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Nittaku Latika Review

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Topic: Nittaku Latika Review
Posted By: peter79
Subject: Nittaku Latika Review
Date Posted: 07/30/2010 at 3:41am
Got this blade from iruiru, weight 93 gr, FL handle.
It's 5 Ply wood:
1. Limba
2. don't know
3. Thick Ayous
4. don't know
5. Limba

This is an oversized version of Nittaku Kazumi Basic

The FL handle is big enough for my big hands, more like a Tenor FL handle but narrower and thicker. I suggest everyone to buy FL handle because it feels bigger and better than the ST handle.

The feel is between Acoustic and Violin.
It is harder than Acoustic  but abit softer than Violin.
Surprisingly it has more vibration feel than Acoustic n Violin !!!!!

Speed is faster than Acoustic, probably the same as Tenor.

For Smashing it's better than acousic, looping also very good.

It's a very affordable blade and another great job from Nittaku.

Here are the pictures together with Acoustic and Violin L-sized:

























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Andro Wanokiwami AO Offensive 83 gr
H3 National Orange 40 deg 2.2
Baracuda Max
182 Gr




Replies:
Posted By: peter79
Date Posted: 07/30/2010 at 3:50am
It's a good alternative for Yasaka Extra Offensive user which found YEO too springy. Latika is as fast as YEO but not springy and considered a linear blade.

-------------
Andro Wanokiwami AO Offensive 83 gr
H3 National Orange 40 deg 2.2
Baracuda Max
182 Gr



Posted By: komano
Date Posted: 07/30/2010 at 4:02am
Would you mind taking some pictures of the blade?
Cheers.


Posted By: peter79
Date Posted: 07/30/2010 at 4:07am
Originally posted by komano komano wrote:

Would you mind taking some pictures of the blade?
Cheers.

This is ST handle pictures taken from www.nittaku.co.kr







I'll take my FL handle picture later Tongue


-------------
Andro Wanokiwami AO Offensive 83 gr
H3 National Orange 40 deg 2.2
Baracuda Max
182 Gr



Posted By: ztec
Date Posted: 07/30/2010 at 9:23am

peter79, I notice you're using two rather heavy rubbers on the Latika, what's the balance like with this blade?



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Your play will change your opinion of your equipment more than your equipment will change your opinion of your play.


Posted By: peter79
Date Posted: 07/30/2010 at 12:49pm
Total weight is 181 gr. Just, really just a bit head heavy which I like for better looping. The head size is big and wide, I can put my pointing finger inside the blade head, which I can't do on violin and acoustic L-sized. My pointing finger always placed outside the blade head.

-------------
Andro Wanokiwami AO Offensive 83 gr
H3 National Orange 40 deg 2.2
Baracuda Max
182 Gr



Posted By: Slade
Date Posted: 07/30/2010 at 1:34pm
Isn't it something like 160x152? On the high end of normal, but not oversized. I was expecting something slower, etc., I might as well use my Tenor if I want that weight, solid feeling, etc. I have a Latika ST for sale; check my thread.


Posted By: ppgear
Date Posted: 07/30/2010 at 6:33pm
There's a review on the Table Tennis Database as well:
http://www.tabletennisdb.com/blade/nittaku-latika.html - http://www.tabletennisdb.com/blade/nittaku-latika.html


-------------
Arthur Lui
Revspin.net - Table Tennis Equipment Reviews
Top USATT Rating: 2131


Posted By: peter79
Date Posted: 07/30/2010 at 11:14pm
Pictures added.

-------------
Andro Wanokiwami AO Offensive 83 gr
H3 National Orange 40 deg 2.2
Baracuda Max
182 Gr



Posted By: Thaidog
Date Posted: 07/31/2010 at 1:12am
Nice review! Looks very similar to the Acoustic.

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Timo ALC FL

Tibhar Grip S MAx

Tenergy 64 FX National 2.1mm

He never boosts... of course he never had to...


Posted By: komano
Date Posted: 07/31/2010 at 6:07am
Originally posted by peter79 peter79 wrote:

Pictures added.


Thank you very much Peter!No doubt, the forum`s Medal Of Honor should be awarded to you and NickoRulez. Once again thanks for your presence guys! Clap


Posted By: peter79
Date Posted: 07/31/2010 at 11:18am
I just wonder what is the heaviest Latika FL Available. Normal weight is 88 gr, I got 93.8 gr. which is more than 5 gr heavier than normal weight.

Weight is an important factor for all wood blade, I don't know whether the lighter Latika will perform the same as the heavier one.

If anybody wants to buy Korbel, YEO, Tenor, Hking 655 then Latika is good alternative.
The finishing is good, speed is fast for 5 ply blade, and the control is even better than Acoustic which is slower.



-------------
Andro Wanokiwami AO Offensive 83 gr
H3 National Orange 40 deg 2.2
Baracuda Max
182 Gr



Posted By: tomas.gt
Date Posted: 08/02/2010 at 3:56am
I thought that latika would be too flexible. For 5ply structure at about 5.8mm thickness, I would expect more flexibility than tenor has. Basically the flexibility of violin and acoustic turned me away from these blades. Peter, could you confirm me, that Latika has significant flex, though (probably) it is more stiff than violin?
 


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Kokutaku Bishu no.1 ST - H3N red , BTfly Spinart 2.1 black


Posted By: peter79
Date Posted: 08/02/2010 at 4:15am
I found Acoustic is more flexible and softer than Violin.
Violin is harder and stiffer than Acousitc, but a bit slower than Acoustic, but better for smashing.
Latika Meanwhile is abit softer than Violin, smash is as good as Violin and loop as good as Acoustic.

Flexibility can't be judge by the thickness. for example violin is only 5.5 mm while acoustic is 5.7 mm, the fact is Violin is stiffer, acoustic is more flexible. Even Violin is stiffer than Tenor which is 6.0 mm.
So it's depends on the wood material. I'm sure that my 93 gr Latika is stiffer than 93 Tenor.

Perhaps Geotjakra can give a review for Latika since he also has the 93 gr ST handle. He can compare it with acoustic too.

Tenor is as fast as Latika but Lack of solidness when smashing, I would prefer Latika than Tenor/Acoustic/Violin now. I has everything, looping and smashing both are good, good control, big handle, big headsize. No need L-sized handle for this blade at least.






-------------
Andro Wanokiwami AO Offensive 83 gr
H3 National Orange 40 deg 2.2
Baracuda Max
182 Gr



Posted By: tomas.gt
Date Posted: 08/02/2010 at 5:34am
Thank you very much, I must have had wrong information about tenor, I expected something else. For violins, the stiffness depends on the weight a lot. The density of inner kiri wood plays the role. 82grams for violin meant really flexible blade for me.
For the thickness - blades under 6mm have different stiffness(according to weight and materials - it is more obvious than blades over 6mm of thickness) and for me I consider very risky to pick such blade - I cant predetermine what I will get. So I am very careful.
So thank you, Latika seems to be, finally, relatively cheap alternative.
 
