Concerning Dampeners

[jediluke]

For the last year and a half I've been using a dampener on my strings. Last week, I took them off and hit with my racquet for a while. It felt great! Wondering if I should hit without a dampener because it seems to cut down greatly on my feel for the ball.

[JW10S]

If it felt great without a dampener then you should not use a dampener. Dampeners, despite the almost magical powers people want to attribute to these little pieces of rubber that cost all of a couple cents to manufacture, do nothing more than dampen the sound vibrations of the strings. They do not effect play at all. Some people prefer the feedback they get form hitting without a dampener, you appear to one of those. I never use them.

[some6uy008]

I use one just for the sound, I like to hear a "pop" rather than a "Thud". Overall, I have never noticed any different playing with or without one.

[Bungalo Bill]

For the last year and a half I've been using a dampener on my strings. Last week, I took them off and hit with my racquet for a while. It felt great! Wondering if I should hit without a dampener because it seems to cut down greatly on my feel for the ball.

I use it for sound dampening. Cant stand the "ping" sound. Sounds like tuning forks to me. You can also use a rubber band to affect the sound but have little affect on the "feel" of the strings.

To be honest with you, I cant tell a difference in the "feel" of the ball. Therefore, I would be the type that would say it is all in your head. However, in this case, whatever works.

[Headshotterer]

their is leess vibration yo your arm and noisze

[SystemicAnomaly]

their is less vibration yo your arm and noisze

It is frame vibration, not normally string vibration, that really stresses the arm. Very stiff strings like Kevlar & polyester might be the exception. String dampeners do not do anything to minimize frame vibrations.

[matchmaker]

It is frame vibration, not normally string vibration, that really stresses the arm. Very stiff strings like Kevlar & polyester might be the exception. String dampeners do not do anything to minimize frame vibrations.

You are right, but still, string vibration is string vibration. I am used to play with a dampener and I find the "feel" of strings trembling after impact annoying. But once again, this is a personal preference. As you say, dampeners do hardly anything as it comes to reducing shock, torque or frame vibration and they don't really alter the feel on impact. It is after impact that the dampener works to stop the ping sound and the remaining string vibration, which although quite harmless, can still be a nuisance to certain players.

That is why you see many pros use them (Sampras, Agassi, Djokovic,...) but just as many don't use them.

[Rickson]

I like the pop sound with a dampener rather than the ping without one. I just use a rubber band.

[SystemicAnomaly]

With my current frame/string combination, I can take it or leave it -- dampener or no dampener. With other combinations, some mild dampening seems to be preferable for sound (and "feel"). A rubber band or a simple (basic) dampener is my preference. I have used gel and other worm dampeners an decided that they dampened way too much -- I feel that I lost some valuable sonic and tactile feedback.

[herosol]

more of a sound issue for me

[TonyB]

With most racquets, I prefer a rubber band dampener. But with my Vantage 90, I prefer no dampener. I can definitely feel a difference. Yes, there is a slight ping with softer shots, but with full strokes I can't hear a ping at all. It's the only frame that I've ever used that I prefer no dampener.

[phoenicks]

It is frame vibration, not normally string vibration, that really stresses the arm. Very stiff strings like Kevlar & polyester might be the exception. String dampeners do not do anything to minimize frame vibrations.

but when I added lead to my stick, my arm feel better and comfortable with dampeners, without it the shock and vibrations really kills my arm. how do you explain this?

[SystemicAnomaly]

but when I added lead to my stick, my arm feel better and comfortable with dampeners, without it the shock and vibrations really kills my arm. how do you explain this?

There is a simple answer to this. While string vibration can certainly bother an ailing arm, it does not actually cause tennis elbow or other arm problems. Therefore a string dampener is not likely to protect the arm, but it can reduce the discomfort of an existing pain/condition. Take at the following:

www.DoItTennis.com/buyers-guides/racquetfaq.php#tenniselbow (http://www.doittennis.com/buyers-guides/racquetfaq.php#tenniselbow)

www.RacquetResearch.com/sevencri.htm (http://www.racquetresearch.com/sevencri.htm)

^ For the 2nd link above, perform a page Find on "damping", not "dampening"

.

(edit: corrected error for the 2nd link above)

[Bungalo Bill]

their is leess vibration yo your arm and noisze

Many dampners are marketed to help prevent tennis elbow. This is a myth. The dampner simply changes the sound that comes from the ball hitting the strings.

Tennis elbow is mainly prevented by executing good technique. However, the cause of tennis elbow is still a bit unclear. For the most part, only 5% of tennis elbow suffers are tennis players. So if 5% are tennis players, eve within the tennis playing group, tennis elbow could have come from other activities like lifting weights, etc...

[jediluke]

personally i use a head liquidmetal four, head advertises that the liquidmetal alloy dampens, is that true? (personally i dont think so, but...)

[dman72]

personally i use a head liquidmetal four, head advertises that the liquidmetal alloy dampens, is that true? (personally i dont think so, but...)


The LM 4 has a built in rubber dampener at 6 o'clock. I'm not sure if Liquidmetal is supposed to dampen..if the LM Radical is any indication, it doesn't do a very good job of it. For a very flexible frame, it is not very comfortable.

[5263]

Many dampners are marketed to help prevent tennis elbow. This is a myth. The dampner simply changes the sound that comes from the ball hitting the strings.

Tennis elbow is mainly prevented by executing good technique. However, the cause of tennis elbow is still a bit unclear. For the most part, only 5% of tennis elbow suffers are tennis players. So if 5% are tennis players, eve within the tennis playing group, tennis elbow could have come from other activities like lifting weights, etc...

Great post BB.
Have you noticed that some rackets just don't seem to mix with some elbows though? The Hyper Hammer Wilson skunk seems to be the worst offender. Maybe it has to do with the way players swing different rackets, just a little different?

