String choice for Rec players

[rowdy1]

Hi All
My wife and I are just getting back into Tennis. Our level is pretty low but we can hold a short rally and put some spin on the ball. Inconsistent, wanting to improve, we are getting some coaching.

I don't have much knowledge about srings at all as I've only used Nylon monofilament in the past.
I dont have much interest in using Poly strings due to tension maintenance.
Natural gut maybe later, however Klip Legend is same price as some Mulifilaments listed on Tennis Only- (Ozzy version of TW)

About to buy new racquets. Looking at Prince Phantom/Tour range also Babolat Pure Strike. Have demoed some of these and notice straight away a massive improvement on our 20 year old bats. (I have no idea what strings were on the Demo's)

Questions:
Is basic Mono Syn-Gut a good string to play whilst learning better technique? Or is it considered very bouncy therefore stopping free swinging technique?
Is a particular type of racquet suited to different types of strings? -eg, the ones listed above?

I hope for some education here!
Thanks

 

[weelie]

Nothing wrong in doing some research, and I am no expert on strings. But "I dont have much interest in using Poly strings due to tension maintenance" sounds to me you read too much already (the internet era dilemma of so much disinformation, and people spending too much of their time online instead of on court). Yes, poly strings lose tension, like all strings do. They also last long. I get my rackets strung twice a year, and I play 3-7h a week, using soft poly at 26kg. To me (personally), losing tension (and thus presumably losing control), is not an issue (I have not really measured the loss in tension regularly, because it does not matter to me, but of course some tension is lost). But poly strings are tougher on the arm and might suffer on the touch/feel department. As a kid in the times of longhaired Agassi, my racket was strung with syn gut at 24-30kg depending, but the best feeling (thin string at higher tension) setup lasted 30min to 8h before breaking.

There of course are different types of strings, with different tendencies. But there are also different models (and brands) and gauges (thinner is to me is better, more power, more feel, etc... but breaks more easily) that affect the playability. Then there is the question of correct tension for you, your climate, your racket and your game. As well as are hybrid layups. A gazillion of choices. So, in the end, your questions are too vague. It all depends.

To me, 20 year old rackets are as good as the current ones. Current ones are lighter, and possibly stiffer. Phantoms are not stiff, Pure Strike is a stiffer one. When yo udemo them, the string affects the playability a lot as well. If you liked the racket please ask what it was strung with and at what tension. Then you are building knowledge about what works for you, not just random internet data.

There is no best or best compromise that would fit all. Do you like a big racket with big loopy swings on the back court... or small racket and accurate blocking in the forecourt... etc. You might want maximum spin or maximum comfort or maximum power... cannot have it all... then you find a compromise that fits you.

If you play synthetic gut, fine. That is a general compromise string. Like the traditional Prince syn gut. They are not the best in anything maybe, but they are a very good compromise for the general public. Or you can choose a multifilament like the classic Wilson NXT (or the cheaper Sensation), if you are not breaking strings frequently.

https://tt.tennis-warehouse.com/index.php?threads/strings-stringing-faq-popular-topics.217127/

 

[rowdy1]

Yes you're dead right, purely going on what I have read making that judgement about Poly strings.
I'll definitely ask about what type of string was on demos.

 

[Big Bagel]

Just go with a standard synthetic gut string. Don't even worry about looking for a "monofilament" synthetic gut string, just go for synthetic gut. Prince Synthetic Gut w/ Duraflex is a very solid base option and affordable. Tourna Quasi Gut Armor or Ytex Sintex are both good options as well, and affordable. If you are worried about too much power, just string it on the tighter end of the tension range: if it says 50-60, string it at something around 58. As you get better, you can look for some of the natural gut or a premium multifilament, but until then, you aren't going to notice much of a difference between the high-end gut or multi and a standard synthetic gut. The Prince, Tourna, and Ytex are all solid strings that will do everything you need them to.

