Aston55 Posted October 2, 2015 Report Share Posted October 2, 2015 Guys can you help out a brother make a decision? I'm loving my jbeam blackout 9 degree, 1.5 open face so much right now. Super low spin and launching head. Its a beautiful thing for a high ball hitter like me. However, I see that so many of you jbeam fans are playing the zy11 or so it seems. I am very close to pulling the trigger on my order for the 7d shaft (BTW guys lets do this 5 person deal that Chris offered us!! please). Should I buy the ZY-11 and try that before ordering the ultimate 7D combo OR just stick with the Jbeam blackout (I'm going to order the same head if I go with blackout)? It could take a full month to order the new zy11 head, test it out a few rounds, before deciding. Is it worth trying before I order the shaft? How is the forgiviness of the zy11? I know that its important to determine the head before ordering the 7D.... what do you guys think??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RLL33 Posted October 2, 2015 Report Share Posted October 2, 2015 Probably only you can answer whether you want to feel both before taking the 7D plunge. I think most of us here are familiar with loving a club and then wondering about something else... <g> I can certainly testify that the Blackout with 7D is a monster of both distance and feel. Others, I know, say the same about the ZY11. In the end, I doubt you could go wrong with either. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mr.haha Posted October 2, 2015 Report Share Posted October 2, 2015 Aston, just get both! make one of the clubs a distance model and the other more control/matrix. i literally just shafted up my jbeam 10* netural 200g with a 7D, D10, matrix, 45", 66.4g, stiff (i think its 12.4 or something). as of now i only have 1 range session and boy was it weird. I am coming from a T388 9.5 SX (13.8) 7D 64g D4 and then feel is totally night and day. My SS tops out at 107 but I live in the 103 range. first, the swingweight is 6 pts different which is really 12g added on. 7D evidently recommends a higher swingweight with the jbeam so I went with it. The first few balls no joke were low push slices something akin to what a 36 HDCP would hit. The swingweight really forced me to slow my lower body down and swing through the ball. I don’t particularly love it right now but in the long run I think it will be beneficial. I am also a high ball hitter and the head/shaft combo even with the d10 swingweight and longer hosel, really brought down the trajectory which in turn led to some serious rollouts on the range. I hit maybe 40 balls with the driver and I bet half were pure crap, 10 were playable misses and 10 were really good. The range is about 260 slight downhill and the balls were no better than Tour Balata 90s. for the most part I was landing at the 250 and rolling out to the end of the net. Second, feel is not what I expected. T388 is muted and soft which is a feel I grew up with and love. The blackout truly felt like I was hitting a metal hollow clubhead. This isn’t to say that I didn’t like the feel, its just felt very different. I haven’t hit the ZY-11 but it is foamed and I would think it would feel perhaps similar to the T388 but I am sure others will chime in. I really can’t wait to get back to the range and test the club out some more. I never make a final call on a club until I have multiple range sessions and at least 5 full rounds with it. keep us posted with your choices but you cant go wrong with both! But you are right, pick the head first and let 7D come up with the right fit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
needmoregolf Posted October 2, 2015 Report Share Posted October 2, 2015 love the black, love the zy (dare I say it) more now...and it's got a 7d control in it!! still dialing in and I'm playing it long at 46.5" but I really can't tell you how pleasant the sound of that muted thwack and the smooth electric feel of the 7d is! I didn't think something could make me leave the black AAA at home but this zy is surprising me in many ways :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RLL33 Posted October 2, 2015 Report Share Posted October 2, 2015 Not to jack the thread, but D, how would you compare the AAA to the 7D? I was hoping to hear from Nob on this, but then his wrist got in the way... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
needmoregolf Posted October 2, 2015 Report Share Posted October 2, 2015 AAA kicks harder to me, and coupled with the black it has an explosive pop/crunch. the 7d is a sneaky long glassy yet electric feeling shaft IMO...all class with the 7d, feel like I should rock a bowtie with ur my next round ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nobmontana Posted October 2, 2015 Report Share Posted October 2, 2015 I'm still here!! :) Just from the limited time with the 7D vs AAA I rank AAA '15 as the best "off the shelf" shaft to date.. Yet, 7D is still quite a bit better in all aspects. It just feels more natural to my swing. Not sure how to best describe it but at transition, 7D feels like it's completely in sync with my swing tempo. very much refined feel. My AAA is now sitting idle .. planning on possibly trying an AF-105 before next spring if reviews are good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RLL33 Posted October 2, 2015 Report Share Posted October 2, 2015 Thanks, you guys. I'm with you, and like the way you both put it, too -- the 7D's "sneaky long, smooth, electric, and refined feel." I'm still amazed at the way it seems to adapt to my different swings on different days -- as if it can isolate my swing's strengths in just about whatever I throw its way, whereas with other shafts I've often felt in conflict, like I was wrestling with them at least on some days. My driving has become way more consistent with the 7D, which has raised my confidence, which has lowered my scores. Oh yeah, and I don't mind the longer part either... ;=] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robbie Posted October 