Post by: admin on December 31, 1969, 06:00:00 PM
Post by: rob clark on September 27, 2000, 02:00:00 AM
Post by: BuddiesProShopcom - Bill on September 29, 2000, 02:00:00 AM
I drilled this ball up using a 4 1/2" by 4 1/2" stacked drilling. This is leverage for me. I threw this ball on fresh oil and it was very clean through the heads and started to make its move in the mid-lane. This ball was a truck when it got to the pin deck.
This is a very strong ball and didn't flutter in the oil when I pulled it inside, it just recovered and held the line. Out of the box, this ball is great on the fresh oil.
I took the ball back to the shop and sanded it with 400 and 600, then 600 high speed and used TEC shine. I went out and through it on the same shot and found that the ball when a lot longer and snap more, instead of the heavier roll, when dull. The ball still held the great hitting power and recovered well on bad shots.
On a scale of 1-10, I would give this ball a strong 8. You can make easy surface changes to meet any bowlers’ game, quickly and easily.
Thanks
Bill
Post by: SKIP on October 11, 2000, 02:00:00 AM
Post by: Paul Meyer on October 16, 2000, 02:00:00 AM
This ball is incredible, and at the price it is a must have for everyone.
Post by: Paul Nosek on December 03, 2000, 09:44:36 PM
In the shop, the ball creates a lot of interest with its unusual appearance and feel. On our liberally oiled synthetic lanes, it creates a lot of arc. At the pocket, it creates a lot of strikes, and a distinct thud.
Flip is not in this ball's repertoire at all. With a decent layer of oil, it gets downlane nicely then strongly arcs to the deck. The movement is reminiscent of the old "skid-roll-hook" of the urethane era. Despite its apparent early roll, it still has plenty of pop left for the pocket. I have yet to see any noticeable deflection from this ball going on about three weeks of use.
Caveats: First, this ball gets pretty grimy looking, but without any apparent effect on the performance. I have used citrus-based cleaners and the ball comes right back. The "beard" effect isn't as noticeable after about the third cleaning (I have not altered the surface at all except by cleaning).
Second, if the head oil goes, so does this ball, into the bag. It seems to hit a bit flat if the oil isn' there to conserve enough energy.
This is my first ball from Visionary and I find it very useful and scorable on our house shot, one of the less user-friendly house shots. YOU WILL NOT FIND MORE HOOK FOR THE MONEY, 'nuff said....go buy one.
Post by: Slick_ML on March 16, 2001, 03:23:31 PM
Post by: strike12 on August 09, 2001, 01:53:36 PM
Since becoming part of the Visionary test staff I have had the pleasure to finally through their bowling balls. I now know that I should not have waited. These are perhaps the best I have used. Before I go in the the review I should note to you that I was throwing AMF NightHawk SPT and Revenge; I also use a Lane#1 Buzzsaw and recently moved to a new house to bowl where the lanes have a little more oil. I was down for the league on average but; I have drilled and been playing with the Granite and Green Gargoyle (check that review also) for the past few weeks.
These two are perfect for eachother. The Granite has a rather unique feel to it out of the box and the only way I can discribe it is to tell you to go outside and rub your hands on the cement driveway; it literally feels like that. I am right handed and have medium speed and rotation. I usually stand 22-25 and through 9-10. This ball HOOKS, in fact it hooks early and you will need oil to use it. I had to put a light polish on it to get better control of it and since then it has worked perfect; still has a very strong hook and when it hits the pins they fly. Even light hits carry more then they have in the past for me. If I had to name a bad thing about the ball is the fact that is gets dirty, meaning; because of its texture and color you pick up all the rubber marks from the return and pin setter, not a big deal but it is the only bad thing I can say about it. Since throwing these two as a pair the past 3 weeks I have upped my average about 10 pins or more. In one league alone I bowled a 678, 694 the past few weeks.
Make sure and check the Green Gargoyle review also.
Great work and great products. If you are looking for something different and want something that wont break the bank this is it.
Post by: sluggo on December 04, 2001, 03:14:43 PM
The drill pattern I have is the tame label drilling. Can't imaging how it would hook with a more aggressive drill.
The cover feels almosted textured. It does tend to pick up a ton of dirt, but that is the only bad thing I can say about this ball.
If you have the chance, you should try one.
I rate it a 10+.
Post by: cool_kevin1029 on January 18, 2002, 08:51:08 PM
Post by: strike12 on February 06, 2002, 02:59:48 PM
Last night it was just screaming back and crushing the pocket. In my 300 game I was fortunate to only throw two bad shot; one in the first frame that went brooklyn and blew all the pins to the back and the second shot in the 10th (my 11th strike) got a little wide on me and hit light but carried and at that point in the game that is all that mattered; it carried!!!
