Doubles
Legend
I thought it was very soft, but I didn't feel as though it had a lot of power. Instead is seemed very dead and worn out before it broke. The crosses had very little pop left in them.
Introducing Grapplesnake USA!!!
Grapplesnake USA Official
Professional
Yes. Liquid is a good option for players looking for the softest possible string that still retains good control. It is best for hybrid use with a firm main, but it also works well in full bed for players looking for something very easy on the arm. Good for people with sensitive arms, or for players using firm racquets, like a Burn or Graphene Radicals, etc. It's hexagonal in shape.
If you are a harder hitter, or don't need the string to be that soft, I would try Liquid Neon Dust, which is a little more firm, and will therefore maintain tension better and give more control. It's also hexagonal in shape.
Finally, Alpha can also be added into this "soft" category, with much more play-ability in my opinion. It is special because players can and will use Alpha at a very high, even professional level. It's pentagonal in shape.
As an interesting side note, Alpha was first developed in light blue color, and we decided to switch it to gold per some European Pro player's requests.
Grapplesnake USA
Tennis Strings Made in Germany
grapplesnakestringsusa@gmail.com
If you are a harder hitter, or don't need the string to be that soft, I would try Liquid Neon Dust, which is a little more firm, and will therefore maintain tension better and give more control. It's also hexagonal in shape.
Finally, Alpha can also be added into this "soft" category, with much more play-ability in my opinion. It is special because players can and will use Alpha at a very high, even professional level. It's pentagonal in shape.
As an interesting side note, Alpha was first developed in light blue color, and we decided to switch it to gold per some European Pro player's requests.
Grapplesnake USA
Tennis Strings Made in Germany
grapplesnakestringsusa@gmail.com
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liftordie
Hall of Fame
As expected, CES ND crossed with PRCW give me really better control. Without being too firm. And snapback, especially with the 18g, is better too. Really better. Spin is now absolutely TERRIFIC!!! 
(that's for you @Shaolin)
Kick serve is insane too. And I like the feel I get. Especially for slice and vicious dropshots.
To finish, I'm pretty sure that the tension maintenance will be very very good too.
The best hybrid I ever played with.
(that's for you @Shaolin) Kick serve is insane too. And I like the feel I get. Especially for slice and vicious dropshots.
To finish, I'm pretty sure that the tension maintenance will be very very good too.
The best hybrid I ever played with.
Grapplesnake USA Official
Professional
TT Friends!
Happy to announce that we now have 100% Polyester Shirts available in our website!
Once again, we thought about durability when designing these performance shirts. They are made at 5.2 oz, with a quality screen print that will last many many washing cycles. Price is just $19.95. Currently available in Dark Grey and Royal Blue.
Thank you for your constant support!
ps. We still have a few Alpha and Tour Sniper Demo Sets for Play-Testers here (see post #317). Please E-mail us if interested!
Grapplesnake USA
Tennis Strings Made in Germany
grapplesnakestringsusa@gmail.com
Happy to announce that we now have 100% Polyester Shirts available in our website!
Once again, we thought about durability when designing these performance shirts. They are made at 5.2 oz, with a quality screen print that will last many many washing cycles. Price is just $19.95. Currently available in Dark Grey and Royal Blue.
Thank you for your constant support!
ps. We still have a few Alpha and Tour Sniper Demo Sets for Play-Testers here (see post #317). Please E-mail us if interested!
Grapplesnake USA
Tennis Strings Made in Germany
grapplesnakestringsusa@gmail.com
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Preliminary review Grapplesnake Alpha:
Strung Alpha on a Angell TC100 V3 at 22/21kg
Played with it for about 5 hours now. Definitely enjoy the comfort of this string, it is soft and my arm is quite sensitive at the moment and didn't ache at all.
I never really understood when people on these forums talked about controlled power. In my opinion they are opposites on a scale, it is either control or power. But now I do understand. This string definitely has more power than my normal set-up (Tier One Black Knight) but I could still control it and had a good feeling. The launch angle is moderate and lower than certain spin set-ups (for example Neon Dust hybrid). This string would have been ideal for me if it had a bit more bite to increase spin. The spin is a bit above average. I especially noticed the power increase in my serve and my opponents had a lot of trouble returning my serves.
Compared to the Neon Dust hybrid I definitely have a better feel with this string and know when the ball leaves my string if it will be in or out. That is something I couldn't always tell with Neon Dust. Though the spin potential with Neon Dust is considerable higher. Comfort is about the same for me.
