Is stringing actually enjoyable?

Ronaldo

Bionic Poster
I find it to be a fun hobby. My job is stressful and stringing is a good way to relax. It's also very convenient to be able to string your own rackets and it allows you to experiment with different strings. I bought a Neos 1500 for my first machine and I'm glad I did. That machine will last me the rest of my wife if I want it to.

If she wants it to
 
Most enjoy stringing, at least on some level, although it can be a chore.

I agree ... I enjoy it, but string mostly my own sticks and don't have to do it frequently. It is a challenge and I like to take my time and gradually improve. I like being able to try different setups. I don't like to cut out strings if they still have life. So I generally string every week or so, rotating through a handful of racquets.

You can get excellent results with basic equipment by taking your time. No need to invest in expensive equipment initially. I would recommend that you just buy a basic machine and see if you like it. It will pay for itself after a few string jobs.
 

Muppet

Legend
Stringing is theraputic for me, and I enjoy it. My attention is usually pretty scattered, so spending a long period of time focusing on this task is very helpful. And the rest of the world goes away for a while.

Unfortunately, I only want to string my own racquets and 5 isn't enough to keep me as busy with stringing as I'd like. I don't want to do other's work because I worked in retail for many years and I've had it up to ^here^ with taking responsibility for other people's recreational needs.

On my next order, I think I'll get a reel of something cheap, just so that I can string a spare racquet each day.

The last three days, I strung one of two spare racquets. After stringing, my mind is definitely quieter and more relaxed for the rest of the day. Tommorow I'll have to string in the late morning to see how long into the day the effect will last.
 

Fuji

Legend
I string in a proshop on a Babolat 5 Star, so I'm spoiled with fixed clamps and electronic pull. I really enjoy doing it, but it can be stressful given that customers are relying on you for a "high quality" string job at a moments notice. :razz:

Overall I do enjoy stringing, however it can sometimes be a bit stressful. :)

-Fuji
 

coachrick

Hall of Fame
The last three days, I strung one of two spare racquets. After stringing, my mind is definitely quieter and more relaxed for the rest of the day. Tommorow I'll have to string in the late morning to see how long into the day the effect will last.

Consider re-furbing rackets for charity or perhaps offer to string for Special Olympics or other budget-conscious groups. I found they are happy to have decent quality equipment and aren't demanding at all in terms of a schedule. Maybe I just have been lucky, but I've never actually had a 'due date' on that type of stringing.

You could string one or two a week for your experiment and have some appreciative 'customers' to boot!
 

Muppet

Legend
Consider re-furbing rackets for charity or perhaps offer to string for Special Olympics or other budget-conscious groups. I found they are happy to have decent quality equipment and aren't demanding at all in terms of a schedule. Maybe I just have been lucky, but I've never actually had a 'due date' on that type of stringing.

You could string one or two a week for your experiment and have some appreciative 'customers' to boot!

Thanks for the tip. My brother is in Special Olympics. But I haven't seen them playing any tennis in this area. Bowling and baseball are popular Special Olympics sports around here. I'd think that tennis would be a good sport for them.
 

Ronaldo

Bionic Poster
Thanks for the tip. My brother is in Special Olympics. But I haven't seen them playing any tennis in this area. Bowling and baseball are popular Special Olympics sports around here. I'd think that tennis would be a good sport for them.

Have volunteer groups that offer tennis lessons to juniors on the weekends and the developmentally disabled during the week in the afternoon. They depend on racquets donated to the program and probably need help re-stringing. If you do not see any tennis programs in your area, contact the recreation department to see if there is any interest in lessons.
 

Magnetite

Professional
It's not really enjoyable.

It isn't the worst thing ever though, and you can learn to weave strings properly, which makes it fun and annoying when learning.

The enjoyable part is playing with fresh strings and not having to worry about whether you can get your rackets done consistently at the same tension.

It's also enjoyable tweaking your set-up to suite your game.

So basically, the act of physically stringing a racket is quite mundane, but it will make playing tennis more fun, and it will allow you to play better (assuming you don't have a dedicated stringer).

Saving money can be enjoyable as well.
 

Muppet

Legend
Have volunteer groups that offer tennis lessons to juniors on the weekends and the developmentally disabled during the week in the afternoon. They depend on racquets donated to the program and probably need help re-stringing. If you do not see any tennis programs in your area, contact the recreation department to see if there is any interest in lessons.

Thanks for the tip Ronaldo, but unfortunately this area is not a tennis culture. You should see the varsity team practice. Big box racquets tapping their serves. It's abysmal. There are racquet clubs though, so there is some tennis life to be had.
 