However, I am hungry for nittaku miyabi more ;)


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Kokutaku Bishu no.1 ST - H3N red , BTfly Spinart 2.1 black


Posted By: geotjakra
Date Posted: 08/02/2010 at 7:11am
@Peter79. I have sold my Acoustic to Yohanwong(TMM) and my Latika to Dabeda(TMM). the acoustic is an amazing blade in that it gives power when you need it, and absord lots of the the speed when you are playing soft block, or chops. In that sense, it has a very special feel for the ball. I was not impressed by the look of it when I bought it (in relation to it's price), I thought it was just ok (look-wise).
The Latika, look-wise, very impressive, very elegant, nice smooth finish all-around. but initial bounce test on the bare wood, I feel it's a little softer than acoustic, and felt a bit more vibration than my acoustic. after sticking 2 chinese rubbers on it, felt slower than my acoustic, and the feel is just not special enough for me. 
But then again, I am starting to like blades that have more feedback, which is why I prefer playing with my Stiga NCT off wood more than my acoustic, hence the reason why I sell it off. 
I think I don't like my acoustic and Latika mainly because of the weight. both those blades I have was around 93 g, combined with chinese rubbers that I normally use, they are a bit out of my comfort zone in weight. the NCT off wood I have is around 87g, which is a perfect weight for my liking.
Maybe my getting rid of my Latika is a bit too premature, but I did not like the feel of it on my first bounce test, and that feeling seem to remain even after trying to play with it with the rubbers on, but perhaps the rubbers I chose for it is not a good match. As for the quality and finish of the ST handle Latika blade I got, I was really impressed, it is beautiful and elegant looking.  
I'm glad you like it, but maybe I'm a Stiga inclined person more than a Nittaku one :P


Posted By: parhelia9
Date Posted: 08/03/2010 at 2:00am
Peter , i wonder how this blade compared to xiom amadues in term of feel , speed ,dwell time ?

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return to XIOM amadues (little mozart)

FH :XIOM TAU I
BH :Cornilleau Pulse Racer


Posted By: geotjakra
Date Posted: 08/03/2010 at 2:33am
imo,xiom amadeus is very soft feel with almost no vibration, Latika has alot more vibration. Feel very different between the two blades. Speed, Latika slightly faster, and more dwell time on the latika, and the Latika have more punch to it.
For me Amedeus is alot closer to YEO in feel.


Posted By: peter79
Date Posted: 08/03/2010 at 2:51am
Originally posted by parhelia9 parhelia9 wrote:

Peter , i wonder how this blade compared to xiom amadues in term of feel , speed ,dwell time ?


Latika has more feel/vibrates more than amadeus. Speed latika is slower, dwell time latika is longer.

I only tried my friend's amadeus. For me it doesn't have enough vibration. And I don't like the compact head size.

-------------
Andro Wanokiwami AO Offensive 83 gr
H3 National Orange 40 deg 2.2
Baracuda Max
182 Gr



Posted By: peter79
Date Posted: 08/03/2010 at 3:09am
@Geotjakra, probably your acoustic is heavier than latika. So you feel acoustic is faster. Do you compare it with the same rubber?

How heavy is the chinese rubber do you use? I would recommend you to use chinese rubber on FH and japan/euro rubber on BH. 2 heavy chinese rubber will become heavy setup and head heavy. My setup which is 181 gr is not considered light or heavy, just right.
I also feel the FL handle is bigger and less head heavy compared to ST handle.

I seal the handle with oil based polyurethane, which makes the weight more balanced than head heavy.

For me the most important part of choosing the blade is handle, and headsize. Feel also important, as long as it gives enough feedback, it's fine. As for which kind feel somebody prefer depends on taste. Some likes acoustic feel, some like violin feel, some like stiga's hollow feel.

-------------
Andro Wanokiwami AO Offensive 83 gr
H3 National Orange 40 deg 2.2
Baracuda Max
182 Gr



Posted By: parhelia9
Date Posted: 08/04/2010 at 1:34am
thanks for the reply , amadeus is less vibrate,almost close to carbon blade when try out with my friend but the feel is alright , solid but a bit soft .
i wonder what is the suitable rubber combine for this blade(Latika )? now i have a extra Xiom Zeta asia but i got no idea this hard tensor fit this blade or not ( i play BH at my amadeus) ..  

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return to XIOM amadues (little mozart)

FH :XIOM TAU I
BH :Cornilleau Pulse Racer


Posted By: peter79
Date Posted: 08/04/2010 at 1:52am
Originally posted by parhelia9 parhelia9 wrote:

thanks for the reply , amadeus is less vibrate,almost close to carbon blade when try out with my friend but the feel is alright , solid but a bit soft .
i wonder what is the suitable rubber combine for this blade(Latika )? now i have a extra Xiom Zeta asia but i got no idea this hard tensor fit this blade or not ( i play BH at my amadeus) ..  


If your previous blade head size is smaller than Latika, then I suggest you to buy a new rubber to fit it.
Amadeus has compact head size, I don't think it will fit an oversize blade like Latika.

I boost my blue sponge and it expand 2-3 mm so that it can fit Latika Nicely from Acoustic L-sized head size.

Any medium and Hard rubber will fit Latika nicely.
for example Sriver L on FH and Sriver EL on BH.
If you like chinese rubber on FH, then H3 Provincial or National 39-40 deg will be a good match.
BH rubber Zeta Asian version will be good also, if you like harder feel rubber Oultaw is a very good match, cheap but the performance is the same with Tenergy.


-------------
Andro Wanokiwami AO Offensive 83 gr
H3 National Orange 40 deg 2.2
Baracuda Max
182 Gr



Posted By: ohhgourami
Date Posted: 08/04/2010 at 5:24am
how would you compare this blade to the HK655 in terms of speed?

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Custom Walnut 7-ply
DHS H3 Provincial untuned 40°
BTY T64
210g


Posted By: peter79
Date Posted: 08/04/2010 at 5:39am
Originally posted by ohhgourami ohhgourami wrote:

how would you compare this blade to the HK655 in terms of speed?


Speed About the same. I'm comparing 93 gr ST 655 with 93 gr FL Latika.
Latika is a bit softer and has a bit longer dwell.


-------------
Andro Wanokiwami AO Offensive 83 gr
H3 National Orange 40 deg 2.2
Baracuda Max
182 Gr



Posted By: haggisv
Date Posted: 08/04/2010 at 5:41am
Very nice pictures Peter79!!!

-------------
Smart; VS>401, Dtecs OX
http://tabletennisshop.com.au/index.php?main_page=page&id=42" rel="nofollow - Tenergy Alternatives | http://tabletennis-reviews.com" rel="nofollow - My TT Articles


Posted By: ohhgourami
Date Posted: 08/04/2010 at 5:56am
Originally posted by peter79 peter79 wrote:

Originally posted by ohhgourami ohhgourami wrote:

how would you compare this blade to the HK655 in terms of speed?


