Customising an extremely light/UL racquet

[TforTommy]

Hey guys, tried searching for forums but just wanted to get some general info.

So there's a set of racquets that I'm looking to buy from a seller, they're a batch of 3 wilson steams. The seller has offered to do customisation for me as I asked, since I was scared to do it myself. The racquets are 280 unstrung with a replacement grip/grommets. My plan was to add leadtape in the bumper and add silicone in the handle (My other frames have silicone + a synthetic grip) and I love the feel of the two, leather is way too firm for me.

Anyway I was just wondering when It comes to customising pro stocks (only ever customised retail frames) Is there anything to look out for? Anything that can happen that can "ruin the frame?" or do you have any general advice? I've got an option of either paying to get it professionally done or doing it myself and with the same money, buying an extra frame

Also if you've ever customised a UL frame how did it go? How did it play? And what spec did you change it to?

Thanks all

 

[dr. godmode]

I have a Pure Storm Team that is 285g unstrung. The handle is wrapped in lead tape and filling with silicone. 12 o clock has 15g of led. Strung: 350g Balance: 32cm SW: 344

Played ok before silicone and great after. This racquet punishes the ball, but is a bit hotspotty

 

[TforTommy]

I have a Pure Storm Team that is 285g unstrung. The handle is wrapped in lead tape and filling with silicone. 12 o clock has 15g of led. Strung: 350g Balance: 32cm SW: 344

Played ok before silicone and great after. This racquet punishes the ball, but is a bit hotspotty

Hey mate thanks for the reply, really appreciate it.
That’s awesome. that’s actually a very similar spec I’m going for. 350 strung 335 sw.

How much silicone did you put in the handle? Ideally I’d like to just silicone fill 23 grams in the handle, chuck 12 grams under the bumper and not have to remove the overgrip. Is there such thing as too much silicone to an extant that dampens the frame too much? Thanks

 

[dr. godmode]

Hey mate thanks for the reply, really appreciate it.
That’s awesome. that’s actually a very similar spec I’m going for. 350 strung 335 sw.

How much silicone did you put in the handle? Ideally I’d like to just silicone fill 23 grams in the handle, chuck 12 grams under the bumper and not have to remove the overgrip. Is there such thing as too much silicone to an extant that dampens the frame too much? Thanks

This was my first time with silicone. I did about a pen's length up the handle of a G2 racquet with was 10 grams roughly. I used toilet paper as a stopper instead of cotton balls due to availability. I would say as long as the silicone doesn't leak into the throat your are probably ok.

I would test with lead or puddy first to see if the handle weight alone is enough to add the comfort you want. If not use silicone.

 

[GenerationTennisElbow]

Some people aren’t picky about where weight is placed, but personally I don’t like it when upwards of 4-5 grams is distributed in one spot. To me it can make some areas feel dead and weak in the face of incoming force whistle other spots (where more weight has been placed) just bazooka the ball. If you are picky to weight distribution I would generally start with a few grams at 3 and 9, then some at 12 and maybe 10 and 2, and if depolarization is a goal maybe some at 6 or 4-8. This is obviously a picky process that requires more personal weight application, which isn’t that hard to do yourself. It’s all fairly intuitive and feel-based, but for putting silicone in the handle it might be best to let a more experienced hand work it out.


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[TforTommy]

Some people aren’t picky about where weight is placed, but personally I don’t like it when upwards of 4-5 grams is distributed in one spot. To me it can make some areas feel dead and weak in the face of incoming force whistle other spots (where more weight has been placed) just bazooka the ball. If you are picky to weight distribution I would generally start with a few grams at 3 and 9, then some at 12 and maybe 10 and 2, and if depolarization is a goal maybe some at 6 or 4-8. This is obviously a picky process that requires more personal weight application, which isn’t that hard to do yourself. It’s all fairly intuitive and feel-based, but for putting silicone in the handle it might be best to let a more experienced hand work it out.


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yeah, I get what you're saying. So basically its coming in at 280 unstrung and 275 sw. Was thinking to get that up to my familiar 330 swingweight i'd add 18 grams of lead? (heard 3 grams is about an increase of 10) then I add strings, then add 20 grams of silicone and some lead under the grip. Is there anything you think that can destroy the feel of a pro stock frame/hairpin? I want to get the most I can out of my frame.

