Nittaku Violin vs Tibhar Samsonov Force Pro Black Edition: Which Should You Buy?
| Nittaku Violin | Tibhar Samsonov Force Pro Black Edition | |
|---|---|---|
| Our rating | 8.4/10 | 8.2/10 |
| feel | Soft, warm and flexible with long dwell, premium hand-crafted Japanese all-wood feedback | mild hard, uniform vibration, linear rebound |
| handle | FL | FL / ST |
| plies | 5-ply all wood (Kiri core with White Ash outer plies) | 7-ply all wood (limba-ayous-ayous-ayous-ayous-ayous-limba) |
| speed | ALL+ | OFF- |
| thickness_mm | 5.3 | 6.6-6.7mm |
| type | ALL+ | — |
| weight_g | 86 | 83-90g (avg ~87g) |
Tibhar Samsonov Force Pro Black Edition
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Nittaku Violin (8.4) slightly outpaces Tibhar Samsonov Force Pro Black Edition (8.2) in versatility and premium positioning. Violin emphasizes exceptional control and pinpoint placement with premium hand-crafted Japanese all-wood feel. Warm, soft feel with long dwell time excels at looping and close-to-mid distance all-round play. Flexible 5-ply all-wood construction comes alive with tensor rubbers, excellent technique-building blade.
Samsonov Force Pro delivers outstanding price-to-performance ratio for a quality 7-ply all-wood blade. Linear, predictable rebound makes timing forgiving and consistent with excellent blocking control and good forgiveness on off-center contact. Uniform feel across entire blade surface per lab testing, versatile for looping, hitting and blocking. Works well with wide rubber range including tensor and sticky.
Both are all-wood with different ply counts and philosophies. Samsonov Force Pro’s 7-ply is slightly head-heavy, unsuitable for beginners without solid fundamentals. Speed ceiling is lower than carbon for players wanting maximum pace, and spin generation marginally reduced versus softer blades. Violin is more flexible and controlled; Samsonov Force Pro is stiffer and faster. Choose Violin for development; choose Samsonov Force Pro if upgrading from 5-ply all-wood wanting more speed without carbon.
FAQ
Why does Samsonov Force Pro have 7 plies?
7-ply construction adds speed and consistency versus 5-ply, though increases weight and head-heaviness.
Is Samsonov Force Pro good value?
Yes. Outstanding price-to-performance for intermediate attackers stepping up from 5-ply all-wood blades.
Which is better for beginners?
Violin. Samsonov Force Pro’s weight and stiffness require solid fundamentals.
Which generates more feel?
Violin’s flexible, soft character provides more feedback and dwell. Samsonov Force Pro is linear and direct.
Can I use Samsonov Force Pro on carbon blades?
Yes. Works well with wide rubber range, though lacks the speed baseline of dedicated carbon blades.