Speed About the same. I'm comparing 93 gr ST 655 with 93 gr FL Latika.
Latika is a bit softer and has a bit longer dwell.

hmmmm if thats the case.  then wouldn't the Latika be similar to a Clipper?


-------------
Custom Walnut 7-ply
DHS H3 Provincial untuned 40°
BTY T64
210g


Posted By: peter79
Date Posted: 08/04/2010 at 7:55am
My 98 gr clipper is a bit faster and more difficult to lift under spin ball than using 5 ply. No it's not the same as clipper, Latika has more feel and harder. Clipper is stiffer but feel softer.

-------------
Andro Wanokiwami AO Offensive 83 gr
H3 National Orange 40 deg 2.2
Baracuda Max
182 Gr



Posted By: Thaidog
Date Posted: 08/05/2010 at 2:47am
@Peter79 - Did you seal your handle? 

-------------
Timo ALC FL

Tibhar Grip S MAx

Tenergy 64 FX National 2.1mm

He never boosts... of course he never had to...


Posted By: peter79
Date Posted: 08/05/2010 at 4:37am
Yes, with minwax polyurtethane. The handle feels slighly bigger and the make the blade balance become more balanced than head heavy.

-------------
Andro Wanokiwami AO Offensive 83 gr
H3 National Orange 40 deg 2.2
Baracuda Max
182 Gr



Posted By: Jolan
Date Posted: 10/06/2010 at 1:35am
I've had two sessions with Latika ST 91gr. Very nice blade !
First with sinus alpha and xtend hs 2.0mm. I was able to verify that what Peter79 said was very true. It's as fast as tenor. More than acoustic. I found it a bit stiffer too. Feel is fantastic. Easy to hit and block and very comfy to loop with too.
Second with gambler outlaw 2.2mm FH + BH. Even better ! Really fantastic combo. Quite different from what I'm used to. Much solider...But so easy to play. My shots were reliable, I felt so confident. What I like most with gambler is the total lack of stickiness (for a chinese rubber, I mean) combined with the ability to add tones of spin with mechanical process.
To those who didn't want to spend tones of money for an overpriced Nittaku combo but secretly dreamed to have one, this is a solution. The blade costs less than half and acoustic ! Really Nittaku just released something here. The blade reminds me the Nexy spear. Same kind, a bit faster though.
My game has changed lately. Due to repetitive injuries and age, I can't afford to put physical pressure and play agressive game as I use to. I'm more in a controlling game now. This combo matches with my new needs. I'll continue to test it extensively for a while and see what comes from.
 


-------------
Joola Wyzaryz Freeze
Vega pro 2.0mm
Vega intro 2.0mm
Blade collection : https://photos.app.goo.gl/PrgCu5ib5RnhVXTn9" rel="nofollow - https://photos.app.goo.gl/PrgCu5ib5RnhVXTn9


Posted By: vic#74
Date Posted: 10/06/2010 at 2:52am
+1, very good blade for its money (and regardless) ...I switched off the photino and doing better with it.

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ITC Premier XR
Nittaku Sieger Pk50
Tibhar Evolution EL-S


Posted By: vic#74
Date Posted: 10/06/2010 at 2:57am
Forgot to mention  - Thanks, Peter79!!!!
 It was his review of this blade that was a reason I got info about it and purchased then. And quite happy (though looking for "looping beast"...don't really know what for:))   


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ITC Premier XR
Nittaku Sieger Pk50
Tibhar Evolution EL-S


Posted By: peter79
Date Posted: 10/06/2010 at 9:17am
JCDI, Vic#74 glad that both of you like Latika :)
This blade is a powerful 5 ply blade, not like Samsonov alpha or Korbel which is build before the speed glue ban.
It is as fast as 7 ply but loops better.

If you're EJ, the blade which is worth to try is Lissom. This blade is Acoustic with Violin Feel. It is as soft as acoustic, but has violin feel, a very good looping blade. It is just abit slower than Latika.

-------------
Andro Wanokiwami AO Offensive 83 gr
H3 National Orange 40 deg 2.2
Baracuda Max
182 Gr



Posted By: ThaiLe
Date Posted: 10/21/2010 at 1:23pm
I had two sessions with Latika so far and I can tell that it is such a great blade for its price.  IMO, it should be rated OFF instead of OFF-.  Blocking and looping from mid distance are great.  Feel really nice for punching as well.  Matched well with H3P Neo on FH.



Posted By: frogger
Date Posted: 10/21/2010 at 3:36pm
Love the written message on the face of the blade. It should say: " Your game sucks why are you changing rubbers again"?

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Wood Paddle
Red side
Black side.




Posted By: Thot
Date Posted: 12/05/2010 at 8:30am
Is this blade good for looping?
I'm looking for an all wood blade good at looping, but in same time I want to be decent in the short game and solid enough for blocks and finishing the point.

I saw a few Latika in the For Sale section and I wonder if anyone is still using it.



Posted By: arg0
Date Posted: 12/14/2010 at 5:43pm
I'd also be interested in a comparison with Kasumi Basic. Latika is the bigger version of Kasumi Basic. From what I have read it's just about 2mm longer, while the head width is the same (152mm).
If Latika is slightly head heavy, is Kasumi center-balanced?


-------------
Nexy Arche & Nittaku Violin LG.
Join the forum_posts.asp?TID=47778" rel="nofollow - Nexy Clan !
Also member of Violin & 1-Ply clans.


Posted By: ThaiLe
Date Posted: 12/14/2010 at 7:25pm
Latika has the dimensions of 152mm x 158mm whereas Kasumic Basic is 156mm x 152mm.  This 2mm on Latika makes a huge difference after gluing the rubbers on; at least for me.  It is not head heavy but slightly on the heavy side.  I'd prefer the setup ~ 175grs total and my Latika combo is ~ 185grs.  So I sanded 2mm off the tip of the blade and now my Latika combo is ~ 173grs.  I don't feel anything difference when playing this lighter setup.  In fact, it helps me to recover my strokes faster.  Short games and looping are great with Latika.  However, the best feature of Latika is blocking.  You certainly feel the ball on the blade when looping or blocking.  It's a great feedback to have from this blade.

Kasumic Basic, on the other hand, does not have anything special about it.  Just a very basic control blade and slow.  Tons of control and that's pretty much it, IMO.

Hope this helps.



Posted By: Thot
Date Posted: 12/15/2010 at 7:01am
ThaiLe thanks for your answer, I thought everybody ditched Latika. LOL
I'm tempted to try it, but I'm having a good time with Stiga V1 Carbon. Still, I'd prefer an all wood blade similar with V1.


