Ashaway MonoGut ZX & MonoGut ZX Pro (black) Playtest!

[SteveI]

MonoGut ZX Pro - 1.22 mm (Black) Playtest - SteveI

String Received: MonoGut ZX Pro - 1.22 mm

Tension(s) used for playtest: 54/52

Regular string set up: Tourna Big Hitter Silver 50/48 17G (1.22mm)

Racquet brand and model used for test: Dunlop Bio 600 Modified - 11.2 oz 6 points HL. Leather Grip.

Power of test string: I tested this string side by side with 2 other frames. A sort of baseline set-up of the same frame (Dunlop Bio 600 Modified) with a full bed of Gosen OG Micro 17G at 58/56 and a Dunlop m-Fil 400 modified strung with my regular Tourna set-up (Big Hitter Silver 17G 50/48). The test string was indeed more powerful than both set-ups. This string provides free power and it is there when you require it. The power was not overwhelming but some adjustments needed to be made to control the additional power.

Feel: The feel of the test string fell right in the middle of the three test rackets. It had better feel than the BHS 17G and not as good as the Gosen OG 17G. In general, I would say the test string was crisp but was a bit springy. There was an average connection to the stringbed and pocketing was decent. The OG Micro was the best in this department as expected. I would have strung this frame a bit higher but I wanted to follow the playtest instructions and stringing instructions (Ashaway) as close as possible. I was also concerned about going too high and breaking the string while stringing. If I could have gone up a few pounds the string would have been a bit less lively and I would have created a more crisp stringbed, which I prefer.

Spin: I was very happy with the amount of spin potential on every stroke except my kick serve. Compared to the full bed of BHS 17G it was not as good over all strokes. I am not sure why I was not getting my preferred spin on the kick serve, but it was clear I was not. The test string was much better than the Gosen OG 17G. Last time I tested this string I was not as happy with the spin potential. I tested the red version if my memory is correct. I rate the overall spin potential as good.

Comfort: Loved the comfort. This string at this tension was excellent. Even in a frame with a RA of 71, I was very impressed with comfort. Blew away the BHS 17G which is soft for a poly and was right up there with the Gosen 17G.

Durability: The string is still going strong and I have not seen much notching in the 8 plus hours of testing. String movement is decent and they do not seem to provide the same snap-back as my poly setup. The Gosen OG 17G strings are moving all over the place. I am not a big string breaker and I have not popped this yet.

Playability Duration: I loved how stable this string played over time. Ashaway really hit the mark here. If this string was used with a Natty Gut main you would have a set-up that would hold up well and create a nice price point for the Natty Gut/MonoGut ZX hybrid.

Control: I found the control to be not as good as my regular set-up or the Gosen OG 17G. Since the test set-up tension was bit lower than I might have used for match play, I was not quite getting the control I require. I feel if was to string this in a full bed at 56 or 58 it would be a much more controllable set-up. I did not feel that I also knew where the ball was going at this tension and my connection to the string bed was a bit lacking.

Compare to the string you use most often: See above!!

Tension recommendations: (after hitting it, would you recommend a different tension? If yes, why?) See above!!

Additional thoughts: Really enjoy the playtest. Thanks TW and Ashaway. This string is very unique and would be a great string under the right conditions. As I stated in my last playtest, this string is not quite a poly and not quite a syn gut but not as good as either. This string would work great in a full bed with non-string breakers who enjoy a long string life and stable performance. Natty Gut / MonoGut ZX hybrid would rule!!!

 

[stringmaster]

String Received: MonoGut ZX Pro - 1.22 mm

Tension(s) used for playtest: 57 all around

Regular string set up: Rpm at 57 1.22mm

Racquet brand and model used for test: Babolat Aero Pro Drive Latest Model

Power of test string: The test string was way more powerful than my usual RPm. The string creates its own power and does not require hitting harder. While the amount of power was large it did not require me to adjust my strokes.

Feel: This string started out and stayed lively throughout the test. I did not notice a decrease in playability to the very end which made me very happy.

Spin: I was very happy with the amount of spin this string created. It gave just as much if not more than RPM. I was able to keep hitting my usual shots with high bounces and lots of spin without having to put in extra effort.

Comfort: Loved the comfort. This string at this tension was excellent. Even in a frame with a RA of 71, I was very impressed with comfort. Blew away the BHS 17G which is soft for a poly and was right up there with the Gosen 17G.

Durability: The string sadly broke after 5 hours of testing. I am a heavy topspin player making me a big string breaker. This was not the most durable string I have ever played with but was fairly durable.

Playability Duration: Great job Ashway. As I mentioned in the feel section of my review this string stayed lively and playable right until the end. This is probably the best part of this string.

Control: I found the control to be the same as my RPM. I kept the tension the same as it. With the extra power the string gives I was surprised the balls were not flying out.

Compare to the string you use most often: I would have to say that I like this string more than the RPM. It gives more power while giving the same control. I will be a customer of this string.

Tension recommendations: 57 was perfect!

Additional thoughts: Thanks TW and Ashaway.

 

[Bud]

Monogut ZX Pro Review

String Received: MonoGut ZX Pro

Tension(s) used for playtest: 60# mains / 55# crosses on a dropweight. There was no pre-stretch performed but I clamped after the weigh stopped moving completely.

Regular string set up: Klip NG (uncoated) 16g or Head RIP Control 16g mains at 60# / RPM Blast 16g crosses at 55#.

Racquet brand and model used for test: 2012 PDR in stock form

Power of test string: Generally, the power of ZX is high and it's very sensitive to tension. At the strung tension it was initially too stiff and fairly low-powered. After breaking in, it was more comfortable and the power level rose significantly.

Feel (Stiff? Mushy? Muted? Crisp?): The feel of this string at the strung tension was too stiff. I'd never strung up ZX is a full bed and was very unhappy with the string during the first hitting session. It also sounded like poly when strung too-high. I'd recommend lowering the tension 5# in both directions.

Spin: This string produces nice poly-like spin out of the package - although with less control. After 3-4 hours, the slick, smooth surface wears and the strings don't slide as freely as they did when new. I used silicone spray and it restored the sliding action. Like poly, this string also notches when in a full bed - after 5-6 hours. This is the reason I prefer hard strings as a cross in a hybrid.

Comfort: At the strung tension, the string was pretty stiff and I could definitely feel it in my arm. After 3-4 hours and standing on the stringbed, it loosened up significantly and was more comfortable.

Durability: I'm not a string breaker so this is never an issue. I put approximately 13-15 hours on the string, over the course of four hitting sessions and the string is fine.

Playability Duration: At the strung tension, the string was too stiff, initially. After 3-4 hours, it loosened up and was more comfortable and more powerful. After the break-in, it played consistently.

Control: Overall, the control of this string is pretty good due to the ability to create decent spin. However, once in a while a shot would sail off the stringbed for no apparent reason. A couple times, I had to look to make sure it hadn't broken a string after a number of these shots. I've not experienced this with any other string or string setup.

Compare to the string you use most often: I prefer the predictability of a softer, powerful main string combined with a poly cross. It provides the best of all worlds, IMO. This string in a full bed lacked feel - similar to a full bed of poly. I've used 16g ZX as a cross with a soft NG/multi main and like it. I'd never use this string in a full bed after this test.

Tension recommendations: Decrease tension to 55# mains and 50# crosses and re-evaluate. This string is too sensitive to varying tensions. When too tight, it's low-powered and uncomfortable. When too loose, it's too powerful and lacks control.

List any additional thoughts: I'd definitely recommend this string as a cross with a soft/powerful NG or MF main. When used as a cross, it's not as sensitive to tension ranges. Also, when used as a cross, the softer mains will not notch the ZX crosses and lock into place. I don't get the same occasional unpredictability when I use this string as a cross. This string is a good option for those who like hybrids with poly crosses but can't take poly, IMO.

If anyone would like me to expound on any of the above observations/comments, let me know.

 

[SteveI]

Bud,

Why did you string at 60 for mains. The max listed is 60? Just asking... . Others have indicated that at 60 it was going to play a bit dead and stiff. This string has a very narrow window and strung too low... If I was to do it over again, I would string a few #s higher. I did love the free power at the lower tension.. but the control suffered.

Steve

 

[Bud]

Bud,

Why did you string at 60 for mains. The max listed is 60? Just asking... . Others have indicated that at 60 it was going to play a bit dead and stiff. This string has a very narrow window and strung too low... If I was to do it over again, I would string a few #s higher. I did love the free power at the lower tension.. but the control suffered.

Steve

I've strung it a number of times in the crosses and it always felt too lively at anything below 55#. So, I thought 60# would be OK. It was only stiff the first time out. It loosened up quite a bit after that and some standing on the stringbed

Some are pre-stretching it and then going 55# which is probably similar.

 

[SteveI]

I've strung it a number of times in the crosses and it always felt too lively at anything below 55#. So, I thought 60# would be OK. It was only stiff the first time out. It loosened up quite a bit after that and some standing on the stringbed

Some are pre-stretching it and then going 55# which is probably similar.

