Wow! Babolat Nat Gut Prices

K

kbui

Rookie
Wow! Just slowly coming back to the game and was checking out the string sets when I saw the prices for Babolat's Nat Guts...&*&^%^$%%^&

When did they jack up their prices? I'm a Tonic user who usually hybrids with either Gosen or some Kirschbaum in the crosses.

Is there a similar playing Nat Gut to Tonic that is not $32/set (ouch)?

Happy rallying,
Ken
 
sboo

sboo

New User
Try hybrids with gut in the mains?

Or just run a comparable multifilament like k gut pro or gamma professional in a thinner gauge...they still feel really good.
 
Il Mostro

Il Mostro

Banned
Just re-filled my VS Team inventory with an order last night -- OUCH! At least the 3 for 2 Spiky Shark deal is still going on, so I saved a few bucks there.
 
Il Mostro

Il Mostro

Banned
sboo said:
Or just run a comparable multifilament like k gut pro or gamma professional in a thinner gauge...they still feel really good.
Click to expand...

Not even in the same ballpark. And at $22 per set no bargain either. I will only buy this stuff on a 3 for 2 or mini-reel deals.
 
sboo

sboo

New User
Il Mostro said:
Not even in the same ballpark.
Click to expand...

For me, playing with a mid size racquet with a dense string pattern I felt that both kgut and gamma pro are not that far from tonic in terms of control and somewhat feel. VS is another story though.
 
K

kbui

Rookie
I was just couldn't believe the cost of Tonic. At $32, it's only $3 away from the old price of VS ($35). That's just insane. Gonna try out the Klip legend in hybrid forms.

Thanks everyone,
Hoc
 
D

duusoo

Rookie
But, with VS you are getting the best, hands down. I agree with K-gut, or suggest Pacific Prime Gut. I still believe that Klip as QC issues.
 
Cup8489

Cup8489

G.O.A.T.
how much of a fortune did you dump off refilling your stock?

i bought a set each of VS and ALU Rough, to give the Champion's choice a try, since my instructor raves about it. cost me nearly sixty bucks, for strings that will only last me a few weeks (breaking strings faster and faster.. i'm having trouble with the costs..)
 
The_Question

The_Question

Hall of Fame
Welcome to Jan 2009. You can try Pacific Classic Gut, Klip Legend, Gamma Pro.

Titan isn't rated very high, but it does play nicely, and you can get it here on TW for dirt cheap, excellent alternative!!
 
K

Keifers

Legend
kbui said:
Wow! Just slowly coming back to the game and was checking out the string sets when I saw the prices for Babolat's Nat Guts...&*&^%^$%%^&

When did they jack up their prices? I'm a Tonic user who usually hybrids with either Gosen or some Kirschbaum in the crosses.

Is there a similar playing Nat Gut to Tonic that is not $32/set (ouch)?

Happy rallying,
Ken
Click to expand...
The recent price hike was a 20% increase -- ouch, indeed!

That said, the price of Bab gut remained the same for quite a long time (at least 2-3 years).

That said,... ouch! :(
 
Il Mostro

Il Mostro

Banned
Cup8489 said:
how much of a fortune did you dump off refilling your stock?

i bought a set each of VS and ALU Rough, to give the Champion's choice a try, since my instructor raves about it. cost me nearly sixty bucks, for strings that will only last me a few weeks (breaking strings faster and faster.. i'm having trouble with the costs..)
Click to expand...

I dropped almost $300.00 just on VS Team. The good news is that it lasts a long time (with no performance drop-off) for myself and the other gut-users I string for so it is still the best deal for non string breakers over the long run.
 
C

charliefedererer

Legend
Cup8489 said:
how much of a fortune did you dump off refilling your stock?

i bought a set each of VS and ALU Rough, to give the Champion's choice a try, since my instructor raves about it. cost me nearly sixty bucks, for strings that will only last me a few weeks (breaking strings faster and faster.. i'm having trouble with the costs..)
Click to expand...

Do people really need Babolat gut in their hybrids? I can see where players may have become very used to their full sets of VS gut, but the Klip Armour Pro feels great in a hybrid. TW indicates its playtesters think it may be a tad firmer than VS, but it is very to hard to tell in a hybrid. I have been very pleased at the longevity, and haven't seen "quality control" problems. I've been happy with Klip Armour Pro in the mains and Alu Power Rough in the crosses.
 
