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The Zero decks I’m looking at, where a picture of the top is available looks like a mix of DSM R7 for team boards and most pro models have that BBS dimple stamped between the front truck bolt holes.
Some pro boards are also DSM R7.
I’m in Europe.
Wish they'd just tell on their website. Why FFS doesn’t everyone just post top and side photos of every board and provide us with their maker?
Why do we as consumers have to be detectives?
they are not always able to get boards from BBS so they have to go elsewhere unfortunately. that is the thing about buying from those brands that have the * beside their name... thats why i dont really bother unless its in person.
It has been like that here in AU for a while now, with no BBS or other similar wood in country, all the Zero boards being DSM or more recently (last few years) they have been on some unknown wood, much like Toy Machine and other brands, decks from China, weird concave and shapes that just don't feel that nice to me anyway, but I will gladly note I am a broken record when it comes to what I like and will ride, compared to other people out there, who ride a lot of boards I can not.
A friend bought in a few Zero boards not too long ago from a shop in USA and they were the same BBS 8.5 boards I have a lot of from other brands, so last I heard they were still using BBS in USA for their wood, but that could be old info now as well.
To be fair to certain companies that seem to have wood from anywhere or everywhere, depending on which country or area, not limited to or maybe not even relevant to Zero and their distribution network, but sometimes it is not even down to the company itself, but the licensing deals that mean whatever local distro in whichever country or continent can put the specific brand graphics via heat transfers on boards from where ever they want, or get them done in China and sent over here, skipping out on getting the good boards from USA that the brand uses there.
I understand that it is a cost saving measure, because BBS boards from Mexico, through USA then down here to AU take time and money to get here, compared to boards made in China and then sent directly from the manufacturer to the distribution warehouse in country. Especially when they are not at all concerned as to the shape, concaves or the press / mold used for the boards. Just get those boards with that brand graphic on them and ship them out ASAP!!!
Some other brands are increasingly doing this as well, including some well known brands that have used BBS in the past.
DLX has also started making boards in China, which has always had boards made through BBS in Mexico. The hiccup with a number of other companies that have been doing this for a while is the concave and feel of the boards change, so a BBS board will feel a certain way, then a generic press / mold board from China feels totally different. In that regard, it seems like DLX is doing really good things there, using the same molds, but I am yet to see or skate anything from China from DLX. That stock arrives in a few months, but I am keen, to say the least.
As to why brands and online shops do not put more info on their listings, for some, they have had a drop in sales from listing everything, which I can understand with a woodshop that is not desirable, which happened during covid times, 2020 and 2021 when some brands could not get their usual boards, so went with a cheaper / more available option at the time. I don't have anything else to say about specific other brands of wood, good or bad, as it is personal opinion, but as per the poll here, 95% of these people prefer known wood and it shows with board sales sometimes. I also know the general public is way less informed or knowledgeable about different woodshops, but people still know when a board is good or not and then don't buy another one from that brand if they didn't like the first one.
I would be very happy to see anyone and everyone listing where their boards come from, but generally, the warning sticker or other "Made in..." sticker is the best bet, with other laser etching info, or even just other sticker info on the board shrink, which often has dimensions and Made in China, or similar for some brands.
For now that will have to do for a lot of brands or shops, so unless you can get in to a shop in person, or even message / email / ask the shop for more info, pics of the tops, etc, then you are going to just have to wing it, so to speak. Boards I knew were changing dropped off my list, so if it is unknown, I have to see it in person first, even in a shop I am not going to buy from, before I will get that brand / graphic / shape of board. Others I know and trust, I can buy online or sight unseen any time and be happy knowing what I am getting, but even with some boards, I still messaged asking specific questions in previous years. If the shop responded, I would usually buy it, or at least buy something from that shop, but if the shop didn't reply, then I didn't buy anything from them at all.
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Topic: CURRENT WOODSHOP DIRECTORY 2024 + misc deck and board info, help, questions, etc (Read 165671 times)