BallReviews

General Category => Miscellaneous => Topic started by: 98custom on November 12, 2004, 09:35:04 PM

Title: Why does everyone have the same equipment?
Post by: 98custom on November 12, 2004, 09:35:04 PM
Is it just me or does everyone notice that if you walk into the alley your gauranteed to see about 10 inferno's 12 ultimate inferno's 50 balls from the x-factor line and so on.... With the multitude of equipment available today why does everyone choose to throw the same ball? Are bowlers afraid to try something different? Or do we just go on the assumption that if it works for him at these lanes it will work for me? Personally, i hate going to the rack looking for my ball only to see 3 of the exact same ball sitting on the rack. I mean, i have an inferno and ultimate just like everyone else, the difference is i pre-ordered mine and was the first if not one of the first to have them..... Is anyone else getting frustrated?
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When all else fails, become a lefty
Title: Re: Why does everyone have the same equipment?
Post by: MSC2471 on November 13, 2004, 07:45:22 AM
I think a lot of it has to do with the marketing and the pro shops. Storm and Brunswick get their names out there about their equipment, so that's why you see a lot of their products on the lanes. There are some nights where I'm the only one on the pair throwing Track, but other nights I may see 3 or 4 Track balls on the rack. It all depends on what people feel works for their game best and what often gets recommended to them.

Matt
Title: Re: Why does everyone have the same equipment?
Post by: joeschmoe on November 13, 2004, 09:01:51 AM
I believe its mostly in the marketing/advertising.A small company doesn't have the budget to advertise as widely as the BIG companies(i.e. Brunswick,Columbia,Ebonite/Hammer,Storm)Morich used to be small independent company,now that they're PBA approved(Danny Wiseman won the ABC masters with a Ravage)you'll probably see more Morich balls in league.Ball companies like Lane 1,Lane Masters,Visionary,Circle..etc...IMO a smaller more independent company builds more quality into their products,because they're trying to appeal to a smaller market,hence they usually are more expensive.Just like a microbrewed beer as opposed to a mass produced beer.Just my .02 worth
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Is it legal to yell"MOVIE" in a firehouse????
Title: Re: Why does everyone have the same equipment?
Post by: TJFreaky24 on November 13, 2004, 04:13:23 PM
Nobody in my league has either of my balls.
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I am the best kept secret....  

Go ahead criticize my profile
Title: Re: Why does everyone have the same equipment?
Post by: charlest on November 13, 2004, 07:20:55 PM
It's a combination of a couple of items:
1. certain balls do well in certain house due to the nature of the lane surface and the oil pattern put downby the house. Of course, some bowlers need a stronger version of THAT (type of) ball and others needs a weaker version of THAT ball.
2. Pro Shops in any one area usually feel most comfortable recommending one line (Infernos, V2 Sanded, Vendettas, Messenegrs, etc) over another line of balls. If that line works well, the pro shop will continue recommending it.


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"When we choose an action,
we also choose the consequences of that action.
Title: Re: Why does everyone have the same equipment?
Post by: nd300 on November 13, 2004, 07:46:32 PM
DBowler35,
 When I was getting serious about bowling in the 80's, one of the hot balls on the market back then was the Gold Angle from AMF. I saw a pro win with one on the old PBA shows when they were shown on ABC back then. I thought it was a good ball,so I bought one.
 Just happened to throw my first,second and third 300 games with it while I had it over a two year span.
 Not TOO bad for not getting it to hook as much as the pro on TV,eh????
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Chris
Title: Re: Why does everyone have the same equipment?
Post by: agroves on November 13, 2004, 07:47:26 PM
I guess, I am the exception to the rule.  In this area Storm appears to dominate.  I am the only one that has the Inferno and now the Intense, at least on my Tuesday night league.  There are others that have those balls but I am the only one on Tuesday.

Like I said, Storm seems to dominate, next is probably hammer, ebonite, brunswick and some throw track.

andrew
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FUFU
Title: Re: Why does everyone have the same equipment?
Post by: stanski on November 13, 2004, 07:48:47 PM
... the same reason all you saw 5 or so years ago was danger zones/other zones, 10 years ago rhino's, 15 years ago blue pearl hammers etc. etc. People throw what they have had success throwing in the past/ what is scoring. I remember my dad throwing columbia when everyone else was throwing zones and everyone thought he had gone off the rocker. That is, until the pulse/aftershock came out and he started killing pots, then everyone HAD to have a pulse!
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stanski
Title: Re: Why does everyone have the same equipment?
Post by: 98custom on November 13, 2004, 09:47:03 PM
I think this all basically leads to the conclusion that bowlers need to start leaning towards doing some of their own research if we want to change the way balls are made. It seems like no matter how good a ball a small company makes there's only a small audience even noticing it's available. And on the other hand, columbia/storm etc. can make a terrible ball and yet sell 3 times the volume as the smaller company just because there name is known and they have produced quality products somewhere along the line. Anyone have anything to add?
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When all else fails, become a lefty
Title: Re: Why does everyone have the same equipment?
Post by: Brickguy221 on November 13, 2004, 10:17:22 PM
quote:
Pro Shops in any one area usually feel most comfortable recommending one line (Infernos, V2 Sanded, Vendettas, Messenegrs, etc) over another line of balls. If that line works well, the pro shop will continue recommending it.

