jklos
Professional
Yeah I'm reading they're made at the same factory but the Lux has an extra coating making it better for hybrid stringbeds.
Best natural gut currently
- Thread starter stephenclown
- Start date
Muppet
Legend
What do you guys think of Klip Legend 17 for my Biomimetic racquet (signature)? I've tried Legend 16 and it felt too soft and muted. Tonic BF felt too stiff. Pacific Classic 16 felt great, but I strung it too low. If it were in stock I would have gotten it again. I'm planning on using Klip 17 mains with Red Devil 1.19 crosses. I tried PSGD black 17/Red Devil 1.19 and the feel was too sensitive. I wouldn't say it had a lot of shock, but you could feel it too much. Also, Klip 17 with Isospeed Control Classic 16 crosses in the MuscleWeave if the Biomimetic is successful. Is a 17g gut main with 16g Isospeed okay?
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Rabbit
G.O.A.T.
Pacific has been flaky since the late 70s. They have been on/off with the USA. While I love their gut - back to the gold gut McEnroe used - they just can’t keep their business straight.
Couple of quick updates
*I added 4g of lead to my DR 98 raising the SW about 10-12 pts and i am able to hit with much more topspin with the Lux NG. Kick serves are nasty now. I am able to control low tensions a bit better now because of the extra spin however I'm still trying to find that perfect tension. I don't know if this extra spin will lower the durability or not.
*Check the tension before you lubricate the strings, if you lubricate the strings then check the tension RacquetTune will be 1-2 lbs off because of the sound I guess?
My racket that was strung at 63 lbs in DEC, is now reading 52.8 on RacquetTune.
Although i can control it a bit better with the lead, 52.8 is a bit too loose. Ideally 56-57 lbs would be enough for me after it settles
66 lbs should be my magic number, but i will report back
*I added 4g of lead to my DR 98 raising the SW about 10-12 pts and i am able to hit with much more topspin with the Lux NG. Kick serves are nasty now. I am able to control low tensions a bit better now because of the extra spin however I'm still trying to find that perfect tension. I don't know if this extra spin will lower the durability or not.
*Check the tension before you lubricate the strings, if you lubricate the strings then check the tension RacquetTune will be 1-2 lbs off because of the sound I guess?
My racket that was strung at 63 lbs in DEC, is now reading 52.8 on RacquetTune.
Although i can control it a bit better with the lead, 52.8 is a bit too loose. Ideally 56-57 lbs would be enough for me after it settles
66 lbs should be my magic number, but i will report back
Most all strings loose tension after it comes off machine. The usrsa play test of strings that they publish a number times per year, compares each string to psg strung at 60 lbs.after 24 hours no hitting compare rdc numbers to rdc off machine there is a 9% drop in string bad stiffness that they correlate to tension loss. Some strings are more than 9% some less, but all loose within the first 24 hours. So your tension loss of 10 lbs over your unspecified time, if you consider the initial loss in the 24 hours, it only lost approximately 4 lbs since that time, but you did not say how long you have hit with it.
I'm not sure if you're trying to be funny or not, but yes. Try it for yourself
I have hit with it about 35 hours over the 6 weeks it has been strung
also can you please let people know here that natural gut can play fine at high tensions (65+) and does not lose it's characteristics. Haha
They themselves do not seem interested. I think it would take someone else approaching them wanting to be USA distributor.
Not being funny...Your are over stating the impact of 4grams of lead.
4 g of lead at 12 o clock is roughly ~12 SW . Which is noticeable
But i don't care what you think cause i actually tested it out for myself, my hitting partner noticed without me saying anything.
I already had a decent kick serve but now im getting slightly more spin from a higher SW.
I did not claim to see aliens on my front porch.
I'm going to try your theory of letting my rackets sit a couple days maybe even a week before hitting with it. i hit with a racket recently right off the stringer (i was excited to play for some reason) and it does make a difference. Right off the stringer it plays stiff and the ball launches quite unpredictably off the strings. I don't know why that happens but now that i think back on it, i have never played well with a fresh string job. I always play better after the strings have broken in.
I remember last year I played a match with a fresh NG string job, was losing 3-6, 2-5...decided to switch to a looser one and came back and won 3-6, 7-5, 6-1.
IowaGuy
Hall of Fame
2 weeks sitting is even better, IME.
That's when my tension drop starts to stabilize off the stringer (according to RacquetTune).
Just test it every couple days off the stringer on RacquetTune and see when it stabilizes...
Will do, I had a racket strung at 65 lbs on Saturday. RacquetTune was actually saying 67 lbs fresh off the stringer, but now its down to 64.1 will check it in a couple of days.