After getting my nerves settled from the first game I recovered the second game closing the last six frames for a 206, then started the third game with the front 5 only to be stumped by my first solid ten of the night and ended the game with a 213 for a 719 series.
I average 194 in that league and continue to improve with this Visionary equipment. It is all I throw now and plan on getting the new Executioner very very soon. If you are looking this is the way to go; you will not be disappointed.
Post by: Aphique on February 22, 2002, 02:55:30 PM
This is definitely not a ball for dry lanes, but it can handle medium to heavy oil without any problems. The key to this ball is keeping it CLEAN!
I am a 190 average league bowler, and in the first two weeks of using this ball for the first time on my Thursday night league, I shot 650 and 706. For the price, this ball has to be one of the most economical and performing balls out on the market. My salute to Visionary for making an excellent ball at a great price.
Post by: cool_kevin1029 on February 22, 2002, 08:06:36 PM
Post by: walker300 on February 27, 2002, 02:01:18 AM
Post by: Gene J Kanak on May 13, 2002, 07:57:43 AM
Well, I haven't had this ball for very long, or thrown it a whole lot
just yet, but I like what I've seen thus far. This ball does a good job of getting through the heads, and makes a strong arc into the pocket. This ball can cover a lot of boards, but is not nearly as snappy as my Eraser Boost. This ball makes a controlled turn on the backend, and boy does it hit when it gets there! I don't think that I've ever used a ball that hits quite as hard as this one does. Light hits send messengers flying, while half and pocket hits sound like a grenade is going off! Lastly, this ball seems to be forgiving as well. If you get it a bit inside it holds the line well in the oil, but still has enough power to clear out the ten-pin. Likewise, there were a couple of times when I got it outside of the oil a bit early, and it didn't fly through the nose the way some other balls do. I averaged 225+ in the games that I've thrown with this ball so far, and can't wait to attack some tournament shots with this one. This is a great ball at a phenomenal price! The only somewhat negative thing that I can say is that the out-of-box finish will shine up very quickly, and will require frequent cleaning/soaking. However, if you really care about performance, soaking a ball in the tub from time to time isn't too much to ask. Great job Visionary! Good luck and good bowling to all.
Post by: Ball_Tester on June 13, 2002, 07:22:52 PM
Right Handed Tweener
15.0 to 16.5 mph (typically, but dependant on shot)
Above avg. Hand
Likes: Has a different look from other balls on the market. Plays heavier oil very well.
Dislikes: Hard to keep clean.
This ball makes the other bad boys on the market look like timid sheep. I was bowling on a pair with fried head when I was practicing with my green gargoyle, but moved to a pair that was heavily oiled, with carry down. These two pairs were like night and day, just like the two gargoyles are. I pulled my Rock out of the bag first, because I had seen someone practicing on this pair earlier that couldn't wrinkle the ball. The Rock had a nice consistant ball reaction, but it's hit was sub-par. I then decided to see what my new bad boy could do. This thing outhooked my Rock by about 5 boards, and blew out the rack. This is by far the biggest monster that I have ever thrown. People with little or no hand in the ball will love this one, as they will feel they are Kelly Coffman throwing this ball down the lane. The strange this is I think the strappers will like this thing just as much, because this ball has a very consistant ball reaction, that won't over/under on them. Then you have people like myself that fall in between these types of bowlers who will fall in love as well. This thing just arcs the entire lane and throws messengers all over the place. This is the ball all the manufacturers were trying to make when they came out with their beasts. The best ball for the soup on the market. Stop falling victim to the marketing campaigns of the big manufacturers, this is the ball to have in your bag. Another 10 out of 10 from Visionary.
UPDATE
I am going to post a final review of this ball before I sell it to Dodge. This ball hooks an absolute ton. A great ball, but if you got it in the dry too quickly it would burn up and leave corners all day long. I think this is the best ball on the market for the money, but you must know when to put it in the bag to be successful. A great ball for oily lanes. My second review gives this thing an 8 out of 10. Great ball but lacks versitiliy.
Post by: HskrPwr on July 27, 2002, 10:35:40 PM
Post by: BrianN on August 26, 2002, 09:12:46 PM
I’ve thrown it for a few dozen games now on the intended condition, and the Gargoyle is far and away the superior oil ball. In my somewhat limited experience, it's the best particle ball I've thrown.
Mine started life as a 15#2, 3.36 top, 3 1/2" pin. We laid it out pin above the ring, stacked, mass bias just right of the thumb. This layout is always a good combination of control and energy retention for me. Ending statics are: 3/4 side, 5/16 finger, 1 1/8 top.
