I honestly and sincerely urge you to continue avoiding the smartphone. No one who owns a smartphone can honestly say they’re not at least a little addicted to it. But as a person who obviously never has the world blurred out by their cell phone you must have a very clear view of just how many people oooohhhh drive down the road staring at their phone and not looking away, walking around “everywhere” staring at their phone and not looking away. It kills me to see people in the middle of an amazing event and not even experiencing the event because they’re too busy making the perfect video of themselves supposedly enjoying the event. I remember watching the opening ceremony of the Olympics in Paris when all the teams were on boats going down the river. On the USA boat only a very few athletes were actually in that moment the rest were taking videos of themselves. If you have made it this far without one… I’m certain it will become more of a crutch to you than a help.
When I first got interested in yo-yos as an “adult”, there were not any unresponsive yo-yos that I know of. The era of the semi-responsive yo-yos that still had some level of tug return seems to me to be the golden age of yo-yo tricks. After unresponsive became common, we lost a lot of tricks and style, and to me most popular styles just look like tech.
You could certainly not go to unresponsive yo-yos and still have enough to learn to keep you busy. I look at the 2 styles to be almost two different hobbies.
Thanks for the encouragement. I figure it should be easier avoiding upgrading than trying to downgrade later down the road. And I’d always thought tricks looked better with responsive play too. Most of the stuff I see them doing in competition is still so far above my head, I’m not even sure what I’m looking at half the time. Plus, I feel like it would lose a lot of the excitement without the pressure of: “Oh crap, I need to get all this done before I run out of spin!” I may never make it to Spirit Bomb or Beefhook or wherever the bar is at. But having fun trying to get there my hard-headed way.
The whole idea of the yo-yo is enjoyment. There’s no hard and fast rule saying you need to go unresponsive. You do what makes you happy. 
???
@edhaponik want to try my modified responsives? Sure you do… my PIF is starting to fizzle out. I need you to give it some heat. 
I would love to see what he could do with this perfectly tuned Deep State!
Okay, so my impressions now after a week with them… (Picked up and tossed each one at least 3 times now, and carried the Deep State and 7Yo a couple days.)
-Confusion: plays very nice, but so much louder than the others.
-Bi metal Bumblebee: heavy, stable, fun, challenging but doable catch zone, not quite as snappy of a response, so it can sneak up on you and really hurt! I like it.
-MYY setup responsive: Not the most exciting thing to throw, but it does its job so well! Makes things a little too easy. I feel like I kinda look like I know what I’m doing with this thing! Definitely have to pick up an unresponsive and get it responding someday. Handy for trying new things on.
7Yo: Feels like a heavier, even smaller version of my 5ive, which I love.
@MinerJ 's 3D printed butterfly: stalls easily, and I love the whooshing sound it makes and the way it moves the air around it. You really feel when it gets close by. I want to take it out and see how it shoots the moon later today.
-Deep State: In love. Responds exactly as I want it to. Perfect width/string gap. Weight and texture. I have been stringing together a lot more elements I’ve picked up since trying this thing. Starting to feel like a real modern yoer!
-Deeper State: Very nice, as they all are, but I feel like the Deepest State is similar enough but slightly better…
-Deepest State: Probably my 2nd most throw from the box. I’m really warming up to it. Dead smooth and silent. Just wider than I prefer. I don’t feel like the extra width gives it enough of an advantage over the Deep State for me. After I warm up a little, I’m just as accurate landing with the Deep State, and it’s more comfortable in my pocket and hand.
I’ve learned a lot this week. Really appreciate this!
In the middle of a move so maybe not next, but I’ll take it after whoever goes next! Like that i have a bit of time to settle before giving these time
I could take it again since it’s been updated a bit. Then I could hand-off in person to Kalic00
I could add a That B to it. I ordered two for myself so I have an extra technically. It’ll never be made into a production so this would let people try it out plus it requires modded side effects so it kinda fits the theme.
I’m absolutely cool with you going again Kyle but we must let Andy have the first go as this will be their first time. I will put you next Kyle and then @Kalic00 is this agreeable? Andy can you send you details to @SpaceCat
I can do that! My That Bs are currently on the way to me from the shop (I accidentally sold all the prototypes without accounting for keeping one for myself so I had to order a couple more 
)
They should be getting to me some time this week I think! So I can consolidate once I have the box and the That Bs!
The Deep State made it back from vacation! The mountains and Ashville traffic killed the clutch in my old Subaru, so had to drive 4 hours home without a working clutch… But other than that it was a good time! Landed my first Eli Hop messing around with the Deep State. Trying to get it up higher and catch it more consistently… I’ll try to get everything packed up and sent out tomorrow if I can. Definitely Tuesday if not.
Great pictures.
They are in the hands of the United States Postal Service now. Wishing them a safe landing.
I’m glad you feel you actually gained something from your experience. I got the Deep State early on and I just wasn’t happy until it played like it does now. 
Most definitely. Haven’t tried a stock one, but pretty sure I’d feel the same after playing this one. I should have 2 on the way soon… Luckily it sounds like one of them has been modded similarly with a narrow bearing and shortened axle. Hoping I can just find the right string to get the response I want. Going to half-swap them and set the 2nd one up as unresponsive… Just wetting my feet, hoping it transfers to my responsive/fixed axle play.
The string I use and what’s on the one in the PIF is Zipline Executive Class. I’ve found that as well as Polyesque both react well with pad response. There’s usually a short break in period when replacing the string or the pads but once it gets passed that well… you felt it.
I guess I’ll be branching out from my: Slick 8, Slick 6, or Sochi thin…
Whoa. That Markmont Black Canon looks like an unresponsive Deep State!