The J011yroger guide to strings.

[SlapShot]

Originally Posted by nadalfan!

What do you mean????

What I'm sure J011y means is that what he considers is a heavy ball with lots of pace/action is considerably more than what most people consider a heavy ball with lots of heat on it. Relativity.

[maillot_jeune]

Jollyroger,


My cousin ,who is approximately a high-end level 3.0 player, wants to buy a Wilson K Six-One Tour 90 and wants a hybrid stringing with natural gut mains and Luxilon Alu Power Rough crosses and asked me what tension I would recommend. I think his swings are not yet developed to the level where he could generate enough power on his own with this racket (that’s why I suggested him not to buy a tour 90 in the first place…) , so I recommended him to string it relatively loosely to compensate for that and to be able to hit a bit deeper. However, I do not use the Tour 90, so I found it hard to give him exact numbers. I thought of 54 for the mains and 51 for the crosses. Do you think it could work? Or would you suggest something different?

Thanks for your help in advance. Yves

[J011yroger]

Originally Posted by bdeering

I can usually get a week out of my current setup of the kevlar and gamma prodigy. With a week being about 14-16 hours. At that point the tension is lost and the strings become rahter unpredictable. Is there a syn gut that you can recommend that you feel is better and how do you feel about a multi in that set-up. I get good feel with the syn. gut and wondering if the longevity of a multi might be longer with similiar feel. If so do you have a multi you sould suggest?

I am probably gonna use the ALU rough for my next job because never tried full poly and just wanna give it a shot.

I was tempted to do the natural gut crosses, but I am afraid I will like it and can definitely not afford that setup.

Thanks for your response!

Brandon

Thanks



Thanks for reply.

If you want something with a bit more bite I like NRG2/NXT tour. If you want more pop then something like Prince Premier.

As far as synguts go, can't really go wrong with Prince.

J

[J011yroger]

Originally Posted by maillot_jeune

Jollyroger,


My cousin ,who is approximately a high-end level 3.0 player, wants to buy a Wilson K Six-One Tour 90 and wants a hybrid stringing with natural gut mains and Luxilon Alu Power Rough crosses and asked me what tension I would recommend. I think his swings are not yet developed to the level where he could generate enough power on his own with this racket (that’s why I suggested him not to buy a tour 90 in the first place…) , so I recommended him to string it relatively loosely to compensate for that and to be able to hit a bit deeper. However, I do not use the Tour 90, so I found it hard to give him exact numbers. I thought of 54 for the mains and 51 for the crosses. Do you think it could work? Or would you suggest something different?

Thanks for your help in advance. Yves

He want's Federer's racquet, with Federer's stringjob, why not use Federer's tension aswell.

What you suggested sounds about right I would go 4lb lower on the cross, so 54/50 instead of 54/51.

Seriously though, it doesn't matter for a 3.0ish player.

Tension changes your depth, and if you do not have a constant repeatable stroke then attempting to dial in depth is silly.

So yea, let it fly, as long as he likes the racquet, and has fun playing, then good for him.

J

[maillot_jeune]

Originally Posted by J011yroger

He want's Federer's racquet, with Federer's stringjob, why not use Federer's tension aswell.

What you suggested sounds about right I would go 4lb lower on the cross, so 54/50 instead of 54/51.

Seriously though, it doesn't matter for a 3.0ish player.

Tension changes your depth, and if you do not have a constant repeatable stroke then attempting to dial in depth is silly.

So yea, let it fly, as long as he likes the racquet, and has fun playing, then good for him.

J

Thanks for the quick reply and the good advice. You are right, probably at level 3.0 with a racket that needs better developed skills there is no point in "fine-tuning", I just wanted to get the best out of the situation and I knew you were familiar with the racquet, so I thought it would still be worth asking. Thanks again for the answer, then I'll suggest 54/50 for him and hope he'll be happy with his Federer-style racquet.

[J011yroger]

Originally Posted by maillot_jeune

Thanks for the quick reply and the good advice. You are right, probably at level 3.0 with a racket that needs better developed skills there is no point in "fine-tuning", I just wanted to get the best out of the situation and I knew you were familiar with the racquet, so I thought it would still be worth asking. Thanks again for the answer, then I'll suggest 54/50 for him and hope he'll be happy with his Federer-style racquet.

No problem, at that level it is just about having fun. If he starts taking lessons, and gets on a league team, and begins to want to improve, and play tournaments, then maybe he will get more interested in what equipment suits him best for the game he is trying to develop and his current skillset.

But if he just wants to knock around with his buddies, get a good sweat going, and have some fun, then who are you or I to tell him what racquet or string he should be using to do it.

J

[Charlie_Boy]

Jolly, I'd say that I'm truthfully a 3.5 level player. I use a Babolat Aero Storm strung with this synthetic gut (that was on the demo at the store...I liked the racquet so much I just said put whatever string was on the demo, on the racquet). I believe it's Gosen Micro or something along those lines. Very cheap, but my strokes are fine. Strung at about 58lbs.

Do you think I should try out some poly? I have a case of Babolat Pro Hurricane, and from what I've read, poly can sometimes be a big difference maker for some people. Would you recommend my trying it?

[J011yroger]

Originally Posted by Charlie_Boy

Jolly, I'd say that I'm truthfully a 3.5 level player. I use a Babolat Aero Storm strung with this synthetic gut (that was on the demo at the store...I liked the racquet so much I just said put whatever string was on the demo, on the racquet). I believe it's Gosen Micro or something along those lines. Very cheap, but my strokes are fine. Strung at about 58lbs.

