ProStaff forever
Rookie
Anyone replaced their replacement grip from synthetic to leather grip?
Official Pro Staff 97 Club!!
- Thread starter Dasol
- Start date
Roland G
Hall of Fame
Yes I've put a Head Tour leather grip on both of mine with 4g of lead at 3/9 to balance it out a bit. The weight, balance and feel is just right for me.
estigma2001
Hall of Fame
Well i was a Blade 98 16x19 lover but i had issues with the maneuverability, 1 month ago i tried the Yonex AI 98 and the PS 97 i really liked both but the PS has more feel and stability also my 1hbh shine with the wilson so i switched, i used on my blades wilson leather grip, my question is somebody replaced the stock grip of the PS 97 for leather? and tell me how it feels and plays?
mohsinyahya
New User
Can anyone suggest the best arm friendly synthetic gut for my pro staff 97. Or may be with hybrid set up
I did swap out the grip for leather but after one match switched back to stock. Backhand and serves felt good but forehand was all over the place. Honestly I think stock has already got the right weight/balance so I'm not inclined to tinker any more. The only reason I tried the leather grip is it had such a positive influence when I made that switch on previous racquets so I was just curious. Not this one!
estigma2001
Hall of Fame
thank you, i was thinking something like that beacuse i prefer the stock racquet instead of altering the weight, balance, etc
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The King of Swing
New User
Count me in. Have owned mine since June and still love it. Can finally and very gladly say my racket searching days are over. Its an all around work horse with no weaknesses. Suites the all court style of player which is why I love it because I play with a lot of variety. Couple of things to take into account when customizing...Leather grip and tape will add a significant amount of pop to the frame so keep that in mind when stringing. Ive added a leather grip but I still haven't committed to lead because for me it ups the power too much and sacs control. Honestly you don't need much modding to this stick as it performs well even in stock form but of course go with what suites you best. ALU rough full job @55
Roland G
Hall of Fame
I've become a little frustrated with my PS97's at the moment. Yeah, it's a great stick but I just can't find the right string set-up. I've actually put mine away for the moment but will go back to them in a couple of months. So far I've tried Cyclone, Silverstring, Ultra Cable all strung in mid 40's and also a hybrid of Sonic Pro Edge/Mantis Comfort Synthetic. All have had their drawbacks. Just haven't got that blend of medium power, spin, control and comfort that I'm looking for. Any suggestions welcome!
oble
Hall of Fame
For me, full bed of Cyclone Tour has performed the best so far with tension at high 40's. I've just started experimenting with gut/poly and it seems to be working wonderfully too.
Roland G
Hall of Fame
OK I'll try that so. I did try Cyclone at 45lbs the first time I used the frame which would have been my go to string and tension. I found with the spin potential of the string combined with the open string pattern I was hitting insane amounts of spin but occasionally was coughing up a short ball. Maybe I'll try a higher tension next time...
What's your gut/poly tension? I like combo in this frame but haven't experimented much with tensions yet. Iirc I went with 56/51 last time.
oble
Hall of Fame
I use 53/48.
but I'm generally a low tension guy. If you like poly in the 50's, you'll probably want to keep it in that ball park and add a few pounds for the gut mains.
gino
Legend
Roland G
Hall of Fame
I'm out too. Didn't hate the frame, just couldn't gel with it. Too powerful for me, not enough control and erratic too.
Me too. Too stiff, it had to go. odd, pingy sensation from the string bed. Playing much better now with my modified LM Radicals.
shamaho
Professional
I'll be taking over roland's frames
I think the honeymoon with these frames started from the very first ball I struck with them and lasted for whole two sessions with a demo racket.
Let's see how it goes from here on...
mohsinyahya
New User
I'm out as well. Tried my best to love this frame, with different strings setup, customizing it but it just kept on hurting arm.
Moving to wilson pro staff 97ls
Moving to wilson pro staff 97ls
estigma2001
Hall of Fame
Well I'm still in love with the PS 97, i really enjoy the stability, maneuverability also has enough power, spin and control so i can go for my shots. Later i'm gonna upload a video playing with it.
mohsinyahya
New User
What's your string setup ??
shamaho
Professional
Exactly what I found as well.... it must a personal matching thing... racket to player style and build...
I see that you're also using leather grip - what was the basic difference from stock grip and the leather one ? balance and weight wise ?
estigma2001
Hall of Fame
Well the leather grip give me more feel and more head light but nothing really noticeable, the weight with the strings, dampener and leather is 350 gr.
estigma2001
Hall of Fame
Hi well i used to play with Solinco Tour Bite 17 with 50 lbs but due to money issues
i changed to Zons Polymo Hexplosion 17 a cheap poly that plays and feels really close to the tour bite.AllTennis01
Rookie
It's been almost a year for me, still love the PS97. I kept my 6.1 95s pair as well and sometimes would go back to 6.1 for fun. I really enjoy both, PS97 for me is more stable
and my 2HBH is better with it, while I can swing the 95s a little harder to still get the ball in. I string both with gut/poly hybrids and never have any arm/elbow issues.
