[Innova] Star Teebird, first thoughts

[RHINESEL]

I picked up a 167 Star Teebird at a tourney.

I say I throw "300" but I'm anywhere between 250-300 RHBH, usually 285 being average. I have had throws over 300 (311 and 324 specifically) but very rare and I won't count those.

First of all, the Teebird naturally fell into the four finger power grip. I always drove with three fingers under the rim and my pinkie folded against my hand supporting the wing. For some reason on this disc that feels unnatural and as soon as I picked it up I knew it needed 4 fingers from me.

Plastic feels like any other Star plastic I've felt. Feels like ESP.

There seems to be (or may be) some sort of flashing at the bottom of the rim. I can't tell if it is flashing or the design of the disc. The transition is not smooth from where the fingers rest on the inner rim to the wing. I anticipate this wearing away pretty quickly (maybe a throw or two on pavement may be in order) or I might just take some sandpaper to it. Backhand it's not a problem but if I forehand it it scrapes on top of my finger and it is noticeably painful.

Anyways, I got about 5 or 6 throws with it in an open field for an initial test. Remember, I max out at 300 realistically. This disc hit 300 +/- 5ft on every single throw and felt quite easy doing it. Nose up was an issue so once I conquer that I anticipate some extra distance.

I normally use an ESP XL and anticipated the Teebird to fade pretty quickly for me as it's ratings put it more stable than an XL. To my surprise though the Teebird flew nice and straight. Almost perfectly straight. In fact there was just a hint of turn (really only a hint) on some of the shots. Nothing near to an "S" shot, maybe only 5 feet or so of turn.

Fade at the end was pretty much as expected since I'm having nose up issues, probably 15-20 ft from flight line. With nose down and more snap this should reduce to about 10 feet.

I have to do more comparison of my ESP XL vs. the Star Teebird but needless to say I was pretty surprised. Maybe my XL is more stable than it should be but initial views is that the Teebird is less (over)stable and straighter for me. The XL is 170g vs 167 of the Teebird but I don't think that would account for it. The XL seems like I'm throwing a phone book for the same distance where the Teebird just "got there".

While I expected to have to save this disc for later use when my skill increases I think the disc may have an instant spot in my bag.

 

[okiebullgod]

The best disc you'll have from day one until you quit.

 

[IllinoisAceRunner90]

my favorite disc, Hit chains and rimmed out on #9 at Castaldo Park in Illinois today during a league with it.

 

[Mattallica]

i have a red 175 and can throw it as far as any disc i have

 

[valkcro]

I've been playing with a 170 star t-bird for several weeks now and it's definitely found a place in my bag. Less stable than I expected but very straight, fast and long. Doesn't seem too sensitive to nose angle. Becomming a favorite quickly.

 

[BrotherDave]

I used to have one of those, til I played Renny.

 

[PanicKJ]

If I could finally convince myself to get rid of every driver in my bag other than a T-Bird my scores would drop.

 

[JTacoma03]

I used to have one of those, til I played Renny.

Renny ate my favorite driver at the time, a Star Sidewinder. It was doubly sentimental because it was my first driver (2nd disc). Renny's a biotch.


Back on topic, the Teebird is great. I might have to try one in Star, mine is DX.

 

[Technohic]

Those "flashings" that you are referring to at the bottom, I am not sure if I understand what you describe but my Teebirds have a lip that some describe as a beed but I dont know if I would call it that. When that wares off, you will lose a lot of that fade which makes the Teebird really nice and straight IMO.

 

[sbinwien]

Those "flashings" that you are referring to at the bottom, I am not sure if I understand what you describe but my Teebirds have a lip that some describe as a beed but I dont know if I would call it that. When that wares off, you will lose a lot of that fade which makes the Teebird really nice and straight IMO.

Flash is the name for the material that is sticking out of the injection molded part. It can be plastic, rubber, or metal. It occurs at the seem between the individual parts of the mold. It is easy to see on tires, that thin ridge of rubber right down the middle that wears off in a few seconds.

For a disc golf disc, the top, rim, and flight plate are all individual pieces. Gateway has a video of them putting together a mold for their injection machine.

You can and usually do have a flash at each of those intersections. Manufacturers try to remove them or reduce them after the molding.

There is even a whole forum on the position of the flash line between the top and rim determining the stability of the disc, when comparing the same mold and plastic.

I also have a flash at the bead part, where the rim meets the flight plate, on my champion TeeBird, but I expect it to disappear with use.

 

[Fore]

There is even a whole forum on the position of the flash line between the top and rim determining the stability of the disc, when comparing the same mold and plastic.

Your thinking about the parting line height here.

 

[jrawk]

What is the stability of a new Star Teebird compared to a brand new DX Teebird of same weight? Any variation?

 

[garublador]

What is the stability of a new Star Teebird compared to a brand new DX Teebird of same weight? Any variation?

It will depend on the shape of the two, but in general I've found new DX Teebirds to be more overstable than new Star Teebirds. The DX break in to be straighter and longer, though.

 

[jrawk]

Awesome, thanks.

Primary driver has been a champ teebird for half a year, it's beat in pretty good. Just recently got 2 new DX teebirds and for some reason seem to be straighter, lower, and more consistant (probably my OAT) than the Champ.

 

[Technohic]

My New DX Teebirds seem slightly more overstable than my broke in champs even, but I beleive that will change here real quick as I break them in.

 

[Craton]

Um I just want to be the first to say- DON'T SAND YOUR DISC! Teebirds have a very faint bead around the outside of the rim- it's incredibly subtle but that's prob. what you feel. If you want that off, get a TL- that's what they are. A Teebird with that flashing taken off, and maybe a very slight reshaping of the rim- but not much else. It's that tiny bead that makes the teebird what it is.

As for star- I just can't imagine throwing anything but a champion teebird.

 

[RHINESEL]

This is what I'm talking about, I tried to get a good picture of it. there is a little dirt there to accent the area.

Is this what you consider the "microbead"?

 

[Animage]

I'm patiently waiting for the day when I can throw a Teebird properly.

Purely based on the hype it has online here, as opposed to everyone I've DG'd with

 

[solomon.trenton]

you will like it for the first hole at devens and maybe hole 12

 

[garublador]

This is what I'm talking about, I tried to get a good picture of it. there is a little dirt there to accent the area.

Is this what you consider the "microbead"?

That looks like flashing to me which I guess you could call an unintentional microbead.

I'm patiently waiting for the day when I can throw a Teebird properly.

Purely based on the hype it has online here, as opposed to everyone I've DG'd with

The Teebird is not a very easy disc to throw. A beat DX Teebird is a good disc to throw if you want to know if you're throwing well, but it's kind of difficult to learn with. New DX Teebirds and the higher end Teebirds are on the overstable side and mask OAT better than I like for learning to improve form.