# Preferred Rubik's cube?



## SpeedSolve (Aug 25, 2011)

Hi! I'm new to the forums and am jumping right in with a question.

Which rubik's cube should I get? 

I've been cubing for about 6 months now and think that my cube is holding me back from the times I think I could get (avg. 1:11). My cube now is just one I bought at walgreens 5 months ago. It's a regular rubik's brand. anyway, I'm looking for a good speed cube for a beginner like me. 

Also, anybody know about a good Fridrich's tutorial on youtube? I always look for a beginner tutorial but then they go way too fast and just place the pieces without explaining their method. 

Thanks!


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## emolover (Aug 25, 2011)

Get a Zhanchi.

Dont make a thread on this.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=609nhVzg-5Q Use that. Its long but it is perfect.


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## Hershey (Aug 25, 2011)

People really need to stop recommending cubes for experts to beginners.


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## Lukester172 (Aug 25, 2011)

you should get a dayan guhong
and a good fridrich method tut is monkeydude1313 (i learned from him) 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_EYPXTetHX4


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## emolover (Aug 25, 2011)

Hershey said:


> People really need to stop recommending cubes for experts to beginners.


 
He/she could tighten it down a lot so it is controllable. It doesn't matter if you start with "expert" cubes, it is better that way. When I started, I had to use a cube4you.

God those things suck.


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## blakedacuber (Aug 25, 2011)

Hershey said:


> People really need to stop recommending cubes for experts to beginners.


 
whats your definition of begginner?


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## Muesli (Aug 25, 2011)

Hershey said:


> People really need to stop recommending cubes for experts to beginners.


 
This is so totally wrong and quite elitist.

Why shouldn't he/she get a fast cube?


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## James Cavanauh (Aug 25, 2011)

i started with an a-V.


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## iEnjoyCubing (Aug 25, 2011)

Hershey said:


> People really need to stop recommending cubes for experts to beginners.



Why not? I never understood this. The cube can just be tightened.

OP, I would recommend either a Dayan Zhanchi or a Dayan GuHong.


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## Cubetastic (Aug 25, 2011)

you can never go worong with a well modded cube to fit your own needs in a cube, best thing about cheap cubes is that theyre easy to open up easy to change to your specific reccomendations, if you would like to get a more expensive cube and order online, then what all the others said


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## TheCubeMaster5000 (Aug 25, 2011)

blakedacuber said:


> whats your definition of *begginner*?



Hmm... Good question. I wonder if it has a different meaning than the word beginner.


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## iSpinz (Aug 25, 2011)

LanceTheBlueKnight has very good guides. I learned my F2L from him. He explains each step clearly and shows a lot of examples.

F2L http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fG4wsoEEndU
2-Look-OLL http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5zUcqCgz-qw&feature=relmfu
2-Look-PLL http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c4pkkB5yMHE&feature=relmfu


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## insane569 (Aug 25, 2011)

i would recommend you stay with your rubiks brand
its not the cube its the cuber(quote?)
ive gotten sub 15 solves with a rubiks brand
after you speed up your solves and learn good lookahead then you can worry about speed and corner cutting and U5000 with a single flick
for now your rubiks is just fine and i would still consider you a begginer
and Fridrich isnt always the best method of choice you should consider roux or petrus or some other method
look into methods now because when your times drop and you wanna switch it'll be too late cause learning a new method would take time to adjust to


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## Rpotts (Aug 25, 2011)

I disagree, the quicker you get a good speedcube the quicker you can start to implement legitimate finger tricks, and stop the bad habit of wrist turning.


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## slimjamin (Aug 25, 2011)

I'm not sure about your financial situation, but buy as many as you can! When I first started I bought a few cubes and made a decision. It's nice to find your way around the cubes by testing out different ones. I bought:
- Alpha V
- F(II)
- GuHong
- ShenShou

I'd probably replace ShenSHou with ZhanChi now, however


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## slimjamin (Aug 25, 2011)

Also, badmephisto's F2L tutorials are amazing. Monkeydude1313 is really good too. I used Monkeydudes to begin with, and mephs are a bit more complicated but great once you understand them. Feliks has a good series on his channel also (fazrulz1) on cross, F2L etc.


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## SpeedSolve (Aug 25, 2011)

I am pretty decent with finger tricks, I could use some practice with M, D, and B finger tricks, but otherwise I can spin it pretty fast. I do get very annoyed with my cube when it locks up and would do MUCH better with better corner cutting. Mine doesn't cut at all. I'm using beginner's method with all those unnecessary steps, so when I can combine them I'll be better. I get pretty tired of going to a "beginner's tutorial" and then the people fly through without much explanation. 

anyway, thanks for all the replies! I'll check them out! 

