The gut/poly thread

[SpinToWin]

Been playing with Wilson Champion's Choice strings for the past few weeks with the natural gut on the mains and ALU Power Rough on the crosses. (50lbs/47lbs)

I took a reading with the racquettune app and got 47.4lbs right after stringing. I then took a reading every time I finished playing and here are the results :-

I think I need to restring ASAP since Im feeling ALOT of vibration on my racquet at my last session.

This time around I will be using Babolat VS Touch for the mains.

How about trying a poly with better tension maintenance or even pre stretching the poly? Kirschbaum Max Power has a similar feel to Alu but much better tension maintenance (close to 4G) for instance.

 

[SpinToWin]

TWE still doesn't offer Max Power so I'll wait a while in the hope that they get it in stock soon. Until then I'm thinking of ordering some Tourna Black Zone 16, Prince Tour XP 16, Pacific Poly Force 17 and Pacific X Force 18 for the crosses (all are pretty slick and offer good tension maintenance for polys).

 

[Ghost3789]

How about trying a poly with better tension maintenance or even pre stretching the poly? Kirschbaum Max Power has a similar feel to Alu but much better tension maintenance (close to 4G) for instance.

TWE still doesn't offer Max Power so I'll wait a while in the hope that they get it in stock soon. Until then I'm thinking of ordering some Tourna Black Zone 16, Prince Tour XP 16, Pacific Poly Force 17 and Pacific X Force 18 for the crosses (all are pretty slick and offer good tension maintenance for polys).

I thought being in Germany you'd be able to find Kirschbaum strings easily

A friend sold me his ALU Power Rough reel back in December, I'll get my stringer to pre-stretch it by ~15% when I get my racquet re-strung soon.

But 14 hrs of play out of a gut/poly hybrid strings is not too bad though, right?

 

[SpinToWin]

I thought being in Germany you'd be able to find Kirschbaum strings easily

A friend sold me his ALU Power Rough reel back in December, I'll get my stringer to pre-stretch it by ~15% when I get my racquet re-strung soon.

But 14 hrs of play out of a gut/poly hybrid strings is not too bad though, right?

Interestingly enough, prices and availability of Kirschbaum strings is better in the States generally… I can only find it at a competitor of TWE with whom I've had bad experiences. I can wait for a while as long as there still are other options to try, but I hope TWE gets it soon, because I really don't want to order from the other guys again if possible.

14 hours is the lower end of the spectrum IME. If it's just the Alu losing tension (likely), you can just restring the crosses in order to not waste a perfectly good half set of gut

 

[rectoralex]

Quick question guys. I just picked up some pacific tough gut 17, and a set of solinco tour bite soft, and yonex poly pro tour. I want to do a gut hybrid with both of them and see which one works better. My concern is over the tension.

I have had a fully bed of poly around 40 lbs. and found it pretty comfortable, but I'm assuming that natural gut mains at 40 lbs. would be a rocket launcher. I remember having Wilson Natural Gut at 55 lbs. and I couldn't keep the ball in the court.

Being that I have never had a hybrid of gut/poly, how much power is removed from the racket when you substitute the crosses for poly? What tension should I am for if I am looking for comfort and spin from either set up? I have a racket full of Volkl's natural gut right now and I really like it.

 

[SpinToWin]

Quick question guys. I just picked up some pacific tough gut 17, and a set of solinco tour bite soft, and yonex poly pro tour. I want to do a gut hybrid with both of them and see which one works better. My concern is over the tension.

I have had a fully bed of poly around 40 lbs. and found it pretty comfortable, but I'm assuming that natural gut mains at 40 lbs. would be a rocket launcher. I remember having Wilson Natural Gut at 55 lbs. and I couldn't keep the ball in the court.

Being that I have never had a hybrid of gut/poly, how much power is removed from the racket when you substitute the crosses for poly? What tension should I am for if I am looking for comfort and spin from either set up? I have a racket full of Volkl's natural gut right now and I really like it.

first of all, which racquet are you using and at which tension (in which racquet) do you have Volkl's natural gut? I should be able to give you a more accurate recommendation upon knowing that

 

[rectoralex]

first of all, which racquet are you using and at which tension (in which racquet) do you have Volkl's natural gut? I should be able to give you a more accurate recommendation upon knowing that

Woops, I should have known to put that. I'm using the Volkl Organix 10 325, with the Volkl gut at 60 lbs.

