The "Gutpoly High" Club

[JackB1]

Originally Posted by JT_2eighty

http://tt.tennis-warehouse.com/showp...75&postcount=4

Thanks! Maybe I'll try some Pacific when my current supply of Head gut runs out. I think I am the only one on these boards using Head Natural Gut? I found a store that was clearing them out and I got them for $25 a set, so I bought about 10 sets It's a nice gut and not too powerful with a bit of a crisp feel. Seems pretty durable so far too. I have over 15 hours in one set and it only shows a little bit of fraying.

[dadozen]

Originally Posted by JackB1

then just grab a pack or 2 to try out?

It also comes in black and red

Jack, I'll do that, but the problem is if I like Hepta Twist better than Scorpion

[tennis_nut]

I'd like to be part of the club! VS Team mains with Hepta Twist 17 crosses in an EXO3 Tour (16 X 1= ridiculous amounts of spin. I don't feel like the Hepta Twist loses tension fast though. I am breaking the mains at around 12-15 hours before I notice any drop in performance from tension loss. I have never been able to hit the kind of angles I've been hitting with any other string setup.

[tennis_nut]

Oh, I forgot to mention that I get 12-15 hours playing but that is playing about half doubles and half singles. This setup only lasts me about 6-8 sets of singles. I'm thinking of trying the Pacific Tough gut like some have mentioned but am hesitant because VS Team feels oh so good.

[neesun]

Tried the poly/gut (alu power @53 & VS team @56) today. Played just as well as my normal set up (VS team @55 & Alu Power @52).

Lets face it, once you try Natty Gut, you won't want to try anything else.

[alidisperanza]

+1 here

Spider Silk/Silverstring.

I'm looking to give Klip Legend a shot for the mains and black5edge for the crosses-- what do you guys think

[Sardines]

I use K90 with RPM 17 mains (35-43lbs) with either VS Team 17 (42-48lbs), Klip Legend 17 (40-45lbs), Performaxx Whisper Touch 17L (40-45lbs) crosses.
I like the RPM at lower tension but most of the natural gut are too powerful @ 40lbs or less. The Klip Legend is lower power (stiffer) and handles lower tension stringing better. The VS and WT are quite powerful and with my skills (or lack thereof), I find it harder balance power and control. That said, on a heavier day, that power comes in handy.
I'd put the Performaxx whisper touch in the same power zone as the VS Team. Since I'm using the 17L (1.2mm) WT, it's thinner than the VS Team 17 so it is that bit more powerful and has a bit more bite. Feels great too.

[Bahama Scott]

Just noticed this thread after I started another just above.
"Recently got 2 Babolat 112 Aero's with Babolat VS Natural gut 16 mains and RPM Blast 17 in cross in one and Volkl V-fuse in second. Really love the VS/RPM Blast set up best but....after about 20 hours of heavy spin hitting balls are starting sail long and having a lot of trouble controlling power.

Kick was great but fading a little. Thinking of switching to the VS gut 16 in crosses at 58 and RPM Blast 17 in Mains at 60.

Goal is to increase spin and control and lower the power while maintaining the comfort and also get some duration out of it....hoepfully a couple of months (I play 4 times per week at level 3 but pretty heavy spin hitter). My current set up is holding up real well after about 4 weeks (although the V-fuse is starting to show some pretty serious wear.

Looking for feedback on thoughts regarding spin, control, power and durability." and also what tensions would you suggest. (Just a side note to the setup Im using, I NEVER have to adjust my strings...they always return...may be function of low coefficient of friction.)

[Lambsscroll]

Originally Posted by Bahama Scott

Just noticed this thread after I started another just above.
"Recently got 2 Babolat 112 Aero's with Babolat VS Natural gut 16 mains and RPM Blast 17 in cross in one and Volkl V-fuse in second. Really love the VS/RPM Blast set up best but....after about 20 hours of heavy spin hitting balls are starting sail long and having a lot of trouble controlling power.

If thats a true 20 hours of awesome playability thats great. For me thats like a month and a half of exceptional playability.

[stringertom]

I too will join the club with these comments:
1. I first used a gutM/polyX two years ago out of curiousity thanks to a Swiss dude with 16 majors. I tried the Fed setup side by side with the pre-packaged VS/PHT hybrid. Hands down winner was the Fed.
2. I lucked into discovering Signum Pro Tornado last year and now have almost all my poly players using it, so much so that I hate cutting off of the stock reel for my own racquets. Ergo, my promise to string up my next stick with the Hyperion as X's and let you know if a smooth poly X works out better than the heptagonal textured Tornado. Should have feedback in less than two weeks. I will say I believe the texture helps the gut retain tension a little better as proven in the disappointing tests I've had with RPM and PHT, both of which are marshmellow soft after 10 hours play. ALU Rough and especially Tornado lock in on the tension after the first day and play well into 20-30 hour range. After that, if it ain't broke it's gonna break your arm or your game as it is time to cut it out.
3. I love Bow Brand gut. So clean and clear vs. all the rest. It now only comes in 20' lengths (sold 2 to a pack in case you go all-gut). US price is $34 so that is a plus too.
Will string up the Hyperion and report back soon.

