Recommended strings for wood racquets?

[onehandbh]

For the time being, I am ruling out using a poly because it breaks the wood racquet too quickly.

What strings (other than gut) are recommended for wood racquets?

Any particular synthetic guts?
I'm looking for something that has some pocketing for spin.
Would be used for a Jack Kramer Auto and also some older racquets more than 75 years old.

 

[MAX PLY]

Well, if you want to maximize the feel of a wood racquet without gut, use a nice multi like NXT, NRG or X-1 Bi-phase. If those are still are more than you wish to spend, I’d suggest Gosen OG Sheep Micro or Prince Synthetic original—16 or 17 gauge. For the older racquets, keep your tensions below 50 lbs. Enjoy.

 

[vsbabolat]

Natural gut, or any multi.

 

[fuzz nation]

I always used 17 ga. syn. gut in my wood racquets when I was a kid. I still like that string in my 98" regular players, but it can go soft in the summer heat and that's when I switch to a 16 ga. alternative for more consistent performance. The heads on wood frames are much smaller and the patterns are very dense, so I think the 17 ga. is fine. I haven't had a go with the 18 ga. syn. gut from Gosen, but I've always liked what seems to me like better feel and touch that I get with a thinner string in any racquet.

Gosen OG Sheep Micro is a decent, durable choice for a cross string in a poly hybrid - I use it for that all the time when stringing for locals - but I find it to be borderline too firm in a full bed for my taste compared with softer options that include Prince Original SG and Volkl Classic. Forten Sweet 17 is the softest syn. gut I know, but it's a little fragile and only seems to be a smart option in a dense pattern. I'd say that Sweet 17 could be an ideal string for a wood racquet, especially if you want an affordable alternative to a premium multi.

In case you're going to be stringing those wood racquets yourself, I recommend taking pictures of any strings that are in there before you cut them out for replacement. I've found that it can be a lot more tricky to figure out how to run the mains and crosses with wood racquets because they don't have plastic grommets. After those grommets have been strung only once or twice, they get bent one way or another to help indicate whether some holes are for mains or crosses. Without grommets in wood frames, there's nothing to give us a hint.

 

[Injured Again]

I've got some older sets of a Dunlop multi that are very gut-like but not that durable. If you're putting it into a racquet that you aren't going to use a whole lot, they would work well as a gut analog.

I can string it up for you. How much longer are you here? We have to get out on court at least one more time.

 

[ext2hander]

Try a set of Gamma TNT2 React Pro 17, which has a multi-filament wrap around a solid core -- plus a SLICK outer coating that is resistant to grooved/notched strings which should offer good snap back across the strings, i.e. pocketing. I've played on my Woodie at 55# and 60# strung with good playability. The React Pro strings do seem not get stuck on cross strings, like other strings. So far, strings slide easily. Any deficiency was my stroke preparation. My newest Woodie came strung at 32# with syn gut, given string condition I presume strung before sold. I played all morning AS-IS today and was remarkably surprised how the racquet performed for serves and strokes. Apparently, once strokes are adapted to the weight, this wood racquet plays well with a wide range of tension and strings. I recommend the React Pro since tension loss is at most 10%, versus up to 20% seen with Live Wire XP 17 (100% multifilament).

 

[tennisbike]

Have a small collection about 20 including a Yamaha and an aluminum Yonex YY. Strung the following:
Bancroft Bjorn Borg, Alph Gut 2000, 15g, 40 lbs
Dunlop Maxply Fort, Forten Sweet 16, 25lb
Head Arthur Ash Comp. 3, Wilson Super Spin 16, 50lb, hated it.
Yonex YY9500, Forten nylon 25 lbs, my favorite

If you like pocketing, then string closer to my 25 lbs. Really hated the 50lb Ash Comp 3.

 

[coachrick]

Have a small collection about 20 including a Yamaha and an aluminum Yonex YY. Strung the following:
Bancroft Bjorn Borg, Alph Gut 2000, 15g, 40 lbs
Dunlop Maxply Fort, Forten Sweet 16, 25lb
Head Arthur Ash Comp. 3, Wilson Super Spin 16, 50lb, hated it.
Yonex YY9500, Forten nylon 25 lbs, my favorite

If you like pocketing, then string closer to my 25 lbs. Really hated the 50lb Ash Comp 3.

The AA Comp3 was a noodle...I don't think strings could help it

 

[kevin qmto]

If you like pocketing, then string closer to my 25 lbs. Really hated the 50lb Ash Comp 3.

I wonder how you’d cope with the recommended tension of 65 on the Comp 3 lol.

I recently strung one with Dunlop 16g synthetic at 40 and it hits alright.

 

[retrowagen]

Toalson Leoina 66 15L for a real time warp feel!

 

[coachrick]

Toalson Leoina 66 15L for a real time warp feel!

Blue Star if you want to be snooty!!

 

[vsbabolat]

Toalson Leoina 66 15L for a real time warp feel!

I had that in my wood racquets as a 12 year old

 

[coachrick]

I had that in my wood racquets as a 12 year old

I can't imagine how many sets of that I strung during the '70s and '80s !!!