Grain Theory NEW Stodd Pro Mod Unboxing and Review!

Grain Theory holds a special place in my heart, and is easily one of my favorite brands out there. Unfortunately the Stodd mod fell a little short of my expectations. I'd like to clarify too that this is in no way a bad kendama. It's honestly one of my new favorites (after modifying it a bit) But I really think it could have been a bit better. This is just my OPINION however, and I know a lot of people absolutely love this thing, so please don't let my review discourage you from trying one yourself!
Check out Grain Theory's website: graintheory.bi...
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[@jimgrude]

You're finally doing these reviews the right way. You cover everything, you give your impression, you test it, then give a final verdict. More like this!

[@wyvernesque]

I totally agree, he does an amazing job giving an overview of every feature and detail of the kendama and his initial impressions. the only thing I thought he was ever really missing was his impression after playing it for an amount of time to get a better feel for it (unless i've missed them in other videos). in any case I feel these videos are rapidly becoming players' favorites, including my own. from high quality production, and a deep, thorough analysis on every kendama he reviews, it's easy to see why!

[@kencult]

Honestly, I've been thinking about starting to do this with my reviews now. Lots of people say they'd love to see me play and do and edit in the video, but that's just not possible for me. These take several hours to film as it is with tons of takes and filming all of the extra b roll shots. I'm just too burnt out after to play with it, film it, and then sit down again afterwards. It's way too much. (I've also really never been a fan of edits in reviews tbh) but I think this doing it like this is the way to go. And I think people really do value my thoughts on it after I play it for a while too. It's a bit more work, but I'm definitely down to start doing this more if you guys really think it improves the videos that much! Glad you're enjoying the videos though, and I really appreciate your opinions on them and any ideas you have to improve them 🙏 more on the way soon!

[@kaeotravis-ligsay9258]

Love these dama reviews. Cant Get enough. When we gonna get a sesh with a fresh

[@ChrisRennie1999]

We neeed a Ken cult sesh with a fresh!

[@aplatypusguy27]

Finally!! I’ve been waiting soooo long for another one of your videos haha. I’m glad you’re honest if you don’t love the kendama, and I like how you even played it for a bit to give it a shot. Great work man

[@kencult]

Thanks man! Hope the wait was worth it. my main goal is to really cover as many details as I can about the kendama so that way the viewer can form their own opinion on it, but I'll always be honest about a kendama and what I think of it too. The next video will be out MUCH sooner than this one too, I'm gonna try and get more consistent with uploading in the future. Thanks for watching dude!

[@gwynkoski980]

super happy to see this vid pop up on my feed, I love that you are comfortable giving your honest opinion. I started following pretty recently and I ate up all your uploads, cant wait to see more.

[@kencult]

Thank you so much! I'm glad you like the videos 🙏 I try not to discourage people from buying a kendama that I may not like because it'll be different for everybody, but I do want to just give as much information as I can about the kendama so that way people know a little bit more about what to expect when buying them. More videos coming soon! Let me know if you have a specific kendama you'd like to see me review too 👍

[@gwynkoski980]

@@kencult For sure! it would be dope if you could get your hands on the new krom slaydawg da gang mod for a vid!

[@JoeBrackmann]

I loved your review style this time around. I loved how you gave insight after playing it for a bit so we can all get a gage of how it breaks in. Hope you do more like this!

[@kencult]

Thank you! A few people have liked this format better. It happened by accident, but I think I might start doing my videos in this format from now on! Or I might even make 2 separate videos, one of the initial unboxing and a second video on how it's broken in and my thoughts on it

[@evenflowcss]

The Unbox Therapy of the Kendama Community! Keep the content coming man!!!

[@evenflowcss]

Also the 3-finger string is a Stodd thing! He does all those juggles and taps on a 3-finger string, which is insane!

[@kencult]

Thanks bro! More vids on the way soon! 👍

[@kencult]

@@evenflowcss and for real?! That's insane! His skills are out of this world

[@kendama_kraziness3593]

That deer logo is awesome! I'm from Portland, as your heading downtown there is a huge neon sign with that deer and it says Portland, Oregon!

[@SKULLKR3W]

was mad stoked on this kendama until i played it and pretty much hated its shape haha

[@kencult]

Yeah, it was definitely a bit of a let down for me at first. Sorry to hear you didn't like it! Just out of curiosity, what are your favorite shapes out right now?

[@swaysilog]

love your channel bro! keep it up!

