Priority One, Stringing & Customizing, and The Hall Of Fame

[RJYU]

Originally Posted by Dags

Does everyone at P1 string in exactly the same way, with the same technique for starting mains, same pattern (for any given racquet) and same knots? Or do you have personal preferences?

I remember some time ago one of the members of this board got his hands on a Federer match racquet, and you commented that it wasn't one of yours. I wasn't sure if that's because you can spot your own handiwork from 100 yards, or if the owner revealed which tournament it was from and you knew someone else was stringing Roger's racquets there.

We all use the same patterns on the clients' racquets, due to the fact we want the knots to be in the same place. We don't all use the same knots because we each came into the company using different knots, and the knots don't make a difference in our end product. Nate and Glynn use a nice tidy knot, and I use a humongous ugly knot, or as Nate likes to call, "that beehive piece of sh**."

[Roger Wawrinka]

^^^Thanks so much for clearing this up for me Ron

[Lakers4Life]

Originally Posted by RJYU

"that beehive piece of sh**."

I'd like to see this knot.

[mikeler]

Originally Posted by RJYU

We all use the same patterns on the clients' racquets, due to the fact we want the knots to be in the same place. We don't all use the same knots because we each came into the company using different knots, and the knots don't make a difference in our end product. Nate and Glynn use a nice tidy knot, and I use a humongous ugly knot, or as Nate likes to call, "that beehive piece of sh**."

The beehive is stronger. You win. Cool read, thanks for posting.

[RJYU]

Originally Posted by mikeler

The beehive is stronger. You win. Cool read, thanks for posting.

Its not the actual beehive knot. Its just that its almost as big as the beehive knot. I think the actual beehive knot is outdated, and no longer necessary as long as you have a starting clamp. Just my opinion.

[Squidward]

Originally Posted by RJYU

Its not the actual beehive knot. Its just that its almost as big as the beehive knot. I think the actual beehive knot is outdated, and no longer necessary as long as you have a starting clamp. Just my opinion.

So is this "Beehive Knot" basically a Starting Knot?

[ericsson]

Originally Posted by RJYU

We all use the same patterns on the clients' racquets, due to the fact we want the knots to be in the same place. We don't all use the same knots because we each came into the company using different knots, and the knots don't make a difference in our end product. Nate and Glynn use a nice tidy knot, and I use a humongous ugly knot, or as Nate likes to call, "that beehive piece of sh**."

What surprises me is that the knots i've seen from you guys are all pretty tight and short cutted, especially the gut. I was wondering if there was a moment the gut actually snapped when making the knot?
The reason i'm asking cos it actually happend to me trying to do the same

(Babolat VS 1.25mm)

[mmk]

Originally Posted by Rabbit

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

OH, OK. Well because Federer makes $2M/year on his Wilson deal alone. 40K to him is like a nickel to you and me.

P1 also ensures that all his frames are identical and probably most importantly builds him a custom grip. They also follow him world wide and string for him.

When you have made $8M in a year and $76M in a career, $40K a year to make sure your tools are perfect is hardly noticeable.

I had the same thought, but from what I've seen your numbers are a bit light. I saw more like $40M/year over the last few years. At that rate, $40K/year is the same, percentage-wise, as paying $100/year for string jobs to someone making $100K/year.

[Irvin]

mmk I think your figures are a little bit off. You're assuming the $40K includes the price of all the customization work and stringing. I think the $40k is just so they're available to your beck and call for premier tournaments. Services are extra. It costs a lot of money to haul machines, supplies, and personnel around the world. You figure they need to be there for three weeks just for one major, that is 12 weeks a year for just the 4 majors. Expenses (airfare, lodging, meals, and misc) for one person for 12 weeks does not come cheap.

Would you follow a challenger around the challenge circuit for $100/yr and customize and string all his rackets? Would you follow Roger Federer around for a year for just $40K? Even at $40K a year if P1 only had one customer they would go belly up pretty quick if they did not have the ability to bill for services.