Bud,

Thanks.. Still not sure why this string would ever be used in the mains. The tension window is just too narrow for my tastes. This string seems to be much like Babolat Origin. Both are very unique.. but too precise and hard to balance. Both Bab Origin and Ashaway Mono Gut ZX are both really suited for crosses than a full bed or as a main IMHO.

Steve

 

[Mortican]

Review: Ashaway Monogut ZX Pro (black)

Tension used for play test: 58lbs (racket suggests: 55-65)
Regular string set up: Prince Synthetic Gut 16g and recently Babolat Origin. I also use a string dampener.
Racquet brand and model used for test: Dunlop Aerogel 4d 300 Tour 18X20, modified with 8g at 3 & 9.
Power of test string: Medium power. Power felt controllable.
Feel (Stiff? Mushy? Muted? Crisp?) On the crisp side, but also had a "wiry" feel/sound to it.
Spin: Very good spin - especially since I play with an 18X20
Comfort: I'm a little sensitive to strings these days. I was getting a little wrist discomfort. There was vibration into the handle which I normally don't have with synthetic or other strings, synthetics, etc.
Durability: Appears pretty durable. I haven't noticed any fraying, and notching appears minor.
Playability Duration (share thoughts on if/how the playability changed over time): When first strung it seems a little muted and on the dead side. After about 15-20 mins. of hitting the strings seemed to come to life.
Control: Very good control. Again, it didn't seem over-powering or too springy.
Compare to the string you use most often
Tension recommendations (after hitting it, would you recommend a different tension? If yes, why?): I would try ZX Pro at a little lower tension, maybe 56lbs in an 18X20 for a little more comfort.
List any additional thoughts (optional): ZX Pro seemed a little wiry feeling, had a tinny sound to it, but wasn't horrible. I like, crisp/poppy sting sounds. There were vibrations in the racket handle, which I don't normally experience with my other string set ups. I may try putting leather pad at the 6 o'clock position and on the last string inserts on the throat to see if that quiets the wire/tinny sound and reduces the vibration. It seems to hold tension well. Overall, a good, consistently playing/feeling/tension holding string.
Thanks!

 

[Bud]

Review: Ashaway Monogut ZX Pro (black)

Tension used for play test: 58lbs (racket suggests: 55-65)
Regular string set up: Prince Synthetic Gut 16g and recently Babolat Origin. I also use a string dampener.
Racquet brand and model used for test: Dunlop Aerogel 4d 300 Tour 18X20, modified with 8g at 3 & 9.
Power of test string: Medium power. Power felt controllable.
Feel (Stiff? Mushy? Muted? Crisp?) On the crisp side, but also had a "wiry" feel/sound to it.
Spin: Very good spin - especially since I play with an 18X20
Comfort: I'm a little sensitive to strings these days. I was getting a little wrist discomfort. There was vibration into the handle which I normally don't have with synthetic or other strings, synthetics, etc.
Durability: Appears pretty durable. I haven't noticed any fraying, and notching appears minor.
Playability Duration (share thoughts on if/how the playability changed over time): When first strung it seems a little muted and on the dead side. After about 15-20 mins. of hitting the strings seemed to come to life.
Control: Very good control. Again, it didn't seem over-powering or too springy.
Compare to the string you use most often
Tension recommendations (after hitting it, would you recommend a different tension? If yes, why?): I would try ZX Pro at a little lower tension, maybe 56lbs in an 18X20 for a little more comfort.
List any additional thoughts (optional): ZX Pro seemed a little wiry feeling, had a tinny sound to it, but wasn't horrible. I like, crisp/poppy sting sounds. There were vibrations in the racket handle, which I don't normally experience with my other string set ups. I may try putting leather pad at the 6 o'clock position and on the last string inserts on the throat to see if that quiets the wire/tinny sound and reduces the vibration. It seems to hold tension well. Overall, a good, consistently playing/feeling/tension holding string.
Thanks!

You experience sounds similar to mine and you used a similar tension. I didn't care for the feel/sound/vibration (which I forgot to mention in my review) when the string was fresh.

I'd drop the tension at least 5# in both mains and crosses if I strung this stuff up in the future.

Bud,

Thanks.. Still not sure why this string would ever be used in the mains. The tension window is just too narrow for my tastes. This string seems to be much like Babolat Origin. Both are very unique.. but too precise and hard to balance. Both Bab Origin and Ashaway Mono Gut ZX are both really suited for crosses than a full bed or as a main IMHO.

Steve

I agree that this string does make a nice cross with a soft/powerful main. I also tried it once in the mains with a poly cross - and again didn't care for it. Those who use full poly may like this string in a full bed strung up on the tighter side.

I've now tried this string in all colors, in all sizes and in the popular configurations. The only configuration I like is a soft MF/NG main and ZX cross. I also prefer the 16g in natural.

 

[ten11]

Ashaway monogut ZX pro 1.22 review

String Received (MonoGut ZX or MonoGut ZX Pro) Ashaway MonoGut ZX Pro, 1.22mm, 17g black.

Tension(s) used for playtest: 55 lbs lockout machine

Regular string set up Msv CoFocus 17g @ 55lbs

Racquet brand and model used for test Wilson steam 99s, 16x15

Power of test string powerful. This is a very powerful string. Given the information available, I strung at 55lbs but still more than I like. In one way, it is good power that enable me to hit the ball deep, but on the other end, I hit more balls out than I normally do with other string setup.

Feel (Stiff? Mushy? Muted? Crisp?) Firm and springy. String bed is very firm, ball pocketing and feel is not to my like. It got a lot of power and ball comes off the string bed flying and a bit hard to control.

Spin Good spin. With the help of wilson spin effect racket, I can generate very good spin balls with this setup. overall, it is in line with good poly strings and I can feel more spins than my normal setup, MSV CoFocus.

Comfort Even thought I strung at 55lbs, I don't feel any discomfort with this string setup.

Durability Very good. Other than string movement, I do not see any sign of breakage, but I normally do not break strings.

Playability Duration (share thoughts on if/how the playability changed over time) I think it is pretty consistent. I have played with it for over 13 hours now and it still perform well with good spin.

Control. Below average. Normally when a string can generate tons of spin, the control will be also very good. Because of the extra power this string provides, it is actually not the case. I feel it is not easy to control the ball. Definitely not the string I feel most comfortable in control.

Compare to the string you use most often I liked the spin this string provides. Also enjoyed the extra power in serve and ground stroke. But I do feel I wish this string can provide a bit more control.

Tension recommendations (after hitting it, would you recommend a different tension? If yes, why?) I will string up 5lbs more to 60 lbs. I like this string but the extra power and control is holding me back. if string up to 60 lbs can provide more control and less power with no discomfort, I will be very happy with it. I will even make this string my top pick.

List any additional thoughts (optional) This is a very interesting string to play test. I dislike a lot of small things, such as the pinging sound when I hit the ball. I do not like the extra requirement of stringing slow, etc. (I string it up normal and not much problem for me to string, very smooth string job for me.) I also dislike the lack of control and extra power. But none of them actually holding me back because of the spin potential and long playability. It provides good spin even compare to poly but definitely long playability compare to poly.

Thanks for tw and Ashaway for the play testing.

 

[Mortican]

Yes, it does have vibration and a sound I didn't care for. I just finished a doubles tournament today (losing in the semi-finals) and I switched to this racket in one of the matches. The ball was flying on me a bit, particularly with volleys. I had a hard time finding any touch with it.

 

[SteveI]

Yes, it does have vibration and a sound I didn't care for. I just finished a doubles tournament today (losing in the semi-finals) and I switched to this racket in one of the matches. The ball was flying on me a bit, particularly with volleys. I had a hard time finding any touch with it.

The connection to the stringbed for me was just average. The string does not pocket as well as other strings I enjoy and not close to nat gut. The feel is similar to a soft poly strung at low tension for my game. The stringbed does indeed exhibit vibration and a sound I didn't care for. A few folks indicated that this vibration caused an issue with comfort. I did not experience the comfort issue, but I never do.

 

[moonballs]

String Received: Monogut ZX Pro (black 17G)

Tension(s) used for playtest: 57# mains 55# crosses, on a drop weight. I did a light prestretch to take out the coil memory and waited for the drop weight arm to stop dropping at each string. Two problems during stringing: first the string broke at the third cross, but luckily the remaining string was 17 feet in length which was plenty, second the string broke when I was pulling the last knot. So I tied off at the second to last cross and strung the last cross with the leftover strings from the mains.

Regular string set up: M: Ashaway Monogut ZX 16@55#. X: syn gut 53#.

Racquet brand and model used for test: Head extreme pro 2.0, I changed the grip to Wilson shock shield which helps to dampen the pinging sound.

Power of test string: Less powerful with 2lb higher tension than my usual set up but the power is very good compared to poly and syn gut only.