Posted By: mhnh007
Date Posted: 12/15/2010 at 9:54am
Hey ThaiLe - I didn't know you are back to play with the Latika again :).  Anyway, I agree with you on the Latika, it's very good on short game.  Push and block are very good.  Looping is good too, but I feel it is a little stiff compare to the YEO, so I like the YEO more on looping, but this does not mean that it is worse then YEO on looping, it's just different, a little stiffer, but a lot less vibration, so other people may like it more than YEO on looping.


Posted By: ThaiLe
Date Posted: 12/15/2010 at 11:46am
@Thot:

You're welcome.  Latika has solid but all wood feel and completely different than Carbon blades.  I never played with Stiga V1 Carbon blade so I can't compare those two.

@mhnh007
:

I tried several blades after I sold both of my Latika.  I could not find that feeling again.  Then I realized that I need to give Latika another try and I am so glad that I did.  I am getting older and injuries started happen so big part of my games is to have a consistent block.  And Latika is perfect in that department.  Another one that came closed to my liking is HK655.  However, it is more powerful and harder for me to control.  On top of that, Latika is a very affordable blade.




Posted By: LOOPMEISTER
Date Posted: 12/15/2010 at 12:01pm
This blade looks interesting to me for a while, but is the Latika ST handle any bigger than the regular Nittaku ST handles (i.e. Acoustic, Rutis, Filmea, etc.)? I like the L-size handles, and I've heard the Tenor has a larger than average ST handle, but I generally don't like the Nittaku handles.

(BTW, I don't like the size of the BTY Innerforce ZLC, ZLF ST handles compared to the Timo Boll series or Photino, etc, which are great.)



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Posted By: ThaiLe
Date Posted: 12/15/2010 at 12:29pm
Originally posted by LOOPMEISTER LOOPMEISTER wrote:

This blade looks interesting to me for a while, but is the Latika ST handle any bigger than the regular Nittaku ST handles (i.e. Acoustic, Rutis, Filmea, etc.)? I like the L-size handles, and I've heard the Tenor has a larger than average ST handle, but I generally don't like the Nittaku handles.

(BTW, I don't like the size of the BTY Innerforce ZLC, ZLF ST handles compared to the Timo Boll series or Photino, etc, which are great.)


Latika ST handle is just slightly bigger than regular Nittaku ST handles but not big enough to make big difference.  However, Latika FL handle is par with L-size.  It is one of the most FL comfy handle, IMO.



Posted By: arg0
Date Posted: 12/15/2010 at 6:27pm
Originally posted by ThaiLe ThaiLe wrote:


Latika has the dimensions of 152mm x 158mm whereas Kasumic Basic is 156mm x 152mm.  This 2mm on Latika makes a huge difference after gluing the rubbers on; at least for me.  It is not head heavy but slightly on the heavy side.  I'd prefer the setup ~ 175grs total and my Latika combo is ~ 185grs.  So I sanded 2mm off the tip of the blade and now my Latika combo is ~ 173grs.  (...) Kasumic Basic, on the other hand, does not have anything special about it.   Just a very basic control blade and slow.  Tons of control and that's pretty much it,.

how comes there is so much difference? once you've sanded 2mm off from latika, isn't it supppsed to be the same as kasumi basic?

-------------
Nexy Arche & Nittaku Violin LG.
Join the forum_posts.asp?TID=47778" rel="nofollow - Nexy Clan !
Also member of Violin & 1-Ply clans.


Posted By: ThaiLe
Date Posted: 12/15/2010 at 7:10pm
Originally posted by arg0 arg0 wrote:

Originally posted by ThaiLe ThaiLe wrote:


Latika has the dimensions of 152mm x 158mm whereas Kasumic Basic is 156mm x 152mm.  This 2mm on Latika makes a huge difference after gluing the rubbers on; at least for me.  It is not head heavy but slightly on the heavy side.  I'd prefer the setup ~ 175grs total and my Latika combo is ~ 185grs.  So I sanded 2mm off the tip of the blade and now my Latika combo is ~ 173grs.  (...) Kasumic Basic, on the other hand, does not have anything special about it.   Just a very basic control blade and slow.  Tons of control and that's pretty much it,.

how comes there is so much difference? once you've sanded 2mm off from latika, isn't it supppsed to be the same as kasumi basic?

I think it is the weight of the rubber; especially Tenergy.



Posted By: arg0
Date Posted: 12/16/2010 at 2:00am
Sorry, didn't get it: if you sand 2mm off Latika, as far as I can tell from the numbers posted above, the head will have the same size as Kasumi Basic. So why should weight of the rubbers make a difference?


-------------
Nexy Arche & Nittaku Violin LG.
Join the forum_posts.asp?TID=47778" rel="nofollow - Nexy Clan !
Also member of Violin & 1-Ply clans.


Posted By: peter79
Date Posted: 12/16/2010 at 2:03am
I use H3 provincial#20 40 deg and 3rd generation outlaw, it's not head heavy on Latika.



-------------
Andro Wanokiwami AO Offensive 83 gr
H3 National Orange 40 deg 2.2
Baracuda Max
182 Gr



Posted By: arg0
Date Posted: 12/16/2010 at 2:09am
Originally posted by peter79 peter79 wrote:

Total weight is 181 gr. Just, really just a bit head heavy which I like for better looping.

Hey peter79,
btw, thanks for the review.

How much more head heavy would you consider Latika wrt Violin?
Also, what is the reason that you still like Violin more?

I am looking at Latika, or Kasumi Basic, as a more affordable replacement for Violin (for a spare blade and for testing rubbers), but I don't like blades to be head heavy. For me, Violin has just the right balance and grip size.


-------------
Nexy Arche & Nittaku Violin LG.
Join the forum_posts.asp?TID=47778" rel="nofollow - Nexy Clan !
Also member of Violin & 1-Ply clans.


Posted By: peter79
Date Posted: 12/16/2010 at 2:23am
My Violin with Thor and Outlaw also feels more head heavy than Latika setup.
Actually I don't mind switching from Violin to Latika and vice versa. I like them both.
The reason I like violin more is because it has better feel than Latika, and it looks better LOL
Strangely I can win more with Latika than Violin.
Since I suffers from shoulder injury, I might go back to Latika since Latika is faster than Violin.

I suggest you to try Latika than Kasumi Basic, looks better.
If you use Sriver EL and Coppa Jo, it will not feel head heavy.
Latika handle is bigger than Violin.


-------------
Andro Wanokiwami AO Offensive 83 gr
H3 National Orange 40 deg 2.2
Baracuda Max
182 Gr



Posted By: arg0
Date Posted: 12/16/2010 at 3:51am
I agree that concerning looks: Violin > Latika > Kasumi Basic.

Actually, I just realised that the handle of both Latika and Kasumi Basic is 102mm. Subtracting that from the total length, the head of Latika is 158mm, while Kasumi Basic is 156mm (same as Violin). Moreover they are both wider than Violin (152mm vs. 149mm). This is why I thought that especially Latika was more head-heavy. But maybe the densitiy of woods is different and the 2mm longer grip was made purposely to balance the extra size of the head.