Truth be known I don't think the guys at P1 are making as much as it seems. Why do you think Ron told Rick he would never string another racket if he won the lottery.

Originally Posted by drakulie

... I asked Ron if he still enjoyed stringing and he laughingly stated, “If I won the lottery, I would never string another racquet again, including my own.” ...

[mmk]

Originally Posted by Irvin

mmk I think your figures are a little bit off. You're assuming the $40K includes the price of all the customization work and stringing. I think the $40k is just so they're available to your beck and call for premier tournaments. Services are extra. It costs a lot of money to haul machines, supplies, and personnel around the world. You figure they need to be there for three weeks just for one major, that is 12 weeks a year for just the 4 majors. Expenses (airfare, lodging, meals, and misc) for one person for 12 weeks does not come cheap.

Would you follow a challenger around the challenge circuit for $100/yr and customize and string all his rackets? Would you follow Roger Federer around for a year for just $40K? Even at $40K a year if P1 only had one customer they would go belly up pretty quick if they did not have the ability to bill for services.

Truth be known I don't think the guys at P1 are making as much as it seems. Why do you think Ron told Rick he would never string another racket if he won the lottery.

I was just using the $40K from your earlier post, I have no idea how much he is spending at P1, or for that matter if he is the one actually paying the bill. Wilson may be on the hook for that. Plus, my understanding is that P1 doesn't go to every tournament, only the big ones. There are a couple of contributors here who could correct me on that if I'm wrong.

[Rabbit]

Originally Posted by RJYU

At P1, we always try to mount the racquet with the logo on the buttcap facing up. Not for any playability issues, but we want to have the grommets compressed the same way and also use same tie off holes. Again, not necessarily for a playability reason, but mainly for aesthetics. We want all the racquets in the player's bag to look identical, right down to the tie off placement in relation to the buttcap orientation.

As always, thanks for the info. I was worried there was something I'd never been told!

[mikeler]

Originally Posted by RJYU

Its not the actual beehive knot. Its just that its almost as big as the beehive knot. I think the actual beehive knot is outdated, and no longer necessary as long as you have a starting clamp. Just my opinion.

I did not realize there was an actual beehive knot. I just thought you had some unique bulky knot.

[Dags]

Originally Posted by RJYU

Nate and Glynn use a nice tidy knot, and I use a humongous ugly knot, or as Nate likes to call, "that beehive piece of sh**."

Always good to have a signature move. Makes you stand out from the journeymen in the crowd.

[Rabbit]

Originally Posted by Dags

Always good to have a signature move. Makes you stand out from the journeymen in the crowd.

Yeah, I use the double hitch to stand out from the crowd

[Roger Wawrinka]

^^^Ron, would you be willing to explain how to tie this knot? I have always wanted to know how you tie your knots. I have seen many pictures but I can never figure out how.

[drakulie]

Ron, great to see you participating in the thread. Many thanks and hope all is well with you guys!

[sixone90]

Hey Ron, someone told me you used to take an average of 10 swingweights when measuring the swingweight of racquets with the Babolat RDC. Wondering if you still do that?

[WileyCoyote]

For Drak and those of you on the inside who might know, I was wondering who and or how the racquets, string and other supplies get to and out of Priority One.

For example, does a Federer staff person bring and pick up his stuff or might a Wilson person interface with P1? Or a combination of both? Who makes sure P1 has the correct string and current instructions for the task at hand?

Thanks,

Harry

[RJYU]

Originally Posted by sixone90

Hey Ron, someone told me you used to take an average of 10 swingweights when measuring the swingweight of racquets with the Babolat RDC. Wondering if you still do that?

Since we don't have an RDC, that information would be incorrect. We use Prince machines to measure swingweight. We don't need to take an average of 10 because they are quite accurate if used and maintained properly.

[kkm]

Originally Posted by drakulie

Dimitrov Frames:

Drak, is there a particular reason why the lower cross tieoff grommet is #11 and not #9?