 

[Nostradamus]

with some of the Gut and Poly combo like Babolat gut + PHT or Gut + technifiber razorcode becomes very powerful or HOT off the string bed and becomes very tough to control. this is true even at high tensions like 63 lbs.

You guys know how to circumvent this problem ?

 

[SpinToWin]

Woops, I should have known to put that. I'm using the Volkl Organix 10 325, with the Volkl gut at 60 lbs.

Hmmm… Well IMO you should be able to control it at 55/50 lbs or lower even. Give the setup with YPTP a try first at 55/50 lbs, as it will be more comfortable, and if you feel like you could drop the tension further without losing control, do so for Solinco Tour Bite.

 

[rectoralex]

Hmmm… Well IMO you should be able to control it at 55/50 lbs or lower even. Give the setup with YPTP a try first at 55/50 lbs, as it will be more comfortable, and if you feel like you could drop the tension further without losing control, do so for Solinco Tour Bite.

Sounds great, thanks!

 

[radically_prestigious_guy]

I thought being in Germany you'd be able to find Kirschbaum strings easily

A friend sold me his ALU Power Rough reel back in December, I'll get my stringer to pre-stretch it by ~15% when I get my racquet re-strung soon.

But 14 hrs of play out of a gut/poly hybrid strings is not too bad though, right?

With solinco outlast I've got around 30 and can maybe get another 10-20 if I avoid damp or humid days. I restrung the crosses and asked them to weave the opposite side of the mains which seems to work nicely.

 

[Ghost3789]

Thanks for the suggestions. I'll keep them in mind.

When using gut/poly setup, do we really have to string 2x racquets at a time? I have a 40' packet of VS Touch and I wonder if I can use half a set to string 1x racquet now, re-seal it, and use the remaining 20' later on.

I store my strings in cool , dry environment. Away from sunlight and extreme fluctuations of temperature. My worry is the humidity level inside that re-sealed packet. Should I put a tiny silica gel sachet inside the packet?

EDIT : *40 feet instead of 40 inch hahaha!

 

[PGlock]

Thanks for the suggestions. I'll keep them in mind.

When using gut/poly setup, do we really have to string 2x racquets at a time? I have a 40" packet of VS Touch and I wonder if I can use half a set to string 1x racquet now, re-seal it, and use the remaining 20" later on.

I store my strings in cool , dry environment. Away from sunlight and extreme fluctuations of temperature. My worry is the humidity level inside that re-sealed packet. Should I put a tiny silica gel sachet inside the packet?

I don't use the entire set at the same time either and it has been fine. I store the remaining half set in the original package and put it in a Ziplock bag and keep it in a cooler area of the house with no direct sunlight. It should be fine for a few months. I also like your idea for the silica gel too and may try that.

 

[SpinToWin]

Thanks for the suggestions. I'll keep them in mind.

When using gut/poly setup, do we really have to string 2x racquets at a time? I have a 40' packet of VS Touch and I wonder if I can use half a set to string 1x racquet now, re-seal it, and use the remaining 20' later on.

I store my strings in cool , dry environment. Away from sunlight and extreme fluctuations of temperature. My worry is the humidity level inside that re-sealed packet. Should I put a tiny silica gel sachet inside the packet?

EDIT : *40 feet instead of 40 inch hahaha!

If you have that many precautionary measures in order to avoid humidity and other exterior effects from negatively influencing the gut, you should be fine for a while. The silica gel sachet is a stroke of genius on your part, hadn't thought of that

 

[McLovin]

I don't use the entire set at the same time either and it has been fine. I store the remaining half set in the original package and put it in a Ziplock bag and keep it in a cooler area of the house with no direct sunlight. It should be fine for a few months. I also like your idea for the silica gel too and may try that.

Actually, its good for a lot longer than that.

I've posted this before, but years ago I used to purchase Bow Brand gut direct from them. I did it in bulk, meaning 10-15 sets at a time to offset the cost of shipping (or carriage, as the Brits refer to it).

I was concerned about the longevity of the gut, so I asked the rep (Frances Davies, I believe), and she said if stored as you are storing it (e.g., ziplock bag, cool area away from direct sunlight), that it should last years, even if you open the package, use 1/2, then reseal it.

