just wondered when you decide that a racquet is old or not usable anymore. do you just feel it, or just give it a certain amount of time (one year, 2 years, etc.).
My method isn't nearly as scientific as J's. I start to notice
"Man! This is playing like crap. I'm not confident of those shots when I'm trying to NAIL a winner, like I was. This sucker's playing like one of the throats is cracked, or like the head is getting 'noodley' on me...." [Then I get a "BFO".]
"Ohhh!!!! The head IS noodley! Time for a new stick." (J is probably shuddering at this....)
Since I bought my first three months before my second ... and I DO rotate them evenly in hits ... rarely does the "newer" one fail first. (I'm a lot stingy-er than J. I hate having to buy more than two at a time.)
To distinguish them...? I use a Fine Sharpie and write on the rubber band "A" or "B" ... and the string tension. (I keep telling myself that once I settle on a tension, I'll see about getting a third stick.....)
I've been gradually reducing my tension -- from 66 lbs. -- in 2 lb. increments. [Shoulda gone in 3 lb. increments, but I was "chicken". It's true that most people cannot tell a two-pund difference. I didin't believe it at first, but now I do....] I'm down to 52 lbs. so-far, which is 7 steps down. I can sense it stopping at 50 (or 48 at the least)....
My 54 was nice and I thought, "This is probably IT." But then, on the spur of the moment when dropping my frame off for stringing last week I said, "52". (I was nervous about it for the day I waited. It hits just fine.)
I really don't like the experimentation process. I wish I could remember why I started reducing my tension....
- KK
