Tensions for BHBR 17

What Is Your Preferred Tension For BHBR 17?

  • 50 lbs

    Votes: 13 32.5%

  • 51 lbs

    Votes: 1 2.5%

  • 52 lbs

    Votes: 9 22.5%

  • 53 lbs

    Votes: 1 2.5%

  • 54 lbs

    Votes: 1 2.5%

  • 55 lbs

    Votes: 4 10.0%

  • 56 lbs

    Votes: 3 7.5%

  • 57 lbs

    Votes: 2 5.0%

  • 58 lbs

    Votes: 3 7.5%

  • 59 lbs

    Votes: 3 7.5%
  • Total voters
    40
sberman51

sberman51

Rookie
I'm curious to see what tensions most people prefer for this string (BHBR 17). Please choose your tension (based on tension using a LO machine, preferably,) on the poll, and write a post if your tension isn't on there. Please post why you chose this tension and what tensions you have tried. And, please also post what racquet you are using and your style of play.
I checked and didn't see a thread/poll specifically for this, and I apologize if there was.
I'm also curious to find out what others do, and how their tensions revert to their style of play.
Thanks!
 
Last edited:
Tennis Is Magic

Tennis Is Magic

Semi-Pro
sberman51 said:
I'm curious to see what tensions most people prefer for this string (BHBR 17). Please choose your tension on the poll, and write a post if your tension isn't on there. Also, please post why you chose this tension and what tensions you have tried.
I checked and didn't see a thread/poll specifically for this, and I apologize if there was.
Thanks!
Click to expand...

If I was gonna use BHBR again, I'd probably have it done at 70. It's so soft and powerful. Strung it at 68 once, and the ball came off my racquet very nicely, and still didn't feel boardy. Hell, I wasn't even sure the guy who strung my racquet strung it at 68, but it was.
 
T

Torres

Banned
What's the point of a poll with 50-59lbs and asking people what they string at?

Tensions are going to be (a) racquet size dependent (b) stringing machine dependent - I would say as much as a 5lb difference exists between CP/LO with this string to achieve the same SBS, (c) playing style dependent and (d) individual player preferences for stingbed stiffness.

Your poll results are going to be meaningless.

Why don't you just string up your racquet with this string at mid tension or at same tension of your previous poly, and then adjust up or down depending on your own personal preference?
 
Last edited:
sberman51

sberman51

Rookie
Torres said:
What's the point of a poll with 50-59lbs and asking people what they string at?

Tensions are going to be (a) racquet size dependent (b) stringing machine dependent - I would say as much as a 5lb difference exists between CP/LO with this string to achieve the same SBS, and (c) playing style dependent.

Your poll results are going to be next to useless.
Click to expand...

Fine. What tension if using a LO machine. And, please also post what racquet you are using and your style of play.
Thanks!
 
sberman51

sberman51

Rookie
I'm most likely going to start at 57 lbs on a Wilson BLX Pro Open. I'm just curious as to what others do, and how their tensions revert to their style of play.
 
C

CDestroyer

Professional
I was up to 64 pounds with the BHBR 1.25. I found it awesome except too powerful. I now play with the 1.30 and its power level is much more controllable and now have dropped the tension to 50 pounds.

Its outta this world!
 
P

pvaudio

Legend
CDestroyer said:
I was up to 64 pounds with the BHBR 1.25. I found it awesome except too powerful. I now play with the 1.30 and its power level is much more controllable and now have dropped the tension to 50 pounds.

Its outta this world!
Click to expand...
You're doing something wrong. The 16g and 17g are not so different in power that the 17g is uncontrollable at 64lbs, and yet the 16g is just fine at 50lbs. Just think about how that sounds.
 
sberman51

sberman51

Rookie
Torres said:
The string costs something like $7. Seriously, deciding whether or not to string at 57lbs is not a life or death decision.
Click to expand...

I know. I have two sets at ready. I'm most likely stringing one of my racquets up with it tonight. Still deciding tension. I'm thinking of using a tension method suggestion from a fellow Talk Tennis user, (fgs,) and string it at 59.5 then press on the strings with repetition after strung in order to reduce the initial tension drop when playing.
 
Last edited:
sberman51

sberman51

Rookie
Ok, I'm going to string it soon tonight. Planning to string BHBR 17 @ 59.5 lbs (53-63) on a Wilson BLX Pro Open (100in/16x19).
Are there any changes anyone thinks I should make?
Thanks!
 
