KGut Pro 17g feeling stiffer than MSV Focus Hex 1.18?

[ac3111]

I had a K 95 18x20 strung at 52.8 lbs with KGut Pro 17g and a Dunlop AG 4D 300 Tour at 51.5 lbs with MSV Focus hex 1.18...
I know K 6.1 must be stiffer than Dunlop but string pattern is the same and tension also is very close.
KGut Pro feels too stiff compared with MSV Hex 1.18. If I had my eyes closed I'd think that the KGut Pro must be the poly.
And I start to wonder whether my stringer strings my racquets according to my desired tension...

Should I start doubting about his abilities? K Gut Pro feels noticeably stiffer so I wonder if it is strung several lbs/kgs more than the MSV...

 

[BreakPoint]

It's not your imagination. K-Gut Pro is incredibly stiff. I think it's as stiff as most polys that I've tried. It's advertised as being very comfortable and good for people with elbow/arm problems. Nothing could be further from the truth! I put the K-Gut Pro just in the crosses at only 48lbs. with a very soft and resilient multi in the mains at only 54lbs. (a string that I've used for years with no problems), and it still gave me tennis elbow in just less than two weeks of using it! Now, I may not be able to play at all for months to try and recover.

One of the worst strings I've ever used, but people who love stiff polys may love it.

 

[ac3111]

Ι will cut it. In the beginning I thought it was because it was fresh and that in time it will loosen and come softer.
On the other hand the Rip Control felt a lot more comfortable.
Now I have 3 soft polys to try, Topspin Cyber Blue 1.24, Kirschbaum PL II 1.15 and BlackCode 1.18.
And waiting for Weisscannon Explosiv 1.30 and Pacific classic gut 17g.
The reason I want to try poly's is because I like a loose stringbed and I have the feeling that natural gut does not work very well at low tensions. I had 2 sets of babolat Tonic 16 at 55 and 53 lbs tried.
Anyway thanks for your input...

 

[BreakPoint]

You're welcome.

BTW, the Kirschbaum ProLine II is very soft for a poly.

 

[scotus]

Did you guys pre-stretch the K-Gut?

It makes a huge difference in some strings.

Klip Legend, for example, becomes incredibly stiff and does not feel like natural gut when prestretched by machine.

 

[ac3111]

BTW, the Kirschbaum ProLine II is very soft for a poly.

It seems I did my homework before I order. I narrowed down to 4 poly's, PL II 1.15, Cyberblue, msv focu hex 1.18 and BlackCode 1.18. ProSupex was in the list but not available in europe or TW US...

I like stringing low but there's no point going to something stiff and get TE. Because TE means no tennis, so it has to be soft...

 

[ac3111]

Did you guys pre-stretch the K-Gut?

It makes a huge difference in some strings.

Klip Legend, for example, becomes incredibly stiff and does not feel like natural gut when prestretched by machine.

My stringer pre-stretches only natural gut and only by hand. KGutPro is not natural gut so I guess he did not pre-stretch...

 

[Valjean]

http://www.racquetsportsindustry.com/issues/200809/200809allstrings.html

I hate to point this out--and wraps, coatings and string construction do make a difference--but the above lab testing shows K-Gut Pro is right there with regular NXT and most of the Tecnifibre multis when it comes to stiffness. That is my experience too, so the idea that K-Gut Pro can appear so stiff literally boggles my mind. Just look at how it rates when compared to NXT Tour, its predecessor string.

 

[ac3111]

K 6.1 is stiffer than Dunlop, is 30grams heavier and has smaller headsize so maybe all that makes K gut feel stiffer...
I am now tempted to buy an electronic device to measure the tension...

 

[BreakPoint]

Did you guys pre-stretch the K-Gut?

It makes a huge difference in some strings.

Klip Legend, for example, becomes incredibly stiff and does not feel like natural gut when prestretched by machine.