P.S. I'm a he.:tu


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## ZamHalen (Aug 25, 2011)

I would actually just recommend a well broken in storebought for use until you average maybe 30 seconds. A new cube isn't going to help as much until you can learn some basic tricks and such (which I believe a storebought cube helps since you are basically forced to think rather than spam moves).But of course that's my opinion, and you could go ahead and get a dayan if you wanted to. Just remember (WARNING:CHEESE ALERT) it's the cuber not the cube that gets fast times.
[youtube]7HHtsfLeMMw&feature=channel_video_title[/youtube]
[youtube]hr2T01mDWpI&feature=channel_video_title[/youtube]


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## tx789 (Aug 25, 2011)

Just get a store brought first you won't have to wait for shipping or what ever your choice


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## DaveyCow (Aug 25, 2011)

Hershey said:


> People really need to stop recommending cubes for experts to beginners.



"Expert cubes" are not necessarily not for beginners. I'm a beginner and I totally prefer Zhanchi (or F-II or GuHong or...) over rubik's storebought. (The thought of using a rubik's causes mass tremors in my soul!) Tho I realize not all beginners would prefer a speedcube to start out, but maybe when an "expert cube" is recommended to a beginner, it is just mentioned/warned that it is a speedcube (and what that means) and things like that....


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## Tim Major (Aug 25, 2011)

Hershey said:


> People really need to stop recommending cubes for experts to beginners.



I had typed something but then I realised you'd heard it before.


emolover said:


> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=609nhVzg-5Q Use that. Its long but it is perfect.


 
Read his post again, he wants a CFOP tutorial, that a beginner could learn from.


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## akiramejin (Aug 25, 2011)

I think he should just get a storebought. when you get faster you really appreciate better cubes. well for me anyway. I got to a 25ish avg with a storebought using beginners, and then type A1 and etc.
But, if money is kinda tight, I guess you could just start off with something that will last awhile. Maybe a Guhong?


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## DaveyCow (Aug 25, 2011)

iSpinz said:


> LanceTheBlueKnight has very good guides. I learned my F2L from him. He explains each step clearly and shows a lot of examples.
> 
> F2L http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fG4wsoEEndU
> 2-Look-OLL http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5zUcqCgz-qw&feature=relmfu
> 2-Look-PLL http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c4pkkB5yMHE&feature=relmfu



In regards to his (nice!) F2L, Rido has an awesome tutorial that is basically the same thing but uses a hunting metaphor that helped me a lot to remember the ideas and get the intuition going: http://rishidoshi.blogspot.com/ This just a good alternate/reinforcement of the ideas

edit: and for his PLL (very good also), an alternate good description is given by Badmephisto: http://www.youtube.com/user/badmephisto#p/u/6/S61q3FYVFis


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## Godmil (Aug 25, 2011)

tx789 said:


> Just get a store brought....


 


akiramejin said:


> I think he should just get a storebought.


 
Please at least read the first post before posting.

Also it's getting more and more frustrating that people recommend using a rubbish cube, or even worse BUYING a rubbish cube.
Here are some reasons for getting a good cube:
1. A cube that is easier to turn will facilitate fingertricks. This helps steer the cuber away from developing bad turning habits (wristing and such like).
2. A poor cube, that frequently locks up, can be frustrating to use, so solving will be less fun.. and if it's not fun, then you're more likely to give up.
3. The easier a cube is to turn the less likely you are to develop any medical conditions from it (RSI, Carpel Tunnel, etc.). Just to hammer this point home: THERE ARE MEDICAL REASONS FOR NOT USING A POOR CUBE! (this is coming from someone who took a 7 Year break from cubing due to damage partially caused by a cheap cube).
4. If you're going to move to a good cube eventually, why wait. Good cubes are barely any different in price from rubbish cubes, also the sooner you start using a good cube, the sooner you'll be comfortable using it (any comments about them being 'too fast' are rubbish).

Just because you 'can' be fast with a rubbish cube, doesn't mean you 'should' use one.

EDIT: On topic, Get a Dayan cube, GuHongs are the most popular at the moment, but others are also very good.


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## insane569 (Aug 25, 2011)

i can do finger tricks on my store boughts and i can sub 20 with them
i would stay with the rubiks as i said and many others have to but try a different method other than CFOP


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## Godmil (Aug 25, 2011)

insane569 said:


> i can do finger tricks on my store boughts and i can sub 20 with them
> i would stay with the rubiks as i said and many others have



So what Dayan cubes have you tried? And what makes you so certain that you're not being held back by those cubes.


