Priority One: Waste of money or Necessary?

[SteveI]

Originally Posted by Fearsome Forehand

If you are an elite touring pro making a lot of money, you want consistent, matched rackets customized to your liking. In that case, P1 is well worth the cost. For a club player, it would be silly to spend that much.

I do all my own customization. Aside from molding my own grip pallets, I can do pretty much the same things the pro customizers do and I work a lot cheaper.

Well said.. along with what Fuji said. Most folks can do 99% of the custom work in thier family room. Take some time..be careful and be willing to make a few mistakes. TW has a wonderful area to address doing custom work.

http://www.tennis-warehouse.com/LC/customize.html

[Overdrive]

Racquet customizing and stringing sounds very tedious to me (coming from someone who doesn't own a machine) .
What's the average time to string a racquet?

[Fuji]

Originally Posted by Overdrive

Racquet customizing and stringing sounds very tedious to me (coming from someone who doesn't own a machine) .
What's the average time to string a racquet?

The Guys that do my sticks, if they are doing it under time constraints, usually do them in around 15 minutes.

-Fuji

[heninfan99]

Probably a waste for your average Joe or Jane but wouldn't it be cool to write on an included Post-It:
"String it like Roger's. Thanks"

[Povl Carstensen]

I have not regretted using P1's Gold service. I have not used it, but I have not regretted it.

[rqtguy]

Originally Posted by Fuji

I'll one up you here...

Alpha balance board, a kitchen scale, And a reel of quarter inch lead tape. Under 100$ and you can do fairly good matching right at home. If you have a smartphone with the SW app, you're going to have a simplified RDC right from home.

-Fuji

Fuji could you please identify which sofware app you are using / referring to?

Thanks.

[Fuji]

Originally Posted by rqtguy

Fuji could you please identify which sofware app you are using / referring to?

Thanks.

I just use Racquettune for the iPhone!

-Fuji

[sureshs]

Do they have a Platinum service? I usually do not settle for Gold level service in any walk of life.

[TennezSport]

As many have stated here in this thread, P1 is a lot more than just stringing. As they completely customize racquets to the personal specs of each player, they also maintain performance stats, create custom molds for individual players handles and match 60+ racquets a year for each player. Plus pros string every day and change racquets frequently (due to racquet fatigue[getting soft]) to maintain consistency.

Racquets for pro players are tool of the profession; their job. Just like tools a carpenter uses, race car or airline mechanic would use. I dont know of many home car or plane enthusiasts that have a 100k sun analyzer in their garage. Add in the travel and expertise and you see why the charges start at Gold, Silver, and Bronze levels for pro players. If the racquets are taken care of, pros can concentrate on court work outs, physical training, agility/reflex training, gym workouts and dietary measurements aerobic conditioning.

P1 also has services and prices for rec players also that are much more reasonable. So, as a rec you dont need anything like the services the pros require, especially if you are a 3.5 player or lower. However, you would learn and improve faster, if you did have a consistent performance from your tools.

Cheers, TennezSport

[Overdrive]

Originally Posted by TennezSport

As many have stated here in this thread, P1 is a lot more than just stringing. As they completely customize racquets to the personal specs of each player, they also maintain performance stats, create custom molds for individual players handles and match 60+ racquets a year for each player. Plus pros string every day and change racquets frequently (due to racquet fatigue[getting soft]) to maintain consistency.

Racquets for pro players are tool of the profession; their job. Just like tools a carpenter uses, race car or airline mechanic would use. I dont know of many home car or plane enthusiasts that have a 100k sun analyzer in their garage. Add in the travel and expertise and you see why the charges start at Gold, Silver, and Bronze levels for pro players. If the racquets are taken care of, pros can concentrate on court work outs, physical training, agility/reflex training, gym workouts and dietary measurements aerobic conditioning.

P1 also has services and prices for rec players also that are much more reasonable. So, as a rec you dont need anything like the services the pros require, especially if you are a 3.5 player or lower. However, you would learn and improve faster, if you did have a consistent performance from your tools.

Cheers, TennezSport

Basically, a racquet butler!

[Bobby Jr]

Originally Posted by Devilito

i agree that $40k is actually quite low compared to the amount of stringing and racquet customization that happens on a daily basis when taking into account salary and expenses. Seems like a bargain

I agree. I actually can't see how Federer would get the service he does for $40k a year - the number seems too low in my opinion.

Let's say it's 13 tournaments (4 majors, 8 masters) only... a couple of grant per tournament would make up $40k right there... and there's no way the guys at P1 do this on the cheap - they have flights, excess baggage, hotels, transport, renting a room at tournament venues etc to pay for at every event - plus all the business running costs (rent, insurance etc) which add up quickly.

Even splitting their time amongst 10 high level (of service) players who all pay that amount it would be hard to make a good business out of it for $40k per top client - stringing is very labour intensive and there's only so many restrings you can do. Servicing Federer's frames alone would take up 4+ hours every day he plays during a tournament... Multiply that by only 8 or 9 top male players and you suddenly need 4-5 people to do the work/admin and also cater to lower demand clients. That's more flights, more hotels, more transport, more meals etc.

[drakulie]

Interesting topic and discussion. Being that I have worked first hand with P1, I thought I'd share my thoughts.

Priority One, Stringing & Customizing, and The Hall Of Fame
http://tt.tennis-warehouse.com/showthread.php?t=438964


40K a year is actually very little when one actually sees what is provided for players at tournaments. Take for example, Federer. He may give P1 5 or 6 frames to string for practice, then another 5 or 6 for the match later that day. At $25 per re-string, that's about $250 a day. Multiply that times 10 (if he makes the final), and that's over $2,500 for a tournament. If Fed plays all 4 majors, and then 8 masters, that's over $30,000 alone just for re-stringing his frames.

