(Official) Wilson Sting Fanclub

plasma · 06-11-2009, 10:16 PM

The Wislon Sting Midsize is awesome. I decided to "walk off" the rat-race and hit today for the first time in months. I took out a ps 85 China and immediately regretted not having a loosely strung St. Vincent in my bag.

Like the txe which was also in my bag the china was too stiff to hit the ball with its' own weight. I would have to grip them tightly just to hit a soft loose shot. I needed something more forgiving and with more dwell time and flex to cup the ball.
I dipped into my bag and found a Sting Midsize.

It felt more flexible than the ps 85 but still crisp. It seemed to come together on shots in a different way. The composition felt more like a head edge. The thinner beam allowed me to fully express my Sampras-like strokes with fluidity and cut through with the racquet using angles not attainable with the ps 85. The inverted stabilizer bar sounds like Ray Robinson exhaling as he goes to the body: a whizzing whistle that signals that this porsche of a racquet is about to make love to the ball, marry the point, and give birth to tactical and technical possibilities which express the very profound powerful yet friendly harmonies of my sun- soaked world.
Not only that, short balls which required shots that the ps 85 was incapable of were swimming off of my strings. I felt I could hospitalize my opponent at will when he was at net. I felt like Anders Jarryd on passing shots and produced some uncharacteristic inspired brilliance which spilled over into the rest of by beautiful day.
One last thing, ps 85 sucks ***** for spin potential. Sting has modern spin potential which lets you hop baseline groundies with topspin, at will. Also I always feel like my balls go a few inches long with the PS 85, with the Sting mid they miraculously drop in.
I'm no expert on anything, but I do have a wee bit of expertise in play-testing ps 85's, owning about 20 en toto. I've tried almost every version; from the 7.0 85, to the stars and stripes 85, six "Saint"'s, ten china's, and four Taiwan's.
Like looking for love, I have been looking for a Wilson Ceramic or some such other lower end 85 which could outperform the ps 85. I have finally found one. Next mission is to get a matched pair of Sting Mids (both with ps 85 and without) in 3/8 and some sting 2's. I honestly feel like I'm in love again...

schu47 · 06-12-2009, 06:12 AM

Hey Plaz,

You've come to the right place, old friend. The whole reason I started collecting racquets was because I cracked my favorite old Sting and started looking for used ones to buy online. Now I've got lots of racquets, and lots of Stings, including multiple mids of the original blue and silver, the Sting 2 and the SC2000, which is the ceramic version. Like these guys here. Ignore the largeheads in the photo -- I know they're not your style.

Perhaps we could make a deal, just like the old days of a couple months ago. I'm sure you still have my email address, so send me a note if you're interested in a swap.

TnTBigman · 06-12-2009, 06:49 AM

Wow. I remember those racquets. Top local players I looked up to as a junior played with those bad boys back in the day. The blue was was very popular.

anirut · 06-12-2009, 07:22 AM

Reserving space for my Sting SC (Silicon Carbide) picture ...

plasma · 06-12-2009, 11:08 PM

I meant what I said literally, not metaphorically. Even seeing the pictures of the Stings is the feeling of being in love. 20 years ago when I lost my Virginity with a really hot Blonde South African girl I felt love.
Since then I have felt love but only after long periods of getting to trust the woman. And the love seemed more like the love for my parents, heritage or spirituality. Not that giddy exciting new teenage love feeling.
I have found that feeling again with the sight or thought of the Stings (seriously, not being poetic at all). Only problem is, the South African girl was a model, my last gf could have been as well. If the Sting was a girl she'd be a bucktooth snorting ...well you get the picture.
Who cares what others think though. I obviously am excited at the world of playability it offers me.
I'll trade Jimbo, but the grip has to be 3/8, I want it to feel perfect, just like the blonde South African girl...

jimbo333 · 06-14-2009, 09:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by plasma

I meant what I said literally, not metaphorically. Even seeing the pictures of the Stings is the feeling of being in love. 20 years ago when I lost my Virginity with a really hot Blonde South African girl I felt love.
Since then I have felt love but only after long periods of getting to trust the woman. And the love seemed more like the love for my parents, heritage or spirituality. Not that giddy exciting new teenage love feeling.
I have found that feeling again with the sight or thought of the Stings (seriously, not being poetic at all). Only problem is, the South African girl was a model, my last gf could have been as well. If the Sting was a girl she'd be a bucktooth snorting ...well you get the picture.
Who cares what others think though. I obviously am excited at the world of playability it offers me.
I'll trade Jimbo, but the grip has to be 3/8, I want it to feel perfect, just like the blonde South African girl...

