Making sense of Mitsubishi shaft lineup

[hardcaliber]

Is there anyone out there that can give me a quick primer on the Mitsubishi shaft lineup? There seems to be a ton of overlap and it's pretty confusing. There seem to low end and high end offerings within some of the families (Fubuki) as well as different profiles within each family (Tensei, diamana).

 

Is there any conceptual framework to put these shafts in? Such as Fubuki is high launching, KK is low launching, Diama is high end premium? Is each family meant to highlight a different technology or concept?

 

Thanks in advance. Not sure if my use of the term "family" is correct, but I hope you get my meaning.

[ZBigStick]

You are correct about each family highlighting a certain technology or philosophy. Within each family they usually follow one of three profiles.

Blue-mid launch

White-lower launch

Red-higher launch

They are usually adaptations on the Blue profile.

White-stiffer tip-stiffer mid-softer butt than the Blue

Red-softer tip than blue.

 

There is more to each family, but this is a general start. Most shafts are related back to the original Diamana Blue Board profile.

[jph4387]

Updated 8/28/18 based on what I know:

 

Mitsubishi follows a basic pattern. They tend to have three profiles from the original Diamana line.

 

White - low launch, low spin

Blue - mid launch, mid spin

Red - High launch, high spin

 

The different shaft lines all strive for these launch characteristics but using different materials to achieve different feels.

 

http://www.mca-golf....1 (Digital).pdf

 

Diamana (Flagship) - Manufactured in Japan and uses top of the line materials such as MR70 prepeg in the latest generation. Stable feeling.

 

1st Gen:

Whiteboard

Blueboard

Redboard

 

2nd Gen:

China (white profile)

Kai"li (blue profile)

il'ima (red profile)

 

3rd Gen:

W Series (white profile)

B Series (blue profile)

 

4th Gen: Utilizes a lot of the premium materials such as the new MR70 prepreg

BF (blue profile)

RF (red profile)

DF (white profile)

 

+ Series - Mirrors the Diamanas but manufactured outside of Japan and while it uses lesser materials than the Diamanas, still great shafts that fit a lot of players. Used often as stock shaft offerings from club manufacturers such as Titleist. Still stable but may be slightly less so than the Diamana line.

 

1st Gen:

D+ (white profile)

S+ (blue profile)

M+ (red profile)

 

2nd Gen:

D+ (white profile)

S+ (blue profile)

M+ (red profile)

 

3rd Gen:

D+ limited edition (white profile)

S+ limited edition (blue profile)

M+ limited edition (red profile)

 

Tensei Line - Follows same profile patters as the Diamanas but uses new Kevlar and Boron to achieve new flight characteristics. Very smooth feeling for a stable shaft.

 

Non-Pro version (lacking boron tip):

White

Blue

Orange (new profile, counterbalanced white)

 

Pro Version (adds boron tip to greatly reduce spin:

White

Blue

Orange (introduces new MR70 prepreg instead of boron in tip)

 

​Kuro Kage - Follows same profiles but uses different materials, i.e. new prepregs titanium wire in the tip to achieve launch characteristics and feel.

 

Silver Series (white profile):

XT low launch low spin

Silver DC Tini (Note that TX flex is a different profile than all other flexes, based off the XT profile)

XD newest version of low launch, low spin profile

 

Black Series (blue profile):

Black Tini

XM

 

Fubuki Line - Testing ground for new profiles and materials (forgive me I don't have much experience with them and don't know a ton

 

Miscellaneous - MRC also has some various shafts mixed in as well. Example of this are the X-series Diamana which builds a shaft based on the most expensive materials available so naturally it's a high dollar shaft. Also, they make the Diamana Thump line made specifically for fairway wood and hybrids.

 

What it all comes down to is what feel you like in a shaft and MRC will have a line that can achieve a feel. From there you can dial in on the launch characteristics you are looking for. I love their shafts and while I may be biased, I think they have the best lineup of any manufacturer right now.