[Lambsscroll]

Originally Posted by stringertom

I too will join the club with these comments:
1. I first used a gutM/polyX two years ago out of curiousity thanks to a Swiss dude with 16 majors. I tried the Fed setup side by side with the pre-packaged VS/PHT hybrid. Hands down winner was the Fed.
2. I lucked into discovering Signum Pro Tornado last year and now have almost all my poly players using it, so much so that I hate cutting off of the stock reel for my own racquets. Ergo, my promise to string up my next stick with the Hyperion as X's and let you know if a smooth poly X works out better than the heptagonal textured Tornado. Should have feedback in less than two weeks. I will say I believe the texture helps the gut retain tension a little better as proven in the disappointing tests I've had with RPM and PHT, both of which are marshmellow soft after 10 hours play. ALU Rough and especially Tornado lock in on the tension after the first day and play well into 20-30 hour range. After that, if it ain't broke it's gonna break your arm or your game as it is time to cut it out.
3. I love Bow Brand gut. So clean and clear vs. all the rest. It now only comes in 20' lengths (sold 2 to a pack in case you go all-gut). US price is $34 so that is a plus too.
Will string up the Hyperion and report back soon.

Dude, you got me wanting to try ALU rough as a cross now. ty

[Lambsscroll]

Whats kinda funny to me is cheap gut mains/cheap poly cross works well too. I mean really well. The better gut/poly strings are just an added bonus.

[JackB1]

Originally Posted by stringertom

Ergo, my promise to string up my next stick with the Hyperion as X's and let you know if a smooth poly X works out better than the heptagonal textured Tornado. Should have feedback in less than two weeks.

I am also curious about nat guy w/ Hyperion crosses. I am a little reluctant to try Hyperion as a cross with gut since it's such a powerful poly, but I gues I can up the tension to 58/56 from my usual 58/54?

[stringertom]

Originally Posted by JackB1

I am also curious about nat guy w/ Hyperion crosses. I am a little reluctant to try Hyperion as a cross with gut since it's such a powerful poly, but I gues I can up the tension to 58/56 from my usual 58/54?

Yeah, I used to have 3-4 # difference with ALU Rough and PHT but adjusted a bit with Tornado. Will do same w/Hyperion after it stops raining here in Central Fla. (tomorrow?)

[stringertom]

I finally got a chance to string up a couple of frames for playtesting Signum Pro's two Blackline polys as part of a nattie gut/poly hybrid.

First, the background facts: I play Head YTPP, six months of year in FL winters @ 56/54#. When warmer weather comes, I boost tension by one pound each way per 10 degrees above 70F. I had recently strung a frame (3/23) @ 57/55 with Bow Champ. 16 gut/Tornado 17. My Beers ERT 1000 tensometer reading was 64 units with a dynamic tension of 39. Overnight, before play, the stringbed had settled to 61 units with DT of 38.

I strung a second frame subbing Hyperion 17 for the Tornado 17. I also boosted tension to 59/57, due to warmer weather and a reasonable expectation the smooth poly would not "grab" the gut a la Tornado and retain tension as well.

I also strung a third frame with another smooth poly I'm considering stocking: Tecnifibre X-Code 17. My experience with the X-Code led me to believe a little extra tension was in order so it was done @ 60/58.

The next day (4/4), my readings confirmed my hunches. In fact, over the next 3 days (approx. 6 hrs. play per frame) the stringbeds settled in to within 5% of each other. Even the older, lower-tensioned gut/Tornado had high 50's unit readings and mid-30's DT #s. The texture and the extra extrusion process makes the Tornado stabilize better and longer.

All of the above is data-oriented. Here's the non-scientific scoop: I love the Tornado's feel vs. either of the smooth polys. The extra spin on serves is visually noticeable. The ability to drop a hard-hit service return near the baseline is very common and the sweetspot responsiveness on volley exchanges at net in doubles is astounding. I enjoy all three set-ups but the Tornado is #1 and the Hyperion comes in as 2A with the X-Code a close 2B. Both the "smoothies" are a little more "mellow" on off-center hits and pocket well on touch shots.

