Splurged on Gut

[FederGOAT]

I bought/was given the following strings:

5 Packs of Prince Natural Gut 16
4 Packs of Babolat VS Team BT7
2 Packs of Babolat VS Touch BT7
4 Packs of Wilson Natural Gut 16
3 Packs of Pacific Polygut ATP 17
2 Packs of Wilson Champions Choice 16
1 Pack of Babolat VS Gut 16/Pro Hurricane Tour 17

Can you string experts give me some ideas on how to maximise playability (String, Tension) on a K 90? Thanks.

 

[fortun8son]

Wow. Santa was good to you! Enjoy!
String the stuff fairly high. Consider other crosses and avoid kinks or twists.

 

[joe sch]

Trade for longer lasting polys

Hope you enjoy playing natural, Id recommend not hybriding since the blends may provide more control for hitting big but decrease the durability. I also believe lower tension will increase durability. Also keep the gut out of temp extremes and dry. Let me know if your thinking trade

 

[NE1for10is?]

I use gut on the mains and poly at a lower tension on the crosses. Very nice setup. The gut lasts a long time and will remain playable. As the poly starts to feel "boardy" you can cut out the poly, leave the gut in, and put more poly back on the crosses. I've done this three times on my current string job and it still feels great.

 

[pvaudio]

Dude that's not a splurge; that's an orgy!

 

[mikeler]

Dude that's not a splurge; that's an orgy!

A splurgy if you will...or even if you won't.

 

[Up&comer]

Dude that's not a splurge; that's an orgy!

That's a solid 800 bucks in gut.

 

[jim e]

Wow. Santa was good to you! Enjoy!
String the stuff fairly high. Consider other crosses and avoid kinks or twists.

I agree about stringing nat. gut high in tension. Tnis is where nat. gut plays well unlike other type strings. This is the beauty of a quality nat. gut like what you purchased where others on these boards that use a cheap brand gut that cannot take high tensions, your can. Enjoy the strings!!

 

[pvaudio]

That's a solid 800 bucks in gut.

Depending on where he bought it, that's easily 800-1K. Locally, VS Team/Touch is 54.95. If you lump the Wilson gut in there, that's $550 and he's only halfway there!

 

[FederGOAT]

Depending on where he bought it, that's easily 800-1K. Locally, VS Team/Touch is 54.95. If you lump the Wilson gut in there, that's $550 and he's only halfway there!

They cost me 973 dollars but if they can last a decent amount of time, I don't mind because I spent over a thousand bucks this year on synthetic and poly strings before trying a gut hybrid and loving it. These 21 strings should be able to last more than a year (because I am not a string breaker) and give me much better playability than the poly's, multi's and synthetic guts that I've used.
I am going to take the advice of the gut users on this board and string my gut at a high tension starting with Wilson Natural Gut at 64.

 

[Smasher08]

My advice, for what it's worth:

1. Get a reel of MSV Co-Focus 18 in whatever colour you like, string your natty mains in the high 40s or very low 50s, and put the Co-Focus crosses in 4 lbs lower.

2. Have one backup racket with multi/syngut mains and Co-Focus crosses at slightly higher tensions for whenever conditions are even slightly wet.

3. Just enjoy, it'll be pure bliss. With Co-Focus crosses, all those sets should last you 3-4 years. No joke.

 

[parasailing]

Unless you are a string breaker, 15 packs of gut if hybrid will last you a very long time. Ever since I switched over from full setup of gut to a hybrid setup of natural gut mains and poly crosses, it has double the duration I can get out of this setup.

 

[NLBwell]

I spent over a thousand bucks this year on synthetic and poly strings before trying a gut hybrid and loving it.


These 21 strings should be able to last more than a year (because I am not a string breaker) and give me much better playability than the poly's, multi's and synthetic guts that I've used.
.

You spent >$1000 on non-gut strings in a year and you are not a string breaker???????

 

[wings56]

gut strung at 64 pounds on a 90 square inch racquet will feel like a BOARD. good luck with that. i would a least start in the low 50's and take it from there

 

[kimbahpnam]

what was the final price?

 

[scotus]

I have a lot more than you.

 

[parasailing]

Scotus - Did you buy a large quantity to get a good discount?

 

[UCSF2012]

Power pads on the lower grommets, because a single mishit will snap it.

Smooth poly on crosses. Change out crosses when they die.

Use gut on mains, because it's difficult to restring mains without restringing crosses. (You can replace crosses alone, but it's hard to replace mains alone)

Once you use up a half set of gut, keep the remaining half in an air-tight bag away from the light and hot temperature.

 

[FederGOAT]

You spent >$1000 on non-gut strings in a year and you are not a string breaker???????

I experimented with so many strings on different racquets. Cut out so many strings after one match.

 

[FederGOAT]

gut strung at 64 pounds on a 90 square inch racquet will feel like a BOARD. good luck with that. i would a least start in the low 50's and take it from there

I used NXT 17 at 61 pounds so why not gut?

