Pacific Classic 1.25 x MSV Co-Focus 1.18

[Smasher08]

Update - 64.5 hours (set 2)

It still keeps going. Notching started to become much more pronounced and accelerated as it got closer to 60 hours, so there are now 16 additional SSers in. They've really stiffened up the stringbed and although it's getting a little better, it's still a bit on the too stiff side for me. When this stringjob was strung up, the guy who did it put the mains in at 1 lb over the tension I wanted, which may explain (at least in part) why I didn't mind all the SSers in my last stringjob.

I've found the stiffness has made it a little less spinny, so I'm hoping that'll change soon. Otherwise I'll probably just cut it out after it hits 70 hours. As for fraying, as you can see from the photo, there's a little. It's most pronounced on the three outer mains to your right, the ones that have 3-4 SSers in.

Still . . . 70 hours out of a stringjob? I'm shaking my head too, grinning like a kid.

[tennisinoc]

Seriously?!!! 64.5 hours!!' Thats just rediculous durability.
What is your play level, style, and grip/swing type?

Have you tried other soft poly crosses and what were the durability times for those?

Have you ever tried restringing you Poly crosses when they go dead?

[Power Player]

My setup starts to fray in my Pure Drive a lot faster..around the 8-10 hour mark. I do put in string savers and honestly would be quite happy to get 20 hours out of the setup.

Im currently at hour 12.

[Smasher08]

Originally Posted by tennisinoc

Seriously?!!! 64.5 hours!!' Thats just rediculous durability.
What is your play level, style, and grip/swing type?

Have you tried other soft poly crosses and what were the durability times for those?

Have you ever tried restringing you Poly crosses when they go dead?

NTRP 5.0 aggressive all-courter with SW forehand grip and E 1HBH grip. I hit through my shots so I wouldn't say there's tons of topspin on them, but I do put lots of spin on my slices.

Bear in mind that my stick is 89 sq" with an 18x20 string pattern leaded to 362g, a balance point of 32.4 cm and a SW of 352, and I pop in SSers whenever notching gets to be more than 1/3 of the string.

Never tried another poly cross since I did a lot of research before trying CoF (1.23g before trying 1.18 ). And given the performance of this hybrid, I really don't think I'll need to. People who've tried Silverstring and Scorpion as well as CoF generally note that CoF is spinnier.

Never tried restringing my crosss. There's a "dying" window somewhere between hours 22-28 where it feels bad, but after it's dead it's actually just fine.

[finalfantasy7]

thanks smasher, got it from that link

unbelieveable 64 hrs, going strong, going to try this setu up maybe next string job for me or maybe when this raining season over here in england

[Racer41c]

Originally Posted by Smasher08

Update - 64.5 hours (set 2)

I wish I could find a pair of shoes to last this long....

[finalfantasy7]

what other strings would you recommend using co focus with, co focus being either main, cross

[Smasher08]

Originally Posted by finalfantasy7

what other strings would you recommend using co focus with, co focus being either main, cross

IsoSpeed Energetic 1.20 (main). Best inclement weather backup to gut-poly I've tried so far.

I've also read a post from someone who used CoF as crosses in a 'brid with Focus Hex. The poster felt it gets more spin and longevity than full-bed Hex.

[Say Chi Sin Lo]

Deleted for quoting the wrong person. Sorry!

[Smasher08]

Originally Posted by Say Chi Sin Lo

Nice to see you're using stringsavers.

Can you comment on how the stringbed feels with and without? I'm contemplating on getting stringsavers for my gut/poly hybrid.

I've never used stringsavers before so please excuse this dumb question. Are stringsavers reusable?

Thanks!

Also, I'll start experimenting with MSV CoFocus 1.18 next week, I am expecting great things from them. It'll be Mamba Premium Natural Gut 16g/MSV CoFocus 1.18 at 52/46lbs.

Interesting combo, let us know how it performs.

I've used 1.30 mains with 1.23 CoF crosses before, and I've always heard that the bigger the difference in gauge, the more the risk of notching. But I haven't ever read a post from someone who's actually tried it. It could very well turn out to be baseless.

As for SSers, I'm usually a big proponent of them, but the last bunch I put in stiffened up my stringbed and took away too much of the feel. So I'll be cutting it out tonight or tomorrow. What's funny is that I had much more in my last 'brid and it felt fine and got better and better as it aged. Go figure.

Enjoy your new 'brid and let us know how it goes!

[Say Chi Sin Lo]

Originally Posted by Smasher08

Nice to see you're using stringsavers.

Can you comment on how the stringbed feels with and without? I'm contemplating on getting stringsavers for my gut/poly hybrid.

