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| Review of Friendship 563 https://ooakforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=42&t=15468 |
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| Author: | ian demagi [ 28 Mar 2011, 11:52 ] |
| Post subject: | Review of Friendship 563 |
Review of RITC 563 (medium pips out) About me: I am an All Around player-Modern defender although I can play any style. At my best I was an “A” player about 1900-2000 (on the rise when my father unexpectedly passed away which put table tennis on hold for many years). I started out using inverted on both sides but switched to pips out on my backhand to help me return spinney serves and slow loops. I have used Feint 1.5, Phantom 009, Yasaka A1 pips out 2.2, Stiga Radical 2.0, Friendship 802 2.0, Friendship 837 1.0 (and inverted-many types). I use inverted on my forehand, and like Juic 999 elite (red 2.2). I definitely will attack weak balls to my backhand with any rubber I am using at the moment. I twiddle often, and want a rubber different from my extremely spinney inverted loops (and chops). Physical Properties: I am reviewing black 1.5 (which the piece I got is more like 1.7, but that’s OK). I have 35 degree sponge from Zeropong, and it has some “cushion to it. It is good looking right out of the package and mounts on my Yi Yong Fan Extra (Off -) blade very easily. The pips have some give to them but no where near the 837 and not as hard as the 802. The 563 is not sticky like Stiga Radical but seems to share the same “give” in the pips which I find very interesting. My own test before I take it to the table: I always give a rubber a spin test before I take it to the table. I drop the ball onto the paddle, and then spin it. The 563 does create some spin. When I drop it onto the Juic 999 And then catch it with the 563 there is a very little backspin or barely turning dead spin (very slow spin), so I am reckoning that the claim that it scrubs off the incoming spin and sends out a little of its own is probably a valid claim. It also seems valid that it will provide some disruption/deception. This is good since I can provide a good amount on my own without the rubbers help. Strategy: I am most interested in being able to hit pushes or heavy chops that bounce over net height, and being able to push or chop with it until I can set up my own attack. For me it does not need to be screaming fast when I attack with it; what it does need to be is really dead! There are times when I will serve (backhand pendulum) or twiddle my paddle so that I can flat hit with the 563 on my forehand. This ball needs to be very dead for me to be successful! It also needs to hit the other side of the table a great majority of the time! I do this with long pips, but miss too many. When I do it with short pips, it’s not dead enough off the Radical or 802. When I try to smash the ball too hard I miss way too many, so deader is better for me! To the table! Playing a player who serves very fast and deep into my backhand, I find the 563 very good at returning his serves. Bad pushes and blocks are easily flicked away for winners (a “flick” from my area is a shot that is an abbreviated smash, with short to no back swing, a lot of wrist, and a little body turn). Counter driving loops is OK, not great, but that might be “operator error.” Chopping is very easy with 563. You can brush the ball and get moderate back spin. If your opponent sends you a heavy loop this can be chop pretty well with decent under spin. You are probably not going to “bury your opponent in the net” very often with 563 like you might with long pips spin reversal (or a good inverted chop). What you can do with it is smash slow spinney loops or chops or pushes that “sit up.” Twiddling the paddle for variety when I played a push blocker let me hit a very low trajectory topspin drive that was accurate and pretty dead (yea!). This is good for me because it is very different from my forehand loop. Speed The 563 off the Yi Yong Fan Extra (Off- blade) is not going to win any speed records. The YYFX is a medium fast blade with a nice sweet spot and the 563 is a good marriage with this blade. The throw angle is pretty low. Spin Spin is modest, certainly not what Stiga Radical or RITC 802 can produce, but much better than long pips like RITC 837. Some of this might be due to the 35 degree sponge. Chops and pushes carry moderate amounts of spin. Loops against top spin are slow and soft carrying a modest amount of spin. Against good attacking players this is probably a poor choice- also flat hitting is such a better option for an attacking stroke with this rubber. Control Control whether attacking or defending is excellent. Topspin drives and blocks can be cut with some side spin without fear of going off the table. Summary This rubber excels at attacking through spin at the table. I would not deep chop with it like with a long pip (or inverted rubber) because of modest spin reversal. It is probably best for a modern chopper who shallow chops, looking to pick hit a weak push/drop shot, or if an attacker gets careless with a slow loop. I have seen Miao Miao do very well playing close to the table- blocking and hitting with 563. Deception is modest, but there, and it is good if the player can provide some of his own deception by twiddling. The rubber does provide the “celebrated sink” that most medium pips rubbers share when hitting. I am not a chop blocker (a skill that I don’t have), but I assume a player who was good at this could do well with 1.5mm sponge or thinner. In all I like it because it fits my skill set. A more aggressive player might like 802, 802-40, or Stiga Radical better (faster and spinier). A long pip defender might truly miss the features that long pips provide. With 563, you need to help it provide the deception which comes more off attacking strokes (flat hits and topspin drives) than push or blocks. For me, Its just about perfect. On my back hand, I am looking to lure my opponent into making safe attacking shots that I can ruthlessly attack with dead spin. I am looking for a rubber that is vastly different than inverted when I attack, and Friendship 563 fills the bill nicely. My hunch is that it works better for players who have very wristy type shots. Ian |
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| Author: | Bogart45 [ 04 Apr 2011, 12:48 ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Review of Friendship 563 |
Thanks for the review. I've used the 563-1 but I think I'm gonna have to revisit it and try the 563 with the new #35 sponge. |
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| Author: | dazzler [ 04 Apr 2011, 16:16 ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Review of Friendship 563 |