[@kencult]

Thanks brotha! Much appreciated 🙏

[@wyvernesque]

Personally, I think you just got a dud or just a bad draw. for one I don't know why your's only came with a three finger string, both strings that came with mine were 8 fingers. as for the kendama itself it was perfectly matched 73 - 73, and while yes I agree the shape doesn't really lunar well out of the bag, that was kind of a part of the design. Considering it's Nic's mod he designed the shape with his play style in mind which focuses more on techy jugg spams including slings and ken flips, than lunars which it accomplishes phenomenally, enough so that it got me, a string flow player, into trying out jugg spam lines which before picking up this kendama I had rarely touched. I genuinely believe it's a fantastic dama and easily one of my favorites aside from it's few short comings i.e. weak stall points and lunar balance.

[@wyvernesque]

To follow up as well the shape I absolutely adore. the length of the sword and undefined ring kind of worried me at first but after a while I realized it allowed for a better grip, and more room on juggles and ken flips. While the narrow sarado reduces weight, allowing it to focus more so in the sword, which again allows more rotation in ken flips and slings, which is even backed up further by the steep curve in sarado allowing slings to lock in during rotation. it really isn't for everyone's style, but if you're not one who ever really experimented with juggle spamming and tech than this kendama will really enable that if you can force yourself enough to adapt to it.

[@kencult]

Totally agree! I could have easily gotten a dud. But unfortunately, that's all I have to base my reviews off of. And it's honestly one of my favs right now too. I totally agree that this wasn't meant to be a lunar monster, but I think every kendama should be well rounded in all aspects, and then Excel in the areas where it's designed to flourish. That's what makes a good pro mod in my mind, but the Stodd mod genuinely sucks at lunars(at least with the one that was sent to me) and I just don't think it had to in order to be good at the other things as well. Also, did your model come from the second batch or the first? Mines from the first batch and they definitely could have updated the length with the future drops. Thanks for giving your opinion here too though! I think it's super helpful for people to hear more than one side from people that have played it too

[@chislicer5167]

Pretty sure mine came with an 8 finger string too (I got it at the Sakura two years ago) and it was mid 70's. For me it's an all around jammer and the lunar capabilities are great. I did think the sarado looked a little skinny compared to others (like mm) but it still rips.

[@phjsher]

Did you get the three year analog b day kendama? If so, make a vid on it

[@kencult]

Analog is sending a package my way for a video! I have one more planned before that one, but a new analog video will come out soon!

[@dylanmccall9796]

Another quality vid

[@kencult]

Thanks homie 🙏 I'm gonna try to post more frequently from now on too! So expect more vids soon

[@dylanmccall9796]

Ok can’t wait👌

[@joerutherford3443]

Sorry if already addressed but apparently the second batch has longer strings? and I think the weight issue is prediposed by the shape, but you seem to have been very unlucky

[@kencult]

Correct! Second and third batches came with longer strings. And I've talked with some other people and Stodd himself a bit about it. The shape itself was never meant to be great at lunars which is fine, but the shape mixed with the terrible weights just made it feel pretty bad. Every dama is different and a few, like this one, specialize at being good for certain play styles. This just took it too far in my opinion to where it was almost not playable unless you were going for very specific tricks that this shape was meant for. I still love using it though, and many people who got a more balanced ken seem to enjoy it as well. But bottom line is the not balanced shape + my bad luck = not a good time lol

[@brandongroo8104]

I got the stodd mod and out of box it didnt luner well but after play and I pushed cups down a little it was amazing and im still jamming it now and love the dama and was thinking about copping a second

[@kencult]

That's awesome!! I'm stoked you're enjoying it. I'm really liking mine too!

[@kaeokaneko1542]

Idk y ur string was so short mine came with a 6 finger

[@kencult]

They ended up including a longer string with later orders! Mine was from the first batch and the only batch that came with a shorter string

[@jacobcruz403]

Why doesn’t this channel have more subs

[@kencult]

Haha thanks dude 🙏

[@kaspernino8668]

how long was shipping my guy???

[@kencult]

GT is pretty good with shipping usually. Didn't take too long for mine to arrive! I think around 5 days

[@kaspernino8668]

KEN CULT thank you so much :)

[@gtzzendax9263]

Stod mods 10/10

[@kencult]

Glad you're enjoying it dude!!

[@Bullets2YahHead]

Gotta sharpen that knife lol

[@waterboy2494]

Wow that lunar balance sucks!