I've never used stringsavers before so please excuse this dumb questions.
1) Does it stiffen up the stringbed? Something tells me it does.
2) Does it prevent the gut from sliding/snapping back across the polys?
3) Are they all more or less the same? If not, which do you recommend and why?
4) Are stringsavers reusable?
5) Lastly, I HATE snapping gut pre-maturely off of a shank/mis-hit. Do you think stringsavers on the top edge of the frame will help prevent those? Or do you think there's simply too much force and there aren't enough strings to share it on the edges? This is certainly not a deal breaker, but if it does help shank snaps, that's gravy on top! I know, I should stop shanking balls, but sometimes I can't help it.

Thanks!

Also, I'll start experimenting with MSV CoFocus 1.18 next week, I am expecting great things from them. It'll be Mamba Premium Natural Gut 16g/MSV CoFocus 1.18 at 52/46lbs.

[Say Chi Sin Lo]

Originally Posted by Smasher08

Interesting combo, let us know how it performs.

I've used 1.30 mains with 1.23 CoF crosses before, and I've always heard that the bigger the difference in gauge, the more the risk of notching. But I haven't ever read a post from someone who's actually tried it. It could very well turn out to be baseless.

As for SSers, I'm usually a big proponent of them, but the last bunch I put in stiffened up my stringbed and took away too much of the feel. So I'll be cutting it out tonight or tomorrow. What's funny is that I had much more in my last 'brid and it felt fine and got better and better as it aged. Go figure.

Enjoy your new 'brid and let us know how it goes!

I've edited my post since, with additional questions, sorry! And thanks.

So it appears that they do stiffen up the string bed to some degree? Well that's no good.

As for the Mamba Premium Natural Gut goes, I may not be a good reference because I only have Gaucho Classic/Spider Silk to compare to. I haven't used stuff from the big boys brands yet. One thing I will note is that:

Mamba Premium Natural Gut is the most powerful string I have ever used.

[Smasher08]

Originally Posted by Say Chi Sin Lo

Can you comment on how the stringbed feels with and without?

I've never used stringsavers before so please excuse this dumb questions.
1) Does it stiffen up the stringbed? Something tells me it does.
2) Does it prevent the gut from sliding/snapping back across the polys?
3) Are they all more or less the same? If not, which do you recommend and why?
4) Are stringsavers reusable?
5) Lastly, I HATE snapping gut pre-maturely off of a shank/mis-hit. Do you think stringsavers on the top edge of the frame will help prevent those? Or do you think there's simply too much force and there aren't enough strings to share it on the edges?

No worries. In short order:-

1. Yes. I'd suggest using them sparingly until necessary.
2. Not Babolat Elastocrosses, which I understand have teflon. Bab SSers will/should facilitate spin.
3. No. Bab SSers due to teflon coating.
4. Yes. I reuse mine as much as possible.
5. No idea. I mis-hit my fair share of balls but have never had any snapping from it.

[Smasher08]

Originally Posted by Say Chi Sin Lo

So it appears that they do stiffen up the string bed to some degree? Well that's no good.

If you'd like to put in a bunch off the bat, you can compensate by stringing 1-2 lbs looser. I'd suggest trying 1 lb for every 8 or so SSers.

[Say Chi Sin Lo]

Originally Posted by Smasher08

No worries. In short order:-

1. Yes. I'd suggest using them sparingly until necessary.
2. Not Babolat Elastocrosses, which I understand have teflon. Bab SSers will/should facilitate spin.
3. No. Bab SSers due to teflon coating.
4. Yes. I reuse mine as much as possible.
5. No idea. I mis-hit my fair share of balls but have never had any snapping from it.

Please don't tell me the stringbed will feel like I've put a dampener on. I hate that boardy sensation feeling of a dampener.

HA! My shanks are epic. More power to me!

[Smasher08]

Originally Posted by Say Chi Sin Lo

Please don't tell me the stringbed will feel like I've put a dampener on. I hate that boardy sensation feeling of a dampener

I think it would depend a lot on how many you put in and where you placed them.

[Say Chi Sin Lo]

Originally Posted by Smasher08

I think it would depend a lot on how many you put in and where you placed them.

I have a high sweetspot, so they'll be high on the stringbed.

[Fed Kennedy]

Here is my question...do people think ss increase bite/spin? I mean, if a textured string does, one would thing a bunch of square things in the middle of the bed would as well...it makes the bed a little bumpy...

[Smasher08]

Originally Posted by Fed Kennedy

Here is my question...do people think ss increase bite/spin? I mean, if a textured string does, one would thing a bunch of square things in the middle of the bed would as well...it makes the bed a little bumpy...

It does in two ways, I think.

First, SSers that are teflon coated will facilitate mains deflection and snapping back.

Second, the "bumpiness" of the stringbed -- caused by the SSer separating the main from the cross by an additional 0.5 mm or so from what it would ordinarily be -- will, provided SSers are used in non-adjacent mains, grab onto the ball more at contact, kind of like a sawtooth. So instead of texturing a string, they texture the stringbed.

[Smasher08]

Originally Posted by Say Chi Sin Lo

I have a high sweetspot, so they'll be high on the stringbed.

It's tough to say. I'd suggest a little trial and error to see what works for you.