Besides longevity...... What is the difference between having a multifilament versus a synthetic gut in a cross? I think multi will soften the string bed and allow more power to the poly. I would think synthetic gut would perform a similar role with the exception of it being not as durable? insights appreciated
Multifilament Versus Synthetic Gut in Cross (Poly Main)
- Thread starter xaeniac
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Slowtwitcher
Legend
My experience with Sensation vs PSGD as crosses (poly mains) is that Sensation frayed from ball friction and eventually broke, while PSGD lasted longer, but the outer layers wear out (again from ball friction) and with that the middle crosses lose a lot of tension. I think the playability and durability was very similar.
travlerajm
Talk Tennis Guru
If you prestretch both the poly and the nylon, you can get very consistent long-term stringbed stability.
The nylon cross wears into a flattened ribbon, while the poly forms groove that slides along the cross, with the flattened surface helping to extend the time until the poly breaks.
Less spin, but better launch angle control and comfort, compared to poly cross.
The nylon cross wears into a flattened ribbon, while the poly forms groove that slides along the cross, with the flattened surface helping to extend the time until the poly breaks.
Less spin, but better launch angle control and comfort, compared to poly cross.
Slowtwitcher
Legend
Does pre-stretching change what happened to me with multi and SG crosses?
travlerajm
Talk Tennis Guru
Prestretching will mostly eliminate tension loss, so that playing characteristics won’t change much as the stringbed wears. @sureshs reports that you hit with a lot of topspin, so it’s possible that your style is harder on stringbeds than mine.
I’ve been pleasantly surprised by how well my evolution/18g ogsm hybrid is playing in my 6.1 95 18x20 after many hours. I expected the crosses to break, but now I think maybe the thin flat ribbons will outlast the mains.
Slowtwitcher
Legend
Yes. For sure string the crosses with sg/multi tension, not poly tension.
Similar feel but most multis are softer than most synthetic gut.
Humbi_HTX
Professional
My (humble) experience is that multis will wear the outer coating and start fraying, creating a little pocket where the mains will lock up and eventually frays all the way thru breaking.
SG like GOSM or PSDF will fray the outer multi but the solid core will remain grinding slowly and evenly over a larger area as the main is still allowed to slide, this extends the playability of the string bed.
I did not find a big difference in feel, comfort and power using a multi and the play life of the string bed is shorter compared to using s.gut as a cross with a poly main.
I like to string at 54lbs to 52lbs on my 16x20 98-100sqi frames, but have gone as high as 60lbs on 16x19 oversized rocket launchers and as low as 50lbs on 18x20 95sqi frames.
SG like GOSM or PSDF will fray the outer multi but the solid core will remain grinding slowly and evenly over a larger area as the main is still allowed to slide, this extends the playability of the string bed.
I did not find a big difference in feel, comfort and power using a multi and the play life of the string bed is shorter compared to using s.gut as a cross with a poly main.
I like to string at 54lbs to 52lbs on my 16x20 98-100sqi frames, but have gone as high as 60lbs on 16x19 oversized rocket launchers and as low as 50lbs on 18x20 95sqi frames.
Dgoldberg1
New User
As @Slowtwitcher said, as between synthetic gut and multifilament strings, generally, the multis will be softer and thus more powerful than the synthetic gut. I would also say that, generally, most multifilaments, despite being more expensive, would be less durable than most syn guts in your hybrid setup.
I don't know about others' experiences, but I have found that when doing a poly/multi setup for myself, it's always the multi (cross) that breaks. I have strung for others who use the same poly as me in the mains, but a syn gut in the crosses, and somehow, they manage to break the poly! Normally the mains do more work, and if you were using the same string for the entire racquet, they are the ones that break. But as I've found in my hyrbids with multi, they may even be more durable because eventually, it's the crosses that break instead of the mains.
I don't know about others' experiences, but I have found that when doing a poly/multi setup for myself, it's always the multi (cross) that breaks. I have strung for others who use the same poly as me in the mains, but a syn gut in the crosses, and somehow, they manage to break the poly! Normally the mains do more work, and if you were using the same string for the entire racquet, they are the ones that break. But as I've found in my hyrbids with multi, they may even be more durable because eventually, it's the crosses that break instead of the mains.
fuzz nation
G.O.A.T.
It depends on the gauges of poly and multi/sg that you're working with there. I've had great luck among local sluggers - adults and stronger high school kids - with a hybrid combining Isospeed Baseline 1.20mm mains and usually Gosen OGSM 16 crosses. That lighter gauge of poly mains brings some poly performance to the string bed without being quite as harsh or clunky as they might find with a full bed of a heavier gauge of poly.
That thinner poly main might work at 2-3 lbs. lower tension than the crosses, but some locals like it all at the same tension. So in a 100" frame, I might run the poly mains at 53 lbs. and syn. gut crosses at 56 lbs. But if somebody wants that setup to be more firm, I might do both at 55-57 lbs.