Feel (Stiff? Mushy? Muted? Crisp?): I am already used to the sound from the ZX hybrid. First time full bed ZX does have a bigger ping sound but a dampener takes care of it. What's left is just a louder crack at contact compared to poly or syn gut but it is totally fine to me. Ground strokes and volley feel lively and crisp. Dropshots however ended up as sitters for my opponents.

Spin: For a lively string the spin is very good. I had no problem hitting heavy rally balls from behind the baseline with full swing, and put aways on sitters. The spin was enough to keep the ball in. The results on touch shots was not that great, as I chase down the droppers I often plop the ball back too high and lose the point.

Comfort: I would say this is a comfortable string bed even at higher than recommended tension (my nylon tension is 53-55, poly 47-50). I have a sensitive wrist. I am trying to find a good non poly string and also trying to avoid death grips when playing. So far so good.

Durability: I have about 6 hours of mostly baseline rallies and 2 practice sets. The string have no fraying and minimum notching. I will update when it breaks or I cut it out.

Playability Duration (share thoughts on if/how the playability changed over time): At 6-7 hours mark I feel the control is still good. It seems it has not passed the half life time yet.

Compare to the string you use most often: it is better than ZX/syngut hybrid because the hybrid loses control faster. The flip side is the tendency of string breaking during installation. I was very lucky this time.

Tension recommendations (after hitting it, would you recommend a different tension? Why?): I would go with same tension for the mains and crosses. Maybe because of the friction the elongation of the crosses were less complete than the mains, or maybe the 55lb is the magical kink of the nonlinear response. The crosses are much looser than the 2lb differential would typically result.

List any additional thoughts (optional)
Thanks TW and Ashaway for giving me an opportunity to try this setup. I would not have gotten around trying full bed ZX so soon on my own.

Pros: Playability, comfort, durability
Cons: Risk of breakage during stringing (so the 16G might be the happy medium)

Full bed of ZX is definitely a viable choice. I will see how long this set up lasts. If it more than twice of the hybrid I might switch to full bed ZX.

 

[g4driver]

MonoGut ZX Pro - 1.22 mm (Black) Playtest

Regular string set up: Pacific Tough Gut 16G / Head Hawk (57/54) mostly on hard courts, and Cyclone Tour 16g (57/54) mostly on clay and hard courts if damp/rainy conditions.

My regular frame: Steam 99S x 3 with Volkl Leather Grips / 339 grams

I tested this string side by side with two other Steam 99S frames. One with Pac Tough Gut / Head Hawk, one full bed of Cyclone Tour 16G, against this full bed of MonoGut 1.22 in a Steam 99S.

Tension - 57M/54X ~ Strung on a Alpha Apex II- I prestretched this string, then pulled each string from the same starting point trying to get the most consistent string job possible. It took me twice as long as normal to string this frame, as I was extremely careful not to break these strings. I don't normally give this level of care to my own gut string jobs, so this was a major drawback. If this string is so prone to breaking during stringing, it is clearly too thin.

Power: Plenty of power. More than I needed even at high tensions.

Feel: It feels like a more plastic version of Cyclone, and it makes a most distinct noise when the ball hits the strings. I had more than one doubles partner ask why I don't use dampers. I think the sound bothered a few people. The noise didn't bother me.

Spin: Not nearly as much spin as Cyclone Tour, nor the Gut/Hawk. Extra spin wasn't noted in this string.

Control: Not as much I wanted. This is where I felt the string disappointed the most for me. It is probably my Steam 99S, but I have better control with Cyclone, Cyclone Tour, and Pacific Tough Gut / Head Hawk.

Comfort: it is a comfortable string. Feels closer to a stiffer multi or a very soft co-poly.

Durability: The string is still going strong and I have not seen much notching in the 9 plus hours of testing. Not sure when they will break, but I fully expect to snap a main.

Tension recommendations: String it tighter, to get as much control as you can.

My overall thoughts: Redo this playtest and allow users to use it as a cross only. But scrap the 1.22 version completely, and go with a 15L version of this string. This string might find a home as more affordable version of Gamma Glide. I believe Ashaway should accept that players using very open patterns might like this as a cross, but we aren't willing to use as a full bed or a main. Just my .02

I truly appreciate the chance to try this string, and would love to try a thicker 1.27 mm version as a cross with Pacific Tough Gut. I think this would make an excellent hybrid. I have a busy week ahead and will not get to hit with this string again before the May 27th deadline, so submitting my review now.

Thanks again, TW and Ashaway.

 

[jbm]

String Received: Monogut ZX Pro (black 17G)

Tension(s) used for playtest: 56#, on a e stringer. After all the talk, I was glad to get one strung. I had no problem stringing, but it was tedious.

Regular string set up: Head RIP control 17

Racquet brand and model used for test: Wilson 6.1 95S.

Power of test string: Significantly more that Head RIP. But was controllable, not trampoline-like.

Feel (Stiff? Mushy? Muted? Crisp?): Crisp but with a subtle tingy sound. Did not mind it. I find it odd that TW lists this as very soft string because I don't think it plays soft. Now I am used to the muted feel of RIP control, so that might be the difference.

Spin: This is what I believe Ashaway was going for: I felt a lot of spin potential without the harshness of a poly. If my arm continues to like this string I will be using it more. Maybe only as a cross, but I am in.

Comfort: comfortable yes, but not as comfortable as it's low stiffness rating would indicate.


Compare to the string you use most often: RIP control plays muted and soft with decent spin production, but balls can fall short on me. ZX has solved that riddle for me because of the increase in power and spin.

Tension recommendations ( i am puzzled by the tension recommendations on the package. 10 to 15% less than usual. So if I string RIP at 56 than I should string ZX around 50 # or less? I believe it would be uncontrollable. Then there are different rules for the non pigmented ZX. Complicated. I think I can play this string between 55 and 57 .

List any additional thoughts (optional)
I will be purchasing the 16 g.

 

[SOY78]

Just strung this up yesterday evening. Also I strung my PB10 in 25 minutes (1 piece). It was faster than synthetic gut stringing for this frame. I am playing two evenings of doubles and one evening of singles to playtest this and write up a full review on Friday. Should be fun Thanks TW.

 

[footon]

Ashaway Monogut ZX Pro 17g (black)

String Received: MonoGut ZX Pro 17g
Tension(s) used for playtest : 57lbs
Regular string set up : Solinco Tour Bite/ Prince XC 15G at 60lbs
Racquet brand and model used for test: Prince 100T ESP
Power of test string: decently powered comparable to poly that I use
Feel (Stiff? Mushy? Muted? Crisp?): Felt a little bit stiff but crisp. Since I play with an already muted 100T ESP I did hear a certain sound while hitting
Spin: good spin for a stiff/crisp string
Comfort: decent comfort but had severe issue with strings moving all the time and it made the screechy sound when I moved them back to normal place
Durability: had notching already after about 30min of hitting but this could be result of playing with 17g in an open 16X16 frame
Playability Duration (share thoughts on if/how the playability changed over time) as mentioned above I had crazy string movement after every shot and string notching very quick with my 100T ESP open pattern frame
Control: control was lacking a bit but maybe due to the string movement I was getting
Compare to the string you use most often: definitely as a full bed this Monogut was good spin like my regular string setup but string movement was very noticeable where as my regular I have very little movement and good snap back. I was fortunate to be able to do the Kevlar/monogut hybrid and most definitely think this string is better in hybrid and should not be used as a full set
Tension recommendations (after hitting it, would you recommend a different tension? If yes, why?): tension maybe a few lbs higher b/c this string does stretch alittle
List any additional thoughts (optional): would recommend using in a hybrid setup. Thanks again TW for the play test!

 

[comeback]

String Received: MonoGut ZX Pro 17g
Tension(s) used for playtest : 57lbs
Regular string set up : Solinco Tour Bite/ Prince XC 15G at 60lbs
Racquet brand and model used for test: Prince 100T ESP
Power of test string: decently powered comparable to poly that I use
Feel (Stiff? Mushy? Muted? Crisp?): Felt a little bit stiff but crisp. Since I play with an already muted 100T ESP I did hear a certain sound while hitting
Spin: good spin for a stiff/crisp string
Comfort: decent comfort but had severe issue with strings moving all the time and it made the screechy sound when I moved them back to normal place
Durability: had notching already after about 30min of hitting but this could be result of playing with 17g in an open 16X16 frame
Playability Duration (share thoughts on if/how the playability changed over time) as mentioned above I had crazy string movement after every shot and string notching very quick with my 100T ESP open pattern frame
Control: control was lacking a bit but maybe due to the string movement I was getting
Compare to the string you use most often: definitely as a full bed this Monogut was good spin like my regular string setup but string movement was very noticeable where as my regular I have very little movement and good snap back. I was fortunate to be able to do the Kevlar/monogut hybrid and most definitely think this string is better in hybrid and should not be used as a full set
Tension recommendations (after hitting it, would you recommend a different tension? If yes, why?): tension maybe a few lbs higher b/c this string does stretch alittle
List any additional thoughts (optional): would recommend using in a hybrid setup. Thanks again TW for the play test!