2, 2015 Report Share Posted October 2, 2015 hmmmm.......i think i like my kamui pro, stock oem shaft more than my 7D : ( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robbie Posted October 3, 2015 Report Share Posted October 3, 2015 Aston, just get both! make one of the clubs a distance model and the other more control/matrix. i literally just shafted up my jbeam 10* netural 200g with a 7D, D10, matrix, 45", 66.4g, stiff (i think its 12.4 or something). as of now i only have 1 range session and boy was it weird. I am coming from a T388 9.5 SX (13.8) 7D 64g D4 and then feel is totally night and day. My SS tops out at 107 but I live in the 103 range. first, the swingweight is 6 pts different which is really 12g added on. 7D evidently recommends a higher swingweight with the jbeam so I went with it. The first few balls no joke were low push slices something akin to what a 36 HDCP would hit. The swingweight really forced me to slow my lower body down and swing through the ball. I don’t particularly love it right now but in the long run I think it will be beneficial. I am also a high ball hitter and the head/shaft combo even with the d10 swingweight and longer hosel, really brought down the trajectory which in turn led to some serious rollouts on the range. I hit maybe 40 balls with the driver and I bet half were pure crap, 10 were playable misses and 10 were really good. The range is about 260 slight downhill and the balls were no better than Tour Balata 90s. for the most part I was landing at the 250 and rolling out to the end of the net. Second, feel is not what I expected. T388 is muted and soft which is a feel I grew up with and love. The blackout truly felt like I was hitting a metal hollow clubhead. This isn’t to say that I didn’t like the feel, its just felt very different. I haven’t hit the ZY-11 but it is foamed and I would think it would feel perhaps similar to the T388 but I am sure others will chime in. I really can’t wait to get back to the range and test the club out some more. I never make a final call on a club until I have multiple range sessions and at least 5 full rounds with it. keep us posted with your choices but you cant go wrong with both! But you are right, pick the head first and let 7D come up with the right fit. how did u get a swing weight of d10 with a 200g head ??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nobmontana Posted October 3, 2015 Report Share Posted October 3, 2015 Noticed that as well. the overall length must be close to 47" My Grandista / 7D is 200g head , 46.75" 69g shaft at D9 You'd need a very very heavy head to achieve D10 at 45" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robbie Posted October 3, 2015 Report Share Posted October 3, 2015 Ahhh...i think he meant the shaft was 45".......that would make for about 46.5" driver and D10 SW Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mr.haha Posted October 3, 2015 Report Share Posted October 3, 2015 Ahhh...i think he meant the shaft was 45".......that would make for about 46.5" driver and D10 SW Robbie, unfortunately the club plays 45" in total. 7D appears to be reallocating weight over the shaft. so yes the shaft is at 66.5 but more weight is in the tip versus butt. This was 7D recommendation based on my previous 7D shaft so i am placing my trust in them for now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robbie Posted October 3, 2015 Report Share Posted October 3, 2015 Robbie, unfortunately the club plays 45" in total. 7D appears to be reallocating weight over the shaft. so yes the shaft is at 66.5 but more weight is in the tip versus butt. This was 7D recommendation based on my previous 7D shaft so i am placing my trust in them for now. Thank you for the info !!! Please let us know how this works out.....if the d10 doesn't work out, just wrap some lead tape over the shaft ( however make sure to put some painters tape over the shaft before applying lead weight tape. ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+TourSpecGolfer Posted October 3, 2015 Report Share Posted October 3, 2015 D10 or E0? I'm getting clarification on the thought process behind your shaft but do you mean D9? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mr.haha Posted October 4, 2015 Report Share Posted October 4, 2015 D10 or E0? I'm getting clarification on the thought process behind your shaft but do you mean D9? Chris, it certainly could be d9. im not too worried about the 1 pt differential. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+TourSpecGolfer Posted October 4, 2015 Report Share Posted October 4, 2015 Chris, it certainly could be d9. im not too worried about the 1 pt differential. most importantly is how are you hitting it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aston55 Posted October 5, 2015 Author Report Share Posted October 5, 2015 love the black, love the zy (dare I say it) more now...and it's got a 7d control in it!! still dialing in and I'm playing it long at 46.5" but I really can't tell you how pleasant the sound of that muted thwack and the smooth electric feel of the 7d is! I didn't think something could make me leave the black AAA at home but this zy is surprising me in many ways :) What would you say are the differences of how the black and zy11 play, aside from the muted/foamed sound? Do you think the ZY11 is more hotter face, forgiving, straighter, etc? It may be hard to tell since you have a different shaft setup in the two heads, but if you have any insights Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mjr. D Posted October 5, 2015 Report Share Posted October 5, 2015 Not sure about the Black but the ZY-11 is extremely muted and dull feeling. Not my cup of tea but apparently a lot of pros love this combo for feedback, etc. The ZY is as low/low as anything I've ever played. It and the TM SLDR 430 are pretty close. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aston55 Posted October 5, 2015 Author Report Share Posted October 5, 2015 Not sure about the Black but the ZY-11 is extremely muted and dull feeling. Not my cup of tea but apparently a lot of pros love this combo for feedback, etc. The ZY is as low/low as anything I've ever played. It and the TM SLDR 430 are pretty close. Yea blackout is very similar. Its the lowest flight head I ever tried. My friends that all play normally 9 - 9.5 degrees in other heads can't get the ball up with the blackout combo I have. I hit it super high, so it works nicely for me. Did you sell your head? I did see in a post of yours that you ordered one with an open face. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