P

pvaudio

Legend
sberman51 said:
I know. I have two sets at ready. I'm most likely stringing one of my racquets up with it tonight. Still deciding tension. I'm thinking of using a tension method suggestion from a fellow Talk Tennis user, (fgs,) and string it at 59.5 then press on the strings with repetition after strung in order to reduce the initial tension drop when playing.
Click to expand...
I rarely agree with Torres, but holy ****, just string it at 57. Don't experiment with useless techniques that don't work to see if you can play the strings at a different tension while playing. Just string it, and hit. As long as you're in the general range, you'll know whether or not you like it. From there, going up or down is just preference. I started at 55, then 53, then 50, and now 47. I like it best at 47 because the power doesn't go up, but since I use hybrids, the crosses yield more feel when strung lower.
 
P

pvaudio

Legend
Honestly, if this was natural gut, I'd understand to a degree wanting to get the tension right the first time. BHBR is still an immense value in reel and set form. Spend 20 bucks, get 3 sets of it and BAM, 3 different tensions to try: mid, low and high.
 
sberman51

sberman51

Rookie
pvaudio said:
I rarely agree with Torres, but holy ****, just string it at 57. Don't experiment with useless techniques that don't work to see if you can play the strings at a different tension while playing. Just string it, and hit. As long as you're in the general range, you'll know whether or not you like it. From there, going up or down is just preference. I started at 55, then 53, then 50, and now 47. I like it best at 47 because the power doesn't go up, but since I use hybrids, the crosses yield more feel when strung lower.
Click to expand...

pvaudio said:
Honestly, if this was natural gut, I'd understand to a degree wanting to get the tension right the first time. BHBR is still an immense value in reel and set form. Spend 20 bucks, get 3 sets of it and BAM, 3 different tensions to try: mid, low and high.
Click to expand...

I was joking about the whole "pressing" thing. I tried it once, but it's too much of a hassle with all of the changing in numbers and everything.
I was not, however, kidding about the tension being 59.5 lbs. Based on my prior experiences with similar strings, I was going to string it at around 57.5 lbs. However, I have seen tons of posts saying things like, "It's a great string. Soft, but very powerful. Next time I string it, though, I'm going to string it 1 or several pounds tighter." I'm already accounting for that, and I also prefer higher tensions (partially due to the feeling of sometimes overpowering balls after string tension has dropped.)

Any suggestions/changes?
Thanks!
 
P

pvaudio

Legend
sberman51 said:
What do you mean, "tension tempermental"?
Click to expand...
Many strings, mostly polyester, play very differently depending on the tension. Luxilon, Genesis and WeissCANNON strings all are like this. Take WC Silverstring at 60lbs, and it feels like oak. Take it at 55, and it's magical. Unique strings don't tend to be like this. Big Hitter Blue and Silver all play quite well over a broad range of tensions.
 
K

kiteboard

Banned
I strung it at 75lbs/nrg2 at 70 in an apd orig., and it was not boardy or tight. I strung it at 58lbs/nrg2 in both h22/pt57a and it was not trampolinish. It still feels soft strung tight, and still has power tight. That combination is allowing me to redefine my thoughts on tension. I am also hitting shots I've never hit before. Sound is also loud. I am hitting some pro shots.
 
Tennis Is Magic

Tennis Is Magic

Semi-Pro
pvaudio said:
Many strings, mostly polyester, play very differently depending on the tension. Luxilon, Genesis and WeissCANNON strings all are like this. Take WC Silverstring at 60lbs, and it feels like oak. Take it at 55, and it's magical. Unique strings don't tend to be like this. Big Hitter Blue and Silver all play quite well over a broad range of tensions.
Click to expand...

Blue maybe, Silver is one of the most tension sensitive strings I've ever hit with. It's a night and day difference how it feels after an hour for me. It could feel like a board off the stringer and start trampolining an hour later, and that's having only lost 4-6 pounds.
 
C

CDestroyer

Professional
pvaudio said:
You're doing something wrong. The 16g and 17g are not so different in power that the 17g is uncontrollable at 64lbs, and yet the 16g is just fine at 50lbs. Just think about how that sounds.
Click to expand...

Yes I realize that I have just decided to drastically drop my tension.

