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Author Topic: The Crow  (Read 19791 times)

Matt C

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The Crow
« on: July 12, 2016, 12:52:47 PM »
Well .. Since it hit the USBC page its now official.

New ball : The Crow
Cover : Urethane
Core : Raven Core
Color: Black but "in the right light you see a hint of blood red" JW

Not sure when they will be ready to ship, but I would imagine in the next couple weeks.   

Jason has not said one way or another if they want a Video for it.  It is a urethane ball after all, and by now we should all know how they react!!
RIP Visionary Bowling Products...

 

JamminJD

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Re: The Crow
« Reply #16 on: July 26, 2016, 09:32:35 PM »
That would be great... only problem my house has 1 shot.  They are to lazy to program the machine.  I have talked to the GM and we're working on something
Yeah that sucks, hopefully you can get some understanding from them.

MI 2 AZ

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Re: The Crow
« Reply #17 on: July 28, 2016, 02:55:27 PM »
Okay, The Crow has been added to the review section of this site.

http://www.ballreviews.com/visionary/the-crow-t311598.0.html;topicseen

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Matt C

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Re: The Crow
« Reply #18 on: July 28, 2016, 03:35:53 PM »
Okay, The Crow has been added to the review section of this site.

http://www.ballreviews.com/visionary/the-crow-t311598.0.html;topicseen



On the Ball as usual!!
RIP Visionary Bowling Products...

MI 2 AZ

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Re: The Crow
« Reply #19 on: August 01, 2016, 01:35:04 PM »
I emailed Jason at Visionary about the ball and this is what he replied with which might be helpful for others considering buying a Crow:

It is fairly strong for a urethane....but it's still a urethane.  It reminds me a lot of the strong urethanes from the 80's and 90's.  I think it will be great for medium patterns that are flat, really wet/dry, or spotty.  Not sure that it's strong enough for really heavy shots unless you have a lot of hand, and not for dry either, but everything in between should be workable.

Jason
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Matt C

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Re: The Crow
« Reply #20 on: August 02, 2016, 11:17:46 AM »
Said same to me..

Honestly I was hoping for a 2pc old school Urethane.  But here shortly well see how this works out.
RIP Visionary Bowling Products...

JamminJD

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Re: The Crow
« Reply #21 on: September 02, 2016, 02:44:13 PM »
Threw the Crow the other night on 3rd game 41' light volume house shot. WOW, this ball HOOKS! Out hooks the reactive/urethanes I have thrown, pitch black/tank/pitch blue/black hammer.

Interesting to say the least, can't wait to throw some more..

nord

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Re: The Crow
« Reply #22 on: June 06, 2017, 12:55:52 AM »
I have The Crow and have been trying to use it at stock grit (500) on house shots and this ball is just too strong!
It out hooks reactive balls!
Last night in league I could not get my Hammer Dark Legend Solid to even grip the lane and it was at 1000 grit.
Then I tried my Radical Rack Attack at 1000 grit and the same non-reaction and slide by.
So I pulled out The Crow and this thing was a monster. Very early with a big arc.
I had to keep it on, or left of second arrow. If I hit right of second arrow then immediate crossover!
Based on the last few sessions, for my game, this ball is just too strong at stock grit of 500.
It just hooks too early and hard.
I will take it up to 1000 grit and see if this smooths out the reaction and gives me the extra length I need.
I have been very impressed with this ball and it is probably the strongest and hardest hitting urethane ball I have every tried.
I highly recommend it, but it needs oil, it is not for dry lanes.
It is definitely a house shot killer.
Here is a look at me using it at stock 500 grit. Look how heavy this thing rolls:
https://youtu.be/QIEDkKpwmBo
« Last Edit: March 04, 2018, 04:03:14 PM by nord »

scotts33

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Re: The Crow
« Reply #23 on: June 06, 2017, 06:13:42 AM »
Completely agree Crow is not for light oil lane conditions it is a medium oil ball.  This is the last VBP ball that has been released July 2016.

If you are looking for a light oil urethane I would look at the Motiv Tank Rampage.  Impressive reviews in BJI and from the staffer videos it looks like the ticket for lighter volume lane conditions.
Scott

LookingForALeftyWall

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Re: The Crow
« Reply #24 on: June 08, 2017, 11:15:53 PM »
How does the hook potential and shape of the Crow compare to an IQ Tour Solid?

I struggle on short patterns (WTBA LA, Sydney, Stockholm) at this one house and my best look is with an IQ Tour Solid, but even that is not great.  Thoughts on using the Crow on a shorter pattern and comparing it to an IQ Tour Solid?

nord

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Re: The Crow
« Reply #25 on: December 07, 2018, 11:31:31 PM »
I know it has been awhile since the last post on The Crow, but I wanted to give an update on it.

I am a Full Roller and put the strongest 3 3/8" pin layout on it.
The Crow is simply too strong for me on any condition I have bowled on regardless of volume with this layout.
So I had my Crow plugged and redrilled with a 45 degree down 1.5" from center pin Full Roller layout.
This is the equivalent of an 80 x 5.25 x 45 layout for a 3/4 roller.
Since I have zero tilt, this layout allows zero tilt bowlers to get the ball up the lane more.
It will flare less in the front and a lot in the back.
This was the ticket.
Now The Crow gets up the lane and then breaks loose in the back with a very hard, continuous roll.
It hits like a ton of bricks and I can string strikes with it.
It is kinda amazing to watch a urethane ball come off the breakpoint with that much jump left.
It breaks harder and rolls stronger than virtually any resin ball I have ever used.
Since visionary went out of business, The Crow is like a rare gold coin, you are lucky if you ever find one.
I am very fortunate to have one and will treasure it for my life.
The Crow remains the strongest urethane ball I have every thrown and I have them all, Purple, Widow, Scorcher and True Motion.

