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[Review] 57mm Gans III 3x3x3 cube

What do you think of this puzzle?


  • Total voters
    54

Bryan Chia

Member
Joined
Jun 6, 2014
Messages
198
Location
Queensland, Australia
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Typical.... It just arrived lol!
View attachment 4581
It's weird.... It arrived with stickers fitted and the middles were fitted to the core which was not the thin type core... It's different... And all the bits feel lubed up.

My first thought was a second hand cube but there's still burs on some of the plastic that needs removing and no marks anywhere from use so I'm very confused.

It come with the normal tension tool but what's this for?
View attachment 4582

Very weird lol

isnt that the moyu screw ?
 

Destro

Member
Joined
Apr 24, 2014
Messages
112
Location
The Philippines
Just got this cube. It is very light compared to my yulong, it has effortless turning, especially the m slices , they used to be a pain but now it's not! At first it was a bit flimsy but after tightening it a bit, the flimsiness went away. My new main!
 

RayLam

Member
Joined
Apr 4, 2013
Messages
245
Location
Canton,China
WCA
2013LINK01
The boss Mr.gan sent me 6 Gan357 in 8 months throughout Jan~Dec this year.
He sent me different Gan357s with different cores,materials,and lubricants.
Original version has a very soft and simple core which is very slim and tough,even you step on it after jumping high,the core won't change the shape.But this version's cube is not good,i think.
Then Mr.gan produced Gan's maintenance lube and Sticky lube especially for gan357.Maintenance lube,said by him,hasnt been sold abroad yet,and it won't make the cube sticky after you use the lube,namely it won't make the cube's feel worse like Maru does.
My latest-received Gan357s were with the Iron core(IPG) and Gen2 core.The most impressive feature of gan357 with iron core is it gives the users a hard feel but not soft given by original version.And gen2 core brings a turning feel between hard and soft.
In addition to different cores,Mr.gan produced different springs,including 9,9+,11,and 11+.I love 11,it's not too strong and suitable to me.
Actually gan357 has a big disavantage,when the cube lands the table as you finish solving,the cube's corners may break then appears some cracks.These cracks may increase resistance.So you have to use effective glue to glue the corners' cracks,so that the cube may be fluenter.
 

mati1242

Member
Joined
Jan 31, 2012
Messages
489
Location
Poland
I just get mine 2 days ago and I noticed that the lube they used is very, very good. It would be great if they will sell it separately.
 

Alphalpha

Member
Joined
Nov 12, 2014
Messages
41
Location
Durham, North Carolina
I've been solving with this cube fore two weeks now, and while I love more solid, heavier cubes as well, this cube unquestionably out performs my other cubes.

This review is more of a rebuttal as I have a gripe with so many other negative reviews in that so many say the cube feels cheap or flimsy. I, to the contrary, feel completely the opposite. I almost didn't try this cube because of those negative reviews. I'm glad I trusted the positive reviews.

While comparable high-end cubes are all much more 'solid', 'stable', and 'heavy' (perhaps substantial is a better word)--such as the Aolong, Weilong, Zhanchi--this cube feels very different. Yes, the cube is very light and feels 'hollow' however, this, to me, indicates a high level of performance. I liken this to the classic Porsche/Ferrari argument:
The Porsche is often preferred by novice drivers, because it performs, shifts, and responds in a manner wholly familiar to 'regular autos'--so nearly anyone can hop in one and squeeze a great amount of the potential from the vehicle. The Ferrari, on the other hand, feels completely different than a 'regular auto.' Carbon fiber panels make it lighter, so its engine is not burdened by the weight of a metallic alloy body. Its chassis, transmission, and mechanics are designed for control and stability at high speeds. At low speeds, the torque causes it to feel unwieldy, or unstable.

For me, the Gans 357, like the Ferrari, and like the oft contentiously evaluated Shuang Ren, is a cube that performs for those who learn its nuances and practice with it. The lightness and the misconstrued 'cheap' plastic feel actually indicate a high performance design--especially now that the core is buttressed.

All that being said, I do not neglect those aforementioned more 'substantial' cubes, rather, I like to think I have options to suit my variable tastes. Yet, I will not split hairs, by all accounts (for my turning style), this cube is faster, more forgiving, more accurate, and more rewarding than my other cubes--even for my still developing skill. It never locks, never pops, and it flies. Now, if only they put a square sticker in the middle of this thing.
 

dougthecube

Member
Joined
Aug 2, 2014
Messages
20
WCA
2014DOUG01
I love it, it has the best corner cutting that i have ever tried. The flimsy feeling is not an issue necessarily to how fast you solve it, but more about the enjoyment and feeling of the cube. The feeling is there, but i believe that this cube does rival the moyu aolong.
 

FishTalons

Member
Joined
Jul 4, 2014
Messages
5
Location
Plano, Texas
YouTube
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Hello! I'm thinking about buying this puzzle, but I'm not such a fan of flimsiness. Is there any way that can be avoided? I'm okay with a little bit of flimsiness, but I hate locking up because of it.
 

Alphalpha

Member
Joined
Nov 12, 2014
Messages
41
Location
Durham, North Carolina
Hello! I'm thinking about buying this puzzle, but I'm not such a fan of flimsiness. Is there any way that can be avoided? I'm okay with a little bit of flimsiness, but I hate locking up because of it.

Found this image on the Gans 356 page, did it to my 357, and it dramatically altered the feel ("flimsiness") of the cube. Apparently, we are being shipped cubes that are not assembled entirely--this recommended step being skipped.

TB21pGwaVXXXXXTXpXXXXXXXXXX_!!18039981.jpg
 

Ingo

Member
Joined
Sep 25, 2014
Messages
65
Location
Germany
what kind of glue would you recommend using?

On Amazon i have found exactly the same glue as shown in the attachment, Tamiya Extra Thin Cement.
I have ordered it and should get it by end of the month. I'll try it out and post the result here.
 

Ingo

Member
Joined
Sep 25, 2014
Messages
65
Location
Germany
OK, i got the Tamaya Extra Thin Cement and made a first test with a spare GAN357.
Actually i have mixed feelings about it. The glue is thin like water and very runny,
which makes it very easy to put glue on areas where you don't want it. So you have to
be very careful. I glued all the pieces together as shown in the attachment sent by Alphalpha,
but i don't think it is really needed for the edge pieces, as they hold together well without glue.
I cannot say that it improved the cube much. It got even a bit louder than before and lost
some of its smoothness, while maintaining the overall speed. It didn't improve the stability much
and i'm not sure that it is worth the hassle. Also it seems that glueing the pieces lengthens
the break-in process quite a bit. So i cannot fully recommend it. I would only do it if you
have problems with pieces which don't want to stay together during normal use.
 

Doof

Member
Joined
Mar 1, 2015
Messages
19
Location
NC
I've glued it, and it made it remarkably better. It takes a little finagling to get just right, but if you do, you will have an amazing cube. It is most definitely worth the "hassle." I have two, have done it to both, and love it. Best cube on the market. Funny to see the hype begin after Felix switched and alphalpha ranted. As far as cubes go, to each his (or her) own.
 
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