IMO, S/Vers prefer heavy and headlight.
Well, I can't speak for other serve-and-volleyers and I may be an anomaly, but I don't like heavy, headlight sticks at all. I much prefer a lighter stick with close to even balance, if not head heavy. Here's why:
On serve, I want to be able to feel where the tip of the racquet is during my motion. When I come through and pronate at contact, having that feel of where the tip is makes it much easier for me to move the ball around. I've also found that I get more pace with racquets that have some weight in the hoop. Heavy, headlight racquets to me suffer from two issues. The first is that as my motion starts and almost until my elbow stops going up and my arms starts to throw/pronate, swing weight doesn't matter at all. It's all static weight. Heavy sticks just wear me out as I feel like I'm dragging a log up to the ball. The second is that there's no feel without weight in the hoop and I feel like I'm not hitting through the ball as much.
As a serve-and-volleyer I rely on holding serve to win matches. Therefore I put MUCH more emphasis on a racquet that helps that one stroke rather than being good at everything. I've hit many a racquets that would be great if my game was different but weren't so hot for me serving. I think in general, it just has to do with focusing much more on one shot rather than a bunch. Give me a fantastic serving racquet that's serviceable elsewhere over a jack-of-all-trades stick any day.
Everybody's serve is different and your mileage may vary, that's just my observations. When it comes to the pros mentioned above, I'm inclined to agree that they transitioned from wood to graphite.
Also 18 mains deadens the stringbed as well.
Wholeheartedly agree. I like the soft yet powerful feel of a 16 mains pattern with a 17 gauge non-poly in it.