@Mten , how much string did it take to string it? I used over 50' in the diminutive Micro Mid. I also goof around with weighted up OS rackets.
Anyway I applaud your effort and the time you spent in developing these prototypes.
My go to are old Wilson ProStaff 5.7Eb and FPK Titaniums. 18x20 115" rackets. I cut them to 27.3 and get them to 11oz and about 4pts HL. I string them with Ashaway Kevlar x Ashaway Zyex.
I sent a couple to an older fella who lives near Baltimore, MD. This guy captained his DIII college team, played USTA league tennis for many years. He is writing to a friend who played DI tennis back in the late 70's.
The conversion is complete.
All the skepticism and hesitancy is well behind me. I, too, am of the PS 5.7 EB faithful.
I finally gave the frame an honest dedicated try about two months ago, putting aside my initial concerns about weight (it's heavier), balance, and a big old honking head. My regret? I should have jumped on the bandwagon way sooner. Damn my stupidity!
It's a helluva of a racket. It's brought a level of steadiness and certainty to my game (nearly exclusively doubles) that was unknown before. The service return is at another level. The racket nearly magically squashes the disorder and chaos that afflicted pre-conversion returns. I'm guessing the denser string bed has a lot to do with that. It tames whatever spin or pace is coming at me, reducing all serves to a lowest common denominator, if that makes sense. Or, better, no surprises when ball meets string.
Serving is working out great too. I had feared the weight/length change would have an adverse effect. Did I even have the shoulder strength to maneuver this beast? Could I generate pace? Spin? No problem, as it turns out. All concerns have gone 'poof!'
Of course the cool part to all this are the "Huh?" reactions I bask in. It's a treat to have the confidence and capability to actually take over the match, at least in stretches. Like yesterday: "Gawd he finally missed one. He's human!"
I feel like my game is surging, often in unexpected ways. Do you recall how he talked up the Wilson Pro Staff 5.7 EB, a discontinued frame from some years past? At his urging, he mailed me one to try. I was skeptical. It seemed a bit too big and heavy, clunkier than anything I've hit with. I didn't do much with it for several months, viewing it as an ungainly curiosity. At mid-summer I was unhappy with how I was playing. What did I have to lose? Maybe it was time to give the Wilson ugly duckling a try.
What an idiot I am! Giving it a fair chance was all that was required. The racket is amazing. The effect on my game was surprisingly rapid -- overall, more command of all manner of shot, esp the return of serve. The racket is absolutely uncanny in that respect. Xxxxx says it has a dense string pattern for a super size OS racket. That, with the physics of weight, size, and balance, makes returning a breeze, which was always an iffy proposition for me. The racket neutralizes incoming spin and pace unlike any I've experienced. Hmm ... some kind of strange alchemy. Certainly makes the game a blast. It's not a liability on serve, either, like those oversized, way-too-powerful granny rackets.
