Ashaway Monogut ZX 17g: Fragile and Brittle

[ricardo]

I never broke any string while tying a knot except for Ashaway Monogut ZX 17.

This is the first and last time I will be buying this string.

For $15 bucks/set, I expect more resistance to breakage when tying a knot.

Some people are happy using this string.

I am not, so that's it.

Its history for me.

 

[Ramon]

You might want to consider whether or not it's worth eliminating the string from consideration for that little quirk. Yes, it's brittle, and I've broken it myself while tying knots. However, it's quite durable when it comes to playing tennis, and the qualities are unique. You may or may not like it, but it's a completely different experience from poly or nylon.

Personally, 17g is too fragile for me. I use 16g and I never use tools when tying knots.

 

[graycrait]

I'll bet I have strung at least 20 rackets with Monogut Zx in the crosses and have yet to break it while tying a knot. Oh well....

 

[Shroud]

I'll bet I have strung at least 20 rackets with Monogut Zx in the crosses and have yet to break it while tying a knot. Oh well....

Same here. Never any issues and most have been with the red color which is supposed to be the worst and the 17g version

Just tie a Parnell and use a starting clamp to pull. Easy

 

[comeback]

Same here. Never any issues and most have been with the red color which is supposed to be the worst and the 17g version

Just tie a Parnell and use a starting clamp to pull. Easy

Same here, never broke the 17g Red ZX..i've even reused it as a cross after the main was dead...Just don't pull the knot too hard..Best string to keep my level up and arm safe.

 

[downunder]

I and other family members have being ZX for years. It is usually very durable and we have never broken a string in the middle of the string bed. The strings have always broken at the grommet strip edge, usually on an extremely off center shot.

The red seems to be more brittle (break more easily) than the natural color. I expect the 17 to break more easily than 16. We only use 16 natural color now.

ZX is stiff sideways but stretchy in length. That results in spin and power but also brittleness.

Good qualities:
- On average, lasts three times as long as any other string we used before
- Good spin
- Lots of power (some people dont' like that)
- Very good comfort when hit in the center of the string bed

Bad qualities:
- Sensitive during stringing: needs a slow pull and careful knot
- Tension sensitive: the range of tensions that work for a particular racquet is much smaller than with most strings
- Takes a week for the tension to stabilize, then little tension loss.
- Breaks on shanks
- Poor comfort on off center hits
- Poor control if you don't center the hit. There is a big power difference between hitting the ball in the string bed center and off center. This looks like poor control on days when you hit a lot off center.

 

[Shroud]

I and other family members have being ZX for years. It is usually very durable and we have never broken a string in the middle of the string bed. The strings have always broken at the grommet strip edge, usually on an extremely off center shot.

The red seems to be more brittle (break more easily) than the natural color. I expect the 17 to break more easily than 16. We only use 16 natural color now.

ZX is stiff sideways but stretchy in length. That results in spin and power but also brittleness.

Good qualities:
- On average, lasts three times as long as any other string we used before
- Good spin
- Lots of power (some people dont' like that)
- Very good comfort when hit in the center of the string bed

Bad qualities:
- Sensitive during stringing: needs a slow pull and careful knot
- Tension sensitive: the range of tensions that work for a particular racquet is much smaller than with most strings
- Takes a week for the tension to stabilize, then little tension loss.
- Breaks on shanks
- Poor comfort on off center hits
- Poor control if you don't center the hit. There is a big power difference between hitting the ball in the string bed center and off center. This looks like poor control on days when you hit a lot off center.

Weird. I cant think of ANY bad qualities of ZX. I used to think it was the knots but I guess I got used to it.

I have used zx at 26-60lbs seemed to work regardless. It seemed to be better at higher tensions but that may be just frame dependent.

It takes about an hour for the tension to stabilize but I prestretch it a ton. That helps alot.

Never EVER broke zx either by stringing or shanks. I had it in a PS85 and well I shanked a ton on that racket but no breaks.

Weird about the comfort. I find zx to be super comfy and very contolled.

Not saying you havent had different experiences, but I am guessing its because you dont fully prestretch and or use it as a full bed. Its too stretchy for me to be used as mains, but as a cross well I am scratching my head at the con list above.

Anyhow Ricardo has moved on...

 

[Shroud]

Mofo!!!

Guess what happened to me today!

Black 16g broken on the knot

I think I figured it out though. The string was short and the angle of the clamp was sharper than normal. When I retied the knot I was careful to keep the angle straight and no issues. Need to be careful as I was rushing.

Thanks for the jinx fellas

Now I am like 31-1 against the zx

 

[downunder]

Weird about the comfort. I find zx to be super comfy and very contolled.

Not saying you havent had different experiences, but I am guessing its because you dont fully prestretch and or use it as a full bed. Its too stretchy for me to be used as mains, but as a cross well I am scratching my head at the con list above

My stringer does not pre-stretch ZX. Just a slow pull at 30% speed. I have not strung for many years.
All my family use it as a full bed. Never tried a hybrid of any string.

