MP32s to MP20s - seamless transition?

[BCULAW]

So, I have a second hand set of MP32s that I purchased on eBay as heads only for $85 like 10 years ago.   Let’s just say that their pictures didn’t do them justice - they looked “good from afar, but they were far from good looking.”  They are dinged and rusted, sweet spots worn, and half the ferrules are now sliding up the shafts. But, they play like a dream. I’ve tried replacing them with 3 sets since July, but I hit them better than everything I’ve tried. I play good golf with other sets. I play great golf with these. Period. Played this morning with a new set of Titleist a I put in the bag about a month ago. I hit the ball Ok, but every time I snuck a swing in with the mizunos, I hit them better without question. 
 

I am, however, an equipment snob that likes shiny new toys. I’m strongly considering getting these refinished (and may regardless), but am currently considering building out a set of MP20 blades to the same specs as one last ditch effort to replace the 32s. 
 

I presume they’d play pretty similarly, and hope that they would. I’m not looking for improvement - just a newer, less beat up package. For those that have time with both, is the transition pretty seamless? Anything in performance stand out with either set?

[RogerinNewZealand]

May work out best to buy a mint set of 32s and use as your Baseline set.

I got some mp100 thats the mp33 aniversary, and superb to hit.Played my mp63 today as still just start of my Summer.Will be back too 33s within a week as Swing improves.Look on ebay for some Mizuno Yoro mp68,69,18,20,4,5.  Yoro are the Custom built cool stuff........

[getitdaily]

The 32s have more perimeter weighting than the 20s. They'll play very similarly but the 32s may be a touch more forgiving. I don't know specs on the 32s so I'm assuming that offset, bounce, and sole width are very similar between the two sets. 

 

Demo the 921t if you can. Probably a bit closer to the 32 than the 20 will be. I played the 33s for years. Then the 63s. Then the 900t and now the 921t. The 921t play very, very similarly to MPs.

[NRJyzr]

1 hour ago, getitdaily said:

The 32s have more perimeter weighting than the 20s. They'll play very similarly but the 32s may be a touch more forgiving. I don't know specs on the 32s so I'm assuming that offset, bounce, and sole width are very similar between the two sets. 

 

Demo the 921t if you can. Probably a bit closer to the 32 than the 20 will be. I played the 33s for years. Then the 63s. Then the 900t and now the 921t. The 921t play very, very similarly to MPs.

 

FWIW, the MOI on the 32s is 11.76 vs the 20s at 11.57.  Pretty marginal difference.

 

@BCULAW, have you ever tried the MP-4s?  Just a random thought.... 

 

Seems like the plan should be to find another set of 32s and throw them on your current shafts.  <shrug>

(easy for me to say, LOL)

Edited December 25, 2020 by NRJyzr

[BCULAW]

44 minutes ago, NRJyzr said:

 

FWIW, the MOI on the 32s is 11.76 vs the 20s at 11.57.  Pretty marginal difference.

 

@BCULAW, have you ever tried the MP-4s?  Just a random thought.... 

 

Seems like the plan should be to find another set of 32s and throw them on your current shafts.  <shrug>

(easy for me to say, LOL)

I did own the MP4s and absolutely loved them.  Heck, I think I’ve owned every MP blade since the MP11s, and most of the player cbs.  
 

Not sure what sets this set of 32s apart. I just play well with them. They are an odd spec for me (standard length, 2* flat with DGr400s). My guess is that the shaft is the difference, as it is the only set I have played with this specific shaft.  
 

Just not sure whether to put these shafts in the newer MP heads, or stick with the old faithful set. 
 

Knowing me, I’ll probably try both. Ha ha!

[Jack Pearsall]

Copper underlay might make the 20s a tad softer? 

[getitdaily]

2 hours ago, BCULAW said:

I did own the MP4s and absolutely loved them.  Heck, I think I’ve owned every MP blade since the MP11s, and most of the player cbs.  
 

