How often do you re-string rackets??

A

Attila_the_gorilla

Guest
My normal setup is Wilson gut mains and Monogut ZX crosses. Have liked it but still working on the right tension combo, otherwise it plays well for a long time, even as it loses tension.

My last restring I had a breakage so I had to try Wilson gut and Alu Power. It was great, very forgiving for a few sets. But now it seems like the ball pocketing is gone, no power or spin seemingly.

I will stick with Monogut ZX crosses, just work on the right stringing method. Pre-stretch and tension, that sort of stuff. Gut/ZX hybrid seems like it plays very well for a very long time.
 
I use Volkl Cyclone 17 in my Six.One 95 16x18 at 60lbs. I re-string when I break strings, usually around 3 hours of drilling or 5 hours of match play. If I haven't broken the string after around 12 or so hours, I'll cut it out and re-string due to tension loss.
 

Fuji

Legend
Usually around 10 hours, although I rarely have strings last me that long. Depending on the frame it's every 4-8 hours.

-Fuji
 

Blade0324

Hall of Fame
I have 5 racquets that I use and rotate regularly. I can generally get about 6-8 hours of hitting time in on a set of strings if they don't break. I break strings about a third of the time if that. I use full poly at about 48 lb. give or take. You can really tell when poly goes dead, as the ball does not spin as much and the power level drops as the elasticity of the strings is gone. It's so worth it to re-string regularly. Most people do not restring anywhere near enough in my opinion. Even if they are using a multi and are not a big hitter, after about a month the tension loss is pretty significant and they just don't play as well. I recommend to my friends and people I play with to restring about once a month or every other at the longest. I have had numerous people thank me saying they didn't realize how much they needed to restring until after they did and realize how good new strings play.
 

chrisingrassia

Professional
I almost never break a string but only re-string due to tension loss.

I am a good 4.0 player with average power and spin.

I play 3 hours a week or so.

I re-string about every 3-4 months due to tension loss.


I know some of the 5.0 guns break strings every other week it seems.

The answer of "how often to re-string" racquets is an individual stat. It's entirely dependent on playing style, tension, string type, how often you play, how/where the racquets are stored when not playing, weather conditions during play, etc. People that go months and months and months without re-stringing aren't doing themselves any favors; I've seen cheapskates go over a year without stringing. That's like changing oil after 60,000 miles, or new running shoes after your 8th marathon, or sharpening your hockey skates once per season.
 
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Deleted member 23235

Guest
If you're at 38#, as your sig suggests, of a poly & are breaking it weekly...you need to try a different string or hire a new stringer. Should never break after 8 hours, even if Nadal is swinging it.


I'd be surprised if no one else was breaking strings (poly even) at the rate that I am?!

I string myself (careful to not notch mains). I always break center 2 mains. I do use 16g, so 15g would obviously last longer. anyone know how long pro (especially semi or western grippers) strings last before breaking? when drilling (many more balls hit than sets), I can't see their strings lasting longer than 3-4hrs.

thoughts? even stringing myself, string costs me 400-500/yr... would love to cut the cost and time spent stringing, down.
 

volusiano

Hall of Fame
I'd be surprised if no one else was breaking strings (poly even) at the rate that I am?!

I string myself (careful to not notch mains). I always break center 2 mains. I do use 16g, so 15g would obviously last longer. anyone know how long pro (especially semi or western grippers) strings last before breaking? when drilling (many more balls hit than sets), I can't see their strings lasting longer than 3-4hrs.

thoughts? even stringing myself, string costs me 400-500/yr... would love to cut the cost and time spent stringing, down.
If you consistently break at the same spot around the 2 center mains, I would consider using string savers to help make your string last a little longer. You can apply the string savers to crosses in the sweet spot area of those 2 mains only.

If you want to keep the cost of using string savers down, you can collect and reuse the string saver pieces that still remain on the racket after your string breaks, if you deem the hassle to be worth it.

I use string savers on my full bed of gut and my string lasts a long time. I use liberally in the sweet spot because I've learned how to collect and reuse them without too much of a hassle using a pair of tweezers.
 

Mongolmike

Hall of Fame
If you consistently break at the same spot around the 2 center mains, I would consider using string savers to help make your string last a little longer. You can apply the string savers to crosses in the sweet spot area of those 2 mains only.