Generally when I install a hybrid including a heavier gauge poly main (1.25mm or more), I'll tension the poly at least 2-3 lbs. lower than the softer crosses unless that person asks for something else.
fuzz nation
G.O.A.T.
I see decent durability in the poly hybrids I install for the locals in my circle when I use Gosen OGSM 16 as a cross. This string is certainly a bit more firm than most multis (as well as several syn. guts), but dropping tension helps with that. OGSM is relatively slippery and also seems to keep working as a cross that allows poly mains to slide across it, even as the Gosen accumulates some visible wear.
I'd generally expect at least some hybrids including a syn. gut cross to be a bit more durable than the same layout with a multi swapped in as a cross. Forten Sweet is a very soft syn. gut that certainly doesn't seem as durable as OGSM, especially Sweet 17. But it can be a great as an affordable alternative to a premium multifiber.
@travlerajm @Slowtwitcher His topspin is on the same scale as Nadal and that is why I cannot handle the bounce and spin. I can easily handle Federer-level topspin, though.
Two days back, we were playing with the Wilson USOpen balls, the closest available commercial balls to the actual USO ones, and they are heavy and bounce high. I found his topspin quite overwhelming. I tried switching to the Fed RF 97 frame, but that did not help, leading me to suspect that the problem was not the frame.
travlerajm
Talk Tennis Guru
Try switching to an OS frame next time you play him.
Slowtwitcher
Legend
When looking for a more playable frame, the RF97 wouldn't be my first choice.
BTW the big spin was courtesy of the Kevlar/ZX setup
megamind
Legend
@Slowtwitcher just curious, what racquette do you use?
(just asking because I've noticed the biggest "topspinners" I've played against, have all happened to have Pure Aeros)
(just asking because I've noticed the biggest "topspinners" I've played against, have all happened to have Pure Aeros)
Slowtwitcher
Legend
Funny you should mention this, I was going to suggest Suresh tried one of my POGOS
Slowtwitcher
Legend
I've returned to tennis recently and went back to the racquets I was playing with back in the day: POGOS.
Recently I've also been hitting with the Gravity Pro and I really like it... might switch to it permanently.
megamind
Legend
The Gravity is a great racquet. I have a Tour
tbh I am very jealous of your special relationship with the sureshs
how often do y'all hit together?
Slowtwitcher
Legend
Whenever I am summoned by The Suresh, of course.
Once a week we have a doubles match where Suresh often exhibits his killer drop volley.
2nd Serve Ace
Hall of Fame
Related to the original question, black coated synguts tend to have less string resistance compared to standard. At least until the coating wears off.
BlueB
Legend
Major difference is the price.
Slowtwitcher
Legend
What's string resistance?
I had a racquet that I bought off eeee-bay. Came with poly main and (what I thought was) natural gut cross. My stringer said that actually it was a multi-filament.
I played with it for months and it never broke. It didn't seem to fray it just got flatter where the poly made contact with it.
I played with it for months and it never broke. It didn't seem to fray it just got flatter where the poly made contact with it.
2nd Serve Ace
Hall of Fame
Friction between mains/crosses.
Humbi_HTX
Professional
If it got flatter/thinner and looked like it was a multifilament, it was probably a solid core syn. gut with multi surrounding the core like Gosen or Prince (or something else, but I would doubt was a multi string)
Real multis are multifilament core and they will fray consistently until breaking, at least that has been my experience.
g4driver
Legend
The frame with the syn gut cross will be more durable, AOTBE.
As others have mentioned, the multis will fray and break quicker. They are multis.. it is what they do.
If you want the long lasting "multi", put some of Tecnfibre "fusion" strings in the crosses. 1.38 mm TRIAX, 1.33 HDMX. Both are poly fiber infused strings, but feel like multis and will likely outlast 1.35mm synthetic gut.
If you want a great multi with a solid core, Tecnfibre Multifeel, is my recommendation. It is cheap and the solid core means a longer life than a traditionall multi like X1 or NRG2.
Finally Prince makes PPC in 1.40mm. About $89 a reel. For the money, Tecnfibre's HDMX and TrIax by the reel is a great value. I get 40 sets of 16.6" crosses out of a reel and use those reels exclusively on 100 square inch frames or less with 16x19 patterns, to make sure I get exactly 40 sets of crosses out of the reel. If someone wants a full bed of HDMX, I pull that from a pack.
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dufferok
Rookie
Temps above 70, I hit with full poly at 50#, below 70 I switch to poly 50# + synthetic gut 53#. My go to poly right now is Solinco Confidential 17g. For synthetic gut, I use Prince Synthetic Gut w/ Duraflex 16g. I recently tried out Tecnifibre Multifeel 16g in my crosses at 53#, and I liked the additional feel the strings provided but they did start to fray pretty quick due to the harsh edges of the Solinco poly string.
