I am looking for a fixed axle for holidays and can’t decied between TMBR Baldwin or OUT Just for fun. Both look awesome but I have no experience with fixed axles. Any advice will be considered. Thanks in advance.
Or Lovejoy?
Of the TMBR’s, the LoveJoy is my personal favorite, but for me, that’s because it’s the most playable for me. The thing is, the TMBR line has yoyos that are designed with specific aspects of fixed axle play in mind. They are all unique and great, but each model has its own specialties.
If you’re willing to step it up, and if they are available, I’d really strongly recommend the Eh. It’s still a TMBR. This yoyo is a proverbial “Jack of all trades, master of none” but at the same time it really doesn’t offer a lot of compromise. You want to loop, it loops. You want to do stalls, it stalls. You want to do advanced string tricks, well then get your mad skillz up because it can throw them down if you can play it clean and perfect. I also feel it’s the most comfortable in the hand of all the TMBRs and softest on the return, both due to the shape. While it’s not specialized like other TMBR models, it does it all and it does a great job at it all. It’s like Ed Haponik said that he only wants ONE yoyo, and it has to be able to do it all and he’ll just work through the various compromises that will occur as a result of the design. Out came the Eh, and we saw that it was good. Is the yoyo worth the extra price? If we are talking from a “materials” position, then no. If we’re talking from a performance and versatility perspective, well, in that case, it’s a bargain.
If you’re looking to start with fixed axle though, the LoveJoy tends to be easier to play. If you’re more into string tricks, it’s also a better fit due to the shape. But if you want a well rounded wood, the Eh beats all by a long shot. I was doing Kwijibo right off with the LoveJoy.
I won’t say anything about the OUT products as I am honestly not interested in expanding my wood yoyo collection right now. However, if I run into someone who has one, I’m anxious to try it.
If you’re going wood fixed axle, do yourself a favor and bulk up on the Type 10 100% cotton string here.
I won’t lie. I have issues with wood fixed axle. It’s a totally different game. It something we should all get into. I have 5 wood yoyos: Love Joy, Baldwin, Fremont, Irving Pro and the Eh. Each are absolutely worth the money spent. Modern concept on a classic: wood in a take-apart design for service and maintenance. Old school meets new school.
Thank you. I will look at the Eh.
You’ll probably have a hard time finding an Eh. I would recommend the TMBR Turner as a good first fixed-axle. It can stall like a Baldwin and handle string tricks as well as the Lovejoy. OUT makes outstanding quality yoyos as well. The reason I would recommend TMBR over OUT (for someone just starting fixed-axle) is because the TMBR can be taken apart to remove stubborn knots. Knots in non-take-apart yoyos can really be a pain.
Try weighting a Duncan Butterfly…
I might see about picking one of these up. Thanks for pointing it out!