If you want to keep the cost of using string savers down, you can collect and reuse the string saver pieces that still remain on the racket after your string breaks, if you deem the hassle to be worth it.

I use string savers on my full bed of gut and my string lasts a long time. I use liberally in the sweet spot because I've learned how to collect and reuse them without too much of a hassle using a pair of tweezers.

Maybe I'm a little too picky, but I've tried string savers before, and I think they mute the playability of the strings. They probably prevent the movement/snapback of the strings, which will affect your spin generation. (I hit a topspin FH and a topspin 1HBH, and a 2nd serve kicker... so maybe I'm more sensitive to strings that aren't performing right?)
 

volusiano

Hall of Fame
Maybe I'm a little too picky, but I've tried string savers before, and I think they mute the playability of the strings. They probably prevent the movement/snapback of the strings, which will affect your spin generation. (I hit a topspin FH and a topspin 1HBH, and a 2nd serve kicker... so maybe I'm more sensitive to strings that aren't performing right?)
I never use string savers on any type of string other than full bed of gut so I can't comment on how they may affect the performance of other strings. But with gut I don't feel much difference at all between a full bed of gut without string savers and a full bed with string savers, except that if you use string savers liberally, it may increase the tension a little bit (but not too much). I hit with a lot of spin myself and I don't feel like my spin generation is affected at all. But everybody's different.

I don't think they prevent my string movements laterally because I still see evidence of string movement in my case. The crosses tend to curve up a little bit toward the head. If anything, that's evidence that it facilitates better string movement, because the string can slide more easily now thanks to the string savers reducing the friction at the crosses. I also find it easier to straighten out my curved strings by hand if I have string savers on them, another evidence of string movement.

I don't know if they prevent snapback or not, but I still get a lot of pop on my string with the savers on.
 
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Deleted member 23235

Guest
Maybe I'm a little too picky, but I've tried string savers before, and I think they mute the playability of the strings. They probably prevent the movement/snapback of the strings, which will affect your spin generation. (I hit a topspin FH and a topspin 1HBH, and a 2nd serve kicker... so maybe I'm more sensitive to strings that aren't performing right?)
Yeah, I agree. I do feel like they deaden the playability.

I used to play with string savers, and I find them very annoying, not to mention increases the "cost to string" by $7 or so. Definitely increases string life, but not relative to the cost (eg. let's say it increases string life by 2 hours (guestimating what it has done for me in the past)), that's about a 125% increase in durability... for about a 170% increase in cost. (eg. $10/string + $7/savers).

Then they make a mess everywhere. Some have come close to hitting me in the eye when my strings pop (or the saver breaks or both).

There's no way i'm gonna recollect them with tweezers!
 

volusiano

Hall of Fame
Yeah, I agree. I do feel like they deaden the playability.

I used to play with string savers, and I find them very annoying, not to mention increases the "cost to string" by $7 or so. Definitely increases string life, but not relative to the cost (eg. let's say it increases string life by 2 hours (guestimating what it has done for me in the past)), that's about a 125% increase in durability... for about a 170% increase in cost. (eg. $10/string + $7/savers).

Then they make a mess everywhere. Some have come close to hitting me in the eye when my strings pop (or the saver breaks or both).

There's no way i'm gonna recollect them with tweezers!
That's why I only use string savers on a full bed of gut because they justify the cost on the expensive gut, but not on the cheaper poly or multi.

If you only use them on the 2 mains that you said keep breaking for you, and only on the sweet spot, it will not come to $7 for you. A Babolat pack of string savers costs around $9 from TW, but you will only need to use a very small portion of that pack for just the 2 mains in the sweet spot and not the whole string bed.

But it's not like I'm trying to push the string savers on you. You asked for ideas on how to prolong your string life and that's the most obvious option I can see, beside lowering the tension, which you already did apparently at 38 lbs.
 
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Deleted member 23235

Guest
That's why I only use string savers on a full bed of gut because they justify the cost on the expensive gut, but not on the cheaper poly or multi.



If you only use them on the 2 mains that you said keep breaking for you, and only on the sweet spot, it will not come to $7 for you. A Babolat pack of string savers costs around $9 from TW, but you will only need to use a very small portion of that pack for just the 2 mains in the sweet spot and not the whole string bed.