JamminJD

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Re: The Crow
« Reply #26 on: December 08, 2018, 09:05:19 PM »
I know it has been awhile since the last post on The Crow, but I wanted to give an update on it.

I am a Full Roller and put the strongest 3 3/8" pin layout on it.
The Crow is simply too strong for me on any condition I have bowled on regardless of volume with this layout.
So I had my Crow plugged and redrilled with a 45 degree down 1.5" from center pin Full Roller layout.
This is the equivalent of an 80 x 5.25 x 45 layout for a 3/4 roller.
Since I have zero tilt, this layout allows zero tilt bowlers to get the ball up the lane more.
It will flare less in the front and a lot in the back.
This was the ticket.
Now The Crow gets up the lane and then breaks loose in the back with a very hard, continuous roll.
It hits like a ton of bricks and I can string strikes with it.
It is kinda amazing to watch a urethane ball come off the breakpoint with that much jump left.
It breaks harder and rolls stronger than virtually any resin ball I have ever used.
Since visionary went out of business, The Crow is like a rare gold coin, you are lucky if you ever find one.
I am very fortunate to have one and will treasure it for my life.
The Crow remains the strongest urethane ball I have every thrown and I have them all, Purple, Widow, Scorcher and True Motion.

Nice! Ball is a great urethane for sure..

BowlingForDonuts

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Re: The Crow
« Reply #27 on: December 09, 2018, 12:15:49 AM »
I know it has been awhile since the last post on The Crow, but I wanted to give an update on it.

I am a Full Roller and put the strongest 3 3/8" pin layout on it.
The Crow is simply too strong for me on any condition I have bowled on regardless of volume with this layout.
So I had my Crow plugged and redrilled with a 45 degree down 1.5" from center pin Full Roller layout.
This is the equivalent of an 80 x 5.25 x 45 layout for a 3/4 roller.
Since I have zero tilt, this layout allows zero tilt bowlers to get the ball up the lane more.
It will flare less in the front and a lot in the back.
This was the ticket.
Now The Crow gets up the lane and then breaks loose in the back with a very hard, continuous roll.
It hits like a ton of bricks and I can string strikes with it.
It is kinda amazing to watch a urethane ball come off the breakpoint with that much jump left.
It breaks harder and rolls stronger than virtually any resin ball I have ever used.
Since visionary went out of business, The Crow is like a rare gold coin, you are lucky if you ever find one.
I am very fortunate to have one and will treasure it for my life.
The Crow remains the strongest urethane ball I have every thrown and I have them all, Purple, Widow, Scorcher and True Motion.

+1 on The Crow being amazing for new urethane.  Nord if you ever come across a Scorcher NPT might think picking one up.  It is cleaner through the heads and has more back end than urethane (carries better for me as well) but won't overreact like reactives can with flying backends.  Its a good ball down from the regular Scorcher I believe.  Granted lot of people called it a dud but so far like it more than my other urethanes for the spotty dirt house I occasionally bowl at.
« Last Edit: December 09, 2018, 12:20:20 AM by BowlingForDonuts »
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MI 2 AZ

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Re: The Crow
« Reply #28 on: December 09, 2018, 12:27:30 AM »
If you have both a Scorcher NPT and an old Blue Hammer, do a comparison.  I remember reading way back when that some were saying they had a similar reaction shape?  Memory is not that great or reliable.  :)

Maybe it was that the NPT was like a souped up version of the Blue Hammer.

I believe the NPT stood for Non Particle Technology, so it was supposed to be smoother than reactive like a particle ball would be (reading earlier) but because of that it did not have a pronounced backend hook so many bowlers were disappointed by that. 

Again, going from memory so...
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BowlingForDonuts

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Re: The Crow
« Reply #29 on: December 09, 2018, 08:46:44 PM »
Here is verbatim post I did comparing Blue Hammer to Scorcher NPT a few months back.  Since then the Scorcher has only grown on me.  Something about that ball keeps finding its way into my bag when I go to the dry house.  I did that review with a ton of surface but with compound that ball is even better.  More versatile than most urethane balls imo and takes to surface changes well.

"Just in case anyone is interested finally got to throw the 16lb Scorcher NPT in the dry house I usually throw my urethane.  Just for comparison sakes I brought my also 16lb Faball Blue Hammer and took a maroon scotch brite to both before hand.  The NPT is definitely cleaner up front than the Blue Hammer but it really doesn't hook more overall (but definitely more in the backend) and maybe even a tad less overall with my style.  Have to be honest and say I actually preferred the Blue Hammer early in the session as it could really bite better into the oil with its early motion (reason why its a legend) but as my line started drying up the NPT really started to shine.  By the third game or so the Blue Hammer was starting to over hook and would have required adjustments but I could camp out with the NPT around the track no problem.  Carry wise very similar but with the NPT leaving less splits especially late in the session.  The NPT also seemed to be a little better at reading the pattern and giving a little more miss room later on as well.  Its definitely not a dud imo but will be condition specific unless you have a ton of hand.  Might try throwing it next week on more normal volume house shot and see but guessing its going to be close to a spare ball with my style.  Wish I could have gotten it in 15lb back in the day.  Overall a great ball for dry but not so much for oil first impressions.  Maybe it will surprise me but can fairly confidently say you will not have to worry about this ball jerking left on flying backends."
« Last Edit: December 09, 2018, 08:49:09 PM by BowlingForDonuts »
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