Moving to natgut - Raise tension a bit?
- Thread starter gfwp
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TheLeadMaster
Rookie
You might want to raise your game too.
fritzhimself
Hall of Fame
With these few details that you provide, your question cannot be answered in any serious way.
What kind of racket is it, what machine is it strung with? What was/is the original reference tension?
Will it be a hybrid or a fullbed gut stringing?
Can you measure the stringbed stiffness (SBS)?
What level of play and how old are your youngsters.
Why do you want to use gut strings? What do you expect from this string?
A gut gut string costs four times as much as a multi, so it would make sense to ask yourself why you want to switch to gut strings?
What kind of racket is it, what machine is it strung with? What was/is the original reference tension?
Will it be a hybrid or a fullbed gut stringing?
Can you measure the stringbed stiffness (SBS)?
What level of play and how old are your youngsters.
Why do you want to use gut strings? What do you expect from this string?
A gut gut string costs four times as much as a multi, so it would make sense to ask yourself why you want to switch to gut strings?
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stapletonj
Hall of Fame
personal experience here FWIW -
poly - 55/50
multi - 57/54
gut/poly - 62/55
no arm issues
poly - 55/50
multi - 57/54
gut/poly - 62/55
no arm issues
When I was young (In the time of flying pterodactyls) I liked natgut and I played at approx 27kg as mostly S&V player. Having to fight against moisture I switched to multi and lowered down to 25 first and 24 at the end. But I'm talking about the string tech of 40y ago. Knowing this my tennis addict son wants to give it a try. In his tennis school they do not teach S&V but rather the spin modern game. But quite strangely he plays more a flat aggressive style, even if he is doing tennis since several years and he just played with me in the last 5-6 months. Perhaps is genetics. Who knows.
He has PS X and strings NXT at 24 kg main 23 kg cross.
The main problem with NXT is durability. It's a great string but the TOL is less than 20h. This is the technical and social background for this pricey attempt.
He has PS X and strings NXT at 24 kg main 23 kg cross.
The main problem with NXT is durability. It's a great string but the TOL is less than 20h. This is the technical and social background for this pricey attempt.
fritzhimself
Hall of Fame
I don't think the gut string will last any longer.
Gut will maintain tension better but I doubt if it will get him more than 20 hrs before breaking. But if he's hitting flat perhaps he'll enjoy the experience. I was underwhelmed by a fullbed of Gut, but a Gut main/Poly Cross has been amazing.
I hit with all natural gut. Natural gut hits very nice at relatively high tensions. It's elasticity and resilience is not like any synthetic. That allows it to be strung high tensions and still be a comfortable hit, while giving you better control.
That said, my gut strings are typically 6 lbs higher than my multi set up.
That said, my gut strings are typically 6 lbs higher than my multi set up.
Shaolin
Talk Tennis Guru
This.
socallefty
G.O.A.T.
He is a teen playing with a ProStaff and multi - now natural gut? No wonder he hits flatter unlike his peers and more like his dad!
Give the kid a neon red sleeveless top, a Pure Aero, some poly and watch him turn into a snarling Rafa! Ok, start with a gut hybrid. But the whole point of poly is that players can swing faster and generate much more spin which gives them the control they need to keep swing faster and faster with time.
I played with natural gut for about 35 years. Discovering gut/poly hybrids a decade ago was a game changer for me in terms of my ability to hit harder with much higher spin due to faster swing speed.
Give the kid a neon red sleeveless top, a Pure Aero, some poly and watch him turn into a snarling Rafa! Ok, start with a gut hybrid. But the whole point of poly is that players can swing faster and generate much more spin which gives them the control they need to keep swing faster and faster with time.
I played with natural gut for about 35 years. Discovering gut/poly hybrids a decade ago was a game changer for me in terms of my ability to hit harder with much higher spin due to faster swing speed.
He doesn't like them. He tested quite a lot last summer. And he got hooked by PS X. And at testing was a poly only situation... Immediately back on multi since the new racquet came.He is a teen playing with a ProStaff and multi - now natural gut? No wonder he hits flatter unlike his peers and more like his dad!