It was schu47 not me!!!

schu47 · 06-14-2009, 05:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jimbo333

It was schu47 not me!!!

Jimbo's right, Plaz. It's me. How could you possibly get us mixed up?

I've got a few Stings and Sting 2s, but, unfortunately, none in 4 3/8. But I do have a beauty of an SC2000 in a 4 3/8. I don't have any specs on these racquets, and would love to know the differences or similarities among them, but the SC2000 certainly doesn't feel as stiff as the Sting.

I did just get another really interesting version of the Sting. Here is my SC2000, and a very close relative called the Tour Select SC. The SC2000s are fairly hard to find, but I'd never seen a Tour Select until getting this one. They seem virtually identical, but the Tour Select feels just a tad heavier, perhaps with a little more swing weight, than the SC2000. Although it's hard to tell from the photos, it also has a bit of a silver tint to it, whereas the SC2000 is white. But I am a big fan of Stings, and so it was a special treat to find this one. It's really gorgeous.

Maybe someone out there knows more about the Wilsons of this era than I do, but it occurs to me that the Tour Select might have been designed for players on the tour -- the name Pro Select at least implies that.

I'm not sure if either of these is your blonde South African girl, Plaz, but I'll bet they're pretty close.

Anyone else have a Tour Select and know anything about it? I haven't had a chance to hit with it yet.

plasma · 06-15-2009, 04:10 AM

I think these are my blonde south african twins. Just found a guy who can shave grips as well so the party is on. I am looking for that st. vincent's flex. My China's are too stiff. How do these play compared to the St.Vincent? I have to string my st vincent almost too loosely to get the desired flex and might go back to the anachronistic cosmetics and amazing playability of the sting midsize with pws.
I don't like mushball frames, but if you ever saw me play you'd say "(expletive, expletive) that (eplective) kid can (expletive) play tennis". And indeed I can. I've moved on from the smoking yummy blonde South African baby doll to a petite Phillipina; but still wish my racquet-life was more settled.
This tour select duo deserves a test drive. The graphics remind me of totem art. The beam looks like the stars and stripes which is a superb frame, but again a bit stiff for my working class arm.
These could be be my blonde south african twins, never hit with two racquets at once...know what I mean???

alexcaughman · 06-19-2009, 07:45 PM

Hey schu, if you have any sting mid variants in 4 1/2, I am interested

PS a half year ago some redneck at goodwill beat me to a sting 2 mid

schu47 · 06-19-2009, 08:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by alexcaughman

Hey schu, if you have any sting mid variants in 4 1/2, I am interested

PS a half year ago some redneck at goodwill beat me to a sting 2 mid

Alex, email me at schu11@charter.net. I've got a few.

plasma · 06-19-2009, 09:06 PM

any sting standard holders in any gripsize contact the Plaz immediately. In the spirit of Hassan Isabbah I offer several virgins and some really great morrocan hash brownies.
What I love about the sting with pws is the response off the stringbed. So busy that my daily tennis routine has dwindeled to a day or two a month at most. I look forward to playing with my Sting as if it were sex with my petite phillipina girlfreind (honestly). The sting mid is Alamut, paradise, Mecca, disneyland, Kournikova's Kornikova, the kingdom of heaven awaits my brothers, grab your sting midsize and use an Eastern or Continental grip as our bible tells us, walk in the way of humble wisdom my brothers, pay the sting rate (the thrift store rate).

