what the ball cover and core are.. Hence not Urethane :)
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I haven't replied in more than 11 years!
My favorites:
Ebonite V2 Solid.
Hammer Black Widow.
Hammer Cherry Vibe.
Storm Depth Charge.
Storm HyRoad.
Brunswick Absolute Inferno.
I wish someone could explain what made the V2 so different from the Gamebreaker and Gamebreaker 2. Heard someone say before that they loved the V2 but hated the others (which also seems hard to do).
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The V2 was just the perfect match of core and cover. It didn't over react, didn't under react, was very controllable but still fairly strong. You could pretty much put holes anywhere in it and it rolled good for just about everyone. To me it was what the HyRoad is now, but a little stronger.
The remakes were good attempts, but just not the same.
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AMF - Blue Angle, Green Mamba
AZO - Ultima RP
Brunswick - Anaconda
Columbia - Reaction Ricochet, Game Pearl
Dynothane - Vendetta (original black one)
Ebonite - Shooter
Hammer - Ice Razor, Onyx Vibe
JPF - Blue Axe
Roto Grip - Silver Streak, Neptune, Nomad
Storm - Power Charge
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Brunswick - Jade Quantum Tour
Columbia - Red Pulse
Ebonite - Total NV
Storm - Triple X Factor
RotoGrip - UpRoar
Different decades of bowling would give different results.
AMF - Dick Weber 5 star 60's to late 70's.
Columbia - Yellow Dot 70's to mid 80's.
Hammer - Blue Pearl mid 80's.
Nuline - X-calibur early 90's.
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The Gamebreaker 2 is noticably more angular off the spot than the V2's ever were.
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Roto Grip: Defiant Soul Storm: Code Red Track: Power Machine Columbia: Black U dot Ebonite: Gamebreaker Brunswick: Ultimate Inferno
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Roto Grip- RSP -Shot the Lights out with this Orb :)
Roto Grip -SAGA
Roto Grip-NRP
Storm-Marvel Pearl
Storm -Snap Lock
Columbia-Pearl Pulse
Track-Enforcer
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Memory is getting bad.
4e caramel white dot (Columbia)
5p yellow dot (Columbia)
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Storm - IQ Tour Pearl
Roto Grip - Hectic
Hammer - Raw Hammer Psycho
Brunswick - Anaconda
C300 - TI Boss II
Ebonite - Complete NV
Track - Tour X
MoRich - MoJave
I've never thrown a Motiv ball.
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some oldies -
Hammer Hot Sauce and Arson Low Flare
Brunswick Fury
Columbia White Dot
Nu-Line X-Calibur Legend
AMF Angle
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Brunswick - Fury
Hammer - Chalk(White One)
Ebonite - Evolve
Lane #1 - Pink Panther
DV8 - Never thrown one
Seismic - Dominion
Legends - Black Pearl(the original, not the current crap)
Lane Masters - Buzz(the original, not the current crap)
Visionary - New Breed Particle Pearl(Yea I know it wasn't liked by most, but worked for me)
Storm - Virtual Energy
Roto Grip - Cell
Radical - Never owned one
Motiv - Sigma Sting, but the Trident is closing fast
Track - No favorite, never liked any of them I had
900 Global - Profit
AMF - Shredder(If you find one without phasing, might be the best looking ball ever)
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LANE 1 == Black Cherry Bomb
Seismic == TSE Raging Bull
Storm == Paradigm
Track == Exception
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Here are mine:
AMF - Nighthawk Revenge
Brunswick - Ultimate Inferno, Black Raven (Quantum)
Columbia 300 - Chaos, Rock On
Ebonite - Mission (Red)
Hammer - Gauntlet, Blue Hammer(Urethane)
Lane 1 - Carbide Pearl
LaneMasters - Terminator, Black Pearl
Motiv - Venom Shock, Jackal Ghost
Rotogrip - Defiant, No Rules, No Rules Pearl
Storm - Alpha Crux, Code Red, Timeless
Track - 505A
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Ebonite: Omega Acryllium . Ha ha just kidding. Who would have guessed putting the driller sheet right on the ball wouldn't work? Honorable mention goes to the Tombstone.
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AMF Black Angle
AMF Ninja
AMF Cobra
AMF King Cobra (original)
AMF Nkryption Code
AMF Shred-It
Motiv Forza GT
Motiv Jackal LE
Motiv Jackal Ghost
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Ebonite The One
Brunswick Goliath
Motiv Jackal / Primal Scream (it's a toss up)
Roto Grip Nomad
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Thanks for all the great responses! I learned about some balls I'd never even heard of!
I do remember my Columbia years, however. In those days, I thought that the only company that could create good bowling balls was Columbia!
Loved that blue Aftershock; the Cuda-C was a killer!!, and my Scout was useful on anything less than light oil! I didn't even know they made a particle Scout!
I agree that the Ebonite V-2 was an excellent piece. I also had a warm and fuzzy love for that Vortex as well. The one EBO ball that I could not stand was the Omega Acryllium!!! For me....this ball was the absolute ten-pin leaver! Didn't matter how I hit the pocket,.....direct, roundhouse arc, with revs or without......I left a 10-pin! LOL!
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Ebonite: Mission
Track: 503T
Columbia: Momentum
Hammer: Blue Vibe
RG: Bandit
Storm: Reign
Bruns: Twisted Fury Pearl
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Roto-Grip Mystic
Hammer Sling Blade
Lane#1 Uranium Pearl
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Thanks for all the great responses! I learned about some balls I'd never even heard of!
I do remember my Columbia years, however. In those days, I thought that the only company that could create good bowling balls was Columbia!
Loved that blue Aftershock; the Cuda-C was a killer!!, and my Scout was useful on anything less than light oil! I didn't even know they made a particle Scout!
I agree that the Ebonite V-2 was an excellent piece. I also had a warm and fuzzy love for that Vortex as well. The one EBO ball that I could not stand was the Omega Acryllium!!! For me....this ball was the absolute ten-pin leaver! Didn't matter how I hit the pocket,.....direct, roundhouse arc, with revs or without......I left a 10-pin! LOL!
Did you change the surface... Oh wait, you couldn't. The guy I worked for ordered 48 of those. Still had them over 10 years later.
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Ebonite Black Turbo, TurboX, Nitro/R (green)
Columbia Caramel White dot, Black U dot, Wine U dot, Piranha
Storm Virtual Gravity Nano Pearl, Victory Road solid, Tropical Heat hybrid (black/purple)
Roto Grip Theory, Disturbed
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Columbia: Yellow Dot, Wine UDot, Slate UDot
AMF: Black Angle, Heist
Faball/Hammer: Black Hammer, Red Hammer, Red Pearl Hammer
Ebonite: 8 Ball (reactive)
Roto Grip: Cell, Rogue Cell, Illusion, Theory, Rising Star
Storm: All three Cruxes, Trop Heat Hybrid, Fight, Street Fight
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I haven't tried all brands but here's my list:
Brunswick- Mastermind Intellect
Columbia 300- Vow
Hammer- Gauntlet, Scandal
Ebonite- Gamebreaker 2
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Columbia 300 - Rock Star
Brunswick - Intense Inferno
Visionary - Violet Gargoyle
Storm - Prodigy
Motiv - Venom Shock
Hammer - Pink Hammer
Track - Star Trak
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AMF Green Mamba
Brunswick Tude III
Columbia Quake
Dynothane Maximum Risk
Ebonite Afterburner
Storm Trauma Recovery
Track Triple Threat
900 global Network