But it's not like I'm trying to push the string savers on you. You asked for ideas on how to prolong your string life and that's the most obvious option I can see, beside lowering the tension, which you already did apparently at 38 lbs.


I do appreciate the suggestion. just sharing my experiences with savers in case anyone else is considering them.
If i was using gut (which my budget, and string-breaking-frequency can't afford), I would definitely use savers.
 
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volusiano

Hall of Fame
I do appreciate the suggestion. just sharing my experiences with savers in case anyone else is considering them.
If i was using gut (which my budget, and string-breaking-frequency can't afford), I would definitely use savers.
Just out of curiosity, do you feel like they affect your playability even if you use them sparingly on a couple of mains only and only in the area you frequently break? Or did you feel the negative effect because you had them on for the whole string bed?
 
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Deleted member 23235

Guest
Just out of curiosity, do you feel like they affect your playability even if you use them sparingly on a couple of mains only and only in the area you frequently break? Or did you feel the negative effect because you had them on for the whole string bed?
i've done a 10x10'ish... it's probably all in my head how it plays... but extending the time to break by a couple hours didn't seem worth the hassle and cost.
 

volusiano

Hall of Fame
i've done a 10x10'ish... it's probably all in my head how it plays... but extending the time to break by a couple hours didn't seem worth the hassle and cost.
I agree that a couple of hours saving is not worth it. It has to be at least double the life of your string and the added cost has to be lower or at least the same as the cost of your new string so you can at least save on the time/labor of 1 restring.

I'm curious if it still broke in the area where you had the string savers. If yes, it tells me that the breaking is probably not due to the string cutting into each other, but due to something else.
 
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G A S

Hall of Fame
my shots have to be the weakest around here since I have not re-stringed my racket for many years now.
 

esgee48

G.O.A.T.
Regarding String Savers, I use to be able to reuse them. I would place them on the string bed and keep track of how many hours I have on the frame. After about 12 hours, would put the frame's head in a large clear plastic bag and cut the strings. The string savers would collect in the bag and can be reused. FWIW, I don't do this anymore because putting the string savers in would take me at least 15 minutes, whereas restringing would take about 40-45 min. Was not cost effective if you string your own.

Getting back on subject, use mainly POSG or Gamma SG w/o Wearguard. Break the strings between 12-16 hours in the center. So that's when I restring.
 
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I only replace them when they break, play with gut so they give plenty of warning. I like to call the shot I break it on when it's getting really thin. Marina Nav, commented the other day that she played like a whole season with the same strings. This constant changing of strings in the pros seems ridiculous, but I'm not playing for millions.
 

Startzel

Hall of Fame
I only replace them when they break, play with gut so they give plenty of warning. I like to call the shot I break it on when it's getting really thin. Marina Nav, commented the other day that she played like a whole season with the same strings. This constant changing of strings in the pros seems ridiculous, but I'm not playing for millions.

What? How could she have possibly gone through a whole season with the same strings?

Just seems impossible for someone of her level.
 

navigator

Hall of Fame
What? How could she have possibly gone through a whole season with the same strings?

Just seems impossible for someone of her level.

I can see this... if she had a dozen+ racquets and was rotating them regularly. During her heyday - 70s/80s - women didn't hit the ball as hard nor use as much spin as they do today. With her classic strokes and rotating enough racquets I can see her not needing to re-string a lot. I bet the male players from the 70s and prior didn't break a lot of strings (other than Borg with his 80 lbs of tension) - the racquets themselves probably broke more often, or the tension got too low.
 

Cobra Tennis

Professional
I've been using 19g tour bite. I play 2-3 times a week. Usually restring every two weeks due to tension loss and or playability. Luckily I have my own machine and shop...
 

rkelley

Hall of Fame
After about 10-12 hours of hitting, because by then the crosses (Xcel) have either broken or are about to break.

Right now I'm using Lux rough in the mains and Babolat Xcel Comfort in the crosses, both at 57 lb. When the Xcel breaks, the Lux has lost a lot of tension anyway.

FWIW, I'm trying Lux in the crosses and Xcel in the mains. I like it. More spin. However it's hard to string the Lux in the crosses and the Xcel in the mains breaks after about 3 hours. I can't deal with that. I'm going to try Technifiber instead of Xcel in the mains and see if that lasts longer.
 

dsp9753

Semi-Pro
Just curious, does anyone here use Natural Gut? Anyone know about how long Natural Gut should last?