I remember I had the PS97 strung with 4G full bed when I first got it and it did start bothering my elbow, but never with hybrid. Strangely one PS97 has leather grip
and the other I put babolat skinfeel on, both with overgrip - either tourna or babolat vs - and I like both just fine. I think the one with skinfeef ended being a bit to thick
for me with leather, same grip size but for some reason one is a bit bigger than the other.
and my 2HBH is better with it, while I can swing the 95s a little harder to still get the ball in. I string both with gut/poly hybrids and never have any arm/elbow issues.
I remember I had the PS97 strung with 4G full bed when I first got it and it did start bothering my elbow, but never with hybrid. Strangely one PS97 has leather grip
and the other I put babolat skinfeel on, both with overgrip - either tourna or babolat vs - and I like both just fine. I think the one with skinfeef ended being a bit to thick
for me with leather, same grip size but for some reason one is a bit bigger than the other.
shamaho
Professional
Oh BTW, for everyone finding the PS97 too harsh, should really try the Prince response 97.
The specs are really very close but it has a more comfortable feel and a bit more plow through.
I've gained new respect for the response 97 after playing with the PS97, even though this last one is the one for me.
The specs are really very close but it has a more comfortable feel and a bit more plow through.
I've gained new respect for the response 97 after playing with the PS97, even though this last one is the one for me.
volleynets
Hall of Fame
My favorite setup is a full bed of luxilon 4g at 52lbs. I use the regular Wilson dampener and the stock grip with one Wilson overgrip.
I'm a 4.5 with a sw forehand and a one hander.
I'm a 4.5 with a sw forehand and a one hander.
jmc3367
Rookie
Have any of you guys found a significant difference in the weight on these pros staff's (non RF). I bought 3 two from one guy and one from another guy and they all seemed identical. I then ordered my son a brand new one at Christmas and I can tell it's significantly heavier. Just wondered if anyone else had noticed this.
Roland G
Hall of Fame
I had two of them and they were within 1.5g of each other. One (purchased from TWE) however was missing some graphics on the frame (braided graphite and kevlar logo). Didn't concern me as I was happy the weight/balance etc was consistent but it did illustrate poor quality control.
fortunecookiesjc
Professional
Love it stock, experimenting with textured strings atm. Currently strung with trionic and pro line 2
Might just use a full bed of rough next time
Might just use a full bed of rough next time
nickellwood
New User
Roland G
Hall of Fame
I like it. I played with the old version for 1.5 years so it feels familiar. I'm still trying strings, currently have Pro Line Evolution which is nice, but I think will be even better with a thinner gauge string. Am trying Hyper G 18g next. Mine have leather grips and around 5g added to the handle. Not sure of the exact measurements but they feel great. Low-powered, great control & comfort. Spin could be better but I think the 18g strings will help that.
nickellwood
New User
Good to hear
I didn't even think to demo the Blade 18x20 when I chose my ps97 but I wish I did now haha. Maybe at some point in the future... I also wish I gave the PS97S a whirl as many users seem to be positive about that stick
Roland G
Hall of Fame
The Blade and the PS97 are like chalk and cheese. The PS97 for me was very powerful and spinny but lacked control. It also felt harsh. The Blade is comfy and lower-powered in comparison. I like the trajectory I can hit with the Blade. It still hits a heavy ball but tends to travel quickly through the court, which I like, as opposed to jumping off the court with lots of spin. I'm also more confident attacking short balls with the Blade.Good to hear
Caution. If you have TE already you'll want to be careful with this frame. I never had any problems with arm or elbow pain until I switched to the ps97. I loved the racquet but I'd rather play with another frame than not play at all.
rchjr2091
Semi-Pro
Will do! I read the comments on here very closely. It's very little but I can tell it's starting to creep in, I'm icing and rest etc. I'm keeping the APD in the closet in case but I chose the Xcel strings because of the reviews on comfort and only using the LaserFibre in crosses cause TW sent it as a play test. I pray it doesn't cause it to be an issue.
babolatstar
Rookie
I just recently changed to this stick.
Previously had the blx95, prostaff 95 then prostaff 97fr .stayed with the prostaff 97fr for awhile till I started to have shoulder problem. Switched to the 97 and problem was solved.
Currently strung with rpm blast at 53lbs.
Added the qlipp- seems to be easier to smack serves out wide. Maybe due to the weight of the qlipp.
Previously had the blx95, prostaff 95 then prostaff 97fr .stayed with the prostaff 97fr for awhile till I started to have shoulder problem. Switched to the 97 and problem was solved.