I don’t want anybody to buy anything that they’re going to hate. Bear two things in mind when reading any of my reviews: First; I’m a better writer than a bowler. Second, I’m biased toward non-flippy, early-rolling equipment with a lot of surface and smooth, mild backends. That's exactly what Gargoyle is. 'Flippy' is not in its vocabulary. Neither is 'carrydown', nor 'spotty'. It speaks 3 words: bite, roll and crush. This is a straightahead wet lanes ball; no other shades of nuance are necessary to describe it.
You'd never believe you could get a ball with so much surface as long as you can this one. I initially assumed I'd polish it but after throwing it a while, I like it as-is. I may pick up another one to keep polished. Gargoyle has the feel of something that could work in a lot of different layouts and surfaces.
I thought my dull urethanes went into a heavy roll. No. Gargoyle is a whole different dimension. I wish I could be Zola for a paragraph or two so I could paint a word picture of how crisply and cleanly the core stands up at about 35', how it goes into a dead roll that threatens to dig a trough in the mids, makes a long, smooth turn and burn for the hole, then hits like a force of nature.
What it's good for:
- Lots of oil in the heads. I have tried it on up to 40' of max 65 units in the middle/8 - 10 units outside with good success. Gargoyle is not a hook monster by any means, but so far, it seems to be able to handle nearly anything in the mids and backends.
- As long as you give it some oil in the heads, it will reward you with a smooth, predictable move off a consistent breakpoint. If you buy into the analogy of bowling ball as a tool, then Granite is the equivalent of precision watchmaking tools for wet lanes.
For this reason, don't overlook it as a sport ball. When I was on a sport pattern, I felt stuck between balls all the time. I wanted more ball than a polished Thunder Flash in the heads and mids but a bit less in the backend. In hindsight, Granite was exactly the ball I was looking for.
What it's not good for:
- No head oil. It'll hook at your feet.
- Longer oil. It's a strong ball, but I just don’t think it’s optimal on a shot much longer than about 40'.
- People who like to throw a ball in the bag and forget about it. It needs a lot of bathing and touchup work.
This will be the second ball I've given an overall 9 to. Insofar as it's meaningful in this era of specialization, Gargoyle is the overall the "best" ball I’ve thrown so far. I’m 2 for 2 with Visionary now versus some spotty experiences with Storm and Columbia. After this experience, my next reactive will almost certainly be a Charcoal Executioner.
Control: 9. Repeatable, reliable, exceptional behavior at the breakpoint. Oblivious to the state of the mids and backs. This is important to me, because the key to my own scoring is to minimize the length of time I get lost in transition, and this ball helps me do that.
Responds very well to changes in release. You can shape the backend to be pretty much what you want.
Caveat: If your shot needs a lot of angle, this probably isn’t the ball you want. My shots seem to discourage this.
Versatility: 9. Here, I’m not treating versatility as "How much ground could you cover if this was the only ball you had?" Frankly, people in its intended audience tend to build arsenals, and a person would be out of his gourd to buy it for a typical league shot. This would rate about a 5.
Instead, I treat it as "How useful is it on the shot it was intended for?" In this case, there's probably not a normal wet condition you couldn't find some kind of shot on. This would rate a 9.
Hit and Carry: 9.5. In the immortal words of John Madden, ‘Boom.’ Think in terms of a big rock falling from a great height. Wile E Coyote cringes beneath his umbrella.
Hit and carry are exceptional. I never understood what BTM was talking about when they said that a ball "seems to swell up when it hits the pocket." That's exactly what GG does. It gives you area on oil, when your other balls are leaving weak corners. A monster on the off hits, as everyone else has stated.
Post by: marq2766 on October 23, 2002, 01:06:22 PM
I've been using it on a variety of conditions and have been pleasantly surprised at the versitility of this ball. On heavy oil you can us it inside and swing it to the dry with confidence, and on medium oil you can speed it up down an outside line and it finishes hard.
I find that this ball carries light hits extremely well. If I were forced to say anything derogatore about it then I would have to say the it hit so hard that I tend to leave 8 pins quite a bit and even a couple of pocket 7-10's on occasion.
I would definately rate this ball a 8 or 9.
Post by: Jish on November 10, 2002, 07:26:32 AM
I had this ball drilled like the exe. with the pin and cg 4 1/2" from pap, pin below the ring finger. This put the cg about 1" below the mid line. Left the surface in box condition.
I got this ball for use on a heavier oil house shot. Placed the pin where I did to help the ball retain some energy on lanes that have synthetic overlay heads hoping it would not burn up to much, roll up nice in the mid lane and roll strongly into the pocket. Let me tell you I got exactly what I was looking for and more. This ball has to be one of the most solid rolling balls I have ever thrown. As long as some head oil still remains this balls hit and carry is second to none. This ball is also quite easy to read and lets you know when to put it away. When you see the transition from skid to hook to roll become a little lazy and not make a real strong turn to the pocket, it is time to go to another ball.
