Ashaway Monogut ZX tension recommendations?

[Ramon]

So I thought I would update this thread my some more thoughts after playing with the monogut a bit more.

The tension seems to have dropped a little, to the point where I'm not really getting any bite on the ball. The string bed is also a little unpredictable and balls are sailing long that used to dip well in. I don't want to, but I'm considering using the words "trampoline like".

I think I will use the remaining set trying out a couple of hybrids with RIP Control which is my go to string now.

(sorry eelhc, I can't really help you there. Hopefully Ramon will chime in)

I got that impression too with my first set of full bed ZX. For some reason the ZX/Hexy hybrid that I was trying out at the same time gave me better results, and I thought it played as well after 10 hours as it did in the first hour. ZX/DNA was a great setup, but at 52 lbs constant pull on my PK Ki 5x, it got trampoline like after 5-6 hours, but for some reason I still felt like I had good control. Upping the tension to 54-56 solved that.

Since then I think ZX has "grown" on me. I like a full bed ZX now. In fact, my favorite was the full bed of ZX Pro until it broke after just 1 set. It might also be because I'm more conscious now of the tension loss that happens if you don't give it a good "stretch" when you string it. Even on the mains, 30 seconds is about the minimum time I'll give my drop weight machine to pull each string.

Too bad full bed ZX doesn't last long enough on my Tour 98 ESP, but ZX/Marathon outlasts anything else I've tried.

 

[ls206]

How many hours you got on them?

I've got about 6hrs of doubles on mine and they play great but the Zyex mains are notched halfway through. I'm using them in a spin set configuration with Pro Line 2 1.20 for crosses. 55lbs/60lbs tension, 20% pre-stretch

I had around 2hrs of singles and 3hrs of doubles. There was notching but only slightly - enough that the crosses clicked into place but it was not very visible.

---------------

I thought I would update this as I played today with ZX/RIP Control. I was a little cheeky and simply cut the crosses out of the full ZX and replaced them with RIP Control.
The mains had been strung at 25kg with 10% pre-stretch, I strung the crosses at 23kg with 10% pre-stretch also.

First off, this setup was very very impressive. I hope it maintains the playability.

Comfort
The string bed feels pretty tight and I expected it to feel a bit like a board when playing. This was not the case at all, I played a very intensive 2hrs of drills + a set and felt no discomfort. Even off centre hits felt OK (unlike the full ZX).

Control
Control was exceptional as the response from the strings was very predictable. If I missed a shot I knew I had as soon as the ball left the racquet and I knew it was my fault, not the string.

Power
The power wasn't quite there to begin with, but after ~45mins it became easier to get the ball deep and put pace behind flatter shots. No trouble with pace on the serve either. I felt no loss of control after the 45mins but then I was hitting consistently short to begin with.

Spin
The snap-back effect is not how this setup generates spin at all. There was no real string movement, I know this because I can barely move the mains by hand and when I do they just stay where I moved them. I can see a little wear on the crosses to suggest the mains may have moved ~1mm at most.
Anyway... I got some really good bite on the ball and had no problem generating spin. The launch angle was lower than full ZX but I was still able to play with good margin over the net.

Volleys
The feel was just how I like it. Muted. (Also makes a great sound when you whack the ball)
There was a some nice ball pocketing after the break in. Not loads but enough to add some dwell time to sweeten the volleys.

 

[Bud]

I had around 2hrs of singles and 3hrs of doubles. There was notching but only slightly - enough that the crosses clicked into place but it was not very visible.

---------------

I thought I would update this as I played today with ZX/RIP Control. I was a little cheeky and simply cut the crosses out of the full ZX and replaced them with RIP Control.
The mains had been strung at 25kg with 10% pre-stretch, I strung the crosses at 23kg with 10% pre-stretch also.

First off, this setup was very very impressive. I hope it maintains the playability.

Comfort
The string bed feels pretty tight and I expected it to feel a bit like a board when playing. This was not the case at all, I played a very intensive 2hrs of drills + a set and felt no discomfort. Even off centre hits felt OK (unlike the full ZX).

Control
Control was exceptional as the response from the strings was very predictable. If I missed a shot I knew I had as soon as the ball left the racquet and I knew it was my fault, not the string.

Power
The power wasn't quite there to begin with, but after ~45mins it became easier to get the ball deep and put pace behind flatter shots. No trouble with pace on the serve either. I felt no loss of control after the 45mins but then I was hitting consistently short to begin with.

Spin
The snap-back effect is not how this setup generates spin at all. There was no real string movement, I know this because I can barely move the mains by hand and when I do they just stay where I moved them. I can see a little wear on the crosses to suggest the mains may have moved ~1mm at most.
Anyway... I got some really good bite on the ball and had no problem generating spin. The launch angle was lower than full ZX but I was still able to play with good margin over the net.

Volleys
The feel was just how I like it. Muted. (Also makes a great sound when you whack the ball)
There was a some nice ball pocketing after the break in. Not loads but enough to add some dwell time to sweeten the volleys.

After every playing session, lightly spray the hitting area of the string bed with some silicone spray. The mains will move freely and snap back into place.

