tension for full bed gut ?
- Thread starter E46luver
- Start date
Crazy Finn
Hall of Fame
What do you want out of you set-up?
If you want more power, then the lower tension would be good for that.
Control? Then the upper 50's to mid 60's will provide.
While Gut might seem a bit firm (relatively for gut) initially at a higher tension, it will still provide much more comfort than any other type of string at those tensions.
If you want more power, then the lower tension would be good for that.
Control? Then the upper 50's to mid 60's will provide.
While Gut might seem a bit firm (relatively for gut) initially at a higher tension, it will still provide much more comfort than any other type of string at those tensions.
Crazy Finn
Hall of Fame
Natural gut isn't your string for spin at any tension.
I've noticed that it seemed to get softer after being initially fairly boardy.
I've noticed that it seemed to get softer after being initially fairly boardy.
IowaGuy
Hall of Fame
Spin has more to do with technique, strings are secondary.
For example, Sampras' second serve was recorded at 5,300 RPM with nat gut...
Crazy Finn
Hall of Fame
You're not wrong, but there are other factors.
Technique is the primary driver of spin, for sure. If your technique doesn't generate spin, it doesn't matter which string, racket, or string pattern, you use.
Sampras played with natural gut at a very high tension. The high tension didn't help with spin, but what it did do is give greater control and lowered the inherent power of gut to enable him to hit hard, with spin, and keep it in the court.
However, most of us are not Sampras...
I don't hit with massive spin. However, when I switched to polys (from multis) I was able to generate a moderate amount of spin far more easily than I had before. The textured polys seemed to bite into the ball better. The lower power of the polys let me swing faster and keep it in the court. I was able to string the polys at a lower tension for even more grip and spin and keep the control and low power as well.
None of that matter if I just hit it flat. I don't always hit a ton of topspin with my 2HD Backhand because spin something I struggle to do with that stroke (which is otherwise quite good) - regardless of the string.
In other words, spin is mostly on you, but gut isn't going to give you anything extra.
D
Deleted member 768841
Guest
Have you tried shaped polys?
Crazy Finn
Hall of Fame
Yup. That's predictable.
What are the tension ranges on your racquet? I would use a higher tension in the mains and a couple of pounds lower in the crosses. My racquet is 50-65 and I use 59# in the mains and 56# is the crosses. If you string gut too tight it loses the playability. Probably over about 62# would be too tight.
Yoneyama
Hall of Fame
If you find 50lb natural gut stiff then you may have a muscle injury. It is the least-stiff string you can possibly use and at 50lb it will be a lot softer than Gut/poly at those tensions.
It should feel like a nice and pillowish at those tensions. When you get up into the 60s it gets more of a firm sensation but by no means stiff.
It should feel like a nice and pillowish at those tensions. When you get up into the 60s it gets more of a firm sensation but by no means stiff.
E46luver
Professional
No, but the fever from this pain and pleasure makes me feel like a devil's child who wants to hit like a hellion !
Could you point me to the source study or studies? It seems like lower tension on gut would reduce deflections of the ball and racket (more noticeable at the extremes like a wood racket) and return more energy. Maybe those differences are on the margins all things considered but still quantifiable. This would be easier to tell on a serve or flat groundstrokes where launch angle plays less of a role. There is also energy loss because we only hold a racket at the handle and I'd think tighter strings would increase that effect.
Interesting. It might feel like that because a) it holds tension really well and b) the ball could be leaving the racket faster because the strings bounce back faster and the racket flexes less. Sounds like you've confirmed what works for you
travlerajm
Talk Tennis Guru
Actually, the lab tests proved that lower tension does increase power. You are perpetuating a myth started by someone who misread a scientific article.
A lower tension (40 lbs vs 70 lbs nylon) didn’t increase power in the ball frame of reference in a clamped racquet test, but if you translate the ball’s velocity vector with larger launch angle to the court frame of reference, the lower tension does result in a very significant increase in ball speed.
This is because to translate to either the racquet or court frames of reference, you need to add both the normal velocity component and lateral velocity component. In the racquet frame of reference, the lower tension greatly increases the magnitude of the lateral velocity component, so the resultant combined velocity vector has larger magnitude (more power). The player needs to close the racquetface more to harness the extra power, which can be on the order of 10% difference.
Also, even if the impact is completely flat (not oblique), lower tension still increases power by a few %, as demonstrated by the tw professor’s experiments. This is because less energy is dissipated in ball flattening when the stringbed is softer. The strings have higher energy return than the ball, so the softer the stringbed is relative to the ball, the more power.
Last edited:
travlerajm
Talk Tennis Guru
Depends what type of string. With natural gut, at extremely low tension, it will trampoline with more power.
yes the vector component will effect the launch angle. The temperature will effect the compression of the ball, that component is going to increase velocitymore then any of the string tensions you speak of. The major result of tension is the lift angle. There may be a minute differential in speed do to many conditions. The primary source of power is still mass x acceleration
E46luver
Professional
Took 7 hours for the natGut to notch and break.
This was a new record. Normally, it snaps in under 5 hours.
It also lost all the tension, and I had to readjust strings between every point.
That is when you know your strings are spent.
This is why pros switch rackets within one hour.
Done with full bed natgut. Plays like crap, and lasts very short time.
Might try full poly at 40, for arm safe alternative
This was a new record. Normally, it snaps in under 5 hours.
It also lost all the tension, and I had to readjust strings between every point.
That is when you know your strings are spent.
This is why pros switch rackets within one hour.
Done with full bed natgut. Plays like crap, and lasts very short time.
Might try full poly at 40, for arm safe alternative