Do you think I should try out some poly? I have a case of Babolat Pro Hurricane, and from what I've read, poly can sometimes be a big difference maker for some people. Would you recommend my trying it?

Nope not at all.

I have a buddy who is an absolutely ball crushing 5.5 player, and he hits the highest quality ball with **** cheap Gosen synthetic (He is a VERY flat hitter).

Just stick with what you have, and keep working on improving your game.

Once you start breaking the Gosen inside of 2 hours then you will have about the right amount of batspeed that poly will make a difference to you.

J

[Charlie_Boy]

Thanks for the advice. I'll work on trying to break these strings, hehe.

But 2 hours? Damn, lol!

[J011yroger]

Originally Posted by Charlie_Boy

Thanks for the advice. I'll work on trying to break these strings, hehe.

But 2 hours? Damn, lol!

I would break them in under 20 min if I put my mind to it

It is about the only thing in this stupid sport that I am actually somewhat good at.

J

[jgn1013]

J,

So your basically saying if I can't break synthetic or multi strings in 2-3 hrs, I should not be using ploy?
tks

[Nanshiki]

Can someone explain to me why a T-2000 with worn out 30 year-old natural gut plays twice as well as a Pro Staff Classic with synthetic gut or a poly hybrid at 60+ pounds?

It's really frustrating that I play better with a 40 year-old racket than a modern one... so long as I don't shank the frame.

Guess I need to get a GOOD multifilament on my PSC at a reasonable tension instead of trying all these crappy synthetic guts and ALU Power hybrids with low-end multis and such...

(For the record, the racquets weigh about the same, but the T-2000's string pattern is about twice as dense, and it's 3 pounds HL instead of 11 pounds HL. Also, it's much less stiff than the Pro Staff)

[Nanshiki]

Also, the T-2000 seems to be slightly more powerful than the Pro Staff. Yet it's much more consistent in terms of ground strokes, although it doesn't have much spin potential.

[TheRed]

Originally Posted by jgn1013

J,

So your basically saying if I can't break synthetic or multi strings in 2-3 hrs, I should not be using ploy?
tks

use what you want. poly's do 2 things well, durability and spin (if you have sufficient racquet head speed). If you don't swing hard enough to break syn gut in 2-3 hrs, you don't need the durability and you likely don't have the racquet head speed to maximize its spin potential. Then, all you're really getting is a harsh, dead feeling string that loses tension and playability quickly. I'm generalizing here of course.

[jgn1013]

Originally Posted by TheRed

use what you want. poly's do 2 things well, durability and spin (if you have sufficient racquet head speed). If you don't swing hard enough to break syn gut in 2-3 hrs, you don't need the durability and you likely don't have the racquet head speed to maximize its spin potential. Then, all you're really getting is a harsh, dead feeling string that loses tension and playability quickly. I'm generalizing here of course.

I would like to use what's best suited for me/my game. I have been using full poly but if I'm not generating the swing speed needed then I should think about changing. I just ordered pro supex maxim touch and will try it out next week.

[J011yroger]

Originally Posted by jgn1013

J,

So your basically saying if I can't break synthetic or multi strings in 2-3 hrs, I should not be using ploy?
tks

Yup.

J

[Moz]

Originally Posted by J011yroger

Yup.

J

I would beg to differ. Seems like an unrealistic hard and fast rule.

[J011yroger]

Originally Posted by Moz

I would beg to differ. Seems like an unrealistic hard and fast rule.

Of course, none of this choosing a string stuff is any different than making any different choice in your life.

If you are looking to buy a house, or car, or stock, or new suit, then you do your own research, ask the advice of some people that you respect, consider everything and make your own decision.

I never sought to imply that my word was law, or the one universal truth, this guide, and advice given are simply my observations collected from my own personal playing, and observations of other players of varied levels and ablilities and the quality of ball that they are able to consistiently generate with various setups.

I take that information run it through the frightening place that is my brain, and spew out the results.

If my opinion prompts someone to try out something they wouldn't normally and it works out well for them, then great, if they decide they want to go in a different direction, or that they like something I reccomended against better, then good for them.

But I do have a pretty good batting average with stuff like this.

J

[Moz]

Originally Posted by J011yroger

If my opinion prompts someone to try out something they wouldn't normally and it works out well for them, then great, if they decide they want to go in a different direction, or that they like something I reccomended against better, then good for them.

But I do have a pretty good batting average with stuff like this.

J

Sure, understood. I would have thought there are plenty of players out there who hit "relatively" flat, don't bang the crap out of it, who don't break string who string at a very low tension for example. They could still benefit from poly.

I'd imagine there are some strings out there that I wouldn't break after 2-3 hours but I play much better with poly and I use a fair bit of topspin.

[J011yroger]

Originally Posted by Moz

I'd imagine there are some strings out there that I wouldn't break after 2-3 hours but I play much better with poly and I use a fair bit of topspin.

About how long does a basic syngut like a PSG16 or Gosen 16 last you?

I would be shocked to hear that you get more than 3 hours of practice out of it, especially given that you play on clay fairly often.

As far as the guys who hit fairly flat, don't hit too hard, and string low. It is my experience, and observation from my side of the net that that group of players hit a higher quality ball with a syngut, or gut, or multi. Now which feels better to them may be different, but as far as the actual quality of the ball struck, I have never found such a player who generated a better ball with a poly stringjob.

Not to say it doesn't exist, because there are lots of people out there with lots of playing styles, just that I haven't noticed it.

J