Are there any yoyos considered ‘premium’ that are not over $100?
Premium of course has a different definition for everyone, but I’d say generally One Drop’s $70-80 offerings like the Gradient are considered premium.
Yes. I’d agree with that. And you’re also right that it has different definitions. That’s partly why I asked the question . What really is ‘premium’.
There’s only one instance I use the word “premium” to describe a yo-yo. I call a budget yo-yo, a budget yo-yo, and I call a high end yo-yo a high end yo-yo, and that is based on the price.
But, I believe a budget yo-yo and a high end yo-yo can both be “premium.” To me, something “premium” means that something extra special was added to the product. When you come up with a special version of that product, it usually that means the price was increased a bit to reflect that.
An example of a “premium” yo-yo would be a golden galaxy TooHOT. TooHOT is usually about $52. When YoyoFactory adds those multicolor splashes and awesome blasts, and the price of the TooHOT gets raised a bit to $65 range. So I consider that a “Premium Splashed TooHOT.” I would also consider that extra money you pay for your black Bip Bop CLYW, a “premium” in yo-yo. That’s how I use the word around here. A premium may not just be a colorway, but a modification, and so on.
This 5 color splash, is an example of premium:
https://farm1.staticflickr.com/753/20924207800_c267da69a0_z.jpgTooHOT by Splash Game, on Flickr
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I would say certain delrin/plastic throws like the triad, views, and crazy D come to mind.
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Plenty of people would and do disagree, but personally I find it very hard to consider any Chinese-made yoyos premium even if it’s premium-priced.
I’d go further than disagreeing and just call it a little rude.
Just what’s wrong with Chinese manufactured yoyos? Top brands just wouldn’t manufacture in China if they didn’t do a good job of it.
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I accidentally thanked your post instead of quoting it the first time. What’s wrong with Chinese-made yoyos? Nothing. I didn’t say they couldn’t manufacture good yoyos in China, I said I wouldn’t consider them premium.
So, what exactly is your definition of the word “premium” in yo-yo context?
Yes, I understood you. It’s still rude to suggest they don’t produce premium, I think. You are saying that no yoyo they have produced is premium. Would you say that TP produces premium yoyos? If so, you would be suggesting that the Japanese made is, but the Chinese made isn’t.
That’s partly what I’m trying to find out.
Why is one company’s machined and anodized 6061 yoyo considered ‘premium’ and another company’s machined and anodized 6061 not?
Everything in premium splash, plus yoyofficer.
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If you understood what I meant then you know I was making a point specifically about premium yoyos, not whether Chinese manufacturers can make good yoyos or not. To you those may mean the same thing and that’s fine, but just because our opinions differ that doesn’t make mine rude.
I do consider high end yoyo companies making yoyos in Japan to be premium. There aren’t many high end yoyo companies in China making yoyos in China. It’s most often a company from outside the country manufacturing there as a method to cut costs. Good or bad, and certainly many very good yoyos are produced this way, I just don’t consider that premium. I consider, for example, General Yo to make premium yoyos. Small batches, expert engineering, exemplary quality control, no compromises. And hey, I can take out a bearing without having to freeze the yoyo half next to a bag of peas first. That’s an example of premium to me.
Mass produced, lower quality control, OK components (cheap bearings, weak pads), Good Marketing, rushed design, limited color variance or options. All of these are in contradiction to what I personally consider a “premium.” I see the same thing in my other older hobbies as well.
Small/limited batches, Excellent QC, No Corners Cut components, usually low key, pristine design and execution, artistic flair. These things tell me the item is a premium item for collector and player alike.
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I feel like the defining line between “budget” and “premium” are becoming blurred. When I pick up a $55 throw and jump to even a CLYW, I honestly don’t feel much of a difference. Country of origin is psychological to me for the most part. My China-made HiDRA stacked up next to my North American made CLYW honestly feel the same in terms of quality. And then you have what was at the time $50 for a bimetal Superstar, which stacks right up with some of those $100+ bimetals.
Today, I feel more like “Premium” lies more in the colorway/finish. Sure you can have a basic shutter, solid color and such…then you have the limited release galaxy editions that feel much better in the hand*.
*subjective to the player, there’s certain finishes I like over others
Generalizations based on geography irk me, just like it does with skin color, age, gender, race, religion and sexual preference.
Some of the most creative yoyo designers in the world are Chinese nationals manufacturing in China. Should they be forced to manufacture outside their homeland to meet a definition of premium?
I tried the KC Agent Tantalizing recently - It is designed in China, manufactured in China, and has a very premium feel in my opinion.
I don’t understand how anyone can make an assumption about the quality of the product based on where it was made. There’s great craftsmanship and poor craftsmanship all over the world, even in the USA.
I’d say that certain yoyos feel more premium than others. These yoyos tend to feel a bit more solid than others and have little vibe. One Drops in particular I feel have this premium feel, very smooth and with a definite solid feel to them. Even the Vanguard, their budget metal and the Rally, a plastic (which tend to feel less premium or “cheap”, for lack of a better word, due to vibe and a light, hollow feel) have this premium feel. That isn’t to say that other yoyos that don’t have this “premium” feel are bad or any worse necessarily, they just have a different feel.
I think the smoothness and the weight of a yoyo decide whether it feels premium to me at least.
As far as China goes, I think people are talking about when a company outside of China machines in China to save money.
Exactly^
personally I was comparing ‘yoyofactory’ models that are made both in China and in the USA, I prefer the USA based model from experience. I did this in another thread but my post belongs in this one.
Did the same thing with my superstar but I also had a first run g5 (granted the axle was huge) and it took massive beatings while staying smooth. I got a purple g5 from a newer run in like 2011, one small ding, huge vibe. To me thats a difference in quality. It’s happened enough to where I don’t think its some sort of coincidence.
That being said I would consider a yoyo like the Chinese made aviator 2 a premium yoyo. When compared to a high end yyr or something sure it doesn’t seem quite as premium. When compared to an Arizona made superstar it doesn’t seem quite as premium either, but nevertheless its a premium playing piece.
If yyf was charging the same price I’d have an issue, but they don’t, and I think what they are doing with getting a bunch of budget metals on the market is really key for our growth as a community.