[TollBros]

Well done jph! And as he said, each Mitsubishi line has shafts to suit a desired ball flight, however each line has a different feel or balance point to suit what the individual player desires.

[p_haun]

Just was fitted today to a Fubuki J. Astounded at the differences to my Tour Green and the remainder of the shafts I tried today. Was fit previously to a 917D3 with the Oban Purple. The Fubuki J seemed to have very similar launch and spin numbers, but the counter balance was very nice with the Srixon 565 head and was so smooth through the entire swing for me.

 

Can't wait for it to arrive.

[hardcaliber]

wow, thanks jph, that is really awesome info.

 

Each of the shaft families has a variety of profiles that can produce whatever flight/spin you are looking for, and the primary difference between the families is feel.

 

I gather that Diamana is more of a stable feel, and Fubuki has a livelier feel with more of a kick? Tensei and KK are kind of in between? Which one tends to have more of a kick between tensei and KK? I'm sure there is a some overlap between between the profiles so its not a perfect system.

[jph4387]

wow, thanks jph, that is really awesome info.

 

Each of the shaft families has a variety of profiles that can produce whatever flight/spin you are looking for, and the primary difference between the families is feel.

 

I gather that Diamana is more of a stable feel, and Fubuki has a livelier feel with more of a kick? Tensei and KK are kind of in between? Which one tends to have more of a kick between tensei and KK? I'm sure there is a some overlap between between the profiles so its not a perfect system.

 

That's hard to say which has more of a kick because the different profiles feel different. If you want a shaft with pronounced kick do the blue profile in either (Tensei blue or KK black series) while the white profiles will feel more stable.

[Harob11]

Mitsubishi follows a basic pattern. They tend to have three profiles from the original Diamana line.

 

White - low launch, low spin

Blue - mid launch, mid spin

Red - High launch, high spin

 

The different shaft lines all strive for these launch characteristics but using different materials to achieve different feels.

 

http://www.mca-golf....1 (Digital).pdf

 

Diamana (Flagship) - Manufactured in Japan and uses top of the line materials such as MR70 prepeg in the latest generation. Stable feeling.

 

1st Gen:

Whiteboard

Blueboard

Redboard

 

2nd Gen:

China (white profile)

Kai"li (blue profile)

il'ima (red profile)

 

3rd Gen:

W Series (white profile)

B Series (blue profile)

 

4th Gen:

BF (blue profile)

 

+ Series - Mirrors the Diamanas but manufactured outside of Japan and while it uses lesser materials than the Diamanas, still great shafts that fit a lot of players. Used often as stock shaft offerings from club manufacturers such as Titleist. Still stable but may be slightly less so than the Diamana line.

 

1st Gen:

D+ (white profile)

S+ (blue profile)

M+ (red profile)

 

2nd Gen:

D+ (white profile)

S+ (blue profile)

M+ (red profile)

 

3rd Gen:

D+ limited edition (white profile)

S+ limited edition (blue profile)

M+ limited edition (red profile)

 

Tensei Line - Follows same profile patters as the Diamanas but uses new Kevlar and Boron to achieve new flight characteristics. Very smooth feeling for a stable shaft.

 

Non-Pro version (lacking boron tip):

White

Blue

Orange (new profile, counterbalanced white)

 

Pro Version (adds boron tip to greatly reduce spin:

White

Blue

Orange (introduces new MR70 prepreg instead of boron in tip)

 

​Kuro Kage - Follows same profiles but uses different materials, i.e. new prepregs titanium wire in the tip to achieve launch characteristics and feel.

 

Silver Series (white profile):

XT

Silver DC Tini

 

Black Series (blue profile):

Black Tini

XM

 

Fubuki Line - Testing ground for new profiles and materials (forgive me I don't have much experience with them and don't know a ton

 

Miscellaneous - MRC also has some various shafts mixed in as well. Example of this are the X-series Diamana which builds a shaft based on the most expensive materials available so naturally it's a high dollar shaft. Also, they make the Diamana Thump line made specifically for fairway wood and hybrids.

