Ok, I think I have my arsenal set

[Crusher279757]

This is what I think would be good for me:

Heavy:
No Mercy Beat'n for late and huge backend
Black Widow for great backend but not as long as Beat'n
Total NV for a little midlane with quite a bit of backend, but not as long as Black Widow

Medium:
Black Widow Pearl for long length and strong backend
Absolute Inferno for more midlane roll with contiuous backend roll

Medium - Light or Light - Medium:
Toxic drilled a little weak with good length and backend
Doom for good skid/flip motion and decent backend

Dry & Spare Ball:
Black Hammer

How does this look?

[SplitMaster]

Crusher.....the great ball collector...lol

[Quest36X]

Crusher,

To me your arsenal looks complicated. Depending on your style, this may work, however I think you may have balls that overlap more than they probably should. I would guess you bowl on a THS more than other stuff, so I would load up on Medium to light stuff. When I bowl on light, I never want things to have a skid snap reaction, so you may want to mellow that down. You definitely need a low load particle or low load particle pearl, which you are missing. I am not convinced that the Black Widow is best under oily conditions, but given a surface change I can believe that.

It is also hard to say that you will have a No Mercy Beat'N for heavy oil, when no one knows exactly what one will do (because it's not out yet).

Overall, I think you have a decent selection, but for the average bowler, they may get confused with such overlap.

[BradM]

Overall, I think you have a decent selection, but for the average bowler, they may get confused with such overlap.


I agree, I'd never be able to keep up. By the time I decided that one ball was better for the condition than the other, the lanes would have changed and I'd be back guessing instead of adjusting.

Good luck though, that's a bunch of nice balls.

[Crusher279757]

My THS is about medium, maybe medium-heavy. I have to play straight up 2nd arrow each week with my Black Widow.

[Quest36X]

ok, so why so luch light stuff? makes no sense, but you have to get a low load particle or low load particle pearl to pick up early, or get black widow down to 1000 or lower.

[Crusher279757]

Crusher,

To me your arsenal looks complicated. Depending on your style, this may work, however I think you may have balls that overlap more than they probably should. I would guess you bowl on a THS more than other stuff, so I would load up on Medium to light stuff. When I bowl on light, I never want things to have a skid snap reaction, so you may want to mellow that down. You definitely need a low load particle or low load particle pearl, which you are missing. I am not convinced that the Black Widow is best under oily conditions, but given a surface change I can believe that.

It is also hard to say that you will have a No Mercy Beat'N for heavy oil, when no one knows exactly what one will do (because it's not out yet).

Overall, I think you have a decent selection, but for the average bowler, they may get confused with such overlap.

What ball would you suggest? Remember, I mainly want to stick to all Hammer stuff.

[Crusher279757]

ok, so why so luch light stuff? makes no sense, but you have to get a low load particle or low load particle pearl to pick up early, or get black widow down to 1000 or lower.

I like my Black Widow where it's at, so I'm not gonna change it.

[Quest36X]

Well, if your THS is a medium to oily pattern, I would definitely suggest the Anger. It rolls early and is very continuous. The Beat'N from what I read will be phenomenal, but you really do have a lot of balls that do almost the same thing. You really need to get more variance in ball selection and drilling patterns.

[JoshWithrow]

My THS is about medium, maybe medium-heavy. I have to play straight up 2nd arrow each week with my Black Widow.

You don't know heavy until you've played Shark... you'd think the ball was swimming in oil.

Anyway, remember that you'll want to vary ball coverstock materials (solid vs pearl) as well as cover prep (800 sanded, 2000, 4000, high polish, etc)... in my experience these seem to make the most difference.

For instance, I have an older particle reactive (Syntactive Sledgehammer) @ 800 grit and drilled for early predictable roll in medium/heavy oil, I have the No Mercy @ 4000 Abrolon drilled #1 for late-mid read and great backend, I have a Cherry VIBE drilled straight up (pin above and centered between fingers for llleeennngggttthhh) with for the dry type conditions, and when I get the Total NV it'll be drilled for as much length as I can get while still maintaining maximum angularity on the break (long and strong).

Two of these balls are solid and dull, the other two are pearl and polish.

Then there's my lovely Tuff ;)

[Crusher279757]

Well, if your THS is a medium to oily pattern, I would definitely suggest the Anger. It rolls early and is very continuous. The Beat'N from what I read will be phenomenal, but you really do have a lot of balls that do almost the same thing. You really need to get more variance in ball selection and drilling patterns.

Well, I'm getting the Beat'n free from my have a ball league. Should I maybe try to sell my Absolute Inferno and get a Anger?

[SplitMaster]

you need one ball....a generator...a 4 inch grinder with a wire wheel and some auto sand paper...that way before each shot..run out and slide on the oil..come back...crank up the generator...hit it with the grinder..then sand it down with the paper...and you are set!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Quest36X]

Again, it's going to require a lot of variance in ball layout and obviously surface prep.

[Crusher279757]

Also, I do plan on starting to bowl in more tournaments now that I am 18.

[Crusher279757]

I also plan on bowling in two different leagues next year. Both at completely different alleys. One is synthetic and the other is wood.