As mentioned in other reviews, this ball needs frequent cleanings as it gets dirty real fast. Just use your favorite ball cleaner and the ball will come back to as good as new.
If you are looking for a ball to use for a heavier oil shot and don't want to spend the money on higher priced equiptment but are looking for premium performance then do yourself a favor and give this ball a try, you won't be sorry you did.
Post by: omegabowler on November 12, 2002, 09:31:53 AM
Right handed
Med. Speed/Med revs
10-30 deg tilt/ 10-30 deg rotation
Ball:
Granite Gargoyle
3.5†pin
15#
3oz top
Drill:
2:00 label drill. CG ¼: from grip CL and pin below fingers
2 –3†of track flare
Lane conditions:
House #1: 38’ med oil, OB 25’. Anywhere from 3 game to 30 games. League house.
House #2 32’ heavy oil fresh to well used. Practice house.
Two words for this ball; Smooth and devastating. This ball rolls and has a small arc to the pocket that does not stop. It is particle what else can I say? It doesn’t overreact on the dry. If you miss left it stay left and if you miss right it doesn’t take off. A great controllable ball if you don’t spray the lanes. The hit is awesome it keeps the pins on the deck but throws them around like a stick of dynamite went off.
This ball is best used when resins are jumping or have carry down. The ball feel like a porcupine and you think it would outlook every ball on the planet. It doesn’t, it is a medium oil ball and it complements the Executioner (red) and Gargoyle (Green) perfectly for me. When the red jumps and Green won’t carry this comes out. I just focus more on my target and let it go.
This may well be a perfect fit for a Sport shot because of the overall smooth, non-overreacting shell. If you have some head oil and jumpy lanes this is the answer. I have head people say how much they like the roll and consistency of the old urethanes. This may be the next best thing if you’re looking for that type of roll, plus devastating pin action.
Sport shot update: it's good choice for a sport shot.
I just started bowling in an abc sanctioned sport league. this ball has backend where my other balls did not. It acted very much like a resin with a huge backend. My purple ice was just a little week hitting the hole through the heavier oil. This thing just makes a big turn about 50 feet down. every one on my pair that threw over 15 mph could get a ball to hit from the outside line. It carried well. but it was still a sport shot and if you missed by too much you paid.
Post by: leftyjimbo on December 25, 2002, 11:30:26 AM
Pin:3-4
T.W. 3 oz.
Drilling: 5x3.5 extra hole on PAP
Lefthanded stroker w/ low to med revs and med speed
Typical house shot: 38 feet with dry backends
I have the Granite drilled up identical to my Green Gargoyle. It gives me the same look and reaction on the lanes when there's to much oil for the Green. This may very well be the best Visionary ball ever made.
Good Job Visionary
Post by: Can you Rev on January 16, 2003, 04:17:30 PM
me: high ball speed, high revs, can vary axis rotation a lot but usually 45-50 degrees.
I've used this ball very little so far, but I will say that it offers two things. Control and POWER!
Out of the box this ball has a lot of cover. I was almost afraid to even think about throwing a ball with this much cover. So, we drilled it up 5 x 3 and ended up polishing the 320 grit surface with black magic. By then I had to run to the lanes to get a chance to throw a few shots with it during the practice session that preceeds league. At the time, the lanes were oiled to 42 feet with a medium christmas tree pattern, buffed to 45 feet. The ball is technically way too much ball for this type of pattern, but if I set it down on the left gutter and got it out towards the right gutter (5 board) at the breakpoint, the ball would turn over and make a hard, heavy arc to the pocket resulting in an uncontested 10 in the pit. The 1st full game I threw with the ball was a 298(see visionaries honor roll).
The ball starts with a very heavy roll, revving up strongly through the midlane, the turning hard for a particle ball and arcing strongly to the pocket. If a person slows their speed down often, and is on insufficient amounts of head oil the ball with either pick off the 7 pin, or if the oil is really insufficient the ball with roll out. Speaking of rolling out, I have since thrown the ball on a crappy pattern that is short and light, using the ball to roll out so that I have a hook set reaction to help control the screaming backends. After some experimenting I found a line that will have the ball roll out about 5 ft. from the headpin, keeping me from crossing through the headpin so that I'm not shooting splits all night like I am with my reactive equiptment.
I was able to throw the ball on a fairly heavily oiled sport pattern once as well. The ball is great on the sport pattern and gives me more area than any of my other equiptment. It has great traction upfront, and doesn't overreact on the flying backends that the pattern provides.
All in all this is an excellent ball. It provides control and POWER if you know when and how to use the ball. If you are a low speed bowler who wants a ball that looks cool, that you can throw in a light oil house pattern, well you'd probably be wasting your money. But if you want a ball that is controllable on the backends and does well in lower friction oil patterns, this may be the best investment you can make.