The lower tension gives :

Easy power
More spin
Better feel at net

Cheers.
 
sberman51

sberman51

Rookie
Ok, so I strung my racquet up with BHBR 17 two nights ago at 59.5 lbs. The next morning, I started out my day playing with the setup for 6 hours (10am-4pm). I have been on vacation and haven't physically played tennis for 4 weeks. Wow. I played much better than I had anticipated. I have gone 2-3 days without playing and have played much worse than I did yesterday. I was 1 point away from making it to the top-court in a large practice (a tie-break that was taking too long to "win-by-two," so they declared after a while, "win-by-one"). Immediately after those (tiring) 6 hours of play and a drink of water, I hit with one of my good friends for annother 2 hours (4pm-6pm). He plays no.1 for our school, and I usually lose to him maybe either 6-0, 6-1, or 6-2 if I'm lucky and am having a good day. That day, my first day back playing for 4 weeks (and using BHBR 17), I beat him 6-4.
As I expected after those sudden 8 hours of play following a 4-week break, today I am aching all over. Parts of my body that are aching include my achilles tendons, my quadriceps, my biceps, my back, my feet, and both suprisingly and painfully, my hands... Thanks goodness I have the weedend to rest up.
 
Last edited:
P

pvaudio

Legend
Um, that isn't even a review. All you said is that you're exhausted, but you played better than you expected. A string change won't make you go from losing 0-6 or 1-6 to winning 6-4.
 
sberman51

sberman51

Rookie
pvaudio said:
Um, that isn't even a review. All you said is that you're exhausted, but you played better than you expected. A string change won't make you go from losing 0-6 or 1-6 to winning 6-4.
Click to expand...

It might help to get comfortable and gain more confidence to hit out.
 
R

RetroSpin

Hall of Fame
I don't understand why people want to string poly so high. It's totally unnecessary. I use BHBR in a 4D200 Tour, PV's old stick, at 46-48. If I was using it in an 18x20 mid frame, I'd go much lower, say 42.
 
kaiser

kaiser

Semi-Pro
RetroSpin said:
I don't understand why people want to string poly so high. It's totally unnecessary. I use BHBR in a 4D200 Tour, PV's old stick, at 46-48. If I was using it in an 18x20 mid frame, I'd go much lower, say 42.
Click to expand...

I can trump that... :) I've been playing the4D200T with BHBR in the sub40s for the paste 2-3 years, and have recently even gone down to 32... Playing my best tennis in years!
 
R

RetroSpin

Hall of Fame
kaiser said:
I can trump that... :) I've been playing the4D200T with BHBR in the sub40s for the paste 2-3 years, and have recently even gone down to 32... Playing my best tennis in years!
Click to expand...

Could you describe the difference? Did you have to adjust your strokes at all?
 
kaiser

kaiser

Semi-Pro
Did not consciously have to adjust my strokes much. Basically felt good from the get go. I guess its the longer dwell time the gives a lot of feel and spin, not to mention the plush comfort for a full bed of poly.
 
P

PKfan1

Semi-Pro
RetroSpin said:
I don't understand why people want to string poly so high. It's totally unnecessary. I use BHBR in a 4D200 Tour, PV's old stick, at 46-48. If I was using it in an 18x20 mid frame, I'd go much lower, say 42.
Click to expand...

Because I don't like it strung that low. Everybody like a different flavor, just let that be. I don't like the feel of poly strung that loose. Below 55 lbs it sounds and feels different. I want as little power as possible from the strings and I can only achieve that feeling around 58-62 with poly. In an open pattern even tighter.

BHBR was money at 62 for me in a redondo mid. Probably one of the best set up I have ever used. I just hate stringing those twisted strings
 
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P

PKfan1

Semi-Pro
48 is the lowest I've gone, but I don't like the soft feel and the high launch angle. Serves were nice, but depth control on groundstrokes was severely lacking.
 
kaiser

kaiser

Semi-Pro
I've jumped from full poly in the low 60s straight down to the low 40s myself, so I have no personal experience, but folks say that poly in the mid to high 40s doesn't show the benefits yet that you find in the low/sub40s. That said, in another poll 14 out of 18 responders who said they tried poly in the sub40s liked it so much that they stayed low since, while 4 said it was not for them. Perhaps you belong to the latter 20%...
 
Rozroz

Rozroz

G.O.A.T.
last stringjob i had to use Head Ultra Tour 17 ( 50/48 ) cause i forgot the BHBR reel at home.
i wasn't feeling so safe hitting with the Ultra Tour,
but still my level is up/down (i'm 39yrs, around 4.0-4.5) so i wasn't sure if it's just me or the string.
so for what it's worth, yesterday i finally stringed back to my BHBR 17 (same tension), and it was one of my better games lately (in terms of control, spin, UE's, returns, etc).

i just LOVE that string. i'm not a hybrid man, not a syn gut man, and luckily not a string breaker. this is the best price/performance for poly imo (i personally prefer it to BHB7).
 
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