Weight
92g
Thickness
6mm
Plies
5-ply
Head Size
158x151
Handles
FL / ST
Material
AllWood
Head Shape
Oversized
Balance
Head-Heavy
Tenor
Nittaku Tenor is a premium all-wood offensive blade crafted with principles inspired by musical instrument manufacturing. It delivers a unique blend of power and feel, standing as the fastest model in Nittaku's Instrumental series. Engineered for aggressive players, its stiff yet responsive construction enables dynamic topspin attacks and decisive smashes. While excelling in offensive play, it requires skill to fully harness its potential, offering a bridge between traditional wood feel and modern power demands.
Tenor features a 5-ply all-wood construction with outer Limba layers, additional Limba plies, and a Tung Wood core. This dense wood composition contributes to its stiffness, speed, and solid feel while maintaining the traditional wood playing experience.
TT Sensei Ratings
✦Our expert analysis of this blade's performance characteristics
Nittaku Tenor is widely recognized as one of the fastest all-wood blades available. Our testing shows it generates significant power for drives and smashes, performing comparably to some slower carbon blades. Its dense construction and stiffness translate directly into explosive offensive potential, making it a standout for players who prioritize raw speed in their attacks.
Despite its high speed, Nittaku Tenor offers excellent control for an offensive blade. Players report good precision in the short game and effective ball placement. Its solid construction provides stability for blocks and counter-attacks, giving you confidence to play aggressively without sacrificing accuracy on touch shots.
Tenor offers a distinct feel that players describe as solid and somewhat hard, yet still providing good feedback and dwell time due to its all-wood construction. You get a tactile sensation that lets you sense ball contact clearly, with a firm response that translates to powerful shots.
Players report a medium to high throw angle that helps powerful looping and attacking shots clear the net with good trajectory. This characteristic supports aggressive topspin play while maintaining consistency in offensive rallies.
The blade provides above-average dwell time for its stiffness, allowing players to impart significant spin on the ball. This characteristic helps generate powerful topspin shots while maintaining good ball control during brushing contact.
As a relatively stiff blade due to its 5-ply all-wood construction and 6mm thickness, Tenor offers minimal flex. This stiffness contributes directly to its speed and power, though it reduces some of the flexibility found in softer wood blades.
Tenor has a noticeable vibration that contributes to its feel and feedback without being excessively jarring. This medium-high vibration level helps players sense the ball's trajectory and spin, adding to the blade's distinctive playing character.
Nittaku Tenor is consistently praised for its exceptional build quality, utilizing premium wood and meticulous craftsmanship akin to musical instrument production. The finish is smooth and durable, with precise layer alignment that reflects Nittaku's high manufacturing standards. This blade feels substantial and well-made in hand.
Technology
Nittaku Tenor utilizes String Instrument Manufacturing Technology, applying precision and material selection principles from high-quality musical instrument creation. This approach optimizes wood's natural properties to achieve exceptional performance. The specific 5-ply arrangement of Limba and Tung wood maximizes speed and power while retaining good feel and dwell time. Its slightly thicker, heavier profile compared to other Instrumental series blades is a deliberate design choice to enhance offensive capabilities and power generation.
Similar Blades
Nittaku Acoustic
Tenor is often compared to Nittaku Acoustic, with Tenor being described as thicker, heavier, and faster. Both share Nittaku's Instrumental series construction philosophy and all-wood composition. Acoustic offers more control and feel for balanced offensive play, while Tenor leans toward pure speed and power for maximum offensive impact.
OSP Virtuoso OFF-
While not a Nittaku blade, OSP Virtuoso has been mentioned as a potential alternative with similar characteristics to high-performance all-wood offensive blades. It's noted for excellent feel and quality construction, offering a comparable playing experience for players seeking premium all-wood performance with good touch and control.