I’m looking to upgrade from a YYF Whip. Also not looking to drop a lot of coin at this point. I’m looking at the Paul Han One Star or the Grind Machine. I’m looking for something with a bit more wait, with good spin time to advance with my string play. Any advice? Thank you.
Haven’t played a One Star but I can tell you that the Grind Machine is not all that great. The One Star is the same shape as the Protostar, Northstar and Starlite so if those yoyos are any sort of guide, the One Star ought to be an amazing player.
As Yuki said the One Star is a great throw because of it’s shape that is so relatively close to the Protostar, and the Northstar which are both amazing throws. I’d suggest getting the One Star over the GM. (and I personally own a grind machine, and not the One Star).
If it is between those 2, a onestar for sure, but if you were already considering spending about 30 on a grind machine, then why not save 5 more and get a protostar? Just a thought, I am sure that you will love the onestar.
I actively dislike the PGM (only played a stackless one). And I don’t say that about many yoyos. I will in all likelihood be grabbing a OneStar based on everyone’s high opinion of it, though.
Despite the super low price, I don’t recommend people start out with the WHIP because it’s too light. Having said that, the OneStar, while heavier than the WHIP, it’s still too light. Mind you, I do like the ONEStar, but I think for the results you are aiming for, I think it’s not the right yoyo for you. What I do like about the lighter yoyos such as the WHIP and ONEStar is that due to their lighter weight, they are fantastic yoyos for when you want a challenge and/or make your throw stronger.
I don’t know what your budget is, but I’m guessing under $30 if you’re saying the Grind Machine. Maybe you mean the $13 or so Stackless Grind Machine, which is a decent weight, the same basic shape as the WHIP and should give you the spin times you’re after. It’s not the widest shape in the world but it is a good, classic shape.
I think really though, since you’re after the YYF brand, can you step up to the Protostar? If you like heavier, then the same priced Northstar is the way to go, or is the ShaqlerStar the same price? The ShaglerStar is the Northstar. If you’re willing to consider a different brand, I think the YYJ Chaser would be good. The Trigger is another good option as well.
I’m very much in favor of the YYJ Classic, but it needs upgrades to be where you need it to be. However, I feel that within your budget, the Classic is still a very strong contender. Get a YoYoJam Speed bearing and YoYoJam Silicone o-ring response pads and you’re probably around $22 max, maybe even under that number! It will give you the long spin times and has good weight and balance.
Sorry to add still more models in, but I’ve had good results with the Adegle YoYo PSG, PSG Gem series and the Asteroid.
To be honest, I actually prefer the Onestar over the Protostar. It might just be the fact that the Onestar is more flashy (being pink and zebra striped and what not) but I’m definitely clocking in more play time with my Onestar over my Protostar.
Oh, I also dislike how my bearing gets stuck in the bearing seat of my Protostar. (I know others have had this issue too) and personally that’s a huge deterrent since I like my bearings super quite and when my Protostar gets loud, I generally don’t have the motivation to spend 30 minutes trying to get the bearing out in order to clean/lube it.
If I were you I would hit the Buy/sell/trade forum. You can get some pretty nice stuff for under $35 easy. But I must warn you, it gets addicting.
out of your two options I would go with the one star, I liked it better.
Also, the starbright that was mentioned earlier is a great throw, and it is a heavier (i think) then the onestar. plus it glows!
I wouldn’t worry about the durability of the Protostar. I think because the plastic is transparent, you might be thinking it might look cheap. I personally like it. It’s also probably made from polycarbonate, so it can take a world of abuse.
While the Severe is a model that I don’t care for, look who it’s named for. You know it’s gotta be good. I think Delrin is a fantastic material and I think it’s well suited for nearly any style of play if done right. I feel the Severe is done right, along with a few other delrin yoyos. I think the Halo is my all-time favorite delrin.
I’m looking for a moderate throw, to really hone my skills with and have fun. I made the mistake of getting a Whip for my first unresponsive jam. Just want to get something and go with it. I like the shape of the Stars and the Severe. I have a yomega Maverick, that I love the weight (60g) , but I want to keep it responsive, no mods. All these years, never thought buying a yoyo would be so tough.