Anyone else have someone string just a half a package of Tonic+?

[JavierLW]

Was curious about something.

I had been buying Tonic+ and using it for a full natural gut job. But recently I had the idea of just having the stringer (at a golf/tennis store with a reputable stringer, not an outlet sporting goods store) just string half of the package in the mains and Gosen OG Sheep in the crosses, to save some money.

It seemed cheaper doing it this way, then buying a half set of Wilson or VS, since those are $18 and a full set of Tonic+ is $25. (you save $5-6 per stringing)

However this time the stringer mentioned that something happened while he was stringing the mains so he wasnt able to save the other half of the string.

Do you think this is pretty rare that this might happen, or am I better off just stringing full gut (if my only consideration is price, I play fine with all natural gut).

Obviously if I have to use a full package for just the mains, it's costing me more (the cost of the Gosen), not less, or then I really possibly could of saved money by getting a half set. (although I dont understand if you have an issue with the full set, it seems that odds are you may do it with the half set as well, unless there is some issue I am not aware of)

 

[PurePrestige]

No, the stringer made a mistake, and you probably actually compensate u for losing the other half of the string.

You should be able to get 2 stringjobs out of 1 pack of gut and 1 pack of gosen, stringing both times with Gut mains and Gosen crosses.

It's probably a pretty rare case, or a crappy stringer. Who knows which.

 

[shojun25]

golf smith should have especialized stringers. the stringer was probably really inexperienced (because natural gut IS very delicate to string); you should get your money back because it is the stringer's fault.

and yes, you can do half a set of OG micro and half a set of natural gut. don't forget to put string savers if you haven't already.

the stringer probably wasnt "able to save the other half of the string" because, most likely, the first half set of natural gut when he is tension and he needed to use the other half set to string your racquet just my opinion though.

 

[Hidious]

The stringer should actually cut the set in half before stringing it doesn't he? Bad stringer.

 

[JavierLW]

golf smith should have especialized stringers. the stringer was probably really inexperienced (because natural gut IS very delicate to string); you should get your money back because it is the stringer's fault.

and yes, you can do half a set of OG micro and half a set of natural gut. don't forget to put string savers if you haven't already.

the stringer probably wasnt "able to save the other half of the string" because, most likely, the first half set of natural gut when he is tension and he needed to use the other half set to string your racquet just my opinion though.

He admitted that he screwed up the first half of the string. (he probally strung it wrong and had to cut it out, or it snapped on him or something)

I probally should of made a bigger stink about it.

But as luck would have it, I actually go to this guy because he's known as one of the better stringers in this area. (there isnt too many to choose from, it's either that, your local sporting good store, or a tennis store that usually has teenagers stringing racquet, or my tennis club where I have had a lot of bad experiences)

I actually go to this guy because Im using gut and he is sort of highly recommended and I didnt trust it in any of the other situations.

So Im hoping it's just a rare case. I'll try it again. (providing I even like this setup)

Actually the weird part was it was a "free" string job. (he gives me one of those USRSA cards where if I have 4 racquets strung, I get the 5th strung for free) So he probally wouldnt of charged me for the job had it not been for that. But I do kind of feel like I lost my "free" string job (since I lost $12 worth of string, and now I have to purchase a new package if I want another one strung).

I wonder if someone is a pretty decent stringer, what are the odds that something bad happens? Ive had 7 racquets (that are all NG or some hybrid of it with NG in the mains), and this is the first one that he lost some string on. (2 were Titan string, one was VS mains, and the other 4 were Tonic+)

 

[JavierLW]

The stringer should actually cut the set in half before stringing it doesn't he? Bad stringer.

Im almost thinking he did, but he did something wrong with the first half, and just went ahead and strung it with the second half. (which wouldnt be bad, I still need it strung)

The only questionable part is that I lost half of the string and $12 (plus I have to buy a whole new package for $25 plus shipping when I could of just had the string to string another racquet).

Im almost wondering if I should cut it in half next time? (not sure I want to spool out 40 feet of string though)

 

[shojun25]

(2 were Titan string, one was VS mains, and the other 4 were Tonic+)

mind comparing titan with vs? i only played with vs and i thought that it was amazing (hybrid, not full string job).

back to the OP... I would let your stringer off the hook this time if he strung your racquet with gut before. TBH, it is really risky to string gut (I tried once and completed the job, but I didn't want to do it again) so just cut him some slack. why not try some multis like nxt or X-1 biphase to save you some money?

 

[JavierLW]

mind comparing titan with vs? i only played with vs and i thought that it was amazing (hybrid, not full string job).

back to the OP... I would let your stringer off the hook this time if he strung your racquet with gut before. TBH, it is really risky to string gut (I tried once and completed the job, but I didn't want to do it again) so just cut him some slack. why not try some multis like nxt or X-1 biphase to save you some money?

Well consider that Ive been using NXT for many many years, it's not like I busted out and started playing tennis today with Gut in my racquet.

I first used Titan, and I would have to say performance wise I enjoyed it a lot more than NXT, even though I hadnt minded NXT this whole time.

However I had a few issues with tension loss, possibly due to taking it out into the winter cold and not having a thermo bag at the time. Gut just pockets the ball so much better so I felt like I had a lot more control and a lot more confidence to swing out on the ball (because I knew where it was going). (as long as the strings dont get too loose, then the ball pocketing seems to be a bad thing)

I also know of other people who still use Titan and take it to the same stringer and they seem to have a lot more issues with it breaking than Tonic+. (they usually break around the grommets when they are just sitting around)

I have another friend however that uses Titan, and he keeps his racquets in the club (controlled environment) and they last him forever. (he's a teaching pro so he's always feeding with them)

I think the Tonic+ and VS are a little better performance wise, and I feel it lasts longer so it was worth the price.

