Super Yo started in 1994 and still going today. A different kind of yoyo company.
This courtesy of YoYo Wiki. " SuperYo, founded in 1994 by former Duncan Professional , Arne Dixon, is a yo-yo manufacturer based in Lynnwood, Washington, USA. The manufacturer is unique is that it not only produces yo-yos, but owns all parts of the process, including all of the machinery. Formerly produced exclusively in the United States, SuperYo has recently begun outsourcing portions of its production to factories in China.
In 1999 SuperYo produced Kickin’ Tricks a cutting edge yo-yo video produced by Arne Dixon of SuperYo and directed by Mark McKnight. Most of the video was shot on location at the 1999 American Nationals and the 1999 World Yo-Yo Contest. This video showcases many players such as Doctor Popular, Jennifer Baybrook, David Capurro, Steve Brown, Rick Wyatt, Pat Cuartero, Dennis McBride, Bill de Boisblanc, John Higby and many others".
Some pretty big names in the group of modern yoyo pioneers. I remember seeing SuperYo’s in the store when they first came out. Cool packaging and American made, just like most of the yoyos, back then. There line up over the years is as follows:
• Boomerang
• Cruiser
• Invader
• Ned Yo
• Nitro
• Renegade
• Samurai
• Sonic Spin
• Sonic Spin II
• Spin Boss
• Triple Play
• Turbo Tread
• Typhoon
• Wildcat
From what I remember they were a little pricey as some of the stickers on my examples will show. They were well made and as good as any other yoyos of the day. While my collection is not complete, it give a good cross section of models and different packaging of the American made issues. I really enjoy collecting different variations of packaging for the same model, and SuperYo offered nice variations. So on with the show.
First a group picture:
The SuperYo Boomerang is an automatic return yo-yo. It has a clutch to make the yo-yo return and also features a brass sleeve which makes it smoother than many other auto return yo-yos. I am short one of these for my collection. Picture courtesy of Yoyo Wiki.
The SuperYo Cruiser was the first yo-yo manufactured by SuperYo. Designed specifically to be sold through school performances, the Cruiser is a slightly oversized butterfly yo-yo with a take-apart body and a fixed brass axle.
This one is dated 1994 (1st year) in an Emerald Green model #7300
Next is a Light Green Cruiser dated 1994( also 1st year) model #7300 as well.
Back of card:
The SuperYo Invader is a modification of the SuperYo Sonic Spin. The body is made of glow-in-the-dark plastic, and features paper sidecaps with a clear plastic covering, which reduces the weight from the Sonic Spin design. The Sonic Spin features heavy plastic sidecaps with a printed foil insert, and was a pre-cursor to the Invader.
The Invader is a standard-shaped yo-yo with a patented plastic ball-bearing axle from SuperYo.
One more missing from my collection. Picture courtesy of Yoyo Wiki.
SuperYo Ned Yo
Ned is the character used by the SuperYo demonstrators to teach about character and becoming a champion in life at school assemblies. The “NED” program is done all over the US by many relatively unknown yo-yo players.
NED is an acronymn for: Never give up! Encourage others! Do your best!
Ned is the character used by the SuperYo demonstrators to teach about character and becoming a champion in life at school assemblies. The “NED” program is done all over the US by many relatively unknown yo-yo players.
NED is an acronymn for: Never give up! Encourage others! Do your best!
One more missing from my collection. Picture courtesy of Yoyo Wiki.
SuperYo Nitro is a ball-bearing yo-yo that is shaped like a tire. It is similar to the SuperYo Turbo Tread, but the ball-bearing increases the amount of possible spin time. This one is dated 1999 and in the later box packaging. This one has a very common price sticker I see a lot on yoyos of this era. It is from a store called Spin This with a phone # 321-4909 and 19.99
The SuperYo Renegade was released in the 1990s. It is a bearing trans-axle version of SuperYo’s SuperYo Triple Play. The Renegade features a unique axle set up which allows it it be turned inside out. This allows it to be positioned in three different configurations: Butterfly, Imperial and, a rather useless, Pagoda shape. The SuperYo Renegade uses a starburst response system, a relatively thin gap, internal weight rings, and a small bearing. The yoyo was much celebrated in the late 1990s, as part of the yo-yo craze during that time, and was incredibly popular. Today it is regarded as somewhat obsolete compared to more recent yo-yos. However, it is still enjoyed by many, and can still play on par with yo-yos being produced today.