 

[esgee48]

Plain old synthetic gut 16 gauge. I am partial to Prince SG w/o Duraflex as the Kevlar deadens the feel of the string. If your frame is old, string at the lowest recommended tension. If your frame is new, string at mid-range of recommended tension. 3¢

 

[MRfStop]

If you dont want poly and youre wanting to work on strokes go with syn gut and have it strung at a higher tension.

 

[SavvyStringer]

Hi All
My wife and I are just getting back into Tennis. Our level is pretty low but we can hold a short rally and put some spin on the ball. Inconsistent, wanting to improve, we are getting some coaching.

I don't have much knowledge about srings at all as I've only used Nylon monofilament in the past.
I dont have much interest in using Poly strings due to tension maintenance.
Natural gut maybe later, however Klip Legend is same price as some Mulifilaments listed on Tennis Only- (Ozzy version of TW)

About to buy new racquets. Looking at Prince Phantom/Tour range also Babolat Pure Strike. Have demoed some of these and notice straight away a massive improvement on our 20 year old bats. (I have no idea what strings were on the Demo's)

Questions:
Is basic Mono Syn-Gut a good string to play whilst learning better technique? Or is it considered very bouncy therefore stopping free swinging technique?
Is a particular type of racquet suited to different types of strings? -eg, the ones listed above?

I hope for some education here!
Thanks

Syn gut is a good beginner string. It will force your technique to be solid to get good results. I would suggest Head PPS, or Dunlop syngut. Those are two of my favorites and what I use for my syngut customers. If you're looking for an even more budget friendly syngut go with Gosen OG sheep micro. It's cheap and people on these boards rave about it.

 

[GeoffHYL]

If I were you I would go with one of the Prince racquets strung with either synthetic gut or a multi. Until you get to the point where you are putting a lot of spin on the ball you aren't going to break strings very often. @esgee48 is a reliable source of info on strings, so I would heed his advice on the 16g Prince SG without Duraflex (Original). If you want to try a multi, I have heard Prince Premier Control is good.

 

[Dartagnan64]

Gosen OGSM synthetic gut is probably the best value string out there. Not very trampoline like, spins reasonably well for nylon. And at $4 a set, you feel guilt free stringing more often if you want that fresh string feel.

 

[rowdy1]

Just go with a standard synthetic gut string. Don't even worry about looking for a "monofilament" synthetic gut string, just go for synthetic gut. Prince Synthetic Gut w/ Duraflex is a very solid base option and affordable. Tourna Quasi Gut Armor or Ytex Sintex are both good options as well, and affordable. If you are worried about too much power, just string it on the tighter end of the tension range: if it says 50-60, string it at something around 58. As you get better, you can look for some of the natural gut or a premium multifilament, but until then, you aren't going to notice much of a difference between the high-end gut or multi and a standard synthetic gut. The Prince, Tourna, and Ytex are all solid strings that will do everything you need them to.

Thanks, Perfect just what I needed to know.
And everyone else too, very helpful.

 

[JohnnyC]

I can’t recommend Prince Topspin highly enough. It’s basically Prince syn gut with Duraflex, but they add additional wraps to give it a slight texture. So, you get the comfort and cost of a syn gut, but better spin performance. Love it.

 

[fuzz nation]

Hi All
My wife and I are just getting back into Tennis. Our level is pretty low but we can hold a short rally and put some spin on the ball. Inconsistent, wanting to improve, we are getting some coaching.

I don't have much knowledge about srings at all as I've only used Nylon monofilament in the past.
I dont have much interest in using Poly strings due to tension maintenance.
Natural gut maybe later, however Klip Legend is same price as some Mulifilaments listed on Tennis Only- (Ozzy version of TW)

About to buy new racquets. Looking at Prince Phantom/Tour range also Babolat Pure Strike. Have demoed some of these and notice straight away a massive improvement on our 20 year old bats. (I have no idea what strings were on the Demo's)

Questions:
Is basic Mono Syn-Gut a good string to play whilst learning better technique? Or is it considered very bouncy therefore stopping free swinging technique?
Is a particular type of racquet suited to different types of strings? -eg, the ones listed above?