Charlest, Amen to that. Thats how it is where I bowl. One shop / house is Ebonite & Hammer. Another was all Columbia. This proshop person's lease wasn't renewed and with the person that took it over, it is now all Storm with a Brunswick now and then.

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Retired and bowling on Fixed Income


Edited on 11/13/2004 11:18 PM
Title: Re: Why does everyone have the same equipment?
Post by: stanski on November 13, 2004, 10:27:18 PM
quote:
I think this all basically leads to the conclusion that bowlers need to start leaning towards doing some of their own research if we want to change the way balls are made. It seems like no matter how good a ball a small company makes there's only a small audience even noticing it's available. And on the other hand, columbia/storm etc. can make a terrible ball and yet sell 3 times the volume as the smaller company just because there name is known and they have produced quality products somewhere along the line. Anyone have anything to add?
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When all else fails, become a lefty


Remember, storm was once a small company with NO ONE throwing there stuff in the early 90's.
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stanski
Title: Re: Why does everyone have the same equipment?
Post by: LuvThatWhiteDot on November 14, 2004, 07:25:46 AM
quote:
Rarely do I see others slinging what I've brought.
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Dude, the Dudester, el Dude-arino if you're not into the whole brevity thing--Dude Lebowski in The Big Lebowski.


I'm with you  When was the last time most people saw a Black Thunder, Tidal Wave Wipeout Sparkle or a Grey Wolf?
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White Dot
I fart in your general direction!
http://bowlingfans.com/league

Title: Re: Why does everyone have the same equipment?
Post by: Hammer3003 on November 14, 2004, 02:39:43 PM
I have had 2 orginal vortex 2's. They were great balls and I had to go back for seconds.
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Bowl To Win!!!
Title: Re: Why does everyone have the same equipment?
Post by: Maelstrom on November 14, 2004, 05:52:06 PM
Well, I've never seen another phase or phase 2, so I can't say I have an average arsenal...
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"Contemplate the reason you exist..."

Formerly Maelstrom44, Maelstrom X, Maelstrom Zero, Maelstrom Axiom, Maelstrom Flux, Enigma, and Muon Ejector.
Title: Re: Why does everyone have the same equipment?
Post by: SrKegler on November 14, 2004, 08:06:05 PM
We have a pretty even mix Brunswick, Storm, Ebonite & Track.  I'm the only one using DT or Lane 1.

Our proshop is pretty good, can order in anything you want.  As he explained it to me though, he is pretty up to date on the 4 major companies, knows what the equipment will do.

Most of his customers just tell him want they want a ball to do and he can make recommendations and give them exactly what they need.

Should someone ask for Visionary, DT, Lane 1, etc, he isn't able to be as precise just going by the RG/diff numbers.

Its just impossible for a proshop to keep up with every new ball that comes out and be able to fit it into its "niche".  




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~~~SrK - Have balls, will travel

Spending the kids inheritance one tournament at a time.
Title: Re: Why does everyone have the same equipment?
Post by: TWOHAND834 on November 14, 2004, 09:30:41 PM
I have a thought about what JoeSchmoe said is his post.  He stated that smaller companies put more quality into their work and therefore charge more for their stuff.  If memory serves me correctly, only Lane 1 seems to jack up their price as a marketing ploy in an attempt to convince the general public that their stuff is better.  He included Visionary in there and I am trying to remember when they had higher priced equipment compared to the "big" companies.  If anyone has ever tried out the Gargoyle line, you can see ALOT of performance and they RETAIL for $140-150.  Their Executioners retailed for $190 and there was enough there to retail those at $220.  As far as people using the same equipment, a couple reasons why this happens.  First, if you know a friend or someone with high regard in your city that is on staff with a particular company, that automatically gets bowlers close to him interested in that company.  Example:  Dannial Cohen here in Atlanta is on staff with Track.  He had been on staff with Storm for about 5 years.  Everyone that knows him found it shocking that he switched because he was extremely loyal to Storm.  So, he holds a couple Track Clinics here and invites all he knows to this event.  Since then, most of those people who once bought Storm has since bought Track stuff because not only of Dannial's decision to switch (Dannial is not the type of person just to switch on a whim), but those people have personally seen the exceptional performance coming from Track balls.  PLUS....having the opportunity to spend time with Chuck Gardner from Track doesn't hurt anything.  Another reason why people use the same equipment is that they are already tuned into one company and they are very hesitant to try out another.  Most proshops only carry balls from 2 or 3 companies.  Dannial does very well at his shop and he carries primarily Track and Storm with a ball or two from Ebonite and MoRich.  Outside the Power Groove, he has virtually no Brunswick, no Hammer, no Columbia, no AMF. When this happens, you may only have 4 or 5 high end balls to choose from, 5 or 6 mid performance balls, and only 2 or 3 low end, entry level balls.  So everyone using the same stuff is actually pretty easy to have happen.
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Steven Vance
Atlanta (Buford), GA
Pro Shop Operator
Advanced Bowling Solutions

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