It feels like Mk1 is a weird one to call out here. Their YoYos are always cheaper than I expect them to be. The RBC is a unique design that I imagine required skills that go outside of the scope of a normal yo-yo. It’s also a collaboration which also tend to be more expensive so everyone can profit.
Overall I just think that sometimes it means more to support the community .
What I implied was in my area all of the gas regardless of brand or octane rating comes from the same refinery.
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Compared to almost any other hobby that involves some sort of collecting, Yo-Yo’s are a featherweight.
I follow a lot of collectible hobbies, while not spending money, it’s interesting to me to watch what goes on in other industries larger than ours. Sneakers, MTG/TCG, Cars, Gemstones, Knives, Audio equipment, Guitars, etc… Almost all of them are way worse in every sense of the hobby when it comes to collecting, or prices on the secondhand market being taxing on others. I mean, almost no one on the forums holds onto multiple sets of yoyo’s so they can sell them for a profit later. Meanwhile, Norm’s Rare guitars has multiple warehouses full of old fender guitars that haven’t been touched in 20+ years. Or 13 year old sneaker heads buying 40 pairs that don’t fit them, holding onto them for years, then selling them for 5x the price to fund their first car.
I think instead of being salty about it, you should be grateful in retrospect. Within all of these other things I follow, there’s no other community like the yo-yo community. Almost everyone is taking L’s, most don’t make a whole lot of money, and are ran by a small crew or one to two people using their own money as capital to fund their dreams. In return, we’re given MULTIPLE releases over the year, so much that many of us can’t keep up. All at an extremely affordable price. Even within the BST, there’s no one who’s making out like a bandit - in all honesty, they’re probably losing money. So almost EVERYONE is doing it purely for the love, whether you’re a consumer or a business owner.
If I’m being honest, all yo-yo’s are underpriced when compared to any other industry. A node should cost $50, and bi-metals should cost $300 in perspective of how other industries price their products. Balisongs are no where near the amount of precision of a Yo-Yo, yet a trainer made of the cheapest, worst 6065 sourced aluminum possible costs double the price of your average bi-metal. A squier strat guitar made of pot metal and cardboard wood costs $150-300 and the design hasn’t changed since the 50’s, Jordan 1’s designed in the 80’s sold at $300+ just because they limit the releases. The list is endless.
At the end of the day, we as consumers in this community are the ones who are extremely spoiled, and having a thriving second hand market is very important to keeping the community strong and growing. Simply look at our forums, the most active part of it is the BST section. I think that what isn’t broken doesn’t need to be fixed.
Plenty of yoyos for players. Best value and performance maybe ever.
Now if you are looking for completion as a human or status or identity through ownership of a something…. May I suggest NFTs?
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Look.
The truth is, you all just need to stop buying yoyos.
They are just too expensive.
How about everyone pitches in a paltry $10 and sends it to me.
I’ll colect all the money.
Then, just forward all new releases, directly to my inbox, I’ll take care of buying and testing these way way way overpriced Throws out… so you don’t have to…
and since no one will be buying, there will be plenty of stock. Perhaps I’ll actually be able to get what I’m looking for, for once.
And I will let you know what I think.
MmmK? Good. Solved the world’s problems. 
finally, a solution to our “problem”…
kgb
Prices have reduced significantly since the release of the Onedrop M1 in 2008. Metal yoyos we’re for the most part all over $100 prior to then.
The significant shift of companies turning to manufacturing overseas has reduced the cost to pennies in the dollar. If you are wanting to punch pennies, you are living in the best of times for aluminium yoyos.
Does that mean you can get the limited special edition color that sold out real fast? If you are quick and lucky, then yeah. If not, you can pay a premium on the BST.
Now I could be in the minority, and it is possible what I’m about to say is all in my head or a prejudice from growing up in America. I am more than willing to acknowledge the possibility of such. I prefer yoyos machined in Canada and the USA. I don’t know if it is the quality of the machine work, difference in the quality of the aluminum used in the USA compared to overseas, or a difference in the machines used. I can feel a difference in quality. I understand it would cause an increase in price (with the exception of Onedrop that owns their machines.)
Would it be wise for companies to move manufacturing back to the USA? Probably not. The lower cost and similar precision (because a dead smooth yoyo can be made anywhere in the world) means more profit for the yoyo company (and I am happy for them, truly, if it weren’t for those willing to do this we wouldn’t have yoyos.)
If it is just a poorer quality aluminum (I’m not smart enough in the subject to know if that is even a thing), I wonder if sending the quality aluminum overseas to be machined would be able to rectify it? In the end, I’m not team USA, I’m team people. Regardless if where a yoyo is manufactured, the income generated puts food on a families table, and I can care less what said families nationality is, everyone deserves to eat. I just wish the feel of overseas yoyos mimicked the feel of those being made in North America (and again, I’m willing to acknowledge that it’s all in my head, or even a product of the anodizing and blasting used overseas.)
So glad you could open this can of worms again.
It was done gracefully and did not disparage anyone from what I read. It more than pertained to a post saying yoyos cost too much. Apologies if it opened some wounds.
I don’t want or need an apology.
I don’t know if you really want to have the conversation again or you are just repeating the same thing said many times before because you are looking for a different outcome?
Making a statement (then trying to walk them back in brackets) is still suggesting something. Please consider what your statements suggest (even though you are not suggesting anything).
