Do you prefer full Natural Gut or hybrid of NG with...

sidzej · 03-22-2010, 10:06 AM

As the title says, please respond to the question:

Do you prefer full bed of natural gut or you prefer to hybrid the gut with other strings?

If you prefer hybrid, please explain briefly your reasons:

Is it purely cost issue (ie. you would prefer full bed in terms of playing characteristics, but you want to save $ on your setup)

or

Is it also a playability issue (you want to tame down power of nat gut, get extra spin, etc...and that's why you hybrid with poly, syn gut, multi...)?

rudester · 03-22-2010, 10:13 AM

I have been experimenting with full natural gut and hybrid with a poly for years, I do believe that i prefer the Hybride for spin and control, however i have a hard time reconciling the fact that the poly will lose tension very quickly and the natural gut maintains playability for a long long time. So what i have decided to use full natural gut in most cases and if i have a tournament coming up i will hybrid. Just seems like a waste to use a half set of gut when the other half of the setup will not maintain playability as long.

smack that · 03-22-2010, 10:38 AM

natural gut and lux alu rough with gut in mains = <3

scotus · 03-22-2010, 10:50 AM

I have a sensitive arm.

So I use full natural gut for drills and hitting around.

But I use gut/poly hybrid for matches, so I can have a better margin for errors.

jim e · 03-22-2010, 12:02 PM

I use a full bed of VS gut, as I am not your typical string breaker, as I hit a relatively flat ball, so the strings last a great long time for me.I prefer the feel, comfort, and power of all gut, and with this set up, the strings plays well until it breaks and thats a long long time for me.

Ron Insana · 03-22-2010, 12:10 PM

Natural gut on the mains to provide the dominant feel, power and spin; an expensive co-poly on the crosses to provide a firm string bed to prevent the gut from trampolining. I just tried natural gut for the first time this week (Babolat VS 16) and I actually find it too springy and soft. I can't really make use of the power because if I hit out, the ball will fly out of control. I am only trying gut for its consistent playing characteristics. I am looking for a different, stiffer brand of gut with better control.

ClubHoUno · 03-22-2010, 08:41 PM

I prefer Vs nat gut mains and Luxilon Alu Power in the crosses.

This is my 'go to setup' in all my racquets. During cold winter months, I sometimes use a full job of VS NAT GUT, but I much prefer the Gut Lux blend.

I break a full nat GUT job in 12-15 hours, and a hybrid of VS TEAM nat gut mains and Luxilon Alu Power crosses last me 8-10 before I cut it out.

Remember that when you play a copoly in the crosses only with a nat GUT in the mains, the tear and wear on the Luxilon poly in the crosses is minimal, so it will stay fresh for longer time that way.

So for me a full nat GUT job is not that more economical to use compared to a gut mains/poly cross hybrid.

nomie · 03-22-2010, 08:51 PM

Gut mains with a control string like Head FXP control, which is a poly/nylon combo with good durability to match the gut, to reign in the gut's power a bit.

flashfire276 · 03-22-2010, 08:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by smack that

natural gut and lux alu rough with gut in mains = <3

Best hybrid ever made!!!

Honestly guys, Natural gut (I personally recommend Babolat VS) and Luxilon BB Alu (Rough or Power) is probably the best set up ever thought of. Just a bit pricey though....

sidzej · 03-23-2010, 01:20 AM

It seems there is a clear preference for gut/co-poly hybrid so far. This hybrid might actually be more expensive than full gut, as you need to cut it out when your co-poly goes dead (ca. 10 hours). Especially if you use expensive co-poly, such as Lux...

As the cost is not really an issue, I am looking for a comfy setup (for my TE history) while maintaining as much control as I can.

I've tried so far:

- full gut (at low tensions only and it was way too powerful)
- gut with synt gut (my prefered setup so far)
- gut with co-poly (much better control, but I am worried to use it frequently as I had TE problems last year)

It seems that I could still try full bed of nat gut at higher tension (ca. 54 lbs), I have got VS Team 17g, Tonic 15g and Gaucho 16g (feels more like 15g) or I can take a risk and try again gut/co-poly (softer one) strung at lower tensions (46 lbs).

I don't have many co-poly's to choose from, but I should find at home at least MSV Focus, Black code, SPPP, CyberBlue, PLII and Spiky Shark. If I exclude textured ones, I am left with SPPP, CyberBlue and PLII.

ClubHoUno · 03-23-2010, 02:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sidzej

It seems there is a clear preference for gut/co-poly hybrid so far. This hybrid might actually be more expensive than full gut, as you need to cut it out when your co-poly goes dead (ca. 10 hours). Especially if you use expensive co-poly, such as Lux...

As the cost is not really an issue, I am looking for a comfy setup (for my TE history) while maintaining as much control as I can.

I've tried so far:

- full gut (at low tensions only and it was way too powerful)
- gut with synt gut (my prefered setup so far)
- gut with co-poly (much better control, but I am worried to use it frequently as I had TE problems last year)

It seems that I could still try full bed of nat gut at higher tension (ca. 54 lbs), I have got VS Team 17g, Tonic 15g and Gaucho 16g (feels more like 15g) or I can take a risk and try again gut/co-poly (softer one) strung at lower tensions (46 lbs).

I don't have many co-poly's to choose from, but I should find at home at least MSV Focus, Black code, SPPP, CyberBlue, PLII and Spiky Shark. If I exclude textured ones, I am left with SPPP, CyberBlue and PLII.

