Here is the deal. I made a promise to Ron that I would not change the color, pattern or length on his whips now that we have decided on the standard. I have a lot of love for this man and I'm not going to break my promise.
I do understand the desire to have something special and unique. I'm the same way too.
If you are studying the Tibetan Wave or Latigo y Daga whip systems I suggest that you stick with the Tibetan Wave whips. If you want a nice whip customized to your exact needs and wishes go for a Sonic Alignment whip.
So whats the difference anyway?
2. The core- The TW core is slightly heavier. The shot load is very similar but slightly heavier in the TW.
3. The Bellies- The SA whips have lighter bellies. This makes them a bit lighter and depending on the length, faster. The TW whips have two braided bellies that go farther into the whip making them heavier.
4. The Transition- This is the biggest difference between the TW and SA whips. The Tibetan Wave whips have a soft transition. Tom Meadows calls it "belly-less". The Sonic Alignment whips have a stiffer transition more like you would see in a traditional bullwhip. This is the feature that was the selling point of the Tibetan Wave whips and is the reason it can preform that cool Tibetan Wave move that Ron does so effortlessly. (if you take his class and want to learn that move you'll need that soft transition and roll out)
5. The length- TWs are 58 inches. SAs are what ever length you want.
6. The Taper- This is another big difference between the two. SAs taper down more quickly than the TWs and so are a little lighter.
7. The color- TWs come in 4 color choices. SA whips can be any color or combination that you want.
8. Knobs- The Tibetan Wave whips have knobs that are 5 inches apart. They are placed specifically to protect your index finger as you use the upper knob in the Tibetan Wave system. The sonic Alignment knobs are 7 to 9 inches apart, depending on the length of the handle base. I'm willing to move the SA knobs back for you if you need that.
9. Falls- both come with your choice of light or heavy falls.
The bottom line is they are both pretty awesome whip designs. I love them both. People who use whips a lot will notice a difference in speed and action. If you are new to the whip world chances are you won't be able to tell that much difference at all.