Not sure what sets this set of 32s apart. I just play well with them. They are an odd spec for me (standard length, 2* flat with DGr400s). My guess is that the shaft is the difference, as it is the only set I have played with this specific shaft.  
 

Just not sure whether to put these shafts in the newer MP heads, or stick with the old faithful set. 
 

Knowing me, I’ll probably try both. Ha ha!

Swingweight, shaft...both of those could be difference makers.

[bnperrone]

There's no reason you couldn't go from MP32s to either MP20MBs or MP20 MMCs. I'd match MMC lofts to MB specs if you went that route so you don't get too far from your familiar numbers. It's basically a choice between wanting something as demanding or slightly more with the MB or wanting virtually all the performance with a surprising amount of forgiveness in the MMCs. I'm surprised people are recommending the JPX line. I spend 15 years in a set of MP32/60 irons and I didn't like the 919T at all. Seemed like a totally different brand to me. Between the MBs and the MMCs it's really hard to go wrong.

[lefty1978]

I own both the MP20 and MP32 sets. I prefer the 32 over the 20, but would have no problem gaming either. The 32 is my favorite MP set, I thinks it has to do with the turf interaction I like more. Although the 20s have copper underlay, they do not feel softer or better than the 32.

[dubbelbogey]

I don't buy into the copper underlay = "softness" claims. Copper is very commonly used in chrome plating processes in all sorts of applications. E.g. car bumpers, ornamental objects, etc... The copper is used to provide more protection of the base metal as well as to fill in small imperfections to give the final product a smoother finish. The process is often called "triple chrome plating" because it involves plated layers of nickel, copper and, lastly, chrome. But it's still an exceedingly thin layer of copper and won't have any real significant effect on the softness of the club feel.

 

Now, I'm sure the marketing guys at Mizuno and others got a hold of this and started touting this copper layer as something magical for golfers. Then again, they did the same back during the 90's titanium craze and touted the "titanium" in their golf balls. Nevermind that it was there all along on any white painted golf balls in the form of titanium based paint pigment.

Edited December 26, 2020 by dubbelbogey

[NRJyzr]

11 hours ago, dubbelbogey said:

I don't buy into the copper underlay = "softness" claims. Copper is very commonly used in chrome plating processes in all sorts of applications. E.g. car bumpers, ornamental objects, etc... The copper is used to provide more protection of the base metal as well as to fill in small imperfections to give the final product a smoother finish. The process is often called "triple chrome plating" because it involves plated layers of nickel, copper and, lastly, chrome. But it's still an exceedingly thin layer of copper and won't have any real significant effect on the softness of the club feel.

 

Now, I'm sure the marketing guys at Mizuno and others got a hold of this and started touting this copper layer as something magical for golfers. Then again, they did the same back during the 90's titanium craze and touted the "titanium" in their golf balls. Nevermind that it was there all along on any white painted golf balls in the form of titanium based paint pigment.

 

Forged4ever posted about a conversation he'd had with folks at Mizuno, where the copper underlay was discussed.  Probably difficult to find that post now.  Basically, the Mizuno folks he spoke with said the copper underlay had nothing to do with the fabled feel of the TN-87s.

 

Edit:  how about that?  Found the post.

 

Edited December 26, 2020 by NRJyzr

[Mookieb10]

13 hours ago, dubbelbogey said:

I don't buy into the copper underlay = "softness" claims. Copper is very commonly used in chrome plating processes in all sorts of applications. E.g. car bumpers, ornamental objects, etc... The copper is used to provide more protection of the base metal as well as to fill in small imperfections to give the final product a smoother finish. The process is often called "triple chrome plating" because it involves plated layers of nickel, copper and, lastly, chrome. But it's still an exceedingly thin layer of copper and won't have any real significant effect on the softness of the club feel.

 

Now, I'm sure the marketing guys at Mizuno and others got a hold of this and started touting this copper layer as something magical for golfers. Then again, they did the same back during the 90's titanium craze and touted the "titanium" in their golf balls. Nevermind that it was there all along on any white painted golf balls in the form of titanium based paint pigment.