As to the size of the handle, I would be happy if the ST handle were the same cross section as Violin. According to Nittaku's web site, they are both 23mm high and, looking at the picture of ST that you posted earlier, they seem the same shape to me.

-------------
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Posted By: arg0
Date Posted: 12/17/2010 at 3:37pm
Peter79, how would you compare Latika and Violin in terms of stiffness/flex? I mean, I'd like to try some new rubbers, but I don't want to mess with my Violin, which I now use as main blade. Do you think that if I tried them on Latika and I liked the feel, they'd fit on Violin as well?


-------------
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Posted By: peter79
Date Posted: 12/17/2010 at 10:18pm
Latika is not as stiff as Violin, stiffer than Acoustic.
Latika head size is bigger than Violin. You must buy new rubber.
Sure you will like Latika if you like Violin.
Btw I buy 93 gr Latika, not sure if you buy lighter one.




-------------
Andro Wanokiwami AO Offensive 83 gr
H3 National Orange 40 deg 2.2
Baracuda Max
182 Gr



Posted By: liang1983
Date Posted: 02/20/2011 at 9:51am
anyone can compare Nittaku Latika with TB W7 ?

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Butterfly Photino
Tenergy 05
Tenergy 05


Posted By: arg0
Date Posted: 04/13/2011 at 1:57am
Anybody played with Latika Light? or RATIKARAITO, as it's machine translated on nittaku.com? Tongue
W.r.t. Latika, it has a more compact head, 154 x 148 mm instead of 158 x 152 mm, and weighs 10g less on average, 78g instead of 88g. Same thickness, 5.8 mm.



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Posted By: mon22
Date Posted: 06/20/2011 at 9:58am
does this blade have a annoying *tock sound when you play?

i hate that feeling especially on the stiga OC CR


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I am a total Newb. Come at me!


Posted By: arg0
Date Posted: 06/20/2011 at 10:15am
That's likely the most subjective question I've read on this forum. :)

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Posted By: mon22
Date Posted: 06/20/2011 at 10:32am
how about...

does it have as much vibrations the stiga oc?




-------------
I am a total Newb. Come at me!


Posted By: peter79
Date Posted: 06/20/2011 at 12:11pm
Originally posted by arg0 arg0 wrote:

Anybody played with Latika Light? or RATIKARAITO, as it's machine translated on nittaku.com? Tongue
W.r.t. Latika, it has a more compact head, 154 x 148 mm instead of 158 x 152 mm, and weighs 10g less on average, 78g instead of 88g. Same thickness, 5.8 mm.



If you want to play allwood blade, pick the heavy one, it's more powerful.
I use H3 National blue sponge and Outlaw, it's a very nice combo and it's as powerful as my current setup.

Latika Light probably design for teenagers or ladies since it's lighter. Or it's suitable for using heavy rubbers on both sides.


-------------
Andro Wanokiwami AO Offensive 83 gr
H3 National Orange 40 deg 2.2
Baracuda Max
182 Gr



Posted By: peter79
Date Posted: 06/20/2011 at 12:12pm
Originally posted by mon22 mon22 wrote:

how about...

does it have as much vibrations the stiga oc?




No it doesn't. It has better feel than Korbel, a bit softer, not as much vibration as Korbel.


-------------
Andro Wanokiwami AO Offensive 83 gr
H3 National Orange 40 deg 2.2
Baracuda Max
182 Gr



Posted By: addoydude
Date Posted: 06/21/2011 at 2:26pm
if latika and kasumi basic are basically the same blade just different head sizes, how come kasumi is getting reviewed as a slow, nothing special blade, whereas latika is getting reviewed as powerful and good feel?

if they are really same wood plies, I like the smaller head size of kasumi better - compatible with my current blade head size.

-------------
Yasaka Ma Lin Carbon
H3 NEO / 388-D1


Posted By: peter79
Date Posted: 07/19/2011 at 7:25am
Originally posted by addoydude addoydude wrote:

if latika and kasumi basic are basically the same blade just different head sizes, how come kasumi is getting reviewed as a slow, nothing special blade, whereas latika is getting reviewed as powerful and good feel?

if they are really same wood plies, I like the smaller head size of kasumi better - compatible with my current blade head size.


Hmmm I haven't tried Kasumi Basic, since it's not attractive for my eyes.
The reason that I buy Latika is I like the metal logo on the handle.
I don't expect it to be that nice to play, powerful, has good feel.
Now I'm back using blade again.
I never reuse my old blades other than Violin. Even Acoustic now is history LOL
Latika is different, it's as powerful as ALC/TBS/H.long but has great feel.


-------------
Andro Wanokiwami AO Offensive 83 gr
H3 National Orange 40 deg 2.2
Baracuda Max
182 Gr



Posted By: peter79
Date Posted: 07/19/2011 at 7:31am
Forgot to mention, I have a large hand and long fingers, since the head size near the wing is wider than any other blades that I have tried. I can put my index finger inside the blade without moving it up. Surely this blade is designed for european players, if somebody buy it and sand the head size, I found it very wasteful Cry


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Andro Wanokiwami AO Offensive 83 gr
H3 National Orange 40 deg 2.2
Baracuda Max
182 Gr



Posted By: Anton Chigurh
Date Posted: 07/19/2011 at 11:29am
Originally posted by peter79 peter79 wrote:

Forgot to mention, I have a large hand and long fingers, since the head size near the wing is wider than any other blades that I have tried. I can put my index finger inside the blade without moving it up. Surely this blade is designed for european players, if somebody buy it and sand the head size, I found it very wasteful Cry


Could you compare the Latika handle to another blade, please? For example, is it a similar size to the HK655? Or similar to a Stiga Legend handle?

I have a friend who, like you and I, has large hands. He's very tempted by this blade but has been very disappointed by Nittaku handles in the past.

Thanks!




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Neo H3 40D| Offensive S | Tenergy 80


Posted By: peter79
Date Posted: 07/19/2011 at 11:43am
Originally posted by Anton Chigurh Anton Chigurh wrote:



Could you compare the Latika handle to another blade, please? For example, is it a similar size to the HK655? Or similar to a Stiga Legend handle?

I have a friend who, like you and I, has large hands. He's very tempted by this blade but has been very disappointed by Nittaku handles in the past.

Thanks!


Don't worry about the handle size. It's much bigger than Hking 655. Bigger than most of butterfly FL handle.
Compared with Tenor FL handle, I like Latika FL handle better, it's as big but it's different.
Tenor FL handle is 23.5 mm thick but wider.
Latika FL handle is 24 mm thick but not as wide as Tenor.
So Latika feels more squared while Tenor it's more rectangular.

I just wonder why Ma Long didn't try to use this blade. It's an upgrade version of Acoustic in speed and power.