It very comfortable except on off center hits. In the center the stretchyness dominates. Nearer the edge the sideways stiffness dominates. Ashaway Dynamite 17 Soft is very easy to bend (little sideways stiffmess) and is comfortable on off center hits.

Overall I like ZX best.

 

[Shroud]

My stringer does not pre-stretch ZX. Just a slow pull at 30% speed. I have not strung for many years.
All my family use it as a full bed. Never tried a hybrid of any string.

It very comfortable except on off center hits. In the center the stretchyness dominates. Nearer the edge the sideways stiffness dominates. Ashaway Dynamite 17 Soft is very easy to bend (little sideways stiffmess) and is comfortable on off center hits.

Overall I like ZX best.

I thought it was a full bed. Zx is the best cross ever but I couldn't do a full bed. It's not stiff enough for my liking

Liked blue dynamite as a cross but zx gets more spin and lasts longer

 

[Audiophile]

Maybe I've been lucky. I've strung up ZX in the crosses probably 6-8 times now. No issues whatsoever. I've become quite a fan of the setup.

 

[Maui19]

I tried a set of ZX and it snapped both times while stringing it. A waste of money for me.

 

[ricardo]

I tried a set of ZX and it snapped both times while stringing it. A waste of money for me.

I fully agree.

It was also a waste of time/effort for me because it snapped while tying-off the crosses, twice!!.

I was tying-off the last cross, the 2nd knot snap.
So I tried the next bottom cross, it snap again but on the 1st knot.

I again tried the 3rd bottom cross and finally it worked.

I played it, and it is crap, totally crap!

My balls are flying off very high with no control.

The only way I will try this string again is if I get a refund everytime it snaps while tying if off or when they reduce the price to $6.

 

[naturallight]

Not for me either. Never had a string snap on me while stringing except for this one. Even when I got it in, it offers zero control.

 

[ricardo]

Not for me either. Never had a string snap on me while stringing except for this one. Even when I got it in, it offers zero control.

There are many people who like this string.

Unfortunately, my first attempt to try it ended in disaster.

Will I try it again?

I don't know.

There are thousands of strings out there.

I only tried about 20 of them at the most.

ZX is the only string that broke while tying off, not once but twice.

 

[Hnefi]

A couple weeks ago, I strung a full bed of ZX at 52# in my K90 as a wet weather setup, 1pc ATW, and it's the only string that I've ever broken tying off. Luckily for me, it broke on the second loop of the Parnell, so the first knot was still cinched and I didn't have to salvage by removing 1 cross.

Next time I'll just be more careful. Pretty nice string, lots of pocket and pretty soft on the arm, but it has a 'crispy' feeling is the only way I can describe.

 

[scotus]

There are many people who like this string.

Unfortunately, my first attempt to try it ended in disaster.

Will I try it again?

I don't know.

There are thousands of strings out there.

I only tried about 20 of them at the most.

ZX is the only string that broke while tying off, not once but twice.

If you're inclined to give it another go (if you don't, I don't blame you), then do a loose knot. Leave a little loop rather than cinch it tight.

 

[moonballs]

I tried the 17g full bed once and the cross broke twice on me. Luckily there was enough string left to string the whole racquet. The full bed ZX pro played well. Later I started using syn gut crosses, partly because it saves a lot of time in stringing and the hybrid plays almost as good.

 

[purple-n-gold]

I'll bet I have strung at least 20 rackets with Monogut Zx in the crosses and have yet to break it while tying a knot. Oh well....

here as well..

 

[oble]

I broke it on a tie-off once during my very first time stringing with Monogut ZX, but it was on the 2nd loop of the knot so it wasn't a big issue. I have since learned to be more gentle with Monogut ZX and have not have any further breakage since.

Know that while elastic and stretchy, it is also more brittle than many other strings. It also has much higher resistance to bending and denting so I find that it is harder to cinch it up as tightly as even poly strings, so IMO you're better off not trying to cinch it up too tightly? The knot will look ugly but at least you won't break the knot.

Also be careful not to accidentally nick the string with anything including the plier. Once it's nicked, it shears and breaks very easily.

 

[ricardo]

I haven't cut it out yet.

I played with it for about 4 hours over 2 days.
Then I noticed that the mains (Natural gut) became sticky.
I inspected the mains, especially in the sweetspot, and I found out why it became sticky after only 4 hours of hitting.
The NG mains are deeply notched.
I can't believe it. I don't hit that hard. I hit with topspin but not that hard.

So I put Babolat string savers and they became slippery again.
It will also prevent further notching.

It plays well as a cross but not significantly better than other cross strings I tried.
For example, I tried Ashaway Liberty 16g as a cross, and I like it too.

At least I tried Monogut ZX.
I can tell myself it is not for me.