Chicken to string my Babolat VS Gut

Marietta_Ken · Oct 12, 2009

I do my own stringing. Normally use, and love, Tecnifibre X-1 Biphase 16 ga.. When Babolat screwed up a warranty shoe situation on me, they offered me some string as compensation. I sheepishly said "how about some VS Gut?" To my pleasant surprise, the obliged.

So, I've restrung twice with X-1 -- fearful that I don't know what I don't know about stringing the nat gut properly. Also was concerned that summer humidity might be an issue, though maybe that's not the case with coated guts these days.

I'm getting due to restring. Planning to test the gut, but need some wisdom from you guru's here on what I need to do to get it right.

LafayetteHitter · Oct 12, 2009

Which stringing machine?

jamauss · Oct 12, 2009

Until you do it yourself you can't know what to expect, really. Just make sure you unravel it carefully and don't let it kink on you or unravel at all and you should be fine. Pay close attention to the string as you pull it through each hole and don't let it twist together on you too bad. I just had to string a lot of gut last week, both full sets and hybrids. It took me a little longer because I'm more cautious but, I'm sure you can do it if you're careful.

Marietta_Ken · Oct 12, 2009

Gamma X-2 is my preferred, but I also have an Alpha Pioneer III.

Marietta_Ken · Oct 12, 2009

jamauss said:
Until you do it yourself you can't know what to expect, really. Just make sure you unravel it carefully and don't let it kink on you or unravel at all and you should be fine. Pay close attention to the string as you pull it through each hole and don't let it twist together on you too bad. I just had to string a lot of gut last week, both full sets and hybrids. It took me a little longer because I'm more cautious but, I'm sure you can do it if you're careful.

I'm very careful when stringing. My concerns are more over pre-stretching, abrasion, etc. that I haven't had to deal with in the past.

jamauss · Oct 12, 2009

pre-stretching is a personal preference really. Don't do it unless you want to. And if you do, I wouldn't go above 10%. VS gut can take some pretty high tensions (I did some at 70, 72 & 74 lbs recently). One trick I've come to use is to use an awl instead of your finger when putting the string in a 'V' shape while pulling it across the string bed so the string runs across a smoother surface. You can also string it 2 piece to make sure the string rubs across itself as little as possible.

Marietta_Ken · Oct 12, 2009

jamauss said:
pre-stretching is a personal preference really. Don't do it unless you want to. And if you do, I wouldn't go above 10%. VS gut can take some pretty high tensions (I did some at 70, 72 & 74 lbs recently). One trick I've come to use is to use an awl instead of your finger when putting the string in a 'V' shape while pulling it across the string bed so the string runs across a smoother surface. You can also string it 2 piece to make sure the string rubs across itself as little as possible.

Good to know I don't have to worry about prestretching. Should I go a few pounds higher? I'm not a string breaker -- how long should I expect this string to last/hold good tension compared to my normal X-1 biphase?

Bud · Oct 12, 2009

Marietta_Ken said:
I do my own stringing. Normally use, and love, Tecnifibre X-1 Biphase 16 ga.. When Babolat screwed up a warranty shoe situation on me, they offered me some string as compensation. I sheepishly said "how about some VS Gut?" To my pleasant surprise, the obliged.

So, I've restrung twice with X-1 -- fearful that I don't know what I don't know about stringing the nat gut properly. Also was concerned that summer humidity might be an issue, though maybe that's not the case with coated guts these days.

I'm getting due to restring. Planning to test the gut, but need some wisdom from you guru's here on what I need to do to get it right.

In addition to the excellent suggestions above... use Drakulie's method of stringing and pulling the gut crosses through the grommet holes.

Perhaps, Drakulie can point you back to the post in the Global Gut thread to which I refer.

Marietta_Ken · Oct 13, 2009

Bud said:
In addition to the excellent suggestions above... use Drakulie's method of stringing and pulling the gut crosses through the grommet holes.

Perhaps, Drakulie can point you back to the post in the Global Gut thread to which I refer.

Thanks! Drakulie -- tips please?? I looked searched for the Global Gut thread, but can't get it narrowed down enough to find the one you're referring to.

Il Mostro · Oct 13, 2009

VS is not a big deal to string as it has a robust coating. It sounds like you are already careful when stringing, so unless you run into a severe kink you should be fine. I do not like anything other than a very light hand pre-stretch, as it takes some of the resiliency out of the string IMO. Stretch only to reduce coil memory, if you must.

slice bh compliment · Oct 13, 2009

Chicken to string?
Wow, I didn't think they'd have the height or the dexterity with their wings and talons. (cluck cluck....grroooaann)

Gut was a lot tougher to string in the old days.
I remember being nervous as a young stringer, too.

My first few times, I just did gut on the mains. Got used to the feel and the level of care needed...then did full gut.

The crosses are tricky if you're not smooth with the weaving and the pulling. In the old days before the good coatings, the gut would unravel near the last two or three crosses if you're a sloppy puller/weaver.

Go for it. Just don't rush. Enjoy it.

Marietta_Ken · Oct 13, 2009

slice bh compliment said:
Chicken to string?
Wow, I didn't think they'd have the height or the dexterity with their wings and talons. (cluck cluck....grroooaann)

Gut was a lot tougher to string in the old days.
I remember being nervous as a young stringer, too.