I just tried Babolat natural gut for the first time at 57 lbs for both mains and crosses. Broke it in my 3rd? hour of play. Only got 2 matches out of it before it broke.
 

volusiano

Hall of Fame
Just curious, does anyone here use Natural Gut? Anyone know about how long Natural Gut should last?

I just tried Babolat natural gut for the first time at 57 lbs for both mains and crosses. Broke it in my 3rd? hour of play. Only got 2 matches out of it before it broke.
3 hours for Babolat natural gut is pretty short lived. I'm able to get well over 100 hours with a full bed of gut. But then I'm not a fast string breaker. I used to string between 52-55 lbs before. Now I string my full bed of gut at 45 lbs.

I think you should be able to get dozens of hours on a full bed of guts normally.
 

Fuji

Legend
After about 10-12 hours of hitting, because by then the crosses (Xcel) have either broken or are about to break.

Right now I'm using Lux rough in the mains and Babolat Xcel Comfort in the crosses, both at 57 lb. When the Xcel breaks, the Lux has lost a lot of tension anyway.

FWIW, I'm trying Lux in the crosses and Xcel in the mains. I like it. More spin. However it's hard to string the Lux in the crosses and the Xcel in the mains breaks after about 3 hours. I can't deal with that. I'm going to try Technifiber instead of Xcel in the mains and see if that lasts longer.

The problem is you are using rough. Rough eats through multi like no problem. You might want to try using regular ALU in the crosses. Could easily double string durability in the mains.

-Fuji
 
Just curious, does anyone here use Natural Gut? Anyone know about how long Natural Gut should last?

I just tried Babolat natural gut for the first time at 57 lbs for both mains and crosses. Broke it in my 3rd? hour of play. Only got 2 matches out of it before it broke.

Something wrong with this picture, I use Babolat VS Black, it doesn't break, it wears out, frays and then you can call the shot you break the last strand with. Been using two interchangeably for months, maybe 15-20 hours a week, hit pretty hard. Just starting to show some wear now.
 

encylopedia

Professional
I know some of the 5.0 guns break strings every other week it seems.

Every other week???

Depends on the string, the player, and the racquet (often not thought of but a huge factor). However, I"ve had world-class juniors breaking ordinary syn gut every couple of hours......

I personally used to use an 18 gauge kevlar with syn gut crosses....this lasted me about 4 hours....so about 2 matches. With a 17 gauge gut it was less. This though was with oversize radicals.

PS. If one actually wanted to maximize your breaking, get a thin string, a widebody, stiff, open pattern, oversize racquet.......

Switching to a pro tour 280, and a 15l syn gut, those times can be tripled! Nice......it gets pretty darn tedious restringing your racquets all the time....
 
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dsp9753

Semi-Pro
Something wrong with this picture, I use Babolat VS Black, it doesn't break, it wears out, frays and then you can call the shot you break the last strand with. Been using two interchangeably for months, maybe 15-20 hours a week, hit pretty hard. Just starting to show some wear now.

Hm... I am not known for hitting the ball really hard (that I know of), I am certainly not winning points by bashing the balls in. But at my level I am known for hitting the balls with heavy topsin. I use a full western grip and most people I havent even played yet know me by my grip and heavy spin.

In my last match, I could tell all of my strings were so notched that one of them were gonna pop all across my mains in the sweet spot. Honestly, one main looked so bad I was worried it was gonna pop all game. I popped it hitting a serve.
 
... I use a full western grip and most people I havent even played yet know me by my grip and heavy spin.

I use Eastern and conti grips primarily, don't use western, looks like too much work. Gut's expensive, you may have to change grips or change strings, at the rate you're breaking strings it may bankrupt you.
 

Mac33

Professional
I break strings like once every 6 months and I'm playing 3-4 days per week around 1-2 hours per day.

I do use a 98 inch frame with a dense 18 by 20 stringbed and I do hit very flat though quite hard.

I agree a oversize frame with a open string bed,strung tight with thin gauge string will cost you a packet.