[Lightning1]

WOW

looks like every ball has the same reaction (long and strong)

My opinion, you need to vary layout to allow some of the balls to read the lanes earlier providing a more consistant arc rather than shooting for all length layouts...

sure length layouts look good, but they are also the most tricky to throw consistantly....I just had my first ball layed out for length (Toxic) and it's very temperamental at times....

IMHO - with 9 balls, should look like

Heavy -
Long and Angular - No Mercy Beaten or Total NV
Medium Length with Strong backend - BW or Total NV
Medium Length with continuous arc - No Mercy

Medium
Skid / Flip - Toxic
Long and arcing - Anger
Medium Length with continuous arc - Blue Vibe

Light
Skid Flip - Purple Vibe
Long arc - Cherry Vibe

Spare ball

user coverstock preparations to get desired reaction for each oil pattern...

[TenPinSniper]

Don't think at this point I'd buy a TNV, its old news, with the NVS coming out. Plus other stuff, coming later. Right now I dont think the Toxic is needed for you either. Remember 6 balls, you only have a six ball roller. Plus, you are going to wear out some stuff bowling on wood lanes. So you will want stuff later... Dont drain the bowling ball budget before you even start.

Remember PSP!

NMB
BW
BWP
AI
Doom
BH

[slap]

This thread is making my head hurt and I'm a ball hog. That's a lot of balls, which is cool with me. My concern is that you're going to buy the latest and greatest and have significant overlap.

If you don't mind can we start from the beginning.

1. What balls do you have know? I'm not sure if your sig is your complete inventory.

2. With those balls, where do you feel your gaps are?

3. How many balls do you want in your arsenal?

[Thepainscoming]

You don't know heavy until you've played Shark... you'd think the ball was swimming in oil.



Well, The only THS i bowl on is that heavy in the middle. I have to throw at 9 mph to get it to move at all. It is very very oily in the middle, and desert outside of 5 to the point that your ball doesn't make it past 20 feet before it hooks.

[Crusher279757]

This thread is making my head hurt and I'm a ball hog. That's a lot of balls, which is cool with me. My concern is that you're going to buy the latest and greatest and have significant overlap.

If you don't mind can we start from the beginning.

1. What balls do you have know? I'm not sure if your sig is your complete inventory.

2. With those balls, where do you feel your gaps are?

3. How many balls do you want in your arsenal?

I currently have a Black Widow, Action that I'm about to sell, Absolute Inferno, Doom, Black Hammer. I'd like to have somewhere between 6-8 balls. I feel like I could use a light oil ball which is why I was kinda thinking that I should get a Cherry Vibe. I just bought a Black Widow Pearl. :D I want something between my Black Widow, and my No Mercy Beat'n that I'm getting from my have a ball league, so I thought a Total NV would fit well between those two. I probably won't get a Toxic because I think that it will be too close to my Black Widow Pearl. Any suggestions?

[Thepainscoming]

The only thing i really see u needing is a new heavy oil ball. You could get the Doom polished a lot and you will be fine. Doom for light, BWP for medium, Absolute and BW for a medium-heavy and the no mercy beatn for heavy. There u go.

[Crusher279757]

The only thing i really see u needing is a new heavy oil ball. You could get the Doom polished a lot and you will be fine. Doom for light, BWP for medium, Absolute and BW for a medium-heavy and the no mercy beatn for heavy. There u go.

But I still want something to go between my Black Widow and No Mercy Beat'n. I just feel like with my style of game, that there is a gap there for me.

[JoshWithrow]

Then what you probably want to do is get another BW but get it drilled differently than your original one.

Honestly... don't go totally ball crazy. I think you should learn to adjust your hand positions. That should make up the difference when you're down to only worrying about a few boards, and with the BW and NM that's exactly what you're doing. IMHO balls should be a tool for major adjustments... leave the minor ones to the bowler (actual person swinging the ball).

[Sin City Hammer]

Hell, I'd like to see the sight of you lugging 9 balls with you to the lanes.

What other ball would actually fit between the black widow and the beat'n though? That's a hammer ball of course.

[MessiahsHammer]

Damn where you getting all this money for these things... If your making that much you should buy all of us a ball or 2... lol...

[Crusher279757]

Damn where you getting all this money for these things... If your making that much you should buy all of us a ball or 2... lol...

I just had a graduation. :D

[Crusher279757]

How about maybe something like this:

No Mercy Beat'n
Total NV
Black Widow
Black Widow Pearl
Absolute Inferno
Doom
Black Hammer

or

No Mercy Beat'n
Total NV
Black Widow
Black Widow Pearl
Doom
Cherry Vibe
Black Hammer

[TenPinSniper]

That is looking better. Think the top one is better, since it requires only 3 new ball instead of 4, leaves room for that PSP or a new Christmas ball! :D

[Rowdy]

Graduation from what?Medical School???