I've had unopened gut sitting for 5+ years, and 1/2 sets sitting for 8-10 months. Never had a problem.

 

[SpinToWin]

So I strung up a few racquets now that my order of the Pro Staff 95's arrived. First I have Pacific Tough Gut 16/Head Lynx 16 (24.5/23.5 kg), then I have Pacific Tough Gut 16/Head Hawk 16 (24.5/22.5 kg) and finally I restrung the crosses of my Pro Staff 85 with Head Lynx 16 (cut out 4G) @ 20.5kg.

Tough Gut is significantly easier to string than Tonic as it has less coil memory and it feels softer. Its slightly golden color looks pretty slick in the Pro Staffs (I feel like Roger at Wimby 09 :lol. I made a little mistake when I pulled too hard on the tie-off knot of the mains on the PTG/HH setup (being in thought while stringing gut…. Stupid!), which snapped the string… Luckily I was somehow able to save the set by tying off on the crosses instead of the mains using a half hitch knot (not elegant, I know, but at least I'm not throwing away natural gut due to my stupidity).

Head Lynx feels like a string made for stringers. Soft, doesn't kink easily, really slick and easy to weave… Joy.

I will have a casual hit with some friends tomorrow after "the cold war down under" is over Won't be anything too serious so I likely won't have too much to say, but better than nothing I guess

Edit: Tensions of setups added

 

[SpinToWin]

Pictures…

 

[Ghost3789]

I cant see the pictures. What am I doing wrong?

I also cant see your other Pro Staff 95 pictures from your customization thread.

 

[Aretium]

I cant see the pictures. What am I doing wrong?

I also cant see your other Pro Staff 95 pictures from your customization thread.

Right click, "Open Image in new tab/window"

I'm reporting Spin for showing us pornography.

 

[SpinToWin]

Right click, "Open Image in new tab/window"

I'm reporting Spin for showing us pornography.

I wonder why it isn't working for some (or many)? I can see them just fine... Is anybody seeing them normally at all??

Oh and yeah, it's pretty sexy 8)

 

[McLovin]

I wonder why it isn't working for some (or many)? I can see them just fine... Is anybody seeing them normally at all??

I can see the last one, but not the first two. My guess would be the URL you put in the 'img' tags is different between the first two and the third. For example, when I right-click over the first one and say 'Open Image in New Tab', the URL is:

http://postimg.org/image/tgsjsnpmv/​

But when I do the same for the third image, I get this:

http://s23.postimg.org/ydlkyddga/2015_01_30_21_07_18.jpg​

So, the message board software knows the first is an image because it leads to a file (2015_01_30_21_07_18.jpg), but the first two do not.

 

[g4driver]

First I have Pacific Tough Gut 16/Head Lynx 16 (24.5/23.5 kg), then I have Pacific Tough Gut 16/Head Hawk 16 (24.5/22.5 kg) and finally I restrung the crosses of my Pro Staff 85 with Head Lynx 16 (cut out 4G) @ 20.5kg.

Tough Gut is significantly easier to string than Tonic as it has less coil memory and it feels softer. Its slightly golden color looks pretty slick in the Pro Staffs (I feel like Roger at Wimby 09 :lol. I made a little mistake when I pulled too hard on the tie-off knot of the mains on the PTG/HH setup (being in thought while stringing gut…. Stupid!), which snapped the string… Luckily I was somehow able to save the set by tying off on the crosses instead of the mains using a half hitch knot (not elegant, I know, but at least I'm not throwing away natural gut due to my stupidity).

Head Lynx feels like a string made for stringers. Soft, doesn't kink easily, really slick and easy to weave… Joy.

I will have a casual hit with some friends tomorrow after "the cold war down under" is over Won't be anything too serious so I likely won't have too much to say, but better than nothing I guess

Edit: Tensions of setups added

SpinToWin,

How would you compare PTG/HH to PTG/H Lynx?

Control?
Spin?
Ability to flatten out shots?

I tried Lynx in a full bed in my Steam 99S and didn't care for it, but then again I don't care for Hawk in a full bed or in my mains due to it's stiffness.

