what's a good string tension for a typical wood racquet?

[wallymann]

talking a typical std head-size wooden racquet, like a dunlop maxply fort and the like.

i'm thinking 45, maybe 50 tops.

walter

[plasma]

sorry to hear about your racquet std. I have luckily managed to stay clean by always using overgrip. You always take a risk with used racquets:
http://tt.tennis-warehouse.com/showt...ght=disgusting
sounds like 45 on a standard would play like 55 on a mid. your guesstimation sounds accurate but I don't know the true reccomended tension or string.

[wallymann]

Originally Posted by plasma

sorry to hear about your racquet std.

mildly amusing.

[Bud]

Originally Posted by wallymann

talking a typical std head-size wooden racquet, like a dunlop maxply fort and the like.

i'm thinking 45, maybe 50 tops.

walter

Good tension range.

[Mick]

i had my donnay borg pro and wilson t3000 strung at 40 lbs and they both play fine.

[Kirko]

Originally Posted by wallymann

talking a typical std head-size wooden racquet, like a dunlop maxply fort and the like.

i'm thinking 45, maybe 50 tops.

walter

55 lbs. I always used that tension when I used the kramer auto.

[joe sch]

I would recommend starting at 50 lbs and using natural gut. A standard head woody is approx 65si and 18x20 so nat gut will last a long time on this small dense pattern head. The feel, touch, and control is really awesome with the flex. Also, most wood players used more old school techniques like closed stances, eastern grips, and S/V allcourt tactics.

[plasma]

yes some of the top pro instructors in the country teach lateral movement towards the ball as opposed to twisting...I have a racquet from 1915(?) which I am about to string up...any advice? also about to string up an original black fischer superform, any idea what the reccomended tension is on those? thanks....

[Capt. Willie]

Quite awhile back I asked a similar question when contemplating the purchase of a wood racquet from TW's Bosworth Collection. As I recall the general consensus was for me to go with a multifilament @ 50 lbs.

[joe sch]

Originally Posted by plasma

yes some of the top pro instructors in the country teach lateral movement towards the ball as opposed to twisting...I have a racquet from 1915(?) which I am about to string up...any advice? also about to string up an original black fischer superform, any idea what the reccomended tension is on those? thanks....

The antique woody racquets were made to play lawn tennis. Typical setups were hand strung thick natural gut, probably like 14g at no more than 40 pounds. I have a few early 1900 woodys strung with syn gut at maybe 45 lbs and they can handle this tension fine. Many different types of wood rackets back then. Most of the models before 1930 did not even have grips but rather different patterns in the wood to help prevent slippage. Those small head fischer superforms can take high tensions if you wish but I would still recommend lower tension to enhance the flex and feel.

[plasma]

thanks...I'm also a bit scared that the older 80's frames like my stars n stripes might accidentally get chipped in the clamps. I have taken vintage racquets to the Big 5 type chain stores for restringing and had stuff like this happen before. "NEVER AGAIN!!!"They gouged a kneissl I used to have in one clamp and badly chipped a 6.1 classic I had with another. What types of precautions can be taken to prevent this type of needless damage???

[meowmix]

Well, apart from stinging for yourself (do you? if you don't the 160 dollar investment is a good one to consider), you could possibly ask the big box stores to put a piece of overgrip between the mount and your racket. Of course, you'd supply those pieces of og.

[plasma]

brilliant suggestion with the overgrip! will do

[joe sch]

Originally Posted by plasma

thanks...I'm also a bit scared that the older 80's frames like my stars n stripes might accidentally get chipped in the clamps. I have taken vintage racquets to the Big 5 type chain stores for restringing and had stuff like this happen before. "NEVER AGAIN!!!"They gouged a kneissl I used to have in one clamp and badly chipped a 6.1 classic I had with another. What types of precautions can be taken to prevent this type of needless damage???

I would not risk taking a valuable racket, especially a vintage classic, to a sporting goods store unless you know the stringer. Most of those stringers are kids without much experience. A stringer is great investment, will save you money and let you experiment with many different kinds of strings cheaply. Also, a good machine would not have clamps that damage frames, for cheaper machines, using overgrip as a protector is a good idea