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## insane569 (Aug 25, 2011)

i use a dayan guhong 
and i can still sub 20 with it
its not the cube its the cuber


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## Godmil (Aug 25, 2011)

insane569 said:


> i use a dayan guhong


So what do you use as your main? 'cause I take it you're suggesting that there is no difference to you between a Dayan and a Storebought.
And while I agree that it is 'mostly' the cuber, I'd hypothesise that there isn't a (relatively) fast cuber, who isn't faster on a Dayan (or similarly good cube) than a store bought, which if true would mean that the cube is still a factor.


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## stoic (Aug 25, 2011)

There's way too much snobbery on this site about how you shouldn't buy a new cube until you average xx or whatever.



Godmil said:


> the sooner you start using a good cube, the sooner you'll be comfortable using it (any comments about them being 'too fast' are rubbish).
> 
> Just because you 'can' be fast with a rubbish cube, doesn't mean you 'should' use one.


 
+1

I personally switched to a GuHong (despite the naysayers) when I averaged about 60s and my storebought exploded. I didn't see the point in waiting to buy a better cube then and I don't now. (I average an erratic 40-ish, pb 31.95). More recently, I knocked a couple of seconds off my pb by lubing and another couple when I switched to a ZhanChi so I can confirm there is a definite speed benefit to having a faster cube. 

Let's face it, cubing isn't exactly the most expensive hobby to maintain. If you want to get a couple of cubes to try them out I don't see the harm in it. But if you only get one, get the best you can and get used to it.


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## caseyd (Aug 25, 2011)

people, it doesnt matter what times you are when you get a better cube ( I reccomend zanchi, alpha vf, or mf8 legend (if you have small hands or of one handed solving), the earlier the better, yes id you get one too early you might not have the best control, but it gets better with practice, It is true that it is mostly the cuber, not the cube, but a decent cube could help you learn fingertricks, that could improve your time by at least 5 seconds, and possibly more

about methods, badmephisto has a very good tutorial, much of which I learned from http://www.badmephisto.com/f2l.php, one the same website there are also oll and pll algorithms....
one last note, you shouldnt just learn one method, I learned 4 methods when I was starting ( of course not all the algorithms with each, but I can to the first part(s) of most of them or even complete a solve) I do recommend learning waterman (corners first, and dont learn any of the 200 some algorithms if you dont like it, just place the edges intuitively), then learn petrus ( blockbuilding, very useful for help with x-crosses), then learn roux ( again dont learn all of cmll, but learning the method helps) and then learn fridrich, which by now after learning the prior methods is often a hybrid, because I do some blockbuilding things, or preserving orientation, anyway, this is what I think would be the best way to go about learning cubing methods, It worked for me, I'm sub 20 and still improving fairly fast


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## benskoning (Aug 25, 2011)

Get an MF8 Legends it has a ball core and is not pop able.


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## BC1997 (Aug 25, 2011)

Thats overselling it a little bit, the Zhan Chi and the GuHong were `unpopabble' they pop though.


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## DaijoCube (Aug 25, 2011)

You can get any cube and become an expert... No need to have a begginer cube, then intermediate then expert...

I've been using my Ghost Hand I since avg 50 seconds. And I'm at avg 24 seconds.

Still is my favorite cube. It's amazing!

IMO, the best is to get used to a good cube. No need to pay 18$ for Zhanchi. You can get an amazing cube for 3 to 7$ free shipping.

Though I'd love to get Haiyan Memory cube! I have the mini version and it is amazingly beastly.


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## Vinny (Aug 25, 2011)

I don't understand why everyone is recommending the DaYan series for someone who averages over a minute. I understand that Speedsolve says his cube can't even cut corners AT ALL, but that doesn't mean he should go from the absolute worst to one of the best. My friend averages over a minute, and he actually has a pretty decent storebought. Even he says that he can't control most of my cubes. If someone has a really bad storebought, you don't have to go straight to a DaYan, Type F, etc. It would still be a decent upgrade if you went to something like a Type C. 

My first DIY was a Ghost Hand II. Back then, compared to my storebought, it was perfect and it actually really helped me improve. The reason I'm saying you don't have to get an amazing cube is because the "less amazing" cubes are still a great upgrade for beginners, plus they are a lot cheaper. 

