I've seen a topic like this before, possibly on FFI, but I think it would be interesting to discuss again. What I mean by the title are the constant modifications to fingerboard setups until you believe you have the perfect board. Obviously, not everyone has the same preferences so it refers to more than one.

Have you ever thought like you've had a perfect or near-perfect board?

I genuinely thought I had the perfect setup for me. It was a Close Up G5 low, Ace tape (new sample stuff), Close Up wide trucks, Close Up bearing wheels, No Comply microwashers, Ytrucks locknuts and I have no idea what bushings I was using.

It takes losing a special board to realise how valuable it really is to you. I miss the contours of the deck, the perfect balance of grip, the firm but moveable bushings, the grip and smoothness of the wheels, balanced controllable pop and a shape that performs for all styles of fingerboarding.

To put it into perspective, here's a trick that I could not have performed on any other board. Mind the sketchiness, though.


What is your current setup and what changes would you make to it?

I'm currently using a Close Up G3, China regs, Close Up bearing wheels, Ace tape (another sample), Rip bushings. It's my current goal to rebuild the setup I had before.

What do you think is most important on a setup?
For me, I think the order should be like this:
Tape
Deck
Wheels
Bushings
(Microwashers)
Trucks

This is not the order people usually upgrade their setups due to budget or just desires to make the board better aesthetically. I'd also say the deck and wheels are pretty much interchangeable in order.

WTF xi thats out of this world

Have you ever thought like you've had a perfect or near-perfect board?

Yes. My current setup is near perfect.

What is your current setup and what changes would you make to it?

Current Setup:
Mckenzie GZ
TD LB
Bullet Wheels
China

Replace the TD LBs some x4s and get some ace/ propaganda tape.

What do you think is most important on a setup?

Performance. I think no matter how good your setup looks if it doesn't perform well it's crap.

For parts:

• Tape
  
• Bushings
  
• Deck
  
• Wheels
  
• Trucks
  

basically the same as Xi with bushings placed higher.

Yeah, I know that almost everyone here is going to hate me on this, but I've tried many deck companies and the only one that fits me like a glove and give me almost perfect performance is a Prowood.

Have you ever thought like you've had a perfect or near-perfect board?

Yes, tech deck with tech deck grip and tech deck bushings and home made riptape.

Jokes, although my current setup is close to perfect, I'd like it if I could buy new parts, since the trucks and deck are thrashed, and the wheels aren't exactly in their prime but they're still great. I dunno, I've had a lot of decks, easily in excess of 100, and I've tried many more, but no deck seems to be as good as my blosom. Even the newer blosoms, from what I've tried I just seem to prefer my old one <3 Perhaps it was the small increase in wheelbase that came about a few years ago, or the change from the shiny solid lacquer to the matte effect lacquer. Little things really, I just adore my old blosom <3

Blosom 30.5
FBS
BRT's 29mm
Oak RV Purple

What is your current setup and what changes would you make to it?

Just realised that I already answered this previously, lmfao.

What do you think is most important on a setup?

Everything compliments everything really, I think it goes in the rough order of;

-Tape - It can turn any setup into something worth using, for example a tech deck.
-Wheels - Again, they just improve any setup really. They make your style flow much more, they make tricks cleaner I guess, not really sure. The setup itself just feels a lot more functional with them.
-Bushings - They're definitely the most important of the truck imo, good bushings can increase the pop or a deck by millions, as well as you're smooth german steeze yo. They make things much more fluent when riding.
-Trucks - Whereas Pro trucks are nice, you can get by with nicely tuned chinas.
-Deck - Ever used a Tech Deck with rip, nicely tuned trucks, and nice wheels? They're actually great, haha. Obviously you need a deck that fits your preference, as well as having the solid construction to give enough pop, but with such a wide range of decks you can pretty much choose any deck and get by with it.

Have you ever thought like you've had a perfect or near-perfect board?

Yes and no. I usually set a deck up and use it and I will be really happy with how it feels to me as I get used to it and start landing all my tricks, but I feel that way with more than one deck. I guess I just really love more than one deck although I have a main for consistency reasons. I wish I can use them all, haha. They're all so much fun.

List of deck shapes that I absolutely love using in no particular order because I really love them all equally:
Shen Shape B
Weca
Berlinwood Wide
Blosom 32.5
Yellowood Z3
Compiny
Flatface G13 32mm

What is your current setup and what changes would you make to it?

Current Setup:
Shen Shape B 32mm
BRT 32mm + TKY bushings
Oak Wheels
Ace Tape

No changes needed there. I absolutely love it the way it is. I usually keep the same trucks and wheels on all of my setups and only use a couple types of tape that feel similar. This is to maintain consistency and also because that setup combination is my all-time favourite right now.

What do you think is most important on a setup?