I can either get 3 (Professionally customised) or can afford 4 frames. I've only ever customised my vcore 98 but stopped using it (got craziest tennis elbow) after using it, 4 grams under bumper + leather grip with 15gauge rpm blast

 

[GenerationTennisElbow]

yeah, I get what you're saying. So basically its coming in at 280 unstrung and 275 sw. Was thinking to get that up to my familiar 330 swingweight i'd add 18 grams of lead? (heard 3 grams is about an increase of 10) then I add strings, then add 20 grams of silicone and some lead under the grip. Is there anything you think that can destroy the feel of a pro stock frame/hairpin? I want to get the most I can out of my frame.

I can either get 3 (Professionally customised) or can afford 4 frames. I've only ever customised my vcore 98 but stopped using it (got craziest tennis elbow) after using it, 4 grams under bumper + leather grip with 15gauge rpm blast

I would go for 4 racquets but I love tinkering with frames so that may just be me. I'm a little too tired to work out the math right now, but conventional wisdom is that 1 gram at 12 equals around 3 swingweight points, while the same amount at 3 and 9 positions adds around 2, and maybe something like 1 additional point per gram at 6. There's a fair number of ways to fill your handle while adding weight depending on how hard you cram stuff in there: silicone, blu-tak putty, expanding foam, cotton balls, yarn, saran wrap and rubber bands could all dampen/mute the response a tad when put in the handle. I doubt that the feel would be impacted negatively, as most pros have their handles filled (usually with silicone) to some extent.

 

[TforTommy]

I would go for 4 racquets but I love tinkering with frames so that may just be me. I'm a little too tired to work out the math right now, but conventional wisdom is that 1 gram at 12 equals around 3 swingweight points, while the same amount at 3 and 9 positions adds around 2, and maybe something like 1 additional point per gram at 6. There's a fair number of ways to fill your handle while adding weight depending on how hard you cram stuff in there: silicone, blu-tak putty, expanding foam, cotton balls, yarn, saran wrap and rubber bands could all dampen/mute the response a tad when put in the handle. I doubt that the feel would be impacted negatively, as most pros have their handles filled (usually with silicone) to some extent.

thanks so much man, i love the feeling of silicone in my other racquet, just that solid pro stock feeling and sensation is what really made me interested in being a racquet head. I was going to do the method of 3 cotton balls, silicone, a similar stick to what im getting only has silicone in 1 side of the trapdoor, but since ive got alot of silicone i'll probably do it in 2.

If I just put silicone in the handle and lead at the frame is there any negatives? Polarising or whatever

Appreciate the replies, was pretty hesitant and was really unsure, but you've given me confidence that they'll be good.

 

[robin1982]

PT57A's come in uncustomized about 250/260 grams. Then you build it up to you specs. Mine are 365 grams 380 sw balance 325. So its ok to customize light rackets


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[TforTommy]

went with 4 sticks thankyou all!

PT57A's come in uncustomized about 250/260 grams. Then you build it up to you specs. Mine are 365 grams 380 sw balance 325. So its ok to customize light rackets


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That's awesome man. Mind sharing roughly how much weight you added and where? I crunched the numbers and to get it to my usual spec its 15 grams of lead in the hoop? then like 35 in the tail bring the spec to bring it up to around 330 unstrung? But because of the frame I might go for a 320 unstrung weight. Perhaps 12 grams in the hoop, 25 grams of silicone in the handle and a leather grip. Not too sure about the leather grip though, not sure if it's the frames but all the other frames i've played with that have leather grips, I do have some pain (tenniselbow) but they're also strung with 15 gauge rpm

Thanks

 

[TforTommy]

Also does anyone have any reccomendations with heavy synthetic grips? Ideally wilson as I kinda want the grip brand to match the frame if possible, or leather grips that don't feel like a rock? Thanks

 

[robin1982]

went with 4 sticks thankyou all!



That's awesome man. Mind sharing roughly how much weight you added and where? I crunched the numbers and to get it to my usual spec its 15 grams of lead in the hoop? then like 35 in the tail bring the spec to bring it up to around 330 unstrung? But because of the frame I might go for a 320 unstrung weight. Perhaps 12 grams in the hoop, 25 grams of silicone in the handle and a leather grip. Not too sure about the leather grip though, not sure if it's the frames but all the other frames i've played with that have leather grips, I do have some pain (tenniselbow) but they're also strung with 15 gauge rpm

Thanks

I dont know how much lead and sillicone in total is in my PT57A's. Normally I customize my rackets myself but this time Unstrung Custom did it because they painted 2 PT57A's for me. I build up the grip myself and there is 5 grams of tape at the handle and 8 grams lead.
Put 10 grams extra lead at 12 ( 10-2) but there was already a lot of lead at the hoop and 3&9 and 4 grams at 6.
Dont use leather with a tenniselbow.. You need more cushion. I use karakal pu grip. Love it! And 18 gauge Diadem Solstice Power


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