I don't know the durability of the string yet but the strings are already moving in my racquet and in my case that normally means that it doesn't take that long for the string to snap. Will get back here when the string snaps and then I will put Tour Sniper in.
Strung Alpha on a Angell TC100 V3 at 22/21kg
Played with it for about 5 hours now. Definitely enjoy the comfort of this string, it is soft and my arm is quite sensitive at the moment and didn't ache at all.
I never really understood when people on these forums talked about controlled power. In my opinion they are opposites on a scale, it is either control or power. But now I do understand. This string definitely has more power than my normal set-up (Tier One Black Knight) but I could still control it and had a good feeling. The launch angle is moderate and lower than certain spin set-ups (for example Neon Dust hybrid). This string would have been ideal for me if it had a bit more bite to increase spin. The spin is a bit above average. I especially noticed the power increase in my serve and my opponents had a lot of trouble returning my serves.
Compared to the Neon Dust hybrid I definitely have a better feel with this string and know when the ball leaves my string if it will be in or out. That is something I couldn't always tell with Neon Dust. Though the spin potential with Neon Dust is considerable higher. Comfort is about the same for me.
I don't know the durability of the string yet but the strings are already moving in my racquet and in my case that normally means that it doesn't take that long for the string to snap. Will get back here when the string snaps and then I will put Tour Sniper in.
Holdfast44ID
Semi-Pro
I am going to experiment with CES Neon Dust in the mains and Alpha in the crosses in addition to full beds of Alpha.
liftordie
Hall of Fame
Grapplesnake USA Official
Professional
Thank you for your review! I am glad you like it!
Grapplesnake USA
Tennis Strings Made in Germany
grapplesnakestringsusa@gmail.com
Grapplesnake USA Official
Professional
Alpha is stiffer than Liquid ND? @Grapplesnake USA Official
We would place Alpha between Liquid Neon Dust and Cube.
Liquid (softest) - Irukandji - Liquid Neon Dust - Alpha - Cube - Tour Sniper - Excellent Purple - CES Neon Dust - Cube Extra Sharp (firmest)
Grapplesnake USA
Tennis Strings Made in Germany
grapplesnakestringsusa@gmail.com
XJ9
Rookie
just get the first pack of Grapplesnake string (CES Neon Dust/Liq. String Set) from TW
I havent strung it yet but just want to share a thought
maybe you can include a small lable to help people distinguishing between CES Neon Dust & Liquid Neon Dust
well surely we can differentiate two strings from the number of edges they have, but i think it is always better to have a small lable as you know stringer may mix up accidentally
thanks a lot
I havent strung it yet but just want to share a thought
maybe you can include a small lable to help people distinguishing between CES Neon Dust & Liquid Neon Dust
well surely we can differentiate two strings from the number of edges they have, but i think it is always better to have a small lable as you know stringer may mix up accidentally
thanks a lot
Grapplesnake USA Official
Professional
just get the first pack of Grapplesnake string (CES Neon Dust/Liq. String Set) from TW
I havent strung it yet but just want to share a thought
maybe you can include a small lable to help people distinguishing between CES Neon Dust & Liquid Neon Dust
well surely we can differentiate two strings from the number of edges they have, but i think it is always better to have a small lable as you know stringer may mix up accidentally
thanks a lot
Europe? Thank you! Enjoy it!
Grapplesnake USA
Tennis Strings Made in Germany
grapplesnakestringsusa@gmail.com
Tennis_Monk
Hall of Fame
I have recently purchased and played with Alpha and Cube strings. Here are my observations/ review.
Both strings are great to play on ground strokes. Hitting is a pleasure and Very comfortable with lots of spin and action. They are very rewarding when taking big aggressive cuts on the ball. Ball just stays in with lots of action. I felt Alpha has a bit better control and action. Flat shots are equally powerful. The feedback on the racquet feels just right. Touch shots and volleys are equally good. In short these are really great strings as far as ground strokes go with Alpha a tad better. Well worth giving them a shot and trying them out.
I didn’t do that well with serve on either of these strings. Most of my flat serves lacked the usual sting that I typically get with stings such as Alu power or FireWire or max power . With more emphasis on spin, I was able to get some good kick serves with cube than with Alpha.