If you have had TE trouble, avoid poly mains by all means.

Use nat gut mains and poly crosses.....instead. String the gut 4-5 lbs higher than the poly cross.
Poly mains feels dead sooner than if you hybrid the same poly in the crosses with nat gut mains.....

Try out different poly's and decide which one you prefer. For durability avoid a textured poly in the crosses.
90% of the spin comes from the mains anyway and the the textured poly will cut into the gut mains and ruin it faster, than if you use a smooth poly in the crosses.....

Hyperion is a soft muted feeling powerful poly you could try.
Luxilon alu power and Rough are more crisp feeling but stiffer on the arm.

You should also consider Luxilon TIMO and WeissCannon Silverstring. Proline II is also pretty good.
Luxilon Big Ace is also a very nice thin smooth CoPoly.

Buy some poly sets and test them out before you decide.

martini1 · 03-23-2010, 03:04 PM

I use VS and ALU Power at the moment. ALU power as main. I found the ALU power starts loosing some tension rather quickly, as the outside ones are already moving around a little bit. Before that I had the VS Hurricane pro set. I don't break strings and just restrung after about a year. I have a bag of tonic NG and I may try that as a full set next time.

mrmo1115 · 03-23-2010, 03:13 PM

Pro Hurricane Tour 16/ VS NG 16

vincent_tennis · 03-23-2010, 03:52 PM

Gut Mains with Lux Crosses @ 52 in k90, awesome bite, power and control.

meowmix · 03-23-2010, 05:09 PM

Simply because it's cheaper than full gut, my vote goes to gut+synthetic cross.

Mig1NC · 03-24-2010, 04:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by meowmix

Simply because it's cheaper than full gut, my vote goes to gut+synthetic cross.

How does that compare to a full bed in terms of longevity and playing characteristics?

Rabbit · 03-24-2010, 04:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ron Insana

I am looking for a different, stiffer brand of gut with better control.

Sounds like Pacific Classic or Tough Gut, you should give them a try.

I have been playing full gut again now for over the last year and I love it. When last I restrung my C10s, I did them with a hybrid. I took a lesson and used one of those frames. My impression was that it played a bit firmer, but long term, we'll have to see. It is going to be difficult indeed to beat a full gut set up.

I have been using Pacific Classic at 61, but my hybrid was Classic in the mains at 58 and Xtreme in the crosses at 55. I'm still going to give Imperial a whirl at 58. I do love the look and Imperial is as comfortable/powerful as Prime.

meowmix · 03-24-2010, 04:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mig1NC

How does that compare to a full bed in terms of longevity and playing characteristics?

The gut is lasting me a nice long time... I think my current Wilson NG/E-force fluid 18 has around 12 hours on it. I'm starting to worry that I might snap the strings... but it's the crosses that are probably going to give out on me first. If you do a synthetic gut hybrid, make sure that your crosses are relatively soft- a thin stiff string will cut into your gut.

As for playability... it's a heck of a lot better than anything other than full gut. You don't quite get that full pocketing that you have with full NG, and you don't have all of that rich feel, but it's not bad at all. Considering that I'm (basically) paying 1/2 price for 90% of the feel, I'm quite willing.

drakulie · 03-24-2010, 05:22 AM

Nothing beats a full set of full gut. But alas, it doesn't last me very long.

t3Nn1sn0ob · 03-24-2010, 11:05 AM

I play with the PS ltd GT and I've tried VS team 17g mains with revenge 17 and that wasn't too bad but nothing beats PHT 17 with VS team 16

View Poll Results: Do you prefer full bed of natural gut or a hybrid of natural gut with other strings?
Full bed of natural gut	21	25.30%
Natural gut with co-poly	44	53.01%
Natural gut with synthetic gut	7	8.43%
Natural gut with multi	8	9.64%
Natural gut with ...(pls specify in thread, if something else)	3	3.61%
Voters: 83. You may not vote on this poll

03-22-2010, 10:06 AM	#1
sidzej Rookie Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Paris, FR Posts: 221	Do you prefer full Natural Gut or hybrid of NG with... As the title says, please respond to the question: Do you prefer full bed of natural gut or you prefer to hybrid the gut with other strings? If you prefer hybrid, please explain briefly your reasons: Is it purely cost issue (ie. you would prefer full bed in terms of playing characteristics, but you want to save $ on your setup) or Is it also a playability issue (you want to tame down power of nat gut, get extra spin, etc...and that's why you hybrid with poly, syn gut, multi...)?

03-22-2010, 10:38 AM	#3
smack that Semi-Pro Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: sparta Posts: 624	natural gut and lux alu rough with gut in mains = <3 __________________ [K]Six.One Tour (3) - Wilson gut @ 53 in mains, alu rough @ 51 in crosses APDC - msv focus hex @ 56, pdrc - poly/syn gut

03-23-2010, 03:52 PM	#14
vincent_tennis Professional Join Date: May 2007 Location: Aussie (612) Posts: 971	Gut Mains with Lux Crosses @ 52 in k90, awesome bite, power and control. __________________ "You never know. That Hawkeye doesn't work anyways. Sorry, I had to get it out" - Roger Federer

03-24-2010, 05:22 AM	#19
drakulie Talk Tennis Guru Join Date: May 2004 Location: FT. Lauderdale, Florida Posts: 23,908	Nothing beats a full set of full gut. But alas, it doesn't last me very long. __________________ Head Stringer @ the LTC, Babolat Star 4 Stringer http://www.youtube.com/user/drakulie