Lead Question: 12/3/9 vs. 10/2

[dave t]

Are there any noticeable differences between a racquet with lead at both 12 and 3/9 vs. one with longer 10/12 strips? Assuming you kept the racquets at similar swingweights/balances (if possible). Sorry if this has been answered - I couldn't find it.

 

[esgee48]

No. However, there will be some people who will argue that twist weight will not be the same. By specifying identical SW and balance, you made twist weight issue moot. If you had same SW but different balance point, then an argument can be made that twist weight is different. 2 cents.

 

[dave t]

Thanks! To be honest, I didn't think about balance much, I was just trying to account for the different variables (I realize there are many more). So what if you let the balance point change - how would the twist weight change?

 

[robok9]

I was thinking about the same thing actually. I usually prefer polarized setups with lead at either 12 or 10/2 (usually the latter), but I feel like the racquet I used right now benefits the most from lead at 3/9. I'll probably experiment a little bit and see how it goes.

 

[esgee48]

More lead is needed at 3/9 than 12 for the same SW change. That means that the balance point is different since there are different amounts of lead involved. However, the 3/9 setup maximizes the TW increase. Mikeler measured the SW increases and I think he came up with ~3 SW units/gram at 12 and ~1.8 SW units/gram at 3/9. If I were to customize a frame, I would target TW and SW, doing the TW 1st. That means mod at 3/9, then mod at 12. Or once you know your frames specs, play around with the TWU calculator and see what it says about different amounts of lead at variable points.