Your claim(s) about how Mizuno approached the marketing of the copper underlay is different than my recollection. Your analysis would be spot on for 99% of companies, in that they would claim “magical properties” or something of the sort, but Mizuno was very, very upfront when they released the mp 20 line in late 2019. The Mizuno pitch was something akin to:

 

“we don’t understand what the copper does, but we put 2 otherwise identical clubs in the hands of 20-25 pga pros, one club had the copper underlay, one did not. Across the board, ALL the pros chose the copper underlay as feeling softer.” 
 

I even recall Chris Voshall stating that this drove the designers crazy because they could not identify any scientific differences in the clubs which would make the underlay make the club “feel softer”. 
 

So while I may, and in fact, do agree with you in the fact that copper is no “secret sauce”, I do feel it important to clean up the record and make it known that I didn’t witness Mizuno engage in any sort of marketing malfeasance or underhandedness in their presentation of the copper underlay. 

Edited December 26, 2020 by Mookieb10

[RogerinNewZealand]

re dgr400 and 2 degrees flat your specs,find another set of dgr for the next irons.Keep the 32s as is.I bought dgr300 shafts and its a subtle difference,just like i needed soft stepped dgs200. I need 1 degree flat also.

[Sfd732]

I kind of went through this situation. I have a set of MP33's that I shafted up with a spare set of X100's. Now, I try shaft after shaft and the x100 is always the shaft that gives me the best results. So, I put them in play towards the end of the season and they are just amazing. I had a set of Wilson V6 with x100's in them, didn't hit them well, turns out they were 3 more upright than the 33's. Now, I still didn't hit them as well as the 33's but I hit my t100-s that are 1/4' long, bent 2 flat with x100's just as well.

 

I think if you find another set of the dgr400s and toss them in a set of 921 tours or mp20's get them bent flat and you will be happy.

[dmeeksDC]

I find a very noticeable difference between the DG stiffs and regs in their heavy and mid weight shafts. Same with Project X. More so with those brands than others. I definitely would try the regs again in whatever you do. I just paired up DG 120 S300s soft-stepped in scoring irons with Tour Elevate regs in long irons and the regs work great. 

 

As for the heads, I would say MP20 MMC and MB combo, or more 32s or another MP head. I don’t feel like the JPX heads are similar in feel to the 32s. 

[bevans0222]

I've been trying to replicate the "magic" of my MP 32's for a long time.  The closest that I've come, was when I pulled the PX 6.0 shafts out of them, and put them into a set of Titleist CB's.  I've had other sets of PX, and they weren't quite the same.  I just did an iron fitting last week, and ended up with MP 20's.  My first swing with it, made the fitter sit up in his chair and go "whoa".  I went with the MMC in the 4 & 5 irons, but that was a little bit of a leap of faith, since my numbers were better in the MB than the MMC with the 6 iron fitting club.  Anyways, all that to say that I'm hoping the MP 20 will be my next MP 32.

[BCULAW]

Thanks for all the responses. I agree that the shafts and lie angle are key. Definitely going to try to “reproduce” the specs, although prior efforts to do this with other sets have been inconsistent at best. 
 

looking at picking up a set of the DGR400 shafts (getting scarce) and will either find another set of 32s to refinish, stick with my 718 CBs, or find some MP20 blades. Honestly think all of them are workable options. 

[nitram]

Pull the heads on your 32's and send 'em off to be re-finished. In the interim, weigh your shafts and pay for a set that'll mirror what you have. Meanwhile put your shafts into a set of 20's that are bent to your preference and see how that works for you. The really good news is you can still find 32's in like new condition. If the 20's experiment doesn't work out just stock up on 32's. I played 14's, 32's, and 60's over two decades (with some Hogan Apex thrown in the mix) and I know exactly how you feel about 'em, especially when you get something that works for you.

 

I feel for the Miura CB57's the same way you do about the 14's. That's why I have two more sets of heads on hand.

Edited December 29, 2020 by nitram