Nittaku Violin vs Stiga Carbonado 290: Which Should You Buy?
| Nittaku Violin | Stiga Carbonado 290 | |
|---|---|---|
| Our rating | 8.4/10 | 8.3/10 |
| feel | Soft, warm and flexible with long dwell, premium hand-crafted Japanese all-wood feedback | very stiff, hard, crisp and direct carbon feel with a high-pitched sound; fast and linear with a low throw |
| handle | FL | FL |
| plies | 5-ply all wood (Kiri core with White Ash outer plies) | 5 wood + 2 carbon (7-ply), TeXtreme carbon |
| speed | ALL+ | OFF+ |
| thickness_mm | 5.3 | 6.2 |
| type | ALL+ | OFF+ |
| weight_g | 86 | 95 |
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The Nittaku Violin and Stiga Carbonado 290 are about as far apart as two offensive blades get. 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 290 is a 7-ply with doubled TeXtreme carbon rated OFF+, delivering very stiff, hard, crisp and direct power.
On feel and speed they diverge sharply. The Violin is soft and slower than its billing, weak from distance, and needs harder or tackier rubbers to come alive. The Carbonado 290 is fast and linear with a high-pitched sound and a low throw that can cause netting until you adapt your bat angle, and it is stiff and on the heavier side at around 95 grams versus 86 for the Violin.
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 290 suits advanced, aggressive attackers and offensive penholders who finish points fast with hard drives, smashes and blocking and already have the technique for a very stiff, very fast blade. It is exceptional and very stable for blocking and counter-blocking.
Buying advice: pick the Violin for soft control and an easy short game, and the Carbonado 290 for extreme stiffness and OFF+ power if your technique can handle it. The Violin rates 8.4 to the Carbonado’s 8.3.
FAQ
Which blade is faster?
The Stiga Carbonado 290 is far faster, a true OFF+ carbon blade rated on par with a Jun Mizutani ZLC class blade, while the Nittaku Violin is a soft ALL+ control blade.
Why does the Carbonado 290 need good technique?
It is very stiff, on the heavier side and has a very low throw that can cause netting until you adapt your bat angle, so it best suits advanced attackers with established strokes.
Which is better for blocking?
The Carbonado 290 is exceptional and very stable for blocking and counter-blocking. The Violin offers control but far less inherent pace for aggressive blocks.
Which is lighter?
The Violin is lighter at around 86 grams, versus around 95 grams for the heavier Carbonado 290.