For those that like full nat gut beds...

[AlfaAce]

For those who like 100% natural gut beds... what is your favorite set-up: racquet, nat gut string, gauge, and tension?

[Larrysümmers]

I just gather up a stray cat from around the area. cat gut is way more cost efficient, and it is naturally more resilient

[Say Chi Sin Lo]

Originally Posted by Larrysümmers

I just gather up a stray cat from around the area. cat gut is way more cost efficient, and it is naturally more resilient

This guy knows what he's talking about. He likes them fresh.

[The Meat]

Originally Posted by Larrysümmers

I just gather up a stray cat from around the area. cat gut is way more cost efficient, and it is naturally more resilient

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5zq7FdrWC4I

I remember dissecting a cat in my anatomy class, damn I had a chance to harvest it and create my own natural gut.

[db10s]

Originally Posted by The Meat

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5zq7FdrWC4I

I remember dissecting a cat in my anatomy class, damn I had a chance to harvest it and create my own natural gut.

I WAS eating... Now I'm NOT...

[fortun8son]

Takes a lot of cats, though.
You should make friends with a hoarder.

[tbuggle]

Original VS, preferably about 25 plus years old and while most like the JK prostaff, I prefer the maxply fort.

75-80 pounds.

works well in a Borg Pro also.

[Frankc]

Natural gut offers a whole nother and wonderful feel. I prefer the softer modern versions (Wilson, Prince, Pacifac Classic..) in smaller, denser string patterns - maybe at 55 or so. Keep in mind, as many have posted, the new guts are stiffer now than years ago (and far more durable) , so string accordingly. For me, a Head Pro Series at 52-54 or so...
Good Luck

[ultradr]

Originally Posted by AlfaAce

For those who like 100% natural gut beds... what is your favorite set-up: racquet, nat gut string, gauge, and tension?

Head Prestige series, dense string pattern (18x20).

Original Babolat VS: 63-68 lbs depending on weather.
Gauge: 16 - 15L

New Babolat BT7 VS: 58-60 lbs. --> I don't like BT7 so far. I may go with Wilson NG and back to 63+ lbs..

[verite]

Hey - I just restrung with VS 17 gut (as usual) and it feels REALLY stiff.

Did : 1) the string get stiffer by design?
2) I just get used to the feeling of 15 month-old string.
3) Did I get an unusually stiff batch?

PS, ignore my footer. It's way out of date. Now I use an Ezone Xi 100 with full gut.

[TimothyO]

Originally Posted by verite

Hey - I just restrung with VS 17 gut (as usual) and it feels REALLY stiff.

Did : 1) the string get stiffer by design?
2) I just get used to the feeling of 15 month-old string.
3) Did I get an unusually stiff batch?

PS, ignore my footer. It's way out of date. Now I use an Ezone Xi 100 with full gut.

Babolat changed the construction of VS to make it more durable (in theory) but the result is that it's also more stiff. They reduced the number of layers or strands that make up the string.

Wilson Natural Gut is closest to the old VS. Some say it IS the old VS as Babolat supposedly makes Wilson's gut for them.

Recently I tried Wilson and VS in a head to head test. I get more spin and control with the VS but less comfort. I get more power and comfort with Wilson but far less spin and less control. We're talking fine shades of gray here but the differences were noticable, especially on spin.

I decided to stick with VS because I feel it works better as the mains with a poly cross (more spin than Wilson). For full bed I could see using Wilson as in full bed the difference in spin is tiny but the difference in comfort is much larger.

All that being said, gut can play dull when fresh and becomes a pillow over time. Give the fresh VS time to break in and then decide. My son uses full bed of VS Touch and hates playing with anything else once the SB is broken in.

[ultradr]

Originally Posted by TimothyO

Recently I tried Wilson and VS in a head to head test. I get more spin and control with the VS but less comfort. I get more power and comfort with Wilson but far less spin and less control. We're talking fine shades of gray here but the differences were noticable, especially on spin.

May I ask what tension you used for VS bt7 and Wilson?