Tape - Makes the biggest change to a setup
Wheels - I can't stand non-bearing wheels at all!
Bushings - The right tension for me improves my consistency by a lot, I guess
Deck - I can get used to most deck shapes as long as it's not badly-made craftsmanship wise. And I guess, as long as it doesn't have ultra bad pop or concave/kicks that are too dramatically low or high, I'm good..?
Trucks - As long as they don't break and the nuts don't keep flying off.

My setup that was nearly perfecton was:
Berlinwood original mold 29mm, fbs
Brt 1.5, Teflon top bushing on top, Closeup bushing under (perfecttttt)
Flatface br eds white
So the wheels felt really good but I think dual duros wouldve been better.
And maybe the rucks couldve been replaced with ys, and subs duals there too, I think it would be perfect.
So this is perfection imo:
Berlinwood original mold 29mm (green camo :3)
Ytrucks x3 (white probably)
Subs solars.
And the important things:
Tape
Bushings
Wheels
Deck
Trucks

Have you ever thought like you've had a perfect or near-perfect board?

Yes my current main setup is pretty close to prefect i think. However my Homewood new mold is pretty close.

What is your current setup and what changes would you make to it?

Current setup: BW wide, BRT wide, oak rv's, flatface team bushings, and slim and catchy.
I dont think it needs any changes its perfect. However with my homewood new mold, 29mm brts, winklers, penny bushings, and slim and catchy, the only thing i would change would be the size of the deck. I really wish i got a 32mm not a 30mm but oh well.

What do you think is most important on a setup?

Tape- I can't not ride anything but slim and catchy
Wheels- IMO bearing wheels help with flow and make tricks easier
Bushings- Helps with tricks and I hate woobly trucks
Deck- I can adjust pretty well execpt for hardcore shapes but not a lot of companies make them so I am good
Trucks- as long as they do not fall apart on grinds and while riding they work.

Have you ever thought like you've had a perfect or near-perfect board?


several. i had a berlinwood wide hello my name is with brr wides, oringz, fbs and ff g5s about a year ago. it was perfect until i refinished the deck. after that it was never the same. it was still good, but something was missing.

What is your current setup and what changes would you make to it?

now i have 2 perfect setups.


ff g14 turtle engraved
brr wides
ff dual durometers
fbs
team bushings
sooooo gooooooddddddd


unique wave from about a year ago (pretty thrashed)
brr wides with nail strips
ff brr edition white
fbs
team bushings
the deck is pretty thrashed but im scared to ruin it when i refinish it. ill probably just leave it the way it is.

they are both perfect i think.


i also have a
bw wide
brr wides
oringz
fbs
ff brr edition yellow
i would want the bw to be thinner. its pretty thick and heavy. besides that its great.

What do you think is most important on a setup?

tape (fbs preferably)
trucks
bushings
wheels
deck (pretty much just needs to be around 98mm long and not too heavy)


i ride my trucks really loose so they need to have a good pivot system. brr wides with ff team bushings are fantastic for riding loose!

Have you ever thought like you've had a perfect or near-perfect board?
Many, but I misjudged myself

What is your current setup and what changes would you make to it?
Yellowood Z3, Ytucks X3, winkler wheels white brr ed
I would like to get X4's and possibly Ywheels for it

Beastpants deck (coming in the mail)
BRT wides
Oaks RV White

ScottB Deck (coming in the mail)
BRT Wides
Flatface G5's

What do you think is most important on a setup?
Tape
Wheels
Deck
Bushings
Trucks

Have you ever thought like you've had a perfect or near-perfect board?
No, not really
What is your current setup and what changes would you make to it?
Soma 32mm, TD wides w/ Ytrucks bushings, Icon wheels, China tape
Well this is my dream setup which Im getting soon
Flatface G14 Jay Graphic(Coming in the mail)
BRT Wides Jack Black
TKY Bushings
Flatface Dual Durometer black wheels
FBS(Coming in the mail)
What do you think is most important on a setup?
Tape
Deck
Trucks
Wheels
Bushings

Jake, trucks before wheels, except you have pro wheels and not pro trucks? d: lol
also, you'd ride brt's with tech deck bushings then? hahaha, just wondering.

Have you ever thought like you've had a perfect or near-perfect board?
Pure 30mm, Ytrucks, Substance Flaked Edition. Pretty much the perfect setup.


What is your current setup and what changes would you make to it?
I have a lot of setups, cause i like to use different ones on different days. I'm pretty happy with all of them.
I recently set up a No Comply deck with old Foamy G, Ytrucks and Substance Solars. It's awesome.

What do you think is most important on a setup?
Wheels - Perfectly smooth wheels aka. Substance wheels makes it so much more enjoyable for me to fingerboard.
Deck - Different shapes for different feels, styles, whatever.
Trucks/bushings - I don't know which is more important. You can make china/TD trucks awesome with a pair of o-rings, but you'll need pro or shaped trucks to use the good Substance wheels (which is the most important thing).

