Sardo Tight Rack (1999 to ~2010)

Bob Jewett

Bob Jewett

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The Sardo Tight Rack was introduced in August 1999 at the BCA Trade Expo in Las Vegas, by a company called Lou Sardo Products. The introductory price was $300. Sardo sponsored many major events and in the 2000s you could often see Lou or Carmine racking with the Tight Rack. They sponsored the WPBA tour among other events. Their website was tightrack.com which you can access on archive.org (2000-2009). In 2009 they seem to have had a closeout sale at $70.

Initially, there seems to have been a training step in which each ball was tapped by hand into place but at least for a while that step was not used.

Here is the earliest mention I could find of the Tight Rack, in August, 1999. It was on RSB, so I suppose it is subject to deletion by Google when they decide Usenet newsgroups are no longer relevant.

Many doubts about Sardo's new rack

groups.google.com groups.google.com

Here's the basenote:

Many doubts about Sardo's new rack​

1 view

WiL​

Aug 2, 1999, 12:00:00 AM

to
I saw the Tight Rack by Sardo in Billiard Digest and thought it looked cool.
My partner and I took turns guessing how much one would cost, because there
are some practical applications for what looks like the "robotic rack."
Assuming you're an honest player, using one of those racks could possibly
prevent you from being shit racked by your opponent, something that is far
too common in the places where I play. Out of boredom and curiousity I
called the people at Sardo and they sent information about the rack, but
before I got off of the phone I asked the operator the amount of the
suggested retail for the rack. My partner and I had guessed it would be
between $75 and $100, which might be worth it. The operator told me $295.99.
I just laughed, they're a bit too proud of their robotic rack. I really do
like the idea and the product, but for $295.99 I'll just have to get shit
racked.
WiL
 
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G

garczar

AzB Silver Member
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Tapped hell. I watched one getting 'bedded in' at some tourney eons ago and they were POUNDING the balls. SR was a colossal pos gimmick.
 
Bob Jewett

Bob Jewett

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garczar said:
Tapped hell. I watched one getting 'bedded in' at some tourney eons ago and they were POUNDING the balls. SR was a colossal pos gimmick.
Click to expand...
There's a report from 20 years ago that they stopped with the pounding. Maybe not everyone got the message. I suppose on old cloth it might be necessary.

The most important part of the story is that the Tight Rack taught us what a tight rack was like. Most people had no idea before. The rack was a mystery to most. It was also in 1999 that Joe Tucker published his book, "Racking Secrets", which was mostly about where you wanted or did not want gaps. Nine ball seems to have only figured out now how to deal with a tight rack.
 
kling&allen

kling&allen

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Bob Jewett said:
There's a report from 20 years ago that they stopped with the pounding. Maybe not everyone got the message. I suppose on old cloth it might be necessary.

The most important part of the story is that the Tight Rack taught us what a tight rack was like. Most people had no idea before. The rack was a mystery to most. It was also in 1999 that Joe Tucker published his book, "Racking Secrets", which was mostly about where you wanted or did not want gaps. Nine ball seems to have only figured out now how to deal with a tight rack.
Click to expand...

Bob, it’s interesting how long it took the magic rack to catch on; given that you and others had suggested it long and long ago. I suppose Sardo created the demand for tight racks, didn’t have a product at the right price point, and the magic rack filled the gap.
 
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