85 square inches, 72 virgins and three Dunlop Hardcourt Championship balls, a thousand wives, a hundred racquets, 12 tribes with 20% kevlar, seven golden stars of seven midsize angels.
I know the blasphemy of those who say they are players racquets but are not. And so my Lord ordained the poor man to feel a heavenly racquet like the gentle cool vessel of a potter as his wicked rich brethren was made to play with a sweatshopped rod of iron.
And because the poor child kept his honest feeling the Lord prevented him from the temptation of Satans develish sweatshopped pj.
And he opened a door for this child to see four racquets, a wilson, a prince, a head and a kneissl. And god spoke unto the son of man and said what racquets are in heaven are also in earth and under the earth.
And then an emerald elite pro throne manifested,,,
And the lord spoke one last time to the son of man before his final return.
I shall make you rich and free my son," the lord said" but I will make a small really dorky looking inverted throat stabilizer that you may never forget that it is your insecurity, your humbleness, the imperfect you which is so perfect to me was part of your road to Shalom Alechum.
The son of man ate the racquet of the Lord which became honey and a vision of smoke and suffering poured into his conciousness. It was the slaves of Egypt, the jews, only their skin was even a touch more from the sun, and their eyes were squinted from the sun.
The new people of God, made to suffer for the Pharoh. 12 hours of inlaid midplus graphite 97 square inches, with no days off, ever.
a trumpet sounded, it was my alarm clock. For a split second the numbers look like hebrew letters. I fall out of love and back in love with the world as my dreams and the warm comfort dissolves.

alexcaughman · 06-19-2009, 09:13 PM

Plaz I love reading your extra long posts regarding how wonderful your life is, it is almost as if I am living the very tales being told. It brings me back to a day in my youth, a journey across the Strait of Gibraltar to the land of Morocco. Ahh the days of my youth, refreshing like the spring breeze.

Ajtat411 · 07-15-2009, 01:57 PM

schu47, do you know the specification on the Sting Midsize 85, the one on the far right of the first photo you posted?

I'm looking for weight, SW, balance, flex.

Bud · 07-15-2009, 02:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by alexcaughman

Hey schu, if you have any sting mid variants in 4 1/2, I am interested

PS a half year ago some redneck at goodwill beat me to a sting 2 mid

Quote:

Originally Posted by schu47

Alex, email me at schu11@charter.net. I've got a few.

I also have a magnificent SC2000 in grip size 4 1/2" in the classifieds

http://tt.tennis-warehouse.com/showthread.php?t=268153

Pics:
http://picasaweb.google.com/sbinsdca...0Grip4ForSale#

schu47 · 07-15-2009, 03:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ajtat411

schu47, do you know the specification on the Sting Midsize 85, the one on the far right of the first photo you posted?

I'm looking for weight, SW, balance, flex.

Ajtat,

Here are some figures I found in an old TW thread. Not sure how accurate they are. For one thing, they had the head size listed at 90 sq. in. (which I changed, because the Sting is 85 sq. in.). So take it for what it's worth. But it does seem in the ballpark, at least.

Head Size: 85 sq. in.
Length: 27 inches
Strung Weight: 12.6oz
Balance: 7pts Head Light
Swingweight: 326
Stiffness: 61
Beam Width: Straight Beam
Composition: 100 % Graphite
Power Level: Low
Swing Speed: Fast
Grip Type: Leather
String Pattern: 16 Mains / 18 Crosses

By the way, I was at the local courts last week and saw an older man (70-75, I'd say), very fit, using a Dunlop Black Max, another quality old graphite that is similar to the Sting. He was pure with that old quality graphite beauty, just popping every stroke -- looked like he could have beaten a lot of younger players without working up much of a sweat. It was nice to see.

Ajtat411 · 07-15-2009, 03:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by schu47

Ajtat,

Here are some figures I found in an old TW thread. Not sure how accurate they are. For one thing, they had the head size listed at 90 sq. in. (which I changed, because the Sting is 85 sq. in.). So take it for what it's worth. But it does seem in the ballpark, at least.

Head Size: 85 sq. in.
Length: 27 inches
Strung Weight: 12.6oz
Balance: 7pts Head Light
Swingweight: 326
Stiffness: 61
Beam Width: Straight Beam
Composition: 100 % Graphite
Power Level: Low
Swing Speed: Fast
Grip Type: Leather
String Pattern: 16 Mains / 18 Crosses

By the way, I was at the local courts last week and saw an older man (70-75, I'd say), very fit, using a Dunlop Black Max, another quality old graphite that is similar to the Sting. He was pure with that old quality graphite beauty, just popping every stroke -- looked like he could have beaten a lot of younger players without working up much of a sweat. It was nice to see.

Thanks bud.

Ajtat411 · 07-15-2009, 03:09 PM

I'm gonna take some measurements on the racket to see how close it is. Trying to match figure out what I like hitting with. The Sting is a solid racket, feels sorta like the KTour 90.

