So I’ve been throwing duncans for awhile just because that is what is readily available. My main throw is the drifter but I want to move up. Thought about the metal zero but I don’t think that it would play much better than the drifter, could be wrong tho and I do love a fhz. Anyways I want something that will carry me through to the next level. Really considering the hitman pro cause I want to grind and now that yyj has dropped their prices it fits the budget. I don’t see dropping $100 just yet on an all metal pro series. Somebody give me some advice and ideas plz.
Yyj fever all the way
There are sooo many affordable all metal yoyo’s out there it’s pathetic. You can find them for $50 right now. Might as well go for it.
Well, first off, I think that it’s worth saying that practice will carry you infinity farther than a new yoyo will. Any yoyo can handle any trick you can throw at it if you are skilled enough.
Secondly, as for a new yoyo, the hitman would be great. As would any yoyojam at that price range. I’m not too sure about your skill level, but if you’re an intermediate and don’t really feel like you’re ready for a metal yoyo, any yoyojam would be perfect for you.
I’m throwing an all metal now so that’s not a problem. Also, I would consider myself at the intermediate level but when I buy I want to get something that will last me through the next levels. I’m happy with my drifter but dealing with the Duncan response system is a joke at least if I get a hitman if the orings wear out I can silicone the recesses.
Well, O-Rings never wear out. They get a little less responsive, but I’ve used the same pair of o-rings of years and had them last just fine.
If you do want to shell out a little bit more money, go for a fundametal. It’s a yoyofactory series. They are great yoyos for $60 a pop. My personal favorite is the lunatic, but check out which one fits your preferences best. The dv888 is probably the most popular in the series.
With any of the fundametals, you’ll be fine for a long, long time.
I’ve been eyeballing some of the yyf stuff too hear they hold up a little better than the yyj’s too. Plus jenson throws for them not that that is a big deal anyway. I’m a firm believer that practice makes perfect so I know a $200 dollar yoyo isn’t going to make anybody a pro. Just want something so I’m ready for the expert level tricks. Do the all metals balance out that much better than the metal rimmed yoyos like yyj’s?
Well really, it comes down to preference. Some people love that yoyojam rim weighted feel, and some people like the full metal feel. in general however, fully metal yoyos are slightly more durable, which may have some sway.
Metals in general tend to be more stable and less vibey, but Bi metals have more momentum. It all depends, but this could lead to better sleep time by very slim margins. Oh yeah, Jensen quit YYF. He rolls with CLYW, goin’ back oldschool. If this helps you, he just released the Canvas, but it falls a bit out of your price range, with the cheapest being $135. 
Yea I don’t really keep up with the pro stuff just loved his performance when he won worlds in 2010. So you guys have gave me some stuff to think about thanks for that
No problem.
Just remember that you can’t go wrong with any YYJ or YYF.
I say check out the Duncan Raptor, Echo, Metropolis. I have only used the raptor but i hear the echo and metropolis are good too and they are in the 40-47 dollar range.
Does the raptor use Duncan friction stickers cause I hate those things?
No they use silicone groove stickers
www.yoyoexpert.com/product/338/Duncan-Silicone-Groove-%28SG%29-Stickers
My opinion?
Well, I got a fair amount of Duncans. A couple of Imperials, a keychain Imperial, a Butterfly, a FHZ, a FH2, and a Metal Drifter. I’ve got a custom painted clear FHZ with silicone recesses and shmoove ring coming and I’ve been told its dead unresponsive, which has got me excited… They aren’t my favorites, but it’s not bad stuff at the same time. Yes, they are commonly available. Big deal. I’m going to pick up one of the FreakHand Duncans this week to have something “horror themed” so I can use it at a horror film festival I will be doing towards the end of the month.
My suggestion is to come up with a budget of how much you’re willing to spend. Factor in $5 for Priority Mail. There’s a LOT of good stuff out there, both on the inexpensive side and on the expensive side. I’ve got quite a few as it is by many different brands, and I have more coming my way soon and will buy more later on. They are all different except for my pair of YYJ Unleashed and Imperials.
If you want new, that’s fine. That’s great. If you want some good deals, try Buy/Sell/Trade(BST). There’s plenty of good stuff under $45.
Despite having some good “high end” stuff, including a Peak, Gnarwal, BVM, Code1 and a 54, I find myself coming back to my YYJ Dark Magic II, which at around $41, is a great deal and a great throw. Another winner, or rather set of winners is the Protostar and Northstar, at the same price(around $35), the difference is the Northstar is 2 grams heavier than the Protostar. But there is great stuff both more and less expensive. Whatever you get will be different than your Ducans, but that’s OK. But, if you are stuck on Duncan, maybe the Raptor is your logical upgrade, and there’s no crime in that either.
Just stay within your budget. My only suggestion is that if you’re not into unresponsive play, that may limit your options, but it may be time to move into unresponsive play and learn to bind. Or you can find a yoyo that can go from responsive to unresponsive play.
So, spend a few days looking and reading responses, come up with a logical budget that you can afford, and take the plunge.
Thx for the post studio. Do think I'm going to move away from duncans for this purchase ive looked at the deluxx models but really want to try something different. I just grabbed a freakhand to replace the clear red Fh 2 I screwed up modding. Plays well, becomes pretty unresponsive after a few throws and a cleaned bearing helps that too.
Seems like everybody throws a dark magic 2 and loves it , I kinda wanted to get something different because of that but it seems like u can't go wrong with having one in your collection and now they are priced well so that's probably what ill get.You’re welcome.
I really enjoy the DM2. But, I’ve recently acquired a Protostar, and am planning a Northstar and a dv888 to add to the collection. Why? It seems everyone has these, so makes sense that I should too. Peer pressure? No. More of a “common ground” issue. Plus, they are super affordable so it won’t “break the bank” for me. I’m going to order them next week.
I was going to stay away from the dm2 because everybody has one. But if everyone loves to throw it guess I can too. Plan to get a dv888 and a starlight soon too.
put some thought into the shinwoo zen series. they are all great throws
YYF JK plus some orings from the hardware store, for rim weight, that’s how mine setup and it owns all of my bi-metals. After playing a full metal the bimetals feel… hollow.