Post by: roaddogg on February 16, 2003, 09:30:11 AM
league. When I first got this ball I could not believe how great it worked. I shot a 675 in National in the team event and thought what a great piece of equipment. Then the lane conditions in league changed
from very oily to almost bone dry. I orderd and started using the Blue Warlock and various other balls because the gargoyle wasn't reacting to the changed lane conditions. So I put the gargoyle in retirement, so
to speak, and forgot about it. About 3 weeks ago the lane conitions in league changed yet again this time to very oily. I tried every piece of equipment I have from my storm products to the attitude ball I purchased several years ago - nothing seemed to work. Nothing I had
was cutting through the oil and giving me the reaction I needed on the back end, or so I thought. This past week I decided to bring the gargoyle out of retirement to see how it would react to the lane conditions. I gave it a quick cleaning before league that night and let me just say that it was as if the lanes had been oiled specifically for the gargoyle. I played my regular shot and watched as the ball played right into the pocket and shattered the pins almost as if asking them "is that all you got?". I bowled my highest game in 3 weeks with a ball I had seemingly forgotten about. I would recommend this ball to anyone bowling in medium to heavy oil. The Granite Gargoyle is a great
ball at a great price. Great job Visionary!!!
Post by: L7H2N on March 10, 2003, 09:49:56 AM
Lots of hand
Pin is under ring towards center - 1"
Cg is straight down - 1"
I plan on getting another one of these demons with a bit more pin out. I don't think there is enough lane conditioner/oil in GA to hold this thing back. It is a huge arcing ball that just doesn't stop. Very aggressive ball that needs lots of oil. Once the shot is dried out - it is done. People can't get over the texture of the ball.
Post by: beeker on March 14, 2003, 05:44:26 PM
I don't really know too much of the technical aspects of bowling. For example: board, length, oil pattern, drilling, side weight, cg, etc..don't mean too much to me. I just know how I bowl. I stand with my left foot about six boards in from the left gutter. I throw out to about the 2nd arrow away from the right gutter. I guess that would be about the fifth or sixth board. Now that you have a little better idea of how I bowl let me start my review.
Before I got the Visionary balls I was primarly using a green Quantum which is not a bad ball but it is only good on very dry lanes. Which is why I needed to build an arsenal. The primary place I ball has synthetic lanes with a medium amount of oil. I went to a local pro-shop and explained how I bowl, where, and what I wanted the new ball to do. He recommended the granite gargoyle and drilled it for me. I really don't know how to explain how he drilled it except that the pin is way to the right of my fingers. The first time I used it I couldn't believe how much it hooked compared to my Quantum . It took me a little while to get use to it. I finally had a ball that I could throw hard with oil on the lanes and have it come back hard to the pocket. I couldn't believe the hitting power of this ball! It carrys so much more than the Quantum I have been using. The only problem I have found is that when the heads get dry it will take off too early. So I went to visionary's web site where I read about their test staff program. After doing some reading and realizing how bad I got screwed by my local pro-shop (I paid 229.00 for the gargoyle!!!!) I decided to order a few more balls directly from visionary to help cover a greater range of conditions. Now let me finish my gargoyle review.
The gargoyle gets very dirty very fast. Its not a big deal but something to keep in mind. All you need to do is soak it in dish washing soap and get a green scouring pad. Give it a few rubs and it will look like new. I have bowled many games with it and it still looks like new after a few minutes of cleaning. The Granite Gargoyle is probably the best all around ball that I have used. It can be used on a wide range of conditions and hits very hard! I also have a Gryphon and Purple Ice. I will post a review on those later. The gargoyle has a very smooth and controlled hook. It doesn't really turn the corner like the gryphon or hook as much as the purple ice. It falls right in between. Which makes it very versatile. As long as the lanes aren't too dry or extremely oilly the Gargoyle will find the pocket. I would give this ball a 10 out of 10. It hits hard, works on a wide range of conditions, has great carry, and is very inexpensive. (as long as you don't get screwed like I did!)
UPDATE: 5/5/04 I haven't been using the Granite Gargoyle for about a year. I got a few other Visionary balls that were working for me so I started using it less and less. I decided to try it out again and was not happy with the reaction. It was grabbing too early for me and using up all of its energy too early. I have learned a lot in the last year and I guess I have a lot more hand now than I did when I first got the Granite Gargoyle. I decided to get it plugged and re-drilled so it would go longer before breaking. The new drilling helped but it was still using too much energy in the heads and leaving a lot of ten pins. I decided to try polishing it. First I cleaned and wet sanded it using 320 grit to get it back to box condition. I then started polishing it. It took about 20 minutes on the spinner before it actually started to shine. Once I was finally done I took it out to the lanes.
