How are you guys able to spend so much money on natural gut?
- Thread starter FiReFTW
- Start date
Ronaldo
Bionic Poster
Ever wax your strings?
Never done that before
rogerroger917
Hall of Fame
I have enough disposal income to not worry about it.
JustTennis76
Hall of Fame
I have tried tonic in 16g and didn't like it all that much. Didn't try the 15L sorry. I have stuck with VS 15L since. It is such an outstanding gut in my opinion. It has stood the test of time. I have cut out the crosses couple of times and strung with Tour XP 16 and string bed still plays like fresh. VS is worth the extra money for sure.
leejayh
Rookie
I use Lux/ALU Soft in my RF97 at 59/49 when I have funds. It is good for only about 6-8 hours and then the Lux gets loose, does not snap back, and is hard to control with a lack of predictability on spin. In my PS97's and Donnay P1 Penta's it lasts about another 4 hours longer (due to them being .5oz lighter). These are all 16x19 string patterns and I use them on har-tru (which is also a gut killer).
I play about 6 hours each week, so these are done in about 1.5-2 weeks max. Poly lasts about the same.
Clearly the frame you use (weight, string pattern, etc.) will make string mileage vary. The RF97 is a string killer given the weight.
The only way to make gut affordable to me, is to string it yourself, and blend with a middle of the road poly. When I am feeling it in the wallet, I use Tourna Big Hitter Silver. But I always feel weird matching an expensive gut with a cheaper poly.
I play about 6 hours each week, so these are done in about 1.5-2 weeks max. Poly lasts about the same.
Clearly the frame you use (weight, string pattern, etc.) will make string mileage vary. The RF97 is a string killer given the weight.
The only way to make gut affordable to me, is to string it yourself, and blend with a middle of the road poly. When I am feeling it in the wallet, I use Tourna Big Hitter Silver. But I always feel weird matching an expensive gut with a cheaper poly.
Big tension difference thats why it goes loose quick. Try 57/54
leejayh
Rookie
OK - will move the poly tension up a little at a time, but also worried about comfort (hence the 49). I had a bout with TE about 3 years ago, and don't want to experience that again. I can only use the RF with gut/poly. All poly is too hard on my arm - even at lower tensions. Thanks for the advice.
I have played with Tonic (both Longevity and Ball Feel versions) in probably 8 different string set-ups/racquets, including full bed and multiple different hybrid set-ups. I've only played with VS Touch (16) once. Believe it or not, a demo from TW of a Volkl VS V-1 Pro came strung with a full bed of VS Touch. I couldn't believe they sent a demo with premium NG strung up in it, but they did. I only had a chance to hit with that racquet for a few hours, but it felt "softer" than any full-bed of Tonic I've ever tried, in any racquet. At the time, I thought maybe it was the combo of the Gut and the V-1 Pro racquet, but I'm starting to wonder if it was the gut more than the racquet, and if VS Touch really does feel softer than Tonic. Think I'll get some next time I order some string, not much more $ than Tonic, be worth a try. Thanks for the input.
IowaGuy
Hall of Fame
Isn't Touch just Tonic but with better quality control?
i.e. doesn't it come off the same production line, using the same raw materials?
That's what I've always heard. I have no idea for sure one way or the other.
IowaGuy
Hall of Fame
I don't know for sure either.
I have tried both and also prefer Touch, but could also be the placebo effect at work...
What differences did you notice between Tonic and VS Touch?
IowaGuy
Hall of Fame
I can't remember now, it's been over a year since I tried a bunch of different guts (didn't take good notes). I just remember that I liked it better than Tonic. Probably because I'm used to using 1.25 gut and tonic was just a little too thick for my liking.
After all the testing of different guts, I settled on Lux Gut, really like the low power and durability.
Then Lux went on sale and I stocked up, so am locked in now
JustTennis76
Hall of Fame
VS is only $7 more than tonic. Split that into 2 string jobs with gut/poly hybrid, it's only $3.50. I feel satisfied that I play with a better string psychologically. Get yourself VS, mike drop.
strange_doood
New User
well, that's what i experienced in a hybrid setup
You experienced a Gut/Poly hybrid that wasn't very durable? I'd be very interested to know what brand and gauge of gut you were using, and the same for the poly you were using? I hit a lot of spin and have tried multiple different Gut/Poly hybrids in multiple racquets, at multiple different tension settings, and have yet to find a set-up where the Gut mains weren't very durable, especially compared to Gut mains in a full bed of Gut. One caveat: all of the poly crosses I've tried were slick, round poly strings, no shaped or textured/rough ones.
