OOAK Table Tennis Forum

So, I have a guy I play with that is moving from short pips to long pips and has decided on the Stiga Destroyer for the LP with 1.0mm sponge so he can add more spin on the ball. He has used LP before moving to SP so he has some ideas af what to expect. He was thinking of getting a new blade and wanted one of my older attacking OFF+ ones because they would be cheap from me... I said it might not be suited to LP, as I only have a slight idea about how the LP's will go specially on a fast 7ply blade.

He will attack of the forehand occasionally and is using some Joola Express Two in 2.0mm, I cant remember the blade he is using, some old Tibhar one I think, but I have no idea what it would be rated at ALL+ or OFF- is my guess. So I think he has a unorthodox 'modern' styled defence style of game.

Knowing that alot of the players here have used LP's and have much experience in them, I thought I would put it to you guys... as a topspin attacking player I'm outside my experience here and can only respond to him with what I can read and speculate.

I was thinking an ALL+ blade or OFF- (to keep it similar), maybe even one of the 2 speed blades that are about, Nexy make some of those... Sorry I dont have more information for you to go on

What would you guys suggest?

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CORNILLEAU Hugo Calderano FOCO OFF+
FH: ANDRO Hexer Powergrip 2.1
BH: ANDRO Hexer Powergrip 2.1

Butterfly Defence ll or Butterfly Joo Se Hyuk
I have also tried Destroyer but I didn't like it at all.

837 with 1mm sponge is also a possibility
and a good place to start as it plays almost
like an inverted.

Cheers
Geddk

I dabble a bit with pips, and bought some Air upupupup OX rubbers from haggisv's "surplus store". When asking for his advice he suggested I use the fastest all wood blade I have. I promptly attached it to my slowest blade (Friendship W-1, DEF+), and no surprise, it was hard to use. No great control against return board, and inferior characteristics were confirmed against human opponent. Then I tried it on a fairly fast carbon blade (Galaxy T-2, OFF) and found it was no better against the return board. No feel in the stroke at all. Didn't bother trying it against humans. Now it sits on a fast 7-ply all-wood blade (Friendship L-5, OFF++) and against the return board it feels just right. Can't wait to try it for real play.

For a rubber that feels and looks similar, the DF 1615, a slow blade has worked just fine. That rubber was a disappointment on faster blades (OX and sponged, on all wood and carbon blades around ALL+/OFF-)
From my limited experience it seems that for some LPs your fast 7-ply blades may be exactly right.
I have not been anywhere near the Stiga Destroyer, so I offer no personal comment on that, but other reviews of the Destroyer around the net are positive, both for OFF blades (like the Timo Boll Spirit) and DEF (like the Andro Fibrecomp).

The bottom line: Choice of blade for LP depends a lot on what rubber you are considering, and probably also on what style you are playing. Listen to specific blade advice from experienced pip players (like what you have from Geddk towards defensive blades).

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My blog of failures, etc., also containing equipment list at "resurrection" (referred to in a few of my early posts), and my current lineup
Rating in the middle/low range in the region.
Moderating the LP Attacking subforum in the Technique section.

Thanks guys, I'll pass that on to him Monday night at our club meet. I might stick the destroyer onto my old OFF+ blade and see how it feels for him for later on in the week if he can do some training.

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CORNILLEAU Hugo Calderano FOCO OFF+
FH: ANDRO Hexer Powergrip 2.1
BH: ANDRO Hexer Powergrip 2.1

You certainly want a stiff blade, but a OFF+ blade might be too fast for chopping with LP I think.

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Yes, I don't think OFF is a good place to start.

I was thinking...

Maybe Peter can build you a blade.. Very good and cheap blade.
I have 2 from him.. Very nice and cheap blades.
Then he can build you a com-bi blade, fast forehand and def backhand.

Just send him an email
http://www.tt-piet.de/preise-kontakt.html

Cheers
Geddk

Yes, while I can chop with the Gergely, the effectiveness of the spin on the chop is dubious. But then pogo probably isn't the best chopping rubber either. I'm thinking of trying a Def blade myself

Geddk (or anyone), any idea how the Bty Def II compares with the TSP Award Defensive?