I never use dampners. I feel it keeps me more honest in regards to hitting the sweetspot.

[phoenicks]

Great post BB.
I never use dampners. I feel it keeps me more honest in regards to hitting the sweetspot.

same here, since I don't put on lead tape like before, I have never used a dampener since then, and feel that it really give me more feedback as to whether or not I am hitting the sweetspot. ( though I like the pop sound with dampeners more :p )

[origmarm]

I have found that when using a rubber band that the ball impact just "feels" different. I'm not sure if this is the result of less string vibration or just a different frequency of vibration but I definitely notice a different in feel. That and the sound of course. I notice the greatest difference with gut, hardly any with a tightly strung synthetic gut.

[phoenicks]

There is a simple answer to this. While string vibration can certainly bother an ailing arm, it does not actually cause tennis elbow or other arm problems. Therefore a string dampener is not likely to protect the arm, but it can reduce the discomfort of an existing pain/condition. Take at the following:

www.DoItTennis.com/buyers-guides/racquetfaq.php#tenniselbow (http://www.doittennis.com/buyers-guides/racquetfaq.php#tenniselbow)

www.RacquetResearch.com/sevencri.htm (http://tt.tennis-warehouse.com/www.RacquetResearch.com/sevencri.htm)

^ For the 2nd link above, perform a page Find on "damping", not "dampening"

thanks for the reply, 2nd link is dead unfortunately....

[matchmaker]

Just a quick observation:

Research and also my personal findings have shown that the fancier the dampener, the less it works.

I have personally tested some and my conclusion is the "O"-dampener a la Sampras and the rubber band a la Agassi work best.

Those worm and gel dampener actually do not do anything.

I did the test and it was crystal clear as to results. With those fancy dampeners there was still ping and you could feel the string continue to vibrate after impact.

[TenniseaWilliams]

thanks for the reply, 2nd link is dead unfortunately....

Try it this way...
http://www.racquetresearch.com/sevencri.htm

[dman72]

Just a quick observation:

Research and also my personal findings have shown that the fancier the dampener, the less it works.

I have personally tested some and my conclusion is the "O"-dampener a la Sampras and the rubber band a la Agassi work best.

Those worm and gel dampener actually do not do anything.

I did the test and it was crystal clear as to results. With those fancy dampeners there was still ping and you could feel the string continue to vibrate after impact.

Sorry, but a gamma shockbuster II does kill any string vibration and DOES make for a more comfortable hit than a rubberband. Unfortunately, the thing explodes on contact with a mis-hit, so they are a waste.

[matchmaker]

Sorry, but a gamma shockbuster II does kill any string vibration and DOES make for a more comfortable hit than a rubberband. Unfortunately, the thing explodes on contact with a mis-hit, so they are a waste.

Well, I haven't tried that one, so I couldn't tell, but if it explodes on contact it is worthless anyway. I did test some Wilson, Prince and Babolat fancy looking dampeners and the conclusion was plain and simple: they did not do anything. The thing is that it is the lateral pression of the O-dampener or rubber band that kills the vibration and many of those 4 to 8 string envelopping dampeners only push from behind on the string or they have holes in them and the string just continues to vibrate inside that hole.

[dman72]

Well, I haven't tried that one, so I couldn't tell, but if it explodes on contact it is worthless anyway. I did test some Wilson, Prince and Babolat fancy looking dampeners and the conclusion was plain and simple: they did not do anything. The thing is that it is the lateral pression of the O-dampener or rubber band that kills the vibration and many of those 4 to 8 string envelopping dampeners only push from behind on the string or they have holes in them and the string just continues to vibrate inside that hole.

The gamma shockbuster 2 is 2 little tubes filled with gel that you can stretch along the bottom, and weave in and out of your strings. It definitely kills any noise and at least FEELS like it takes a bit of trampoline effect away from the string bed. If you never mis-hit, it's pretty good. I had mine for a few months, and then shanked a volley, and gel goes flying all over the place...not good!!

[matchmaker]

The gamma shockbuster 2 is 2 little tubes filled with gel that you can stretch along the bottom, and weave in and out of your strings. It definitely kills any noise and at least FEELS like it takes a bit of trampoline effect away from the string bed. If you never mis-hit, it's pretty good. I had mine for a few months, and then shanked a volley, and gel goes flying all over the place...not good!!

I see what you mean. As there are two of them, one pushes from behind and the other one pushes from the front on the same string. So yes, this should dampen. But it is horribly complicated in comparison to a simple rubber band that actually does the same.

[SystemicAnomaly]

There is a simple answer to this. While string vibration can certainly bother an ailing arm, it does not actually cause tennis elbow or other arm problems. Therefore a string dampener is not likely to protect the arm, but it can reduce the discomfort of an existing pain/condition. Take at the following:

www.DoItTennis.com/buyers-guides/racquetfaq.php#tenniselbow (http://www.doittennis.com/buyers-guides/racquetfaq.php#tenniselbow)

www.RacquetResearch.com/sevencri.htm (http://www.racquetresearch.com/sevencri.htm)

^ For the 2nd link above, perform a page Find on "damping", not "dampening"


(edit: corrected error for the 2nd link above)

thanks for the reply, 2nd link is dead unfortunately....

Thanks, it wasn't dead, I hadn't assigned the link properly. 'tis now correct.

[kobe3pointer]

Yeah, I hate dampeners, its so much natural.... and feels ALOT better.... I even made a club you should join.

[phoenicks]

Yeah, I hate dampeners, its so much natural.... and feels ALOT better.... I even made a club you should join.

what's ther name of the club??? under which section??? I want to join!!!

[phoenicks]

SystemicAnomaly, thanks for updating the link:)