I am planning to play more matches with these strings . Great ground strokes, spin, comfort. What’s not to like.
In Summary , both Alpha and Cube are fantastic strings and well worth a try.
If there are any specific questions, I’ll be happy to answer.
Both strings are great to play on ground strokes. Hitting is a pleasure and Very comfortable with lots of spin and action. They are very rewarding when taking big aggressive cuts on the ball. Ball just stays in with lots of action. I felt Alpha has a bit better control and action. Flat shots are equally powerful. The feedback on the racquet feels just right. Touch shots and volleys are equally good. In short these are really great strings as far as ground strokes go with Alpha a tad better. Well worth giving them a shot and trying them out.
I didn’t do that well with serve on either of these strings. Most of my flat serves lacked the usual sting that I typically get with stings such as Alu power or FireWire or max power . With more emphasis on spin, I was able to get some good kick serves with cube than with Alpha.
I am planning to play more matches with these strings . Great ground strokes, spin, comfort. What’s not to like.
In Summary , both Alpha and Cube are fantastic strings and well worth a try.
If there are any specific questions, I’ll be happy to answer.
liftordie
Hall of Fame
Tried today 24/26kg with CES/Liquid ND and I finally found the control I need. With always that incredible comfort.
So if Liquid is too soft for your game, do not hesitate to string it 2kg HIGHER than CES.
At the right tension, that hybrid is a real killer. Especially for a red clay spin player who play A LOT.
So if Liquid is too soft for your game, do not hesitate to string it 2kg HIGHER than CES.
At the right tension, that hybrid is a real killer. Especially for a red clay spin player who play A LOT.
Grapplesnake USA Official
Professional
Super! Thank you very much for your review!
Grapplesnake USA
Tennis Strings Made in Germany
grapplesnakestringsusa@gmail.com
Grapplesnake USA Official
Professional
Tried today 24/26kg with CES/Liquid ND and I finally found the control I need. With always that incredible comfort.
So if Liquid is too soft for your game, do not hesitate to string it 2kg HIGHER than CES.
At the right tension, that hybrid is a real killer. Especially for a red clay spin player who play A LOT.
Excellent! That is a great playing and very durable set-up.
Grapplesnake USA
Tennis Strings Made in Germany
grapplesnakestringsusa@gmail.com
liftordie
Hall of Fame
Wonderful playability. That's for sure.
I break it in max 10hours on red clay but it's OK for me.
dr. godmode
Hall of Fame
Any news on coming to Canada?
Grapplesnake USA Official
Professional
We are currently shipping from the US to Canada. You can email us to place an order and we can send you the details.
Thanks a lot!
Grapplesnake USA
Tennis Strings Made in Germany
grapplesnakestringsusa@gmail.com
Nick777
Semi-Pro
Can you compare them to yptp?which one plays similar and is maybe more comfortable?
Tennis_Monk
Hall of Fame
What’s YpTP? Assuming Yonex poly tour pro.
If so, cube is probably closest but more comfortable and more action.
Cube and Alpha, I felt, are more like lux Alu power than YPTP.
full disclosure :
It's been a while since I played with YPTP and i have even switched racquets since.
Nick777
Semi-Pro
Thanks, alu power is a lot firmer than poly tour pro so Cube and alpha probably not my choice..
This has not been my experience thus far. I am currently play testing Alpha and my usual setup is yptp. We’ve had a lot of rain lately so I’ve only played about 3 hours with Alpha, but personally I’m finding it just as comfortable as yptp if not more. It is more powerful than yptp, but overall I’ve been impressed with Alpha so far and really enjoying it.
I will post a full review and comparison once I’ve had a chance to play with Alpha more. For reference, I’m playing with a PS 16x19 with added weight and strung Alpha @ 48lbs which is what I normally string yptp at. One difference to note is I play 1.20mm yptp whereas Alpha is 1.25mm. I haven’t been able to hit with the two back to back to get a better comparison but I will soon and post my thoughts.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Nick777
Semi-Pro
Have you tried liquid as well? Interesting to buy a reel because yptp almost finished and i might try something else So waiting for more feedback for the alpha, consider also Ghostwire, heard some good stuff about it. Yptp 1.20 i a bit different compare to 1.25 though but close
liftordie
Hall of Fame
Liquid Neon Dust is the closest to YPTP 1.25. With more comfort, power and spin.