-------------
Andro Wanokiwami AO Offensive 83 gr
H3 National Orange 40 deg 2.2
Baracuda Max
182 Gr



Posted By: Anton Chigurh
Date Posted: 07/19/2011 at 11:46am
Originally posted by peter79 peter79 wrote:

Originally posted by Anton Chigurh Anton Chigurh wrote:



Could you compare the Latika handle to another blade, please? For example, is it a similar size to the HK655? Or similar to a Stiga Legend handle?

I have a friend who, like you and I, has large hands. He's very tempted by this blade but has been very disappointed by Nittaku handles in the past.

Thanks!


Don't worry about the handle size. It's much bigger than Hking 655. Bigger than most of butterfly FL handle.
Compared with Tenor FL handle, I like Latika FL handle better, it's as big but it's different.
Tenor FL handle is 23.5 mm thick but wider.
Latika FL handle is 24 mm thick but not as wide as Tenor.
So Latika feels more squared while Tenor it's more rectangular.

I just wonder why Ma Long didn't try to use this blade. It's an upgrade version of Acoustic in speed and power.


Cool, thanks peter79.

Looks like this blade will probably suit him very well.




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Neo H3 40D| Offensive S | Tenergy 80


Posted By: peter79
Date Posted: 07/19/2011 at 11:51am
Sometimes we judge blade from the price and model. The more attractive/expensive the blade then we tend to use it as our main weapon.
It happens to me, I feel Violin is more special, more expensive, but it's slower.
I hope I can use Violin as my main weapon, but I have to play more rally point to win a point.
With Latika I can win easier with the same guy I play with.
And sometimes when we loose, we blame on equipment, not our self, and not praising our opponent who plays better than before.


-------------
Andro Wanokiwami AO Offensive 83 gr
H3 National Orange 40 deg 2.2
Baracuda Max
182 Gr



Posted By: arg0
Date Posted: 07/19/2011 at 5:16pm
What happens if you play someone who is stronger than you? when you loose, do you make more points with Latika or with Violin?
I ask because it happened to me that when I played with M. Maze, which is way faster than my usual blade, I was able to win easier against weaker opponents but I lost worse against stronger players.



-------------
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Posted By: addoydude
Date Posted: 07/19/2011 at 5:34pm
a good loss  is still a loss. So why not use the blade that makes your wins easier. A blade that makes your wins harder, would you expect it to convert some of your losses to wins?

-------------
Yasaka Ma Lin Carbon
H3 NEO / 388-D1


Posted By: arg0
Date Posted: 07/19/2011 at 5:58pm
A close win is also still a win.
What I meant is that with M. Maze and T-7 I was able to smash high balls past my opponents like with no other blade. However, against stronger opponents, I was struggling because of the reduced control. So I settled for a slower blade. This means that sometimes I can't do a 3rd ball kill against weaker players, but also that I have more chances against players that are my level.


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Posted By: peter79
Date Posted: 07/19/2011 at 11:28pm
Against a higher level player when you use slower blade, you can at least return the ball/block his loop, stay in the point longer, hoping he make his mistake, but you can't score a winner as easy as using faster blade.
It's a dilema for me too, I also thinking as you do, whether to use slow blade against a better player.

I use Latika against a much better player than me, when i use Violin with H3N, I can't win him a game.
I can win him with Violin with Hexer which I do more 3rd ball attack to win a game.
The last meeting I was 0-3 down and be able to win a game with latika with H3N.
I want to use H3N, so I need a faster blade with good feel.


-------------
Andro Wanokiwami AO Offensive 83 gr
H3 National Orange 40 deg 2.2
Baracuda Max
182 Gr



Posted By: vic#74
Date Posted: 07/20/2011 at 12:47am
How I love to read complimenatry comments about items that I liked very much myself! My Barwell is 80 gr only and since then my 88 gr Latika is too heavy for me with my current rubbers and shoulder injury:( 
I'm about happy that Peter push this greatly undervalued blade into the wide TT masses! Great job!    


-------------
ITC Premier XR
Nittaku Sieger Pk50
Tibhar Evolution EL-S


Posted By: ThaiLe
Date Posted: 07/20/2011 at 12:57am
Latika is definitely an underrated blade.  It is totally worth a try.  It has plenty power and matches well with several different rubbers - Chinese, Euro, or Jap.  Yet, the best of this blade is to block and smash - IMO.  The feel when blocking and smashing the ball of this blade is awesome.  However, what I don't like about this blade is overhead size since it makes the blade head heavy when I pair it with Tenergy.  And the Flared handle of Latika is one of the best Flared handles out there.



Posted By: peter79
Date Posted: 07/20/2011 at 1:20am
Originally posted by vic#74 vic#74 wrote:

How I love to read complimenatry comments about items that I liked very much myself! My Barwell is 80 gr only and since then my 88 gr Latika is too heavy for me with my current rubbers and shoulder injury:( 
I'm about happy that Peter push this greatly undervalued blade into the wide TT masses! Great job!    


If you feel 88 gr is heavy, you may try Latika Light which is about 80 gr as well Wink




-------------
Andro Wanokiwami AO Offensive 83 gr
H3 National Orange 40 deg 2.2
Baracuda Max
182 Gr



Posted By: peter79
Date Posted: 07/20/2011 at 1:42am
Ups, Latika Light is made for junior players.
The head size is only 154x148 mm and the handle is 97x23 mm
Latika has 158x152 mm and the handle is 102x24 mm

@ Thaile: Latika FL handle is one of the most comfortable because most of the blade handle length is 100 mm, Latika is 102 mm, it's 2 mm longer.


-------------
Andro Wanokiwami AO Offensive 83 gr
H3 National Orange 40 deg 2.2
Baracuda Max
182 Gr



Posted By: peter79
Date Posted: 07/20/2011 at 1:50am
After owning 80+ blades so far. Only Latika which feels like it's custom made specially for me.
The balance of the blade, the handle which is not small not too big, just fit perfectly when I hold it.
Some the handle is slimmer, head size not big enough.
Hurricane king 655 is good, I wish I can have Hurricane King with Latika Handle.
Tenor handle is also big but too flat.
Violin/Acoustic L-sized handle the head size is not big enough, handle is ok, as good as Latika.



-------------
Andro Wanokiwami AO Offensive 83 gr
H3 National Orange 40 deg 2.2
Baracuda Max
182 Gr



Posted By: arg0
Date Posted: 07/20/2011 at 1:56am
Actually, if you feel Latika is heavy, you should try Kasumi Basic.
I know the name is unfortunate, but according to Nittaku it's exactly the same blade with a bit smaller head: 156x152 mm instead of 158x152 mm. It is also 3g lighter on average.
Notwithstanding, there is little love on this forum for poor Kasumi Basic. Thumbs Down
I haven't tried either, but I suppose that, due to the bigger head, Latika is more head heavy than Kasumi Basic.