The PTG 16g /HH 17g setup makes it much easier to flatten out shots than the full bed of Cyclone Tour 16g, and when I can't flatten out an opponent's shots with CT, I have been able to do so every-time I have switched to PTG/HH so far.

 

[SpinToWin]

I can see the last one, but not the first two. My guess would be the URL you put in the 'img' tags is different between the first two and the third. For example, when I right-click over the first one and say 'Open Image in New Tab', the URL is:

http://postimg.org/image/tgsjsnpmv/​

But when I do the same for the third image, I get this:

http://s23.postimg.org/ydlkyddga/2015_01_30_21_07_18.jpg​

So, the message board software knows the first is an image because it leads to a file (2015_01_30_21_07_18.jpg), but the first two do not.

That's weird, because when I click the message, all links are .jpg files and thus pictures… It's like different people are seeing a different message… I don't get it :?

 

[SpinToWin]

SpinToWin,

How would you compare PTG/HH to PTG/H Lynx?

Control?
Spin?
Ability to flatten out shots?

I tried Lynx in a full bed in my Steam 99S and didn't care for it, but then again I don't care for Hawk in a full bed or in my mains due to it's stiffness.

The PTG 16g /HH 17g setup makes it much easier to flatten out shots than the full bed of Cyclone Tour 16g, and when I can't flatten out an opponent's shots with CT, I have been able to do so every-time I have switched to PTG/HH so far.

Just had my hit and Lynx is interesting. It offers a much higher launch angle than Hawk and seemingly more ball grab. As a result, you can play some deep dippers (which take much more effort with Hawk) with ease. Hawk is better at flattening out the ball, but Lynx is better for more loopy shots I'd say. Lynx is also more lively. Whether you get more control kinda depends on your technique, as the Hawk setup does a good job bringing strokes in general under control, whereas the Lynx setup uses the spin created by strokes to gain control (don't know how else to explain it). With the same stroke you will get similar depth with the two setups (perhaps slightly less with Hawk) but you will get a higher arc with Lynx.

So…
Control - about equal, perhaps a slight edge to Hawk
Spin - Lynx
Ability to flatten out shots - Hawk

 

[SpinDr.]

Spin, curious what the weight and balance of your PS95 is given your lead placement. Also, leather grip? I'm currently tinkering with one and trying to get it close to my PS90s.

 

[SpinToWin]

Anyways, here's my full account on the hitting session (carpet again).

Babolat Tonic + Ball Feel/Head Lynx 16 @22.5/20.5 kg in my PS 85:
This was a great setup. It was pretty lively and I could really feel the strings grab the ball and shoot it out with plenty of spin. Even then, the stringbed remained very consistent and I never had a ball fly on me inexplicably. Hitting with aggressive topspin strokes was a joy and the string still felt really good on volleys (there is good pop, yet with a nice ball pocket too, making both directional control and feel be great). The feel is similar to the setups with Head Hawk, crisp and plush, the only difference being the added liveliness really. Flattening out is possible, yet the string retains a somewhat more loopy trajectory than with other setups. It plays a lot like the 4G setups, only with improved comfort, string movement and power - I love it. I would compare this to really lively shaped co-polys (but with much better feel, comfort, tension maintenance, etc. of course). I will see how this setup lasts, but its right up there in terms of strings I am considering for the clay season due to its characteristics.

Babolat Tonic + Ball Feel/Head Sonic Pro Edge 16 @22.5/20.5 kg in my PS 85:
I got used to this string and felt somewhat disappointed. String movement is not great (strings aren't getting stuck or anything, but they don't snap back in place completely either) and the firm feel is somewhat dominating the stringbed. The trajectory is the flattest of all setups and the power is on the low side. This makes control great and volleys even better, but the forgiveness is not good enough to really take advantage of the latter (the firm feel shrinks the sweetspot a lot). If somebody wants a firm stringbed with a low launch angle and a crisp feel, here you go. Not my ticket though, so I'm likely cutting this out soon.

Babolat Tonic + Ball Feel/Head Hawk 17 @ 22.5/20.5 in my PS 90:
Really loving this setup as time goes on. It's the most versatile, offering good access to spin, easy flat shots and great touch up at net (hit a delicious drop volley with this today). Forgiveness and comfort is top notch and the sound is lovely (really booming like when you hear pros smack the ball). The slice is just nasty and my mates started telling me to stop playing it saying it was too much for them (one hasn't played in a while and played like a 3.5, the other I would call a 4.0), as it barely got off the ground at all (god I love carpet!). Tension has dropped somewhat, yet the control still is great (and comfort just keeps getting better!).