Ive only used VS with NXT 17 in the crosses, didnt notice much of a diffrence from Tonic+, except that I was paying $18 for half a set of string rather than $25 for a full set. According to Babolat the only diffrence between VS and Tonic+ is Tonic+ may have impuritys in it. I choose to believe that and Im sure my pocketbook is grateful for that. :grin:

(actually interestingly enough the VS/NXT hybrid didnt seem much diffrent to me then my other racquet which had all Tonic+ at the time)

As far as multis. Like I said, Ive been using NXT for years. I was forced to string up a racquet with biphase last week (had it laying around, had a tournament and didnt have time to order new gut and both of my gut racquets lost too much tension at the same time), and I think it's better than NXT, but still not as nice as my gut racquets.

I also keep a 3rd racquet as a "wet weather" spare so I know the difference. Against someone who pounds the ball I do okay with either, but if I have to generate my own pace off a slow to medium pace ball it seems like I can get more accurate with the Natural Gut and still be able to swing out. It just responds more consistantly.

 

[Masamusou]

It's not really my place to say what that particular "stringer" was doing because I don't know all the information, but I string for a couple different places (one of those golf/tennis places, my own connections, and a few other misc. jobs). Anyway, one question I do feel the need to ask is where did you buy the string from? Sorry to say, but a lot of stores/shops will not compensate for broken strings if you bring the string in yourself.

As a stringer, if a customer brings a set of string (especially gut), and it breaks, there are a couple possible explanations. One: faulty string (should have been noticed before beginning but sometimes they slip by), Two: Stringer error (never had that happen but I'm sure it happens to some people), Three: Poor storage conditions. If a set of string I'm providing breaks, then I have no problem replacing it at my expense because I know it was stored properly, which means either I screwed up or the string was faulty and I should have noticed it before I even started (again, haven't had this problem personally), but if a customer brings in a set of gut and it snaps, I would like to think that it was stored properly, but for all I know he could have stored it in his trunk for 3 weeks sitting in an open parking lot during the summer. The big key is that if you provide the strings, the stringer has no way of knowing that it was stored properly with any certainty. This is why most will not replace strings at their expense given that situation.

I highly doubt poor storage conditions are the cause in this case, but it is justifiable for the stringer not to compensate for the broken half set if you provided the strings. People have tried to pull that where they get the cheapest gut they can find, leave it sitting in direct sunlight out of its package for a week or so and bring it to me to string. If it snaps, they expect me to replace it at my expense with VS gut, which obviously isn't going to happen, and I don't see how I should be expected to replace a string in that situation. Again, I doubt something like that is the case, but from the view of the stringer, something like that is a possibility if the string did not come from his stock.

Just the view from a stringer that works with gut a little too often.

 

[JavierLW]

It's not really my place to say what that particular "stringer" was doing because I don't know all the information, but I string for a couple different places (one of those golf/tennis places, my own connections, and a few other misc. jobs). Anyway, one question I do feel the need to ask is where did you buy the string from? Sorry to say, but a lot of stores/shops will not compensate for broken strings if you bring the string in yourself.

As a stringer, if a customer brings a set of string (especially gut), and it breaks, there are a couple possible explanations. One: faulty string (should have been noticed before beginning but sometimes they slip by), Two: Stringer error (never had that happen but I'm sure it happens to some people), Three: Poor storage conditions. If a set of string I'm providing breaks, then I have no problem replacing it at my expense because I know it was stored properly, which means either I screwed up or the string was faulty and I should have noticed it before I even started (again, haven't had this problem personally), but if a customer brings in a set of gut and it snaps, I would like to think that it was stored properly, but for all I know he could have stored it in his trunk for 3 weeks sitting in an open parking lot during the summer. The big key is that if you provide the strings, the stringer has no way of knowing that it was stored properly with any certainty. This is why most will not replace strings at their expense given that situation.

I highly doubt poor storage conditions are the cause in this case, but it is justifiable for the stringer not to compensate for the broken half set if you provided the strings. People have tried to pull that where they get the cheapest gut they can find, leave it sitting in direct sunlight out of its package for a week or so and bring it to me to string. If it snaps, they expect me to replace it at my expense with VS gut, which obviously isn't going to happen, and I don't see how I should be expected to replace a string in that situation. Again, I doubt something like that is the case, but from the view of the stringer, something like that is a possibility if the string did not come from his stock.

Just the view from a stringer that works with gut a little too often.

Thanks for your insight into this.

I bought the string from TW. Stored it in my apartment out of direct sunlight (apartment is 75-80F), for about a week in it's original packaging. (is that a decent tempature?, that's what my central air is set to)

I can see why you would need a policy like that though at least for gut. So if that's the case I take it this doesnt happen that often then? (if we assume it's a decent stringer and it's Tonic+ and not some even cheaper string like Titan)

 

[Steve Huff]

Most stringer do NOT guarantee string brought in by the customer. There's just no way of knowing where, how or how long the string was stored, or if it's even the real thing. Next time, if you want to supply the string, cut both strings in half YOURSELF, put each one in a Ziplock bag, mark one MAINS and the other CROSSES. Then, if something happens while stringing, he'll have to call you before he proceeds.