My first few times, I just did gut on the mains. Got used to the feel and the level of care needed...then did full gut.

The crosses are tricky if you're not smooth with the weaving and the pulling. In the old days before the good coatings, the gut would unravel near the last two or three crosses if you're a sloppy puller/weaver.

Go for it. Just don't rush. Enjoy it.

Great. Thanks to all -- I'm feeling OK now about just going for it with my normal, careful stringing technique. Really looking forward to trying the VS Gut to see what all the love is about.

Marietta_Ken · Oct 13, 2009

I normally restring every couple of months or so with my multi. Should I restring the Gut sooner or will it last longer? Will the need to restring show up as fraying, noticeable tension loss, or what??

Blade0324 · Oct 13, 2009

Yep, others definately have great suggestions above. Like they have said take your time, and don't let it kink are 2 of the biggest things I would suggest. It is necessary to be a bit more careful with gut than other strings but it is not so super sensitive. As for the humidity you mentioned there is no concern there, it will be fine.
One thing I would add is when pulling the crosses across the mains I would do it a bit more slowly than with your X-1 and the other part of this is that I would try to keep the string moving steadily as opposed to starting and stopping.
In my experience you will have good luck with the gut and it will hold good tension until it breaks. Gut holds tension better then any other string, period. As for how long it will last I would suggest that it will likely last you a good bit longer than the X-1 does since your not a string breaker.

Enjoy the string.

PimpMyGame · Oct 13, 2009

I went through the same fears as you a few months back, so I bought some cheap gut off the bay. I just thought it wouldn't matter that much if I screwed up with cheaper stuff. I was glad I did, the stuff I bought had no coating and unravelled easily so stringing was more difficult.

Now I have no issues stringing with gut, but I would say there are 4 things to watch out for:

Storage - if you're using half a set at a time, make sure you store the other half as airtight as possible.

Kinks - be careful that you don't kink the string, this is very easily done and can reduce the longevity of your string job.

Knots - always pull natural gut knots by hand to avoid breakage.

Time - allow a bit more time for being careful with the above when stringing.

slice bh compliment · Oct 13, 2009

Marietta_Ken said:
I normally restring every couple of months or so with my multi. Should I restring the Gut sooner or will it last longer? Will the need to restring show up as fraying, noticeable tension loss, or what??

Gut retains tension incredibly well. You'll break it, though, that's the only 'rub'. If you like, the string saver/elastocross products can help.

Bud · Oct 13, 2009

Marietta_Ken said:
Thanks! Drakulie -- tips please?? I looked searched for the Global Gut thread, but can't get it narrowed down enough to find the one you're referring to.

Basically... when doing the crosses... you completely pull the string through one side of the frame... then weave, pull and fan the entire stringbed... then thread through the opposite side of the frame and pull out the slack. It helps prevent the gut from kinking as you pull the crosses.

As an alternate to that if you find the gut is still gathering and kinking... you can feed through one side of the frame... then weave one string at a time... pulling the entire length of string prior to weaving the next string. After all strings are weaved and the string slack is pulled... then feed the string through the other side of the frame and proceed to the next cross.

Normally, you'd feed the string through one side of the frame... weave all strings... then feed through the opposite side... then proceed to pull and fan the crosses as you pull out the slack.

Hope that's clear... Drakulie's explanation was more in depth IIRC.

Marietta_Ken · Oct 13, 2009

Blade0324 said:
Yep, others definately have great suggestions above. Like they have said take your time, and don't let it kink are 2 of the biggest things I would suggest. It is necessary to be a bit more careful with gut than other strings but it is not so super sensitive. As for the humidity you mentioned there is no concern there, it will be fine.
One thing I would add is when pulling the crosses across the mains I would do it a bit more slowly than with your X-1 and the other part of this is that I would try to keep the string moving steadily as opposed to starting and stopping.
In my experience you will have good luck with the gut and it will hold good tension until it breaks. Gut holds tension better then any other string, period. As for how long it will last I would suggest that it will likely last you a good bit longer than the X-1 does since your not a string breaker.

Enjoy the string.

Thanks for the excellent points. I'm really looking forward to trying these strings. If they last twice as long, including holding tension, then they're not really more expensive, are they...

Blade0324 · Oct 13, 2009

For me I'd say that gut lasts about twice as long but I know many that is not the case for. Like you say if it does indeed last a lot longer for you then the cost is not really much more for a superior product. IMO The VS Gut is far superior in every way to X-1, but I am not a fan of X-1 either.

Marietta_Ken · Oct 13, 2009

Blade0324 said:
For me I'd say that gut lasts about twice as long but I know many that is not the case for. Like you say if it does indeed last a lot longer for you then the cost is not really much more for a superior product. IMO The VS Gut is far superior in every way to X-1, but I am not a fan of X-1 either.

I string my X-1 at 62 lbs in my APDC. Should I go 65 with the VS gut?

Mano · Oct 13, 2009

There are a lot of good tips mentioned already. In addition, there are two things I do before I string with gut. First, I make extra sure my clamps are adjusted well to the string and I always clean them before a stringjob with gut. just to be safe that the string doesn't slip trough the clamps or is pulled to tight.

Good luck and I think you will find it easier than you thought before.

Chicken to string my Babolat VS Gut

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