K

Keifers

Legend
charliefedererer said:
Do people really need Babolat gut in their hybrids? I can see where players may have become very used to their full sets of VS gut, but the Klip Armour Pro feels great in a hybrid. TW indicates its playtesters think it may be a tad firmer than VS, but it is very to hard to tell in a hybrid. I have been very pleased at the longevity, and haven't seen "quality control" problems. I've been happy with Klip Armour Pro in the mains and Alu Power Rough in the crosses.
Click to expand...
Doesn't the longevity of the Alu Power Rough (its playability, I mean) limit the longevity of your hybrid?
 
Cup8489

Cup8489

G.O.A.T.
Keifers said:
Doesn't the longevity of the Alu Power Rough (its playability, I mean) limit the longevity of your hybrid?
Click to expand...

significantly. but it's an amazing setup for a few weeks. and the gut mains makes it worth waiting till the break happens.

i tried VS because i've never used it, and why not try the best out there once?

i don't think i will again though.. when half of my order is two sets of string and the other half is something like ten sets of string and a 30 pack of tourna..
 
M

mrmo1115

Hall of Fame
I believe that gut is very overpriced, but I still will continue to use VS. I just believe it is the best you can get and I am not a string popper so therefore I will continue to use it. I have a fromut h account so that lowers the cost just a bit.
 
J

jim e

Legend
mrmo1115 said:
I believe that gut is very overpriced, but I still will continue to use VS. I just believe it is the best you can get and I am not a string popper so therefore I will continue to use it. I have a fromut h account so that lowers the cost just a bit.
Click to expand...

Thats funny, I just got off their site, as I have an account there as well, and I don't see any Babolat strings listed there at all.I know that they use to have VS gut, and they were the same price as everyone else, except you had to pay shipping as well, so taken that into consideration, they were even more expensive.
 
W

whereisz

Rookie
Sometimes there's not even a difference in Natural Gut vs some of the multis these days.. not even worth it imo unless you are sponsored or a pro.
 
J

jim e

Legend
whereisz said:
Sometimes there's not even a difference in Natural Gut vs some of the multis these days.. not even worth it imo unless you are sponsored or a pro.
Click to expand...

What the h*ll kind of a statement is that? Thats completely wrong. There is a difference from any synthetic string to nat. gut, irregardless of the make.
 
S

Steve Huff

G.O.A.T.
There isn't a string made yet that plays like gut. Even Gamma Professional, which they advertise as the most "gut-like" doesn't come close. I strung on of my rackets with it a while back. I was playing, thinking I had the one with the gut in it, but had accidently picked up the one with the Gamma Pro in it. I kept hitting the ball in the net, and wasn't getting my normal amount of topspin. This went on for about 4 games when it dawned on me that this wasn't the gut-strung frame. I changed rackets, and all was well. This shows also, that it isn't in your head. I really thought I was using the gut-strung racket. I had put new overgrips on the both frames, but I only remembered putting one on the gut-strung frame, so I really did think I was using gut. The Gamma Pro was soft, but it didn't have the feel, the spin or the power of the natural gut. I have used NRG2, NXT, Laserfibre Supreme and Babolat XCel. Many of them are soft, but they don't play nearly as well as natural gut. Having said this, if gut gets much higher, I'll make the sacrifice and start looking for different strings.
 
P

parasailing

Legend
I got a chance a few months ago to use VS gut on my KPS 88 and it does make a difference. I notice it was much softer on my arm and you could definitely feel the control and power with it. I never knew what I was missing before using it but it didn't last long for me, I only got about 10 hours before one of the mains broke. It definitely plays better than syn gut or poly but quite expensive.

Jim - could we get a discount if we were to go with a group buy or something? I see Tennis Warehouse is selling it for over $40 a set.
 
S

Steve Huff

G.O.A.T.
Try the Klip Legend. It's what I use, and I like it better than the VS. I think it has a better sound on contact. Both play well though, but VS is definitely not worth the extra $$ in my opinion.
 
