When I think of a classic though, I think of something more mainstream like an Imperial, Butterfly, or even a Fireball. Something easily recognizable to people even outside of the throwers community.
So, I could see something like the Shutter becoming a modern classic just based on sales alone.
I think the Diorama, Panorama and Rebirth, if ever retired, would have the possibility of accomplishing that.
I’m a huge General yo fanboy, but the recent releases are still in stock so I don’t see that as a possibility. The only releases that seem to sell out pretty quick are those produced in the US. The rerelease of the 5 star and Hatrick was fairly recent and machined by Onedrop, while those will be famous for me, I’m not quite sure the masses are on board. Maybe if he has Onedrop machine a rerelease or slightly tweaked Torrent/Torrent 2 that improves on a design that really doesnt need improvement, and can get a finish on it reminiscent to the 5 star V2 and OG Hatrick it would be doable.
The only think that I’m confident on though is the RBC/Daytripper/Weekender. With us being in the infancy of metal modern responsive, and those three taking the crown, we will be talking about them for years to come.
I’d think all of the yoyos that are massively popular now will be remembered as classics. Especially the ones that have had huge numbers of runs and model variations.
People remember bees and fireballs because they were the baseline of good and so many people had them, not because they were truly the best yoyos of their time.
I’d say the Shutter and Krown are getting to that point. Each has had a huge number of runs and several minor revisions and model variations.
The smaller stuff might be better but since fewer people will ever get a chance to try them, fewer people will remember them and regard them as a classic. The Chief is maybe a decent example of this. What an amazing yoyo, but most people will probably never get a chance to play one.
As far as my list of every top yoyo of its era, it goes
Duncan imperial/butterfly
Duncan freehand/yomega fireball
Dark magic 2/888
Shutter
And i think the current could definitely go to the Panorama. Hard to say about the future.
I guess my hot take would be that there won’t be another modern classic in the same vein as the peak or freehand or 888 or early plastics… Imo the reason those yo-yos became what they are Is at the time they pushed the limits of how a yo-yo could play. Up til maybe 2013-14? When you bought a yo-yo the question wasn’t just will this fit my preferences it was also will this be the next best performing design?
To me it seems yo-yo design for performance has been solved. Which is why we’re seeing the popularity of brands like RSO and MFD and a-rt. Add to that the proliferation of yo-yo companies that make really good yoyos and we all have such an abundance of choice that no single yo-yo is the new yo-yo messiah lol.
That said I’d say Draupnir seems to be close to modern classic status. Maybe Canvas. Maybe the ti-walker/vayder.
Also a sleight caveat about me thinking performance has been solved is what TP is currently doing with magnesium. And I guess to that point who knows what comes after that haha
I think there was something in the water in 2014. Three yo-yo’s I would consider already apart of this list of modern classics. (edit: shutter was 2013, my bad)
Shutter, MMC, Draupnir. Shutter - baseline modern performance throw, MMC baseline modern organic throw, Draupnir baseline bi-metal throw.
The honorable mentions I would also add are the MYY Node/Hertz. Just like how every kid had a Cherry Bomb or Fireball in the 90’s; it seems like every kid is going to have a Node or Hertz in the modern era. 15 years will pass, and these kids’ nostalgia will be linked to these affordable MYY throws, just like how my nostalgia runs deep for fireballs. I don’t necessarily think everyone should own a node or a hertz, I just think everyone’s going to do so by default, as a result they will become modern classics.
Well, you have to know the classics so you know what you’re comparing potential candidates to. There’s a lot, but some of the most obvious staples/examples are: TK No Jive/SB2, YYJ Hitman/Dark Magic, CLYW Peak, YYF 07 888, OD Project, CLYW Chief, VsNYYC TiWalker and YYR Draupnir. While these throws might not all be the best performers, they are ALL absolutely legendary, and set the bar in terms of status. We have to ask ourselves what yoyos that have been released in the past few years have the potential to reach this level? It’s harder to know the newer it is.
With that in mind: I’d say the following are currently cementing their status among the aforementioned list: most Anti Yos, G2 swirls, and some older YYF and General Yo stuff.
Now, yoyos that I feel like will be classics in the future: A-RT Grail, MCMO (these two already are in my mind) as well as some RSO and Luftverk stuff. IMO, we can add the Panorama to this list too - it’s one of the most coveted releases in awhile and is reminiscent of so many of those classic/nostalgic throws design wise. We have to remember when making these lists that a high bar has been set, and not everything can make it in just cause we like it.
I didn’t even consider Magic Yoyos, but thinking about your point and they totally feel like they’re so close to becoming classics. I feel like the only thing stopping them is how confusing and forgettable their model names are.
Yep, the naming scheme is not in their favor at all. I still don’t know most of them even though I watched Dylans video explaining the models. I also question why they stopped producing the Avocado as well, would’ve been right up there with a Node imo.