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43 Reviews for Nittaku Acoustic - Chinese Penhold

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This blade is superb.
I was a little bit sceptical about it living up to the many reviews I had read and expected a bit of a let down to be honest but it is absolutely fantastic.
I can only properly compare it to 6/7 other blades (how many blades can you REALLY get to know?) but in every aspect it has delivered.

I can't really add anything new but I certainly agree with most other reviews about the feel and feedback you get, it is just different.
Even rubbers I didn't particularly like before are playing brilliantly on this blade.
The flared handle is a tiny bit smaller than usual in the regular flared handle but not by much and I didn't notice it as much as others have. For comparison I've measured 4 other flared blade handles here
Acoustic is 8mm circum at middle, 8.5 at most flared.
The other blades are between 8mm-8.3mm at middle and the widest is 9mm at most flared.
I wrap a thin surgical gauze around my handle b4 every session to help with the sweat so I have no issues with slipping or discomfort. My hands are 20cm wrist to middle tip and 21.5cm around the knuckles, size 8.5 glove. Maybe this is useful in deciding what handle will suit you best.
The blade is not slow, neither is it too fast, it really falls in the middle so if you want slower get the Violin. But the control is brilliant.
It didn't take long to adjust my shots on both sides in terms of power, from blocking to FH loops and after 2hrs my short game was already where it was with my old blade and after several sessions I feel an improvement in the short game, such is the calibration allowed from the feeling and feedback I get.
It cost 4 times what my previous blade cost and honestly it is a luxury/vanity purchase and not at all necessary but I do feel that I've landed on the best blade I have ever used and this will be it for me. I'll be shifting as much unused gear as I can now to purchase another one the next time they are on sale, 2 of these should be all I'll ever need.
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I like the handle on this blade. It's quite small. This is a classic looping blade. I do sometimes feel it's a bit too slow for me, but the control and ability to feel the ball is really good.
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I have waited a while to be sure before writing this review as I have tried dozens of blades and the euphoria wears off. But after playing with this blade for several months, I can now say with certainty that I will not change again as it really is the only blade I've owned that allows me not only to do everything, but do it to the best of my ability, with a maximum amount of spin, control and good speed. As a two-winged controlled attacker, this is the ultimate blade. You can load loops with huge quantities of spin, push long and short with lots of spin, smash hard and accurately when the opportunity arises, block easily with accuracy, services and receives are the best I've known. Flips are also very safe. Even defending is a piece of cake. In sum, hard to find any weaknesses that don't stem purely from technique problems. The feedback is also unique. This review is based on my current setup: FH Andro Hexer Grip, BH Stiga DNA Pro AM. I tried other rubbers such as G1 on both sides and it didn't work as well for me. You really can't go wrong with this blade if you play close to the table or mid-distance. Can't recommend it enough.
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I started table tennis with Butterfly carbon blades such as Viscaria and Timo Boll Spirit which got me up to 1700 USATT with mainly club play and no coaching. I stayed there for about 3 years and decided to switch to Nittaku Acoustic because people said wood blades have great "feel" and carbon blades don't. I never understood what "feel" meant until playing with Nittaku Acoustic, and now that I know, I recommend every developing player to consider starting with a wood blade. The reason why "feel" is so amazing I noticed is with wood blades the blade will literally vibrate differently when you hit the ball correctly, and you will "feel" this sensation in your hand. I'm literally being coached by my blade that's telling me when I am hitting the ball correctly or not and it has helped me improve up to 2000 USATT. Amazing blade and give it 10/10. I could not be happier and glad my table tennis equipment search is finally over.
