Thx for stopping by to read this review…
This is lengthier than usual so go get a soda or cheetos or something first and then come back hehe
Anyone who is into yoyoing has heard of the 888x. It’s a benchmark design in yoyo manufacturing that will most likely be around for a long time to come. As you may or may not know, there have been variations of the 888 over its life span I’ve had 3 so far. One Yuuki Spencer Edition, one black 888x and now this raw 888x. Basically the variations involve weights and the style of wall in the gap. The Yuuki Spencer model for example is very similar if not the same as the 888.11 Jason Lee edition currently for sale. I also heard there will be a new triple 8 rolling out sometime, not sure when though. This raw model in the premium package is the 888x from the March 2011 batch.
YoYoExpert Price $99.99 (Nov 2011)
Premium Package: The packaging of the Premium Edition is really something to behold and I feel should be the standard presentation for all YYF premium throws. I typically don’t speak of YYF pkgs because I never liked those boring boxes anyway but this… this deserves some attention and respect. First, its a nice compact black box with reflective silver print. The yoyo is visible on both sides of the box through transparent plastic casing. The front lid opens up like a book and closes with fixed magnetic corner pieces. The box can easily fit on a book shelf or a DVD case for storage too. It’s the kind of box you’d expect and ought to get after spending $100.
What’s Included: In the box there is a second axle, a second bearing, string of course, the Play DVD and a yoyo holder/carrier… This is a very nice value added incentive for the 888x and just goes to show you what YYF can do when it wants to. However it also Makes me think YYF took a page out of YYJ’s book here in that YoyoJam has also been offering slim and wide bearings prior to, such as with the Dark Magic 2 and The SFX. BUT here, YYF takes it a step further and gives us a short axle to go with the slim bearing and a long axle to go with the wide bearing as well as the yoyo holder and again, a freaking cool looking box!!
Play DVD: Produced by Miguel Correa Features the following performing Talents in no particular order: Ann Connolly, Joe Wilson. John Ando, Tyler Severance, Patrick Mitchell, Ben McPhee, Yuuki Spencer, Mateus Ganc, Paul Han, Augie Fash, Jensen Kimmitt, John Huber, Shinji Saito, Tyler Goldenberg, and David Ung.
Featured Yoyos: Fire Dog, Spin Star, Loop 900, FAST 201, Velocity, Grind Machine, Protostar, Dv888, G5, and 888x.
The DVD is divided into three sections including: Classic, Modern and Loop style Trick play. It’s all nonverbal instruction so you’ll have to replay the chapters to catch the finer details of the more complex tricks featured.
I won’t give away all the tricks as I don’t want to take away any value, but just to give you a brief idea of the content, here it is:
Under the Classic section you’ll see 11 basic to beginner tricks that range from sleeper to walk the dog, to elevator…
Under the Modern section you’ll see 11 intermediate level tricks that range from the bind to brain twister, to cold fusion.
Under the Loop section you’ll see 11 loop style tricks that range from gravity pull to Around the World, Inside/ Outside Loops, and a 2A demo.
The tricks are presented in various angles for the viewer, primarily from the front and side, long shots and close ups. In real time and slow motion.
The DVD menu is very easy to navigate so all in all it’s a good DVD for the beginner to intermediate. It’s a unique added value incentive especially since the 888x is already a premium series yoyo. It’s a really nice and luxurious way to break into yoyoing right from the start by any account and by any standard.
Appearance: The 888x is a traditional butterfly or round form model with a very compact and smooth look. Initially, one of the features that really attracted me to it was not just it’s small size but its hub stack feature. Having not yet tried hub stack play at that time, it just looks like one super hero yoyo that can do it all and then some. The rims are moderately thick. Kind of medium thick. The raw version has near mirror polished inner cups and rims and a blasted surface on the wings. It looks more matty on the top and real shiny on the sides. In the sunlight, you’ll practically be blinded by its intense flash. When I first saw it outside my pupils shrank to infinity and I could barely speak out… “shiny flashy…, shiny flashy!” hehe. It’s really something.
Feel: The feel of the yoyo in the hand is soft, round and compact. It’s a very comfortable yoyo. The halves are really smooth to the touch. For some reason, this one feels even smoother than the other two I bought previously. The black one has a more matty finish and just doesn’t feel as slick. It could be the paint, or I’m just not sure about it but the difference is there. The catch zone makes a comfy rest spot for your middle finger too.
Play: One of the first things you’ll notice about the 888 right away is its stable, and extra solid feel on the string due to it’s near 68 gram weight, It is heavy mainly because of the hub stacks. It kind of feels like the OD 54 with the brass domes only heavier. Or something with center spikes for example. I’m not a big fan of center weight because the yoyo feels and acts sluggish but if you enjoy hub stacks, that is the consequence that can not be averted.
The yoyo’s hub stacks produce a whole lot of noise by the way. More so than the Superstar for example. And its because of the tighter surface area of the inner cups that echo the bearing noise. The Hubs will keep spinning after the bind too, so I often stop the hub spin with my fingers hehe.
The Yoyo has a great catch zone which is great for doing whips and slacks, eli hops or black hops, the zipper, or finger grinds or all kinds of mounts. Its very easy to land whatever on it. This version of the 888x has a high wall on it. I usually don’t buy throws with high walls because of the string drag issue, but with this one I don’t seem to have any issues at all. On the black 888x I do experience quite a bit of drag. You can feel it grinding in there. But with this raw one, I can’t feel it at all.
The 888x has a nice wide gap. 4.85mm. Almost 5mm. It’s a great feature for layering string and also the 888x can and does accept thin shims so you can put it over 5 mm if you want to.
The silicone pads provide excellent stopping power producing really tight binds, even with a KK in it. It’s also easy to regen this yoyo if you like to do so. The 888x has excellent, excellent grinding ability too. I love doing finger and palm grinds on it because its so so smooth.
The mod I tend to do with the 888x though, is removing the hubstacks! So why buy a hubstack yoyo only to remove the hubstacks?? Well first, in this case, I wanted the raw aluminum yoyo and there’s currently no other choice for this size and shape, second I do like the feel of the 888x so there it is. And finally, you’ll get even more spin time, float and speed by removing the hubstacks!! So why not do it?? I don’t play hubstacks much at all anyway. And If i do, it’s easy to put them back on. Simple enough.
The play of the 888x without hubstacks is like its a whole other throw. I suppose it would be similar to the 44 or Boss. The 888x is a real pleasure for me without stacks. It’s faster, QUIETER, and spins even longer. I would encourage YYF to make an alternate version of the 888x without hubstacks!! How cool would that be?!
Conclusion: Regarding the DVD, It really caters to the beginner/ intermediate player, because you’ll have a high end throw, effective instruction, and responsive and unresponsive play all at the same time!!! It’s also a fast way to be spoiled fast because you might not want anything less after wards. If you’re an Expert/ Master Level player, then the DVD won’t help you learn anything new.
With or without stacks, I consider this throw to be an all around great performer. It does everything you can think of and I recommend it to any yoyo enthusiast.
The 888x… worth more now, than ever before!