WOW! What a difference a little polish and elbow grease can make. It now gets through the heads much smoother and stores a lot more energy. It makes a nice controllable arc to the pocket that doesn't jump and is extremely easy to keep in the pocket. It also lost none of it's hitting power. In fact, it now hits even harder! I have used it twice in an all wood house since I polished. The first week I threw a 706. The second I threw a 747. It has become the first ball out of my bag. I finally have a ball that is controllable in the backend and hits harder than anything else I have ever used.
If you have a Granite Gargoyle still in box condition and haven't used it for a little while or you weren't happy with it, try polishing it and give the ROCK another chance. What a great ball!
Post by: roystriker on March 17, 2003, 12:16:06 AM
Weight: 15.25#
Top Wt: 2.88 oz.
Pin: 2-3"
Drilled label leverage--pin approx. 1" right of the ring finger with the CG mark in my center of grip. Kept the ball in its O.O.B. condition (320 Wet sanded) and treated with Doc's Magic Bowling Ball Elixir. The drilling of this ball produces minimal flare and gives me the exact reaction I wanted this ball to have--an even rolling strong arc reaction. The aggressive coverstock becomes soiled very easily requiring frequent cleaning; this is why I treated the ball with the Elixir. The Elixir chemically bonds to the coverstock keeping the pores of the particle coverstock open, which not only enhances the backend reaction of the ball, it also makes the ball easier to maintain (keep in mind that the Elixir will not prevent the ball from getting soiled during its use). You would think that it would be difficult to get this ball through the heads, but that's not the case (as long as there's oil). I use this ball on a typical house shot--fresh oil; the ball gets through the heads, picks up a strong roll in the midlane, and makes a hard left turn into the pocket.
I give this ball a 9 out of 10
--------------------
Leroy H.
roystriker@verizon.net
Visionary Test Staff Member
Post by: PJM300 on March 30, 2003, 11:18:38 AM
Test Staff Member
Pete M
Post by: Mongo on August 01, 2003, 01:00:30 AM
15 lb.
2" pin
3 oz. TW
Drill specs:
4 X 4, weight hole in lower thumb quadrant
Scotch Brite - White pad
Wow.
First Visionary ball I've thrown. Mongo impressed.
Tested the Granite Gargoyle out on a house shot, but this house shot is a bit different than what I'm used to. Normally, this is a 38' Christmas tree buffed to 40' with good backends. Well, the oil machine has been a bit funky lately and isn't stripping properly. The result is something that plays like a house shot early, but no recovery down the lane and about 4-6' of extra carrydown.
The results? The GG flat hooks, even with a fine finish. I tested this ball with a Monster Frenzy and an Icon 300. Playing 12 to around 5, the Frenzy didn't wrinkle and the Icon 300 (drilled label leverage with a light shine) struggled to move. The Granite moved about 3-4' earlier than the Icon and seemed to have just as much energy when it got there.
One thing that really struck me about the Granite Gargoyle is how quick it revs up. With my axis rotation, I could clearly see the weight hole and it looked like a blur at the mids (me having a bit of hand may help). The core is definitely a good match as the ball contined to flare well down the lane. I checked out the oil pattern on the ball and the early rings were very tight and expanded as the ball flared.
I got lucky and picked this one up off eBay used. The spans were close and I got it cheap...lucky me. If I didn't have a ton of excess equipment, I could really see me picking another one up and going with a high RG drill.
The Granite Gargoyle is a definite contender in the oil ball category. An impressive fact is that this ball has been out for over a year and is still competitive with all of the big manufacturers high end balls.
--------------------
Mongo the UnLefty
I'm lefthanded, I have a hand, I will use it.
Post by: Aud21946 on September 15, 2003, 01:07:19 AM
Ok,after my rant... Back to the ball review.
The Granite Gargoyle comes out of the box at 320 dull!
A little about me...
Ball speed 17 - 18 mph
0 - 25 tilt
This ball out of the box must be made for the extreme Exxon Valdez oil flood.
After 3 games on a 40 foot fresh pattern, I went back into the shop and change the surface up to 800 dull.
The ball came to me with 3oz of top weight and a 2 - 3 pin.
I layout the ball with a 4 by 4 layout and a weight hole at my axis.
In my opinion you need head oil and fresh back ends to throw this ball.On this 40 ft pattern the ball still checked early but hit well in the three games I bowled with the surface at 800.In bowling a tournament on the next day, I ave. 210 at a Synethic house with a 38 flat pattern with moderate backends. I try this ball a little more to update this review.
UPDATE
This Ball is not so bad after all. Changed the surface to 1000 dull from the origanal 320 surface and the ball will still get into a roll early but I like the continuous roll .. the doesn't quit as it wanted to do at 320 and 600. A note to anyone thinking of getting this ball, make sure your pattern you bowl on has slick fronts or you will not like this ball.