Nope, not at all. I don't pre-stretch any strings. But then again, K-Gut Pro is supposed to be a pre-stretched version of K-Gut, isn't it?

In fact, both K-Gut Pro and K-Gut felt like a poly while stringing on my drop weight machine in that the weight didn't drop at all when I let it drop (no stretching nor resilience of the string), just like polys don't. I should have stopped stringing it right there and then and replaced it with OG Sheep Micro. It would have saved my elbow.

 

[ac3111]

Breakpoint, what strings would you recommend for a K 95 18x20 for someone who likes loose tensions (<53lbs)?
Let's leave aside poly's. From the multi's range. I exclude expensive multi's that cost almost like Tonic, Klip Legend or Pacific Classic...

 

[BreakPoint]

http://www.racquetsportsindustry.com/issues/200809/200809allstrings.html

I hate to point this out--and wraps, coatings and string construction do make a difference--but the above lab testing shows K-Gut Pro is right there with regular NXT and most of the Tecnifibre multis when it comes to stiffness. That is my experience too, so the idea that K-Gut Pro can appear so stiff literally boggles my mind. Just look at how it rates when compared to NXT Tour, its predecessor string.

That's why I don't believe in those string ratings, just like I don't believe in racquet specs. In both cases, you have to try the strings or the racquet yourself to REALLY know how it REALLY feels.

K-Gut Pro is stiffer than OG Sheep Micro. There's no doubt in my mind. I've used OG Sheep Micro for over 7 years strung from the mid-50's to 60lbs. in the crosses or the mains or full stringjob, and have never had any arm problems using it. Less than two weeks using K-Gut Pro strung at only 48lbs. in the crosses destroyed my elbow.

 

[BreakPoint]

Breakpoint, what strings would you recommend for a K 95 18x20 for someone who likes loose tensions (<53lbs)?
Let's leave aside poly's. From the multi's range. I exclude expensive multi's that cost almost like Tonic, Klip Legend or Pacific Classic...

Well, I've never played with the K95 18x20 so it's hard for me to say.

But for a K90, I would suggest trying Wilson Hollow Core, Prince Syn Gut Multifilament, or just plain old Gosen OG Sheep Micro.

 

[ac3111]

One of the reasons I doubt about the stringing tension is that the same stringer strung 2 of my PS 6.0 95's. Both @ 53 lbs, one with Rip Control 16 and the other with Tonic 16. The Tonic 16 feels stiffer than the Rip Control... and less powerful. This time is the same racquet, their balance and weight is a bit different 5 grams difference but I don't know if such difference in feeling is justified...

 

[ac3111]

Where is Gosen made in?
I have to admit that your choices are cost efficient...
Thanks for the recommendations. I think I will give a go at Wilson Hollow core and the Prince multi... after I receive the Weisscanon Explosive...

 

[BreakPoint]

Where is Gosen made in?
I have to admit that your choices are cost efficient...
Thanks for the recommendations. I think I will give a go at Wilson Hollow core and the Prince multi... after I receive the Weisscanon Explosive...

The Gosen I use is made in Japan. I'm not sure if that's still the case. I stocked up a while ago.

 

[Valjean]

That's why I don't believe in those string ratings, just like I don't believe in racquet specs. In both cases, you have to try the strings or the racquet yourself to REALLY know how it REALLY feels.

K-Gut Pro is stiffer than OG Sheep Micro. There's no doubt in my mind. I've used OG Sheep Micro for over 7 years strung from the mid-50's to 60lbs. in the crosses or the mains or full stringjob, and have never had any arm problems using it. Less than two weeks using K-Gut Pro strung at only 48lbs. in the crosses destroyed my elbow.

I recommend, for your benefit as well, that you compare it to NXT Tour, if you haven't yet.

And then let us know what you feel; could you do that?

 

[BreakPoint]

I recommend, for your benefit as well, that you compare it to NXT Tour, if you haven't yet.

And then let us know what you feel; could you do that?

