Altered Reality is now 'Faltered' Reality...lol

[boatman37]

Not really a question, just a conversation starter but comments and suggestions or experience would be nice to hear. So love the new Altered Reality but struggled the past 2 weeks. Hitting the pocket but unless I hit it perfect the carry isn't great and I leave a 9 pin, 47, 6, etc. Sure some of that is from being slightly high or slightly low but when it was new that didn't matter. So have about 35 games on it now. I have a spinner and the full set of CTD pads and Motiv polish. I typically freshen up every ball after 10-12 games but this ball was OOB and I loved the motion so was afraid to mess with it but after the last 2 weeks and now reading that Storm recommends freshening it every 25-30 games and a full resurface every 30-50 IIRC.
I hadn't thought about the surface being the issue as I only have like 9 league games but then realized I bowled a tournament with it (maybe 5 games on that ball that day) and have been using it for my 2 practice games every week and used it for 6 games New Years Eve so had more games on it than I realized.

I'm good with surfacing regular surfaces without polish but am hesitant using polish. I'm gonna give it a try following the Storm surfacing manual. It says like 30 seconds with 500, 20 seconds with 1000, 20 seconds with 1500 then 10 seconds with polish or something. I saved the document and will follow it. May go Saturday for some practice so if it sucks I'll try something different. Maybe just the 5000P with no polish.

Anyone surfaced an Altered Reality and been able to get it close to OOB?

[boatman37]

Here is the guide I followed except I used a slightly used 3000 instead of the 4000 and used the Motiv polish


Here was new OOB but after a few games


Here is just now after re-surfacing

[RobLV1]

For many, many years I have suggested that bowlers never use a new ball with the box finish on it for the simple reason that it can never be duplicated. It can't be duplicated because the box finish is applied as part of the manufacturing process that results in a different surface than you can apply using a spinner. If you surface it yourself before you ever throw it, then the surface that you have can be easily duplicated.

[boatman37]

For many, many years I have suggested that bowlers never use a new ball with the box finish on it for the simple reason that it can never be duplicated. It can't be duplicated because the box finish is applied as part of the manufacturing process that results in a different surface than you can apply using a spinner. If you surface it yourself before you ever throw it, then the surface that you have can be easily duplicated.

Yeah I typically hit them right away with whatever they are supposed to be OOB but usually after using them the first night since my spinner is at home but I loved how this rolled and was afraid to mess with it...lol. So I used it as long as I could be went over that Storm guide and hope it's as good now. Doubt it will be worse but maybe different.

[ALazySavage]

I think it was Ron Hickland who put out a video comparing the out-of-box finishes on "identical" equipment and showed a pretty wide variety with the surface scanner of what the actual surface was (so you may be chasing a number that you weren't actually throwing). The concept is that being mass produced and going through machines to get to the finish that consistency was not very good between balls. Take it for what it is because while he is saying the same thing as Rob and many of us say, to resurface before you really start throwing a ball, he does have additional motivating factors as to why to recommend this (and some of his videos have shown bias towards the argument he is trying to make).

The beautiful thing about playing with the surface is that if you change the surface and do not like it you can always adjust it again. Other than putting on materials that would ruin the coverstock (and are not exactly approved anyway) or taking such a low grit to a ball for an extended period of time that you ruin the integrity of the sphere you are not going to mess up the ball. Honestly, you shouldn't think of any adjustment as messing up the ball and its reaction - you are just adjusting the reaction to something different, it may just not be ideal for what you are wanting/encountering and if you are practicing or bowling league it is much better to screw up your reaction for a night and learn more about what you can do with a ball.

Something else you may want to consider if you are doing this during practice is resurface the ball down to 1500 sanded and take all of your pads with you, get warmed up, and then throw some shots, resurface to 3000 and throw some shots, resurface to 4000 and throw some shots - two things to consider is if you are bowling during open you will want to make sure you are not bowling on something completely scorched (or understand what that does to the motion you are looking for) and that hand resurface will be a little different than spinner resurface (but if you do it correctly it will get you in the ball park or you could take your spinner and resurface with the 5000 pad - CTD does claim in their videos it gets to almost the same surface finish as 1500 polish).

[Aslan]

I still stand by my original advice that this was a "bad ball choice" for what/where you're using it...at the surface you're trying to use it.

