What are your guy’s thoughts on them? They are the original #1 right? Doesn’t look like it to me? The only yoyos I see people really talk about is their FHZ and people prefer them to be modded. At Worlds they have the biggest sign right in the middle of the stage but they don’t have more than 4-5 high end metals and I never see one listed as a favorite yoyo or one get hyped about. CLYW is run by one person and it looks like he makes way more metals. I mean they must be making money but I really feel like they got some weird marketing schemes going. What is it they just want to stick with good ol’ plastic? The biggest hype that I saw came from them recently was the light up die and FHZ. I got that. Plays like a plastic with bad response stickers but its cool that it lights up I guess.
There aren’t too many stores in the United States where you can’t find an imperial or butterfly. They are the only brand that is widely available in the yoyo world.
Duncan is awesome… I think you forgot the de-luxxe line, which includes the raptor, echo, and metropolis. All great metals for budget prices, and many people like them alot.
The new FHZ Pulse was easily made unresponsive with a Terrapin X A+ Beefcake kit. Affordable, just swap the bearing out with the beefcake set and screwback together, no further changes required.
I have the Momentum, which for me has been a fantastic playing D-sized bearing. The Metropolis is good but I found it ate strings so I am having DUncan replace it, but at the rate they are going, it’s gonna be slow going. It plays otherwise amazing. I might just do the Denim rub-down to fix the issue. I also have eyes on the Raptor and Echo.
They also make many other “high end” metals that are great players.
There’s nothing wrong with Duncan as a company. I think they are seeing the light at the end of the tunnel and are finally adapting to the modern yoyo market. The Butterfly XT shows forward thought in retro designs. If they are willing to tweak a classic, who knows what else they are willing to do.
I did mention “4-5 high end metals”. You would just think… them being the first and always around seeing the community and the trends that they would be more like YYF or something…
I think Duncan, so some extent, has been a bit unwilling to stay up with the market and trends.
The Raptor, Echo and Metropolis and their other high end metals show that they are perfectly capable of staying with the market trends. HOwever, the FHZ in it’s current configuration shows an unwillingness to move forward. It’s almost like they need two models: a responsive model and then an unresponsive FHZ mold as well. Oh well, it keeps modders working and making money!
Duncan is also part of a much larger company that doesn’t see yoyo being a big part of their business these days, and honestly, it won’t really be either. As such, I’m sure R&D funds are limited. They do sponsor a bunch of players so they know how to attract attention to themselves. Plus, Hank Freeman winning 3A Worlds in 2011 clearly shows Duncan is in fact at the top of the world when it comes to yoyos.
Smaller companies, or at least purpose-built companies, such as many of the brands carried by YYE, are in fact yoyo companies, so their purpose is to make and move yoyos. Their flexibility is only hindered by creativity and the ability to prototype and test.
key word here is original. originally, they where the worlds number one. the Raptor plays just as good as anything else i own, and the Exit 8 is incredible. Duncan don’t get the rep they deserve
So to address a question: A company doesn’t have to constantly focus on making metal yo-yos to be a successful high end company. It’s good that they focus hugely on plastics and gateway yo-yos.
To address the FHZ, it was a revolutionary yo-yo because of the possibilities it possessed. It was, say a modern take on the classic butterfly shape. They now recognize that people do indeed prefer them modded and the players of their crew mod their FHZs themselves as well. Just because it’s the most famous doesn’t mean it’s their “best”
They were the original yo-yo company of America and to this day they are still the number one yo-yo company to the general public. They do have every right to make a claim like that.
Finally, you have to realize that Duncan isn’t a company whose goal is to appeal to the professional player, they’re goal is to appeal to everyone. That ranges from true yo-yo players to the general mainstream public. Their crew wasn’t created to win competitions and stuff but have a team of people that share the goal of spreading the skill toys love.
Another thing, you have to remember that Duncan is not just a yo-yo company. They are probably working on other skill toys at the moment.
And to add to that, Duncan is owned by Flambeau, a company that makes and specializes in plastic products. So it should be of no surprise that Duncan should make mostly plastic yo-yo’s.
They probably have the largest sign because they are the largest sponsor of Worlds. Not too sure about that though…
I can name 9 good Duncan metals off the top of my head. 6 are high end metals, and 3 perform just as well as high end metals.