Currently strung with rpm blast at 53lbs.
Added the qlipp- seems to be easier to smack serves out wide. Maybe due to the weight of the qlipp.
shamaho
Professional
Ok, so here's my impressions after a limited number of matches on my club's ladder tourny after taking over Roland's sticks.
Racket history:
POG OS
10+ years with Wilson PSC 6.1
then the search for a new stick began...
aprox. 2 years (maybe more) the Wilson 90's: nCode, kFactor
aprox. 1 year Then failed miserabily with Prince Graphite 100 Exo3
aprox. 1 year Then customized Mantis Pro 295 - nice quality stick
aprox. 1 year POG Mid & Prince Response 97
The POG Mid which I discovered only so late, has been a revelation and for me, the perfect racket, unfortunately a bit too much for my age now...
Then demoed the PCG100 and the PS97 - had decided on the PCG100 but was out of stock.
PS97 Customization is:
Leather grip (+ overgrip) + aprox. 2 grams at 12 (on top of the bumper, not under)
string setup:
racket a) Head Sonic Pro Hedge @47 + Mantis Confort Multi @ 51
racket b) Weiss Cannon Scorpion @ 48
My style of play:
OHBH, semi-western FH grip, all court game, attacking style when possible. I take charge of the point asap, since if I start thinking and trying to play smart, tactical, placement based, I make all sort of errors.
One line summary:
The PS97 is nearly PERFECT for me, only lacking a bit in the forehand dept. in certain situations.
Expanded:
Finally, I can realize the game I have in my mind since I can play without thinking about the racket. It just responds exactly how I (or my muscle memory) expected it (save for those FH situation).
On the baseline, the racket responds very well, especially on the backhand side. Slices are like laser guided, and top spin backhands work well, due to the balance of the racket I can whip it high with lots of top and deep into opponents court, I could also hit through the ball when trying to press or open an angle or even make a passing shot or going for their body when opponent is at net. ie. it seems the head light balance seems to help in the maneuverability and one can execute fast when under pressure. With my prior POG Mid everything was a bit slower and required better prep.
I did shank a few balls especially when I had plenty of time to swing at a higher bouncing ball... which is weird - something about the timing of that swing with the current balance needs tuning.
I've made some backhand winners and passing shots with this stick that I've been dreaming about for years now, but I knew I had them in me.
On the forehand Dept. I find it lacking a bit especially when hitting a bit streched when under attack. I kind of miss the plow through of the POG mid (for ex.) and like Roland said, I can hit fast and spinny, but I don't think I'm hitting a heavy ball (like I felt with the POG Mid) - maybe a bit of tweaking will sort that out. When playing within myself, all goes very well, placement, shot direction, depth are all easily controlled and response is what I expected. but when a bit streched the racket feels "light-weight" against the ball.
Maybe I need to try the weight setup Roland had originally at 3 and 9... but I wanted to avoid weighting the racket a bit more... or maybe taking the overgrip away will make that tiny adjustment needed.
All in all, I was looking for a bit of extra help from the racket in the power and maneuverability dept. without loosing that control feel and the crisp feedback (as opposed to the slightly twangy feedback of the Response 97) - and I got just that!
in mid-court or... no man's land, low volleys and half-volleys are well controlled. probably due to with my forward momentum, the racket is very stable and one just needs to place the racket, momentum does the rest, the lowish launch angle helps in that dept.
At net, the racket is stable on the volleys and allows for quick reaction volleys. feedback from the racket is also nice. I haven't been properly scrutinized at net though, only a couple of low tough volleys and an incredible full lunge strech get...
So basically, this racket allows me to play what I feel is my best level in many years... finally! It gives good power and control especially on low margin plays when you're pressing the play...
There has to be some PSC 6.1 heritage in there because somehow it feels so familiar.
Finally what some people mention about elbow issues: yes I've had mild disconfort on the elbow - but I guess this is normal and expected during racket changes and the body will adjust - same way it did when playing with POG OS for the first time (sore wrist at that time) - body adjusted after a month or so. Just give your body some time to adjust, help it out with lower tensions temporarily.
So for me the search is OVER!
Racket history:
POG OS
10+ years with Wilson PSC 6.1
then the search for a new stick began...
aprox. 2 years (maybe more) the Wilson 90's: nCode, kFactor
aprox. 1 year Then failed miserabily with Prince Graphite 100 Exo3
aprox. 1 year Then customized Mantis Pro 295 - nice quality stick
aprox. 1 year POG Mid & Prince Response 97
The POG Mid which I discovered only so late, has been a revelation and for me, the perfect racket, unfortunately a bit too much for my age now...
Then demoed the PCG100 and the PS97 - had decided on the PCG100 but was out of stock.
