18g syn too springy, going to 15L

[Wuppy]

Was in a big match yesterday, got beat because I was routinely hitting the ball 1-2 feet long. The guy hit 2-3 winners off me, everything else was my error.

I'd cut out my BM which I enjoy and replaced it with 18g nylon at #63 and was trying to get back into nylon so that I didn't have to restring all the time.

But 18g is just too springy I guess. I'm thinking that the springiness of thin-gauge string counteracts the increased spin it achieves. So I'm going with some thick stuff at #63 to see if it will deaden my shots. My racquet is 16x19 so I've already got that going for spin.

 

[ramos77]

I would try 16 first.

check the measurements of the string, 16 in one make doesn't mean 16 in another...

 

[pvaudio]

I don't think the string was to blame. Had you tried the string before the match? You can't hit the same shot with a full bed of 18g syn gut that you can with a full bed of poly.

 

[cluckcluck]

Or even give 16L a try, no need to go to the polar opposite right off the bat.

 

[ricki]

try prince syn gut df 16 gauge - it isnt that powerful

 

[mad dog1]

nylon or syn gut is much more elactic than poly so if you string BM at 62#, nylon at 63# is likely too low. try stringing it at 64 or 65#.

 

[mikeler]

Multis and syn guts are best in 16g IMHO.

 

[Wuppy]

All right I'll try 16. I tend to hit balls long anyway and many of my shots are within a foot of the baseline, but the BM was staying in while this 18g syn was just barely out. And it was the first time I'd played competitively with 18g syn. I lost to a guy I should have beat and it p*ssed me off.

 

[LeeD]

On one of my Dunlop200's, I strung 18 gauge over my normal 15.
Hits about the same, FOR ME. All strings at 52.
If you hit long, aim lower.

 

[mad dog1]

or if you hit long, string a few #s tighter.

 

[LeeD]

Why string tighter?
OP does not have a grooved stroke, so he should just aim lower.
NONE of us have grooved strokes, except maybe TennisBalla here. NONE of us are 6.0's.

 

[mad dog1]

All right I'll try 16. I tend to hit balls long anyway and many of my shots are within a foot of the baseline, but the BM was staying in while this 18g syn was just barely out. And it was the first time I'd played competitively with 18g syn. I lost to a guy I should have beat and it p*ssed me off.

Why string tighter?
OP does not have a grooved stroke, so he should just aim lower.
NONE of us have grooved strokes, except maybe TennisBalla here. NONE of us are 6.0's.

apparently OP has a grooved enough stroke that he is able to hit many of his shots +/- 1 foot of the baseline. if he's able to be this accurate, then increasing tension will be the quickest way to solving his problem while allowing him to maintain his current stroke.

 

[Wuppy]

yeah if I aim lower it goes in the net. I'm no Murray, I'm only a 3.5 due to my inconsistency, but the one thing that people compliment me on is my deep topspin forehands. Not "heavy" per se, but deep and consistently within a foot or two of the baseline. When they're landing in I can work the point well and push people back and then win the point with a dropper or an angled shot, but when they're landing long I hit a billion UEs and lose.

As I get better and more consistent, things may change, but for now I need something with less power. I didn't realize 18g would be that much springier than 15-16g. It makes sense though, of course, the mass of the ball will move a thinner string more and store more energy in it.

 

[LeeD]

As a self confessed 3.5, OP doesn't have a grooved stroke whatsoever.
A grooved stroke is reserved for 5.5's and better.
Instead of aiming 3' lower, try aiming 3" lower. :shock:

 

[Wuppy]

yeah I've tried, either they hit the back of the court or they're in the net. I don't have the fine-tuning at this point. Gotta play more years. But I didn't post this in the Tips and Instruction area of the board, I posted in Strings. Just relating what I'm gonna do and I'll post here when I've tried it.

 

[mad dog1]

yeah if I aim lower it goes in the net. I'm no Murray, I'm only a 3.5 due to my inconsistency, but the one thing that people compliment me on is my deep topspin forehands. Not "heavy" per se, but deep and consistently within a foot or two of the baseline. When they're landing in I can work the point well and push people back and then win the point with a dropper or an angled shot, but when they're landing long I hit a billion UEs and lose.

As I get better and more consistent, things may change, but for now I need something with less power. I didn't realize 18g would be that much springier than 15-16g. It makes sense though, of course, the mass of the ball will move a thinner string more and store more energy in it.

make changes in small steps. since you're using 18g now, taking up the tension 1-2# should bring the ball in by 3-6 feet.

 

[LeeD]

Problem here is that you already mentioned you use high string tension, which can later on hurt your arm or shoulders.
Don't hit 5' above the net cord, instead hit 3' above the net cord. You don't have the power to hit out if you lower your target height.

 

[mad dog1]

syn gut or nylon at 64-65#s shouldn't hurt him esp since he's already used to poly at 62#s.

 

[Wuppy]

well, I got a deal on 2 sets of Gamma 15L syn so I'm gonna try that and see what happens. I like making large changes so I can tell the difference, it's hard for me to tell minor differences between strings.

 

[Wuppy]

Ok so I strung up my racquet with 15L at 62/63 using the Wuppy method on crosses below the halfway point.

I used some oldish Gamma Advantage nylon which I got for a steal. Very stiff string, much like a poly.

It feels good, closest thing to a poly so far. The strings don't move at all. Spin is slightly, and I mean slightly less than BM. BM actually feels a little softer which is weird, though the stuff I'm comparing it to is a few weeks old now so that might be part of it.

I think you guys were right, 16g might have been a little better. I'm going to see if I can find some Gamma Advantage in 16g and string up my 2nd identical racquet with it. Then if I'm feeling super strong and stuff is flying long I can use the 15L. Otherwise I can use the 16.

 

[arche3]

What is the wuppy method exactly?

 

[Wuppy]

What is the wuppy method exactly?

Explained in more depth here: http://tt.tennis-warehouse.com/showpost.php?p=6540460&postcount=4

But basically once you reach the midpoint of the frame with your crosses you increase the tension of each successive cross by 1/2 (or so) lb. This is because of the results of this video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SIWDWv1pk88