I'm pretty much done trying out strings at this point. I'm sticking with Hollow Core, which is a very soft and comfortable string.

 

[ac3111]

I am going to add Prince Syn Gut Multifilament gold to my list. It is very cheap.
What about tension maintenance of the Wilson Hollow core compared to Gosen micro sheep and the Prince Syn Gut Multi?

 

[BreakPoint]

I am going to add Prince Syn Gut Multifilament gold to my list. It is very cheap.
What about tension maintenance of the Wilson Hollow core compared to Gosen micro sheep and the Prince Syn Gut Multi?

I'm not that sensitive to tension loss as I usually break stings before they lose too much tension, but with that said, I haven't noticed any unusual greater than average tension loss with any of these three strings.

 

[Valjean]

I am going to add Prince Syn Gut Multifilament gold to my list. It is very cheap.
What about tension maintenance of the Wilson Hollow core compared to Gosen micro sheep and the Prince Syn Gut Multi?

PSGM has had a strange tendency to drop more tension than the bulk of its multi competitors, perhaps the main reason it doesn't get more love. IMO, this one deserves to be pre-stretched, and avoided for that.

 

[ac3111]

Thank you all, guys. Well I am not a string breaker. I change though strings not rarely. When I feel the stringbed is dead, mute the string is gone for good...

 

[Blade0324]

I have tried K-Gut Pro in the past and really like it. I found that it does have a unique feel to it for a multi for sure. I found that it can feel stiff to someone that is not used to stiffer strings but for me being mostly a poly user I found it pretty soft. It also has a bit of a tacky coating to it that I really enjoyed.
I think that this string is very overpriced but certainly a very nice string.

 

[ac3111]

I gave my K 95 and PS 6.0 95 for stringing tonight. In the place of KGut Pro I will put a PL II 1.15 poly at the same tension...
Let's see if the poly feels stiffer than the K Gut Pro...

 

[BreakPoint]

I have tried K-Gut Pro in the past and really like it. I found that it does have a unique feel to it for a multi for sure. I found that it can feel stiff to someone that is not used to stiffer strings but for me being mostly a poly user I found it pretty soft. It also has a bit of a tacky coating to it that I really enjoyed.
I think that this string is very overpriced but certainly a very nice string.

See, just like I said, poly users will probably like K-Gut Pro, whereas multi users will probably find it way too stiff.

 

[ac3111]

What an awkward choice from Wilson to name a string liked by poly users K Gut Pro...

 

[Valjean]

See, just like I said, poly users will probably like K-Gut Pro, whereas multi users will probably find it way too stiff.

There are lots of comments here on K-Gut Pro. Do a board search; finding it to be too stiff does not seem to be typical of multi users either. Here, these are just from the string's feedback section on TW: http://www.tennis-warehouse.com/feedback-WKGUTP16.html. You seem so angry at K-Gut Pro; did you lose a match or tournament somehow while using it, or lose to a friend who won't let up on you?

 

[BreakPoint]

There are lots of comments here on K-Gut Pro. Do a board search; finding it to be too stiff does not seem to be typical of multi users either. Here, these are just from the string's feedback section on TW: http://www.tennis-warehouse.com/feedback-WKGUTP16.html. You seem so angry at K-Gut Pro; did you lose a match or tournament somehow while using it, or lose to a friend who won't let up on you?

Did you not read my previous posts in this thread?

K-Gut Pro destroyed my elbow so now I may be out for many months. I can't play tennis at all because of it.

I avoid polys for this reason, to protect my elbow. So I decided to try K-Gut Pro because it was supposed to be the closest thing to natural gut and very arm-friendly, and I thought it's high price meant that it actually may be true. And also because the product description said this:

[FONT=verdana,arial,helvetica]Wilson's K Gut Pro is a firm-feeling multifilament offering superior control with outstanding comfort and playability. This crisp-feeling string is the closest sensation to natural gut you'll likely find in a multifilament. An ideal choice for players seeking the utmost feel and comfort from a synthetic string. Players with elbow/arm problems will appreciate the comfortable response of K Gut Pro.

http://www.tennis-warehouse.com/Wilson_K_Gut_Pro_16_String/descpageACWILSON-WKGUTP16.html

Well, nothing could be further from the truth and I found the opposite to be true.

