VS Gut mains and poly crosses

[parasailing]

Based on all the great comments about the playability of this particular hybrid setup, I would like to know a good starting tension for the following setups. I usually string my PSTGT at 57lbs for a full multi stringbed and gut stringbed.

VS Gut 16 with Luxilon Alu Power 16L
VS Gut 16 with Prince Recoil 16
VS Gut 16 with WC Silverstring 17 gauge

[ClubHoUno]

Originally Posted by parasailing

Based on all the great comments about the playability of this particular hybrid setup, I would like to know a good starting tension for the following setups. I usually string my PSTGT at 57lbs for a full multi stringbed and gut stringbed.

VS Gut with Luxilon Alu Power
VS Gut with Prince Recoil
VS Gut with WC Silverstring

Impossible to answer without knowing the gauge of the gut and Silverstring

If VSTeam 17 and Silverstring 1.20:

Vs 17 - Alu: 56 lbs - 54 lbs
Vs 17 - Recoil: 58 lbs - 56 lbs
Vs 17 - Silverstring 1.20: 57 lbs - 55 lbs

[parasailing]

Originally Posted by ClubHoUno

Impossible to answer without knowing the gauge of the gut and Silverstring

If VSTeam 17 and Silverstring 1.20:

Vs 17 - Alu: 56 lbs - 54 lbs
Vs 17 - Recoil: 58 lbs - 56 lbs
Vs 17 - Silverstring 1.20: 57 lbs - 55 lbs

ClubHoUno - thanks for reminding me about the gauge. I just updated my original post so once I get a range, I will string them up and let you guys know how they feel.

[Steve Huff]

When I used a multi, I would string it at 60. I'm using Pacific Tough Gut 16 in the mains now. I have Pacific XForce 18 in the crosses of one racket and Solinco Tour Revolution 18 in the other. I have them strung at 61/57. Even with the lower tension in the crosses, these still feel a little stiffer than the all multi. I'll probably go to 60/55 next time.

[parasailing]

Originally Posted by ClubHoUno

Impossible to answer without knowing the gauge of the gut and Silverstring

If VSTeam 17 and Silverstring 1.20:

Vs 17 - Alu: 56 lbs - 54 lbs
Vs 17 - Recoil: 58 lbs - 56 lbs
Vs 17 - Silverstring 1.20: 57 lbs - 55 lbs

Is the reason Alu is at 54lbs and Recoil at 56lbs due to the stiffer string of Alu? I will take your settings and put them in VS Gut 16 and see how things play out.

[ClubHoUno]

Originally Posted by parasailing

Is the reason Alu is at 54lbs and Recoil at 56lbs due to the stiffer string of Alu? I will take your settings and put them in VS Gut 16 and see how things play out.

Yes !

10char

[nickarnold2000]

I've used a gut main before and IMO your average player can get away with using a better multi or syn gut as a main. If you've got all sorts of cash ok go for the gut

[parasailing]

Originally Posted by nickarnold2000

I've used a gut main before and IMO your average player can get away with using a better multi or syn gut as a main. If you've got all sorts of cash ok go for the gut

Actually I plan on also doing a multi main and poly cross but given all the great comments about playability of gut crossed with a poly, I need to find out what I have or have not been missing.

[Mig1NC]

Originally Posted by nickarnold2000

...your average player can get away with using a better multi or syn gut as a main. If you've got all sorts of cash ok go for the gut

I would disagree on the basis that your average player can get quite a lot more life out of gut than they would out of nylon since they will likely not break the string. Tension maintenance and elasticity will last significantly longer. Comfort, safety from injury and playability can last a very long time.

Unfortunately most average players don't realize the benefits of paying more up front for gut.

[ClubHoUno]

Originally Posted by nickarnold2000

I've used a gut main before and IMO your average player can get away with using a better multi or syn gut as a main. If you've got all sorts of cash ok go for the gut

I disagree.