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The only blade that feels an extension of my arm. Perfect balance of speed and feeling that can be tweaked by rubber combinations. The small handle was not an issue with the flared handle but I had to add grip sleeves to beef up the straight handle.
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Top ten in the world in sales, and that is not strange
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Found too unforgiving for more offensive counter shots or looping with Chinese rubbers was too hard even when boosted. Didnt work well for me with G1 or target pro 47 rubbers. Tended to overshoot with looping and wasnt spinny enough on slower loops. Just too slow to get through people. Low control when trying to be aggressive. Feels good but not worth the price tag. Spend the money on a Barwell or Hurricane Long 3 for the price tag and actually get a blade that can do everything the acoustic does well the same or better with safer high end speeds.
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Have had mine for a couple of weeks. Paired with MX-P, this is a pretty fast setup. Honestly, I think a bit too fast for my ability. In time, should be great. I had to wrap the handle to make it a better fit. Nice blade. Update: The more I use this blade, the more I love it. Looper's dream.
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The best blade ever made. On my top 20 there are 9 Nittaku, 4 Butterfly 3 DHS, 3 TSP and one Tibhar. The carbonVersion is even better, of that is possible
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Extraordinarily feeling and sound. It was a bit expensive but it was definitely worth to spend so much for it.
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This legendary blade is a trusty one to go for because the feel of the ball is great and as it rates as a -off this is one of the best bats to play with if u want to try the fastest and most spinny rubbers u can buy and still hit the table. It makes a special asian-like sound too and when u hit hard it sounds as if you have broken the ball. Its very nice!
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FH: Donic Acuda blue P1 turbo 1.8MM
BH: Yasaka raska 7 1.8MM
While most say to have a fast blade you must sacrifice control, that is not the case with this blade. The blade with my rubber combo is amazing at remaining consistant and keeping the ball on the table, while maintaining a very good speed that is not that easy for the opponent to return. Pretty much every shot I make-- chop, push, block, loop can land pretty consistently. If you have good technique, you will be practically unstoppable with this paddles amazing control and speed.
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9.4/10 for OFF style. FH/BH: Palio CJ8000 Biotech 42-44, 2mm, 45g (0.22g/cm^2), 39.5 degrees (Shore A). Blade: Nittaku Acoustic, 86g, 157mm x 150mm x 5.7mm (Width x Height x Thickness). Plies: 5 (Wood): Limba - Limba - Tung - Limba - Limba.
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This is an everybody's darling blade. You can't go wrong with it.
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I owe several blades and played with Petr Korbel, Andro Treiber Q, Nittaku Acoustic, some cheap ALL blades.
I must say, that this blade is amazingly crafted: the blade is smooth, the handle is smooth and everything seems to be very top notch.
The ST handle is a bit thin, comparing to Treiber Q or Korbel.
I played with this blade using Yasaka Rakza 7 rubbers, Hurricane 3 and Friendship GeoSpin Tacky rubbers and must say, that Chinese rubbers with the plastic 40+ ball are just slow. Yes, I know if I produce a proper 'chinese' stroke then it works mostly fine, but that requires really good footwork. 2 layers of boosters applied is much better, but I think it's not worth a hassle boosting these days, unfortunately. BUT AMAZING short game, really MUCH better than any EU rubber I've tried.
In comparison, Rakza 7 (2.0) worked really well on both FH and BH, plenty of control doing top spins, blocks, short play is ok. Also, the speed is quite amazing if the technique is good even despite that it is a 5 ply composition.
As everyone mentions, the sound is amazing as well.