That being said, some cubes I could recommend for a beginner would be the Ghost Hand series, Type C, or maybe a Maru cube. You could probably still improve a little more before moving onto another cube, but if you really want to get a new cube THAT bad, I think those are some good recommendations.


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## Godmil (Aug 25, 2011)

See, you kept saying there are cheaper cubes, but in the long run you're going to be spending a lot more if you're buying cubes that you'll want to replace in a few months.



Vinny said:


> Even he says that he can't control most of my cubes.



Yes, of course, it takes a (short) while to learn to control a cube like a dayan (though I'd hazard it takes a lot longer to learn how to accurately turn a store bought enough to make it usable, and the benefits of that approach are arguable). But you can learn to control it and once you do you're style will probably be the better for it (since as you get faster you're unlikely to go back to something like a store bought).


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## Vinny (Aug 25, 2011)

Godmil said:


> See, you kept saying there are cheaper cubes, but in the long run you're going to be spending a lot more if you're buying cubes that you'll want to replace in a few months.
> 
> 
> 
> Yes, of course, it takes a (short) while to learn to control a cube like a dayan (though I'd hazard it takes a lot longer to learn how to accurately turn a store bought enough to make it usable, and the benefits of that approach are arguable). But you can learn to control it and once you do you're style will probably be the better for it (since as you get faster you're unlikely to go back to something like a store bought).


 
I understand what you're saying, but think of it like this. If someone were to upgrade to something like a DaYan cube right now, eventually there will be a newer cube that will overrun the ZhanChis and the GuHongs. If Speedsolve were to get a cheaper cube, he would still most likely be satisfied, plus by the time he is averaging maybe sub 30 or 20, there will be an even newer cube, which he would still most likely upgrade to even if he were to get a ZhanChi now.


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## Godmil (Aug 25, 2011)

that is a good point, I guess we'll always still be buying the latest cubes, I still don't think anyone should be settling though for 2nd best, when the price difference is only a couple of dollars.


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## unirox13 (Aug 25, 2011)

I got my Lubix Guhong when I was still averaging about 1:15 with the beginners method. I spent about 2 days doing slow controlled solves and focussing on using fingertricks and not over rotating. On the 3rd day I did an average of 12 and got 1:04 seconds. I loved the feel of the Guhong. just for curiosity's sake I switched back to the storebought for an average of 12. I got 1:15 or so again. I could tell instantly that the lack of corner cutting, and more difficult finger tricks for F and B moves slowed me down. 

I say get either a Guhong or Lunhui, lube it and practice with it for a few days before resuming timed solves. Make sure to focus on good finger tricks and control. I can now get a ~23 second solve on an out of the box storebought, but only due to really good lookahead. I say get a good cube now so as not to learn bad habits.


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## Cubetastic (Aug 25, 2011)

|I'm sure the people who like rubiks brand cubes dont like the out of the box just as I, but when you use it, and get better, youll find out what you need, I dont cut corners in my solves so i dont need a cube that cuts corners, find out what you need, find out how to make it and do it


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## DaveyCow (Aug 25, 2011)

Godmil said:


> Please at least read the first post before posting.
> 
> Also it's getting more and more frustrating that people recommend using a rubbish cube, or even worse BUYING a rubbish cube.
> Here are some reasons for getting a good cube:
> ...



AMEN! These are all awesome points. And just my 2 noob cents regarding #2: I hate my 4x4 and 5x5 rubik's storebought because of insane lockups and cant cut corners at all - not fun to move at all, so I am looking for good 4x4 and 5x5 speedcubes so that I can enjoy using them (even though I'm totally *not* speedy at all with them). off-topic: just bought QJ 4x4 and Shengshou 5x5 from icubemart.


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## DaveyCow (Aug 25, 2011)

Godmil said:


> that is a good point, I guess we'll always still be buying the latest cubes, I still don't think anyone should be settling though for 2nd best, when the price difference is only a couple of dollars.



Of course there are people like me who are, in addition to cubing, collecting cubes so buying a few just to try them out is no biggy coz I'm collecting them also. But yeah I realize if someone's just starting out, they might not have any idea if they're gonna be a "collector" too ....


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## Logan (Aug 25, 2011)

I actually have to agree with the people that say to start out with crap cubes. If you start out with the best, your turning speed may increase, but you won't be able to see the mistakes that you make. Turning slowly helps to recognize the things you do bad in your solves, and helps you come up with efficient moves and finger tricks. Having a fast cube forces you to overlook it, and causes you to frantically turn fast and inefficiently. Just my 2 cents.