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Visionary Test Member
P.b.a. Southwest Regional Member
Don Jonietz Pro Shop
San Antonio, Texas
Post by: Aud21946 on December 23, 2003, 07:46:53 AM
Visionary Test Member
P.b.a. Southwest Regional Member
Don Jonietz Pro Shop
San Antonio, Texas
Post by: BigDaddyBear on April 06, 2004, 01:04:50 AM
Post by: stouchie on October 01, 2004, 06:28:18 PM
Post by: M1313 on January 04, 2005, 01:00:28 PM
* Power and control for oiler conditions
* Excellent hit and carry
* Responds well with polish/surface changes
* Coolest cover on a bowling ball ever
* Great price
Cons
* Picks up dirt better than a Dyson vacuum
* Frequent cleaning a must
Overall
Granite Gargoyle drilled label leverage. This ball always finds its way back into my bag. It's a heavy rolling, arcing ball that is very predictable. The Granite finds ways to carry, even from deeper inside. One of the hardest hitters I've thrown ... sometimes too hard. The key is to have the proper surface on it for the conditions you face. The 320 box surface works with lots of oil. 600-800 is much better for typical house shots. I've also polished it for medium conditions with success.
There's a reason Visionary has kept the Gargoyle line around for a long time. If your home house is putting out a lot of oil or need something that hooks more, the Granite is a great ball to try. And be prepared for people to ask, "What ball is that?!"
Post by: louie on January 18, 2005, 11:14:26 PM
At 2000 dull this ball needs oil in the heads and mids so it doesn't hook too early. Everything else I roll is polished. When nothing else is rolling soon enough, the GG will roll up controllably and destroy the pocket. Great ball for oil or carry down dull.
Highly polished you have a really nice control piece. Easy through the heads and mids with a nice controllable arc off of the dry. If I used it on fresh lanes it pinged some ten pins because its move was so mellow. When the backends were jumping, the GG was a beast. I could strike at will with it when I had just a bit more friction.
If you are looking for a control ball with carry, you really can't do better than this ball. Just keep in mind that you will have to have the right surface prep for the condition you face. I ended up leaving mine at 2000 dull just because I really have balls that cover every other condition besides heavy oil or carrydown.
You can really use this ball on medium dry all the way to the heaviest of oil with the correct surface prep.
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Why does everyone laugh when I bowl?
louie
Post by: Bowler19 on May 28, 2005, 06:47:31 PM
I tried to use this ball on a pattern where the outsides were OB. It came back very strong.
I sanded it to 600 grit and bowled on a 42 foot sport pattern and the ball rolled smooth but was still two aggressive. So i brought it up to 1000 grit and threw it on a 44 ft sport pattern. The ball worked great during practice and the first game. By the 3rd frame of game 2 the ball was going left fast. The ball felt like it had just come off the spinner at 600grit.
Likes: Rolls smooth, Hits hard, great in a lot of oil.
Dislikes: Eats oil fast, to much cover for me
This ball is great for the bowler that is looking for a ball that really moves and doesnt put a lot of turn on the ball.
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Bowler19
A winner is one who keeps on trying
Post by: Androooo on July 31, 2005, 08:25:31 AM
Drilled 4" at 90 degrees for a nice even rolling ball, and it is just that. Now with my rev rate, even with a fair bit of speed, I am not a great fan of dull balls. This ball my friends, IS DULL... 320 grit to be exact. Even before drilling it got a trip to the ball spinner and was hit with a green scotchbrite pad to about 600grit. Running your hand over the ball, it feels like gravel... but that's just the start of it... more about that later!
Even at 600 grit, this ball needs a lot of juice. Carrydown?? Pffft... that wont stop it! On the occasions I have been able to use it it gives a great smooth roll, great read of the oil line, and solid hit. The big thing about this ball is that it gets more agressive the more you throw it. Running your hand over the surface after about a game on some pretty serious oil, and the ball feel rougher! It's like the particles have grown just like 5 o'clock shadow! Weirdest thing I have ever felt.
For the bowlers that need a smooth rolling heavy oiler, or for the knuckle-ballers that have no hand, this ball could be just the ticket.. If you can stand looking at a slab of Granite
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Visionary - They're not imaginary!
Post by: JessN16 on December 22, 2005, 03:35:28 AM
I'm pleased to say, though, that this ball is probably one of the best and consistent I've ever had the opportunity to play. Even with the 320 box finish, it's a very versatile ball. I can play a variety of lines with the ball whether I'm on a wet shot or a dry shot.
The totality of the hook is just amazing. It hooks, keeps hooking and never seems to stop hooking. The ball doesn't know the meaning of the words "roll out."
The ball carries like a truck, too, but it will leave corner pins on light hits if I'm trying to play across too many boards and ask it to come back too far. Not a lot of swish zone carry with this one but I don't think that's what it was made for.
