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Reviews by Mike Freundel

Brunswick Anaconda

Brunswick C (System)3.5

Brunswick C (System)4.5

Brunswick Damage

Brunswick Fortera Intrigue

Brunswick Mastermind Brainiac

Brunswick Mastermind Einstein

Brunswick Mastermind Scholar

Brunswick Melee Hook

Brunswick Melee Jab

Brunswick Revolver

Brunswick Ultimate Nirvana

Brunswick Vintage Danger Zone

Brunswick Vintage Gold Rhino Pro

Brunswick Wicked Siege

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Brunswick Anaconda
21 of 21 people found this review helpful
5

About the Bowler

League Average:
229
PAP:
4 5/8 over
Ball Speed:
Fast
Style:
Tweener
Bowling Hand:
Right Handed
Another great snake ball from Brunswick. Laid out 65X5.5X45. Very familiar look with this one, (like an Absolute). For me it is lenght wise the same as a python with more response. With a little change in release, I can play out and straight, or in and hook. It is very hard to go wrong with this ball especially in the price point that it is in.
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Brunswick C (System)3.5
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
5

About the Bowler

League Average:
229
PAP:
4 5/8 over
Ball Speed:
Fast
Style:
Tweener
Bowling Hand:
Right Handed
Drilled the 3.5 65x5.5x45 (same layout as my original). The 3.5 out of the box hooks a few feet earlier than the original, however is a good five to seven boards stronger down the lane. This is the furthest to the left at the front of the lane, and furthest right my breakpoint has been in quite a while. It is probably a little too much hook at the breakpoint on the fresh if you have a lot of hand, but it does read light to moderate carry down very well.

Mike Freundel
Brunswick Advisory Staff

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Brunswick C (System)4.5
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
4

About the Bowler

League Average:
229
PAP:
4 5/8 over
Ball Speed:
Fast
Style:
Tweener
Bowling Hand:
Right Handed
Laid out 65X5.5X50 with the hole at P3. To me this ball fits in between the 2.5 and 3.5. It is as clean as the 2.5 with more backend. Out of the box, this ball didn't like the fresh, however as the front of the lane burnt up some, it is a very logical choice to go to from the 3.5 which I have drilled almost identical. If you plan on using it on the fresh a hit with a 1000 or 2000 si-air pad seems to suffice, however for me out of the box will fill in a perfect spot in the bag. The covers on all 3 C-Systems seem to be extremely versatile in my opinion.
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Brunswick Damage
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
4

About the Bowler

League Average:
229
PAP:
4 5/8 over
Ball Speed:
Fast
Style:
Tweener
Bowling Hand:
Right Handed
Damage #1 drilled 65 X 4.5X 50…pin under the fingers in the grip line with a P 3 extra hole. This ball is clean through the front on the house pattern with a pretty smooth transition. It looks like a good first ball out of the bag on shorter patterns, or light volume house patters. I was very impressed with the hitting power of this mid priced ball, and a little surprised with the control at the breakpoint.
Damage # 2 was drilled up 50 X 5.5 X 40…pin above the middle finger with a double thumb hole. This Damage went a bit further down the lane which was expected with the layout. On the heavy volume house pattern, the surface didn’t match up well and the ball went too far down the lane. I used it again on USBC White pattern # 3 in league the last game and a half and was very impressed with how it handled the narrow pattern. It didn’t over-hook in the ball track, and still had plenty of back-end and hitting power. Higher ball speeds might need to put a little surface on the cover to help it from going too far down the lane on a typical house shot, however as the lanes dry up this ball will shine.

Mike Freundel
Bruswick Regional Staff.

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Brunswick Fortera Intrigue
5 of 5 people found this review helpful
5

About the Bowler

League Average:
229
PAP:
4 5/8 over
Ball Speed:
Fast
Style:
Tweener
Bowling Hand:
Right Handed
My first intuitions of the Fortera Intrigue were all wrong. I thought the ball was only a board or so different than the Exile. I layed the ball out the same as the Exile (pin over the middle finger, hole at P3), and left the surface out of the box. The second time out with the ball is when I noticed that the two balls weren’t so similar. For me, the Intrigue is a foot to a foot and a half earlier and 3 boards or so stronger from the breakpoint to the pins (and this was with no changes to the surface). Once hit with a 3000 pad, the difference opens up to 5- 6 boards. This ball is more of a go to on fresh patterns that are a little more flat with medium distance and medium volume. While it is not nearly as sensitive to wet/dry, it still doesn’t like over walls as much for me as say a Mastermind Intelect.
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Brunswick Mastermind Brainiac
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
5