I think multi users who don't find K-Gut Pro stiff have never used a real multi before, by that I mean a soft one like PGSM or Hollow Core.
[/FONT]

 

[Valjean]

Breakpoint, how could K-Gut Pro be so responsible as you say? Are you so sure? There are no other factors too? PSGM in both 16 and 17 registers stiffer than K-Gut Pro in USRSA testing, as you saw; both NXT 16 and 17 are stiffer, too. While there are qualifying considerations, as said, what differences show up in actual play with K-Gut Pro surely do not amount to a poly-like effect. Do you think this resonates with us? Shouldn't you be able to find confirmation of your *tennis elbow result* in the extensive comments you can find herein, if it exists? Didn't you, then?

You didn't check the various opinions about K-Gut/K-Gut Pro on the board before you bought K-Gut Pro hoping for a cure, did you? But at what stage was your TE when you did? No mere string change can stop TE when it's already at an advanced stage.

 

[ac3111]

To throw some oil in the fire I tried today the Blackcode 1.18 @ 53 lbs on the PS 6.0 95. Maybe it's the thin gauge but still did not feel as stiff as the K Gut Pro. On the other hand I felt the Blackcode 1.18 felt a bit stiffer than Focus Hex 1.18 strung on a 18x20 pattern at 51lbs.

Before I give the K 95 18x20 for stringing I got a close look at the stringbed. Half of the balls fur was on the stringbed... Does that mean that the specific string has a lot of bite or that I apply too much spin?

 

[BreakPoint]

Breakpoint, how could K-Gut Pro be so responsible as you say? Are you so sure? There are no other factors too? PSGM in both 16 and 17 registers stiffer than K-Gut Pro in USRSA testing, as you saw; both NXT 16 and 17 are stiffer, too. While there are qualifying considerations, as said, what differences show up in actual play with K-Gut Pro surely do not amount to a poly-like effect. Do you think this resonates with us? Shouldn't you be able to find confirmation of your *tennis elbow result* in the extensive comments you can find herein, if it exists? Didn't you, then?

You didn't check the various opinions about K-Gut/K-Gut Pro on the board before you bought K-Gut Pro hoping for a cure, did you? But at what stage was your TE when you did? No mere string change can stop TE when it's already at an advanced stage.

Valjean, I didn't have tennis elbow AT ALL before I started using K-Gut Pro. My elbow was 100% fine. After just two weeks of using K-Gut Pro, in only the crosses strung at a very low 48lbs, my elbow is done for and I need to take a few months off to allow it to heal. It was definitely the K-Gut Pro that caused the TE. I had PSGM in the mains strung at 54lbs. (2 lbs. lower than my usual), which is a VERY soft, resilient, and arm-friendly string and which I have used for many years with no arm problems at all. I used the same racquet that I've always used and I didn't play any more than I normally do.

The K-Gut Pro felt ridiculously stiff while stringing it on my drop weight machine as the weight didn't drop at all, just like with polys. And it felt extremely stiff in my stringbed when I played with it. It's a no brainer for me. The stiff stringbed due to the K-Gut Pro caused microtears in my elbow tendon, resulting in TE.

I think it plays like poly because it's stiff, it's very low powered, has good control, has very little feel, has good spin, is very durable, and it doesn't move very much. Those are the same characteristics of almost all the polys that I have ever tried. It is as far away from a multi as any multi I have ever played with.