J

jim e

Legend
parasailing said:
I got a chance a few months ago to use VS gut on my KPS 88 and it does make a difference. I notice it was much softer on my arm and you could definitely feel the control and power with it. I never knew what I was missing before using it but it didn't last long for me, I only got about 10 hours before one of the mains broke. It definitely plays better than syn gut or poly but quite expensive.

Jim - could we get a discount if we were to go with a group buy or something? I see Tennis Warehouse is selling it for over $40 a set.
Click to expand...

I have no idea on the group pricing here at TW or anywheres else, as I do not see anything on that.Usually when my supply dwindles down, I order a small order of something online at a popular big box store at cincinnatti ohio called m i d w e s t something(I really can't mention exact name here as its not allowed, just type in a google with this and that store will come up), and after that they send me a 10% discount code that lasts for a # of weeks, then I use that code and place a substantial order, and that saves at least 10%.You will see that discount right online once the code is in place. I usually order approx. 20-25 sets and thats a substantial amount of $ each time.It's the only discount I ever get.Years ago, when I strung back in the 60's I had a dealership with Bancroft sporting goods, and the dealer string prices were approx. 1/2 the retail price. Now it seems impossible to get a dealership with anyone unless you have an actual store front.That really is ashame, as a lot of the stores mark up the string to retail, and then tack on the string labor charges. I really don't know of any other way to get a discount. I e-mailed TW once a good while back to see if they would match the 10% off of that other store, and I never did get a response, so I never bothered any further with that.
 
Azzurri

Azzurri

Legend
whereisz said:
Sometimes there's not even a difference in Natural Gut vs some of the multis these days.. not even worth it imo unless you are sponsored or a pro.
Click to expand...

if the ocean was made of milk then I would agree with your statement above...but the ocean is clearly not milk and your statement is clearly 100% wrong.
 
D

Danstevens

Semi-Pro
whereisz said:
Sometimes there's not even a difference in Natural Gut vs some of the multis these days.. not even worth it imo unless you are sponsored or a pro.
Click to expand...

:shock: I don't think I've ever seen so much fail in one post on any forum ever.

Has anyone tried any strings made from Zyex? According to Ashaway, it is meant to perform similarly to natural gut but be much more durable.
 
Fedace

Fedace

Banned
Lets all send in a Email saying that we should lower the prices of natural gut to Babolat. Tell them, we will boycott all their products if they don't lower the price on natural guts to $22 range.
 
Fedace

Fedace

Banned
Azzurri said:
if the ocean was made of milk then I would agree with your statement above...but the ocean is clearly not milk and your statement is clearly 100% wrong.
Click to expand...

NO... I disagree with you. The new techs of Multi strings have become so good these days, they are pretty darn close to natural gut. For example, Babolat Excel power, has just as good of power and spin potential as gut. but just falls slightly short on Feel and control department. Even then, it is pretty darn close.
 
B

bigmatt

Semi-Pro
Danstevens said:
:shock: I don't think I've ever seen so much fail in one post on any forum ever.

Has anyone tried any strings made from Zyex? According to Ashaway, it is meant to perform similarly to natural gut but be much more durable.
Click to expand...

Ashaway's Zyex string (Dynamite) moves around like you wouldn't believe, and the outer "wear layer" doesn't wear very well at all. You need to be quite gentle on strings to be able to play with it any time at all. Klip has a Zyex string, I beleve, but I haven't tried it yet.
I'm in the process of comparing Babolat gut to Pacific Prime, and am looking forward to the results. Prime costs about what VS used to.
 
K

Keifers

Legend
bigmatt said:
Ashaway's Zyex string (Dynamite) moves around like you wouldn't believe, and the outer "wear layer" doesn't wear very well at all. You need to be quite gentle on strings to be able to play with it any time at all. Klip has a Zyex string, I beleve, but I haven't tried it yet.
I'm in the process of comparing Babolat gut to Pacific Prime, and am looking forward to the results. Prime costs about what VS used to.
Click to expand...
I'm very interested in this comparison. Please publish your results soon. :wink:
 
J

jim e

Legend
Fedace said:
NO... I disagree with you. The new techs of Multi strings have become so good these days, they are pretty darn close to natural gut. For example, Babolat Excel power, has just as good of power and spin potential as gut. but just falls slightly short on Feel and control department. Even then, it is pretty darn close.
Click to expand...