-------------
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Posted By: peter79
Date Posted: 07/20/2011 at 2:17am
Originally posted by arg0 arg0 wrote:

Actually, if you feel Latika is heavy, you should try Kasumi Basic.
I know the name is unfortunate, but according to Nittaku it's exactly the same blade with a bit smaller head: 156x152 mm instead of 158x152 mm. It is also 3g lighter on average.
Notwithstanding, there is little love on this forum for poor Kasumi Basic. Thumbs Down
I haven't tried either, but I suppose that, due to the bigger head, Latika is more head heavy than Kasumi Basic.



I found my setup is not that head heavy, more to balanced side, only slightly head heavy.
Blade 93 Gr, rubber 90 gr. which is 45 gr per rubber.
I can't imagine if I use 40 gr rubber on Latika, it will feel handle heavy.
Kazumi Basic head size is smaller than Latika, which is only suitable for heavy rubbers.
Light rubber will make the blade handle heavy.

Kong Ling Hui 5 ply blade has a compact head size, because it's designed to be paired with Tackfire Special which is a heavy rubbers.


-------------
Andro Wanokiwami AO Offensive 83 gr
H3 National Orange 40 deg 2.2
Baracuda Max
182 Gr



Posted By: Anton Chigurh
Date Posted: 07/20/2011 at 2:24am
Both my friend and I each purchased a Latika. Big smile

I hope we find it fits our games as well as it does your, peter79.

I think it will since I've only heard good things about this blade, and I love the fact that it isn't obscenely expensive. Clap

Hearing you talk about the handle alone has me excited to try it. LOL



-------------
Neo H3 40D| Offensive S | Tenergy 80


Posted By: peter79
Date Posted: 07/20/2011 at 2:35am
Originally posted by Anton Chigurh Anton Chigurh wrote:

Both my friend and I each purchased a Latika. Big smile

I hope we find it fits our games as well as it does your, peter79.

I think it will since I've only heard good things about this blade, and I love the fact that it isn't obscenely expensive. Clap

Hearing you talk about the handle alone has me excited to try it. LOL



After you try it, you may post your impression of this blade in this thread Big smile
I just can't keep silence/selfish not letting everybody know how good this blade is.
I hope it will become a classic blade like Korbel, it plays much better than Korbel anyway.
Korbel FL handle really terrible but butterfly still keep producing it, it means it sell well until now.
Who knows Latika will outsell Korbel soon LOL




-------------
Andro Wanokiwami AO Offensive 83 gr
H3 National Orange 40 deg 2.2
Baracuda Max
182 Gr



Posted By: arg0
Date Posted: 07/20/2011 at 2:42am
Maybe I'm repeating myself but can you compare the balance of violin and latika with the same rubbers? If you also could throw acoustic in the comparison that would be great.

-------------
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Posted By: peter79
Date Posted: 07/20/2011 at 2:57am
Originally posted by arg0 arg0 wrote:

Maybe I'm repeating myself but can you compare the balance of violin and latika with the same rubbers? If you also could throw acoustic in the comparison that would be great.


What I compare is Latika vs Acoustic L-sized and Violin L-sized.
Since the Violin/Acoustic L-sized head size is much smaller than Latika, I must make the rubber heavier by adding more layers of glue.
As a comparsion:

Violin L-sized 88 gr
Rubber: 92 Gr
Total setup 180 Gr
The rubber weight 4 gr heavier than the blade to make it slightly head heavy.

While Latika 93 Gr
Rubbers: 90 Gr
Athough the rubber is 3 gr lighter than the blade it's already feel slightly head heavy.

Acoustic L-sized 95 Gr
Rubbers: 92 Gr
With this setup, it feels handle heavy, if I want to make it head heavy, I must add 3-4 gr of glue which make total setup 191 gr Cry


-------------
Andro Wanokiwami AO Offensive 83 gr
H3 National Orange 40 deg 2.2
Baracuda Max
182 Gr



Posted By: arg0
Date Posted: 07/20/2011 at 3:06am
Thanks a lot for the info. I'll weigh my own rubbers next time I unglue, so I will be able to compare.
Correct me if I'm wrong but L-size only means that the handle is thicker, whereas the head size is the same as in the regular versions, isn't it?
In this case, it looks like your Acoustic L is rather heavy!


-------------
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Posted By: peter79
Date Posted: 07/20/2011 at 3:11am
The handle is Thicker but the head size is smaller than regular version Cry
Most of Acoustic L-sized weight 90-95 Gr
Yeah mine is the heaviest LOL
I have unused 93 gr though.


-------------
Andro Wanokiwami AO Offensive 83 gr
H3 National Orange 40 deg 2.2
Baracuda Max
182 Gr



Posted By: Yakult
Date Posted: 07/20/2011 at 3:27am
I agree, Latika is a really good blade with its large and comfortable FL handle. Thumbs Up
I have been using it nearly 2 months now and pairing in with Acuda S1 on FH , Tenergy64 on BH.
Will order another Latika for my back up because I often hit the table during matches


-------------
defense alpha

bluefire m1 2.0

grass d.tecs ox





Posted By: vic#74
Date Posted: 07/20/2011 at 3:44am
Originally posted by arg0 arg0 wrote:

Notwithstanding, there is little love on this forum for poor Kasumi Basic. Thumbs Down
I haven't tried either, but I suppose that, due to the bigger head, Latika is more head heavy than Kasumi Basic.

In my opinion, it's head size that makes Latika some kind of outstanding blade. It helps blocking a lot. Kasumi Basic should be not so good in this part, I guess. I never felt that Latika could be head heavy, but with T05*2 everything is possible.  
And Latika ST handle  - is very very comfy!


-------------
ITC Premier XR
Nittaku Sieger Pk50
Tibhar Evolution EL-S


Posted By: scdit46
Date Posted: 07/20/2011 at 12:16pm
has it other model of Lattika? Lattika light?


Posted By: ThaiLe
Date Posted: 07/20/2011 at 1:43pm
Originally posted by scdit46 scdit46 wrote:

has it other model of Lattika? Lattika light?

Yes, Nittaku came out with Latika Light few months ago.  I never played with it but I was told it is not the same as Latika in terms of power and feel.



Posted By: scdit46
Date Posted: 07/20/2011 at 1:54pm
Originally posted by ThaiLe ThaiLe wrote:

Originally posted by scdit46 scdit46 wrote:

has it other model of Lattika? Lattika light?

Yes, Nittaku came out with Latika Light few months ago.  I never played with it but I was told it is not the same as Latika in terms of power and feel.




In the web of Nittaku I haven´t see lattika light.