Did you prestretch?

 

[footon]

Did you prestretch?

Sorry did not prestretch but I did let it stay for 5 sec after the crank before clamping.

 

[atkinjr]

String Received (MonoGut ZX or MonoGut ZX Pro): MonoGut ZX Pro

Tension(s) used for playtest: 51 lbs (no prestretch)

Regular string set up: Technifibre NRG2 (black) 17g at 57 lbs

Racquet brand and model used for test: Wilson Blade 98 (16x19)

Power of test string: Plenty of power! I was able to swing easy on my ground strokes and still get the ball deep with pace. Serve was equally powerful but I felt I was still able to control direction and depth.

Feel (Stiff? Mushy? Muted? Crisp?): VERY different feel depending on using a dampener. My first hit was without one and I frankly couldn’t take it. The ball was jumpy and the ping sound was like no other string I’ve used. I borrowed a dampener from my partner and would never play this string without one. Feel with dampener was a bit muted and I felt like I didn’t get the feedback that I’m used to from NRG2.

Spin: Excellent access to spin. My kick serves were really jumping high without putting much effort into it. Not as much spin off the ground, but I tend to hit a flatter ball.

Comfort: I really liked the comfort of the string…not as harsh as full poly but still has a bit of stiffness that I don’t get from NRG2.

Durability: I played 2 sets of doubles and 4 sets of singles and there is moderate notching. If this were my normal set up of NRG2 17 I’d be getting my stringer warmed up. Compared to a multi, durability is good.

Playability Duration (share thoughts on if/how the playability changed over time): For me, the string playability followed a bell curve. The first set played I didn’t like the string….maybe it was that I had to use a dampener which I never do or I was just getting used to the string, but I didn’t like it at first. The next hit it really started to perform and stayed strong until the end of my last set of singles a few days later. I need to check the tension drop as this could be the reason.

Control: From the ground and off the serve were fine but not great (maybe tension related) but the control at net was the big downside for me. I couldn’t get my volleys dialed in.

Compare to the string you use most often: Compared to NRG2 17 it was a very strong competitor. It doesn’t quite have the feel that I like and am used to with NRG2 (or multis in general), but it definitely wasn’t a string I would immediately dismiss.

Tension recommendations (after hitting it, would you recommend a different tension? If yes, why?): I would go up in tension. I followed the 10% rule and went down to 51 from my standard 57. I was missing most of my shots long and expect a higher tension would fix this.

List any additional thoughts (optional): My first odd observation was the smell…not sure if anyone else mentioned this or it’s just me, but it had a petroleum odor to it and I had to wash my hands a few times to get rid of the smell. Stringing with Monogut ZX was fine…other than having to pull slowly. But hearing about all the problems others have reported, I would be worried about having this as my go to string if I had to deal with it breaking during stringing. After 3 days of play on this string, I might consider trying this again to see if it could be an upgrade for my go to Technifibre Multis. I would need to experiment with pre-stretching and tension. Overall, this is a solid string, but most likely I will not be trying this as a full bed, but I am thinking about trying it as a cross with NRG2 (and possibly gut as others have reported positive results with that)
Thanks to TW and Ashaway for the opportunity to test on this string.

 

[djNEiGht]

String Received (MonoGut ZX or MonoGut ZX Pro)
ZX Pro

Tension(s) used for playtest
55# Constant pull on slowest setting with 10% prestretch. I let string sit 2 seconds before clamping after tension head hit it's mark.

Regular string set up
Cyclone 17 full bed ( 48 ) / Cyclone/Synthetic gut (50/52)

Racquet brand and model used for test
Babolat Pure Drive (Play)

Power of test string
Ample amount. Power similar to a multi.

Feel (Stiff? Mushy? Muted? Crisp?)
Hitting the string on my palm with out dampener vibrated on my racquet hand. Crisp when playing

Spin
Similar to a smooth poly if not better. Not as much as a shaped poly.

Comfort
In a stiff racquet such as the Pure Drive, this was very comfortable. I had a history of Golfers Elbow due to playing with a poly bed way to long as well as bad technique. It has been over a year since I've had any elbow issues and this set up did not bring back my GE

Durability
I am not a string breaker, especially with poly. Will play with certain strings till it breaks (multi/synthetic/gut) if it plays well. For my style of play, this may last a good amount of time as it looks better than my typical synthetic gut strings.

Playability Duration (share thoughts on if/how the playability changed over time)
The playability did not have any drastic changes. It would change steadily. Break in time was very minimal and I was comfortable within my 1st set with the new string bed

Control
Control was very good for not being a poly. Much more predicable than synthetics

Compare to the string you use most often
Not as much spin or control
More power
Better comfort
Better 1st/flat serves

Tension recommendations (after hitting it, would you recommend a different tension? If yes, why?)
In this racquet I think I hit the money. If I where to play this in a less stiff racquet I would increase the tension

List any additional thoughts (optional)
When stringing, there was this crispy/scratch sound when doing the crosses. It reminded me of the cellophane candy wrappers. I am a novice stringer and was worried I would break the string during installation. I am glad I was able to install it because this was a pleasant play test. I would like to try this in a cross to see how the strings slide versus a synthetic. With a low powered poly in the mains, this would add enough punch to help add some zipp to your shots.

 

[jim e]

String Received (MonoGut ZX)
Tension(s) used for playtest 58 lbs.
Regular string set up Wilson nat. gut, 16g. 64lbs
Racquet brand and model used for test Head Radical OS
Power of test string Good power for ground strokes.Was able to take big swings with decent control, and this is a great feature of this string. 4/5
Feel (Stiff? Mushy? Muted? Crisp?)Feel is soft without being too mushy. Different feel than any other string used. 3.5/5
Spin I am a relatively flat ball hitter, but was able to produce spin as needed. 4/5
Comfort Very comfortable string, although not as comfortable as my all gut set up, but more comfortable than most poly strings I have used.3.5/5
Durability Broke at the 14th hour of hitting singles. 3.5/5
Playability Duration (share thoughts on if/how the playability changed over time) Hit well for the 14 hours of hitting singles. I bet the elasticity gives this string the added power along with playability duration. 4/5
Control Good control string. Was able to swing out so power was there, along with control, which is a good feature of this string. 4/5
Compare to the string you use most often. Hard to compare to nat. gut, as the feel of this is different, although comfortable, nat gut does have more comfort, along with feel.
Tension recommendations (after hitting it, would you recommend a different tension? If yes, why?) If I used this again, I would probably string a few lbs lower to see how the string would retain its playability.
List any additional thoughts (optional) This is a good string for heavy ball hitters, as you get decent power with the control needed.Gound strokes were well controlled.

 

[comeback]

String Received (MonoGut ZX)
Tension(s) used for playtest 58 lbs.
Regular string set up Wilson nat. gut, 16g. 64lbs
Racquet brand and model used for test Head Radical OS
Power of test string Good power for ground strokes.Was able to take big swings with decent control, and this is a great feature of this string. 4/5
Feel (Stiff? Mushy? Muted? Crisp?)Feel is soft without being too mushy. Different feel than any other string used. 3.5/5
Spin I am a relatively flat ball hitter, but was able to produce spin as needed. 4/5
Comfort Very comfortable string, although not as comfortable as my all gut set up, but more comfortable than most poly strings I have used.3.5/5
Durability Broke at the 14th hour of hitting singles. 3.5/5
Playability Duration (share thoughts on if/how the playability changed over time) Hit well for the 14 hours of hitting singles. I bet the elasticity gives this string the added power along with playability duration. 4/5
Control Good control string. Was able to swing out so power was there, along with control, which is a good feature of this string. 4/5
Compare to the string you use most often. Hard to compare to nat. gut, as the feel of this is different, although comfortable, nat gut does have more comfort, along with feel.
Tension recommendations (after hitting it, would you recommend a different tension? If yes, why?) If I used this again, I would probably string a few lbs lower to see how the string would retain its playability.
List any additional thoughts (optional) This is a good string for heavy ball hitters, as you get decent power with the control needed.Gound strokes were well controlled.

Did u prestretch?

 

[Lack]

String Received - MonoGut ZX (black)

Tension(s) used for playtest - 58 lbs drop weight prestretched

Regular string set up - Prince Tour XC 15g at 53 lbs

Racquet brand and model used for test - Prince Original Graphite Mid

Power of test string - This string let me hit the ball deep with less effort than polys. It gave me extra power on my groundstrokes compared to playing with a poly. I found great advantage on hitting deep volleys to the baseline.

Feel - Crisp feel at the impact. Loved the sound of flat serves and groundstrokes.

Spin - Generates good amount of spin. Great spin on the kick, topspin, and slice serves. It is on par with polys.

Comfort - Very arm friendly string. Felt comfortable even when the tension dropped. Off center shots weren't that bad.