i`ve played against this rubber although ox thickness,really awkward floating balls that never came over the end of the table so it was difficult to do much with them.i think your right about it suiting `wristy `players as this was the hitting style of this player |
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| Author: | ian demagi [ 05 Apr 2011, 07:59 ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Review of Friendship 563 |
Bogart, what did you think of the 563.1? And thanks, Ian |
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| Author: | Bogart45 [ 05 Apr 2011, 15:19 ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Review of Friendship 563 |
The 563-1 was great for flat hitting, blocking, pushing, and serve return. Was poor in high smashes (the right angle was too hard to find) and chopping (too fast). I want to try it again now that I know how to sideswipe high smashes which I learned from using anti. And I want to try chopping again on a slower blade. The slower sponge may help as well. I was using a 1.0mm HRS sponge. 563-1 is supposed to be less sensitive to spin, but also creates less spin. Flat hits and blocks against topspin produced a skidding, sinking, dead ball, and could be very accuately placed. I loved the low throw for blocks. With the 1.0mm sponge, against powerloops, it produced quite a wobble ball too. |
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| Author: | ian demagi [ 06 Apr 2011, 00:19 ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Review of Friendship 563 |
In comparing the 563 to 802, I find as I play with it more it really has less spin-I would not say a lot, but less enough to notice. I need to play a really good looper to see what, if any, spin reversal it gives. Ian |
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| Author: | ian demagi [ 06 Apr 2011, 20:46 ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Review of Friendship 563 |
Bogart45 wrote: The 563-1 was great for flat hitting, blocking, pushing, and serve return. Was poor in high smashes (the right angle was too hard to find) and chopping (too fast). I want to try it again now that I know how to sideswipe high smashes which I learned from using anti. And I want to try chopping again on a slower blade. The slower sponge may help as well. I was using a 1.0mm HRS sponge. 563-1 is supposed to be less sensitive to spin, but also creates less spin. Flat hits and blocks against topspin produced a skidding, sinking, dead ball, and could be very accuately placed. I loved the low throw for blocks. With the 1.0mm sponge, against powerloops, it produced quite a wobble ball too. Did you get any spin reversal off the 563.1? Ian |
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| Author: | Bogart45 [ 07 Apr 2011, 06:01 ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Review of Friendship 563 |
I'm going to play with it again this Sunday on my slower blade. I'll let you know about reversal on regular blocks. |
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| Author: | ian demagi [ 07 Apr 2011, 07:47 ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Review of Friendship 563 |
Many Thanks! Ian |
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| Author: | Bogart45 [ 12 Apr 2011, 02:28 ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Review of Friendship 563 |
I didn't see much reversal on straight blocks. Looks like a no spin ball or gentle backspin. Could be my technique though. I'm going to stick with my anti though. For me 563 is great for blocking, but I'm still missing too many easy putaways with it. |
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| Author: | ian demagi [ 13 Apr 2011, 01:09 ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Review of Friendship 563 |
I am the other way, I am missing my 802 which has "more gears" both on pushing/ chopping and certainly attacking. I may like the 35 degree sponge more than the top sheet. to really find out I would have to buy a sheet of 802-40. Conjurs up an image of a frowning wife with a bank statement....LOL, Ian |
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| Author: | josephs [ 01 May 2011, 08:42 ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Review of Friendship 563 |
It's interesting that you found 563 good for chopping, as I find it probably the worst rubber for chopping. 799 was much easier for me, as well as just about any other short pips. Overall, I like 563, though I had problems with it bottoming out when I block fast loops. I ordered the 1.8mm from Coles TT -- we'll see how that works. |
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| Author: | ian demagi [ 02 May 2011, 05:25 ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Review of Friendship 563 |
It chopped pretty great for me. It was more of a dead spin or lightly turning chop rather than a heavily spun chop. I have spent a good deal of time as a long pip chopper so it was pretty easy for me. I could get more spin from 802 & 802-40 & certainly long pip rubber. The problem for me was with power loops. I could continue to chop but could not win the point unless I countered or twiddled- both pretty high risk for me. Ian |
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| Author: | josephs [ 05 May 2011, 03:56 ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Review of Friendship 563 |
I take back my previous comment about it not chopping well. I chops fine. I tried again the other day. Here's a question: do you find it inconsistent to play with? Sometimes my ball will project much lower than expected and go right into the net. Blocking is the same. |
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| Author: | roundrobin [ 05 May 2011, 05:18 ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Review of Friendship 563 |
Friendship 563 is a close to the table hitting rubber. Our coach Tawny Banh uses it. She a 13-time US national team member and two-time Olympian (rated over 2500 in her prime), so 563 is certainly a very capable rubber. She attacks most serves with it, long or short, and punch-block most loops that come to her backhand. The key to use it is to have the correct angle upon contact so you can hit or block aggressively. A solid contact is crucial... You can't brush the ball like using an inverted rubber. Footwork is everything to use this rubber effectively. If you are not in position to execute a solid hit or block you can't simply "fish" the ball back by adding spin like an inverted rubber. It's actually not an ideal chopping rubber because the pips are not firm enough to produce/vary spin on its own, and they also do not bend enough to slow down strong attacks. What's made for is to attack serves and control your opponent's spinny attacks at the table. |
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