Give the kid a neon red sleeveless top, a Pure Aero, some poly and watch him turn into a snarling Rafa! Ok, start with a gut hybrid. But the whole point of poly is that players can swing faster and generate much more spin which gives them the control they need to keep swing faster and faster with time.
I played with natural gut for about 35 years. Discovering gut/poly hybrids a decade ago was a game changer for me in terms of my ability to hit harder with much higher spin due to faster swing speed.
I think it could be a reasonable estimate too, based on my very aged experience.
Happi
Hall of Fame
I would string at same tension.
- NXT loses tension faster than NG so gut will be at a higher tension after 1-2 hours anyway
- Gut plays well at all tensions, I string gut relative low and it plays really well. I dont buy into the concept that gut has to be strung high. If your son is used to play multi, then absolutely no reason to go higher tension with the gut. If you come from poly, then that can there might be an adjustment period. I even string gut as low as 18kg full bed to a really good player, he just like the feel, and have no problem controlling the ball. NEVER prestretch the gut.
- You can with benefit cross gut with Isospeed Professional Classic, same comfort but better snapback and cheaper as you can restring the cross.
- IMO and in contrast to other, gut can actually play stiff (not unconftable) at higher tension, still hurts my heart that I had to cut out a fairly new VS stringjob @27kg as I did not like the feel at all. I typically string gut at 20-23kg, and have no problem with control, I just get extra good feel and ball pocketing.
VS is IMO the best gut out there, so good choice.
- NXT loses tension faster than NG so gut will be at a higher tension after 1-2 hours anyway
- Gut plays well at all tensions, I string gut relative low and it plays really well. I dont buy into the concept that gut has to be strung high. If your son is used to play multi, then absolutely no reason to go higher tension with the gut. If you come from poly, then that can there might be an adjustment period. I even string gut as low as 18kg full bed to a really good player, he just like the feel, and have no problem controlling the ball. NEVER prestretch the gut.
- You can with benefit cross gut with Isospeed Professional Classic, same comfort but better snapback and cheaper as you can restring the cross.
- IMO and in contrast to other, gut can actually play stiff (not unconftable) at higher tension, still hurts my heart that I had to cut out a fairly new VS stringjob @27kg as I did not like the feel at all. I typically string gut at 20-23kg, and have no problem with control, I just get extra good feel and ball pocketing.
VS is IMO the best gut out there, so good choice.
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LOBALOT
Legend
I agree with Irvin on this if you go a full bed. However, if it were me I would move to gut/poly vs a full bed of gut. I just think the gut holds up and performs better than on it's own.
Wow Happi. Thanks a lot!!!
socallefty
G.O.A.T.
I could never play with fullbed gut below 57 lbs. 58-60 was the sweet spot for me.
Happi
Hall of Fame
Why is that ? IMO gut plays great at lower tension too, feel is even greater. I play gut at 44 in a 16x19 and even lower in a 18x20, and I have no control issue.
I like gut/multi and as cross I like Isospeed Proffional Classic or TF Multifeel black. I restring the crosses when they fray too much or loose tension too much.
socallefty
G.O.A.T.
I had control issues at lower tensions.
forzamr_b
Rookie
Gut/poly is nothing like full poly and agree with the rest that it offers better performance than full gut. I would also strongly recommend a gut main, poly cross hybrid!
Happi
Hall of Fame
Hmm you need to adjust, and then you will get all the benefit, like power, feel and comfort. You cant swing like with a poly, but if you are a multi player then there is very little adjustment.
socallefty
G.O.A.T.
I moved to gut/HyperG Soft hybrid at 47/44 many years ago and am never going back to full bed gut.
Fed Kennedy
Legend
X one biphase 15G at 57#
That was my experience as well. The sweet spot seemed to be the 58-60 lbs. Anything less makes the racquet like a ball launcher.
Happi
Hall of Fame
That really depends on the player, at the AO final Zverev had his racquets strung (poly/gut) at 15.9/16.9 kg (35/37). NG is an amazing string and IMO plays well at almost any tension.