Durability - Decent durability. The main string popped after 12 hours.

Playability Duration - The string playability duration was better than most polys. The tension was very consistent after the first 5-10 minutes of break in.

Control - For groundstrokes, controlling the depth of the ball was easy and consistent. However, I found that angling the ball was a bit harder than polys. Serves and volleys went where I've predicted.

Compare to the string you use most often - After I changed my racquet to POG Mid, I've started using Prince Tour XC 15g. I fell in love with this string because it was very low powered that I was able to swing hard without holding back. It also has excellent control and durability. Monogut ZX doesn't provide control and durability as good as this one, but it has better power, spin, and comfort.

Tension recommendations - I would go 5 lbs higher for better control.

 

[texastornado]

Monogut ZX Black (1.27)

String Received
MonoGut ZX Black 1.27

Tension(s) used for playtest
53/51 (no pre stretch)

Regular string set up
Pro's Pro Blackout 55/53

Racquet brand and model used for test
Pro Kennex Redondo Mid

Power of test string
8/10 - Very good power, not as powerful as some multifilaments at this tension but better than most poly's and some synguts

Feel (Stiff? Mushy? Muted? Crisp?)
String felt lively and crisp. Made a somewhat high-pitched ping on contact that took a bit to get adjusted to. Overall very good feel.

Spin
7/10 - Spin was adequate, surprisingly good for this gauge in this tight of a string pattern (18x20, 93sqin). Not quite as good as some shaped polys I've used.

Comfort
8/10 - Not quite as plush as some multifilaments, but no complaints. String felt a little stiffer in the first hour or two but the rest of the playtest felt great.

Durability
9/10 - This string seems to be as durable as some of the polys that I use

Playability Duration (share thoughts on if/how the playability changed over time)
9/10 - After the initial hit, seems to maintain tension well and snapback well. Very slight, if any, drop in spin production, no noticeable trampoline effect. I've probably put at least 20 hrs in 2-3 weeks on this string.

Control
9/10 - I'm able to execute my shots with this string, no surprises when hitting.

Compare to the string you use most often
My previous two strings were Crossfire ZX Pro (kevlar/monogut) and PP Blackout. This is better than both. The free power from the live stringbed has made it a lot easier. At the same time I still have enough spin and control to rip heavier shots when necessary.

Tension recommendations (after hitting it, would you recommend a different tension? If yes, why?)
I thought Ashaway's tension recommendations and stringing instructions were pretty good for me.

List any additional thoughts (optional)
I'm going to have to look into playing with livelier strings after this string. Unfortunately I really like to try new strings.

Thanks TW and Ashaway.

 

[jim e]

Did u prestretch?

No I did not.
I assumed that this string was similar to a poly string, and as most monofilament strings do not have much in the way of resiliency, so I did not want to prestretch and loose what resiliency it does have.
I did use an electronic constant pull machine, with poly string selected as string type, as well as slow speed pulling of tension.

 

[Nuke]

String Received (MonoGut ZX or MonoGut ZX Pro)
Monogut ZX Pro 17g

Tension(s) used for playtest
55 lbs for both mains and crosses.

Regular string set up
Cyber Flash 17g mains with Gosen OG Sheep Micro 16 crosses, both at 55 lbs.

Racquet brand and model used for test
Prince Warrior OS

Power of test string
A very powerful and springy string, at least compared to the poly & poly hybrids that I’ve gotten used to. Maybe a bit more powerful than I’d like, as it made me slow my swing a bit, to avoid sailing shots long.

Feel (Stiff? Mushy? Muted? Crisp?)
Softer than full poly, but not mushy or muted. I don’t know if “crisp” is the right word. I’d say it’s springy and lively. The feedback feel is a bit different from poly, but I suppose that’s something I’d get used to over time if I stuck to this string.

Spin
Very good for a non-poly. On medium paced balls, I was getting pretty good spin. But because it’s more powerful than I’m used to, I wasn’t swinging out as fast as I would with a more “dead” string, so I wasn’t getting all the spin I would with a faster spin. Probably something I could adjust to over time, but I was concentrating on not overhitting, and it made me a bit tentative.

Comfort
Seems closer to a stiffer syngut than a poly, comfortwise. I used a rubber band to damp the pingy sound, and didn’t feel any arm discomfort from playing with this string. This is not an arm-wrecker.

Durability
It’s holding tension pretty well after about 10 hours. Some minor notching, but still playable. I’ll keep it in the racquet a couple more weeks, at least. Just wanted to get the review out of the way before the long weekend, so I don’t forget on Monday.

Playability Duration (share thoughts on if/how the playability changed over time)
Very stable string. Perhaps because I pre-stretched it, but I didn’t notice too drastic an initial drop-off in tension, and the last couple of outings it’s been playing just as well as the first few times. I give it a shot of silicone spray before each outing, and that’s keeping it slippery and spinny.

Control
OK control, although probably not as good as a crisp poly. I didn’t have any problem with directional control, but I sailed a bunch of balls long due to the power of the string.

Compare to the string you use most often
The ZX is more powerful and livelier than Cyber Flash. I think I get a bit more spin and control with the CF, but ZX is more comfortable. It’s too soon to tell (I’m still playing with the ZX) but it looks like it may hold tension better than CF.

Tension recommendations (after hitting it, would you recommend a different tension? If yes, why?)
I’m OK with the 55 lbs that I used.

List any additional thoughts (optional)
Because the ZX is springy and comfortable and holds up well over time, I’m thinking it might be a good cross string to soften up Lux 4G, which is too boardy (but also holds up a long time and has great control).

As always, thanks to TW and Ashaway for giving the opportunity to try out this string.

 

[Brocolt]

String Received MonoGut ZX black 1.27

Tension used for playtest: 55lbs

Regular string set up : Weiss cannon silverstring 48lbs

Racquet brand and model used for test: Prince exo3 tour 18x20

Power of test string: 8/10 compared to a poly

Feel (Stiff? Mushy? Muted? Crisp?) Crisp and pingy

Spin 7/10 compared to a poly and 10/10 compared to a multi

Comfort 10/10 compared to poly and 7/10 compared to multi

Durability 7/10 for poly 10/10 for a multi

Playability Duration (share thoughts on if/how the playability changed over time) : I felt the string played great after the first hr once they settled or I became used to the play of the strings played great up until it broke at about 20 hrs.

Control: 7/10 for a poly 10/10 for multi

Compare to the string you use most often: I played a number of years with multi and over the last year I have found a poly and racket set up that does not bother my arm. This string lacks a little of the spin and control I am used to but the comfort and power is better.

Tension recommendations (after hitting it, would you recommend a different tension? If yes, why?) 55 was just right for my set up

List any additional thoughts (optional): This string truly is right in the middle of a poly and a multi. It will perform better than a multi for big hitters and will be easier on the arm than a poly. The only negative for me is the risk of breaking during stringing you have to be very careful on the knots. I have broke a set in the past.

 

[Rajan Rackets]

String Received : MonoGut ZX Pro --- In Black

Tension(s) used for playtest: 53 Lbs - Strung on Babolat Star 3. Stringing was Very Easy.

Regular string set up: Full Bed of Technifibre Black Code @ 48 lbs -or- Technifibre Black Code Mains @48 Lbs & S-Gut Crosses @ 50 Lbs

Racquet brand and model used for test: Babolat Pure Drive Roddick

*** I had this setup in my frame for 8 Days. It broke after about 14-15 Hours of Play during practice.

Power of test string: The string provided a lot of power compared to my normal string setup, and in general. It pocketed the ball well and shot it off with good pace. I did string this higher than normal, and found that the extra tension helped dial in the power. Over time (as to be expected) the Zyex stretched and more power came with it.

Feel (Stiff? Mushy? Muted? Crisp?): This string has a very different feel. It sounded very Poly-like at the beginning, but after it settled in, it was a nice balance between the stiffness of a Poly and the plush feel of a multi. The string started with a crisp and clean feel - but it grew comparatively mushy after ~5-7 Hours of play.

Spin: Great spin for a non- poly string. Obviously nothing like a full bed of black code, but it was certainly more spin than I expected from a Zyex string. I did notice that spin potential dropped off in line with the playability (drop in tension).

Comfort: Great comfort compared to my normal setup. It is stiffer than a Multi, and does lead to more shock in the arm, but it was still quite comfortable all around. Fresh off the stringer, it was a little bit harsh as it had not broken in yet. As the tension dropped, and the string felt more plush, the comfort was better than the first hit.

Durability: Durability was quite good for being a Zyex string. I think the increased stiffness definitely helped.

Playability Duration (share thoughts on if/how the playability changed over time): This is the only major knock I have for the string. The string plays very - poly like off the stringer. Crisp, responsive, even a bit "bitey" but : the tension dropped fast. Even though I a pre stretched the string, it lost playability faster than my usual Black Code setup.