I hope for some education here!
Thanks

It's definitely smart to gather a basic understanding of the landscape when it comes to strings these days. The options have increased big-time through recent years with the popularization of polys/co-polys, etc., but it takes a little digging to find out what's more appropriate for certain players.

When people refer to monofilaments these days, they're usually referring to poly (my catch-all term that also includes co-polys), but there is also some other stuff called Zyex, which is a monofilament, but this is much more resilient than stiffer poly strings. I've never handled this string myself, but it sounds like it's VERY soft, stretchy stuff - more in the neighborhood of a softer multifiber than a stiffer poly. So there's that.

Nylon or tournament nylon has generally evolved into synthetic gut. This typically has a solid core with perhaps a layer of filaments on the outer surface compared with a multifiber, which is composed of filaments throughout and usually has some form of outer coating to help it resist abrasion (fraying) and last a bit longer.

Poly has become popular with some big hitters because it gives those players more control when they take huge rips on the ball. For pros and college killers who can make all the power they want, poly might work fine for them, but not so much for mere mortals (like us!!). This string can actually reduce the response (trampoline effect) of a racquet and make it less powerful while still producing the same amount of spin. So that makes poly seem to be super-spinny, but it's a trade-off.

Again, that's fine for huge hitters who can swing plenty fast. But lower level players using this string can be coaxed into over-swinging too often in an attempt to compensate for this less resilient string. Poly is also typically more stiff that other string types and can send significantly more impact shock into a player's arm compared with softer strings including synthetic gut, multifiber, and natural gut.

What little resilience poly has when it's fresh is generally gone after perhaps 10-12 hours of use. That's when it "goes dead" and it likely becomes even tougher on the arm when it's in this state. The pros often use poly for an hour or less before they send it back for restringing. Even for those players, it's only good when it's relatively fresh.

Bottom line: Don't assume that poly is a "better" string just because it's popular among many stronger players. That's not the case. Synthetic gut is still a great option for a lot of us - I string at home and use it in my own frames all the time. Similar to our pal @weelie above, I prefer the feel of thinner 17 ga. syn. gut over the 16 ga. alternative, but the lighter gauges are typically a little less durable.

Syn. gut and multifiber both seem to retain a decent degree of resilience until they physically snap. Multifiber is generally softer than syn. gut of the same gauge and tension, which can be great when softness is a top priority. Syn. gut is moderately soft - plenty comfortable for me - and it also doesn't seem to steadily degrade as it's used compared with my trials with various multifibers. I'd start out with a 16 ga. syn. gut or multifiber in either racquet tensioned at maybe a pound or two above the middle of the recommended range. That could be just right, but if not, it will give your a reference point to work with going forward.

 

[rowdy1]

Thanks. I didnt realise the term monofilament related mostly to Poly. I was thinking it was used to distinguish between single strand and multi strand Synthetic guts. Cool, good info.

I did find out that the demo racquets that we used were all fitted with Poly strings in 55lb range. So I will be interested to see i notice the difference soon.

All good. New racquets ordered, will be fitted with normal syn gut to start off with.

To be specific (just in case you want to know):
Prince Textreme Tour 100 (310) Gamma syn-gut 16 54lb
Prince Phantom Pro 100p Gamma syn-gut 16 51lb

Tensions recomended by Supplier
Gamma was the only 16g syn-gut option from Supplier- that is when stringing a new racquet (at no cost).

 

[hurworld]

Thanks. I didnt realise the term monofilament related mostly to Poly. I was thinking it was used to distinguish between single strand and multi strand Synthetic guts. Cool, good info.

I did find out that the demo racquets that we used were all fitted with Poly strings in 55lb range. So I will be interested to see i notice the difference soon.

All good. New racquets ordered, will be fitted with normal syn gut to start off with.

To be specific (just in case you want to know):
Prince Textreme Tour 100 (310) Gamma syn-gut 16 54lb
Prince Phantom Pro 100p Gamma syn-gut 16 51lb

Tensions recomended by Supplier
Gamma was the only 16g syn-gut option from Supplier- that is when stringing a new racquet (at no cost).

Great racquet choices!