I disagree with you again! Xcell is no gut, it does not have the power that you say it does. Question of where you are coming from with a statement like that!I tried a lot of the new tech multis. and they all fall short somewhere. I should not be surprised that a response like that came from you!
 
Azzurri

Azzurri

Legend
jim e said:
I disagree with you again! Xcell is no gut, it does not have the power that you say it does. Question of where you are coming from with a statement like that!I tried a lot of the new tech multis. and they all fall short somewhere. I should not be surprised that a response like that came from you!
Click to expand...

I placed Fedache on my ignore list...it's great not to read his garbage BS.
 
Fedace

Fedace

Banned
jim e said:
I disagree with you again! Xcell is no gut, it does not have the power that you say it does. Question of where you are coming from with a statement like that!I tried a lot of the new tech multis. and they all fall short somewhere. I should not be surprised that a response like that came from you!
Click to expand...

I Still Disagree. I used both Xcel Power and Babolat Team gut in hybrid with Proline2. Xcel power hybrid had just as much power as the Team gut hybrid. but Team gut hybrid did last little longer in playability,,,, i will admit that...
 
S

scotus

G.O.A.T.
Danstevens said:
:shock: I don't think I've ever seen so much fail in one post on any forum ever.

Has anyone tried any strings made from Zyex? According to Ashaway, it is meant to perform similarly to natural gut but be much more durable.
Click to expand...

Gamma Professional is made in part of zyex.

I suppose what they call "Live Wire" is nothing else than zyex.

At any rate, I thought I could use Gamma Professional as a substitute for Babolat VS in the cross, but it is still a long way off.

If the cross provides only 20-30% of the feel in a hybrid as a lot of people say on this board, man, I am really sensitive.
 
Bud

Bud

Bionic Poster
kbui said:
Wow! Just slowly coming back to the game and was checking out the string sets when I saw the prices for Babolat's Nat Guts...&*&^%^$%%^&

When did they jack up their prices? I'm a Tonic user who usually hybrids with either Gosen or some Kirschbaum in the crosses.

Is there a similar playing Nat Gut to Tonic that is not $32/set (ouch)?

Happy rallying,
Ken
Click to expand...

Come over to the dark side (GG) :twisted:
 
M

martinross

New User
Depends on your point of view

Thankfully I loaded up on VS team when about $30.
Since I pay to have my rackets strung and at 53 lbs and 18X20 pattern it lasts well, it's so worth it to me.

If you string your own and are a string breaker it would be a bigger deal I guess
 
W

whereisz

Rookie
do you seriously think you play better with natural gut than say xcel? i highly doubt that. therefore i think natural gut is more like luxury string unless you are sponsored or loaded.
 
J

jim e

Legend
I agree with Steve's statement that:"There isn't a string made yet that plays like gut". I've used a lot of multis, and nothing is like the real thing.With K Gut and K Gut Pro going for $22.00/set which is high for a multi. its best to just pay $20. more and get the best of the best. If you string your own, its still a bargain!
 
J

jim e

Legend
Fedace said:
I Still Disagree. I used both Xcel Power and Babolat Team gut in hybrid with Proline2. Xcel power hybrid had just as much power as the Team gut hybrid. but Team gut hybrid did last little longer in playability,,,, i will admit that...
Click to expand...

I had a racquet with all xcel power, and another with all VS and used them both, I had then out on the court the same time, and there is such a difference, the power , feel and comfort is different.Your statement is way off base, its not nice to tell people things here that could miss lead them!!
 
K

kbui

Rookie
So I got a racquet strung up some Klip Legend 17 with Gosen Micro 17 crosses @ 57 lbs on a Microgel Prestige Mid. Klip moves a lot, noticeably more than the Tonic I'm used to. It also plays a tad stiffer but still very comfortable. No issues with pain anywhere even after 2 hrs on court (it's been six months since I last hit a tennis ball, LOL). The elasticity (springiness) is also less than Tonic. Power is about the same. I need to get a pack to Tonic again to confirm some of what I noticed. KLIP Legend seems to be a good value for a natural gut given Tonic and VS's increases in price, hope it holds tension as long as Tonic did :)
 
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