 

[moonballs]

I played the newly strung ZX main 54lb and OGSM 16 53lb for only 1h due to limitation of indoor courts. I feel it has more power and more spin than the synthetic guts I just played in the same racquet. My forehand shots were heavier and more consistent thanks to more spin. My backhand drives sailed long more often than previously with syn gut or poly, which I figure is mostly due to my backhand is pretty flat. Given some time I can dial in on the higher power and I am trying to add spin on the BH side anyways. BH slice was better than syn gut.

We only grooved ground strokes this time so not much feedback on serves, touch shots and volleys.

All in all the first hour is very promising. If the playability lasts I might stick to the ZX.

 

[Ramon]

I had around 2hrs of singles and 3hrs of doubles. There was notching but only slightly - enough that the crosses clicked into place but it was not very visible.

---------------

I thought I would update this as I played today with ZX/RIP Control. I was a little cheeky and simply cut the crosses out of the full ZX and replaced them with RIP Control.
The mains had been strung at 25kg with 10% pre-stretch, I strung the crosses at 23kg with 10% pre-stretch also.

First off, this setup was very very impressive. I hope it maintains the playability.

Comfort
The string bed feels pretty tight and I expected it to feel a bit like a board when playing. This was not the case at all, I played a very intensive 2hrs of drills + a set and felt no discomfort. Even off centre hits felt OK (unlike the full ZX).

Control
Control was exceptional as the response from the strings was very predictable. If I missed a shot I knew I had as soon as the ball left the racquet and I knew it was my fault, not the string.

Power
The power wasn't quite there to begin with, but after ~45mins it became easier to get the ball deep and put pace behind flatter shots. No trouble with pace on the serve either. I felt no loss of control after the 45mins but then I was hitting consistently short to begin with.

Spin
The snap-back effect is not how this setup generates spin at all. There was no real string movement, I know this because I can barely move the mains by hand and when I do they just stay where I moved them. I can see a little wear on the crosses to suggest the mains may have moved ~1mm at most.
Anyway... I got some really good bite on the ball and had no problem generating spin. The launch angle was lower than full ZX but I was still able to play with good margin over the net.

Volleys
The feel was just how I like it. Muted. (Also makes a great sound when you whack the ball)
There was a some nice ball pocketing after the break in. Not loads but enough to add some dwell time to sweeten the volleys.

I've tried Mono ZX mains with a variety of synthetic cross strings. I generally string mains and crosses the same. I tried stringing the ZX 4 pounds higher than a PPA cross but couldn't tell much of a difference.

My least favorite was ZX/Rip Control. It had great control and touch but felt dead. It's like the RC crosses took all the power out of it.

With PPA crosses it plays and feels just like PPA. You'll get a bit more durability out of it, but that's the only benefit.

My favorite combo on a traditional string pattern was ZX/DNA. You get poly like spin and great feel. Too bad it frays too quickly with an extreme open string pattern. ZX/Hexy Fiber was quite good too but more muted.

I'm using ZX/Gamma Marathon in my Prince ESP racquet. It's very durable and plays almost as well as ZX/DNA.

Your review of ZX/Rip Control was a lot more favorable than mine, but nevertheless, I can see what you like about it. I was surprised that the hybrid gave me better touch and control than either of the 2 strings as a full bed. However, I think a stiff cross takes all the starch out of ZX and ends up with less power and less spin. But if it works for you, go for it!

 

[ls206]

My least favorite was ZX/Rip Control. It had great control and touch but felt dead. It's like the RC crosses took all the power out of it.

Your review of ZX/Rip Control was a lot more favorable than mine, but nevertheless, I can see what you like about it. I was surprised that the hybrid gave me better touch and control than either of the 2 strings as a full bed. However, I think a stiff cross takes all the starch out of ZX and ends up with less power and less spin. But if it works for you, go for it!

I know what you mean, before the break in the string were giving me no power. I can imagine DNA being a very good cross, I think it's a great string but in a full bed it only lasted about 5hrs for me hence I went with the RIP.

I played again yesterday for another 2hrs. Stringbed was looser and the power level a bit higher. Bit more ball pocketing and still good spin.

There's little wear on the strings, if these can last and are still playable after 10hrs then I'm onto a winner.

 

[mikeler]

I know what you mean, before the break in the string were giving me no power. I can imagine DNA being a very good cross, I think it's a great string but in a full bed it only lasted about 5hrs for me hence I went with the RIP.

I played again yesterday for another 2hrs. Stringbed was looser and the power level a bit higher. Bit more ball pocketing and still good spin.

There's little wear on the strings, if these can last and are still playable after 10hrs then I'm onto a winner.

DNA is a ho-hum cross.

 

[spinovic]

Should have read this before stringing it up perhaps. I decided to string up a set of 16G MonoGut ZX and I went the packaging reccomendations of stringing lower than your normal nylon setup. I also remember a thread where someone had trouble with the string breaking during stringing, so I decided to go for 45 lbs on mine. It is definitely springy from bouncing a ball on the racquet, but I don't obliterate the ball, so I don't think stringing low will be a disaster.

