About

The Man Behind the Paddles: Meet John Hay

John has a career and a craft that has always had wood at its center. Growing up in Grand Rapids, Michigan–a city aptly called the Furniture Capital of the World due to the talented craftspeople of the area and the wood being passed along the Grand River– John has had the opportunity to study under great teachers who each introduced various aspects of and perspectives on woodworking.

Originally beginning in woodcarving, John developed his craft under the guidance of John Mysack and Robert Giles after which he worked for several furniture companies before eventually finding a path to luthiery where he studied with the renowned Ray Doerr and Keith Doerr. Ray, literally wrote the book on violin making and restoration –Violin Making By The Numbers.

Kapow Pong is the next chapter in John’s woodworking and creative endeavors for it is John’s strong knowledge of luthiery and the vibrations of wood that inspired him to make fantastic ping pong paddles that are as sharp in their design as they are in their performance. 

Each paddle is handcrafted in Michigan with a unique serial code.

PISABO ©

PISABO is the “11 herbs and spices” of the Kapow Pong brand, and is a reclaimed wood that has been vibrating for decades, lending itself to be an ideal material for the perfect aggressive-style ping pong paddle. The wood is extracted from musical instruments and is a perfect symbolic as well as performance-enhancing element for the Kapow Pong paddles.