Yonex RDS 003 2008; My stringer lost/threw away part of my grommet! Is it important?

AlphaCDjkr

AlphaCDjkr

Rookie
Wow. Ok, I took my Yonex RDS 003 to a stringer at Chicks Sporting Goods, and blah blah blah. So when I got my racquet back, I thought it looked a bit weird.

Turns out the stringer took off something and restrung it, and I don't even know if its important or not!

THIS THING

That fat little part sticking out isn't there anymore! Underneath there's still this black guard-like grommet piece that's preventing the strings from rubbing against the frame, but that thing is so thin!. I stuck my nail into the guard and it actually made a deep indent.

Can anyone tell me if this is a big deal?
 
S

SFrazeur

Legend
Whether or not the soft grommet is strong enough on its own without the hard plastic piece is irrelevant. They failed to do their job, which is to return your racquet in the same condition and string it correctly with the string and tension ordered.

If the string does cut through the soft grommet and breaks on the drill hole you will be out the stringing cost and the cost of a new grommet set.

What I would do is take it back. They made an error. Not the biggest deal in the world, mistakes happen. They need to fix their mistake, however.

-SF
 
tennisfreak15347

tennisfreak15347

Banned
I would be angry that they didn't have the guts to inform you about their mistake. Take it back and demand some sort of compensation ( free grommets).
 
AlphaCDjkr

AlphaCDjkr

Rookie
Yeah, I might as well. Will it work though? They restrung it yesterday, I actually played with it fine today, but I won't be able to talk to them until tomorrow. If I complain, would they accept it after I knew about it for a day already?

The reason I didn't notice when I actually got my racquet back, was that I was pretty tired and not in the mood to do anything, so I basically grabbed the racquet, paid for it, stuck it in my bag, and then left and went straight to bed at home.

I feel no real difference, so it isn't as much of a big deal as I'm making it.. but IF the soft grommet gets eaten through and my strings start rubbing against the frame, I'm going to be furious.

Here's what it looks like now, btw.

Picture 1
Picture 2

I'm not really the kind of person who has to complain about everything, so I'm pretty uncomfortable about confronting Chicks about this. The soft grommets look stable.. enough. I think I might just order a new set of grommets and have another stringer (my calculus teacher, he's awesome :) ) set them up for me next time my strings die.
 
S

SFrazeur

Legend
Illegally placed shock dampener alert! Illegally placed shock dampener alert!

All absorbing/dampening devices must be placed outside of the crosses. Translation, move the dampener below that last cross.

-SF
 
AlphaCDjkr

AlphaCDjkr

Rookie
SFrazeur said:
Illegally placed shock dampener alert! Illegally placed shock dampener alert!

All absorbing/dampening devices must be placed outside of the crosses. Translation, move the dampener below that last cross.

-SF
Click to expand...

YOU HAVE TO BE KIDDING ME.
Wow, I've heard like 50 people tell me that I can't put my dampener there, but then I've heard some other 50 tell me that it's ok. I pick the spot that feels nicer.

Grrrr now my strings will feel too bouncy! :LISDHGPOSIDHG!!!!!!!
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!



(Does it really matter? I'm not playing any USTA tournaments or any pro matches or whatever. I play high school varsity tennis :neutral: Nobody notices :( )

m1stuhxsp4rk5 said:
it should be ok. doesnt look to bad. i would be pretty mad. where in west covina do you play?
Click to expand...
Eh it FEELS ok. I play at Covina High school, but for rec purposes I go to either Del Norte park (most of the time) or West Covina High (rarely). Are you going to stalk me? :shock: Haha kidding.
 
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S

SFrazeur

Legend
AlphaCDjkr said:
YOU HAVE TO BE KIDDING ME.
Wow, I've heard like 50 people tell me that I can't put my dampener there, but then I've heard some other 50 tell me that it's ok. I pick the spot that feels nicer.

Grrrr now my strings will feel too bouncy! :LISDHGPOSIDHG!!!!!!!
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!



(Does it really matter? I'm not playing any USTA tournaments or any pro matches or whatever. I play high school varsity tennis :neutral: Nobody notices :( )
Click to expand...