Pacific Tough Gut 16/Head Lynx 16 @ 24.5/23.5 kg in my PS 95:
This was the last racquet I strung yesterday and I feel like the strings still needed to settle in and drop a bit in tension. There was a slight pinging noise, which was annoying, but nothing terrible. The stringbed felt a bit too firm, but I think that's because the strings have not gone through the initial tension drop completely yet (or maybe I strung up Lynx slightly too high and I should have strung it up 1 kg lower just like Hawk). Performance is similar to the same setup in the PS 85, only with an even higher launch angle due to the racquet.

Pacific Tough Gut 16/Head Hawk 16 @ 24.5/22.5 kg in my PS 95:
I got the least hitting time with this one, but it reminded me a lot of the same setup in the PS 90. I will make more detailed comments when I next hit with it.

To make a ranking in terms of the poly cross strings I have tested to date in different categories:

Comfort: Hawk>Lynx>Sonic Pro Edge>4G
Power: Lynx>Hawk>Sonic Pro Edge>4G
Control: 4G>Sonic Pro Edge>Hawk>Lynx
Spin: Lynx>Hawk>4G>Sonic Pro Edge
Launch angle: Lynx≥4G>Hawk>Sonic Pro Edge
Pocketing: Hawk>Lynx>4G>Sonic Pro Edge
Pop: Sonic Pro Edge>4G≥Lynx>Hawk

 

[SpinToWin]

Spin, curious what the weight and balance of your PS95 is given your lead placement. Also, leather grip? I'm currently tinkering with one and trying to get it close to my PS90s.

I'll update in my customization thread

 

[SpinDr.]

Thank you, Spin, for your awesome reviews. I was on the court today with freshly strung Tough Gut/Co. Focus and Tough Gut/4G hybrids in my PS90s, and I must say, the power of gut mixed with the spin of poly is intoxicating:twisted:. My partner said that I was hitting a very heavy ball. As much as I hate to admit it, the difference out there was the gut and not necessarily me.

The Co. Focus, despite my stringer HATING it for its plasticy feel and difficulty to work to with, really generates a ton of spin in the crosses. More, in fact, than the 4G. It plays kind of cheap and plasticy too, but the spin it generates as a cross is undeniable and most of the feel comes from the gut, so overall it's sweet. What the 4G has going for it is a super solid feel (I noted this in a full bed too), tons of control, and, of course, tension maintenance. This is my third time around with a gut/poly hybrid, and I think I'm developing an addiction. But good God is it going to be an expensive one! I'm just not sure I can go back to full poly. What I need to do is find a combo that lasts. My first hybrid was with VS 16, and I cut it out after the poly went totally dead. I put probably 20 hours on it. The second was Pacific Classic and the gut mains broke in, like, 4 hours. Hopefully this Tough Gut 16L holds strong. If so, it could be the one.

 

[Edberg's Iceburg]

Based on recs from this thread I had my first hit today with a gut/poly hybrid. Previously I had been using a poly in the main such as big banger ace 18, signum poly pro plasma 17L, or tour bite soft 17 with OG sheep 17 in the crosses. Usual tension was around 52 main/55 cross

Today I used Babolat VS 17 in the main, Kirshbaum Max Power in the cross. i went with 56 main, 51.5 cross. Prestretched both the poly and the gut.

The Babolat gut was a breeze to work with, no problems.
The Max Power was a real pain to use, so stiff and difficult to weave and tie knots.

I really loved how this combo hit. I felt like it had more power than my usual setup, but it had a lot of spin and felt like the ball really pocketed well. This meant I had just as much control as usual even with the increased power. The launch angle was a little lower, which I mostly noticed on my second serve, but once I adjusted to that I was very happy. I felt like a got a better response on balls hit outside of the sweet spot.

I think I will hit with this one for a few more sessions and see how the tension plays out before deciding what tension to use on my second racket.

If it matters I am a 5.0 all courter...

