Nittaku Violin is a table tennis blade that is claimed to be the first of its kind, using technology similar to that used in stringed instrument manufacturing. Thus, the blade gets its name “violin”.
The technology used in the making of the racket is said to result in a unique and improved playing experience for table tennis players, which naturally makes it expensive.
According to Nittaku Company, the use of wood joint technology is said to provide a better balance between speed and control compared to traditional rackets, while retaining the natural feel of a pure wood racket.
Nittaku has three generations of stringed instrument series table tennis rackets, with the Nittaku Violin as the first generation, Nittaku Acoustic as the second, and Nittaku Cello as the third. Each subsequent generation is said to build upon the strengths of the previous one, incorporating new innovations and technologies to provide players with even better performance and a more enjoyable playing experience.
Who is Nittaku Violin Blade For?
Nittaku Violin Blade is suitable for offensive and all-round players who are used to playing mid or close to the table. The blade has quite great speed and control, which allows players to exert powerful and fast strokes during the games.
Review of Nittaku Violin Blade
Appearance and composition
On receiving the box with the blade, I was totally shocked and attracted by its elegant package. The Nittaku Violin blade is packaged in an exquisite red box with musical notes and images of violins printed on it. This design showcases the inspiration behind the racket’s design and helps to highlight the unique features and benefits that come with using this product.
The color of the handle and the logo on the surface material are very beautiful. And the surface material is quite thin.
The blade is a little bit similar to Nittaku Acoustic. There is the image of a violin and text printed on the surface. The handle is red and black with a great feel in the hand. The blade weighs 85g and the size is 156×149 mm.
Nittaku Violin is a 5 ply wood blade. In fact, we list this blade as one of our top 3 5-ply all-wood blades. The rigid outer core is made of Kiri wood, which is known for its durability and stability, while the adjacent plies are made of white ash, which is known for its elasticity and flexibility. This combination of woods provides a good balance of power and control for players, allowing for quick and precise shots.
With this racket in my hand, I feel more like holding a work of art. I am not even willing to use it to play table tennis.
Speed 8.0/10
I use a hard rubber DHS Hurricane 3 and a relatively softer rubber Donic Acuda s2 to do the test. The close-to-table shots have great speed. I tried both the forehand and backhand and the blade gives me a clear and elastic feel.
Nittaku Violin is a relatively thin but hard blade. When doing forehand drives or loops near the table, we can feel the ball bouncing out rapidly. If you use harder rubber like the Tenergy series or DHS Hurricane series, the strokes can be even faster.
However, after taking several steps back, the disadvantages of the Nittaku Violin come out. It can be felt obviously that it lacks sufficient support at the back court. The arc becomes flat and low and many times, the ball fails to go over the net.
The initial speed sometimes might be okay if the players hit the ball with great strength, but the speed begins to decline after falling on the table.
Spin 8.4/10
Nittaku Violin has decent vibration and it can grab the ball well. Players can generate huge amounts of spin with ease even under small gears.
During the test, I could do forehand or backhand topspin consistently with great control. But I suppose the backhand has better performance. As an all wood blade, Nittaku Violin is proper for close-to-table loops or drives. The spin can be stronger when using it with a relatively medium-soft rubber.
Control 8.6/10
Despite the fact that some offensive players complain that this blade is not as fast as other top speedy blades with carbon, almost nobody doubts its performance in control. I could get a solid feel when playing the games with this blade.
Nittaku Violin has a large sweet spot and a longer dwell time. More importantly, this medium hard all wood blade gives me clear feedback when hitting the ball. I can control the spin and speed better when switching between the backhand and the forehand.
Also, the clear feedback helps me with short games. I am able to load the ball near the net precisely as I desire. But sometimes I feel the long pushes are not easy to control as I overshoot some balls during the test.
Defense 8.2/10
As the blade is quite flexible, some people complain that it’s struggling for them to do the blocks. However, I suppose that players should close the racket a little bit when doing the block and adjust the wrist to upload the incoming power. We can notice that the advanced players have tiny adjustments with every single stroke.
Objectively speaking, the performance of defense is quite decent, especially compared with other carbon blades. Players can have great control when blocking the incoming topspins. Besides, this blade is very suitable for players to switch from defense to attack.
Overall speaking, Nittaku Violin is a well-balanced blade with great consistency, a decent hit rate, a clear feel, and nice speed. Even though the speed is not so great in the back court, it’s still a nice blade.
Pros and Cons of Nittaku Violin Blade
What I like about Nittaku Violin
- Clear feedback
- Balanced performance
- Great consistency
What I am not satisfied with Nittaku Violin
- Not proper for loop rallies at a far distance from the table
- Sometimes struggling for beginners to block
- Too expensive, not cost-effective
Nittaku Acoustic vs Nittaku Violin
The Nittaku Violin and Nittaku Acoustic are both table tennis rackets produced by the Nittaku Company. (Click the link to read the previous review we made for Nittaku Acoustic). Nittaku Acoustic is typically an updated and improved version of the Nittaku Violin, incorporating new technologies and innovations to deliver better performance and a more satisfying playing experience.
More specifically, Nittaku Acoustic is a little bit thicker and it uses limba material. Acoustic has much clearer feedback and players can get the feeling of penetration. Thus, it’s easier for players to exert more effort and play much more powerful strokes.
On the contrary, Nittaku Violin has a lower arc and it’s more difficult for players to get the feeling of penetration, which is quite important for advanced players. But Violin has better control with longer dwell time and is proper for close-to-table games.
Acoustic has better performance when doing topspin rallies far away from the table. Violin is relatively slower but more reflexible. Personally speaking, advanced offensive players will prefer Acoustic as it’s more aggressive and has faster speed. Violin is more suitable for all-round players.
Nittaku Violin vs Nittaku Violin Carbon
The Nittaku Violin is a traditional wood racket, while the Nittaku Violin Carbon is a composite racket that incorporates carbon fiber into its construction. Thus, Nittaku Violin Carbon has a 5+2 structure.
The Nittaku Violin Carbon typically offers improved speed due to the added stiffness provided by the carbon fiber. This can result in more powerful shots and improved precision when playing. But the Violin provides more stability, especially when playing near the table.
In terms of feel, the Nittaku Violin is typically considered to have a more traditional and natural playing experience, as it is made entirely of wood. The Nittaku Violin Carbon, on the other hand, is stiffer and gives players chances to exert more powerful strokes.
For those players who prefer to loop at a far distance from the table, they can consider Nittaku Violin Carbon to make up for the deficiency of the speed and power of the Nittaku Violin.
Conclusion
Many players appreciate the balanced performance and the pure wood construction of the Nittaku Violin. It has clear feedback and great speed among all wood blades.
Players don’t need to hit the ball with great speed at the expense of control. The consistency helps players dominate the topspin rallies and beat the opponents. Both beginners and advanced players can use it to practice and improve their basic skills.
The only problem is that you need quite a little high budget as this blade is not that cheap. However, if you desire a great piece of art with both a beautiful design and a nice performance, then you would not regret choosing it.