PS97 Customization is:
Leather grip (+ overgrip) + aprox. 2 grams at 12 (on top of the bumper, not under)
string setup:
racket a) Head Sonic Pro Hedge @47 + Mantis Confort Multi @ 51
racket b) Weiss Cannon Scorpion @ 48
My style of play:
OHBH, semi-western FH grip, all court game, attacking style when possible. I take charge of the point asap, since if I start thinking and trying to play smart, tactical, placement based, I make all sort of errors.
One line summary:
The PS97 is nearly PERFECT for me, only lacking a bit in the forehand dept. in certain situations.
Expanded:
Finally, I can realize the game I have in my mind since I can play without thinking about the racket. It just responds exactly how I (or my muscle memory) expected it (save for those FH situation).
On the baseline, the racket responds very well, especially on the backhand side. Slices are like laser guided, and top spin backhands work well, due to the balance of the racket I can whip it high with lots of top and deep into opponents court, I could also hit through the ball when trying to press or open an angle or even make a passing shot or going for their body when opponent is at net. ie. it seems the head light balance seems to help in the maneuverability and one can execute fast when under pressure. With my prior POG Mid everything was a bit slower and required better prep.
I did shank a few balls especially when I had plenty of time to swing at a higher bouncing ball... which is weird - something about the timing of that swing with the current balance needs tuning.
I've made some backhand winners and passing shots with this stick that I've been dreaming about for years now, but I knew I had them in me.
On the forehand Dept. I find it lacking a bit especially when hitting a bit streched when under attack. I kind of miss the plow through of the POG mid (for ex.) and like Roland said, I can hit fast and spinny, but I don't think I'm hitting a heavy ball (like I felt with the POG Mid) - maybe a bit of tweaking will sort that out. When playing within myself, all goes very well, placement, shot direction, depth are all easily controlled and response is what I expected. but when a bit streched the racket feels "light-weight" against the ball.
Maybe I need to try the weight setup Roland had originally at 3 and 9... but I wanted to avoid weighting the racket a bit more... or maybe taking the overgrip away will make that tiny adjustment needed.
All in all, I was looking for a bit of extra help from the racket in the power and maneuverability dept. without loosing that control feel and the crisp feedback (as opposed to the slightly twangy feedback of the Response 97) - and I got just that!
in mid-court or... no man's land, low volleys and half-volleys are well controlled. probably due to with my forward momentum, the racket is very stable and one just needs to place the racket, momentum does the rest, the lowish launch angle helps in that dept.
At net, the racket is stable on the volleys and allows for quick reaction volleys. feedback from the racket is also nice. I haven't been properly scrutinized at net though, only a couple of low tough volleys and an incredible full lunge strech get...
So basically, this racket allows me to play what I feel is my best level in many years... finally! It gives good power and control especially on low margin plays when you're pressing the play...
There has to be some PSC 6.1 heritage in there because somehow it feels so familiar.
Finally what some people mention about elbow issues: yes I've had mild disconfort on the elbow - but I guess this is normal and expected during racket changes and the body will adjust - same way it did when playing with POG OS for the first time (sore wrist at that time) - body adjusted after a month or so. Just give your body some time to adjust, help it out with lower tensions temporarily.
So for me the search is OVER!
shamaho
Professional
Running the risk of sacrilege, for me synthetic guts are all more or less the same comfort-wise.
I've been playing with them for the last 6 months or so.
And yes, I'd suggest a hybrid instead of full-bed, just put them in the mains instead of on the crosses. this way you do get the best of both worlds: comfort from the synth gut and better spin sue to the slick poly on the crosses.
shamaho
Professional
The synth gut will last longer than a multi which usually tends to fray quite a bit. but the multi would probably give even better comfort.
shamaho
Professional
in closing, let me tell ya, stringing the last cross string on this stick is ridiculously difficult !! inserting the last cross is difficult enough because the whole is already covered by no less than TWO strings from the mains, then such stupid tie off location... at 11T it's ridiculous !
EDIT: the fault lies with wrong instructions on stringing... by the manufacturer no less!!
using a 2 piece stringing, mains should tie off at 8T (not 6T), and crosses should tie off at 6T (not 11T) - Thanks to Irvin for the Help.
EDIT: the fault lies with wrong instructions on stringing... by the manufacturer no less!!
using a 2 piece stringing, mains should tie off at 8T (not 6T), and crosses should tie off at 6T (not 11T) - Thanks to Irvin for the Help.
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estigma2001
Hall of Fame
S
Sirius Black
Guest
I have three of these but I'm missing the mass of a heavier racquet. Has anyone leaded theirs up?
shamaho
Professional
I added 2 to 3 grams at 12 on top of the grommet,
shamaho
Professional
Oh and that s besides the heavier leather grip plus an overgrip on top