Original VS strung tight was way better than Bt7 VS in all aspects(spin/control/comfort), IMHO.

[TimothyO]

Originally Posted by ultradr

May I ask what tension you used for VS bt7 and Wilson?

Original VS strung tight was way better than Bt7 VS in all aspects(spin/control/comfort), IMHO.

In full bed I totally agree with you on VS versus VS BT7. Old VS was much better!

For Wilson and VS in gut/poly hybrid I generally string at 54 to 57 pounds for the gut mains and the poly crosses four pounds less. It depends on the frame. Tighter for my old Speed 300s, looser for my Dunlop 200s and PSGT. My default/middle ground is 55/51 and then I adjust from there for frame and weather.

The one exception was the PSLGT which is string as low as 49/45 with VS Team/CoFocus 18.

[verite]

Thanks TimothyO.

I'd say that right now the new VS is unpleasantly stiff

I'll put in a dampener and see if it softens up a bit. Unless I just decide to spend the $50 outright and try the Wilson.

Any sense of how long the new VS takes to break in?

[parasailing]

Original VS doesn't take much time to break in, just let the racquet sit for 24 hours before playing it. I don't really notice any stiffness and it plays so nice. I hate the new BT7 which in my opinion is way stiffer that you might as well just play with a soft multi and save yourself some money. I think they did it to lower the cost which I would have preferred them raising the price of the original VS instead.

Wilson natural gut is pretty close to the original VS probably about 95% of the playability of the original VS. I only have a few remaining sets of the original VS so I usually string it up once every few months just to remind myself what it feels like to hit with it.

[TimothyO]

Originally Posted by verite

Thanks TimothyO.

I'd say that right now the new VS is unpleasantly stiff

I'll put in a dampener and see if it softens up a bit. Unless I just decide to spend the $50 outright and try the Wilson.

Any sense of how long the new VS takes to break in?

It depends how hard you hit. I like to take a fresh stringbed to the wall for an hour of practice and "break in time". You'll see a significant difference after a few hours (again, how hard you hit drives this) and then you'll have a prolonged period of amazing comfort. My 11-year old had his frame strung last spring. It looks gnarly but feels great and remains extremely precise. No multi or poly could perform so well after several months.

[Mick3391]

Originally Posted by AlfaAce

For those who like 100% natural gut beds... what is your favorite set-up: racquet, nat gut string, gauge, and tension?

16 gauge Bab at 55 lbs for BLX 90. Tried 45 lbs but was way too wild.

If it weren't for the weather, I'd live with Gut, it's the best. I will say I really like the Wilson NXT Control, no complaints, although 62 lbs is a bit high, not enough dwell time, you really have to be on it, seems like the ball is gone before I've completed my move

[AlfaAce]

Just restrung my two PD2012s:

1: Babolat VS 17G (BT7) at 62# on a Star 5 (65.5 on RacketTune after 30 min hitting)

2: Wilson Nat Gut 17G at 62# on a Star 5 (61.5 on RacketTune after 30 min hitting)

Will report impressions after some time with each.

[corbind]

Originally Posted by AlfaAce

Just restrung my two PD2012s:

1: Babolat VS 17G (BT7) at 62# on a Star 5 (65.5 on RacketTune after 30 min hitting)

2: Wilson Nat Gut 17G at 62# on a Star 5 (61.5 on RacketTune after 30 min hitting)

Will report impressions after some time with each.

Been a month ... how's it goin'?

[AlfaAce]

Originally Posted by corbind

Been a month ... how's it goin'?

GREAT! However, I haven't played as much as I'd like to. Probably have 5-7 hours the one strung with Babolat 17G NG w/BT7 and only 2 hours with the Wilson 17G NG. Both sets of gut still in very good shape.

The VS has settled to 58.5# (and I like this very much!). My last string job with VS (16G Babolat NG w/BT7) went from 60# initially to 54# pretty quick. 54# was too low with NG, IMO.

The Wilson NG is currently at 60#.

I need more time with each (especially the Wilson NG) to really form an opinion but I will say that the difference between the two NGs is not as "black and white" as I thought it would be.