So, if anyone is looking to train hard and progress from ground zero, I would suggest any ALL, ALL+ blade (can use cheap chinese rubber like 729 FX to set a proper stroke techniques) -> Nittaku Acoustic -> Any blade with an ALC, like ZJK ALC or TB ALC/Viscaria.

edit 2019: after 1 year of playing this blade I can safely say that it has *NOT* enough power for todays plastic ball. I bought Nittaku Ludeack and it's almost the same in the control department, but the blocking is MUCH better.
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I paired with soft, medium/soft rubbers and it was terrible for looping backspin balls, took effort to get them over the net relative to my Tibhar SPW, JRE and other blades. Put medium hard rubbers on it, with high throw angle, and I'm sure you'll have a better experience than I did. In fact, I'm quite certain if medium to medium hard (with high throw) rubbers are glued on, then it would justify all the fan fair. Otherwise, see my ratings for the numbers.
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Ratings for 86g. Good controlled blade. It's limba, limba, tung, 5.7mm.
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One of the best 5 ply all wood blades ever... "EXCELLENT blade. Amazing touch and feeling, a bit faster than the Violin but also a bit more flex, so GREAT for generating spin. This blade is a LOOPING MACHINE, but technique must be good to execute the true potential of this beautiful masterpiece of a blade. Also has many "GEARS" if you want to gently push and chop close to the table, no problem. It will handle it with ease. Mid to far distance looping rallies are a pleasure with the ACOUSTIC. I will be with this for years to come, My Viscaria is now in the closet collecting dust. I much prefer the feel of this blade to most composite blades i've tried through the years. A bit pricey but WELL WORTH it if you can afford it.
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Sweet sweet all-wood feeling with power!
Important thing about any blade is it's weight... Mine is 90gr and it's amazing. To do a flick with that is soooo easy!
There is a touch and feeling and also power.
Again choose carefully the weight of your blade.
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Just tried this one at the club I play, paired with Evo els rubbers. The short game was easy, block was effortless, loops rather easy too and the feel was out of this planet, like playing with your hand and placing the ball where you wish. I can't describe how well it fited my playstyle. It's simply the best blade I've ever used and even though I preferred carbon blades till this time, can't wait to buy my own acoustic! The only drawback I can see is the price, but I think it worths it.
P.s. just played like 5 minutes with it and fell in love at no time, it was like I've been using it for years
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Bought on the recommendation of my friend-no regrets.Best blade I have now.
1.Great feeling in the hands.This helps you with net play touch shot,helps to play the ball with the exact amount of spin and force.
2.Good speed-when you need -its fast.Slower than ALC Timo Boll.But still quite enough speed .
3.Great for looping/topspins and even pushes(chops) are very vicious and spinny.
4.Sound=lovely.People notice and its a joy to hit and kill the ball.
5.Weight is ideal.My set up is now 184 grams.Black(FH) rubber is DHS goldarc 8,BH(red) is bluestorm z2.
6.Handle is very slim...I had to wrap a grip tape on it...now its great....help in free wrist movement..I LIKE THE THIN HANDLE NOW.
7.Blocks are awesome,I can block the ball automatically....always on table...wow.
8.Loop drives are great too.
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I agree with all the above reviews, nittaku acoustic is the best control blade i ever tried. I feel like it became my hand, i can easily control where i want to place the ball. Its great for blocking and drive. Easy to loop the ball. The only downside is the price, but still its really worth it.
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My favourite 5 plies all wood blade. My Acoustic weights 84 grams. The control is absolutely insane.
Works very well with modern tensor rubbers like Rakza 7
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The Nittaku Accoustic is an amazing 5 Ply Offensive blade with Limba outer layers. I would rate the blade in the Off- speed category. I used this as my main blade as a developing mid distance looper. It is my favorite 5 Ply wood blade of all time and I've tried quite a few. It has amazing feel without producing a distracting level of vibration. Power and speed are good for an all wood blade and more than sufficient to put away a winner. But what makes this blade a true gem is it's control, feel and consistancy. Great for developing players and advanced players whose game values control and ball placement over speed and power. Very high build quality by Nittaku.
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I got the Chinese penhold version of this blade, and I am very pleased with it. Compared to other blades I have used, this seems to have a wider head, and balance is slightly head heavy.

This is a 5 ply wood offensive/looping blade with surprisingly exceptional control. I think if you play medium-hard to hard rubbers, you should pair with a bit more flexible blade like this. For an offensive player, speed is rarely an issue compared to control - and for a 5 ply wood this is decently fast, but the control is really the treasure here. If you've played on a stiff/hard/carbon blade before playing on a blade like this, you will understand the difference the blade makes in looping because of its control and dwell.