 

What it all comes down to is what feel you like in a shaft and MRC will have a line that can achieve a feel. From there you can dial in on the launch characteristics you are looking for. I love their shafts and while I may be biased, I think they have the best lineup of any manufacturer right now.

 

GREAT and MUCH NEEDED post but what about the X series?

[ignitewvu]

I can Fill in for the Fubuki Lines since I've almost played them all at 1 point or another.

 

Fubuki Tour (Unique feel, very smooth with a pronounced KICK due to the 4" Tip) Mid/High Launch Mid Spin goes well still with some of these modern low spinning drivers.

 

Fubuki Alpha (Much Tighter than the Tour without the pronounced Kick) Mid Launch, Mid/Low Spin & a very stout feel across the profile.

 

Fubuki K IMO it's hard to put into words it's performance....It's sorta like a Whiteboard met the OG Fubuki Tour. It feels very stout (Ninja core Handle) but there is pronounced Kick when you put a good swing on the ball. Years ago I hated it (But the one I had might have been tipped) I now game it with my M2K head and it's a bomber. Mid Launch Low Spin great feel.

 

Fubuki Z Callaway Made for shaft that felt more like the Original Fubuki Tour High Launch Mid Spin loose feeling shaft.

 

Fubuki ZT Basis for lots of arguments on this forum but IMO maybe the most unique of all Fubuki Lines Featured 40Ton Fiber, slight Counter Balancing, & great feel. Mid/High Launch & Mid/low Spin. The ZT70 is one hell of a Fairway wood shaft. It may be "Made For" but it's made with great materials and it holds up still today.

 

Fubuki J Counterbalanced update to the K, I'm just not a fan of......It doesn't agree with my swing at all. I've tried the 60 tipped & untipped neither worked for me. I find it Mid/Low Launch with Low Spin but Mitsubishi says it's a High Launch Mid/Low spin???

 

Fubuki V I haven't had a chance to hit it but it's new for 2017....I'm sure It will find a way to my house by fall for testing

[03trdblack]

 

Fubuki Z Callaway Made for shaft that felt more like the Original Fubuki Tour High Launch Mid Spin loose feeling shaft.

 

Fubuki ZT Basis for lots of arguments on this forum but IMO maybe the most unique of all Fubuki Lines Featured 40Ton Fiber, slight Counter Balancing, & great feel. Mid/High Launch & Mid/low Spin. The ZT70 is one hell of a Fairway wood shaft. It may be "Made For" but it's made with great materials and it holds up still today.

 

 

The Fubuki Z series wasn't just a "made for" for Callaway. Other OEM's used it as well such as Wilson, Bridgestone, etc. The main difference is it isn't made in Japan like most of the Mitsubishi Rayon shafts and is made in China instead. Some may view this as inferior and some of the materials probably aren't the high priced versions that go into other MRC shafts but overall the shaft was pretty solid.

[ignitewvu]

Fubuki Z Callaway Made for shaft that felt more like the Original Fubuki Tour High Launch Mid Spin loose feeling shaft.

 

Fubuki ZT Basis for lots of arguments on this forum but IMO maybe the most unique of all Fubuki Lines Featured 40Ton Fiber, slight Counter Balancing, & great feel. Mid/High Launch & Mid/low Spin. The ZT70 is one hell of a Fairway wood shaft. It may be "Made For" but it's made with great materials and it holds up still today.

 

 

The Fubuki Z series wasn't just a "made for" for Callaway. Other OEM's used it as well such as Wilson, Bridgestone, etc. The main difference is it isn't made in Japan like most of the Mitsubishi Rayon shafts and is made in China instead. Some may view this as inferior and some of the materials probably aren't the high priced versions that go into other MRC shafts but overall the shaft was pretty solid.

 

I knew saying that would get people riled up!!!

 

The Z was a made for OEM shaft.

 

The ZT was not....it was actually a very high quality build shaft that Callaway & Bridgestone used in their Flagship Drivers.

 

The Z was a wet noodle IMO & the ZT was a legit shaft in both 60 & 70 gram versions.