I've owned a lot more "prestigious" bowling balls that were supposedly built for flooded conditions, and this ball has outperformed every one of them. It automatically goes in the bag when I go to any tournament.
Jess
Post by: robbief17 on May 22, 2007, 10:13:10 AM
Post by: leftyinhawaii on June 08, 2007, 06:40:38 AM
http://media.putfile.com/Visionary-Granite-Gargoyle
As you can see I'm a stroker with medium revs. The ball consistently finds its way to the pocket even when I miss my mark by a board or two. Carries darn good and hits solid. A great heavy or medium/heavy oil ball. Haven't tried polishing it up, but I have plenty of other equipment for lighter oil. It does pick up a ton of crud, but cleans up fairly easy with any ball cleaner. I'll also throw it on the spinner occasionaly and use a green scotchbright pad with Dawn dishwashing liquid on it. Comes out looking like new and the surface texture is perfect. I would highly recommend this ball.
Update 9/16/07 - Ball still going strong. Rolled it tonight on heavy oil, first game struck 9 out of 12, second game struck 10 out of 12. Stayed on the same line both games. This ball is soooo solid. Just a nice smooth arc to the pocket and BASH! 10 in the pit! I had another GG given to me by a friend who has the same span as I do and it was drilled almost identical to mine. I decided to run it up to 4000 abralon and polish it with Bean's Secret Sauce. It works really great on medium/light conditions. On heavier oil it carries a good bit longer and makes a strong move to the pocket. Very versatile ball, much to my surprise.
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It's all fun and games until someone gets hurt...then it's hilarious!
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(. .)
c(')(')
Post by: tomf on March 14, 2008, 03:39:54 PM
Left handed, ball speed around 16 MPH, rev rate around 300 RPM, axis rotation of around 60 degrees, and axis tilt around 30 degrees.
If you can still find one of these, you should really consider picking it up. On second thought don’t bother considering, just get it. This is a truly unique ball. It can handle medium conditions, heavy mediums, and heavy oil. But even on mediums, it doesn’t hook as much as you might think. I must admit, it’s pretty scary in box finish. You would think that this thing will hook on Teflon (and I think it will). It feels like it’s made out of concrete. In fact, one guy asked me if I had “poured†it that morning when I took it out of the bag. But it still gets through the heads on mediums, as long as you have solid coverage. Some others have remarked how the feel of this surface changes after bowling on heavy oil. One person described it as the ball “growing a five o’clock shadowâ€. He’s right. It’s the weirdest thing I’ve ever felt on a ball.
For me, the ball has more of an “arc†finish and has the heaviest roll of any ball I’ve ever thrown. One guy watching it go swears he saw the lane sag under the weight of the roll. The hit is outstanding. It really lays the pins down and throws them sideways. I don’t think I’ve had a pin get above the height of the ball yet. It’s almost like the pin deck just sucks the pins down. Even messengers shoot across at “ankle heightâ€. This ball can give you a real advantage on heavier oil with clean back ends. Great traction and roll without overreacting to the end of the pattern.
This ball does get dirty in a hurry. It picks up dirt faster than a vacuum cleaner. But just a few seconds on a spinner with a bit of dishwashing liquid or any commercial ball cleaner and it is right back to “out of the boxâ€.
This is the only particle ball I’ve ever tried where you truly can get it back to a “like new†reaction after resurfacing. The particle material must be completely different from other balls because it takes resurfacing better than any other particle ball I’ve ever tried.
In summary, this is a great medium to heavy oil ball. It is truly unique in its coverstock and performance characteristics. When the conditions match, I don’t thing there’s another ball out there that can compete with it.
Post by: Spike2112 on June 15, 2008, 09:51:32 AM
http://s20.photobucket.com/albums/b201/Spike2112/visionary/Fall%20arsenal/?action=view¤t=GRANITE1.jpg
Ball matches up great with the heavy oil house shot I see each week. Great first ball out. Able to play the Granite in my comfort area- 10-12 board, out to 5, with enough left on the backend to take out the 10. Ball hits as hard as a concrete block! Keeps the pins low and seems like more messengers sent flying on less-than-flush hits. Put it in the pocket and the Granite will reward you, but ball will definitely punish you if you don't. Surprised I can actually use this one for a 3 game set with only minor moves and slight hand adjustments. Kept it in box finish and has become my number one oiler! Only negative is the high maintenance cover. Gotta keep this one clean after each set, as it picks up dirt like no other ball I've ever had. Cleans up easily and has to be one of the most unique looking balls out there! Great job on this awesome piece VBP. After throwing all of the Gargoyle lineup, it's easy to see why this line lasted so long.
Post by: visionarycole on January 30, 2009, 01:42:33 PM
Cole Martin
Visionary Test Staff
Left Handed
Revs
(275-450)