Control: Like with the playability, the control was good off the stringer, and played how you would expect. But, as the playability and tension dropped, so did the control.

Compare to the string you use most often:
Tension recommendations (after hitting it, would you recommend a different tension? If yes, why?): I would definitely string this higher than normal - as the instructions say. This string is a MUST pre stretch as well. It was quite elastic in the pre stretch process, and it showed during play. I'd bump it up to 56 pounds - but that also increases the chance of breakage during stringing.

List any additional thoughts (optional): This string was a great play test all in all. I loved the feel as I first started hitting, and was able to cope as the string continued to settle in. If I restrung after ~6 hours of play, I can definitely see myself using this in the future. Beware of the drop-off in tension.
The string was very good quality and was great to work with ; aside from the eminent fear of breakage when stringing in the 50's.

Awesome play test - and I enjoyed the string a lot.

If you dont break string, and you like soft, powerful, settled in string bed, this is the one for you.


As always, Thanks T W for the play test.

 

[ejdtennis]

String Received: MonoGut ZX Pro (17 Gauge)

Tension(s) used for playtest: 53 Mains/50 Crosses (pre-stretched manually prior to stringing and did wait 10 secs before clamping - strung on Babolat Star 3)

Regular string set up: Volkl Cyclone Tour 17: 53 Mains/50 Crosses

Racquet brand and model used for test: Volkl Organix 9

Power of test string: 8.5/10. String was quite powerful, though a bit less so the first few times out. Response seemed a bit unpredictable at times - more power than I expected on some harder groundstrokes.

Feel: Despite the power, the string did not have a mushy feel like some multifilament strings. "Slightly Crisp" is a good word to describe it. I did experience the vibration/sound that others have remarked on, but a dampener took care of it. Better feel than poly for sure.

Spin: 7.5/10. Not bad. I get more spin with Cyclone Tour and most polyester based monofilaments, but this provided more spin than most other strings.

Comfort: 9/10. My arm is a bit sensitive and this did not bother me whatsoever.

Durability: 8?/10. After being out with an injury, I have played 10 hours with the string and still going strong.

Playability Duration: 9/10. Started out a bit stiff, but has maintained pretty much the same playability for the past 7 hours, which I cannot say about most other strings.

Control: 6/10. I found the response to be a bit unpredictable. I think the pre-stretch helped (based on a previous experience with natural colored Monogut ZX), but still not used to the extra power this string provided. With time, I could probably get used to it.

Compare to the string you use most often: Totally different string. Much better feel and easier on the arm, while still providing a good deal of spin. I'm just used to the more "dead" feel of poly on groundstrokes. I preferred this string for net play.

Tension recommendations: Might go up a pound or two, but not much more.

List any additional thoughts: Though everybody and their brother seems to market a black string, I like the new color option. This way, someone with a sensitive arm can still feel like Rafa! I would still like to try this in a hybrid with something other than Ashaway's gray co-poly Monogut.

 

[JackB1]

Anyone else still waiting to get this from TW?

 

[ejdtennis]

Small edit... made a mistake when I entered my review above...if it matters, my regular setup is a bit looser:

Regular string set up: Volkl Cyclone Tour 17: 48 Mains/45 Crosses

Anyway, thanks for the review opportunity TW!

 

[SteveI]

Anyone else still waiting to get this from TW?

I hope not....

 

[bspitch1]

String Received: Monogut ZX Pro (black 16G)

Tension(s) used for playtest: 44lbs mains and crosses

Regular string set up: Dunlop Black Widow 16G @ 44lbs

Racquet brand and model used for test: Wilson BLX Blade 93

Power: Significantly more power than my usual setup. Power took some getting used.

Feel (Stiff? Mushy? Muted? Crisp?): Feel was average with most shots. Drop shots were difficult for me but I attribute this to the high power of the string more than anything else. The string seemed pretty soft compared to others that i've used. As others have noted, there is more of a "pop" when hitting the ball.

Spin: I was impressed with the spin from this string. It still had significantly less spin than my black widow setup but that was to be expected.

Comfort: Definitely a comfortable string. I couldn't feel any arm problems after hitting with this string. Comfort reminds me of a very soft poly.

Control: Control was decent. Due to the lack of spin and increase of power, it took some time for me to get used to hitting with this string but after an hour or so, control seemed to be ok.

Durability: This string lasted six hours which is about average for my strings. I was neither impressed or disappointed with the durability.

Playability Duration (share thoughts on if/how the playability changed over time): Playability seemed to stay consistent for the duration of the strings life. Since they only lasted about six hours, it is hard for me to comment too much on this
Compare to the string you use most often: I still prefer my Black Widow setup over this. I could not get used to the increase in power and lack of spin capabilities. I would definitely try this as a cross string with black widow mains though.

Tension recommendations (after hitting it, would you recommend a different tension? Why?): Increase. There was just too much power for me with my current tension. I would try the 50lb range next time.

List any additional thoughts (optional)
Thanks TW and Ashaway for giving me an opportunity to try this setup. I would recommend using this string as a hybrid setup.

 

[YarikA99]

String Received: MonoGut ZX Pro
Tension(s) used for play test: 57lbs for mains and crosses
Regular string set up: Cyclone at 52lbs
Racquet brand and model used for test: Wilson ProStaff 90
Power of test string:This string had a lot more power than my usual setup, because of this i was missing a few balls long.
Feel (Stiff? Mushy? Muted? Crisp?): I did not like the feel of this string, it has almost no feel and was hard to hit drop shots with.
Spin:This string actually had some good spin, it didn't have as much spin as a full bed of cyclone, but it had more spin then any multi or synthetic gut. The spin was about the same as a round poly.
Comfort:During the first hour of hitting the string felt kind of stiff, but then it lost some tension and was pretty comfortable. It was about as comfortable as a stiff multi or a soft poly.
Durability:After 12 hours of play the string is still going strong. There is minimal notching and i feel like i can get 10-20 more hours out of it before it pops.
Playability Duration (share thoughts on if/how the playability changed over time):At first the string was kind of stiff and didn't have a lot of power, but then it lost tension and became soft and powerful. Since then the playability has stayed the same and the string has not died yet like polys do.
Control:The control was ok. It was about as much control as you get with a synthetic gut or some multis, but not quite as much as you get with a poly.
Compare to the string you use most often:This string had a longer playability duration than cyclone. It is also softer and more powerful than cyclone, but there was less control and spin. This string also had a weird sound to it when i was hitting a ball. Putting a vibration dampener on the racquet helped get rid of the sound, but it was still there and i got used to it over time.
Tension recommendations (after hitting it, would you recommend a different tension? If yes, why?):No, i would not change the tension, it was a little stiff during the first hour but then after it lost some tension it was perfect. If i lowered the tension, then it would play better at first, but when the string loses tension then all my balls would fly out and go long.
List any additional thoughts (optional):I probably would not change my cyclone setup to this string because i like the spin and control i get from a full bed of cyclone, but i will try this string again as a cross for natural gut mains.

 

[southend]

String Received: MonoGut ZX Pro 17g
Tension(s) used for playtest: 55 lbs
Regular string set up: Poly main with nat gut or syn gut cross; Or full nat gut.
Racquet brand and model used for test: Volkl Organix 6
Power of test string: Fairly powerful. Somewhere between nat gut and syn gut; more powerful than most hybrids with poly main/syn gut cross.
Feel (Stiff? Mushy? Muted? Crisp?): Fairly stiff for a monofilament. Clearly not equivalent to nat gut as dwell time was lacking. Pinging sound at contact plays into how I feel the ball. Recommend using a dampener.
Spin: Good topspin for a monofilament.
Comfort: MG ZX is easy on the arm as one who suffers from TE when using a full bed of poly.
Durability: Durable string with limited amounts of notching after a two week test period.
Playability Duration (share thoughts on if/how the playability changed over time): Played consistently over a two week test period. Tension maintenance is quite good.
Control: Enjoyed the control. Since it is a stiff string, it makes one dial in the level of effort from 65/75/90% on deep corner vs short angle cross court shots. Stiff feel and access to topspin with MG ZX work for one that can vary shot depth and speed.
Compare to the string you use most often: Unusual string. Enjoyed the hit as the test progressed -- probably an acquired appreciation after exposure to this string.
Tension recommendations (after hitting it, would you recommend a different tension? If yes, why?): Would try lower tensioning first.
List any additional thoughts (optional): Very playable string. I recommend specific strings to friends depending on their playing characteristics and stringing feedback, but am reluctant to recommend "experimenting" with MG ZX Pro given $15/set.

 

[T-bolt]

Playtest

String Received ZX PRO 1.22 17 ga


Tension(s) used for playtest
51 MAINS 49 Crosses. Did notice more stretch than most polys

Regular string set up
Solinco Tour bite 17 51 x49

Racquet brand and model used for test
Prince Graphite 100 Longbody

Power of test string
Power was average but below average for such a stretchy string

Feel (Stiff? Mushy? Muted? Crisp?)
Definitely had more feel than most polys I have used. It did vibrate more than my usual setup but had much more feedback. I think I could have strung it about 6 lbs looser due to its lower power

Spin
I could not get the spin I am used to with this string. Plenty of control but lacked pace and spin. I would suggest this string to a flat hard hitter looking for control. It seemed to have a power governor, I could swing as hard as I could and the power level did not increase.