If you a are offensive wood blade looper looking for more "feeling" in a blade and also have some money to spare, I would recommend this.
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I'm a recreational player who rediscovered TT more seriously after a long hiatus. I have now spent three years and a whole lot of money exploring various blades and rubber combinations that might suit my style and level as well as help me become a better player. For blades, the answer is crystal clear for me: Nittaku Acoustic. It is no secret that speed and control are somewhat mutually exclusive properties, but I think the Acoustic cheats a bit in this regard, because it has a lot more control than it's speed would predict. Perhaps it's because of the amazing feedback it gives. The main offensive blades I have used in comparison are Andro Tempertech All+ (OK, not literally an OFF blade) and Tibhar Stratus Powerwood. Initially, I really liked the Tempertech and bought three of them, but since buying the Acoustic, I can't put it down. The Acoustic has much less flex than the Tempertech All+ (predictably), but the control is as good and the quality of the feedback is just more confidence inspiring. In contrast, the SPW is a bit stiffer and faster than the Acoustic but has almost no feedback at all. It feels dead in comparison. I'm still trying out different rubber combinations, mostly on my Tempertech blades but finally decided to get a second Acoustic for those rubber experiments. The rubbers I initially used on my Acoustic were Mark V 1.5mm black (BH) and Xiom Omega V Europe 2 mm. This was very good but the Xiom was a bit too fast for me. I have switched to Mark V 1.8 mm red (BH) and Spinart 1.9 mm black (FH) and it's getting close to perfection. If you can afford an Acoustic, give it a try.
A word of caution about buying these blades online: buy from a reputable source only. There are many cheap Acoustics on sale from China on Ebay and I'm pretty sure most are fake, though hard to spot if you don't have a real one to compare. I know because it happened to me (though the Ebay seller in question was local).
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I gave Speed 9 and control 9.5 - but a 9.7 overall. Simply because I have been coming back to this blade after dozens of others (I am a collector) whenever it comes to serious play.
This has been proved, in my two-winged attacking style and 30 years of TT experience, THE blade for anything I want and can do.
First and foremost, you will not find it at all slower than today's carbon blades if you use faster rubbers or ones with medium-hard or hard sponges. It requires traind hands, needless to say, but then the power will come out. I use a Rasant Grip (1.9) on FH and a max T05FX on the backhand. It's not only not slow, but so powerfully fast when swinged/brushep/looped properly that is in unbelievable. I use shorter moves for looping, and especially from mid distance, it is like a wrecking ball. Supreme power from far from the table as well as well as, delicate touch over the table. Opening loops and brushes over the table are a breeze with acoustic, so much control.
I have loved its dropping ability for years now. Perfect touch, with a sound of a stiff carbon blade, but the soft feeling that tells you it is all wood. Excellent for lobbing due to its control, and chop blocks with the good timing. Earlier tried it with softer and slower rubbers (thinner Sriver EL and Tackiness D, for instance), and then it is awesome for chopping as well, combined with powerful attacking strokes. I do recognize I may sound like an advertisement on the Nittaku home page, but that's the truth. :)
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The best all wood blade that i have ever played with . The blade has very high control ,speed and dwell. Very easy to loop excellent flex when required. Feeling is unbelievable 2nd to none. The blade is not hard it feels very close to btfly viscaria . Very similar with medium feel. You can do any shoot with acoustic. By the way acoustic has unique blade sound whilst playing hard, really nice. Looking closely all around the blade ply, I can see all 5 ply is jointless and maybe that why it's so unique. Overall too good for all wood blade feels there is carbon inside due to its explosive reserve of power when required. Only downside is the original acoustic has small handle which most people don't like but you can get use to it, or add little tape for grip. Blade is a little head heavy so 9.9/10 . Apparently you now can get large handle .
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Tried many blades (all wood and composite), and I genuinely can't find a better one, always come back to the acoustic. Has it all... loops really well, blocks are consistent, more than enough power on smashes etc. Control comes natural, don't have to think about easing up... I think all wood is the best way to play tt.
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Outstanding blade!
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Not very fast, but quote controllable blade. Nice hitting sound. I would definitely recommend this one to those who are looking for classical all wood blade with reasonable speed.
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suits: looper
pros: superior catch even more than IF ZLC, high dwell, some flex but hard enough for easy punching and blocking, counterlooping is easy like violin but trading off a bit of control for more power
cons: a bit on the hard side if you prefer soft like vis, zlf
summary: all-wood TB ALC
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What a piece of art. I feel like string it with violinstrings and play Mozart (like JO Waldner, hehe) wonderful craftmanship and awesome finishing. Very good spin. Try with RakzaX, Rasant Grip, Nittaku Alhelg or the likes. If you dont like it, ill come and play violin at your house at night...btw i am terrible. Cant play musical instruments...
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Una madera magnifica con un toque impresionante, la bola siempre caera a otro lado de la mesa, se puede jugar de media y corta distancia, esta madera esta orientado para jugadores con loop. El juego pasivo es muy bueno, cortes. empujes, bloqueos lo hace de maravilla, Juego con rakza 7 max en fh y rakza 7 max soft en bh con una acustica l-size, de mango mas grande.