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## SpeedSolve (Aug 25, 2011)

Wow, a lot to think about here. I'm thinking about a Ghost Hand (I or II?) or a GuHong. Personally, I believe that I could do what unirox13 did, doing slow solves and focusing on the finger tricks. I met a guy last night with a 4x4, 3x3, and 2x2 from cube4you and got to try them all. His 3x3 spun like a charm and could cut at 30 degrees. Not lubed at all. Idk what type it was though. His 4x4 and 2x2 were pretty good, though his 4x4 would lock every once in a while. Otherwise, I really liked his cube. He averages sub 30. 

I really appreciate all these comments! Glad I joined these forums, I couldn't have gotten this much help.


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## DaveyCow (Aug 25, 2011)

SpeedSolve said:


> Wow, a lot to think about here. I'm thinking about a Ghost Hand (I or II?) or a GuHong.



My first speedcube was a GuHong and I still love it. I have a Ghosthand II and its ok but seems to lock alot, so I'd recommend the GuHong between those. And yes these forums are awesomeness


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## Vinny (Aug 26, 2011)

DaveyCow said:


> My first speedcube was a GuHong and I still love it. I have a Ghosthand II and its ok but seems to lock alot, so I'd recommend the GuHong between those. And yes these forums are awesomeness


 
Seeing how this is his first speedcube, I don't think that's a great idea. GuHongs are only really at full potential when they're lubed with either Lubix or Maru, and I'm assuming he doesn't have either. Especially at the price, Lubix isn't really worth it for him if he only has 2 speedcubes... Ghost Hand IIs are obviously better lubed than unlubed, but they're a lot better unlubed than some unlubed GuHongs I have had/felt.

Just my opinion though.


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## Yuxuibbs (Aug 26, 2011)

i started with a rubik's brand and when i got about 40 sec averages i got a haiyan type A and my average dropped 10 seconds within two days.... average is low 20's now and im getting a guhong soon. try to get sub minute solves first because now when i use my rubik's brand i can sub 25 it.


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## SpeedSolve (Aug 27, 2011)

What about an F-II 3x3? Ive heard a lot of stuff about this one.


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## Cheese11 (Aug 27, 2011)

Get an Alpha V F(eng) off of Lightake, there like $4 and there still pretty good.


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## Godmil (Aug 27, 2011)

SpeedSolve said:


> What about an F-II 3x3? Ive heard a lot of stuff about this one.


 
FII's used to be one of the top cubes before the GuHong came out, It's very nice, fast but stable. The pieces are rounded so it has a different feel. Only problems with it (other than reverse corner cutting isn't as good as a dayan) is that the stickers are awful and will need replaced within a week or two. Also it has caps on all the edges/corners that will pop off if dropped, so it's best to stick them in (with blue tac or glue). But it's still a great cube, and pretty cheap too.


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## SpeedSolve (Aug 27, 2011)

I think I'll try and get a few cubes, as I've heard it's better to try them all and see which you like best, which then I could still use the others to just play with. I think my decisions are: a GuHong, even though I've heard people against that for a beginner, because I can control how fast I solve it and practice looking ahead with it; a Ghost Hand II, because I like the look of it and I've seen lots of good feedback and reviews on it, so why not try it out; and an FII. A couple posts earlier I said that this guy had an awesome 3x3, it wasn't an FII but something kinda silvery. It had caps on it and one popped off during one of my solves with it (much better than my storebought solves, btw) and it was easy to put back on and not a big deal, I think. I also am going to try and get a 4x4 and 2x2, just to challenge myself a bit more when I get more accustomed to the notations and such. 

anyway, let me know if you think this is a good decision or not, I couldn't have come to this conclusion without all of your help, so my hat's off to you.  If you think I should get something different, just reply.


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## Vinny (Aug 27, 2011)

SpeedSolve said:


> I think I'll try and get a few cubes, as I've heard it's better to try them all and see which you like best, which then I could still use the others to just play with. I think my decisions are: a GuHong, even though I've heard people against that for a beginner, because I can control how fast I solve it and practice looking ahead with it; a Ghost Hand II, because I like the look of it and I've seen lots of good feedback and reviews on it, so why not try it out; and an FII. A couple posts earlier I said that this guy had an awesome 3x3, it wasn't an FII but something kinda silvery. It had caps on it and one popped off during one of my solves with it (much better than my storebought solves, btw) and it was easy to put back on and not a big deal, I think. I also am going to try and get a 4x4 and 2x2, just to challenge myself a bit more when I get more accustomed to the notations and such.
> 
> anyway, let me know if you think this is a good decision or not, I couldn't have come to this conclusion without all of your help, so my hat's off to you.  If you think I should get something different, just reply.


