I’m new to yoyo-ing and all I know is this is the type of yoyo I was told to get by my boyfriend (CLYW). Does anyone have a “fools gold” CLYW return top for sale? A CLYW that has been used? This is just so I can start to learn and see if I really want to get into yoyo-ing, or any suggestions on what type of yoyo I should get?
If you really just want to try out yoyoing then you should get a cheaper plastic yoyo like the yoyofactory whip or the yoyojam surge. You might not want to invest in a CLYW yet, even if it is a Fools Gold one (They are fools gold because they are as good as the normal ones)
Just curious, but how much about yoyoing do you already know? As in tricks and maintenance.
I’m all about CLYW and yes they are amazing in that they are ridiculously stable (which keeps the yoyo on its axis even on a sloppy throw), smooth (with a solid color you cant even tell if its spinning) , carry a ton of momentum (to plow through layers of strings), the owner is a nice guy who responds to inquiries and they look really neat.
All that being said…I strongly recommend for your first yoyo getting an Adegle PSG. http://shop.yoyoexpert.com/product/571/Adegle-PSG
Personally I have the Purple Gem one and it looks pretty sweet. You can learn all the tricks in the book on this yoyo and its only $13 + shipping. Plus if you ding it up on the concrete its no big deal because its so cheap. PLUS it has a great bearing seat which means you can easily replace the bearing if you want to upgrade it a little bit.
If money is no issue then yeah get your self a CLYW Chief like mine pictured below!
For first yoyo, buy some responsive plastic like the journey from yoyojam, for a second yoyo buy some cheap metal like the shutter
I don’t think you need to get a plastic yoyo first if you don’t want to. I also dislike the Whip and the PSG so they wouldn’t be my recommendations in the first place. There’s nothing WRONG with getting a plastic as your first yoyo, but I believe you should get the equipment that motivates you. If you have a boyfriend with a collection of metal yoyos, you probably already know you like them. No chance he’ll just give you one of his? 
(not to start dissention within your ranks…)
Worth noting: not every CLYW is stable as memoria says… you can find more stable yoyos than the Wooly Marmot and Gnarwhal without trying too hard. They’re great yoyos, though. I have a few CLYW and they’re some of my favourites. By all means, if one comes along for cheap, I’m not trying to dissuade you here.
I think there are budget-friendly metal options… they’ll cost more, but still less than even a used Fool’s Gold CLYW. The Shutter is an obvious choice, and the new CZM8. Then there’s the lineup of yoyos by Yoyofficer. I really love the Werrd Minute. CLYW definitely isn’t the only company to be looking at.
In my opinion C3 Speedaholic is a great way to try out yo-yoing and not spend a lot of money. When you are ready and if you really want a CLYW you will find one.
Agreed with GregP! I’m not gonna quote cause it’s long and it’s right up there ^^^^^^^^.
Something to remember is that, being new, you’ll probably smack your new yoyo on the ground… More than once. Especially when learning to bind. You’ll fine that sometimes a bind isn’t very tight and the next throw will cause the yoyo to shoot to the ground with very little resistance. Then It slams the floor and you’re left wondering why you spent $125 on a yoyo that you beat up.
Start cheaper, but not bottom of the barrel. The really cheap plastics can be fun, but they can also be frustrating for beginners.
Do a myy n12 or c3 speedoholcic or upgraded yyj classic or some cheap metal off the bst.
I wouldn’t suggest a clyw til later in ur yoyoing career cuz u won’t want to damage something that expensive.
Unless you’re like me and you just assume you’re not going to smash the living bejeeziz out of it and you start throwing your yoyos everywhere including over concrete… right from day one. (dinged a few, but still have yet to smash the living bejeeziz out of one!)
We all approach spending, maintenance, and all that kind of stuff differently. Which is why I never assume someone just wants a cheap plastic simply because they’re a beginner.
true, and there are some really amazing cheap plastics that work well for beginners especially the yyj classic.
True fact. My only beef with the Classic for beginners is that there’s a lot of 'splainin to do. The very phrase, “When you’re ready for unresponsive play, just swap out the response and bearing” makes no sense to a beginner.
But it’s a great yoyo for anybody at any level! I had the pleasure of seeing Eric Koloski doing some beast things with it while just mucking about.
If you’re looking for a great cheapish metal yo-yo then get a benchmark! They’re made by my favorite brand(ik it says that Ape-x is my fav yoyo but i looooove one drop) and for $60 its a great deal compared to the shutter.
Possibly try a RecRev. Tons of stability especially on the freq. wave and “@”. Not expensive but they play like they are. Especially the Neuae! Don’t have it, but have heard good things about it. And at $32, why not!
(I just convinced myself to buy one. Doggone it.)
That’s very true. But that’s why we r here to help 
I believe in starting with a responsive yoyo. Starting with an unresponsive takes away from the experience and you lose elements that you would have gained, had you started responsive.
Nah. Well, maybe. I started responsive. But I don’t think you have to. To me that’s one of those “it SEEMS intuitive to do it that way, so it must be correct” kind of perspectives. I agree that it’s intuitive to believe starting responsive is beneficial… but at the end of the day I think the benefits are eclipsed by the benefit of having fun. If responsive play is fun for someone, it’s a great way to start. If they find it more fun to puzzle through binding and then moving onto other string tricks, great.
It’s not a race, so whichever path is more fun is the right one.
Lots of people out there believe that you should learn to sight-read music before (or as a part of) learning an instrument. But man… a lot of guitarists are banging out great songs and having a blast just from learning a handful of chords. There’s no “right” place to start anything.
If on the other hand that person wanted to be a concert musician or composer… well, with a very few exceptions they’d better get those sight-reading fundamentals and music theory in order!
Each situation is different. No formula applies to everyone.