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I'm always in the dark, but the Dark sheds lights upon everything!! Beauty is only pimple deep! Beauty is in the eye of the pipholder!
S/U 1: Blade: Bty Gergely . FH Black Andro Rasant 2.1 . BH Red Tibhar Grass Dtecs
S/U 2: Blade: Bty Gergely . FH Black Hexer+ 2.1 . BH Red GD Talon
S/U 3: Blade: Bty Gergely . No rubbers...thinking of adding Red Dtecs and Black Rasant
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Sorry, don't know this blade..
http://www.spinmantra.com/tabletennis/blog/wordpress/index.php/2008/08/09/tsp-reflex-50-award-defensive-blade-review/

Cheers
Geddk

From what you're saying, I think I will steer him away from the OFF blades into a ALL/ALL+ styled blade to keep it a little more controllable.

I think that he has gotten used to OFF blades and thats just following what he has been doing, Ill get him to use his old blade first and see if that is ok for the Destroyer LPs and then go from there from what he says about the control and attack.

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CORNILLEAU Hugo Calderano FOCO OFF+
FH: ANDRO Hexer Powergrip 2.1
BH: ANDRO Hexer Powergrip 2.1

I think no matter what speed of blade you use, a stiff blade with a hard outer surface works best with LPs (especially in Ox). Just my personal experience.

 

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Giant Dragon Kris Special : RITC 802 w/Dawei 2.2 35d fh : : Donic Blue Fire M3 2.0 black bh
Member of Charlotte Table Tennis Club, Charlotte, North Carolina, USA
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The question is: works best for what?

Stiff blades with hard outer plies maximize reversal on passive shots, that's true. But due to limited dwell-time, it isn't best for chopping and for actively producing spin. Control isn't always best either.

So, advice on a blade for long pips without knowing the exact style of playing and level is impossible. Moreover, it depends on the sort of LP (i.c. stiga destroyer 1.0) that is used.

It all depends...

P.

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I'll certainly agree that a player's style makes a difference. So you're right that we really need to know what the player in the OP is trying to do by going to LPs. And it's not just the blade that matters since the particular LP and sponge (if used) will perform differently on different blades. The best player in my club (USATT 2300) is a mid-distance chopper who will flat-hit smash any poorly placed return. He uses a stiff blade with CK531A in Ox and puts more spin on the ball than most players do with inverted. So even for choppers the blade and rubber combo will be a personal preference.

I was just relating my own personal experience for blocking and attacking fairly aggressively with my LPs. Soft and/or flexible blades are great for looping but for me such blades just haven't worked well with any of the dozens of LPs I've tried. Also, I tend to be more of a hitter even with my inverted forehand so a hard and stiff blade works better for that too. Of course what works for someone else (especially choppers) may be something quite different.

That's one reason I think a LOT of experimentation is necessary. Not being an EJ just for the heck of it, but I don't think there's really any way to know what will work best for any particular person or style until various combinations have been tried. I know some go EJ crazy looking for some form of TT Nirvana and others just do it solely for the fun and novelty of it. But I think most players could benefit from SOME experimentation (pips or inverted) rather than just buying a bat from some mate or out of a coach's collection of used bats and then never, ever changing. I'm constantly amazed at how many in my club (100+ members) have never glued a rubber to a blade.

So I guess you make a good point that generic recommendations aren't worth a whole lot without some context.

 

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Giant Dragon Kris Special : RITC 802 w/Dawei 2.2 35d fh : : Donic Blue Fire M3 2.0 black bh
Member of Charlotte Table Tennis Club, Charlotte, North Carolina, USA
Visit Charlotte Table Tennis Club on Facebook

Im really only after general suggestions as its only to start to suggest what he could use with the destroyer LPs. I think that a good start would be his current blade then decide if its too fast/soft etc... I agree that he'll only be able to choose after hitting and sellecting one that is better suited to him.

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CORNILLEAU Hugo Calderano FOCO OFF+
FH: ANDRO Hexer Powergrip 2.1
BH: ANDRO Hexer Powergrip 2.1

I started out by using the LKT Instinct-Plus, which is probably an All+ blade, and now I use the 729 Bomb, which is I think considered Off. Both worked well for me, obviously the Instinct-Plus is a little easier to control.

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"The greatest teacher, failure is"
USATT Rating: 1725
Blade: Stiga Cybershape Carbon
FH Rubber: Butterfly Tenergy 19 2.1
BH Rubber: Dr Neubauer ABS3 1.5

If he wants a Off blade 729 Bomb is a very good and cheap one.
I have Pogo and Outlaw on mine 729 bomb for hitting and blocking...
I don't have it or own it, but have read that Donic Burn all+ can be
used with LP... Not to fast, not to slow... But i haven't tried it though.

But again.. It all depends on styles...

Cheers
Geddk