Do you play Team Tennis? or a HS League perhaps? Team Tennis is USTA, and HS League could be as well. Does your school inforce USTA rules? USTA rules concerning racquet are those that are set by the ITF, the International Tennis Federation.

I do not see me swaying you by rules and expectations, blah, blah. So I'll try and appeal to your senseablities. If your tired of getting all the jazz about it then put the dampener outside of the crosses. If not the jazz will play on.

In fact you can place a dampener outside of any cross, not just at the bottom, but you can put it left, right or top.

-SF
 
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Tempyst

Tempyst

Semi-Pro
Go to them and complain; you can't let them get away with this. Not only did they not tell you, you're saying to them it's okay to walk over not just you but other customers. They took something that does not belong to them and did not tell you. That sounds like stealing to me.
 
AlphaCDjkr

AlphaCDjkr

Rookie
SFrazeur said:
Do you play Team Tennis? or a HS League perhaps? Team Tennis is USTA, and HS League could be as well. Does your school inforce USTA rules? USTA rules concerning racquet are those that are set by the ITF, the International Tennis Federation.

I do not see me swaying you by rules and expectations, blah, blah. So I'll try and appeal to your senseablities. If your tired of getting all the jazz about it then put the dampener outside of the crosses. If not the jazz will play on.

In fact you can place a dampener outside of any cross, not just at the bottom, but you can put it left, right or top.

-SF
Click to expand...

HS League, however I do not believe they do enforce USTA rules. I've always had my dampener there for the other 3 years I've been playing tennis and nobody has ever said anything (nor at the CIF league finals)

And it's ok, I just moved my dampener down because it felt weird to know I was breaking USTA rules. It felt weird for a few minutes but then I got quickly over it, haha.

Tempyst said:
Go to them and complain; you can't let them get away with this. Not only did they not tell you, you're saying to them it's okay to walk over not just you but other customers. They took something that does not belong to them and did not tell you. That sounds like stealing to me.
Click to expand...

Haha, you're right. I'll go talk to them later today, I'll tell you how it turns out later.
 
Alafter

Alafter

Hall of Fame
Yes, it bothers you.

It's either you or the stringer. You go to them, they might give you the look, they might try to make you feel bad as if you are petty, and you might feel uncomfortable about it. But you have your rights, and they will have to make amends. When you have your racquet back in correct condition, you will be relieved--their attitude is nothing compared to your relief of mind. Remember, this aint a tiny scratch or mark. This is an entire part of racquet missing.

Or you can bear with the feeling of being taken advantage of. For most people, when asked about something like this they will say "it's ok, I can live with it". Of course, if I ask them enough, they still remember and feel badly about such incidents. Me, I dont believe in bearing the mistakes of others--as in, the stringer did something stupid, and he wants to make ME feel i am petty? In fact, I will make sure I make them FEEL bad about their stupidity in the process of getting my grommets back.

Be courteous if he's quick to make corrections, give him hell if he gives you attitude.
 
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AlphaCDjkr

AlphaCDjkr

Rookie
Hey, just got back from Chicks!

Well, unluckily for me, the stringer who did my racquet that day was NOT working today. As a result, the guy on staff I talked to was a bit clueless. I pointed out my racquet and the missing grommet (and I gave him a picture to show how it was SUPPOSED to look.)

He got a bit fussy, like asking me for proof that I didn't go stringing it somewhere and lost the grommet there or something idiotic like that. So I show him the receipt showing that I had my racquet strung there 3 days ago, and that I was still using the same strings.

He eased up after I showed him the receipt, and he went to talk to the store manager. At the end, I got credit for a free restringing of any string I'd like. I've never tried Natural gut before, I think I'm going to take this opportunity to try it out :) [As for the missing grommet piece, they probably threw it away as the guy really didn't know what/where it could be. I'm really ok with this though, so I'll just accept the credit.]

(I felt sorry for the guy though, he looked really uncomfortable while I was talking to him. I thought I would be the uncomfortable one :-?)
 
Alafter

Alafter

Hall of Fame
AlphaCDjkr said:
Hey, just got back from Chicks!