My other racket strung in December at 63 lbs reads 51.8 lbs is actually playing quite well now that I have increased my SW I can use more spin to keep it in the court. It seems like it will stay at this tension until it breaks
liftordie
Hall of Fame
Just think about players who break VS Touch 1.30 in 3hours, man!!!!!!!!!
I know im spoiled! Full bed of NG is expensive though. Lol
IowaGuy
Hall of Fame
Do you find VS Touch to have slightly more power than Lux gut?
I can't say for sure, but I would assume so because I can swing out more with Luxilon and string 2-3 lbs lower.
Yeah. Just slightly.
What racquet are you playing it in, what gauge gut, and what tension? Full bed of Gut?
DR 98, 1.30 gauge Vs Touch, 62 lbs.
too powerful, but will keep hitting as hopefully it settles down soon.
I've only played VS Touch once, in a demo Volkl V-Sense V1 Pro at 57 lbs. I loved the soft and comfy feel of it, but it was too powerful for me at that tension and I didn't really feel like I could completely swing out.
Yes that's exactly it.
I could probably reign it in going up 4-5 lbs but then I would have trouble finding the sweetspot.
Luxilon NG is much better
So .014 oz is making a HUGE impact with his serve?? Interesting concept. Don't you think?
I wouldn't say huge, but noticeable. 4 grams of lead at 12 is ~13-15 SW points, do you not think that would be noticeable?
A strand of head guard tape would get the same results. I would not think it would make a difference to be honest with you, sorry.I wouldn't say huge, but noticeable. 4 grams of lead at 12 is ~13-15 SW points, do you not think that would be noticeable?
You guys are crazy, 4g of lead at 12 o clock on a racket makes a difference. Put 4G of lead at 12 on your racket and it swings noticeably heavier! It's not the amount but WHERE i placed the lead.
Wtf, why am i even arguing with you. Try it for yourself or look it up. Damn this forum is ridiculous sometimes.
I put two strips of head guard tape at the top of my racquet, it does not give me " crazy" serves. Not arguing with you.I am merely stating my opinion. I thought that was what TT was all about. Talking and discussing issues and ideas. I just do not think that little bit of lead tape at the top of a racquet would make a difference so much as you could REALLY tell a difference. If you think it does, then great. Put that on all your racquets if you feel it makes you play better. Not sure why you think you are arguing with me. I am not arguing with you.
I already had a decent kick serve and i got slightly more spin from adding lead at 12 o'clock.
THE END.
End all, be all report. Thank you for your input!
The newer version of gut with the BT 7stuff in it? I do not like the BT7 added. Ever since Babolat added that their gut has not felt or played the same for me.
Yes with BT7, although i had the same problem with the older wilson gut (non-BT7) too, Luxilon NG just has way more control and spin. I need them to re-stock soon.
Wow I never break strings but broke the gut/poly hybrid in 2 hours (vs touch / black code 4s 1.25)
It played horribly for the first hour(too lively), but i never like fresh strings anyway so that was expected, about 15-20 minutes before it broke I was getting pretty good spin and consistency, although I felt like the only thing I could do was hit spin and I struggled to flatten out the ball/penetrate the court. I think it was more spin than a full bed of Lux NG, but honestly Lux NG gives me enough spin and put away power on its own. I had more spin with the hybrid but it didn't necessarily equate to more balls in play.
I'll try Vs Touch / Black Code 4s again just because i have a half set left, but I'm honestly just probably going to go back to a full bed of Lux NG once they re-stock, unless some miracle happens and I can get more than 10 hours out of the hybrid.
Why am I even trying a hybrid? Well curiosity got the best of me, plus Lux NG is out of stock and i was trying to see if i could save a couple of dollars with a hybrid, but I'll gladly pay $40 per string job as it makes my time on court more enjoyable.
The nice thing about the hybrid was I could hit dropshots/volleys with back spin, but overall I get more feel with Lux NG and don't need to rely on such trick shots
some of you gut/poly users should try Lux NG if cost is of no concern to you and you'll find it's pretty spin friendly for NG! and holds tension for about 6 weeks for me.
It played horribly for the first hour(too lively), but i never like fresh strings anyway so that was expected, about 15-20 minutes before it broke I was getting pretty good spin and consistency, although I felt like the only thing I could do was hit spin and I struggled to flatten out the ball/penetrate the court. I think it was more spin than a full bed of Lux NG, but honestly Lux NG gives me enough spin and put away power on its own. I had more spin with the hybrid but it didn't necessarily equate to more balls in play.
I'll try Vs Touch / Black Code 4s again just because i have a half set left, but I'm honestly just probably going to go back to a full bed of Lux NG once they re-stock, unless some miracle happens and I can get more than 10 hours out of the hybrid.
