Device to check strings tension

[Caol-ila]

It seems that my racquets arrive from my stringer with too different tensions. I would like to check my strings tension. Which device could I use to check them? No phone apps please. I know about Tourna Racquet String Tension Meter and Gamma STT. Which one is better?
Anything else?

 

[esm]

Have the Tourna string meter and it does what it says on the tin. Quick and simple to use.
Are the racquets the same with same string setup? Maybe one was strung longer than the other one, hence the differences in the tension.

 

[Irvin]

Tap the 2 rackets against each other. The frequency should be nearly identical. The lower the Hz the lower the tension assuming you have same rackets, strings, and tension.

 

[Caol-ila]

I have just ordered a Tourna RSTM, tomorrow it should be here.

 

[First Serve]

is there huge demand (a market) for a reliable tension measuring device? has the phone APP I keep hearing about satisfied this demand?

 

[tennisbike]

Have the Tourna string meter and it does what it says on the tin. Quick and simple to use.
Are the racquets the same with same string setup? Maybe one was strung longer than the other one, hence the differences in the tension.

I am a stringmeter user. I take generally 16+19 reading per racket every few hour of play. I think SM is very useful for checking string jobs, string to string, and how a string bed changes over time. But I would not call it "Quick and simple".
If you just want ONE number out of a string bed, then Racquet Tune is probably the answer. I am not a RT user and no comment on it.

 

[LOBALOT]

RacquetTune is fine. It is not perfect but neither is anything else.

I am beginning to feel more and more that with RacquetTune one should use their own measured string factors that they can count on and the variability that one sees in performance is related to the string factors pulled from the database.

 

[esm]

I am a stringmeter user. I take generally 16+19 reading per racket every few hour of play. I think SM is very useful for checking string jobs, string to string, and how a string bed changes over time. But I would not call it "Quick and simple".
If you just want ONE number out of a string bed, then Racquet Tune is probably the answer. I am not a RT user and no comment on it.

i disagree - to use the RT you need to be in a relative quiet place, tapping the string bed over your phone over (i think) a good 10/15 seconds..... any foreign noise/sound will have impact on the phone microphone to pick up the correct sound from the string bed....

with a stringmeter - all you have to do select the right gauge, count 8 crosses down and turn. this can be done in around 5-10 seconds...... anywhere, even in a noisy (& maybe windy) tennis court. hence my "quick and simple' comment.

(i started with using the RT on iOS, found it too troublesome for a quick tension reading.... i am not a pro or got paid to play tennis, so SM simple tension reading is good enough for me)

 

[Arak]

RacquetTune works well for me. I find it very accurate with string factors measured by weight. The rest are too hit and miss. I wish they could update their database with more string factors instead of relying on users sharing their measurements.

 

[Irvin]

RacquetTune measures frequency and uses that frequency to calculate tension using a string factor that may or may not be accurate. That string factor often changes for different types of string, even string gauge or dyes in the string can change the string factor. The best you can hope for is the measured tension of the string in the racket might be close. I have my doubts. I seriously doubt all the mains are the same tension let alone all the mains and crosses are the same tension. Try using a string meter and you probably won’t find any main and cross the same.

I’d measure frequency and forget about tension, dynamic tension, string gauge, string color, string savers, head size, pattern, string factors, and anything else that can change the reading. That is if I wanted to measure whatever it is anyway. It is what it is.

 

[tennisbike]

i disagree - to use the RT you need to be in a relative quiet place, tapping the string bed over your phone over (i think) a good 10/15 seconds..... any foreign noise/sound will have impact on the phone microphone to pick up the correct sound from the string bed....

with a stringmeter - all you have to do select the right gauge, count 8 crosses down and turn. this can be done in around 5-10 seconds...... anywhere, even in a noisy (& maybe windy) tennis court. hence my "quick and simple' comment.

I see that not everyone agree that using RT or frequency is "Quick and Simple".

Like Irvin mentioned, 16 or 19 main strings are rarely at the same tension, actually never. And 18~ 20 cross strings are not at the identical tension, and mains and cross are seldom at the same tension level. Thus taking one SM reading at a random spot will not be representative of the whole string bed. That is why I often take 16+19 SM readings. I do encourage everyone to do it like that, but that is not "Quick and Simple".

If someone want to take just one SM reading to gauge how their string bed degrade over time, I probably would suggest take the center 2 main strings, and probably the left side. For me+my stringer, left #1 tend to be generally the lowest SM reading, and center mains tend to drop the greatest over time.

 

[Arak]

Anyhow, whether it’s a device or an app, they’re all toys at the end for us to play with. I trust my arm the most, and it’s always right. But it’s fun to play with the RT, and it does agree with my arm. My tennis is fortunately not at that advanced stage that I need to know the tension of every string in the racket

 

[esm]

I see that not everyone agree that using RT or frequency is "Quick and Simple".

Like Irvin mentioned, 16 or 19 main strings are rarely at the same tension, actually never. And 18~ 20 cross strings are not at the identical tension, and mains and cross are seldom at the same tension level. Thus taking one SM reading at a random spot will not be representative of the whole string bed. That is why I often take 16+19 SM readings. I do encourage everyone to do it like that, but that is not "Quick and Simple".

If someone want to take just one SM reading to gauge how their string bed degrade over time, I probably would suggest take the center 2 main strings, and probably the left side. For me+my stringer, left #1 tend to be generally the lowest SM reading, and center mains tend to drop the greatest over time.

okay, sure - the string meter may be not "quick and simple" for you to use, but for me it is. a quick measure on both mains, 8 cross down is good enough for me.
i usually hit the ball around the middle part of the string bed.... so, not sure what i'd gain/achieve if i measure anywhere near the outer main strings and/or near the top/bottom of the cross strings. but hey, i am a simple man, and that is quick and simple enough for me.

 

[tennisbike]

Sorry I just realized that my responses were less than helpful.

I do recommend using SM to check string bed. And I agree perhaps measuring the center 4 mains and a couple of crosses is fairly quick and simple.

 

[Caol-ila]

I received and used the Tourna RSTM on some of my racquets. I have some doubt about my results. As Arak wrote, I trust my arm more than anything else, so I had my racquet restrung even if the tool said it was not necessary.
I think I need some more practice on that.

 

[tennisbike]

I received and used the Tourna RSTM on some of my racquets. I have some doubt about my results. As Arak wrote, I trust my arm more than anything else, so I had my racquet restrung even if the tool said it was not necessary.
I think I need some more practice on that.

Sorry to hear that. Not sure what you were expecting, what I am hearing is that you are disappointed.
StringMeter is like a simple ruler, it gives you numbers, n you need to interprete the numbers. If you want to use SM to help you determine when to string then.. you need to learn to measure a number of reading over time to observe the trend. Of course, having a good "zero" or staring point is extremely important. You must know what the numbers looks like on a well strung string bed. Then if your new readings deviate a lot n that agrees w your hand, then you have found the point when to restring.
So there are a few things to learn. For me, I know what kind of number I like on a stick. The numbers do drop. I know when center mains became a lot lower than the side, the trampaline happens. But I still have the illusion I can play well enough with it.