The Renegade had three generations, the first generation is known as the “black renegade” due to the fact they were black in color. The yo-yo is also distinguished from the other two generations due to the fact that the axle had hexagonal nuts on the end that were prone to stripping. The second generation was the “white renegade” that replaced the hexagonal nuts with star shaped nuts that were less prone to stripping, the white plastic was also a vast improvement on the black plastic. The third generation was the “color renegade” and the “transitional renegade” and they are distinct because they are either solid color (not black or white) or groovy transitional colors that mix together and look hyper awesome.
These seem to be very hard to find as my collection is void of this model. This model came with either the star or hex head axel. There is at least 8 different runs of this model as well as many painted(modded by throwers) made.
Once more thanks to Yoyo Wiki for this photo:
The Samurai was SuperYo’s high-end yo-yo designed to compete with the Cold Fusion and other high-end yo-yos of the day. It featured hollow aluminum halves, an adjustable gap and the first ceramic bearing, which was supposed to deliver long smooth spintimes. The Samurai carried a MSRP of $180. This is the holy grail for SuperYo collectors. I am still looking for one. So back to Yoyo wiki for the super rare model:
Now back to my collection for the Sonic Spin. Little is published about this model, but it seems to be one of the most attainable model you will encounter along with the SS II Sonic Spin and Nitro. This is a Clear 1996 dated model #7500 and comes in the stand up box. It has a clear hang tab on the top. On the bottom of the box is a price sticker of 18.95.
The SS II Sonic Spin, also no real published info available. First is a 1996 dated Black version model # 7500, then a Clear 1996 version also model # 7500, has a price sticker of 14.99 on it.
Next up another one missing from my collection. The Spin Boss, appears to be a colored version of the second series of the Triple play yoyo(Or vice versa). The one I had and the one on Yoyo Wiki both have the hex head axle. I had an unpackaged one, I mistakenly sold in a large group sell. This is the picture of it.
Sonic Triple Play. I have three versions of this model. A first axel version(hex head) and two second axel versions(Star head). This model as well as the Renegade and Spin Boss could be changed into three different configurations: Butterfly, Imperial and, a rather useless, Pagoda shape. The Star head axels models I have are a bit different in the fact they are packaged, only in a clear tight plastic wrap. Different color letter printing and both have different color glitter in each. One has Red, Silver and Blue glitter(in both sides) and the other has Purple glitter in one side and Gold in the other. They also have a different address on them. It is Northern testing services ltd York’s yo8 9se. Which is listed as a “with an industry classification of 'Technical testing and analysis”, company in England. They also say Made in U.S.A. Making these two very rare. Note of stupidly, I had a third version of these that I opened and played with, then sold.
The SuperYo Turbo Tread is a SuperYo yo-yo designed to look like a tire. This model is encounter fairly regularly, and can sometimes be had very cheap. While I have a 1995 dated example model # 7400. I just bought two more off EBay for 4.99 for the pair (still carded and unopened) with free shipping. That is what I call a no-brainer
The SuperYo Wildcat is a take-apart butterfly yo-yo with a wooden axle. Manufactured by SuperYo, the Wildcat is the lower-cost, fixed-axle version of the Typhoon. This one is in very nice looking box with the clear hand tab on top. It is dated 1999.
The SuperYo Typhoon is a take-apart butterfly yo-yo with a patented plastic ball-bearing axle. Manufactured by SuperYo, the Typhoon is the first production yo-yo to feature a plastic ball-bearing. The Typhoon was jointly designed by Arne Dixon, owner of SuperYo, and former SuperYo engineer Don Heaverlo. This one is on plastic sealed card and dated 1999.
A word on packaging for collecting. A lot of yoyos are advertized as “sealed new in the packaging, that are not.” Some of the newer throws are not truly sealed like most of the stuff form the 90s that came in boxes. Some of the SuperYo’s and the Playmaxx stuff comes to mind. While I have a lot of new in the box throws, only a minority are truly factory sealed. The placement of instruction sheets in the box and absence of sealing tape should be your first clue. So here are some pictures of what to look for on the older throws.
Still factory placed instruction sheet un-removed .
One that have been removed unfolded and put back, sold as never opened.
This picture is of the only truly factory sealed SuperYo box I have. Notice the tape on the seams.
Pictures of a instruction sheet, front and back.
What unmolested inside packing should look like.
While this is a very long post, I hope it drives home the importance the modern pioneers, players and manufactures contributed to getting yo-yoing to the point it is today. Hope you enjoyed, tim.