Weight
87g
Thickness
5.5mm
Plies
5-ply
Handles
FL
Material
AllWood
Head Shape
Standard
Balance
Balanced
J.M. Saive Control
Stiga J.M. Saive Control is a 5-ply all-wood blade crafted for players who value precision and touch above all. Developed with Belgian legend Jean-Michel Saive, it delivers a balanced, nuanced playing experience perfect for intermediate to advanced tacticians. Its special blend of soft and medium-hard woods provides excellent feel and flexibility, making it ideal for a spin-oriented, strategic style. While not built for blistering speed, it excels in enabling controlled, accurate shots and delicate ball placement that can surprise opponents.
The blade features a symmetrical 5-ply all-wood construction. It uses a specific blend of soft and medium-hardness woods, with the core layer flanked by identical outer and inner layers. This composition is the key to its excellent control, feel, and flexibility.
TT Sensei Ratings
✦Our expert analysis of this blade's performance characteristics
Designed with control as the priority, the J.M. Saive Control offers a moderate speed rating. It provides enough pace for effective counter-attacks and controlled offensive shots, but it's not built for extreme power. This speed is perfectly balanced with its high control, making it ideal for a tactical, spin-focused game rather than outright power hitting.
This blade truly excels in control, which is the core of its design. It allows for precise ball placement and manipulation, making it ideal for players who rely on strategy, spin, and delicate touch. The high control rating facilitates consistent execution of various strokes, including pushes, chops, and controlled loops, giving you command over the rally.
The blend of woods provides a distinctively soft to medium feel. This offers excellent feedback, allowing you to feel the ball's spin and trajectory clearly, which is crucial for developing advanced strokes and maintaining precise control during play.
The wood combination typically produces a medium-high throw angle. This is advantageous for players who like to loop with a good arc and heavy topspin, allowing the ball to clear the net with sufficient height and spin for safety and effectiveness.
The softer wood composition and 5-ply structure contribute to a good dwell time. This extended contact allows the ball to sink into the blade, aiding in greater spin generation and control, which is particularly beneficial for players who like to impart heavy spin on loops and drives.
Players report good flexibility due to its wood composition. This flex helps absorb the ball's impact, which increases dwell time and allows for more spin-laden shots, especially useful in looping rallies and touch play.
The blade provides a medium level of vibration, which is generally a positive trait. It offers enough feedback to feel the ball's impact without being overly jarring, contributing to its overall control-oriented and communicative nature.
Our testing shows the J.M. Saive Control upholds STIGA's reputation for quality. The use of carefully selected woods and consistent layering results in a durable, reliable blade with a premium feel. The build quality is solid, contributing to a predictable and trustworthy performance on the table.
Technology
The Stiga J.M. Saive Control focuses on the natural properties of wood rather than integrated composite technologies. Its performance comes from a deliberate 5-ply construction using a specific blend of soft and medium-hard woods. This material selection is central to achieving its signature feel, control, and flexibility. The construction is optimized to provide excellent dwell time and feedback, allowing players to feel the ball deeply and impart significant spin. This pure wood approach ensures a consistent, predictable, and nuanced response that is crucial for strategic, touch-oriented play.
Pro Players Using This Blade
Jean-Michel Saive
Jean-Michel Saive, the Belgian legend and former world No. 7, was instrumental in developing this blade. The 'J.M. Saive Control' bears his name and reflects his playing philosophy, which prioritized exceptional touch, control, and feel for precise placement and spin-oriented play. His strategic, all-round game with strong variation is embodied in this blade's design.
Similar Blades
Stiga Allround Classic
The Stiga Allround Classic is another highly regarded 5-ply all-wood blade that emphasizes control and feel. Often recommended as a benchmark for all-round performance, it offers a similar, slightly more traditional all-wood experience. While the J.M. Saive Control uses a specific wood blend for enhanced touch, the Allround Classic provides a solid and reliable control-oriented feel suitable for a wide range of developing players.