Nick777
Semi-Pro
What about tension maintence? I guess its something like cyclone tour for example
liftordie
Hall of Fame
I would say it's slightly better.
No, sorry. Alpha is the first string from Grapplesnake I’ve tried. You should reach out them to see if they still have demo sets of Alpha available if you are interested in it.
tried the neon dust hybrid today. it feels and sounds great. however, i felt like the launch angle was a bit unpredictable for me. now, i am thinking that i will try alpha in the mains. but i want to know if having alpha in the mains will mess with the feel and the sound. obviously, they are two different strings so i am thinking yes, but since they are both yellow, i thought there may be a chance that alpha (hybrided with liquid nd crosses) feels and sounds as good as the neon dust hybrid. any thoughts?
liftordie
Hall of Fame
It will be completely different and I don't see the interest... Alpha does not need a mega soft cross like Liquid... Liquid was made to counterbalance the stiffness of CES.
fair enough. what about full bed alpha vs. neon dust hybrid? i'm mostly talking about feel (not plasticky and feels dense) and sound (loud) of neon dust.
liftordie
Hall of Fame
Neon Dust hybrid is unique... Sorry man!
got it. thanks. too bad. i can tweak the tension to deal with control issues perhaps, but the bottomline is the mains are too thick so it makes it such a pain to string (hard to pull through the grommets).Neon Dust hybrid is unique... Sorry man!
liftordie
Hall of Fame
My stringer is a champion!
Grapplesnake USA Official
Professional
Alpha in full bed offers a little more power than the Neon Hybrid, while control is still very high. Feel is also very unique. It's very special, and easy to string.
Grapplesnake USA
Tennis Strings Made in Germany
grapplesnakestringsusa@gmail.com
Sardines
Hall of Fame
My stringer texted me today and asked me which is string is which for the CES Neon Dust. Granted he is in his 50s and thus may not be able to see square vs hexagon. I haven't looked at the strings myself. However, if they both the same color, how does one differentiate which is which without having to look really closely? He said they both use a black cable tie. Perhaps different color cable ties for each string in the hybrid? Anyone else have this issue or is my stringer just too old? Haha
Nick777
Semi-Pro
Your stringer is just too old hahaha or not really experienced
Sardines
Hall of Fame
Old is fair. Experience as an ex tourny stringer for years, I know it's not inexperience in general but definitely the first time he's seen these strings, and he doesn't like screwing it up. Most hybrids are 2 tone colored so there's no mistaking which is which.
liftordie
Hall of Fame
IMPOSSIBLE to not recognize "which is which", man!!!
Grapplesnake USA Official
Professional
It is not pre stretched. It really depends on the frame, string pattern, and personal preference. I use it at 54 lbs on the gut, and 52 lbs Irukandji on a 16x19 Head Radical. Or 49 lbs Gut, 47 lbs Irukandji on an 18x20 Prestige.
Grapplesnake USA
Tennis Strings Made in Germany
grapplesnakestringsusa@gmail.com
Grapplesnake USA Official
Professional
It should be pretty evident just by looking at them, but probably the best way to tell is just run your finger across the string. The sharper one that also looks square, is the square Main.
The one with smoother edges, that looks hexagonal, is the hexagonal Cross.
Once again, please remember to string the main 3 lbs below the cross, and the cross at normal tension. That insures proper play-ability in our Dual-Polyester Hybrids.
Grapplesnake USA
Tennis Strings Made in Germany
grapplesnakestringsusa@gmail.com
liftordie
Hall of Fame
That's totally evident!!
I played today on red clay as usual and the temp was 21°... The Neon Dust hybrid play even better at high temperature!!! I string at 24/26kg.
Spin is SO GOOOOD!!!!!!!!
Nick777
Semi-Pro
T
Thinking of trying it as a cross with velocity mains, hows the power level? Similar to cream or lower? Thinking about the tension..
Grapplesnake USA Official
Professional
I would say that power is about average, so probably less, and Irukandji also isn't as soft as Cream.
Grapplesnake USA
Tennis Strings Made in Germany
grapplesnakestringsusa@gmail.com
Sardines
Hall of Fame
I hit for over an hour today with the CES Neon Dust, freshly strung @ 43/46 as recommended by Grapplesnake. As a background, my normal strings are the Volkl Cyclone 18L/19g mains or 16/17g natural gut (VS/Luxilon/Klip/Babolat) with crosses using Tecnifibre Pro Red Code Wax 18g. Thicker strings mean weight went up 3g, which shifted the balance forward a tad. I haven't tested the swing weight but definitely felt more heft in the hoop.
