So i was curious about other peoples opinion on this. When do you think you should or is necessary to buy a high end? When you have trouble doing more advanced tricks with your current yoyo? When you learn all the Yoyoexpert list? Or whenever you want? Personally i bought my first “expensive” yoyo when i was in either the advanced or expert section. What about you guys? What do you think? 
Huh. A very interesting question. Depends what you mean by high end. Are you talking in the sense that the yoyo is higher in price?
yep, i guess anything considered competition leveled. Anything above $60 i guess. Stuff like the chief, jpx, genesis, etc, etc.
I think it’s when you want to spend the money on it. There are so many throws that aren’t considered “high end” but are still more than capable of performing any trick you can throw at it. So I think it’s all a matter of preference on when you want to spend that kind of money on a throw. The shutter isn’t considered high-end but it’s certainly capable of doing anything a draupnir can do.
When you have money.
I agree. Yoyos like the Shutter, which are not considered high end, can usually do the same tricks just as well as a yoyo like the CLYW Scout. The difference is, it is usually way more fun to do the trick on a high end, because high ends are usually Smoother, faster,flotier, than non high ends.
Buy one when you feel a need and have the resources. Note that you don’t need an expensive yoyo for most any trick in the world, any decent moderately priced yoyo is capable of most any trick you can find. The yoyo doesn’t make the player. Consider it like buying an expensive car, you don’t need one but…
1 Like
That is a great question, and there probably isn’t a correct answer. In hindsight, I wish I had waited until I had purchased my first high end yo-yo. For the purposes of my response I will call this yo-yos that are >$100).
I ended up wasting money on a yo-yo that by all accounts is great but that simply didn’t work for me in terms of feel and play. Now about a year after starting, I purchased another high end yo-yo that was more heavily based on my experiences with different shapes and weights, and that purchase ended up being great, and I suspect that will be the case now for other “high-end” yo-yos. Strangely enough, the timing of that latter purchase was right in the middle of me transitioning from “Advanced” to “Expert” just like you 
There is also another factor for me, and that is purchasing higher price yo-yos from “boutique” shops that produce fewer throws but with everything being made in North America. I very much try to buy more local when possible because I believe in trying to support a more local economy. This has nothing to do with my skill or the quality of the yo-yo per se, but it is something I now take into consideration.
If you can bind, won’t hit it off of anything frequently, and have the money, sure get something high end.
You don’t have to be a great player or anything to own a high end. If you can control the yoyo and if you can bind, there’s no issue. It may make learning certain tricks easier, and possibly make you progress faster, and may even push your interest in Yoyoing farther. I had a much easier time learning on a horizon than I did on my velocity, and I finished a segment of the trick ladder faster than I finished two segments on a velocity. I also noticed that Yoyoing became more fun, as crazy as it might sound. Not having to wind it up all the time or end your combos early added a whole new dimension to an already fun hobby. I don’t know what you’re currently playing, but sure, upgrade. There’s no reason not to, go for it.
Well, the best YOYO I have is a Shutter. But I can speak to the difference between a Shutter and a really good plastic YOYO like the Replay (and I love the Replay).
The Shutter is noticeably more stable and has noticeably more spin time. By “stable” I mean that it doesn’t tend to tilt as it slows down and it seems to want to stay in the string plane more easily. I would expect that a higher end yoyo like a One Drop, Monkey Finger, Amplified etc would just be even more stable.
You don’t ever need to buy a high end yo-yo, because there are budget yo-yos that play as well as some high ends. So, I think you should buy one when you want to buy one, and when you can afford to make it happen. When wants and means come together, it might be a good time to try it. I think that’s a very personal decision to make, if you ever decide to make it at all.
I suggest working your way up, and find something that looks and plays high end, but you paid like $45 to $65 for it. I think of high end as $80 and up. Before going straight to high end, I recommend working your way up through these. They look and play fantastic! Don’t get caught up in the price of the yo-yos, because I’ve seen some yo-yos with great ano jobs, and a nice blast, with budget prices that play great.
https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3712/19586489975_e302b95a94_z.jpgTooHOTgoldengalaxyx by Total Artist, on Flickr
https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3830/19586374315_990eba25cf_z.jpgHorizongalaxy by Total Artist, on Flickr
When I started, I bought 3 different shape plastics, each under $20, to get the feel of what I liked most, and to learn the basics of course. Then I bought my first aluminum throw, a yoyofficer orbis for $40 to be my intermediate learner. Through the 4 yoyos I learned: what shape I like, what weight I like, and what my style was. I like a relaxed pace organic shaped throw. Now I know what I like and only was $60 invested (minus extra strings and lube). My first expensive yoyo (over $75) is my Markmont Classic.
What is really great is that many companies put out high quality yo-yos at reasonable prices, such that one doesn’t need to really spend tonnes of money for a good throw. One Drop is a great example of this. As the others have said, there isn’t anything wrong with getting a much more expensive throw if you really want one, but it shouldn’t be purely about the idea that you can only get good quality by spending a huge amount of money.
I wrote a new song. Off the top, in a zone! 8)
You have extra loot in your pocket so you like to spend,
On something brand new, and bought a new high end.
You didn’t care if it was expensive because you loved it,
You didn’t consider some of the throws on a budget.
Price didn’t matter, you weren’t that astute,
You didn’t have a grasp on yo-yo attributes.
Not sure you like the weight and the shape or the finish,
And, paying more doesn’t make it something that it isn’t.
I chose to ignore, cause it was none of my business,
And, the money is yours, I know it’s fun for you to spend it.
Just don’t try to be something you not,
Buying a Ti Dream when you need a TooHOT.
Now you’re realizing, and now it’s so surprising,
Credit card declining, should have bought that Horizon!
:o
Peace!
Basically when you had money and actually want that particular yoyo.
Otherwise pretty much any tricks (other than 2a and maybe 4a) can be done with a $20-30 metal yoyos easily nowadays, machining standards has been raised, it’s unlike back then.
I don’t think it’s ever necessary to have a super high end one, like most people said, when you have the money to do so without needing to cut expenses elsewhere.
I have about 4-5 $100+ yoyos but the yoyo that I always find myself grabbing is my $35 protostar
I think a protostar is more than capable of handling anything you throw at it. If not just look at an old Jensen video or Victor Gravitsky video.
I bought my first $40.00 yoyo and knew beyond a doubt that I’d never need another yoyo. I was right until that yoyo for just $60.00, then another for $80, and I was on my way. Then just as quickly as I had purchased all those yoyos I basically slowed way down, almost stopped.
Just saying, the answer is different for everyone. When you see a yoyo you consider high end, and you can buy it without regretting having spent the money, that’s probably the time. As far as skill goes, it is very possible to do so much with yoyos that are very inexpensive, I don’t know that you should/need to buy a high end. (I still hope you get one someday though) 
when you start to get serious about it meaning when you or on the master section of yoyoexpert
um no… Yoyo expert tutorials are in no way a indication of your seriousness. I.finished master on a 15 buck yomega hotshot. I was in no way serious then. I still am not. It’s a hobby, it’s fun. Buy one whenever you want to.