If you’d like to address the things I’ve mentioned, I’d love for you to share your knowledge. My statement was a perfect opening for you. If you’d prefer to try to make me feel like I’m beating a dead horse, go for it if that’s your perogative, I take no offense.
I really am genuinely curious if the stock aluminum used in North America differs in quality to that used overseas (China specifically) or if it’s in my head. In prior conversations, I didn’t see that topic mentioned, but it could very well be an oversight on my end.
Again, if you prefer not to proceed, I understand, but I would hope someone with half as much knowledge as you on the subject would chime in, as I’m genuinely curious. I don’t feel freedom of speech should be muffled because one finds the subject taboo or wore out.
The RBC wasn’t cheap to manufacture, even with the large run size. It was manufactured by the reputable FPM, in China, using what I can assume is their finest 7068 alloy. They manufactured my first production yoyo ever, so I trusted them to work on this tricky piece.
Making it inexpensive would have required designing a different yoyo entirely.
I did Ben, it’s one of my favorite yoyos. Arizona made.
@MarkD I love the RBC. I definitely don’t question the machine work overseas. I am just curious if the majority of the aluminum used there (6061) different in the quality of 6061 here. A 6061 Onedrop has a different feel than a 6061 magic yo to my perception. Nothing wrong if that is the case, it keeps the cost down. I would offer to pay the premium in this instance, even if it’s to have the yoyo manufactured by FPM with better quality aluminum (which you effectively did magnificently with the RBC.)
Pfff, amateurs.
Not only do I only throw yoyos made in the United States, I only throw yoyos that were made underwater in this one lake in Colorado, with a ph of exactly 7.0001, made in runs of no more than two an a half units. Only by the botiquest of the boutique.
Yoyos that are made this way have a different feel, and you can really feel all the trouble that went into making them during the underwater machining process. If they’re made in a different geographic location, or in water with the wrong Ph level, they are completely different.
In fact, I can’t even land a single trick on a yo-yo not made in this way. Well, actually I’m still learning how to put the string on my finger correctly. And I’m perfectly happy with being at that level. But I STILL know that the yoyos I buy are just better.
(No hate to anyone, feel free to poke fun at my brand of yo-yo weirdness anytime. Mine is at least as odd as the kind I’m referring to here. I’m looking at you @SR1 . I fully expect another meme from you 
)
You know that’s amazing that you say that. Great minds think alike I guess. I happen to have a project going on right now in the United States all US based including parts and labor.
I’m having a batch of yo-yos made in a bathtub at my house. The secret twist is that I use salt water. The salt water is necessary element to help temper the Mo-tanium/depleted Your-anium finish.
They’re being specifically built to break the Worlds’ longest sleeping yoyo record.
I throw the yo-yo down as hard as I can. Then I hang a string from the coat rack I just go to work. But I noticed after spinning for 50 or 60 hours nonstop, the yo-yo reaches a temperature of 4733°C. That’s very hot last time I checked. So the finish needs to be very durable to say the least. And that’s exactly what I’m saying, the least… Because this is top-secret stuff and if anybody spreads the word I’ll have to kill them.
During the entire manufacturing process I only eat foods and drink beverages are historically US-based. I even have a flag of the United States hanging in the bathroom. With military marching music in the background.
PS…. Is throwing yo-yos about ‘having fun’ or Flag waving’?
I know you both gest, but please show me where any of what I said came across as patriotism if you are so inclined.
Reading my entire post would show my sentiment of being grateful that wherever the yoyo was made, the income generated by the labor is putting food on the families table regardless if their nationality.
The only negativity being shown is by those taking what I said out of context, not reading the whole post, or jumping to conclusions. Which is fine, you do you, but I’ll make you aware of it even though it’s obvious. No harm no fowl, I love people, even the ones that try slighting me, I love them even more.
My main question which everyone is skirting around us wether the quality of 6061 used overseas differs from the quality used in the states. As I’ve stated multiple times, the actual machining in both areas are on par. I’m more than fine with my purchasing funds going to the person using the best quality materials, made in America has nothing to do with it. Regardless if where I spend my money, it’s feeding a family, I could care less what country they live in, those are fake imaginary lines. I can take a picture of myself driving my Toyota if it makes you feel better.
I live in the US.
I like Buying things made in the US.
I will pay a premium for something made in the US even if it is slightly cheaper and equal quality from somewhere else.
I don’t see anything wrong with wanting to purchase local or American products.
I buy local produce from the grocery.
I buy locally milled timber when I’m building something.
Wanting to purchasing from your region is natural.
With that being said:
I own a Swiss watch and a German Car. Two of the throws I love the most are the Silenus by TopYo and the Dogma by YYF, neither scream “MERICA!”
I think it does come down to quality, craftsmanship, and in a sense your personal morality. If a company is making a quality product, with quality parts, and quality materials, and their employees are getting a fair shake, it really doesn’t matter where it comes from.
But, all of that being equal, I would probably still purchase a US made product, not because the other was lesser, but simply because it’s local.
I shop local, but will enjoy a good product from anywhere… just my 2 cents.
My understanding is that the US has slightly greater tolerances of how much of each element goes into the aluminum alloy than Chinese sources, so that American barstock is a bit more standardized. Could be totally wrong but that’s been my understanding. I see it the most with brass.