 

[gregor.b]

I bought/was given the following strings:

5 Packs of Prince Natural Gut 16
4 Packs of Babolat VS Team BT7
2 Packs of Babolat VS Touch BT7
4 Packs of Wilson Natural Gut 16
3 Packs of Pacific Polygut ATP 17
2 Packs of Wilson Champions Choice 16
1 Pack of Babolat VS Gut 16/Pro Hurricane Tour 17

Can you string experts give me some ideas on how to maximise playability (String, Tension) on a K 90? Thanks.

Get a reel of quality syngut or multi and try a hybrid (generally a thicker gauge so it doesn't saw through). Gut in the mains seems to work best ( in 18 x 20 at least).

 

[scotus]

Scotus - Did you buy a large quantity to get a good discount?

I bought a bunch of VS before the price hike to the current $42, and I buy whenever I find a good deal.

 

[FederGOAT]

I bought a bunch of VS before the price hike to the current $42, and I buy whenever I find a good deal.

Nice. So I'm guessing that you have a ton of VS?

 

[scotus]

Nice. So I'm guessing that you have a ton of VS?

Mostly VS, but I also have about 2 dozens of Wilson, Prince and Pacific gut.

 

[NLBwell]

I experimented with so many strings on different racquets. Cut out so many strings after one match.

I guess there are a lot more expensive hobbies that aren't as much fun.

 

[NLBwell]

I used NXT 17 at 61 pounds so why not gut?

Agree, that's about where I used to string my 86 sq in Black Ace. A pretty good tension for a high-end multi.

 

[asifallasleep]

Fed does 48 in the mains with gut and 44 in the crosses with synthetic. I've done that in the past and have gotten good results and durability.

 

[jim e]

gut strung at 64 pounds on a 90 square inch racquet will feel like a BOARD. good luck with that. i would a least start in the low 50's and take it from there

No it will not! With VS gut it is very comfortable.
At least with the non BT7 gut as I have yet to use the newer BT7, as I still have about 24 sets of the non BT7 remaining, and am glad I stocked up.Will probably switch to Wilson nat. gut for me and customers once my supply gets lower.
But a quality gut like VS plays well at high tensions, and 64 lbs will not feel like a board so its evident that you never tried that.
The majority of my gut customers are from the low 60's to the high 60's.
Personally I now hit with my MP racquet at 61 lbs. and my OS racquet at 64 lbs.as this feels best to me.
I have hit with VS 16g. at 70 lbs and it still felt great.

 

[FederGOAT]

No it will not! With VS gut it is very comfortable.
At least with the non BT7 gut as I have yet to use the newer BT7, as I still have about 24 sets of the non BT7 remaining, and am glad I stocked up.Will probably switch to Wilson nat. gut for me and customers once my supply gets lower.
But a quality gut like VS plays well at high tensions, and 64 lbs will not feel like a board so its evident that you never tried that.
The majority of my gut customers are from the low 60's to the high 60's.
Personally I now hit with my MP racquet at 61 lbs. and my OS racquet at 64 lbs.as this feels best to me.
I have hit with VS 16g. at 70 lbs and it still felt great.

I think you are spot on. I'm going to string my Wilson Natural Gut at 63 or 64 pounds. If I have used a synthetic at 61, and a poly at 60, then why not gut at 64?

 

[infonoob]

Throw away all the BT7

 

[FederGOAT]

Throw away all the BT7

I'd rather not.

 

[parasailing]

I bought a bunch of VS before the price hike to the current $42, and I buy whenever I find a good deal.

Too bad I didn't get back into tennis before they actually raised their prices. Plus you are lucky to grab a large quantity of the original VS Team and not the newly formulated BT7 which is too stiff for my taste.

 

[ninjatennis]

No it will not! With VS gut it is very comfortable.
At least with the non BT7 gut as I have yet to use the newer BT7, as I still have about 24 sets of the non BT7 remaining, and am glad I stocked up.Will probably switch to Wilson nat. gut for me and customers once my supply gets lower.
But a quality gut like VS plays well at high tensions, and 64 lbs will not feel like a board so its evident that you never tried that.
The majority of my gut customers are from the low 60's to the high 60's.
Personally I now hit with my MP racquet at 61 lbs. and my OS racquet at 64 lbs.as this feels best to me.
I have hit with VS 16g. at 70 lbs and it still felt great.

Absolutely agree with everything you said Jim E. I like my midplus racket at 61 pounds on a crank. at that tension, it plays great right off the bat. since i don't play much in the winter time and the strings stay in the frame longer, i'm at 64 pounds for the winter.

It does NOT feel like a board. Whoever said that does not know what he/she is talking about.

