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Author Topic: "Frankie May" Gryphon  (Read 46802 times)

admin

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"Frankie May" Gryphon
« on: December 31, 1969, 06:00:00 PM »
Finish: 400 matte
Hardness: 74-77
RG: Med-Low (2.50")
Flare: High 5-7" (.056" differential)
Length (1-100): 59
Back end (1-100): 83
Hook (1-100): 75 (oil) - 83 (dry)
Avail. Wts: 13-16# (Gryphon 3 core)
10-12# (on request - light wt. core)
Lane Conditions: All but Extreme Conditions
 
The Frankie May signature Gryphon harnesses the power of the G-3 core design and surrounds it with the newly developed React-A-Tack coverstock. This reactive coverstock uses a revolutionary tackifying agent to create more traction in the oil, yet it still allows the ball to have very aggressive backends. This ball is very versatile and can be adjusted to fit all but the extreme oil conditions.



 

Brian Green

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Re: "Frankie May" Gryphon
« Reply #16 on: May 15, 2008, 11:10:16 AM »
Ball Specs:
 
     weight before drilling- 15 lbs
     pin 3-4
     Top 2-3

Bowler Stats:  
       Located in profile

Drill Pattern:
      pin 4 1/2 in from pap above ring finger
      cg 2 in from pap 1/2 above grip centerline x hole on pap

First impressions:
       I left this ball with the 400 grit out of box surface and threw this ball on a fresh house shot and this ball was way too much ball for me...  it was instant hook.....  All i could say was  wow......   I took the surface up to 4000 abralon and the ball was playable  but i had a lot of trouble with the ball burning up..........  put some polish on it at 4000 grit and got good length and recovery that was manageable...............

House shot:

     AFter getting lined up and throwing this ball in league... this ball is a really strong ball for me...  even at 4000 polished...  for me and my rev rate, the  frankie may gryphon is a ball for me to really move in and open the lane up without sacrificing carry...

Sport Pattern:

      On a 37 ft sport pattern this ball was way too much ball..... there was just way too much dry surface for this ball........... I could see that the ball was very consistant at the breakpoint  it was just making way too big of a move......  on a longer pattern i think this ball will be very good.......


I will post more on this ball as i throw it because i think this ball will see alot of play on longer and heavier sport patterns than what i threw it on.....
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tommymo

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Re: "Frankie May" Gryphon
« Reply #17 on: June 14, 2008, 05:40:27 PM »
I am left handed, speed around 16mph and a descent amount of hand. My pap is 5 and 1/2 inches over and 3/8ths up. My FMG is drilled 4x3 with an x-hole on my pap. I've tested the FMG on several different patterns. I've started out with this ball with the box finish.  The box finish was too much for the THS pattern.  I hit the spinner and took it to 1000 abralon.  That got it longer but still had the midlane read that I wanted.  As long as this thing had some head oil to get it down the lane it was perfect. What I’ve noticed is that the ball is very versatile.  The coverstock it great for changes and still keeps the controlable reaction down the lanes. I like a sense of control with my equipment. Not surprisingly, that’s what I get from this ball. This ball is very responsive to hand changes. I’ve played up the back with more speed and turned on it. I haven’t seen any problems with carry from either angle. I would say that the FMG would be a smart choice for those who face heavier house shots or someone looking for a control ball on medium THS as long as you tweek the cover.

I have to say thank you to Jason at VBP for helping me in selecting my arsenal and a HUGE Thanks to Doug Sterner for drilling them and helping with every other aspect of my game!!!!!

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Frankie May Gryphon
Immortal Pearl
Ogre Pearl
B/G Centaur

Tom M.

All10

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Re: "Frankie May" Gryphon
« Reply #18 on: July 07, 2008, 02:24:28 PM »
I have used the FMG on several different PBA patterns ( in the oil in box finish) My ball speed is slower 14-16 MPH, this ball just flat out hooks on oil for me. I had no problem on Shark, or Chameleon with bad carry down it was about 90 inside the center ( it felt liek that anyways).
This ball gives me a look like no other ball I have used, the 7 pin gets clubbed in and up towards the 5 pin on a majority of pocked hits. ( I'm a righty, just how the 7 goes down stands out as different) I had a look on the lane nobody else had with this ball. Too much ball for THS unless you need hook.
Great hitting power and carry in a ball the is very easy to read, hard to beat that combination. If you don't have one of these you really should give one a try you won't be diappointed.

tomf

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Re: "Frankie May" Gryphon
« Reply #19 on: September 05, 2008, 04:25:20 PM »
My specs:
Left handed, ball speed around 16 MPH, rev rate around 300 RPM, axis rotation of around 60 degrees, and axis tilt around 30 degrees.