 
Some recommendations: For the FII, superglue all the caps down (except for the centercaps!). They fall off like crazy. 

Oh and for the Ghost Hand II, I woulf suggest moffing it by sanding down the tips of the corners, and sanding down the tips on the inside parts of the center pieces.


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## SpeedSolve (Aug 27, 2011)

Ok, now my last question. What site should I get these from? Speedcubeshop has all three, cube4you has the GuHong, a cheap GH and does not have an FII, and I don't know any other websites.


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## Bapao (Aug 27, 2011)

I'm in with recommending the GuHong. The GuHong is the best all round cube IMO, it's more "style neutral" than the rest. It's easier to control if you have average to large sized hands though. You might not like it if your hands are small (that's why it's not my personal fav). Once you've mastered the GuHong, you may just want to stick with it as your main. If you want to explore 3x3x3 world, then you might want to consider getting the rest of the DaYan cube versions at some point. They're all good in their own way and every one of them has their own defining characteristics. Be warned that the LunHui is a bit of a hassle to get your head around at first though .

Also consider getting the F-II and the AV-f at some point. Both have the pre-DaYan style mech, but both are very characteristic and nice cubes to own.

Once you get more 3x3x3s, you'll notice that nearly all of them fall into a category related to the above cubes. I place all my cubes into five categories:

- DaYan type feel = DaYan, MuFang, Gans.
- F-II style = Type F(but not including the F-III), GhostHand, CubeTwist.
- Alpha feel = Alpha, YJ, F-III.
- Type C style = Type C.
- Mf8 Legend (kinda like the type C, but out of control). One of a kind, although I recently purchased another ball-core type cube that feels a lot like it. Not my vid btw 

Also; bad, hard-to-turn or locky cubes can cause injury after extended use. As I learned the hard way 
I own tons of cubes to choose from, but I'm using the DaYan I as my main at the moment. It's not too forgiving, but nice to practice with. If I ever go to a comp to participate instead of just watching like last time, (I know, the shame) I would use a LingYun. 

Whichever cube you get, have fun solving. If said cube is hurting your hands though, then either it's not very suitable for speed solving, or you may just want to rethink your style 

Either way, kind regards,

Holger.


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## SpeedSolve (Aug 27, 2011)

I think that was one of the most helpful posts. Does that mean, then, that the FII and Ghosthand are similar in characteristics? This post pretty much reassured my decision, I think.


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## BC1997 (Aug 28, 2011)

I'd either go with a Ghosthand II, maybe an A-6 from puzl.co.uk (those are quite controllable), or an F-II as the F-II is a good all around cube.


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## SpeedSolve (Aug 28, 2011)

I guess what I meant with my last post was, is there a point in getting the GhostHand and the FII if they are so similar?


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## Hershey (Aug 28, 2011)

SpeedSolve said:


> is there a point in getting the GhostHand and the FII if they are so similar?


 
Probably not.


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## geekygeek (Aug 28, 2011)

My first was a rubik's brand cube which I bought like 3 years ago. It wasn't until 2 months ago when I finally got interested in it. A week later I bought a Ghosthand II. 2 days later, I hated the ghost hand and I bought a sticker less Lubix Guhong. I would suggest a dayan guhong. or a lubix guhong. I use badmephisto's youtube tutorial for f2l 2loll and 2lpll. Just search badmephisto on youtube. Make sure you watch it a few times to get it, and rewind it if you don't understand.


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## Godmil (Aug 29, 2011)

I haven't tried the GH2 but I've heard many people say that it's like a 'not quite as good version of the F2'. If you want something else that is good and feels very different, you could try an AV (then do the memory mod on it - only takes 15mins). Although if Bapao is recommending the AV-f, that may be worth a shot, as I think it's much cheaper. AV's have a super light (and almost cheap) feel to them I found I had to use a much gentler turning style with them, but they are really nice.

Also, www.cubedepotusa.com is a good shop too.


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## Bapao (Aug 29, 2011)

SpeedSolve said:


> I think that was one of the most helpful posts. Does that mean, then,* that the FII and Ghosthand are similar in characteristics?* This post pretty much reassured my decision, I think.