 

[SpinToWin]

Thank you, Spin, for your awesome reviews. I was on the court today with freshly strung Tough Gut/Co. Focus and Tough Gut/4G hybrids in my PS90s, and I must say, the power of gut mixed with the spin of poly is intoxicating:twisted:. My partner said that I was hitting a very heavy ball. As much as I hate to admit it, the difference out there was the gut and not necessarily me.

The Co. Focus, despite my stringer HATING it for its plasticy feel and difficulty to work to with, really generates a ton of spin in the crosses. More, in fact, than the 4G. It plays kind of cheap and plasticy too, but the spin it generates as a cross is undeniable and most of the feel comes from the gut, so overall it's sweet. What the 4G has going for it is a super solid feel (I noted this in a full bed too), tons of control, and, of course, tension maintenance. This is my third time around with a gut/poly hybrid, and I think I'm developing an addiction. But good God is it going to be an expensive one! I'm just not sure I can go back to full poly. What I need to do is find a combo that lasts. My first hybrid was with VS 16, and I cut it out after the poly went totally dead. I put probably 20 hours on it. The second was Pacific Classic and the gut mains broke in, like, 4 hours. Hopefully this Tough Gut 16L holds strong. If so, it could be the one.

One thing you should consider is using string savers. You can use them wherever you see fraying in order to improve durability of the gut and wherever strings are not moving well. Furthermore, string savers can make up for lost tension a bit (since they raise/stretch the strings they are effectively raising their tension).

For me personally poly is more expensive (unless I use cheap poly strings and restring very frequently) as poly goes dead on me very fast.

Glad to hear you are enjoying it though

Based on recs from this thread I had my first hit today with a gut/poly hybrid. Previously I had been using a poly in the main such as big banger ace 18, signum poly pro plasma 17L, or tour bite soft 17 with OG sheep 17 in the crosses. Usual tension was around 52 main/55 cross

Today I used Babolat VS 17 in the main, Kirshbaum Max Power in the cross. i went with 56 main, 51.5 cross. Prestretched both the poly and the gut.

The Babolat gut was a breeze to work with, no problems.
The Max Power was a real pain to use, so stiff and difficult to weave and tie knots.

I really loved how this combo hit. I felt like it had more power than my usual setup, but it had a lot of spin and felt like the ball really pocketed well. This meant I had just as much control as usual even with the increased power. The launch angle was a little lower, which I mostly noticed on my second serve, but once I adjusted to that I was very happy. I felt like a got a better response on balls hit outside of the sweet spot.

I think I will hit with this one for a few more sessions and see how the tension plays out before deciding what tension to use on my second racket.

If it matters I am a 5.0 all courter...

Hope you continue to like it and that it lasts you! And thanks for your feedback on Max Power as a cross!

 

[SpinToWin]

Re-uploaded the pictures… Can everybody see them now? If not, I guess I'll have to use another site for uploading… Sigh

 

[KaiserW]

Just played a match with Tonic/Tourna Black Zone 16g. This is a nice setup. Had quite a bit of pop and spin. Black Zone is very slick. Comparsion to my normal setup Pacific Classic/YPTP 1.25 below.

Power - TBZ>YPTP
Spin - TBZ>YPTP
Comfort tbd
Durability tbd

Comfort and durability is important for me so this will be key as it ages. YPTP will be tough to beat in these categories.

 

[Buford T Justice]

Im a recent convert to gut/poly, and after only a few times out with this setup, I am sure my wallet is going to be a lot thinner. The arm sure is happy

Ive been using a Blade 98S with Babolat VS 16 mains (natural) at 62 and Signum PPP 16L (light blue) at 54 and I find it fantastic. I chose the Signum as when I used it in a full bed, I found it to be lower powered (compared to Ripspin) and also to hold tension well (so I thought it would make a good cross). Plus, I had a bunch of it on hand as I bought a reel and didn't like it all that much in a full bed I am finding the easier power of this gut/poly setup very enjoyable, serving is incredible, and volleys are better than they've ever been (by far). After 8 hours use, the VS is in surprisingly good shape with only light fraying and minor notching. (As a reference, the Ripspin I normally used prior would have been notched 1/2 to 2/3 through by this time, and close to either breaking or playing so badly it was time to clip it out.)