strange_doood
New User
i had a 1.35mm/15L babolat tonic+ natural gut in the CROSSES and a 1.25mm/16 völkl cyclone (a gear-shaped co-poly with 10 sharp ridges) in the MAINS. was playing a tourney and i thought ive noticed in the 2nd match that the völkl cyclones in the mains were not perfectly coming back into their straight positions like this is the case with my usual setup of a full bed of 1.25mm head lynx. thus i had to re-position the cyclones pretty often. i think this combo of a shaped poly with a gut is not really ideal, at least for myself. i suppose a very slick poly would suit much better, maybe a tecnifibre pro red code wax. also, most pros use a poly in the mains and a gut in the crosses, but i think i should probably try a natural gut in the mains instead like mr. federer and yourself
i had a 1.35mm/15L babolat tonic+ natural gut in the CROSSES and a 1.25mm/16 völkl cyclone (a gear-shaped co-poly with 10 sharp ridges) in the MAINS. was playing a tourney and i thought ive noticed in the 2nd match that the völkl cyclones in the mains were not perfectly coming back into their straight positions like this is the case with my usual setup of a full bed of 1.25mm head lynx. thus i had to re-position the cyclones pretty often. i think this combo of a shaped poly with a gut is not really ideal, at least for myself. i suppose a very slick poly would suit much better, maybe a tecnifibre pro red code wax. also, most pros use a poly in the mains and a gut in the crosses, but i think i should probably try a natural gut in the mains instead like mr. federer and yourself
A Poly/Gut hybrid is a completely different animal than a Gut/Poly hybrid. With a Poly/Gut hybrid, you're not really maxing out the potential of either the Poly or the Gut, in my opinion. You put Gut mains over slick/round Poly crosses, and the Gut mains will snapback straight for a long time in my experience. There are a few pros who go Poly/Gut, but I think there are quite a few more who do Gut/Poly.
strange_doood
New User
im of the same opinion. the original idea was to get spin from cyclone in the mains as well as power & feel from tonic+ in the crosses as well as preserve a bit the guts in the crosses.
just brought one racquet for the new setup: m: gut (babolat tonic+ 1.35 @26kg/57.3lbs), c: round poly (head lynx 1.25 @27kg/59.5lbs). will see how this works out.
i thought i read that most pros used the guts as crosses, e.g. Delpo or Alex Zverev, but i might have mixed smth up. anyway, if you cannot afford to restring every match, the other way round makes more sense to me. it's interesting though why Nadal does not use any guts at all.
Last edited:
Would switch the tension on those and it should be awesome. Gut/poly 27k/26k
Poly/gut is very popular on the ATP and WTA. It is for players that want the poly type string bed with better feel and more power. Also easier on the arm than full bed poly.
strange_doood
New User
i decided to try reversing the tensions since the poly will lose more tension compared to the gut after an hour or two of play. not sure though if it was such a good idea, since the high tension of the crosses will prevent the mains more from snapping back easily, will do it better next time :-/
Definitely gonna feel stiff. Should be ok after you hit with it a few times. String the same tension and that idea works fairly well.
Last edited:
danbrenner
Legend
We work. It’s a unique concept in which one can earn money.
Ronaldo
Bionic Poster
The greatest trick any poaster ever pulled was convincing the world NG is too expensive.
SeeItHitIt
Professional
Stringing myself, an approximately 35 hour of use job is about $26. I change the poly out after 12-15 hours to the other side of the NG, so add another $4-5 (+/- depending on the poly used). Sale priced string saves all round.
jmacdaununder2
Legend
I'm living 'daununda' so I didn't take much convincing - but around here I'm one of the usual suspects anywaze;#keysersözelives
petetennis54
New User
So if your poly is $10/2=$5 that leaves $12 for gut. What gut do you buy for $24 per full set?
IowaGuy
Hall of Fame
Lux gut was on sale for less than that over the holidays...
It's not just what brand you use but also where you buy. Do some searching on the web and you'll see that some places are cheaper than others.
strange_doood
New User
well, got the same result as with the gut crosses and poly mains. the guts got ridges after two short matches and the poly crosses are somehow stuck and hard to get moving/sliding. the drive was crazy, served 10 aces in the first 2 sets, but the control decreased during the 2nd match drastically. not sure whether it was me or the strings, but i guess im giving up on gut/poly hybrids and going back to full beds of poly which i feel more safe with :-/
kkhimji2001
New User
WHAT would be the performance change from say vs team mains/ alu power smooth crosses to a full bed of vs team
I do find the tension drops after say 10-12 hours of the poly cross so hard shots fly longer and deeper than when the strings were fresh, so am thinking a full bed of vs gut would maintain tension better, how would it affect the spin potential?
I do find the tension drops after say 10-12 hours of the poly cross so hard shots fly longer and deeper than when the strings were fresh, so am thinking a full bed of vs gut would maintain tension better, how would it affect the spin potential?
SavvyStringer
Professional
Practice session for a pro is much different than match play. They're hitting massive amounts of balls and reciprocating massive amounts of pace. I honestly think that's why people don't break strings as quickly at low levels is they are not having to hit against pace and spin. Playing 3.5 I rarely break strings before they're dead. Hitting with a collegiate girl with a UTR of 11 the strings were on the verge of popping in 3 hours of practice. 1. You hit many more balls in practice that in match/set play 2. redirecting the pace and spin of the other person puts additional strain on the strings as they absorb and redirect it.
IowaGuy
Hall of Fame
Full bed gut has less spin than gut/poly, but maybe not as big a reduction as you might think...
kkhimji2001
New User
more power or same?
I string hybrid at 62 mains gut/60 poly, what tension should i string full bed gut, is it worth trying?
IowaGuy
Hall of Fame
IME, full bed at same tension = more power.
Wow, 62/60 is high for gut/poly! You might try full bed at 65 lbs or even 70 lbs (if your racket can handle it) and see what you think...
If you are going full bed gut I would highly recommend Luxilon Natural Gut. It is a bit lower powered and more spin friendly that Babolat. I like the 1.30 gauge for extra control. I string at 62 lbs in my DR 98