needmoregolf Posted October 6, 2015 Report Share Posted October 6, 2015 I can get both the black and zy up in the air no probs at 10*...it's all about your swing type but there are no launch problems for higher ball hitters Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aston55 Posted November 9, 2015 Author Report Share Posted November 9, 2015 (edited) Over the past two months, Ive been testing out the two heads to compare (Jbeam blackout, ZY11) with various shafts such as the AAA, Crazy CB 50 Black, TRPX X-Line, TRPX Aura, Kuro Kage XT, Kuro Kage Proto Tini. For sure, the AAA is a winner and a close second is the Crazy CB 50 Black. Boths shafts are super stable and tip stiff that brings a good trajectory. The best part is the piercing launch of the ball which is far stronger than any other shafts that I have tried. (P.S. - sorry this is a long response, but I thought it would benefit members that are in the market for Jbeam heads.) Back to the main topic of heads. I've been playing the blackout for several months now and man I always felt that this head was the ticket from the first swing I took with it. It sounds great, looks perfect, amazing details in the finish, face is super hot, tons of roll, and best of all low launch! I'm playing a 9 degree but to me it launches more like a 7 or 8 degree made by another manufacturer. I just could not imagine another head that could kick this driver out of the bag. After the Zy11 release, I started to get interested as I saw some members here including Chris move from the blackout to the Zy11. The things that concerned me was feel, sound, and launch. I play a 9 degree in the blackout but I got a Zy11 in 9.5. I shafted the head with the CB50 black which was my second fav shaft and honestly I wasnt so crazy about it the first day I tried it. Performance was very similar but the sound and feel was so muted compared to the blackout. I didnt mind so much the feel as much as the sound. Surprisingly, the launch I found to be very close to the blackout. I was worried that it might be too high, but I could not tell much of a difference. The one thing that I really liked about the Zy11 was the larger head size. I personally think the blackout looks better overall, but the ZY11 gave me a bit more confidence and it just looked better to my eye at address. So after my first day of trying the ZY11, I decided to stick with the blackout because of the sound and the zy11 has been sitting idle in my house for over a month. For over a month, I've been driving the ball crazy good (relative to before ) with the blackout 9 degree AAA setup. However, I ended up buying a backup blackout in 10 degree and got curious to try it. So I pulled the AAA and put in the 10 degree head just to experiment. One day of playing the setup proved that 10 degrees was too much loft for my swing. Just as I was about to put it back into my 9 degree, I thought of the ZY11. I felt that I never gave it a real chance by playing it for a single day. I wasn't about to shaft it with the AAA quite yet, so I took out the ZY11 with the CB50 shaft and it performed really nice. The biggest factor to me was that the size gave me far more confidence. There was zero hesitancy to drive the ball hard! I do also think that the head is a tad more forgiving. I still preffered the sound of the blackout but confidence alone was enough to say lets install the AAA on it! Over the weekend, I tested out the new ZY11 AAA combo on the range to configure the head weight setup (move COG around and overall weight) and the MOI that I like to play in my driver. Once I found my optimal setup, took it to the course next day praying this would be the last setup of the year! haha (actually my gf is the one praying) she thinks I'm crazy trying all these different things every week. Man from the very first tee I was in love. Boy did I prove her that it was all worth the experimenting. She commented that sometimes she couldnt even hear me hit the ball when she was a little distant from the tee box and then she would all of a sudden see a piercing drive. She called it the silent assasin. Overall distance on my pured shots were relatively the same distance as before with the blackout. No real distance gains there but maybe a little on the mis**ts. However, the big difference was that I hit all but one fairway and I believe its because the confidence it brings to me when I look down at address. I also started to prefer the feel and sound of the ZY11, as its really growing on me. I'm hoping that my round was not just a fluke of good driving and that it will carry me through the rest of the year until I get my 7d. :) Cheers Edited November 9, 2015 by Aston55 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RLL33 Posted November 9, 2015 Report Share Posted November 9, 2015 Nice write-up. Thanks for taking the time. Still in love with my 7D-Blackout combo, which just keeps getting better on me no matter what I throw at it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aston55 Posted November 9, 2015 Author Report Share Posted November 9, 2015 RLL33 - yea these two heads are amazing. You are spot on, it just gets better and better :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+TourSpecGolfer Posted November 9, 2015 Report Share Posted November 9, 2015 Thanks Aston for that update, sounds perfectly spot on to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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