Well, unluckily for me, the stringer who did my racquet that day was NOT working today. As a result, the guy on staff I talked to was a bit clueless. I pointed out my racquet and the missing grommet (and I gave him a picture to show how it was SUPPOSED to look.)

He got a bit fussy, like asking me for proof that I didn't go stringing it somewhere and lost the grommet there or something idiotic like that. So I show him the receipt showing that I had my racquet strung there 3 days ago, and that I was still using the same strings.

He eased up after I showed him the receipt, and he went to talk to the store manager. At the end, I got credit for a free restringing of any string I'd like. I've never tried Natural gut before, I think I'm going to take this opportunity to try it out :) [As for the missing grommet piece, they probably threw it away as the guy really didn't know what/where it could be. I'm really ok with this though, so I'll just accept the credit.]

(I felt sorry for the guy though, he looked really uncomfortable while I was talking to him. I thought I would be the uncomfortable one :-?)
Click to expand...


Glad to hear the results. Now would you kindly get yourself a new set of grommets before installing guts
 
L

lefty001

Rookie
wow i would be pissed if a stringer lost that bottom grommet. I play all my Yonex frames without dampeners and that bottom grommet is essential. Having and not having that grommet changes the level of vibration. But i guess it doesn't matter to you since you use a dampener. :-?
 
AlphaCDjkr

AlphaCDjkr

Rookie
sruckauf said:
Nice picture of the cup of gin in the background.
Click to expand...

Gin? I'm 16, and I dislike the smell of alcohol. That's water right there. :)

Alafter said:
Glad to hear the results. Now would you kindly get yourself a new set of grommets before installing guts
Click to expand...

But of course, I would hate it if the strings died on the first hit.

lefty001 said:
wow i would be pissed if a stringer lost that bottom grommet. I play all my Yonex frames without dampeners and that bottom grommet is essential. Having and not having that grommet changes the level of vibration. But i guess it doesn't matter to you since you use a dampener. :-?
Click to expand...

Hm? I always play with a dampener, so I can't tell if missing that piece of grommet changed the vibration in the first place. :?
I guess it doesn't matter, my play with it is good all around anyway, nothing has died (so far.)
 
D

Don S

Rookie
Good for you Alpha for going back and straightening things out. I know you don't like to complain about some things but don't get into the habit of not confronting people when they do something wrong. You're still young and in H.S. so maybe that makes it easier for some people to take advantage of you. Those grommets don't just accidentally fall out. If it did, the stringer would have put it back in.Someone removed them from your racquet. And you're well within your right to make sure they put it back. That "Oops I guess he threw it away" crap would have been met by - Well you better start digging in the trash and find it or reimbursing me the cost to buy one at TW. It's important for you to learn this because today it's only a piece from a tennis racquet, but tomorrow it's going to be some part for your car.
 
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AlphaCDjkr

AlphaCDjkr

Rookie
Don S said:
Good for you Alpha for going back and straightening things out. I know you don't like to complain about some things but don't get into the habit of not confronting people when they do something wrong. You're still young and in H.S. so maybe that makes it easier for some people to take advantage of you. Those grommets don't just accidentally fall out. If it did, the stringer would have put it back in.Someone removed them from your racquet. And you're well within your right to make sure they put it back. That "Oops I guess he threw it away" crap would have been met by - Well you better start digging in the trash and find it or reimbursing me the cost to buy one at TW. It's important for you to learn this because today it's only a piece from a tennis racquet, but tomorrow it's going to be some part for your car.
Click to expand...

Haha ok ok, I'll be a little more direct from now on. Pretty difficult in person for me but yeah.

I think this thread is finished, nothing left to get straight. :)
 
Tempyst

Tempyst

Semi-Pro
AlphaCDjkr said:
Haha ok ok, I'll be a little more direct from now on. Pretty difficult in person for me but yeah.

I think this thread is finished, nothing left to get straight. :)
Click to expand...


Let me just say that what you did was the right thing. I myself have been through very similar situations and did not do anything, only to later regret it and hit myself for not standing up about it.

Props :)
 
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