So you’ve read or heard about the “Rico” drilling.  You’ve wanted to give it a try but weren’t sure which ball to try it with.  My friends, your search is over.  I had read that the Rico drilling worked well with lower RG symmetricals, and that it would cause the ball to roll earlier.  I wasn’t sure how much earlier, so I knew I needed a ball with a very versatile cover so I could tweak it as needed.  Being a Visionary lover, the FMG was the obvious choice.  Based on previous experience I knew what a monster the ball is in box finish, so I took it from there (400 matte) up to a 1,000 grit wet sand finish before I even drilled it.  I headed to the nearest lanes to give it a try.

This particular house, for me, has a tendency to make the ball push pretty long through the midlane and can overreact off the dry.  All in all, something that should be tailor made for a Rico drilling.  To make a long story short, I would judge this ball / layout combination to be a success.  I consider 290 out of the box to be successful.  The ball was amazing.  Nothing eye-popping as far as a back end reaction went, but I could play pretty much straight down the edge of the oil and it blended the oil / dry marvelously.  The next two games (220 and 250) I tried to spray the ball around a bit, to get a feel for its range and what it would do.  I could miss to the outside and have the ball recover, but not boomerang.  I could miss to the inside and it might leave a single pin, but not “dart and dive” and leave those designer spares.  I couldn’t throw it too much away from the pocket, because with my amount of hand the even arcing back end the Rico drilling gives it simply wouldn’t let it recover enough to carry the corners.  But as long as I went fairly direct (up to about a five board swing), the ball couldn’t miss.

I know that this ball has been around for a while (forever, the way most ball companies change their lineups), but it still has one of the most versatile covers you’ll find, excellent dynamics, and super hit and carry.  Bowlers shouldn’t overlook this beauty just because it wasn’t introduced last week.  It can still more than hold its own with anything out there.

SoupNation

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Re: "Frankie May" Gryphon
« Reply #20 on: February 13, 2009, 01:37:35 PM »
15.5-17.0 mph.
rev rate: 275-300
ave: 195-205

Lanes: Brunswick medium to heavy oil house shot

What can I say, this ball hit like a ton of bricks!! Smooth arching all the way to the pins. Ball drilled up at 12 o'clock. Pin placed between the fingers and one ince up. Outstanding ball!! First night at league was a 660. Once the ball spooled up it charged hard at the pocket. Low flying pins equal better carry. I'm amazed at how hard this ball hits!!

yokerok

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Re: "Frankie May" Gryphon
« Reply #21 on: August 04, 2009, 05:53:06 PM »
Axis 5 x 1/2 up
Ball Speed 14 - 15
medium Rev Rate
right hand

Weight: 16.0
Top: 3.0
Pin: 3 - 3.5
Layout: 4 1/2 X 5 1/2

This ball is my benchmark ball.  I have at finished at 2000 Abralon. Gets down the lane good, strong arching motion.  It carries very well for me.  It seems that more of my strikes are no doubters.  i don't have as many trip 10 strikes. I hope that makes sense.

I have had 2 300's with this ball and won my first singles tourney throwing this ball exclusively.

It was hard getting this ball out of my hand last year.

Debating whether i should get a G-3.    

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mroldschool

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Re: \
« Reply #22 on: May 27, 2013, 06:04:12 AM »
LANE CONDITION

Length:40'

Volume: not really sure

Type (THS, Sport Pattern etc):modified usbc white!


COMMENTS This ball was a e-bay one. At first I thought it was a G-3, didn't see the frankie may on the side of this ball! The reason I think the orginal owner wanted to get rid of this ball was the lame 1:30 drilling it came with! The span barely fit myself, a little long, I went and tried it one monday night league! I was using an immortal solid, and it was burning the track up...so I pulled out the frankie may, and started stroking the ball, (if that's what you call stroking) up 8th board and "Blammo"  ;) It looped it's way to the pocket! i went 235, 279 ::) with this barely fitting ball of mine! Boy the opposing team said "What's his average"! This was another plugged and redrilled ball, with more midlane in to it! Now it rolls extremly well suited for more oilier lane conditions

Likes: solid gryphon, lower rg, with the correct drilling on it, can stand up to any big hooking ball out there...love old school equipment! makes everyone say "What he using"?

Dislikes:There becoming harder to find, just like any strong equipment, ya gotta know when to put it away, and throw the g-3.


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