Nittaku Violin vs Yasaka Sweden Extra: Which Should You Buy?
| Nittaku Violin | Yasaka Sweden Extra | |
|---|---|---|
| Our rating | 8.4/10 | 8.7/10 |
| feel | Soft, warm and flexible with long dwell, premium hand-crafted Japanese all-wood feedback | soft-medium, high control |
| handle | FL | FL/ST |
| plies | 5-ply all wood (Kiri core with White Ash outer plies) | 5W (all wood) |
| speed | ALL+ | ALL+ |
| thickness_mm | 5.3 | 5.7 |
| type | ALL+ | — |
| weight_g | 86 | 85 |
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The Nittaku Violin and Yasaka Sweden Extra are both soft, high-control 5-ply all-wood blades rated ALL+. The Violin is a premium Made-in-Japan blade with a Kiri core and White Ash outers, prized for control, warm feel and long dwell. The Sweden Extra is a 5-ply celebrated for control and feel that punch far above its price, playing like a blade several times its cost.
On speed and feel they are very close. The Violin is soft and slower than its billing, weak from distance, and needs harder or tackier rubbers to come alive. The Sweden Extra is soft-medium with a larger sweet spot and a slightly faster, more direct response than the Stiga Allround Classic without losing control, though it offers limited power from well behind the table and slightly less pronounced ball feedback than the Allround Classic.
For styles, the Violin suits all-round and developing offensive players who prize control, feel and spin and loop close to mid-table. The Sweden Extra suits developing and intermediate all-round or control players on a budget who want elite feel and control close to the table and a blade they can grow into, pairing best with medium or medium-soft rubbers.
Buying advice: pick the Violin for premium Japanese craftsmanship and long dwell, and the Sweden Extra for elite budget control and value you can grow into. The Sweden Extra holds the higher rating at 8.7 to 8.4.
FAQ
Which blade is the better value?
The Yasaka Sweden Extra delivers control and feel that play like a blade several times its cost, while the Violin carries a premium price that some reviewers question.
How do these two compare in speed?
Both are rated ALL+ and similar in pace. Each is slow by modern standards and asks you to supply power, with limited reach from well behind the table.
Which has the bigger sweet spot?
The Sweden Extra is noted for a larger sweet spot and a slightly more direct response than the Stiga Allround Classic, while the Violin offers a soft, forgiving feel.
What rubbers pair best with the Sweden Extra?
It pairs best with medium or medium-soft rubbers, and suits an offensive beginner with a slightly faster rubber, while the Violin needs harder or tackier rubbers to reach its full potential.