The strings move less with a dense string bed reducing the sawing effect I think.
 

volusiano

Hall of Fame
Hm... I am not known for hitting the ball really hard (that I know of), I am certainly not winning points by bashing the balls in. But at my level I am known for hitting the balls with heavy topsin. I use a full western grip and most people I havent even played yet know me by my grip and heavy spin.

In my last match, I could tell all of my strings were so notched that one of them were gonna pop all across my mains in the sweet spot. Honestly, one main looked so bad I was worried it was gonna pop all game. I popped it hitting a serve.
If your problem is notched strings, the solution to this can be string savers. But only worth it for expensive natural gut beds.
 

TennisCJC

Legend
What? How could she have possibly gone through a whole season with the same strings?

Just seems impossible for someone of her level.

I have heard Chris Evertt also say that she would use the same gut strings for months too. I believe it since you have 2 of the best women players say it. Gut plays well until it breaks but I am surprise that Evertt and Navratalova didn't break it faster than they are reporting. I am late 50s and Babolat Tonic+ BallFeel which is a fat 16G gut with poly crosses at 56/52 in 16x19 thin beam racket last around 20-25 hours before the gut pops. And, around 20 hours give or take a bit, it looks pretty rough with notches and strings fraying everywhere.

Maybe they had 8 or 10 frames rotating play to make them last months. Even in a wood racket, I would have thought they would break gut in a matter of weeks as much as they play and practice. And, they both hit the ball fairly hard. I know it looks slow on YouTube but they hit the ball with pace if you ever saw them play live.
 
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eelhc

Hall of Fame
"Months" could be 2 or 3. Back in the day with dense pattern wooden racquets I recall gut lasting forever unless one got it wet.

Maybe they had several racquets but I don't recall players carrying big bags with a bunch of them into the match.

Points were shorter back then and the classic strokes didn't wear down strings as much.
 

gameboy

Hall of Fame
If you are playing with a poly, you either should replace your string every match or so, or just leave it in until it breaks. Most of the tension loss happens within first several hours, it is kinda pointless to cut out strings after playing it 20+ hours when most of the tension loss is already behind you.

Relatedly, I don't understand why non-string breakers use poly. If spin is not a big part of your game (and if you do not break your strings frequently, it is not), why bother using something that is really for spin generation?

Polys have TERRIBLE feel (even softer ones), tension maintenance is a joke and very little power. Without spin generation, these are really terrible strings. Why would you not just get a full bed (at least a hybrid) of gut and call it a day? If your strings last 6 months or more, cost-wise, dropping $45 for it makes a lot of sense.

I just don't get why so many non-string breakers use polys. Are we that much slaves to pro-envy?
 

volusiano

Hall of Fame
If you are playing with a poly, you either should replace your string every match or so, or just leave it in until it breaks. Most of the tension loss happens within first several hours, it is kinda pointless to cut out strings after playing it 20+ hours when most of the tension loss is already behind you.

Relatedly, I don't understand why non-string breakers use poly. If spin is not a big part of your game (and if you do not break your strings frequently, it is not), why bother using something that is really for spin generation?

Polys have TERRIBLE feel (even softer ones), tension maintenance is a joke and very little power. Without spin generation, these are really terrible strings. Why would you not just get a full bed (at least a hybrid) of gut and call it a day? If your strings last 6 months or more, cost-wise, dropping $45 for it makes a lot of sense.

I just don't get why so many non-string breakers use polys. Are we that much slaves to pro-envy?
You're making an assumption that people who hit with spin will break strings quickly. That's not necessarily true. I hit with spin but I don't break strings quickly.

So that should answer your question there. Non-string-breakers still use poly because they do hit with spin, too.

Having said that, poly is not the only string that can give you spin. I don't use poly, I use full beds of gut, and I can still get spin just fine. Spin is not heavily dependent on the type of string. It's more dependent on technique, I would argue.
 

volusiano

Hall of Fame
There is hitting with spin, and then there is really hitting with spin. Open guys and some 5.0 really hit with spin. Really no one under 4.5 hits with big spin. Obviously they can hit a loopy ball relative to their level, but it's not the same as really cranking out the RPM's where you'll break string quickly.

-Fuji
I understand what you're saying. But based on your explanation above then, combined with Gameboy's statement, one might as well just say "Rec players 4.5 or below, don't bother using poly at all. Anything else is better for you than poly."
 