 

[kiteboard]

Absolutely agree with everything you said Jim E. I like my midplus racket at 61 pounds on a crank. at that tension, it plays great right off the bat. since i don't play much in the winter time and the strings stay in the frame longer, i'm at 64 pounds for the winter.

It does NOT feel like a board. Whoever said that does not know what he/she is talking about.

Listen to this guy. Vs gut has to be strung higher.

 

[jim e]

It does NOT feel like a board. Whoever said that does not know what he/she is talking about.

I believe that some posters here post on what they think and never used themself.
From personel experience and many clients I string nat. gut for, nat gut does hit well at high tensions and that is the beauty of a quality nat. gut.There are a # of posters here that string gut at lower tensions but many of them use a cheap gut that will snap at low tensions so they have no choice.

The time I used a nat. gut at 70 lbs I also increase the tie offs by 10% so the tie offs were pulled at 77lbs and the string never snapped, as a quality gut holds up nice. With nat. gut you get what you pay for.

 

[FederGOAT]

I believe that some posters here post on what they think and never used themself.
From personel experience and many clients I string nat. gut for, nat gut does hit well at high tensions and that is the beauty of a quality nat. gut.There are a # of posters here that string gut at lower tensions but many of them use a cheap gut that will snap at low tensions so they have no choice.

The time I used a nat. gut at 70 lbs I also increase the tie offs by 10% so the tie offs were pulled at 77lbs and the string never snapped, as a quality gut holds up nice. With nat. gut you get what you pay for.

Hi Jim,

I agree with what you say. That is why I buy quality natural gut. I want them to be consistent and allow me to sting them up at almost any tension. Cheaper gut will not play as well, and may snap even when they are strung at 60 pounds.

 

[canny]

Ill trade you for some 1000ft roll of berkley 20lb test.

 

[FederGOAT]

Ill trade you for some 1000ft roll of berkley 20lb test.

Message or email me to discuss.

 

[John Kawasaki]

Hi Jim, are you stringing the VS on a crank or constant pull ? Also, I hear pros/cons on pre stretching.....whats your opinion ? We are talking the non BT7 VS gut only , not other brands which may/may not be as elastic as VS. Thanks for any advise.

 

[jim e]

Hi Jim, are you stringing the VS on a crank or constant pull ? Also, I hear pros/cons on pre stretching.....whats your opinion ? We are talking the non BT7 VS gut only , not other brands which may/may not be as elastic as VS. Thanks for any advise.

I use a CP machine.A high end electronic. VS is the non BT7, but my supply is going down.

As far as pre stretch, I never use the machines pre stretch feature, as you really are never sure that the string does go back to reference tension after the tension head goes back especially on the cross strings with all the friction of the crosses against the mains.You will get a higher string bed stiffness with this.I don't use this.

My take on nat. gut pre stretch is to just hand light prestretch only, just to take some of the coil memory out of the string. I really do not over due this, just enough to remove some, and certainly not all of the coil memory, as this should not change the characteristics of the gut, it just makes the string easier to string up.Manually pulling it, you get a feel for the string pulling enough to get a certain feel as it only removes some of the coil.

When you string a racquet there is the length of string between the machines clamp and the tension head that goes onto the next installed string position, and that amount of string is automatically prestretched with out any choice and that is a great amount of force more than I will ever hand pull the string in the beginning, this is why a light prestretch should not change the characteristics of the strung racquet as that automatic pre stretch (sort of speaking) is a whole lot more.

In essence the ligh prestretch only makes the stringing easier, as last thing you want to do is kink the string, and since it is just a light hand prestretch the strings hitting characteristics are the same.

Some here do not believe in hand pre stretch and string without this, and thats okay as well, but I do not agree with their reasoning as some here say a hand prestretch cannot be exactly duplicated, but it does not matter as it is light and the automatic prestretch I mentioned earlier is so much greater that this hand prestretch even if it varies from job to job a little does not really matter, but everyone has their opinions, this is just mine.

Hope this answers your question. Jim

 

[John Kawasaki]

Got it Jim....thanks for the information. I am considering trying VS in the near future both as a full bed and also in a hybrid with a poly.

 

[SleepyCoffee]

I use a CP machine.A high end electronic. VS is the non BT7, but my supply is going down.

Jim - have you tried the new BT7 gut? If so, what were your thoughts on it? Sorry if you already mentioned your thoughts in another thread and I missed it.

 

[jim e]

Jim - have you tried the new BT7 gut? If so, what were your thoughts on it? Sorry if you already mentioned your thoughts in another thread and I missed it.

The BT7 seems stiffer to me and to a couple clients I strung it up for. Glad I only purchased a few sets of that BT7.
When my supply of old VS goes down, I will probably change over to Wilson Nat. gut as someone in another forum commented that it is the closest to the old VS gut.Its ashame that Babolat did not continue to make the old VS along with the new BT7.

 

[SleepyCoffee]

Thanks for the feedback Jim.

Really disappointing. Guess I'm switching over to Wilson as well...