Comfort
Average to good here. There is an odd sound and vibration at and after impact.

Durability
I am not a string breaker. When I cut the string out I did notice it was very tuff almost a plastic feel, more so than Solinco and others. Played 20 hrs with no issues.

Playability Duration (share thoughts on if/how the playability changed over time)
The playability did not change much. It had more power just out of the stringer and had more vibration after 6 hrs of play

Control
Control was very good. Again could have strung it much looser than my normal setup for power

Compare to the string you use most often
Not as much spin
Less power
less comfort
Much more control ,

Tension recommendations (after hitting it, would you recommend a different tension? If yes, why?)
Much less here, tons of control. I needed more power. I would have gone down in the low 40s for sure

List any additional thoughts (optional) I would suggest this string to a flat heavy hitter looking for control. And due to its lively buzzy feel as a cross to liven up a hybrid. Due to its playing characteristics a thinner gauge than normal may be a better choice.

Thanks again TW Keep up the good work!

 

[Conrads]

String Received (MonoGut ZX or MonoGut ZX Pro)
-->MonoGut Zx pro

Tension(s) used for playtest
-->53 lbs on lockout stringer

Regular string set up
-->pac classic/msv co-focus hybrid

Racquet brand and model used for test
-->Wilson k 6.1 95 18x20

Power of test string
Has good power compared to the average poly string strung at the same tension but definitely less then my gut/poly setup

Feel (Stiff? Mushy? Muted? Crisp?)
-->Feel was somewhat between crisp and muted for me, definitely NOT anywhere near the feel of gut

Spin
-->Spin was about the same as a 17 gauge poly nothing more or less

Comfort
-->comfort was good, its a good string for the arm especially in a stiff racquet that i use. Gut is definitely more comfortable but this one was not like some polys that i have used which were very hard on the arm

Durability
-->I put a few hours on this string and it played about the same from the first hit to the last time i played with it. I would probably put durability on par with most polys i think

Playability Duration (share thoughts on if/how the playability changed over time)
--> it didn't change much for me, pretty consistent string bed response from start to finish of playtest for me

Control
--->Good control especially at the tension i strung it at, in my 18x20 i would string it a little looser actually

Compare to the string you use most often
-->I use gut/poly and comparing it to gut/poly it does not come close to the same performance. The gut/poly has more power/spin and better feel. If this string is supposed to mimic gut it doesn't do that great. I think it needs less tension in an 18x20 stick perhaps. Also the "twanging" sound when you hit with it is a little annoying to say the least

Tension recommendations (after hitting it, would you recommend a different tension? If yes, why?)
-->In an 18x20 racquet 95-98 range i would go low 50s or even high 40s. I think it would maybe play better at lower tensions as maybe its gut-like properties may shine more?

**Also to add stringing this took considerably longer then the average string since it stretches so much. All in all its not a bad string. I think it may work better in open pattern racquets or at high 40s in closed pattern or maybe as some others have said as a cross string

Thanks TW for letting us playtest the string

 

[Captain Ron]

String Received (MonoGut ZX or MonoGut ZX Pro)
MonoGut ZX 127 mm

Tension(s) used for playtest
57 lbs M, 54.2 X constant pull

Regular string set up
Prince Original Synthetic Gut, 56M, 53.2X or Natural Gut 58M, 55.1X

Racquet brand and model used for test
Yonex Vcore 97 330G

Power of test string
Powerful string. Close to natural gut, more powerful than synthetic gut.

Feel (Stiff? Mushy? Muted? Crisp?)
The string felt soft but lively. Feel was good from the baseline and was good on volleys. Felt like I gave up just a little bit of touch on drop volleys.

Spin
Spin was as good or better than my regular setup. We aren't talking about poly type spin but better spin than I get from a multi.

Comfort
Comfortable string to play. It does have a distinctive ping which may effect some players. Didn't bother me at all and I never play with a damper.

Durability
Played for 10 hrs (mostly doubles), very little notching, no noticeable change in playability. Overall, I am very pleased with the durability.

Playability Duration (share thoughts on if/how the playability changed over time)
For me the string played very much the same from the beginning to now with no noticeable changes. I will continue to play it, would have played more but lost some outdoor match playtime to rain.

Control
Control was good for a powerful string. I occasionally overhit with this string but can't blame that on the string setup. The string bed response and directional control where always very good. Hit some very good defense shots from the baseline that dipped just over the net and gave the opponents a really difficult volley.

Compare to the string you use most often
Compared to natural gut, I think this string is an interesting lower cost alternative. This string sacrifices a little touch but has more spin.
Compared to synthetic gut, I felt this string played a little softer and is probably more durable/consistent for my game.

Tension recommendations (after hitting it, would you recommend a different tension? If yes, why?)
I was happy with my tension choice. I wouldn't string lower, string it close to where you would string gut.

List any additional thoughts (optional)
I liked this string a lot. Very interested to try it as a cross with gut in a hybrid once I wear out the full bed.
Black did not mark the balls.
Thanks Tennis Warehouse and Ashaway for the opportunity to try this unique string!

 

[SJSA]

String, gauge, & color received: MonoGut ZX Black (16 g)

Tension used for playtest: 59 lbs

Regular string set up: Natural Gut/MonoGut ZX Pro @59/56 lbs

Racquet brand and model used for test: Prince EXO3 Tour 100 16x18

Power of test string: Moderate @upper 50 lbs. Power increases after the initial tension loss.

Feel: Stiff & Firm but no harm on arm. It feels like a plastic string with ping sound. Its ball pocketing and dwell time is lower than natural gut and multifilament.

Spin: Moderate. It is neither a shaped nor twisted string, so I don’t see any big spin potential out of it.

Comfort: Excellent. MonoGut ZX stands out for comfort and this is the best part of this string. My elbow is very sensitive even after using multifilament or soft poly strings due to tennis elbow. I have had no elbow issue with MonoGut ZX for last one year. Its comfort is close to natural gut.

Durability: Excellent. It is better than multifilament and the black color doesn’t bleed at all on the ball.

Playability Duration (share thoughts on if/how the playability changed over time): Good. There is no string movement. Power increased after initial tension loss.

Control (predictable trajectory? performance on different strokes and swing speeds?): Average. MonoGut ZX is less control than a poly-based string. I recently found my current setup (NG/MonoGut ZX Pro) to have better control than a full bed of MonoGut ZX.

Compare to the string you use most often: My regular setup used to be MonoGut ZX Pro (17 g) in a full bed. I like thinner gauge for better feel and spin. Now I string it with natural gut in a main. This hybrid setup does not only minimize the ping sound but also offers better feel and control.

Tension recommendations: I don’t follow the 10% lower tension recommendation from Ashaway. I recommend in the high 50 lbs for moderate power. Power will be increased after the initial tension loss. Mid 50s will give you decent power from the beginning.

List any final thoughts: MonoGut ZX is a tweener string between multi and poly strings. It is definitely a great option for the player who disappoints with durability of multifilament and can’t handle for stiffness of polyester strings. It is one of best hybrid setup for a cross, instead of poly strings, with natural gut as well. MonoGut ZX will be demanded more if its price goes around $10.

Thanks TW and Ashaway for giving me another playtest opportunity.

 

[purple-n-gold]

MonoGut ZX Pro playtest

String Received-MonoGut ZX Pro 1.22mm/17ga

Tension-54lb main 51lb cross

Regular string set up-Alu power full bed for singles/ Alu Hybrid for doubles, 50-55lbs on my Eagnas lock out.

Racquet brand and model used for test-Yonex Vcore 95D

Power of test string-ALOT of POWER for a mono string.
Definitely much more power than full Alu. Flat groundstrokes not hit cleanly went long. A few BH volleys sailed long by at least a foot left me scratching my head.

Feel-Muted, comfortable, elastic. I did not pre-stretch and the monogut played and felt good from the first hit.

Spin-Good spin for a soft elastic string. I'm a firm believer that spin production comes from the player, monogut was not lacking.

Comfort-Really good comfort for a mono string, no harshness during play nor pain after playing was noted.

Durability-After about 7 hrs the string is notched and showing about 42-45 lbs tension.This is usually the point where I cut out my stringbeds.

Playability Duration-Played well from the first hit, no break-in required. Did notice some drop off the last hour or two due to tension loss.

Control- Did feel that control was a little lacking compared to my usual set up. Definitely due to the elastic nature of the string. I had to amp up the raq head speed my last outing to insure safe margins.

Compare to the string you use most often-More comfort and mo power compared to Alu.

Tension recommendations-Was happy with 54/51 lbs. Might go up 2lbs or pre-stretch the mains if I were going to string a full bed again.