Nat gut will hold tension better, feel far far better, be more durable and you don't feel the poly go dead so fast, when it's only used in the crosses as much as in a full job of poly.

[parasailing]

So do you guys think this would be a good starting point for tension listed below?

VS Gut 16 at 57lbs with Luxilon Alu Power 16L at 54lbs
VS Gut 16 at 57lbs with Prince Recoil 16 at 56lbs
VS Gut 16 at 57lbs with WC Silverstring at 55lbs

[ClubHoUno]

Originally Posted by parasailing

So do you guys think this would be a good starting point for tension listed below?

VS Gut 16 at 57lbs with Luxilon Alu Power 16L at 54lbs
VS Gut 16 at 57lbs with Prince Recoil 16 at 56lbs
VS Gut 16 at 57lbs with WC Silverstring at 55lbs

Yeahhhhhh

[parasailing]

Originally Posted by ClubHoUno

Yeahhhhhh

Thanks ClubHoUno for the suggestion. Once I get these strings on the racquet in the next couple of weeks, I will post my review.

[parasailing]

I had a chance to hit with VS Gut with Recoil yesterday and I definitely felt more spin than using a multi. Slices on this setup was great and volleys were crisp and controlled. This setup definitely allowed me to hit harder and still keep the ball in play so gut mains and poly crosses is a great setup.

Compared to Kirschbaum Touch Multifiber 17, it felt a bit stiffer on my arm and I could feel slight soreness in my arm. I think I will need to lower the tension on the poly as it still might be a bit too stiff for my arm.

[parasailing]

I tried another variation with VS team at 56lbs in the mains and Recoil at 52lbs in the crosses today. Compared to Polystar Energy, I felt that Energy provided more spin and was just as comfortable as this setup. The only one thing this gut/poly hybrid had on Energy was slices. Slices would go deep, low, and fast. It definitely grip the ball better and volleying was almost improved but for topsin, a full bed of Energy felt better.

I had problems keeping balls on my forehand in the court unlike Energy which would dip into the court at the last minute and didn't have as many balls sail on me. I might give VS Team and Energy in the cross a shot next time to see how this compares but definitely will not be going with Recoil anytime soon.

[TimothyO]

parasailing....to avoid a duplicate thread hope you don't mind if I pggyback on yours. I have the exact same question!

Currently my standard setup is VS17 mains and Xcel 17 crosses. I had some arm issues back in the summer/fall which have since largely cleared up through changes in racquet, string, technique, and new PT routine.

So I'm thinking about buying an EXO3 Tour 100 16x18 and stringing with a gut/poly hybrid. I demo'd the Tour with full bed of NXT 17 at mid-tension and had zero arm problems. So I'm hoping that poly crosses will be ok too due to the 52 stiffness and larger head size.

Anyway, here's the plan:

Mains: VS 16 @ 53#

Cross: Hurricane Feel 16 @ ???#

Given the very different tension losses and stiffness ratings I'm not sure of the appropriate reference tension. Any advice?

[J_aces]

I just got a good price on Babolat gut in 15 gauge. I know it will be more durable with a poly cross but will I still be able to get good spin even though it's in 15 gauge?

[J_aces]

How big is the spin difference between gut in 15 and 16 gauge?

[parasailing]

I have tried Tonic 15 gauge and VS Gut 16 and for me there was a difference in spin between the two gauges. They are more durable but you do give up a bit of that spin for it.

[parasailing]

My current setup is VS Team at 58lbs with WC Silverstring at 54lbs. After a three hour break in, this string plays quite nice. The natural gut mains provide the power and is soft on the arm with the WC SS providing the additional spin that was lacking in a full natural gut setup. I will provide updates on this setup as time goes on but I would like some suggestions on which cross I should consider for future test setups.

I have read about WC Scorpion and WC B5E which intrigues me but I am concern about TT members who mention that B5E should be strung in the 40s which would be a huge difference between what I am stringing my VS Team at.