About the Bowler

League Average:
229
PAP:
4 5/8 over
Ball Speed:
Fast
Style:
Tweener
Bowling Hand:
Right Handed
I laid out the Brainiac a little stronger than I’ve laid out the last several asymetric’s that I’ve drilled. I would like to thank Chuck Gardner as he know that I am either getting older, fatter or both to throw the weaker layouts, so this one was his suggestion. The layout was 50X5X30 with a small hole at P3. Out of the box I really liked the motion I got with this ball, but the carry wasn’t the best. Took it back to the spinner and used a 3000 pad and the shape and carry are money. This ball easily handles the 43 ft THS used in the center I run and allows me to move inside the third arrow and still knock down ten pins which is unusual for me here. If you are looking for a comparison, ball, I would say it is stronger down lane than and Intelect with about the same distance out of the box. The 3000 brought the break point about a foot closer to me, which allows me to play to my strength of throwing it hard. This ball would look great for your favorite bowler for a Holiday present

Mike Freundel
Brunswick Regional Staff
The views of this post are solely those of the writer and not of Brunswick Bowling.

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Brunswick Mastermind Einstein
1 of 2 people found this review helpful
5

About the Bowler

League Average:
229
PAP:
4 5/8 over
Ball Speed:
Fast
Style:
Tweener
Bowling Hand:
Right Handed

I drilled the Einstein with the layout I use to start with all of my asymmetrical balls which is a 65X5.5X40 layout which puts the pin just over my middle finger and the mass bias just to the right of my thumb with the extra hole kind of being between P2 & P3. With the out of the box surface I find this ball to fit just over my Mastermind Intellect and under my regular Mastermind. I had issues with my regular Mastermind on heavier oil shot where I still want to open up my angles with the ball using too much energy getting right and not having enough back-end to carry. I like where the Einstein fits in, as I can open up my angles with it and still see the strong down lane ball motion that I like. I have the Einstein about 5&3 stronger than my Intellect, and will fit in the arsenal nicely when the Intellect is not quite enough.

Mike Freundel
Brunswick Regional Staff
This post is the view of the writer and not Brunswick Bowling

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Brunswick Mastermind Scholar
2 of 2 people found this review helpful
5

About the Bowler

League Average:
229
PAP:
4 5/8 over
Ball Speed:
Fast
Style:
Tweener
Bowling Hand:
Right Handed
I laid out the Mastermind Scholar with a 60X5.5X40 layout. This is usually my choice layout on asymetrical’s. Again Brunswick leans towards length and strong backend with this ball, and those that like that shape won’t be disappointed. On a THS fresh, this ball was very long at the center I manage which is a higher volume 42 foot pattern. With a box surface it was too long going left to right. I scratched it with 3000 and it looked much better. I don’t think this ball will be the first ball out of my bag, but it will see plenty of time once the heads break down just a little bit. I wouldn’t define this ball as angular off the spot, as I do see the weight block still stand up before it makes its move, but the ball is plenty strong from the breakpoint to the pins. For me the ball is 2 ft cleaner than a Genius, and easily an arrow stronger off the break point.
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Brunswick Melee Hook
3 of 3 people found this review helpful
4

About the Bowler

League Average:
229
PAP:
4 5/8 over
Ball Speed:
Fast
Style:
Tweener
Bowling Hand:
Right Handed
I drilled my Melee Hook with a pin down hole down drilling, similar to all of my others, with the pin in the grip line this time instead of under the middle finger. I wanted to make this ball a little stronger, as I have been struggling to get the ball to read the lane right on tighter tournament conditions. I threw this ball on a modified Statue of Liberty pattern, and on a THS. I was very impressed with how this ball did on the longer Statue pattern, as well as the response on the 43 ft THS with out of the box finish. This ball is a good arrow stronger than my Melee Cross on both which is the ball I deem this to be most comparable to. I see a very similar shape and distance that the ball starts up, just more of it with the hook.

Mike Freundel
Brunswick Regional Staff
This review is solely that of the writer and not Brunswick Bowling

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Brunswick Melee Jab
5 of 6 people found this review helpful
5

About the Bowler

League Average:
229
PAP:
4 5/8 over
Ball Speed:
Fast
Style:
Tweener
Bowling Hand:
Right Handed
I drilled the Mele Jab with a pin under the middle finger hole down drilling (same as the Cross and regular Mele). This ball is a look that I have never seen from Brunswick at this price point. It is a good 2 feet cleaner than the red Mele and easily 5 stronger at the break point. On a fresh THS, this ball looks really good. Even with the strong backend , I can go more left to right than the red Mele, and get the ball to return with no problem. The nice thing with the Jab is that even though the ball is a skid flip reaction, it is not over sensitive or too jumpy off the break point. I haven’t seen a lot of carry down since throwing it to know if it is not strong enough, but with the layout I have, I highly doubt that it would be. This is another great ball from Brunswick.
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Brunswick Revolver
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
4