Posted By: arg0
Date Posted: 07/20/2011 at 2:13pm
It's transliterated as "ratikaraito". It's a junior blade, both the head size and the handle are smaller.
Here it is (awfully long link): http://www15.j-server.com/LUCNITTAKU/ns/tl.cgi/http%3a//www.nittaku.com/products/racket/ne6871.html?SLANG=ja&TLANG=en&XMODE=0&XCHARSET=x-sjis - http://www15.j-server.com/LUCNITTAKU/ns/tl.cgi/http%3a//www.nittaku.com/products/racket/ne6871.html?SLANG=ja&TLANG=en&XMODE=0&XCHARSET=x-sjis

EDIT: added link


-------------
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Posted By: peter79
Date Posted: 07/20/2011 at 11:25pm
My 3rd generation outlaw crack again, no more outlaw for me. Now I use Roxon 500 pro on Backhand again, curious how it plays compared to outlaw and how fast is it on Latika compared to Violin and H.king.

-------------
Andro Wanokiwami AO Offensive 83 gr
H3 National Orange 40 deg 2.2
Baracuda Max
182 Gr



Posted By: Anton Chigurh
Date Posted: 07/21/2011 at 12:48am
I received my Latika today. It weighed 88.6 grams and after sealing it now weighs 89.4. I coated the edge with 7 layers of superglue (like a permanent, more durable edge tape for protection) but that didn't affect the weight.

The blade is quite similar to another I use: The XIOM Offensive S.

They're both the same amount of plies (5) with (I think!) the same woods: limba, spruce, ayous. Both are finished superbly.

However, the Latika is 5.8mm with a thicker core than the Offensive S, but much thinner spruce and limba plies. (Conversely, the Offensive S has a thinner core but notably thicker spruce and limba plies.) The Offensive S is 6.1mm, which is pushing my threshold for thickness.

The Offensive S is rated OFF and the Latika is rated OFF-. I am interested to see how the same woods with different constructions affect play (or if it's even noticeable, which I doubt it will be). One will probably be faster and that's it.




-------------
Neo H3 40D| Offensive S | Tenergy 80


Posted By: peter79
Date Posted: 07/21/2011 at 1:05am
You can try comparing both blades by bouncing the ball, which is faster?
Is the handle big enough for your big hand? Wink


-------------
Andro Wanokiwami AO Offensive 83 gr
H3 National Orange 40 deg 2.2
Baracuda Max
182 Gr



Posted By: Anton Chigurh
Date Posted: 07/21/2011 at 1:19am
Originally posted by peter79 peter79 wrote:

You can try comparing both blades by bouncing the ball, which is faster?
Is the handle big enough for your big hand? Wink


I have rubber on one but not the other so the bounce test is unfeasible right now.

The handle is great, especially for Nittaku.

My only wish is that the wings be sanded back at a more extreme angle, like XIOM blades. It allows for a more comfortable grip. (Essentially, it makes the handles longer since you can grip a little deeper.)

But that is a trivial complaint. Overall, the handle is great and the blade is beautiful.

I was looking for something similar to the Offensive S but just a little slower. This looks like it be be exactly that.

Now I just need to wait a bit so I can afford to put some rubbers on it. Cry




-------------
Neo H3 40D| Offensive S | Tenergy 80


Posted By: arg0
Date Posted: 07/21/2011 at 1:29am
It would be nice if somebody could figure out what the 2nd and 4th plies of Latika are. So far I've read they could be spruce (previous post by Anton) or limba. I don't have a Latika at hand, but it should be rather easy to tell whether the 1st and 2nd plies are the same wood: if so, the 2nd ply is limba. If not, it may be spruce.
Any ideas?


-------------
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Posted By: peter79
Date Posted: 07/21/2011 at 1:47am
Originally posted by Anton Chigurh Anton Chigurh wrote:

I have rubber on one but not the other so the bounce test is unfeasible right now.

The handle is great, especially for Nittaku.

My only wish is that the wings be sanded back at a more extreme angle, like XIOM blades. It allows for a more comfortable grip. (Essentially, it makes the handles longer since you can grip a little deeper.)

But that is a trivial complaint. Overall, the handle is great and the blade is beautiful.

I was looking for something similar to the Offensive S but just a little slower. This looks like it be be exactly that.

Now I just need to wait a bit so I can afford to put some rubbers on it. Cry


Latika Head size is wider near the wing side, so you must buy a new rubber. Or if you have previous tenor cut rubber, it will fit on Latika.
However I managed to put Hking headsize cut to fit Latika.
I cut the bottom of the rubber which has marking by 4 mm, so the whole surface near the wing area is covered with rubber now Wink


-------------
Andro Wanokiwami AO Offensive 83 gr
H3 National Orange 40 deg 2.2
Baracuda Max
182 Gr



Posted By: Anton Chigurh
Date Posted: 07/26/2011 at 3:21am
Played with my Latika for the first time tonight, Blit'z max on both sides.

It's an excellent blade. It does everything well, has a great handle, and has a very nice feel. Thanks for the review and the suggestion. Other than changing my BH rubber to 2.0mm, this will be my permanent shakehand setup.




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Neo H3 40D| Offensive S | Tenergy 80


Posted By: arg0
Date Posted: 07/26/2011 at 3:24am
Wow, that's love at first sight! What were you using before?

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Nexy Arche & Nittaku Violin LG.
Join the forum_posts.asp?TID=47778" rel="nofollow - Nexy Clan !
Also member of Violin & 1-Ply clans.


Posted By: peter79
Date Posted: 07/26/2011 at 3:28am
Originally posted by Anton Chigurh Anton Chigurh wrote:

Played with my Latika for the first time tonight, Blit'z max on both sides.

It's an excellent blade. It does everything well, has a great handle, and has a very nice feel. Thanks for the review and the suggestion. Other than changing my BH rubber to 2.0mm, this will be my permanent shakehand setup.




I'm glad that you like like it Smile
It's really enjoyable for me if people has the same opinion and really enjoy the blade that I recommend them Big smile


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Andro Wanokiwami AO Offensive 83 gr
H3 National Orange 40 deg 2.2
Baracuda Max
182 Gr



Posted By: Anton Chigurh
Date Posted: 07/26/2011 at 3:46am
Originally posted by arg0 arg0 wrote:

Wow, that's love at first sight! What were you using before?


For the last 4 months I've been using a Rosewood NCT V but modified as a SuperCpen.

My attention can wander though, and for now I'm playing shakehand again. I played shakehand for 3 years before using the SuperCpen. When I played shakehand I EJed a lot but almost always stayed with 5-ply all wood.

One of my all time favorites was the Acoustic so it's probably not a huge surprise that I like the Latika so much. Smile




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Neo H3 40D| Offensive S | Tenergy 80


Posted By: nick_wolf1
Date Posted: 10/17/2011 at 2:44pm
Received my Latika today, 88 g. Out of the package build quality looks top notch. The handle feels great.
I have a question to Latika owners.
Does the blade need to be sealed before gluing to prevent splintering? I'm going to use Donic Formula First VOC free glue. I've used it on my TBS without sealing and never had any trouble.



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