Nittaku Violin vs Stiga Carbonado 145: Which Should You Buy?
| Nittaku Violin | Stiga Carbonado 145 | |
|---|---|---|
| Our rating | 8.4/10 | 8.4/10 |
| feel | Soft, warm and flexible with long dwell, premium hand-crafted Japanese all-wood feedback | stiff, direct and rather linear with a large sweet spot, but the very thin TeXtreme layers keep the vibration close to a 5-ply all-wood blade |
| handle | FL | FL/ST (also offered as Legend and penhold) |
| plies | 5-ply all wood (Kiri core with White Ash outer plies) | 5 wood plus 2 TeXtreme carbon (5+2 composite) with the carbon fibers laid at a 45 degree angle for torsional bendability |
| speed | ALL+ | OFF+ |
| thickness_mm | 5.3 | 5.7 |
| type | ALL+ | — |
| weight_g | 86 | 85 |
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The Nittaku Violin and Stiga Carbonado 145 sit on opposite sides of the offensive divide. The Violin is a soft, flexible 5-ply all-wood blade with a Kiri core and White Ash outers, rated ALL+ and built for control, warm feel and long dwell. The Carbonado 145 is a 5 wood plus 2 TeXtreme carbon composite rated OFF+, a stiff, fast carbon engine with plenty of mid-distance power and lab-confirmed wood-like vibration.
On feel and speed they diverge clearly. The Violin is soft and slower than its billing, weak from distance, and needs harder or tackier rubbers to come alive. The Carbonado 145 is stiff, direct and rather linear with a large sweet spot that stays consistent on off-center hits, but it is demanding and unforgiving for players still building consistency, and produces lower spin on loops than the softer Carbonado 45.
For styles, the Violin suits all-round and developing offensive players who prize control, feel and spin and loop close to mid-table. The Carbonado 145 suits intermediate to advanced two-wing attackers who want a stiff, fast carbon blade with wood-like feedback for close-to-mid offense and aggressive blocking, and it offers FL, ST, Legend and penhold handle options, though it is now discontinued and hard to source.
Buying advice: pick the Violin for soft control and feel, and the Carbonado 145 for stiff carbon power with wood-like feedback. Both rate 8.4.
FAQ
Which blade is faster?
The Stiga Carbonado 145 is much faster, a stiff OFF+ carbon blade, while the Nittaku Violin is a soft ALL+ all-wood blade that emphasizes control over pace.
Does the Carbonado 145 feel like carbon or wood?
Despite two TeXtreme carbon layers, it has lab-confirmed wood-like vibration and communicative feedback, though it remains stiff, direct and rather linear compared with the soft, dwell-heavy Violin.
Which is more forgiving?
The Violin, with its soft feel and long dwell, is more forgiving. The Carbonado 145 is demanding and unforgiving for players still building consistency, despite its large sweet spot.
Is the Carbonado 145 still available?
It is now discontinued and hard to source new, whereas the Violin is a current premium Nittaku model offered in FL.