Bengt · 07-16-2009, 02:30 PM

I recall from my youth having a Sting which was 50% Graphite and 50% Fiberglass. Did I dream this or is that how they were made?

tandayu · 07-16-2009, 04:49 PM

MIne says 100% graphite

vsbabolat · 07-16-2009, 05:32 PM

Here are some photos of the Sting in Standard headsize.
http://80s-tennis.com/pages/wilson-sting.html
http://80s-tennis.com/pages/wilson-sting-2.html
http://80s-tennis.com/pages/wilson-sting-3.html
http://80s-tennis.com/pages/wilson-sting_sting-sc.html

06-11-2009, 10:16 PM	#1
plasma Banned Join Date: Oct 2008 Posts: 2,360	(Official) Wilson Sting Fanclub The Wislon Sting Midsize is awesome. I decided to "walk off" the rat-race and hit today for the first time in months. I took out a ps 85 China and immediately regretted not having a loosely strung St. Vincent in my bag. Like the txe which was also in my bag the china was too stiff to hit the ball with its' own weight. I would have to grip them tightly just to hit a soft loose shot. I needed something more forgiving and with more dwell time and flex to cup the ball. I dipped into my bag and found a Sting Midsize. It felt more flexible than the ps 85 but still crisp. It seemed to come together on shots in a different way. The composition felt more like a head edge. The thinner beam allowed me to fully express my Sampras-like strokes with fluidity and cut through with the racquet using angles not attainable with the ps 85. The inverted stabilizer bar sounds like Ray Robinson exhaling as he goes to the body: a whizzing whistle that signals that this porsche of a racquet is about to make love to the ball, marry the point, and give birth to tactical and technical possibilities which express the very profound powerful yet friendly harmonies of my sun- soaked world. Not only that, short balls which required shots that the ps 85 was incapable of were swimming off of my strings. I felt I could hospitalize my opponent at will when he was at net. I felt like Anders Jarryd on passing shots and produced some uncharacteristic inspired brilliance which spilled over into the rest of by beautiful day. One last thing, ps 85 sucks ***** for spin potential. Sting has modern spin potential which lets you hop baseline groundies with topspin, at will. Also I always feel like my balls go a few inches long with the PS 85, with the Sting mid they miraculously drop in. I'm no expert on anything, but I do have a wee bit of expertise in play-testing ps 85's, owning about 20 en toto. I've tried almost every version; from the 7.0 85, to the stars and stripes 85, six "Saint"'s, ten china's, and four Taiwan's. Like looking for love, I have been looking for a Wilson Ceramic or some such other lower end 85 which could outperform the ps 85. I have finally found one. Next mission is to get a matched pair of Sting Mids (both with ps 85 and without) in 3/8 and some sting 2's. I honestly feel like I'm in love again...

06-12-2009, 06:49 AM	#3
TnTBigman Professional Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: South Florida Posts: 864	Wow. I remember those racquets. Top local players I looked up to as a junior played with those bad boys back in the day. The blue was was very popular. __________________ 2x HEAD MicroGel Prestige MID 4 1/2. 8pts HL 12.5oz Duramix 16 58m/56x

06-12-2009, 07:22 AM	#4
anirut Hall Of Fame Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Krungthep (Bangkok), Siam (Thailand) Posts: 4,858	Reserving space for my Sting SC (Silicon Carbide) picture ... __________________ PK REDONDO TALKS & INTERESTING LINKS REGARDING REDONDO: http://tt.tennis-warehouse.com/showthread.php?t=102323 Making a Super Redondo: http://tt.tennis-warehouse.com/showpost.php?p=1113290&postcount=355 "Don't play what's there. Play what's not there." -- Miles Davis

06-19-2009, 07:45 PM	#9
alexcaughman New User Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: South East USA Posts: 35	Hey schu, if you have any sting mid variants in 4 1/2, I am interested PS a half year ago some redneck at goodwill beat me to a sting 2 mid Last edited by alexcaughman : 06-19-2009 at 07:50 PM.

07-16-2009, 05:32 PM	#20
vsbabolat Legend Join Date: Nov 2005 Posts: 7,384	Here are some photos of the Sting in Standard headsize. http://80s-tennis.com/pages/wilson-sting.html http://80s-tennis.com/pages/wilson-sting-2.html http://80s-tennis.com/pages/wilson-sting-3.html http://80s-tennis.com/pages/wilson-sting_sting-sc.html __________________ Babolat ruined VS Gut and Tonic Gut with BT7. Why change a gut string that had been perfect for 135 years? It's now overpriced garbage.