You don’t have to get why people prefer older yoyos. To me, there seems to have been more experimentation with yoyo designs ten or so years ago. I have equal amounts of old and new yoyos. When I want to play something a little less standard and just throw easy tricks that I already know I grab an older yoyo. When I want to learn a new trick, I go for the low walled newer high performance yoyos. There’s nothing wrong with having preferences. Another reason that I like the older yoyos is that they make easier tricks more difficult. I like the challenge that some of the older yoyos provide.
Because of my disability, I’m not able to practice for more that 15 minutes at a time on a good day and I have difficulty learning new things. I really have no desire to learn the tricks that are in the upper echelon of yoyo tomfoolery. I just want to pick up an old yoyo and see how many tricks I can do before the spin dies out. For me, that is really pushing myself. I know I would have an easier time with the tricks on my Overdrive Draupnir, but my EL Ranchero just has a certain feel to it that makes my tricks more fun for me.
What I don’t understand is the schism between the competitors and the “filthy casuals” that you seem to be projecting onto the yoyo community with your many “anti old yoyo” posts. We are a very diverse bunch of throwers with different preferences and goals. Not everyone follows the same path. The last time I checked, we are playing with toys and, for me, as long as I’m having fun, it doesn’t matter what type of tricks I’m doing or what yoyo I’m doing them on.
For many hobbies, a big part of it can be collecting. Not what I intended to do, but it happens anyway. Sometimes we’re nostalgic for a yo-yo we parted company with, and want to find it, or see what the “hot” yo-yo was like in 2012. It’s all good, and is typical of many hobbies.
For me, sometimes I just want to play with an old school yoyo, it has a different feel. Just like I don’t want to eat the same dinner every day, I don’t necessarily want to spend my hobby time having the same feeling experience every day. Inherently neither old school or ultra modern are better by themselves. Each has strengths and weaknesses. What matters in a hobby is each person enjoys it their way and doesn’t poop on anyone else’s way if enjoying the hobby.
All in your perspective. I quit collecting and closed the store in 2008, because I hated the products. Unresponsive everything. One metal just like the last. Felt dishonest to sell stuff that I hated.
As for the Camry and the Miura, I drive 20 year old Jeeps. Pure Fun and Neither can go the places that I go. Don’t like to drag my butt on the ground when driving.
This whole thread in a tl;dr. Some yoyoers look at yoyos to be objective performers, while others just look for a certain feel while they are in their zone. Older yoyos along with their flaws often have a certain flair to them that attracts the more casual player. New yoyos can to, but they also get bought for similar reasons.
I’m referring to the “If You Had One Yoyo” post where you said:
Like when someone on the BST tells me they’re looking for “spyy, ilyy, and older clyw” it bothers me because I can almost guarantee that this person is an adult collector who really doesn’t care that much about improving their limited skills and actually getting better at yoyoing. They just want these older organic yoyos because they’re valuable.
I now realize that the post was not created by you. I just remember you bringing up this sentiment before.
It kind of feels to me like you are placing members of the yoyo community into two camps, when actually we’re a lot more diverse than that.
Are you aware that by playing with this yoyo, are you basically playing with a 2012 Artic Circle? (compare shapes and specifications)
So what’s the point of talking about old yoyos or new yoyos?
the problem that many things were experienced a few years ago (2006-2014 approximately
) … and after trying everything, it becomes increasingly difficult to innovate … for this reason, for some years, things have stagnated and the current yoyos do not have much of interest to offer. (Imho)
I am. And that’s a perfect example of what I’m talking about. I’ve tried all the arctic circles, and the the boy has all their fun vibes while be a better performer. I can’t imagine going on a quest to find an Arctic circle one when the boy exists. ( Unless I had some fond memories of the yoyo in particular)
I would also check out some of the stuff by Sengoku. Really innovative designs (much more there than just straight line competition performance that no one here seems to like ) but also really good, modern levels of performance. I honestly don’t see much of a shortage of innovation in modern yoyos.
just as I, already having an Artic Circle, am not very interested in buying its current “almost clone”.
I have two of Sengoku, unfortunately they have never been able to involve me, I hardly ever play, and when I play they do not give me the feelings I would have hoped for and I’m sorry.
I do, I see the lack of innovations, it is the reason that made me stay completely away for over a year (and in any case not active for some years) and still prevents me from having the desire to make new purchases ( except for the Ti-Vayder which, coincidentally, is in fact the re-edition of a milestone of 9 years ago).
Something about owning a piece of the “history” of the way YoYos have developed probably. If anything older YoYos are probably more sought after because their is more of a challenge of getting something you cannot just buy from the store anymore. I mean I want a dark magic because I love the way they feel and it remind me of when I first started yoyoing. I regret never having bought one lol. It is probably the same for many others. In the end of the day it doesn’t really matter. The hobby is all about enjoying yourself. If an older yoyo lets you do that than you don’t really need a reason for getting one.
I really only collect one specific type of yo-yo, so this doesn’t entirely apply to me.
But if I COULD dedicate near-inexhaustible funds toward acquiring any yo-yo’s I wanted… I wouldn’t go out and try to get all the newest models conforming to the “best practices” of the moment.
I would look for the signature models or favorite yo-yo’s of all my best friends & the people I’ve looked up to. I would look for yo-yo’s which encapsulated the feeling of different periods throughout yo-yoing - when different tricks/styles felt fresh and exciting. I would look for what I thought was amazing and unattainable when I was just starting out on this bizarre journey.
Yo-yo’s ARE “getting better all the time” by certain metrics. But I’ve got my old friend Danny’s old Duncan Professional here. I’ve got a Dark Magic with my buddy @AndreBoulay rendered in glorious anime. I’ve got an old Bare Bones @photogeek powdercoated for me. I’ve got a Cold Fusion ad SB-2 like I lusted after at the mall cart a lifetime ago. Can any yo-yo today “do” what those yo-yo’s can?
There may come a time when you have attained (and let go of) more than you ever expected in yo-yoing - not in terms of a collection, but experience. After the art nudged you in directions which never occurred to you; after a hundred contests full of hysterics you could never script; after seeing so many friends melt your brain with their tricks and so many late nights throwing alone chasing… what? On the other side of that, while “skill” and “performance” may still matter, you might not quantify them in the same way.
No yo-yo’s have “soul”. It’s just your own soul resonating. Throw whatever makes you feel that, and don’t worry about anyone else’s motivations.
) but also really good, modern levels of performance. I honestly don’t see much of a shortage of innovation in modern yoyos.
