I agree with this sentiment, and I have a few small A bearing yo-yos too, but I was wondering if anyone wanted to further quantify this statement? Is it just because the C bearing is physically smaller in diameter and thus will spin faster, maybe bind tighter, etc? It’s probably a tiny bit lighter too in center weight?
Also, what’s your favorite small A bearing yo-yo out there right now? I’m a big fan of the Confusion (though I play it responsive exclusively) and the Canary.
I believe size A bearings are better for lighter yoyos, due to their faster spin, so whatever the yoyo lacks in rim weight for long spin, can be slightly made up for.
Yes! Both the Confusion and the GT are fantastic, and come with both the flush and thick response pads. I recommend them wholeheartedly.
I personally prefer the Confusion, I have not really been able to fully warm up to the GT shape, but that’s on me. It feels great in hand and plays great.
I would say you’re pretty dead on with this. I agree at least. The Quail is ~61g, but it doesn’t feel as light as other yo-yos I’ve played with the same weight. It feels heavier (slightly) with a really powerful spin. I don’t need or want to throw it as hard if that makes sense.
The most notable difference though with a size A bearing is the small gap. @codinghorror mentioned the Canary (size D bearing) which I would put in a different category since the gap is about the same as Size C bearings. You don’t need to play any differently on yo-yos with a size D bearing, whereas with Size A you need to be mindful of the smaller gap.
I’ll be living that small bearing life for the next few days so I’ll have more to add. In the meantime I’m really enjoying the snappy low rpm regens and dialing in which tricks work best with the smaller bearing.
I basically need the same sized disk as the Cabal guts, but the bearing seat and response to suit a D. I have no idea of the specs and I’m not sure I can get an accuate enough measurement with my calipers.
D would be cool, but what I’d love to try is a A bearing responsive wood yo-yo! If the doctor can get those into your hands, consider one sold!
I don’t know what the ideal gap would be, but for me it would be wide enough to do some old school string trick, and narrow enough to lube it to be nice and responsive. The Deep State is 3.3mm and I love that gap. Not sure if the A bearing would react the same with that gap, but I bet something close would do.
I read that the Tom Kuhn bearing yo-yos were/are 3.2-4.2mm. That’s larger than I thought… Plus, that’s even smaller than A size? Anyway, if you figure it out, I’ll buy one.
I do like the Confusion and Confusion GT, but I haven’t quite found the love for them yet. I like the Alley Cat 650b, a lot more than either of them. I keep thinking I should pull out some of my old 90’s yo-yos, fix them up, and see how I like them for responsive play after all this time. Until then, I’d say the Alley Cat is my favorite for responsive with the A bearing. I would have thought for sure my favorite would have an A bearing, but the Deep State edges out the Alley Cat for me.
The Quail is my favorite A bearing yo-yo! Especially for unresponsive.
When I first got it, I found it rather frustrating, and thought that I’m probably just not good enough to get the joy out of it. Charles and Jensen are able to take what the Quail has to offer and play to it’s strengths.
My first impression was that it would maybe be a good trainer for me, a yo-yo to help clean up my technique, but not so much enjoy. However, I have continued to play with it, and have come to really love it. Even with my relatively meager skills, I have found myself adjusting my play to the Quail. There is something so satisfying about the way it binds, and spins. So glad I bought it!