Sand it to 2000-4000 and move a little inside and I think you'll do much better than trying to polish it and stay outside. I'm not trying to steal Rob's thunder here...but that's a ball with a core that wants to turn over sooner rather than later and wants to snap on the dime. If that surface isn't polished (to keep it from turning early) and there isn't any oil pushed downlane (to control that snap)...you're gonna have an erratic night. But...you smooth things out to 2000-4000...move inside a little and let the pattern carry the ball down the lane a little...I think it could still be a really good ball.

The other advantage to sanding it to 2000-4000 (versus polishing) is it'll take less maintenance. You try to keep that thing polished...you're gonna need to reapply that polish on the spinner every few weeks...maybe every 2 weeks depending how often you bowl.

[boatman37]

I still stand by my original advice that this was a "bad ball choice" for what/where you're using it...at the surface you're trying to use it.

Sand it to 2000-4000 and move a little inside and I think you'll do much better than trying to polish it and stay outside. I'm not trying to steal Rob's thunder here...but that's a ball with a core that wants to turn over sooner rather than later and wants to snap on the dime. If that surface isn't polished (to keep it from turning early) and there isn't any oil pushed downlane (to control that snap)...you're gonna have an erratic night. But...you smooth things out to 2000-4000...move inside a little and let the pattern carry the ball down the lane a little...I think it could still be a really good ball.

The other advantage to sanding it to 2000-4000 (versus polishing) is it'll take less maintenance. You try to keep that thing polished...you're gonna need to reapply that polish on the spinner every few weeks...maybe every 2 weeks depending how often you bowl.

Most of my stuff is at 3000 but this is a different ball. Haven't had a pearl asym for awhile (Black Widow Gold). Went back to factory with it last night and will monitor it. I have been practicing more inside but our THS is pretty flat and dry. Sure there is a little more oil in the middle but not alot. But if you are right then I will likely try a different surface next time and move in if I need to. But what's throwing me off is even my Igniter and Raw Hammer pearl are struggling so that tells me it's more me but I'm hitting the pocket nicely where I usually strike. If the weather holds up I'm going back to the center I got the Altered Reality from Saturday and bowling some practice. Then Tuesday before league my usual 2 practice games.

[SRB57]

I typically use them out of box finish at first just to see how I like it. The Idol Helios I have been using came at 2000 but is pretty lane shined now and still has a great ball reation so won't touch it other than cleaning until I see it change. I will then put the surface I have been using on my solids. I use to be a big fan of polished stuff (pearls mostly) but seem to get a more controlled consistent reaction out of solids with some surface on it. I am going to pre order the new roto grip GEM which is a solid asymmetrical with surface. I hope to be able to move in further when my symmetrical won't turn the corner. Steve

[boatman37]

I ordered a Helios about 2 weeks ago. Not that I really wanted or needed it but I won it at a tournament. Well, I had my pick of any SBI ball. My PSO suggested the Helios with the thought of taking some surface off if we need to. Haven't got it yet (haven't heard anything from RG as far as tracking number or that they have even received my certificate). Now I have to figure out which ball to pull from the bag...lol. Thinking the Igniter since it's the oldest but it still works great.

Right now my bag is (from most aggressive to weakest):

Altered Reality (OOB)
Brunswick Igniter (3000)
Raw Hammer pearl (OOB)
T-Zone spare ball

The AR has a completely different shape than any of the others, reading sooner. The Igniter goes longer with more backend and the Raw Hammer is the longest with the sharpest snap. I really haven't compared all 3 on the same conditions on the same night. Figured once the Helios is here I'll figure it out

[Aslan]

I think the arsenal is sound. I just think you need to decide how you want to use the AR...which I think is a really good ball.

I think you have two options:

Option #1 (my preferred option because I'm a righty):

Start the night with the Igniter...you can probably play where you're comfortable...maybe a little left. I think it gives you a good look in practice about how the lanes are going to play. I think the Hammer Raw Pearl gives you a very good "ball down" option once the lanes start to break down.

If you're in a situation where you're facing 2-3 other lefties, you have the option of the AR, with a polished surface that will give you that same length to battle the chewed up lanes...but still give you a ball that has the low RG/high diff. to turn hard with carry down at the breakpoint.

Option #2: (better option for you because you're a lefty):

You could put a 3000-4000 surface on that AR...move just inside where you believe the oil line is...and find a good line in practice. Nothing extreme...just a little more aggressive than what you're used to. The Igniter would make a great option to ball down to once you move left and the line burns up and you start leaving 7-pins. If you continue moving left and start to see 7-pins with the Igniter...you still have the Raw Pearl as another ball down option for very late in the game.

But, thats the opinion of a very, very sub-par bowler.