Recomendada, el peso interviene mucho, una que pesa menos de 85 gramos sera una madera off-, mas de 90 gr sera off.

Posee mucho feeling y no es tan rapido como las de carbono, es perfecta para mi juego, tiene un arco medio alto, mucha consistencia la mejor...
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It is great for All around style with good feeling and excellent looping, blocking...
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Great blade
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Acoustic is stiffer and slightly faster than Violin. In comparison with carbon blades, touch is softer.
It is a very consistent blade for allround players.
Control is good, also with 05 on forehand.
Looping is pretty easy.
Non so easy playing very close to the table. For that style, Violin is more effective.
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This blade does it all. Power with control that you cannot find with carbon or composite blades. I have used it for 3 years now with different rubbers. It plays best with soft sponge inverted rubbers. Currently using Nittaku Narucross GS Super Soft 2.1 on the forehand and Butterfly Sriver 1.7 on the backhand
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i am 42 years old and i tried every kind of blade in the market, really most of them. the thing is you lose things to get some. finally this blade can do it all. control, opening shot, drives loops, blocks everything is so wonderful accurate and the most important of all is the safety it gives you during a match or a competion, note that it has and incredible shooting angle: for those who play very well would immediatly understand what i am talking about when they play it. who would not like it ? only people standing and flat hitting and driving all the time, it is not for them. in one word: impossible looping angle blade.
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I bought the Nittaku acoustic, along with 2 reasonably hard rubbers; Omega IV Asia (2.0mm, FH), and Omega IV Pro (2.0mm) for backhand. The style i play with relies on slapping for attack ("Driving") and with topspin often to initiate the attack. The bat allows for a lot of spin, but also has a lot of pace, and you get a nice feel for where you want to hit it for different shots, and the flared version is flared, but not TOO flared. Furthermore, despite me being ranked very badly, I upset 5 people in the 3rd day of using this bat (along with the new rubber), including a top 10 player in the country for u18's. This bat is excellent; spinny yet quick, and the very top mens players love it here too. It's great for looping, great for driving, and truly excellent for serving (with the rubbers i have). Definitely will be holding on to this for many years to come. Can buy for $140~USD at presports (The sites currency is ringgits, and any prices are based off the conversion rate to ringgits, so expect this USD price to decrease lots when America sorts out its 'debt crisis'). I also immediately beat people 3-0 whom i haven't beaten, at my club, in many years during the major tournament, so this bat definitely had a very large say; slappers/drivers (no spin attack shots) can do no better, whilst spin shots such as loops are still incredibly spinny and accurate - Great for service.
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Acoustic is beautifull!!!!!!
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For me this is the best blade so far, extraordinarily feeling and sound. It was a bit expensive but it was definitely worth to spend so much for it. Short game, pushes, blocks, flips are very controlled and efficient. Looping is also great. I'm using it with Bryce Fx on the FH and Xiom Omege IV on the BH.
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Finally got hold of one of these with an L-Size handle. Considered by many to be the holy grail of all-wood blades, along with the Violin.

It's a beautifully made blade, and the L-Size handle is much more suited to my big hamfists (I find regular Nittaku handles to be far too small).

Feels really smooth to play with, and does everything well. It's fast for a 5-ply all-wood, but not uncontrollable. It's quite thin, and pretty light, so for real pace you'll have to put some effort in. But it's so good in every other department that I think it's a better bet than a carbon blade for the overall feel and control. Probably more suited to loopers as opposed to hitters, due to soft feel.

Very expensive...
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