Le Coq Sportif Noah TCO (Concept 3 Oversize)

[alfa164164]

I just got one of these early 80s sticks (brand new to boot).
It says it is an oversize, but looks more like a midplus.
This is the frame Yannick Noah used to win the French Open with, basically a wood frame that is "graphite reinforced" (similar to Prince Woodie) with Le Coq's 3rd stabilizing shaft (similar to the Roscoe Tanner model).
Does anybody out there know the correct string pattern (18x20?) or has the stringing instructions (shared holes, skipped holes, etc.). I don't have access to RacquetTech.

 

[max200G]

Le Coq Sportif, TCO Oversize

Stringing instructions:

Lght 1pc-33'
short side 8' W-slot will be short side
pattern 18x20
mains start at head
mains skip 9T only
Tie off mains 6T
start crosses 7T
Last cross 7H
Tie off 6H

TENNISON from Racquet Tech is 73-76
CAUTION!! I would not recomend going over 60 lbs
I do not think Racqet Tech has the tennsion right! Don't forget this is a wood racquet and also it is only 95, 96 sq inches of WOOD. 60 is the max Iwould go
good luck. Let us know how things work out for you . p.s I have this racquet as well as the graphite TXM ,Tanners racquet.

 

[alfa164164]

max200g

Thanks for the info. and the advice. I was thinking in the 55 lb. range.

 

[yip kok kuin]

I just acquire a Le Coq Concept 3 mid size with Noah's signature (printed) on it. It feels very stiff. Very Very Stiff. Is this the same racket as the OS? It print fiberglass composite on side of beam and TSM midsize at the bridge. Anyone knows something about this stick? What is TSM? Strange looking 3rd beam look brittle. Look more like French Fashion than anything useful in the playing sense.

 

[galain]

Let us know how they play guys. I've always been interested in the Le Coq range of frames.

 

[alfa164164]

Le Coq TCO review - galain, max200g

Hit with the TCO last night on clay and was surprised how little of an adjustment was needed to play well with it. The wood frame's flex was very evident on serves, but groundstrokes, returns, and volleys were very natural. Since the TCO is an "oversize", but approximately the same headsize as my other frames (93-98 sq. in.) there weren't any mishits that you would expect from hitting with a standard size wood frame. I had the leather grip replaced with synthetic (even though is was new, it was dirty) and strung with Prince Perfection 17gauge at 54 lbs., the racket weighed 12.5 ounces strung. The joy of hitting with this frame is the comfort of wood and a truly sweet sweetspot. Spin generation was decent even with the dense string pattern, and the power level was certainly lower than today's graphite frames, but really not that far off. Overall an extremely rewarding experience. The TCO's sweet spot felt larger than my current frames. The modern headsize makes the TCO very usable, in fact I may play some doubles matches with it. I'm looking forward to getting out with it some more. One of the best wood rackets out there IMO. One note, my Le Coq TCO has an extremely rectangular grip, moreso than even Head's grips I thought.

 

[Colpo]

The Le Coq grips of that era were ridiculously rectangular - if you like the Fischer grip shape, you'd love Le Coq's. They were well-suited for European clay court usage, with exaggerated Western grips on both wings.

I once read that Noah had a custom grip shape on his frames, not the off-the-rack Le Coq shape. His custom shape was more like a Prince/Wilson shape. Check out any decent picture of Noah in action - seems to bear it out. He also has long fingers, and preferred a grip that in the shop would be deemed too small (his fingers could pretty much wrap around the grip). Noah also initially substituted a tan Fairway grip, before the vogue of overgrips, when he started to use those over leather.

I was surprised that your TCO took an 18 x 20 pattern. Would you confirm that even with that, the pattern is still extremely open? When World Tennis magazine reviewed this frame back in the day, the panel essentially concluded that the frame was workable only for a strong male who hit with heavy topspin (like Noah), to maximize the benefits of the open pattern. The photo of the frame that accompanied the review shows the pattern to be very open.

 

[alfa164164]

Colpo

The string job is indeed 18 mains. My stringer did not skip 9T on the mains, so there are only 19 crosses due to the tie-offs, but it should be 20. The string bed does not look as dense as you would think an 18x20 would appear. I do remember the TCO review in World Tennis way back when also. The "oversize" head makes this stick very playable, even by today's standards, albeit lower powered and very flexible.

 

[Colpo]

alfa, don't know if you'd agree, but I'd really like to see a return to the option of player's frames in an OS. I've been playing consistently with the Prince Graphite OS this year and I have a renewed appreciation for it. It's easy-going, gets everything back, and has great control and feel. Best of all, the power doesn't come close to that of a Pure Drive, a frame I did not like, but there's plenty of pace assuming a full swing. Feel the same about the Wilson Ultra 2 OS, slightly smaller than the Prince but still plenty big (I really question how many Ultra 2 mid afficionados can actually handle the mid version as opposed to the OS). Now, there's a real industry trend toward softening up the specs when a good frame goes OS - they mysteriously get lighter, longer, softer. I agree with you that yesteryear player's frames despite their heavier weights are still plenty playable today assuming they're the OS version of that frame (as is the case with the TCO). I also think that the TCO's headsize may be a bit bigger than you think; how else do you get such an open pattern from an 18x19 or 18x20? I'm thinking it's at least a 98 and maybe 100+.

 

[alfa164164]

Colpo

I used the Prince OG OS in college (and later the Prince Boron). Most players would benefit from the added forgiveness of an oversize. Head Classic Midplus (102) was a great "oversize" player's stick IMO. Agree the Ultra 2 Mid was a demanding frame that most can't really handle (myself included).
The TCO's main strings are fairly long, but the crosses are not as wide as the POG OS, it's hard to tell what exactly the headsize is, you may be right about the 98-100 range. Today, OS versions of player's frames tend to be more tweener in specs (OS Radical Flexpoint (107) is 295 grams unstrung, wassup with that?).
FYI: You may be able to talk me into buying one of your Prestige Pros if you still have any new ones in larger grip sizes, that was a great stick.

 

[yip kok kuin]

Le Coq TSM Mid feels like wood. 'TSM' may be mispell 'TSW' which is 'This iS Wood'. Very comfty within the sweetspot which is pretty large. But if you are out of it, the stick reminds you that '3rd leg' hanging there. Make me wonder if that thing is meant to transfer 'feeling' of mishit. Racket must have lots of fiberglass content in there and feels good both back and front. Nice weird French Thing. I understand John Mcenore helps to design a similar one made by Sanwerat?? Any one have story about that one?