Natural Gut

[Rjb49]

Alright so I just invested in some string to try, this is my first real test on Natural Gut.

I bought two half sets of Titan Natural Gut 16, one Hybrid set of Solinco Tour Bite 17 and Vanquish 16 and then one set of Tourna Big Hitter Blue Rough.

I am planning to try out the Gut with the Tourna Big Hitter as a hybrid.

But what the whole reason I posted this was to figure out Tensions for the Gut, I have never strung with Natural gut so is there a tension rule for it or anything that I should be aware of??

thanks guys

 

[athiker]

It might be helpful to know what string you currently use and at what tension. Nat gut tends to be on the powerful size so most string it pretty firm....but anything over 60 can get risky with certain brands...risky in terms of snapping while stringing. Others can weigh in about Titan specifically. Some of the better brands can be strung quite tight from what I've read on here.

It also depends upon the racquet...I use some fairly low powered racquets and like to string nat gut as mains about 52 over 48 polys. The poly crosses seems to limit the power or trampolining effect of lower tension natural gut. Are you planning on putting nat gut in the mains or the crosses?

Finally, what temps are you going to be playing in? Some go less tension in cooler/cold weather.

 

[Rjb49]

Well that was quite a bit to think about there let me see what I can answer.

At the moment I have a one Dunlop Aerogel 4D 100 strung with NXT full bed at 62 tension (I like it but it is a little to tight I will have to restring it)

Second Dunlop Aerogel 4D 100 is strung with NXT Mains at 55 and Zo Verve crosses at 55 as well (Also okay but should have bumped the poly cross down some)

So needless to say my racquet is low powered and I was looking to string it Gut mains with poly crosses. I dont want to go to high on the tension in the guts maybe 48-53??

And temperature wise usually around 60-65 degrees.

Thanks for the help!

 

[pvaudio]

With all due respect, you didn't invest in anything. Titan is simply atrocious. If you want a cheap gut from TW, get some Klip instead.Titan is more likely to break while stringing than after a few hours on the court.

 

[tes]

With all due respect, you didn't invest in anything. Titan is simply atrocious. If you want a cheap gut from TW, get some Klip instead.Titan is more likely to break while stringing than after a few hours on the court.

I agree. I learned my "cheap gut" lesson with Global gut. I had one set that I got a reasonable amount of playing out of, the rest was a joke. I had one brand dandy new set not even make it through a 2 set match and another time both my raquets snapped by the second set of a match and they only had some light use practice on them. They weren't shanked,knot snaps either, they were center of the raquet saw-throughs. Broke one on the stringer too. VS is 4 times as expensive but lasts 10 times as long. I have no opinion on Titan as I have not tried it. If it is anything like Global I wouldn't go higher than 54-55 lbs. Also, Klip is cheaper than VS but not IMO "cheap gut".

 

[diredesire]

I agree. I learned my "cheap gut" lesson with Global gut. I had one set that I got a reasonable amount of playing out of, the rest was a joke. I had one brand dandy new set not even make it through a 2 set match and another time both my raquets snapped by the second set of a match and they only had some light use practice on them. They weren't shanked,knot snaps either, they were center of the raquet saw-throughs. Broke one on the stringer too. VS is 4 times as expensive but lasts 10 times as long. I have no opinion on Titan as I have not tried it. If it is anything like Global I wouldn't go higher than 54-55 lbs. Also, Klip is cheaper than VS but not IMO "cheap gut".

Yep, Klip's a good value. Titan was OK in my tests with them, but I bought 15L. They strung up fine at 63 lbs, but didn't feel really great compared to other Gut strings I've tried.

 

[Rjb49]

Well this is good to hear that my first investment might BREAK right away! I am cool with that you live and learn from this kind of thing!

I wondered about that since it was so cheap I was suspicious!

But hey I will try it see if it works out?!

