Banger ALU Tension

[bsandy]

Gonna try Banger ALU.

I normally string my racquets with Live Wire Professional at 58. My Triad Hammer 6.0 106's are rated from 55-65.

Should I string an all ALU job at 52 (58*.9) or 55 the racquets's recomended minimum ?

I was going to try a hybrid with some Wilson Natural Gut 16. What are the advantages of Gut Mains vs. Gut Crosses with ALU ? I was going to go 58 Gut Mains and 55 ALU crosses, just not to put the racquet into shock of putting a tighter tension on the crosses.

Am I over thinking this ?

OBTW . . . . I'm a control player looking to add a bit more pop to my baseline game.

 

[tarheelbornjohn]

I would try my first string job below 55lbs. The adjustment from live wire to ALU will be easier for you. I would not go all the way down to 52, or you might get a trampoline effect from them. I would try 53-54lbs. Then the next time go up to 55lbs. Unless you are a really big hitter (and I mean really big hitter) I feel you loss some of the advantages that are talked about with the ALU in the higher ranges of the racquet.

While I would try a set of ALU straight up at first, if you were going to use the hybrid, I would use the ALU in my mains and gut in the crosses. You will see more bite on the ball and get more life out of the string job. Just my opinion.

 

[robkat]

IMO, ALU plays better in at lower tensions. I agree with tarheel, it will be a big difference beween Livewire and ALU and recommend stringing 52-53 lbs. You can, string below the recommended tension. I string my Frames with ALU at 50 lbs and will restring at 48lbs this weekend. the recommended tension range on my frames is 53-63.

 

[Gaines Hillix]

bsandy, this is one of those personal preference deals. If you prefer a softer feeling stringbed, definitely drop the tension into the low 50s. However, most of my customers have ended up asking for it to be strung a little tighter after they've tried lower tensions.

 

[tarheelbornjohn]

Gaines: Question for you. Are these customers powerful players. I have found that when I go over 56lbs. I get that ALU feeling (ball forming what seems like a perfect pocket in the string bed) only with heavy hit flat forehands. It does feel like no other string to me. But if I drop to 55 or below I get it with medium shots, western topspin shots and even my kick serve. Just checking about the playing chariteristics of those that choose higher tensions.

 

[Gaines Hillix]

thbjohn, yes and no on your question about whether they are heavy hitters. Both of the ones I had in mind can hit the ball hard, but one of them in particular hits a lot of little cut shots on both sides and has heavy spin on his second serve. They both use hard hit forehands when the situation is right. I would agree with going lower for someone with slower to medium strokes.