Fuji

Legend
I understand what you're saying. But based on your explanation above then, combined with Gameboy's statement, one might as well just say "Rec players 4.5 or below, don't bother using poly at all. Anything else is better for you than poly."

That is definitely what I'm saying. 99% of players under 4.5 don't generate enough batspeed to make the poly bend and snapback efficiently.

-Fuji
 

volusiano

Hall of Fame
That is definitely what I'm saying. 99% of players under 4.5 don't generate enough batspeed to make the poly bend and snapback efficiently.

-Fuji
I wouldn't argue with this either. And that's why I don't use poly but use full bed of gut instead. I don't see the value of poly for me personally.

But I'd say that spin is not the only reason rec players go with poly. I think lower cost of poly is probably also a big factor.
 

Fuji

Legend
I wouldn't argue with this either. And that's why I don't use poly but use full bed of gut instead. I don't see the value of poly for me personally.

But I'd say that spin is not the only reason rec players go with poly. I think lower cost of poly is probably also a big factor.

If it's cost there are plenty of cheap multi's and syngut (which is literally 2-3$ a set.)

At my store, in my personal client base I have no one on poly that isn't 4.5+. When you're a racket tech and stringer most clients listen to you about how poly works and we try to maximize their potential by using the string and rackets that suit them best.

-Fuji
 

Maui19

Hall of Fame
That is definitely what I'm saying. 99% of players under 4.5 don't generate enough batspeed to make the poly bend and snapback efficiently.

-Fuji

So you're saying that, even playing a high spin game, and older 4.0 like me could have a better setup than a gut/poly hybrid? I've used multis before and they simply don't last. Perhaps I have tried the wrong ones.
 

Startzel

Hall of Fame
So you're saying that, even playing a high spin game, and older 4.0 like me could have a better setup than a gut/poly hybrid? I've used multis before and they simply don't last. Perhaps I have tried the wrong ones.

You probably are playing below your actual level so you would fall under his 4.5+ rupe of thumb.
 

CurrenFan

Rookie
There are a couple of people in my league who appear to be oblivious to the fact that strings can actually be replaced - their racquets make this "Pawk!" sound when they hit that sounds downright awkward and clearly indicates old, flat strings that have lost their tension. One of them had a racquet that was of an age that it could rent a car (probably little, if any exaggeration) and I think I overheard its owner say once that the strings were the originals. Obviously, we're not talking people who put much pace or spin on the ball.

I started stringing my own racquets last season and was wondering if I should strip the old strings off and replace them now that the current season has started, but so far, I'm not noticing much, if any, difference, so I'll wait at least a few more weeks before I revisit the issue.
 

Ronaldo

Bionic Poster
There are a couple of people in my league who appear to be oblivious to the fact that strings can actually be replaced - their racquets make this "Pawk!" sound when they hit that sounds downright awkward and clearly indicates old, flat strings that have lost their tension. One of them had a racquet that was of an age that it could rent a car (probably little, if any exaggeration) and I think I overheard its owner say once that the strings were the originals. Obviously, we're not talking people who put much pace or spin on the ball.

I started stringing my own racquets last season and was wondering if I should strip the old strings off and replace them now that the current season has started, but so far, I'm not noticing much, if any, difference, so I'll wait at least a few more weeks before I revisit the issue.

Most strings feel like dry spaghetti when older than 6 months. Except NG. Break like egg shells
 

Fuji

Legend
So you're saying that, even playing a high spin game, and older 4.0 like me could have a better setup than a gut/poly hybrid? I've used multis before and they simply don't last. Perhaps I have tried the wrong ones.

Sorry this is totally my bad, I meant discussing full beds of polyester or poly mained frames. Gut/poly is a great set up for a ton of players since you don't have to have a lot of work on the ball to get the gut to slide. IMO gut/poly is a great set up for a ton of different play styles as long as you're smart about what you're using and tension it accordingly.

-Fuji
 

FedLIKEnot

Professional
I use a hybrid with poly in mains and syn gut in crosses. I don't break strings much cause I use 16g. But I resting about once a month which works out to about 20 to 30 hrs. I string at 60lbs and according to the racquet tune app right about when I resting the tension is around 49-52lbs. At that point I can't control the ball at all....
 
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