But still what tension range for gut mains?? I play with a Dunlop Aerogel 4D 100 stock

 

[thug the bunny]

I dunno, as this is my first go with gut, but I have Titan 17g (it looks alot thicker than 17) at 54lb in my Diablo Tour. I hit pretty hard for 2hr with it and it hasn't even frayed yet. It felt pretty stiff for the first hour, though, and then relaxed. At the end I thought it felt and performed as good or better as any premium multi I have played.

 

[Orion3]

Got both my EXO3 tours strung with VS mains and BHBR crosses. Gut at 53lb and BHBR at 48lb

Got about 8 hours on this current setup and really happy. Imagine I may need to replace the crosses soon but the playability is still excellent.

 

[JT_2eighty]

I've strung Titan 17 half-set for a friend earlier this year.

He's a 4.0 with mid-size and it lasted him a solid 1-2 months.

With cheaper guts, the key is to string very carefully, and look out for imperfections. Sometimes you get a good batch, sometimes a bad one, but if you handle it well, it may last long enough to justify the cost. Don't string it above 55 pounds to get the most life from it, that's what I did and he liked it.

 

[diredesire]

Well this is good to hear that my first investment might BREAK right away! I am cool with that you live and learn from this kind of thing!

I wondered about that since it was so cheap I was suspicious!

But hey I will try it see if it works out?!

But still what tension range for gut mains?? I play with a Dunlop Aerogel 4D 100 stock

I actually haven't heard many horror stories from the Titan stuff. Mine lasted a logn time, and didn't even start fraying before I sold my frame. It was just thick and it played a little "extra coated" to me. If it breaks ridiculously quickly, just phone up TW and see if they can help you out with a replacement set. One of the reasons TW doesn't carry global is because they can't back the product with a guarantee because it breaks

Titan in my experience has been OK, there's just better (actual) values out there. I found Klip to be not too much more, but much better overall quality. I thought value/set was better.

 

[Rjb49]

Well that is good!! I got the Titan 16g so hopefully it works out with The Big Hitter Blue Rough for the crosses...I am thinking probably 53 for the mains and 48 for the crosses?? So poly are really supposed to be strung lower tension hmm that explains why they always feel dead!!

 

[Orion3]

Well that is good!! I got the Titan 16g so hopefully it works out with The Big Hitter Blue Rough for the crosses...I am thinking probably 53 for the mains and 48 for the crosses?? So poly are really supposed to be strung lower tension hmm that explains why they always feel dead!!

The poly strings (even softer ones like BHBR) are much stiffer than gut; hence the differential. Suggest if you are going to use BHBR you use decent stringsavers. I have used babolat elastocrosses along the six mains - these helps the strings slide and slows/prevents notching (which on a twisted/shaped string like BHBR would be significant). The stringsavers do raise the relative tension, but not by much. I would only recommend these stringsavers as they have string groves and are made from Teflon/PTFE - others such as Wilson, gamma and tourna just seem to maintain a gap between the strings.

Gut/poly at 53/48 is a fantastic setup - I love it. Power is very controllable and the feel and touch is excellent. Had an hours lesson Wednesday - I was hitting killer groundstrokes off each wing and then controlled stop volleys and touch shots with ease.

 

[Rjb49]

that is awesome to hear, yeah I havent decided whether to go with the BHBR or Lux Adrenaline...I like both I think the Adrenaline though would prevent the so called notching in the strings...

I am definitley stringing at 53/48 though!

So pumped string gets in today!

 

[Lambsscroll]

Well that is good!! I got the Titan 16g so hopefully it works out with The Big Hitter Blue Rough for the crosses...I am thinking probably 53 for the mains and 48 for the crosses?? So poly are really supposed to be strung lower tension hmm that explains why they always feel dead!!

That sounds like a good tension. I personally like the cross to be 2 to 3 pounds lower than the mains. I find I get more feel from the gut and the trajectory of the ball is lower when coming off of the strings.

 

[Rabbit]

Titan gut is actually Klip's branding for their seconds; as an FYI.

 

[Rjb49]

Ah very estute observation! ^^^