I haven't had a chance to get on the court with it, but I did hit a few balls in the yard. The first thing I noticed is that the string has sort of a metallic feel and sound. Metallic is the best way to describe it for me. Second, I feel a lot of vibration in the handle of the racquet with this string, which is very unusual for my racquet. To date, the only other string in which I have felt vibrations in the handle is HEAD Hawk.

Neither of those would be a deal breaker for me if the string is good enough, but I don't particularly like either of those things.

 

[Ramon]

Should have read this before stringing it up perhaps. I decided to string up a set of 16G MonoGut ZX and I went the packaging reccomendations of stringing lower than your normal nylon setup. I also remember a thread where someone had trouble with the string breaking during stringing, so I decided to go for 45 lbs on mine. It is definitely springy from bouncing a ball on the racquet, but I don't obliterate the ball, so I don't think stringing low will be a disaster.

I haven't had a chance to get on the court with it, but I did hit a few balls in the yard. The first thing I noticed is that the string has sort of a metallic feel and sound. Metallic is the best way to describe it for me. Second, I feel a lot of vibration in the handle of the racquet with this string, which is very unusual for my racquet. To date, the only other string in which I have felt vibrations in the handle is HEAD Hawk.

Neither of those would be a deal breaker for me if the string is good enough, but I don't particularly like either of those things.

Pretty soon I learned to like the sound. One thing that helps is a dampener, if you don't already use one. It cuts down on the vibrations too. No matter how much it vibrates, don't worry about it hurting your arm. This is one of the most arm-friendly strings on the market.

 

[spinovic]

Pretty soon I learned to like the sound. One thing that helps is a dampener, if you don't already use one. It cuts down on the vibrations too. No matter how much it vibrates, don't worry about it hurting your arm. This is one of the most arm-friendly strings on the market.

To date, nothing has bothered my arm and I recall Mikeler giving good reviews concerning that as well.

I have been able to hit a little more with it, not a ton, but so far I like it. Generally don't use a dampener, but may try it with this string. The vibration is more of an annoyance than anything. As you say, the sound you get used to.

 

[mikeler]

To date, nothing has bothered my arm and I recall Mikeler giving good reviews concerning that as well.

I have been able to hit a little more with it, not a ton, but so far I like it. Generally don't use a dampener, but may try it with this string. The vibration is more of an annoyance than anything. As you say, the sound you get used to.

I never used vibration dampeners until recently. They seem to help a little bit with arm comfort.

 

[spinovic]

I couldn't tell much benefit from them, especially in the 315 since it is so comfortable anyway, but I do think they may be worth it with the MonoGut to get rid of that annoying vibration.

 

[spinovic]

Finally got it on the court today and must say my initial impression was very good. Comfortable, love the power from it and I thought the control was good as well. I wasn't sure what to expect, but I think I could happily use it. The dampener is effective and killing most of the vibration and as is often the case, I don't notice the sound when playing.

So, initial impression = good. We'll see how it goes over time.

 

[spinovic]

I am currently using the red MonoGut ZX. I also have a set of the natural color and was wondering if anyone has played both and whether they noticed a difference between the two colors.

 

[Ramon]

I am currently using the red MonoGut ZX. I also have a set of the natural color and was wondering if anyone has played both and whether they noticed a difference between the two colors.

The difference is small enough that I play with both colors. I alternate so I easily know which racquet I'm currently using. If I had to pick one that I think plays better I would go with the natural. The red seems a bit more brittle and harsh sounding, but I like the color.

 

[bluegrass_stringer]

Zyex is a great string. It has a stiffness just above natural gut. Great for older players who want a little more spin. I have been using it in a hybrid with ALU power in the mains and Zyex in the crosses. It is world class. Similar to a full poly setup, but improves everything I hate about full poly. Mainly the feel/control of it.

 

[Chas]

I am currently using the red MonoGut ZX. I also have a set of the natural color and was wondering if anyone has played both and whether they noticed a difference between the two colors.

I've both in the same 16x19 racquet at around 53 lbs. It may have been my imagination , but I thought the red was a little stiffer. Perhaps it just sounded a bit different.


Too little difference to matter & the red looks better in my racquets, so I'm currently using the red in both my racquets and am very pleased with it. Much better life than my previous multis, plenty of spin and punch throughout the life , and no arm pain.

 

[Rody]

Just a different gauge, 1.27 vs 1.22 (pro)

Zx pro tension lost is half the amount of zx !

 

[ultradr]

Playing characteristics of zx are temperamental, IMHO.

It varies a lot depending on tension and temperature, if used without deep pre-stretching.

Unstretched :
It played like natural gut for first 2 hours or so for me, if right tension is used (about 55 lbs in my case).
Then it starts to lose tension and do not settle until 15-20 hours of playing.
In my case, it became too trampoline after it settled. Then luckily for me, the weather got colder and became perfect.

If you want great 1st a few hours, I wouldn't go too much over 55 lbs. A bit lower than your typical multi tension.


If you want good performance after it settles, I would go as high as multi tension and just bear with initial performances until it settles.

Or do a deep stretch(at least 1' out of 20') and use 10-20% lower tension.

Good luck. You gonna need patience to find right tension with zx.