Have you ever customised a cheap racket?

[Jmon99]

PLEASE READ BEFORE RESPONDING

By 'cheap' I mean a lightweight game improvement racket. I bought a Yonex VCore Lite (270g) last year and used it for a while, but as my game improved I moved away from it and played with a Head IG Instinct. But a few weeks ago, I decided to have a crack at customising the Yonex with lead tape just to see what would happen. I cut out the factory strings and strung it with RPM Blast at mid tension. Then, I added a good 10-15lbs of lead tape to take it up to 310g strung. I used Gamma 1/2 inch tape with 4 two inch (approx.) strips in the throat and a good 8 two inch strips at 3 and 9 on the head to increase stability. I added this along with some very comfortable Dunlop Biomimetic Overgrip and a Babolat Custom Damp. Here is the finished product:

The racket

http://www.flickr.com/photos/95491335@N03/8711098244/in/photostream

The Lead at 3 & 9

http://www.flickr.com/photos/95491335@N03/8711101472/in/photostream/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/95491335@N03/8709977383/in/photostream/

The Lead in the throat

http://www.flickr.com/photos/95491335@N03/8711100300/in/photostream/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/95491335@N03/8711098976/in/photostream/

The reason I created this thread is because, after customisation, this racket is the frickin' HOLY GRAIL for me! The improvement is clear to feel and it feels so good. I would go as far to say that this £40 beginner's racket now feels better than my IG Instinct. The lead at 3 and 9 has really done it's job well as the racket feels unbelievably stable. I can generate incredible topspin and good power, but the outstanding feature is the control :shock: Every single shot I hit is so accurate. Yes I still make mistakes with it, but that's down to my shanking-the racket itself isn't sporadic like the Instinct.

I got such a shock when I hit with this, as I was expecting only a slight improvement. Instead, what I got was a solid racket which feels like a player's stick! I've decided to switch to this racket for my LTA tournaments, and I have a backup on order right now. Has anyone else had a customisation success story they'd like to share? :mrgreen:

 

[JoeR]

Looks like you found the right combination for you!

After about 20 years away from the tennis courts, I must have demo'd over a dozen racquets before finding a good starting point for me. The Wilson BLX Pro-Tour.

Played with it for a few months... then broke out the lead tape and started customizing it.

I now have the "best" of all worlds (for me)... the "power" I had with the Babolat APD GT and the "control" I did with the Pacific X Feel Pro 90...

Even if the biggest difference is the time/instruction I have under my belt these days, knowing I've customized my stick for me gives me an extra shot of confidence.

And the added bonus is, between finding old demo sell-offs and the 'bay, I think I've spent an average of $50/racquet!

A win/win/win situation for me!

 

[Turbo-87]

Sure. I still play with a cheap Prince Hornet MP 100. I leaded it up a little bit and have never been playing better. I have played with more expensive racquets but I found what I was looking for without spending much.

 

[Jmon99]

Sure. I still play with a cheap Prince Hornet MP 100. I leaded it up a little bit and have never been playing better. I have played with more expensive racquets but I found what I was looking for without spending much.

Sounds cool. Just out of interest, is it the O3 or EXO3 Hornet? Because I have a Prince Airo Tour MP which is quite similar in spec to the EXO3 Hornet, so maybe if I lead that up I can get a good result like you did?