 

[1HBHfanatic]

most racket manufacturers have their own string, both synt.gut or multis, which are good options for beginners
poly strings are advanced level durability strings that should be consider latter on in your tennis development at the 4.0 level

to minimize confusion i would choose the brand of string that goes with your racket
for prince rackets i would look into prince strings like PSGD (prince synth. gut with duraflex), or some cheaper prince multi,,
for babolat rackets i would choose babolat synt.gut, but also consider babolat xcel to soften the string bed with a multi
anyway, a well informed local stringer will be able to guide you through their options

imo wilson.sensation (multi), is a good simple all around good option for lots of beginner players

welcome back to tennis
dont over think the strings,,, get hours on the court instead..

 

[tata]

Can't go wrong with Prince synthetic gut duraflex but that one moves a bit too much for me personally. Gosen og sheep micro sits a tad better and is also a solid choice.

 

[Crocodile]

Hi All
My wife and I are just getting back into Tennis. Our level is pretty low but we can hold a short rally and put some spin on the ball. Inconsistent, wanting to improve, we are getting some coaching.

I don't have much knowledge about srings at all as I've only used Nylon monofilament in the past.
I dont have much interest in using Poly strings due to tension maintenance.
Natural gut maybe later, however Klip Legend is same price as some Mulifilaments listed on Tennis Only- (Ozzy version of TW)

About to buy new racquets. Looking at Prince Phantom/Tour range also Babolat Pure Strike. Have demoed some of these and notice straight away a massive improvement on our 20 year old bats. (I have no idea what strings were on the Demo's)

Questions:
Is basic Mono Syn-Gut a good string to play whilst learning better technique? Or is it considered very bouncy therefore stopping free swinging technique?
Is a particular type of racquet suited to different types of strings? -eg, the ones listed above?

I hope for some education here!
Thanks

I'd definately go for the Tecnifibre X One Biohase 1.3 because it will be comfortable for you and won't have the problems that natural gut pose when it comes to temperature and moisture that can destroy gut overnight.

 

[Traffic]

I'd definately go for the Tecnifibre X One Biohase 1.3 because it will be comfortable for you and won't have the problems that natural gut pose when it comes to temperature and moisture that can destroy gut overnight.

I played with a club-mate's racquet (Pure Drive) strung with X1 biphase and it felt really good. I could take big cuts on the ball and things remained in control yet it was still comfortable.

I may have to include this string in my next order to try out in my V1Pro. But being one to look for a bargain, I can't help feeling like I get good performance from my $10 setup (V/C). I'd be doubling my cost going with biphase.

FWIW, I switched my 12y/o daughter from Alphagut 2000 white to black because TW doesn't seem to have white anymore. It feels stiffer and "stickier" as I strung up her racquet. It was instant locked stringbed. I was afraid it would be too stiff setup for her. BUT. She is ripping the ball now. Her groundstrokes look better and more controlled and she's getting better spin on the ball. Ha, time to order up some more $6 strings.

 

[Crocodile]

I played with a club-mate's racquet (Pure Drive) strung with X1 biphase and it felt really good. I could take big cuts on the ball and things remained in control yet it was still comfortable.

I may have to include this string in my next order to try out in my V1Pro. But being one to look for a bargain, I can't help feeling like I get good performance from my $10 setup (V/C). I'd be doubling my cost going with biphase.

FWIW, I switched my 12y/o daughter from Alphagut 2000 white to black because TW doesn't seem to have white anymore. It feels stiffer and "stickier" as I strung up her racquet. It was instant locked stringbed. I was afraid it would be too stiff setup for her. BUT. She is ripping the ball now. Her groundstrokes look better and more controlled and she's getting better spin on the ball. Ha, time to order up some more $6 strings.

Volkl make a very nice multi filament string cslled power fibre which TW has for $12.90.

 

[tennisnut1]

I'd definately go for the Tecnifibre X One Biohase 1.3 because it will be comfortable for you and won't have the problems that natural gut pose when it comes to temperature and moisture that can destroy gut overnight.

Totally agree, I've been using that string since it was invented, played with NRG2 prior to that. I just wish they made it in a textured coating.