Have you seen my favorite yo-yo listed under my name? That’s right. It’s a Duncan.
They are number 1, meaning most people buy them. Duncans can be found almost anywhere, especially the cheaper ones.
Just because they are a large company doesn’t mean that they have to have many good metals. CLYW has different goals and perspectives than Duncan.
I personally love Duncan. They kept me going, and are a large part of yo-yo history.
they don’t make metals they must not be good
cough
Quote for truth.
Give me a nice fhz.
I can use a stock fhz with maybe a dif pad and cleaned bearing, and Its one of my favorite yoyos of all time.
Duncan has always been making great yoyo, and I believe they are still one of the greatest companies out there. And with the look of Red’s new yoyo coming out soon, things will keep moving up for them I believe.
J
Sure they may not make a lot of metals, but the ones they do make are good. My first metal was the Metal Drifter and I still play it sometimes. I love my echoes. They’re amazing for 3A and great for 1A too. Duncan also has great plastics. FHZ, FH2, Flying Squirrel, Throw Monkey, Flying Panda, and not to mention, the Imperial and the Butterfly, and many more.
I bet if you ask people what their first yoyo ever was most will answer with either the Imperial or the Butterfly. Their products range from just starting to winning contests. That’s what some companies just don’t have, a good starter yoyo. I’m not saying that they all need one, but it’s great that Duncan can get lots of players involved.
Plus, they have players all over the world. If you have ever watched Duncan Worldwide you can see that. They can send more players to contests which is great. They get peoples attention and get new people started everyday. They also sponsor at almost every contest. They go way above and beyond just making yoyos to making the yoyoing community better.
In my mind they are number one at being Original, selling plastics at toys R us, making 5 metals that has a very small fan base compared to the rest, (cmon in any “favorite yoyo list thread” I see Duncans listed the least, not to mention “favorite yoyo company” threads), number one in owning the rights to 5a, biggest sign on Worlds, and making a good yoyo shape to Mod off of. Other than that… I think they’re slacking in their market towards 1a competition yoyos where I would think that would be their biggest fan base in a world where they call themselves the best and foremost being the FIRST. 1a is clearly the most popular yoyoing maybe besides for children -12 walking the dog with butterflies so I would think they would attack that market. I bet they make such a profit off those butterflies and imperials that they don’t need to target the 1a high end… Not to mention whatever they do with that plastic company. <3
edit:
just read that. Didn’t know that. Good to see they help the community. I feel like I was reading about them holding the community back with 5a though? Don’t have much info on that but Steve Brown is with YYF now right? Just typing out loud. I don’t think they are a “bad company”. I just think they don’t target to 1a competition as much as I thought they would, and lack a fan base I would expect them to have. Nothing wrong with that. Just surprised from a company that started it all. When you think about it though I guess a lot of companies that start it all don’t stay the best/ most popular… Ford… Lays? 
Just because a yoyo doesn’t get super hype from little fanboys, and get mentioned in every favorite thread doesn’t make it a bad yoyo. With Duncan, they used silicone stickers, and small bearings in alot of their yoyos. Alot of people seem to refuse to throw anything with pads/small bearing, not sure why though. They are still great yoyos. But now they are going with large bearing and silicone response in alot of their yoyos, so they should appeal to the “serious” yoyoer.
I saw a Dietz shaped plastic yoyo prototype. Looked like it’ll be a beast.
link?
A company like Duncan doesn’t need to appeal exclusively to our finnicky tastes when they can find success in the retail market, where they reach millions.
Also, why the crap are you thanking practically anyone who replies?
^^^ lmao
yup
Did you read my post? tl;dr? That was exactly what I said about them selling butterflies. :-*
I am thanking everyone for taking the time to respond to my thread? ;D
Sure they silicone sticker yoyos with small bearings could be “great” in your eyes but it comes down to preference and most people prefer C size recessed response. If someone “refuses” or probably “doesn’t prefer” is a better phrase: to throw anything else… its because they don’t want to. Where did I say that hype=good/bad from “little fan boys” from “every thread”. Wow you like to exaggerate huh? :o ;D ;D ;D ;D