The oddest unscientific reaction I have about the experiment is the "ping" test. Despite a slightly lower current reading on my tensometer, the Tornado bed has a slightly higher pitch when "pinged". I did a double-take on my last readings because of this. While they are within that 5% range of each other, the Tornado bed is reading the lowest (as it should from more play & more time in and lower setting), it actually sounds tighter. Odd, eh?

I will continue reporting if any express interest in the next weeks. This thread has "deadened" since I offered feedback, so if you're interested, please let me know.

[hoodjem]

I've got B5E/Perfomaxx 17g nat gut in two of my racquets right now. I have not had a chance to hit with it yet, because of the weather. Maybe today?

Another nice one was Kirschbaum Pro Line II 1.15 and Klip Legend 18g: crisp but gobs of feel, with very good power and lots of spin.




As long as the poly does not "eat up" the gut, these poly/gut hybrids are winners.

[JackB1]

Originally Posted by stringertom

I finally got a chance to string up a couple of frames for playtesting Signum Pro's two Blackline polys as part of a nattie gut/poly hybrid.

First, the background facts: I play Head YTPP, six months of year in FL winters @ 56/54#. When warmer weather comes, I boost tension by one pound each way per 10 degrees above 70F. I had recently strung a frame (3/23) @ 57/55 with Bow Champ. 16 gut/Tornado 17. My Beers ERT 1000 tensometer reading was 64 units with a dynamic tension of 39. Overnight, before play, the stringbed had settled to 61 units with DT of 38.

I strung a second frame subbing Hyperion 17 for the Tornado 17. I also boosted tension to 59/57, due to warmer weather and a reasonable expectation the smooth poly would not "grab" the gut a la Tornado and retain tension as well.

I also strung a third frame with another smooth poly I'm considering stocking: Tecnifibre X-Code 17. My experience with the X-Code led me to believe a little extra tension was in order so it was done @ 60/58.

The next day (4/4), my readings confirmed my hunches. In fact, over the next 3 days (approx. 6 hrs. play per frame) the stringbeds settled in to within 5% of each other. Even the older, lower-tensioned gut/Tornado had high 50's unit readings and mid-30's DT #s. The texture and the extra extrusion process makes the Tornado stabilize better and longer.

All of the above is data-oriented. Here's the non-scientific scoop: I love the Tornado's feel vs. either of the smooth polys. The extra spin on serves is visually noticeable. The ability to drop a hard-hit service return near the baseline is very common and the sweetspot responsiveness on volley exchanges at net in doubles is astounding. I enjoy all three set-ups but the Tornado is #1 and the Hyperion comes in as 2A with the X-Code a close 2B. Both the "smoothies" are a little more "mellow" on off-center hits and pocket well on touch shots.

The oddest unscientific reaction I have about the experiment is the "ping" test. Despite a slightly lower current reading on my tensometer, the Tornado bed has a slightly higher pitch when "pinged". I did a double-take on my last readings because of this. While they are within that 5% range of each other, the Tornado bed is reading the lowest (as it should from more play & more time in and lower setting), it actually sounds tighter. Odd, eh?

I will continue reporting if any express interest in the next weeks. This thread has "deadened" since I offered feedback, so if you're interested, please let me know.

Nice write up! Let me know how the Tornado lasts with the gut. Since it's an "edged" poly, you would think it would eat into the gut faster than the Hyperion or XCode. The XCode by the way, it supposed to be a poy/multi in one string, so it's not your typical choice for a cross with gut, but might work just fine. It's probably a little livelier and softer than the other two.

[TimothyO]

hey Jack!

Great idea for a thread!

My standard has been VS mains and Hurricane Feel crosses. But since I love tinkering I'm experimenting with some alternatives.

TONIC / HEPTA 18 @ 49 / 45
Yesterday and today I tried Tonic + Ball Feel mains and Hepta Twist 17 crosses. Played three hours yesterday and two hours today. Comfort was perfect (a giant pillow cushion), spin just dandy, control ok. Way too overpowered! Even with topspin I had trouble keeping shots in and found myself holding back.

TONIC / RPM 17 @ 51 / 47
The racquet is back at the stringers this afternoon to replace the tonic/hepta with tonic/RPM at a slightly higher tension. Hopefully the stiffer RPM will provide a better foundation for the Tonic and reduce the string bed's power significantly. I recently tried VS Black with RPM and found the Black too stiff and too sticky. I believe the Tonic Ball Feel will play very differently with RPM. Will know Monday night!

[utmiken]

Normally full bed RPM 17 that gets restrung every 4 hours of play.

But when the TE kicks in I go a few weeks with RPM 17 mains and VS 16 crosses (+4lbs). This setup lasts longer in terms of tension maintenance than the full poly.

[JackB1]

Timo, I can't believe u string your gut mains so low! No wonder it was too powerful. I do 58/54 with my London