BTW, I really don't care what other people think of K-Gut Pro. Because ultimately, it's what I and my elbow thinks of it that matters as I'm the one that has to use it and live with the consequences. And as I said before, those USRSA stiffness numbers don't mean jack to me, as I know with absolute certainty that PSGM plays a thousand times softer than K-Gut Pro does. And ultimately, what really matters is how a string feels in my own racquet to my own arm and not what some inanimate machine measures.

 

[Valjean]

To each his own, yes. To fly in the face of such a significant trove of contrary opinion, well....I guess I'd be more curious about what else was contributing than you appear to be. Have you seen a doctor about it?

 

[BreakPoint]

To each his own, yes. To fly in the face of such a significant trove of contrary opinion, well....I guess I'd be more curious about what else was contributing than you appear to be. Have you seen a doctor about it?

No, I haven't. If laying off tennis for several months shows no improvement, then maybe I will.

The insidious thing about this is that usually when I try out a poly, I will cut it out after 10 minutes to a half hour after finding that it's just too harsh and stiff and offers me very little performance benefits because knowing that it's a poly, I don't want to take any risks of injuring my elbow. However, since K-Gut Pro is "supposed" to be a high-end multi that's "supposed" to be very comfortable and arm-friendly, I kept playing with it even though it felt harsh and stiff, thinking that since it's not a poly but a multi, it shouldn't be causing any damage to my arm. Well, I should listened to my arm/hand instead of my brain. I mean if it feels stiff and harsh, then it is stiff and harsh. It doesn't matter what it's "supposed" to be or whether if it's a poly, multi, gut, or anything else. I probably would have been better off using kevlar.

BTW, I doubt I'm the only one that finds K-Gut Pro to be stiff. In fact, the OP does and he even found a poly to feel softer than K-Gut Pro.

 

[nadalfan1992]

I agree with breakpoint because he told me about it after I got my microgel extreme strung with it.If I play for two hours or more My shoulder hurts a little bit before I go to bed or the next day and Im only 16.But I've been playing with very stiff racquets last 2 years.k sixonetour flex 67 microgel extreme 2008 flex 68 But right now im trying out a prince ozone tour right and it feels softer so I might go to that.

 

[meowmix]

BP mentioned Wilson Hollow Core earlier in this thread, and I completely agree that it is one of the softest strings out there, bar only natty gut. It's softer by far than any synthetic gut I've tried, softer than any poly I've tried, and softer than the multi's that I've tried. The only thing I've found that's softer is my current hybrid of natty gut mains with synthetic gut/multi crosses (not sure what the heck my crosses are, but they're soft). IMO, hollow core is a little different than anything else I've ever used, but it's an excellent choice for somebody with sensitive elbows and doesn't want to break the bank with natural gut.

 

[ac3111]

Other characteristics of hollow core, tension maintenance, control, power?
Thanks for the input...
I have been playing with Blackcode 1.18 and PL II 1.15 the last few days and I found them more comfortable than the K Gut Pro.

 

[meowmix]

Tension maintenance was average, IMO. Bit of tension drop right after stringing, and then held pretty constant for about 3-4 weeks, and then dropped consistently for about week after that. I kept it in my frames for about a month before I decided to cut it out due to tension loss. It's not particularly powerful, but it's definately got some juice in the string. It's got this really weird feel that takes a while to get used to. Don't know how to describe it- it's something you've got to try to understand.

Never played with blackcode or pl2, but I've heard they're relatively soft for polys. Currently trying out natural gut as well as msv hex, and I'm torn between the two...

 

[Valjean]

Well, in my view, Wilson's Hollow Core is a pedestrian string in the tradition of Head's and Yonex's multifilaments--its main feature is control, meaning it is quite unobtrusive in play and sports some comfort, but has little else to recommend it. Anyone who fancies this type of string should be using Prince's Premier LT instead, IMO; Wilson's Hollow Core isn't even the best of the type, at this point in time. But, by the way, I hope it is understood that high tension loss, without restringing when it's due, is the main contributor to TE (and that's one reason the pros restring poly so often), not just the stiffness of any stringbed.