Why am I even trying a hybrid? Well curiosity got the best of me, plus Lux NG is out of stock and i was trying to see if i could save a couple of dollars with a hybrid, but I'll gladly pay $40 per string job as it makes my time on court more enjoyable.
The nice thing about the hybrid was I could hit dropshots/volleys with back spin, but overall I get more feel with Lux NG and don't need to rely on such trick shots
some of you gut/poly users should try Lux NG if cost is of no concern to you and you'll find it's pretty spin friendly for NG! and holds tension for about 6 weeks for me.
Syfo-Dias
Professional
@aaron_h27 What tension did you string the full bed of Lux NG?
I like it anywhere from 60-63 lbs.
kkhimji2001
New User
Just had two packs of VS Team BT7 arrive. Previously used the Wilson Natural gut - red packet, however these are now around $10 more per packet where I am so thought I would try VS team out.
What tension should I string my RF97 Autographs? Before I did 62 mains wilson natural gut / 60 Alu Power Crosses.
But now the VS team gut is thinner (1.25mm). Any suggestions?
What tension should I string my RF97 Autographs? Before I did 62 mains wilson natural gut / 60 Alu Power Crosses.
But now the VS team gut is thinner (1.25mm). Any suggestions?
I would go up 2-3 lbs if going from 1.30 to 1.25, but you can try it at 62 and see. May not be too powerful for you
Finally got my hands on some Luxilon NG 1.30 locally, since TW is still out of stock.
I'm trying out Babolat Elastocross String Savers this go around, so i lowered my tension down to 60 lbs (instead of 62 or 63 lbs) and applied a 8x8 pattern in the upper part of the string bed.
I don't have a problem with Lux NG breaking, my reasoning for using these string savers is to prevent the crosses notching into the mains, and therefore keep a consistent playability without having to lube my strings after every session. Also a heavily notched string bed ( after roughly 25-30 hours of play ) was extremely uncomfortable for my wrist/arm. I'm hoping string savers work out well.
@IowaGuy what string saver pattern do you use?
I'm trying out Babolat Elastocross String Savers this go around, so i lowered my tension down to 60 lbs (instead of 62 or 63 lbs) and applied a 8x8 pattern in the upper part of the string bed.
I don't have a problem with Lux NG breaking, my reasoning for using these string savers is to prevent the crosses notching into the mains, and therefore keep a consistent playability without having to lube my strings after every session. Also a heavily notched string bed ( after roughly 25-30 hours of play ) was extremely uncomfortable for my wrist/arm. I'm hoping string savers work out well.
@IowaGuy what string saver pattern do you use?
IowaGuy
Hall of Fame
I cover almost the entire bed with string savers, except the outer string junctions. On my 18x17 racket it's like ~200 string savers. Got the idea from Llodra (link below), but I use more than he does. Definitely no notching when covering most of the bed!
I actually like the stiffer feel, but this is a personal preference and YMMV...
https://media.gettyimages.com/photo...-he-plays-against-italian-picture-id108338323
With that many string savers how much would that raise the tension by? And is there any other difference in playability aside from stiffness?
Does the reduced notching help with tension loss? Any difference in spin?
Sorry for all the questions! Haha
IowaGuy
Hall of Fame
I'm not sure on the tension, using RacquetTune the frequency actually goes down once adding string savers! (I think because the string effectively gets heavier/thicker with the string savers)
Reduced notching definitely helps with tension loss, IME. This makes sense since there are more fibers to spread out the forces.
I'm at 30 hours on one racket and no notching whatsoever. The gut does, however, change a little over time - the coating wears off and the string gets more white in color. I prefer how it plays with the coating (lower powered?) so I'm thinking that ~30 hours might be my magic number for re-stringing, or maybe only use the 30-hour string for serve/overhead practice, etc...
I can't notice any other playability difference from adding string savers besides the fact that it feels a little boardier than full gut without string savers - but still very arm-friendly.
That's cool im excited, sounds like theres no downside other than the stiffness (which you can just string lower to compensate) and the cost. I heard you can re-use them though
Shaolin
G.O.A.T.
That much lead tape, especially placed at 12 can make a huge difference. I know from experience.
Stop being ignorant and try it yourself instead of doubting people that know what they're talking about.
I don't appreciate you calling me ignorant! So stop preaching and lecturing to to me!!! WHO are you thinking you are the know it all about these things? I have tried it so I do know what I am talking about. It made NO difference in the way it played. So did you try it, was your experience so different? So what? Get off your soapbox - no one wants to hear your snobbery!!!
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