IMO, definitely. The shape, feel and speed of the two are very alike. Same goes for the CubeTwist (the new one, not the GHII clone) The GHII is smoother and seems faster out of the box, but without a decent mod, it's lock-fest-extreme. The way it's so smooth and sexy out of the box is unbelievable, until you go fast and it starts eating its own innards. Xxoxia has a nice mod-tut for the GHII that I haven't tried out myself though. 
The F-II is hands down the better cube out of the box IMO. But then there's the notorious F-II degradation thing that I still have to experience for myself. 
The CubeTwist is somewhere in between the GHII and the F-II. 



Godmil said:


> I haven't tried the GH2 but I've heard many people say that it's like a 'not quite as good version of the F2'. If you want something else that is good and feels very different, you could try an AV (then do the memory mod on it - only takes 15mins). Although if Bapao is recommending the *AV-f*, that may be worth a shot, as I think it's much cheaper. AV's have a super light (and almost cheap) feel to them I found I had to use a much gentler turning style with them, but they are really nice.
> 
> Also, www.cubedepotusa.com is a good shop too.



The AV-f is the best cube Alpha have to offer IMO. An extremely underrated cube. I used to rant about it back when it came out, but my opinion has changed. It's faster than a regular AV out of the box. The thing that put me off at first was the extreme "crunchy-ness" of the AV-f. It feels and sounds like it's locking even though it isn't, at least not to a point that the lock-up actually results in the layers getting stuck like a regular AVs would. Sure, it's an old type mech so it will lock more often than a DaYan type mech but still, it's faster and demands less force to turn the layers.

I don't like the regular AV much, but to be fair, I haven't modded mine. There's also the CC though; It locks about as little as the AV-f, but is a sluggish turner in comparison. I would even dare to say that the regular AV is almost on par with the CC in terms of out of the box performance.

To clarify; by "out of the box" I mean 50 initial solves and prelubrication with 30,000wt shock oil. So not exactly "fresh" out of the box, but still not broken in all the way. I think a proper breaking in requires several hundred+ solves depending on the plastic used and mold quality.


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## onlyleftname (Aug 30, 2011)

I've heard good things about Type FII's but I have only turned a FI before, and the one thing I see in common is that the caps, which are on many pieces, fall off very often. I recommend a DaYan GuHong, either Lubix Ultimate, or Lubix Fusion, I don't really see the point in the fusion as I've had maybe one pop with it so far. If not Lubix, as it is fairly expensive, then just a regular GuHong with CRC.


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## SpeedSolve (Aug 30, 2011)

Thanks, everyone! I made my decisions based on reading all of these posts very carefully, and chose the following: a Dayan Guhong, I figured that about 90% of you said it was a good cube, so I got it. I got an Alpha II, which I read up on and watched reviews and it is generally a good cube. I got some additional things, a Lan Lan 2x2 and a Lan Lan 4x4. I looked at the reviews and they were good, so I got those. All for the lovely price of - $50. Not bad! I got them from speedcubeshop.


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## Vinny (Aug 30, 2011)

SpeedSolve said:


> Thanks, everyone! I made my decisions based on reading all of these posts very carefully, and chose the following: a Dayan Guhong, I figured that about 90% of you said it was a good cube, so I got it. I got an Alpha II, which I read up on and watched reviews and it is generally a good cube. I got some additional things, a Lan Lan 2x2 and a Lan Lan 4x4. I looked at the reviews and they were good, so I got those. All for the lovely price of - $50. Not bad! I got them from speedcubeshop.


 
I don't want to seem like a buzzkill, but the LanLan 4x4 isn't exactly a great 4x4. Yes, it's cheap, but a Shengshou VIII is a much better 4x4, and its also around 10 bucks.


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## EricReese (Aug 30, 2011)

BC1997 said:


> Thats overselling it a little bit, the Zhan Chi and the *GuHong *were `unpopabble' they pop though.


 
Guhong was never claimed to be unpoppable. Lunhui?


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## Bapao (Aug 30, 2011)

SpeedSolve said:


> Thanks, everyone! I made my decisions based on reading all of these posts very carefully, and chose the following: a Dayan Guhong, I figured that about 90% of you said it was a good cube, so I got it. I got an Alpha II, which I read up on and watched reviews and it is generally a good cube. I got some additional things, a Lan Lan 2x2 and a Lan Lan 4x4. I looked at the reviews and they were good, so I got those. All for the lovely price of - $50. Not bad! I got them from speedcubeshop.


 
The LanLan 4x4x4 is a nice cube to own, no doubt, but not the best 4x4x4 to own. It's pretty much a DaYan+Mf8 4x4x4 but without the spring core. There'll be no inner layer corner cutting on that cube I'm afraid  The outer layers can cut corners about the same as the DaYan but it requires more force to do so. All layers turn effortlessly though, basically due to the lack of outward tension on the pieces. That can seem to be a plus point at first, but the cube is very restricting in the long run. Once you get the basics down, I really recommend getting something with springs...

