Ball Review: Bash
Bowler: Jeff Ussery
Date: 6/15/07
Coverstock: Big Bang XL Reactive
RG: 2.57"
Differential: 0.031"
Pin to PAP: 4 1/2"
Surface Preparation: 1000 Abralon with Powerhouse Factory Finish Ball Polish
What I Was Looking For In This Ball and Layout:
Last season I drilled two Black Ice balls that were terrific on lanes drier than
the Sahara desert. I figured the Bash would be a nice way to replace one of those balls and give
me something that looks prettier in the bag. After all, looking good is a must.
What I Ended Up With In This Ball and Layout:
No surprises in the front part of the lane with the Bash. When you combine a differential of .031" and a polished surface, you're going
to get front end skid. The Bash glides through the front part of the lane with ease. If you bowl on fried heads, high-friction lane surfaces, or lanes that simply
are not oiled, the Bash would be a great ball to get you to the breakpoint easier.
Here's where the surprise came in for me. In the past, the Black Ice would continue right on through the midlane like
it wasn't even there. We had a weaker coverstock paired with this same core, and the Black Ice would
slide through the midlane with continued ease. At times this would cause a problem with the ball simply getting too long down
the lane. Problem solved! The Bash is MUCH more aggressive in the midlane than it's older counterpart,
and we now have a higher rg, lower differential bowling ball that doesn't miss
the breakpoint. The Bash responds much stronger to the midlane, and reads friction spots much
more predictably!
The great thing is that we haven't sacrificed backend control with the coverstock
upgrade. Many times when you upgrade covers, you tend to lose that control factor that
made an older ball so good. This ball is an upgrade all the way around, as you get added midlane power,
better entry angle, but similar backend shape. The Bash makes an even arc off of the breakpoint and "curves" to the pocket. Best yet, it's so much prettier than previous introductions! Looking good is nice. Looking good and winning is better!
***Our
ball reviews are developed from a wide variety of lane conditions,
surfaces, and environments. We are attempting to give you an idea of
our overall experience and findings from a ball. Remember that all
bowlers are different in regards to ball speed, revolutions, axis
rotation, and axis tilt. Bowlers will see different qualities from
bowling balls based on these factors. Be sure to also take into account
the bowler's environment (lane surface, oil pattern, etc.) and their
expectation (hook, score, etc.) before drilling a new ball for anybody.