About the Bowler

League Average:
229
PAP:
4 5/8 over
Ball Speed:
Fast
Style:
Tweener
Bowling Hand:
Right Handed
The revolver is a very good bench mark ball. Laid out 50X5X45, this ball is a little earlier than the Wild Card was for me with about the same response. As the lane dried up, if I were to continue throwing, I would have to hit it with some factory finish, as it burnt up quite a bit, but for me that happens with most of the benchmarks. This will be a great first ball out of the bag especially on sport and PBA patterns.
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Brunswick Ultimate Nirvana
3 of 4 people found this review helpful
5

About the Bowler

League Average:
229
PAP:
4 5/8 over
Ball Speed:
Fast
Style:
Tweener
Bowling Hand:
Right Handed
I laid out my Ultimate Nirvana with a 50X4.75X35 layout. This put the pin just above the inside of my ring finger and the mass bias a few inches left of my thumb with a small P3 hole. I am not usually a fan of this many colors swirled into a bowling ball as it reminds me of how I am old and how weak my release has become, but this one phases together nicely. The major like I have with this ball compared to its predecessor is how much more defined the break point seems to be on this ball. I love to see the ball stand up (again, showing my age). For me this ball is really only a little cleaner than the original (both with box finish), but I get a good four boards stronger at the break point which really helps my carry when I play more towards the middle of the lane. I will primarily use this ball to compliment my Mastermind Brainiac when it doesn’t quite hook enough, or when the original Nirvana doesn’t get the 10 out.

Mike Freundel
Brunswick Regional Staff
The views of this post are those of the writer and not Brunswick Bowling

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Brunswick Vintage Danger Zone
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
4

About the Bowler

League Average:
229
PAP:
4 5/8 over
Ball Speed:
Fast
Style:
Tweener
Bowling Hand:
Right Handed
I laid out my Vintage Danger Zone with pin up 60X5.25X40 layout. For me this put the pin above the fingers in the grip line. I am probably one of a few who bowled during the time of the Original Danger Zone that never owned one, so I can’t say it rolls exactly the same as the one did 20 years ago. What I can tell you is this ball is very good. It is a very nice compliment to my Melee Jab’s as a go to ball when my pin down Jab is too early or to flat in the back. I left the box polish on mine which makes the ball a few feet cleaner and about 3 boards stronger off the spot than the pin down Jab. It is a little earlier and again 3-4 stronger than my Vintage Gold Rhino Pro. It is not my go to on fresh with me being a little speed dominant and using the box finish on the ball, but when the lanes start to transition after a few, this ball will see plenty of time during the second and third game of league and in the middle of the block for tournaments.

Mike Freundel
Brunswick Regional Staff
This post is the view of the writer and not Brunswick Bowling.

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Brunswick Vintage Gold Rhino Pro
1 of 2 people found this review helpful
4

About the Bowler

League Average:
229
PAP:
4 5/8 over
Ball Speed:
Fast
Style:
Tweener
Bowling Hand:
Right Handed
I laid out the Gold Rhino Pro Vintage with a 70X5X60 with the extra hole at P3. First thing I noticed out of the box was a great deal more skid through the front part of the lane than I thought there would be. I was thinking this ball would be more like the original Gold Rhino Pro, which for me for pearl ball was a little early. This ball is NOT at all like that. It is about a foot and a half cleaner than the LT 48 Vintage and 3-4 stronger off the spot. This ball will not be my first choice on the fresh unless the pattern is very blended. It will see most of its time on medium length and medium to lighter volume. On longer patterns the ball clears way to easily, and shorter patterns likes to do too many tricks at the breakpoint.
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Brunswick Wicked Siege
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
4

About the Bowler

League Average:
229
PAP:
4 5/8 over
Ball Speed:
Fast
Style:
Tweener
Bowling Hand:
Right Handed
Drilled the Wicked 65X5.5X40 with the hole at P3. On a THS this ball rolled very well. The original siege, and Evil both liked my house pattern very much, and I loved the strong yet controllable backend reaction that I see with this core. When I missed left with this ball it still carried very well, and when I missed right, the ball did not over-react. For me this ball does still need some volume in the front and mid-lane, as the core does make the ball rev up pretty fast, but it is an excellent complement to the first two bowling balls in the Siege line.

Mike Freundel
Brunswick Regional Staff

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