EDIT

Tsss "*outward* tension"...what was I drinkin'? Epic fail.


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## SpeedSolve (Aug 30, 2011)

My 2x2 has springs, but idk what that means.


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## Eleredo (Aug 31, 2011)

I am still very happy with my F-II which is one year old now. I got it when I was averaging 55 seconds with a storebought one though. In my opinion, you're better off waiting until you're sub-1 minute with your storebought one since you generally won't see a lot of difference in your times.

I'm sure there are other more popular and better cubes than the F-II by now though, but I'm no longer up to date on what's hot since I have always been happy with my cube and never bothered to catch up on the latest cubes.

The only disadvantages of the F-II in my opinion are that it pops ~5 times out of 143 solves, sometimes even when scrambling (which does not bother me, except when the pieces fly in my printer and I have to go and fish them out), also the caps will come off after some time but this is not really a permanent disadvantage as you can superglue them back on and they'll stay there forever.

Of course there's also the stickers that come with it wash off after a day or two days so be sure to buy an extra pack of stickers with it should you choose to buy one.


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## Bapao (Sep 1, 2011)

SpeedSolve said:


> My 2x2 has springs, *but idk what that means*.


 
Think about it. What could the point of springs in a cube be? Not calling you out here though bruv, just interested in reading your analysis


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## SpeedSolve (Sep 2, 2011)

Bapao said:


> Think about it. What could the point of springs in a cube be? Not calling you out here though bruv, just interested in reading your analysis


 
Maybe increase the speed? Or control it?


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## Yuxuibbs (Sep 3, 2011)

SpeedSolve said:


> Maybe increase the speed? Or control it?


 
try disassembling the cube, taking out the springs, reassembling the cube and see what's different?


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## SpeedSolve (Sep 3, 2011)

I would, if they were here yet. I put it on priority and payed like $7 for it to come either thursday or friday and it is not here. Very mad.


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## Godmil (Sep 3, 2011)

The springs allow the layers to move apart then come back together. This is needed for corner cutting. If you try to cut corners the pieces will separate to allow the turn, then pop back into place when they can.


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## Greeky (Sep 3, 2011)

Hershey said:


> People really need to stop recommending cubes for experts to beginners.


 
why would you say that?As a cuber for one and a half year, i konw for sure that my time would be way down from the horrible 1.30 i did last year if i had a really good cube.I am stuck with a piece of s*** (the original rubik) and my best time is 28.55 (45 avg) and i know i could do better if i had a better cube.....my fingers are in pain when i try to speedsolve this thing...doesn't anyone (who loves cubing as me (and you i suppose) ) deserve a good cube???

As for you SpeedSolve, of what i have seen, (not expirienced)...Dayan GuHong is said to be the best...again, on what i have seen on the internet!


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## nickcolley (Sep 3, 2011)

I don't understand this at all. I don't enjoy using 'slow' cubes, it's like buying rusted wheels. Just my opinion anyway.


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## SpeedSolve (Sep 4, 2011)

I don't understand all the hype about the GuHong. For me, I am amazing with the Alpha II and the GuHong seems kinda sticky and doesn't cut corners nearly as well. Can you take an alpha to a WCA competition? If so, I take it with me everywhere. The GuHong was really sticky out of box but is now much faster and smoother. The alpha is very loud, but is incredibly smooth. The Guhong is pretty quiet and looks really cool. I am way faster with the alpha though. My 2x2 is absolutely awesome, as said in my signature, using an easy method (which I learned in 10 minutes), my average of 100 is 20.4 seconds. Personally, I think that's pretty good for it only being the first day. anyway, I am very pleased with my decisions! (Of course, based on what all of you guys said.  )


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## Cheese11 (Sep 7, 2011)

EricReese said:


> Guhong was never claimed to be unpoppable. Lunhui?


 
My ZhanChi never pops, my GuHong on the other hand...


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## SpeedSolve (Sep 8, 2011)

So far my guhong has never popped.


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## Ltsurge (Sep 8, 2011)

Maybe you have it too tight... that would explain the unpoppableness as well as the poor performance


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## SpeedSolve (Sep 8, 2011)

I'll try loosening it then.


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## Micael (Sep 8, 2011)

I own about 15 different kind of 3x3x3 and, in my opinion, my haiyan memory is my best all around cube. It is a modded Alpha V. Great for everything and everyone, I think.


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