List any additional thoughts- This was my 2nd time using monogut and it is a VERY interesting string. I previously used the Monogut ZX 16g wheat in a hybrid with 4G mains and prestretched the bejeezus out of it. It stretched nearly 2 feet on a half set! The 4G/Monogut ZX wheat played like a full poly bed initially,only after an initial break-in did I see any difference to a full poly job. Monogut ZX Pro for me is better suited in hybrid.

Thanks Ashaway and TW for the opportunity to test this out!

 

[Micalzon]

String Received
MonoGut ZX

Tension(s) used for playtest - Mains @ 48 lbs/crosses @ 50 lbs

Regular string set up
Shaped Copoly (various brands) mains @ 48 lbs and Multi crosses @ 52 lbs.

Racquet brand and model used for test - Babolat Pure Storm

Power of test string: 9/10
Good power for this string, especially right out of the gate. Power was pretty consistent throughout the 10 hours (approx.) I played with the string.

Feel (Stiff? Mushy? Muted? Crisp?): 8/10
String had a very muted feel. Was a little hard to feel the ball on the strings.

Spin: 8.5/10
Spin production was very good but I also hit with a ton of top spin on both my forehand and my backhand. Was not exceptional but not bad.

Comfort: 9/10
No issues with comfort. I am always a little worried at how my elbow will react when trying new strings, but this string was pretty easy on the arm. Would probably feel even better on a more arm friendly racquet.

Durability: 8/10
I don't break strings too often and this was not an issue with this set up. There was some notching after about 7 hours which I was a little disappointed in.

Playability Duration: 7/10
This string played well at first. Once I got over the sound of the string and after it had settled in it played great from hours 2 through 7. The notching did change how much spin I got from the string but wasn't too bad. I did start to have some of my shots sail a little further than they did when I had started.

Control: 7.5/10
Control was about average. I don't play a very controlled oriented game, more of a grip it and rip it type player. I was able to hit my corners on my serves which is always nice. My groundstrokes played well but I wasn't too comfortable at the net with this string for some reason. Had a lot of put away volleys that I couldn't quite put away.

Compare to the string you use most often
This strings plays pretty close to some of the other poly/copoly set ups I've used but didn't seem to last as long. I did have to cut it out after about 10 hours so I'm not sure how it played in the long run.

Tension recommendations
I'd keep the same tensions. I don't think it would have played any better at a higher range.

List any additional thoughts (optional)
Nothing here. Thanks again for the play test, TW.

 

[SOY78]

String Received: Monogut ZX Pro (black 17G)

Tension(s) used for playtest: 50 lbs mains and crosses

Regular string set up: Multi mains and poly crosses at 50 lbs

Racquet brand and model used for test: Volkl PB 10 Mid

Power: Powerful for a full poly-type string. Feels a little more powerful then the old Ashaway Monogut 17g

Feel (Stiff? Mushy? Muted? Crisp?): Feels very lively like a synthetic gut strung at mid 50s tension.

Spin: Spin was about the same as other polys on the market, maybe a little better due to the cupping action.

Comfort: Much more comfortable than the average full poly. I think this is the softest poly-type string I've ever hit with.

Control: Good control. Better than my usual multi/poly hybrid. My short angles were lethal (one of my favorite shots)

Durability: Still playing with them so durability is great. I usually pop my multi hybrids within this time frame but this monogut zx is still going strong but notched a little.

Playability Duration (share thoughts on if/how the playability changed over time): During the playtest I've done 4 hours of doubles and 3 hours of singles, yes the strings are notched but the playability is still the same as fresh strings.

Compare to the string you use most often: Very very interesting string when compared to my multi/poly hybrids. Monogut ZX devinately has more spin production and durability but lacks the feel when compared to my hybrids.

Tension recommendations (after hitting it, would you recommend a different tension? Why?): I would really like to see what this string does using Extremely Low Tension stringing like starting at 35#.

List any additional thoughts (optional)
Thanks TW and Ashaway for giving me an opportunity to try this setup. I would like to try this in my multi mains and poly crosses hybrid.

 

[Out?]

String Received MonoGut ZX

Tension(s) used for playtest 55lbs

Regular string set up Rpm Blast 55lbs

Racquet brand and model used for test Aeropro Drive Plus 2013

Power of test string
extremely powerful. more powerful than any of the synthetics ive tried and definately the polys ive tried. This made the string a bit uncontrollable

Feel (Stiff? Mushy? Muted? Crisp?)
The string was very soft and a bit mushy for me. It wasnt undesirable though as i liked the feel of the string.

Spin
Spin was lacking. This string was not meant for high spin potential and underperformed. even with more emphasis on a brush motion i could not get much spin as my usual set up

Comfort
extremely comfortable. probably one of the most comfortable strings ive played with. Did not aggravate any injuries or pains
and felt nice even in the APD

Durability
Lasted about 6 hours. a few hours less than the poly i use but thats to be expected considering the strings construction

Playability Duration (share thoughts on if/how the playability changed over time)
This string played very well throughout the entire playtest. i felt minimal string tension loss until the last hour of the playtest.
Control
This aspect was alright. the additional power made control a bit difficult but not uncontrollable. after a bit of hitting you will get used to the power and place the balls better.

Compare to the string you use most often
Less spin, more power, less durability, definately more comfort

Tension recommendations (after hitting it, would you recommend a different tension? If yes, why?)
2 lbs higher to account for the excess power and to tame it a bit.
Sorry for posting this a day late, i forgot with memorial day thank you for the playtest

 

[NCAA2015]

String Received: MonoGut ZX Pro (1.22mm)

Tension(s) used for playtest: 54 lbs

Regular string set up: Luxilon Alu Power 1.25 mm @ 54 lbs

Racquet brand and model used for test: Babolat Pure Drive Standard

Power of test string: It is a medium powered string, with power level well below Luxilon Alu Power and Solinco Tour Bite, kind of close to Babolat RPM Blast or Yonex Poly Tour Pro. But it is way more powerful than most of the synthetic guts.

Feel (Stiff? Mushy? Muted? Crisp?): The ground stroke shots feel crisp. But I also feel the string almost has no weight on it… I was like swinging air or my frame without the string. This feel made me always second guess my ball contact timing. It’s pretty good for counter pouch shots, but lacks the “boom” effect when I try to blast a down the line winner.

Spin: I can put enough spin on the ball when I use medium swing speed, but I tend to over-hit when I swing faster. The string has less ball pocketing than some higher end polys.

Comfort: All my shots feel comfortable, without any vibration issues in my wrist, arm, elbow or shoulder.

Durability: It definitely can last longer than most of the polys and synthetic guts. This new construction seems to over emphasize on softness and longevity, but less on performance.

Playability Duration (share thoughts on if/how the playability changed over time): Not too much tension loss or deadness after 10 hours of play.

Control: This is the department where this string is lacking the most. It is not very responsive and precise when I swing fast and change shot directions.

Compare to the string you use most often: The manufacturer seems to be looking for a formula to combine good attributes of poly and synthetic gut. The result is a new product which plays just like a hybrid of poly and synthetic gut.

Tension recommendations: 53 lbs for 90/95; 55 lbs for 98/100

 

[CopolyX]

how do you sign up?

 

[Irvin]

how do you sign up?

See post #1

 

[graycrait]

Isn't it about 14 months too late to get in on this?

 

[SteveI]

Isn't it about 14 months too late to get in on this?

Yes... it is very late!!!

 

[SpinToWin]

I agree that this string does make a nice cross with a soft/powerful main. I also tried it once in the mains with a poly cross - and again didn't care for it. Those who use full poly may like this string in a full bed strung up on the tighter side.

I've now tried this string in all colors, in all sizes and in the popular configurations. The only configuration I like is a soft MF/NG main and ZX cross. I also prefer the 16g in natural.

Funny coincidence that this rather foolish bump finds me somebody who may be able to answer my question…

Anyways, I wanted to ask why you did not like ZX in the mains with a poly cross, cause I was intending to try that setup out in the off season, to see whether I can find a more durable and less expensive gut/poly option (I truly love it, but my spin loaded game tends to be hard on my rather expensive setups, which in turn are hard on my poor wallet…).

 

[Shroud]

Funny coincidence that this rather foolish bump finds me somebody who may be able to answer my question…

Anyways, I wanted to ask why you did not like ZX in the mains with a poly cross, cause I was intending to try that setup out in the off season, to see whether I can find a more durable and less expensive gut/poly option (I truly love it, but my spin loaded game tends to be hard on my rather expensive setups, which in turn are hard on my poor wallet…).

I was using gut/zx. vs/ lux and it was great. But I changed some strokes and started ripping the ball and shredded the gut in 10 min after I went to a western fh. you will probably dismiss this but I went from gut mains to kevlar mains at a much lower tension (about 20lbs) and that was the ticket. Durability and you could swing out. A bit less spin I think and less power for sure.