non cap grommet or cap for graphite pro?

[RRR]

Hello!
I just got my hands on a head graphite pro (with u.s. flag). I took off what remained of the dis integrated white grommets. I searched my spare grommet box and found a. lm mid grommet ;b. pc 600 xl non-cap grommet and c. iprestige grommet. Which one do i use? I have a feeling that the b would be closest to original configuration. resulting in no change of balance from stock. But i have read a lot of good stories about capping this racket. Please advise me. And if you can give string, tension suggestions, please do.
Thank you.
Mon

 

[pshulam]

LM Prestige mid, I-prestige mid or Microgel prestige mid grommets should fit.

 

[RRR]

let me reword the question

Which is better, a graphite pro with non cap grommet or one with cap grommets?

Or: To capped graphite pro users out there, would a more headlight graphite pro appeal to you?

I got the brown non cap grommets tk10 (i think) from a prestige classic xl.

Thanks again.

 

[khw72004]

I personally prefer CAP's they protect the entire edge of the racket and looks nice on the graphite pro

 

[SirSweetSpot]

I CAPPED mine and it made a very mediocre classic (IMO) a pretty stellar one I must say. Then again when I hit with anything classic that's not a PK Black Ace...er...everything sort of pales in comparison.

 

[pshulam]

Mine (Black USA Version) is capped. It's hefty and stable. However, it's not maneuverable because of its weight.

 

[Bud]

Hello!
I just got my hands on a head graphite pro (with u.s. flag). I took off what remained of the dis integrated white grommets. I searched my spare grommet box and found a. lm mid grommet ;b. pc 600 xl non-cap grommet and c. iprestige grommet. Which one do i use? I have a feeling that the b would be closest to original configuration. resulting in no change of balance from stock. But i have read a lot of good stories about capping this racket. Please advise me. And if you can give string, tension suggestions, please do.
Thank you.
Mon

I responded to your email but it bounced back as undeliverable.

 

[RRR]

sorry, bud
I don't know why it was undeliverable.
mon

 

[RRR]

undeliverable mail

hello Bud!

my bad! i went and checked the profile. it still had my very old email add. which is defunct. sorry about that. i have rectified the matter.

By the way, i put in the non cap grommet set temporarily on the graphite pro and compared the balance with a new unstrung prestige classic. they have practical identical balance.


regards
mon

 

[Povl Carstensen]

In my opinion the Graphite Pro has a pretty hefty swingweight, and it would be to much to CAP it. I am actually just switching to thinner strings on mine just to lower the swingweight slightly.

 

[RRR]

In the Interest of Science!

Thank you all for the comments! in the interest of science, i have made a decision two days ago. Since CAP-ing has been done and a lot feedback from this has been made, i decided to take my rare non CAP tk-10 grommets and installed them on the pro, just to experience the 'stock configuration of the vintage racket. i had it strung with my usual hybrid of pro supex big ace mains 1.17 at 54 and maxim touch 1.25 at 56.

i had a short rally session with it yesterday and a doubles games thereafter.

Coming from my old standby pc600 mid but with one year old strings (same hybrid but essentially dead), the head pro graphite seemed to have slightly more pop, but only just so - lets say a punch volley to the sidelines was about four inches long. Well, i just had to "recalibrate". it is true that the pro is slightly more powerful than the pc600, probably because of the more boxier beam. the pro was 10 grams lighter than my pc600. This made the pro a better doubles racquet, i think.

overall performance was great. Even my friends noticed the nice racket performance. The fresh strings, no doubt had a lot to do with it, but let me say this , if somebody offered me a brand new microgel for the pro right then and there, i would refuse the trade!

Conclusion. in its original non cap configuration, the pro makes a very good serve and volley doubles racket. So now i have an idea how david wheaton felt holding this racket. the cap version would probably be more of baseline stick. i would probably try the cap sometime in the future, but for now let me enjoy the oohs and aaahs from the gallery with the shots from this non cap head pro! hihi.

trimming the caps to restore the headlight balance might not be a bad idea! you could always get spare cap grommets frrom tw anyway.

Thanks all for your inputs.

By the way, my head pro's first time out was not so bad. won 8-1.

 

[RRR]

in conclusion

In conclusion. may i dare say that the head graphite pro works best if you could trim whatever cap grommet you install on it in such a way that the unstrung balance of the racket is identical to an unstrung modern prestige classic mid.

We are fortunate that the various cap grommets fit somewhat this good old stick but installing it is not enough. the balance is all wrong. In order to get "stock balance" one should trim the cap quite substantially. i had an old set of tk-10 s in my grommet box. they came form a prestige classic xl which i had CAPped years ago. so i put these on. when i did, the balance became identical to a modern prestige classic, as i had mentioned earlier.

I surmise trimming the CAP grommet is best done when it is uninstalled from the racket.
Maybe one could do several trim install measure balance, remove, trim, install, measure balance cycles. it may be difficult to do a really nice looking job but a steady hand, sharp knife and maybe a jig or guide should help.

Further observations: the prestige classic mid is more flexible ("buttery- smooth stroking") the pro is slightly stiffer. So the classic is just slightly more arm friendly. Since the classic is heavier and flexier you need more muscle power to wield it right. Touch is almost identical. of course the classic has more plow-through. the lighter pro need firmer gripping through strokes both on volleys and groundies. for doubles the agility of the pro gives it an edge for close quarter combat - reaction volleys,etc. a definite fun doubles racquet for the prestige classic user. One could really get used to it.

Now if i could only get my hands on one more head graphite pro.

.... naaah... too many rackets already.....!

 

[Bud]

In conclusion. may i dare say that the head graphite pro works best if you could trim whatever cap grommet you install on it in such a way that the unstrung balance of the racket is identical to an unstrung modern prestige classic mid.

We are fortunate that the various cap grommets fit somewhat this good old stick but installing it is not enough. the balance is all wrong. In order to get "stock balance" one should trim the cap quite substantially. i had an old set of tk-10 s in my grommet box. they came form a prestige classic xl which i had CAPped years ago. so i put these on. when i did, the balance became identical to a modern prestige classic, as i had mentioned earlier.

I surmise trimming the CAP grommet is best done when it is uninstalled from the racket.
Maybe one could do several trim install measure balance, remove, trim, install, measure balance cycles. it may be difficult to do a really nice looking job but a steady hand, sharp knife and maybe a jig or guide should help.

Further observations: the prestige classic mid is more flexible ("buttery- smooth stroking") the pro is slightly stiffer. So the classic is just slightly more arm friendly. Since the classic is heavier and flexier you need more muscle power to wield it right. Touch is almost identical. of course the classic has more plow-through. the lighter pro need firmer gripping through strokes both on volleys and groundies. for doubles the agility of the pro gives it an edge for close quarter combat - reaction volleys,etc. a definite fun doubles racquet for the prestige classic user. One could really get used to it.

Now if i could only get my hands on one more head graphite pro.

.... naaah... too many rackets already.....!

I imagine the CAP grommets increase the SW by 30± kg·cm², versus the stock grommets.

Removing the Babolat headguard from my PST and PD... the SW decreased by 25± kg·cm²