Now, there is the customizing of each and every one of his frames to exact specifications, which could be well over 40 frames a year. Additionally, over 40 frames a year which have custom molded handles.

Additionally, Federer doesn't have to worry about his equipment. P1 carries a lot of his equipment for him (racquets, strings, grips, overgrips, etc).

Add to that the fact that all his frames are being strung by the same guy, with the same machine, and he has a personal racquet technician traveling with him throughout the year.

In my opinion, it's peanuts, and I just barely gave you guys a glimpse of what is done for their Gold clients. Some of these players give them up to 20 frames a day to string.

Just food for thought.

[Overdrive]

Originally Posted by Bobby Jr

I agree. I actually can't see how Federer would get the service he does for $40k a year - the number seems too low in my opinion.

Let's say it's 13 tournaments (4 majors, 8 masters) only... a couple of grant per tournament would make up $40k right there... and there's no way the guys at P1 do this on the cheap - they have flights, excess baggage, hotels, transport, renting a room at tournament venues etc to pay for at every event - plus all the business running costs (rent, insurance etc) which add up quickly.

Even splitting their time amongst 10 high level (of service) players who all pay that amount it would be hard to make a good business out of it for $40k per top client - stringing is very labour intensive and there's only so many restrings you can do. Servicing Federer's frames alone would take up 4+ hours every day he plays during a tournament... Multiply that by only 8 or 9 top male players and you suddenly need 4-5 people to do the work/admin and also cater to lower demand clients. That's more flights, more hotels, more transport, more meals etc.

I think other people besides the professionals are getting the "gold service" for $40K a year.

Don't forget the wealthy people who play tennis. Those people go to tennis clubs that you can't even get a membership for. That business can just pay the "gold service" so everyone can get their racquets customized on just 1 account.
But there are people who pay for silver and bronze though. I think the company makes around $1-3 million a year (rough estimate). "/

[aimr75]

Originally Posted by drakulie

Interesting topic and discussion. Being that I have worked first hand with P1, I thought I'd share my thoughts.

Priority One, Stringing & Customizing, and The Hall Of Fame
http://tt.tennis-warehouse.com/showthread.php?t=438964


40K a year is actually very little when one actually sees what is provided for players at tournaments. Take for example, Federer. He may give P1 5 or 6 frames to string for practice, then another 5 or 6 for the match later that day. At $25 per re-string, that's about $250 a day. Multiply that times 10 (if he makes the final), and that's over $2,500 for a tournament. If Fed plays all 4 majors, and then 8 masters, that's over $30,000 alone just for re-stringing his frames.

Now, there is the customizing of each and every one of his frames to exact specifications, which could be well over 40 frames a year. Additionally, over 40 frames a year which have custom molded handles.

Additionally, Federer doesn't have to worry about his equipment. P1 carries a lot of his equipment for him (racquets, strings, grips, overgrips, etc).

Add to that the fact that all his frames are being strung by the same guy, with the same machine, and he has a personal racquet technician traveling with him throughout the year.

In my opinion, it's peanuts, and I just barely gave you guys a glimpse of what is done for their Gold clients. Some of these players give them up to 20 frames a day to string.

Just food for thought.

It is very little given the amount of work they do, the hours, the travel.. its a hard slog from what youve described here and in past threads. Its great to have someone on this board (aside from Ron himself) who can give such insight to stringing/customisation at the top level

Curious, with the amount of turnover in frames each year for their clients, what do the players or P1 do with the superseded frames? Seems like given their service, P1 should keep the unused frames. Great way to fund their retirement after all the hard work

[Overdrive]

So you think their "gold service" should be MORE?

$60,000? $75,000?

[MAX PLY]

Thanks for the good additional information, Drakulie. I must confess when I saw the $40k number, I thought it was too low. If Roger Federer is paying only $40k I would be shocked. I suspect it is significantly higher ( i.e., Roger is not a "mere Gold" customer).

[Overdrive]

Originally Posted by aimr75

It is very little given the amount of work they do, the hours, the travel.. its a hard slog from what youve described here and in past threads. Its great to have someone on this board (aside from Ron himself) who can give such insight to stringing/customisation at the top level

Curious, with the amount of turnover in frames each year for their clients, what do the players or P1 do with the superseded frames? Seems like given their service, P1 should keep the unused frames. Great way to fund their retirement after all the hard work

So, the guys at P1 enjoy their job but are constrained because of the traveling and hotels stays. Understandable.

Woah, the warehouse (or job atmosphere) is very lacking. But I do also understand that they have to focus and be professional in their stringing because watching TV while stringing can be a no-no.

[Bartelby]

Do the pros get free restrings at tournaments? Or what does it cost?

[Overdrive]

Originally Posted by sureshs

Do they have a Platinum service? I usually do not settle for Gold level service in any walk of life.

I wouldn't see a major difference between a Platinum service and a Gold service. Maybe just being able to string up to 100 frames at any time instead of the maximum of 60.

[Overdrive]

Originally Posted by Bartelby

Do the pros get free restrings at tournaments? Or what does it cost?

Yes because they are already under the "contract" from the beginning of the service to the expiration date.
If not, the racquet companies should actually pay for the players to use P1 because they are the ones that are sponsoring the players to use the racquets... But I guess it wouldn't make sense because they are already paying to use the racquets and paying the players for P1 is something that is miscellaneous or something.