 

[ac3111]

I have strung an AG 4D 300 Tour with MSV Hex 1.18. I could tell this is a poly because the way it played but strung really low I could not tell it because of the stiffness but the way it behaved to the ball and the trajectories it gave to the ball. I had Tonic 16 strung for 3 months on a K 95 18x20 @ 55.5lbs and it never felt that boardy even after 3 months like the K Gut Pro @ 53 lbs on the same racquet. I still think if my stringer messed it a bit...

After poly's I am going to try the WeissCannon Explosiv 1.30 and I am thinking of Prince Synthetic Gut Multi. Maybe I will try the Hollow core but I think pricewise PSGM and WS Explosiv may be better choices.

The reason I am trying the poly's altough I am far from being a string breaker is that I like to string low. I like the feeling of that live and moving stringbed. Maybe I find it comfortable on a 18x20 racquet like K 95. I was told that stringing Natural Gut that low does not exploit the elasticitiy capabilities of such string and it's better to string it at round 60lbs.

I will throw a set of cyber blue 1.24 @ 53lbs and then WS Explosive @ 55, maybe PSGM @ 55 and Pacific Classic Gut @ 57.2. As last poly I may give a go to the WS Silverstring or Turbotwist...

 

[ac3111]

Thank you all for valuable feedback. Racquets I am throwing these strings are mainly K 95 18x20 and at lesser extent PS 6.0 95...

The only string I left for over a month on my racquet was Babolat Tonic 16... I try to get restring once a month or more often because I practice 5 days a week now.

 

[BreakPoint]

Other characteristics of hollow core, tension maintenance, control, power?
Thanks for the input...
I have been playing with Blackcode 1.18 and PL II 1.15 the last few days and I found them more comfortable than the K Gut Pro.

Not surprising at all.

Wilson should have called it K-Poly Pro or K-Kevlar Pro. :shock:

 

[BreakPoint]

Well, in my view, Wilson's Hollow Core is a pedestrian string in the tradition of Head's and Yonex's multifilaments--its main feature is control, meaning it is quite unobtrusive in play and sports some comfort, but has little else to recommend it. Anyone who fancies this type of string should be using Prince's Premier LT instead, IMO; Wilson's Hollow Core isn't even the best of the type, at this point in time. But, by the way, I hope it is understood that high tension loss, without restringing when it's due, is the main contributor to TE (and that's one reason the pros restring poly so often), not just the stiffness of any stringbed.

There's no way that could be true. Lower tensions make your stringbed more arm-friendly and that's why many people who experience arm problems at higher tensions will lower their tensions to alleviate their arm problems. This works for many people regardless if they're using poly, multi, syn gut, natural gut, etc. So if lower tensions are better for the elbow, how could tension loss be bad for the elbow?

Pros restring so often because the tension loss makes them lose control over their shots, not because of tennis elbow. Poly also goes dead very quickly, which is another reason pros string so often. Sampras used full natural gut, which maintains tension very well, yet he restrung all of his racquets right before every match and cut out the strings on all of the racquets that were never even used and got them restrung again before the next day's match.

 

[Valjean]

There's no way that could be true. Lower tensions make your stringbed more arm-friendly and that's why many people who experience arm problems at higher tensions will lower their tensions to alleviate their arm problems. This works for many people regardless if they're using poly, multi, syn gut, natural gut, etc. So if lower tensions are better for the elbow, how could tension loss be bad for the elbow?

Pros restring so often because the tension loss makes them lose control over their shots, not because of tennis elbow. Poly also goes dead very quickly, which is another reason pros string so often. Sampras used full natural gut, which maintains tension very well, yet he restrung all of his racquets right before every match and cut out the strings on all of the racquets that were never even used and got them restrung again before the next day's match.