Tape - I wont say i can use any tape, but it's damn close. Only thing i know doesn't work for me is Rip and the bad sheets of china.

Have you ever thought like you've had a perfect or near-perfect board?

Yes, my scott b... I snapped it.......

scott b
widebrt's
yellowsubs
lowprotape

fucking perfect.

What is your current setup and what changes would you make to it?

I'm currently using a Blosom, wide BRT's, witchcraft teals, slimtape, and dual t edition wheels.

The only thing I wanna change is the deck and tape
(scott b and lowpro tape)

What do you think is most important on a setup?

Trucks
Bushings
Board
Tape
Wheels

DarianN wrote:

Jake, trucks before wheels, except you have pro wheels and not pro trucks? d: lol
also, you'd ride brt's with tech deck bushings then? hahaha, just wondering.

Oh I didnt know it had to be in order. Sorry my bad
No, I would ride them with the TKY bushings.

JakeC wrote:

DarianN wrote:

Jake, trucks before wheels, except you have pro wheels and not pro trucks? d: lol
also, you'd ride brt's with tech deck bushings then? hahaha, just wondering.

Oh I didnt know it had to be in order. Sorry my bad
No, I would ride them with the TKY bushings.

You put bushings last, meaning you would ride pro trucks with td bushings

DarianN wrote:

JakeC wrote:

DarianN wrote:

Jake, trucks before wheels, except you have pro wheels and not pro trucks? d: lol
also, you'd ride brt's with tech deck bushings then? hahaha, just wondering.

Oh I didnt know it had to be in order. Sorry my bad
No, I would ride them with the TKY bushings.

You put bushings last, meaning you would ride pro trucks with td bushings

Oh Idk, I didnt know that they had to be in order. Again my bad.,

DarianN wrote:

JakeC wrote:

DarianN wrote:

Jake, trucks before wheels, except you have pro wheels and not pro trucks? d: lol
also, you'd ride brt's with tech deck bushings then? hahaha, just wondering.

Oh I didnt know it had to be in order. Sorry my bad
No, I would ride them with the TKY bushings.

You put bushings last, meaning you would ride pro trucks with td bushings

when I get x4s I'm gonna try it

Am I the only person who gets tired/bored of a deck after I use it as a main for too long? I usually switch between mellow and medium style decks every few months.

I have used the same blosom deck for over 7 months as a main everyday and it hasnt lost any performance or pop atall, Ive bought around 20 new decks since then (including lovedrug, wecca, temple, pure an a pop being my favourites) but I just cant bring myself to replace my main, I think im just so used to the shape it seems harder trying to change to another deck

myhotCaffeine wrote:

Am I the only person who gets tired/bored of a deck after I use it as a main for too long? I usually switch between mellow and medium style decks every few months.

I don't usually change my decks that often. Maybe around 5-10 months I change it.

Thank you for so many responses in this thread! It's really insightful and it's nice to hear so many people have been successfully matched with a lot of stuff they like already. Don't worry, this thread isn't for anything except fresh discussion. I'm not going to suddenly turn around and start a company haha.

myhotCaffeine wrote:

Am I the only person who gets tired/bored of a deck after I use it as a main for too long? I usually switch between mellow and medium style decks every few months.

I'm pretty loyal to the boards I designate as my main. I had like 4 Tech Deck "mains" from 2000 to 2008, then a BWOM from '08 to '11, Kulture for a couple of months in '11. Close Up G4 from '11 to '12 and a G5 low from '12 - '13. I'm currently main-less. But yeah, I keep things fresh by acquiring new stuff through purchases, trades, competition prizes, review products and sometimes just modding an old setup for nostalgia.

Apart from those mains, I've had serious addictions to my Pure OM 26mm, Pure OM 29mm, TD Expert Sk8 high concave, Soldier Bar 2012, Soma 31, TD Wood Comp Series G2, Soma 33.5 Poolshape.

You did an epic review of the Shen. I think companies should definitely contact you to do reviews. You'll get to try out loads of new stuff too.

myhotCaffeine wrote:

Am I the only person who gets tired/bored of a deck after I use it as a main for too long? I usually switch between mellow and medium style decks every few months.

yeh i change quite often but i dont buy decks alot i just change some stuff or switch back to an old setup , i probs change like every month or so but once i get a nice deck i will stick with it i think for longer

DarianN wrote:

JakeC wrote:

DarianN wrote:

Jake, trucks before wheels, except you have pro wheels and not pro trucks? d: lol
also, you'd ride brt's with tech deck bushings then? hahaha, just wondering.

Oh I didnt know it had to be in order. Sorry my bad
No, I would ride them with the TKY bushings.

You put bushings last, meaning you would ride pro trucks with td bushings

I think the assumption would be that you use the bushings that come with brts.... nobody would buy brt's then switch the bushings out for td bushings.