I was hitting with a D1 college female player with a flatter game, and played a set of doubles with partnered with her 4.0 friend, against her and a 4.5 guy, after about 45 minutes of hitting.
Feel: Board like but not harsh. Obviously coming from thinner gauges of poly, it was expected to feel more board like, but it's not harsh. My VC/PRCW setup has crisper feel. As others have mentioned, the square and hexagonal profile make these strings feel thicker than the indicated 1.23/1.25mm thickness. I felt like I was hitting with a 15Lg string.
Power: Less power than my VC/PRCW setup, again, expected, and hence I dropped tension by 4lbs on the mains to compensate. Definitely not as powerful.
Ground strokes: Being lower powered, I could swing out faster. I also had to arc my shots to hit shorter angles which made me feel I wasn't getting the same bite as my usual setup. Launch angle was quite level and playing with not so heavy hitters, I could evaluate the string better on shots.
Volleys: The lower power and slightly increased swing weight gave some decent punch volleys, albeit without good feel of connectivity. I only hit 1 drop volley off a not so heavy drive. I didn't feel the strings bite clearly, , but the control was good.
Serve: I only served 16 points so it's tough to judge. Wasn't trying very hard but it didn't impress me much.
Spin: I don't feel the Neon Dust hybrid increased bite as much as the lower power allowed me to swing harder than usual at the ball, which is what polys were designed to do.
Overall, my initial feel is that the Neon Dust hybrid is a lower powered string which lets players swing out at the ball harder. With my more powerful setups, I don't have to swing as hard (and I am talking about no more than 5-10% difference). For me, added spin means more bite when you swing to hit a flatter ball. Still, this is something I'd like to wait till I hit the Playsight court to verify. I will be doing that Monday with a heavier hitter, who will stress me more.
I was hitting with a D1 college female player with a flatter game, and played a set of doubles with partnered with her 4.0 friend, against her and a 4.5 guy, after about 45 minutes of hitting.
Feel: Board like but not harsh. Obviously coming from thinner gauges of poly, it was expected to feel more board like, but it's not harsh. My VC/PRCW setup has crisper feel. As others have mentioned, the square and hexagonal profile make these strings feel thicker than the indicated 1.23/1.25mm thickness. I felt like I was hitting with a 15Lg string.
Power: Less power than my VC/PRCW setup, again, expected, and hence I dropped tension by 4lbs on the mains to compensate. Definitely not as powerful.
Ground strokes: Being lower powered, I could swing out faster. I also had to arc my shots to hit shorter angles which made me feel I wasn't getting the same bite as my usual setup. Launch angle was quite level and playing with not so heavy hitters, I could evaluate the string better on shots.
Volleys: The lower power and slightly increased swing weight gave some decent punch volleys, albeit without good feel of connectivity. I only hit 1 drop volley off a not so heavy drive. I didn't feel the strings bite clearly, , but the control was good.
Serve: I only served 16 points so it's tough to judge. Wasn't trying very hard but it didn't impress me much.
Spin: I don't feel the Neon Dust hybrid increased bite as much as the lower power allowed me to swing harder than usual at the ball, which is what polys were designed to do.
Overall, my initial feel is that the Neon Dust hybrid is a lower powered string which lets players swing out at the ball harder. With my more powerful setups, I don't have to swing as hard (and I am talking about no more than 5-10% difference). For me, added spin means more bite when you swing to hit a flatter ball. Still, this is something I'd like to wait till I hit the Playsight court to verify. I will be doing that Monday with a heavier hitter, who will stress me more.
Grapplesnake USA Official
Professional
Thank you for posting your impressions!
Grapplesnake USA
Tennis Strings Made in Germany
grapplesnakestringsusa@gmail.com
liftordie
Hall of Fame
Yeah and that's HIS impressions...
Tennis_Monk
Hall of Fame
Update : After about 10 sets, the strings aren't that effective. Cube is holding a bit better than Alpha.
Just for comparison, I don't get more than 6-7 sets with my usual setup. So these strings do last a tad longer.
Both strings reward "going for it " and taking big cuts on the ball. I couldn't solve for my flat serves yet but kickers are solid.
All in all impressive strings.
(I have paid for purchased both of these strings.)