Loss of tension over time doesn't equate with deciding to lower your tension before you string because the string fatigues, like a rubber band does. That leaves your arm and shoulder doing more of the work, along with an accompanying loss of control. I didn't say, in other words, that the pros restring so often due to TE, but rather that they can do so in order to help avoid it. TE is frequently an overuse injury that comes on over time.

Every tension is a trade-off with your arm and shoulder.

 

[BreakPoint]

Loss of tension over time doesn't equate with deciding to lower your tension before you string because the string fatigues, like a rubber band does. That leaves your arm and shoulder doing more of the work, along with an accompanying loss of control. I didn't say, in other words, that the pros restring so often due to TE, but rather that they can do so in order to help avoid it. TE is frequently an overuse injury that comes on over time.

Every tension is a trade-off with your arm and shoulder.

Yes, TE is an overuse injury, but that has nothing at all to do with tension loss. Lower tensions are better for the elbow than higher tensions are. It doesn't matter if you string your racquets at a lower tension or if it comes from the strings losing tension while it's sitting in your racquet. A lower tension is a lower tension. Lower tensions also give you more power so your arm and shoulder do LESS of the work. The big negative, of course, is the loss of control. I have never heard of anyone, pro or otherwise, who said that they avoided lower tensions or didn't want to play with a stringjob that has lost tension because they wanted to avoid tennis elbow.

Now, strings going "dead" (losing their resiliency), like poly does quickly, is a different story and is not the same as tension loss. Strings losing their resiliency makes the stringbed feel less lively and less powerful while tension loss makes the stringbed feel more lively and more powerful.

 

[Valjean]

Yes, TE is an overuse injury, but that has nothing at all to do with tension loss. Lower tensions are better for the elbow than higher tensions are. It doesn't matter if you string your racquets at a lower tension or if it comes from the strings losing tension while it's sitting in your racquet. A lower tension is a lower tension. Lower tensions also give you more power so your arm and shoulder do LESS of the work. The big negative, of course, is the loss of control. I have never heard of anyone, pro or otherwise, who said that they avoided lower tensions or didn't want to play with a stringjob that has lost tension because they wanted to avoid tennis elbow.

Now, strings going "dead" (losing their resiliency), like poly does quickly, is a different story and is not the same as tension loss. Strings losing their resiliency makes the stringbed feel less lively and less powerful while tension loss makes the stringbed feel more lively and more powerful.

Look, when tension loss occurs with the string in the racquet, it is tension loss due to string fatigue, and the loss of resiliency is what makes the added work load; get it??? Let's not get tangled up in this; stay on topic.

 

[BreakPoint]

Look, when tension loss occurs with the string in the racquet, it is tension loss due to string fatigue, and the loss of resiliency is what makes the added work load; get it??? Let's not get tangled up in this; stay on topic.

But strings will lose tension even if you never hit with it but from just sitting there, which is why some pros will cut the strings out from racquets that are just a day or two old even though they never even touched the racquet.

However, loss is resiliency comes from hitting with the strings (and some from pre-stretching) when the string fibers and resins start to break down from repeated stress and strain, which is different from tension loss. Tension loss alone will give you more power, but less control, and will be easier on your arm.

 

[wangs78]

There's probably no point resurrecting an old thread on a discontinued string, but I recently strung a racquet with Kgut Pro and it killed my elbow after a couple of sessions. I love regular Kgut which I have no problems with whatsoever and had stocked up on it when I knew it would be discontinued. I think what happened was I picked up a couple of sets of Kgut Pro thinking it would play similarly to regular Kgut, but boy is it a lot more stiff! Fortunately I'm feeling much better already after a week of playing with my MW 200g strung with GOSM. I usually play with a 6.1 95 but sometimes go to the MW and must say it is a great cure for tennis elbow when strung with a soft string!

 

[Chotobaka]

When K-Gut and K-Gut Pro came out, rule of thumb was to drop at least 5 pounds on the Pro for similar comfort and playability to K-gut. K-Gut Pro was a real anomaly.