[Quest36X]

4 pearls is too many, case closed.

you need a particle. you don't have one listed. for the flood.

why would you ever need 4 pearl balls? makes no sense.

you have no variance of asymmetrical vs. symmetrical, with the exception of a doom and vibe.

here's my suggestion for your arsenal:

Black Hammer
Black Widow
Black Widow Pearl
Cherry Vibe
Raw Anger

As long as you have enough variance in your drillings, this would suffice for both THS's and tournaments. They have different coverstocks and should give you a good look on about any kind of conditions. As far as a particle ball goes, you must go outside Hammer to find that. Possibly a Morich ball for the absolute floods.

And, it's only 5 balls.

[Crusher279757]

4 pearls is too many, case closed.

you need a particle. you don't have one listed. for the flood.

why would you ever need 4 pearl balls? makes no sense.

you have no variance of asymmetrical vs. symmetrical, with the exception of a doom and vibe.

here's my suggestion for your arsenal:

Black Hammer
Black Widow
Black Widow Pearl
Cherry Vibe
Raw Anger

As long as you have enough variance in your drillings, this would suffice for both THS's and tournaments. They have different coverstocks and should give you a good look on about any kind of conditions. As far as a particle ball goes, you must go outside Hammer to find that. Possibly a Morich ball for the absolute floods.

And, it's only 5 balls.

I don't think that 5 suits my style though. Ok, how about this:

No Mercy Beat'n
Total NV or NVS
Black Widow
Black Widow Pearl
Anger or Absolute (I will sell my Absolute if I got the Anger)
Doom
Cherry Vibe
Black Hammer

Keep in mind to that I am not gonna buy this stuff right away. This is just how I want my arsenal to look by the end of 07.

[Quest36X]

5 balls doesn't fit your style? Oh, I get it, so you don't like the ball reaction so you don't bother with ADJUSTING?

I carry 3 balls and am averaging 240 right now. Don't tell me that you can't make one of those balls give you a chance.

I guarantee if you have more balls you will become confused and will always wonder if you should have thrown another ball.

Know your game, know your equipment, and especially know your lanes and your ball driller.

[Crusher279757]

5 balls doesn't fit your style? Oh, I get it, so you don't like the ball reaction so you don't bother with ADJUSTING?

I carry 3 balls and am averaging 240 right now. Don't tell me that you can't make one of those balls give you a chance.

I guarantee if you have more balls you will become confused and will always wonder if you should have thrown another ball.

Know your game, know your equipment, and especially know your lanes and your ball driller.

I do adjust, but sometimes adjusting doesn't work, just like it didn't work for me tonight. I was adjusting with my Black Widow and it didn't work, so I switched balls and that did the trick.

[Quest36X]

that's only one switch though. if you have 6 or 7 balls, how would you know which one to adjust to is my point....

if you're bowling a tournament every weekend, i see the point in having that many balls, but honestly i don't think you're going to do that. correct me if i'm wrong there.

And don't you learn from mistakes? Are your lanes that inconsistent that you need to bring a 12243435359897 ball arsenal to the lanes? If they are, you need to have a talk to the manager at the lanes, but I highly doubt that's the case.

[Crusher279757]

that's only one switch though. if you have 6 or 7 balls, how would you know which one to adjust to is my point....

if you're bowling a tournament every weekend, i see the point in having that many balls, but honestly i don't think you're going to do that. correct me if i'm wrong there.

And don't you learn from mistakes? Are your lanes that inconsistent that you need to bring a 12243435359897 ball arsenal to the lanes? If they are, you need to have a talk to the manager at the lanes, but I highly doubt that's the case.

While I do plan to bowl in more tournaments, I don't plan on playing in one per week, well, not until I make the PBA, lol. :D Ok, one last time. How about this:

No Mercy Beat'n
Black Widow
Black Widow Pearl
Anger
Doom
Cherry Vibe
Black Hammer (spare ball)

The only problem with this is that I don't have a polished/pearl heavy oil ball.

[Quest36X]

that's the best one yet...

[Crusher279757]

I'm off to bed. Talk about it more tomorrow.

[blistershurt]

Well, you could minimize cost and still be effective with mine.

Anger-its at 1000 matte right now, continous backend, very good for long patterns, and heavier patterns. If needed it can be taken down.

Doom-I put this next for a reason, versitility. Pin under the ring finger, control drill, can be used once Anger starts to roll out, and can even be used when the lanes break down (as Quest said, adjust).

Cherry Vibe-this will surprise some people, not for length drill. (this will be the ball you can go to if the Doom is a little too much or if you're lazy) You can slap a low RG layout on it so it wont be snappy, then, polish it up as high of a grit as you can find, or high gloss polish.

Spare ball (whatever you chose)-pesky corner pins. Adjust for minimal use of this one lol...

And one I would reccomend throwing in here is...a Storm ball, Trauma Response(try getting one first lol). Its heavy load particle, plus it has high mass bias rating (different look for Anger, useful on sport shots), lay it out for a strong early rolling shot, very different look from Anger.

The last ball isnt neccessary at all, just the 4 above it are better choices.

Still remember this- Anger-Doom-CV(or some other weak reactive laid out just like what I said or a plain urethane ball)-Spare.

The glue in this arsenal is the Doom. The control drill can hold you over until dry lanes, seeing as you have a Black Hammer, you could use that as the third ball, and since it is a spare, you'd only need 3 then. Eh, thats just my opinion on the matter though.