Butterfly Timo Boll Spirit vs Nittaku Violin: Which Should You Buy?
| Butterfly Timo Boll Spirit | Nittaku Violin | |
|---|---|---|
| Our rating | 9.0/10 | 8.4/10 |
| feel | Medium and offensive with notable flex and long dwell, crisp but forgiving for a carbon blade | Soft, warm and flexible with long dwell, premium hand-crafted Japanese all-wood feedback |
| handle | FL / ST / AN | FL |
| plies | 5 wood plies plus 2 arylate-carbon outer layers (5W and 2 ALC) | 5-ply all wood (Kiri core with White Ash outer plies) |
| speed | OFF | ALL+ |
| thickness_mm | 5.7 | 5.3 |
| type | — | ALL+ |
| weight_g | 87 | 86 |
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The Timo Boll Spirit is an OFF arylate-carbon blade with long dwell, heavy controllable topspin and a softer, more forgiving feel than the stiffer Viscaria, with excellent blocking and counterplay. The Nittaku Violin is a flexible 5-ply all-wood blade with a soft, warm feel and long dwell, prized for exceptional control and pinpoint placement but slower than its billing suggests.
On style, the Spirit is genuine OFF speed that can run away from weak technique yet keeps a forgiving touch, versatile across looping, counter-hitting and combination play, while the Violin favors close-to-mid all-round looping and is weaker at long-distance pace. Both share long dwell and outstanding feel; the Violin is the gentler technique-builder.
Pick the Timo Boll Spirit, rated 9, if you are an intermediate-to-advanced attacker who wants an all-round offensive carbon blade that loops with heavy spin yet stays soft for blocking. Pick the Violin if you prize control, feel and spin over raw speed and want a premium all-wood blade for precise close-to-mid play, including as a first custom blade leaving fast carbon.
FAQ
Which blade is faster?
The Timo Boll Spirit is faster, being genuine OFF speed, while the Violin is rated ALL+ and slower than its billing suggests.
Which is more forgiving?
Both are forgiving for their class. The Spirit is softer than the Viscaria with good control, while the Violin is the gentler all-wood technique-builder.
What are the constructions?
The Spirit is 5 wood plies plus 2 arylate-carbon outer layers, while the Violin is 5-ply all wood with a Kiri core and White Ash outer plies.
Which suits developing players?
The Violin is the stronger technique-building blade, while the Spirit can be too fast for developing or lower-level players.