Nuke

Hall of Fame
Not really a "like" for me. I just do it for the savings and convenience of having a fresh set of strings done competently whenever I want.
 

Bdarb

Hall of Fame
I had to string my hitting partners three o3 tours yesterday. I hate stringing port hole racquets so no, stringing is not enjoyable :evil:

usually its pretty relaxing though.
 

MasturB

Legend
I love stringing.

Except when I have to string stupid Prince rackets with the speed ports, and sometimes Wilson rackets that have the string style cross over on the bottom to where the last cross is a pain in the butt to get.

Been doing it 3+ years now, and when I have my headphones and music on, I can get into a groove and knock them out in 10-12 minutes.
 

Shaun

Rookie
I actually want to learn how to string racquets. I believe it should be kinda fun. And I won't have to even pay for the string jobs since ill be doing it myself. Need to buy myself one stringing machine soon.
 

Bdarb

Hall of Fame
I actually want to learn how to string racquets. I believe it should be kinda fun. And I won't have to even pay for the string jobs since ill be doing it myself. Need to buy myself one stringing machine soon.

If you have any interest in how your gear correlates to your game, it's a no brainer. Makes tennis more enjoyable on a whole other level. At least I thought so. The money saving is an added bonus, though that's kind of a lame excuse because if anything you'll just spend more on string trying stuff out :)
 

Roger Wawrinka

Professional
I actually want to learn how to string racquets. I believe it should be kinda fun. And I won't have to even pay for the string jobs since ill be doing it myself. Need to buy myself one stringing machine soon.

...........................................
 

Roger Wawrinka

Professional
I love stringing.

Except when I have to string stupid Prince rackets with the speed ports, and sometimes Wilson rackets that have the string style cross over on the bottom to where the last cross is a pain in the butt to get.

Been doing it 3+ years now, and when I have my headphones and music on, I can get into a groove and knock them out in 10-12 minutes.

Agreed when it comes to O ports, worst racquets to string ever.
 

Shaun

Rookie
If you have any interest in how your gear correlates to your game, it's a no brainer. Makes tennis more enjoyable on a whole other level. At least I thought so. The money saving is an added bonus, though that's kind of a lame excuse because if anything you'll just spend more on string trying stuff out :)

Nope I won't be trying out other string setups any time soon because out of all the strings I've tried, I totally love wilson champions choice and ill most likely stick to it for the rest of my life. It plays the perfect for me and I believe that nothing can beat natural gut.
 
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sometimes it sucks. it sucks when u have to string multiple rackets in a row. it is frustrating when u mess up and have to start over.

it's kinda fun/relaxing sometimes, if you are going fast. and if you are listening to music.
 

Fuji

Legend
prestige mid with infinity 15L comes to mind

or a power angle. have you tried that

I've strung my prestige mids a couple of times with thicker poly, and while it's not the easiest / fastest, I still don't mind doing them over doing a prince with ports. I don't use a boomerang tool, so I have to lock the table every other cross. Just time consuming when weaving. :mad:

-Fuji
 

goober

Legend
Hello, I'm thinking of getting a stringing machine, but I'm wondering if it will be boring. I'm kinda lazy, especially at things that seem like a chore, haha. I've watched someone do it once, doesn't seem that fun....

Do you guys actually like stringing in of itself or do you do it for another reason other than saving money?

I don't know if I would classify it as enjoyable meaning if I doubt I would do it as some sort of fun. I would classify it as a relaxing chore. Put on the TV, grab your favorite beverage and get it done. Saving money is a big reason to do it, but more importantly saving time. Previously I had to make two round trips 20 minutes each way to drop off and pick up my racquet for stringing. That is 80 minutes of driving total. The other added bonus is when I do it myself I know exactly what I am getting when I am done.

If I did stringing as a job I would probably hate it.
 

zapvor

G.O.A.T.
I've strung my prestige mids a couple of times with thicker poly, and while it's not the easiest / fastest, I still don't mind doing them over doing a prince with ports. I don't use a boomerang tool, so I have to lock the table every other cross. Just time consuming when weaving. :mad:

-Fuji

lets trade! i do all your prince you can do my prestiges:p
 

Bdarb

Hall of Fame
Oh that would make my life haha! Thankfully I don't have to string that many princes! Lots of prestiges around here though!

-Fuji

my hitting partner just moved to Nashville. Only upside is no more stringing prince racquets often. :-?
 

Fuji

Legend
my hitting partner just moved to Nashville. Only upside is no more stringing prince racquets often. :-?

Ahhh! Prince rackets are basically dead here outside of the older folks using the O3 / EX03 Silver. :)

-Fuji
 
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