I have noticed however that the launch angle is actually lower with the gut/poly than what I am used to (I previously strung the Blades with the mentioned Wilson Ripspin 17 at ~55). Ive been adjusting to this by trying to increase net clearance. However, if I change the tension on the crosses relative to the mains, can I get a higher launch angle? What would you guys suggest?

I do plan to string the VS mains a little tighter on the next stringjob (maybe 64-65).

 

[SpinToWin]

Im a recent convert to gut/poly, and after only a few times out with this setup, I am sure my wallet is going to be a lot thinner. The arm sure is happy

Ive been using a Blade 98S with Babolat VS 16 mains (natural) at 62 and Signum PPP 16L (light blue) at 54 and I find it fantastic. I chose the Signum as when I used it in a full bed, I found it to be lower powered (compared to Ripspin) and also to hold tension well (so I thought it would make a good cross). Plus, I had a bunch of it on hand as I bought a reel and didn't like it all that much in a full bed I am finding the easier power of this gut/poly setup very enjoyable, serving is incredible, and volleys are better than they've ever been (by far). After 8 hours use, the VS is in surprisingly good shape with only light fraying and minor notching. (As a reference, the Ripspin I normally used prior would have been notched 1/2 to 2/3 through by this time, and close to either breaking or playing so badly it was time to clip it out.)

I have noticed however that the launch angle is actually lower with the gut/poly than what I am used to (I previously strung the Blades with the mentioned Wilson Ripspin 17 at ~55). Ive been adjusting to this by trying to increase net clearance. However, if I change the tension on the crosses relative to the mains, can I get a higher launch angle? What would you guys suggest?

I do plan to string the VS mains a little tighter on the next stringjob (maybe 64-65).

If you lower the tension on the crosses, you should be able to increase the launch angle. No worries about frame distortion, as the mains are longer and there are more of them in your racquet, so such a differential in tension would be beneficial in this regard, if anything.

 

[Buford T Justice]

If you lower the tension on the crosses, you should be able to increase the launch angle. No worries about frame distortion, as the mains are longer and there are more of them in your racquet, so such a differential in tension would be beneficial in this regard, if anything.

Thanks for the reply Spin.

I was suspecting this to be the case (based on some quick forum reads) and was toying with the idea of a 65/45 or so type arrangement. I know some frown on the large differentials, and other swear by them

 

[Buford T Justice]

This is the RacquetTune tracking of the aforementioned gut/poly string job that was strung at 62 in the mains with the VS 16 and 54 in the crosses with SPPP 16F. The last reading represents about 8 hours of play. Is this typical?

 

[speedysteve]

This is the RacquetTune tracking of the aforementioned gut/poly string job that was strung at 62 in the mains with the VS 16 and 54 in the crosses with SPPP 16F. The last reading represents about 8 hours of play. Is this typical?

Interesting.
At what point will you replace? - will you try cutting out only the crosses as one chap reported doing, up to three times for one gut mains set?

I have been seeing somewhat less poundage loss than that with my gut / M C S hybrid measuring each week for 3 weeks now. Not sure what the % loss is. My racquettune doesn't do that, will do by spreadsheet... I guess your drop is the poly dropping off?

My all gut set up is losing virtually nothing, ok I am not hitting with it so much as the hybrid racquet.
I'm gathering more data each week.

 

[Buford T Justice]

Interesting.
At what point will you replace? - will you try cutting out only the crosses as one chap reported doing, up to three times for one gut mains set?

I am game to try something like that (i.e. cut out crosses and reuse gut). It is not my first choice, but with the VS running over $20 a half set, some compromises might be in order!

I have been seeing somewhat less poundage loss than that with my gut / M C S hybrid measuring each week for 3 weeks now. Not sure what the % loss is. My racquettune doesn't do that, will do by spreadsheet... I guess your drop is the poly dropping off?

My all gut set up is losing virtually nothing, ok I am not hitting with it so much as the hybrid racquet.
I'm gathering more data each week.

I am also assuming it is the poly that is dropping off and not the gut.

I just strung up another frame with the same Babolat VS 16 and Signum Pro Poly Plasma 16L combination, but this time with the VS mains at 65 and the SPPP crosses at 45. Off the stringer, Racquet Tune pinged it at 60.7, and when measured ~1 hour later, it pinged at 60.0. I am going to track this one every hour or two today and see how it settles.....

 

[speedysteve]

I am going to track this one every hour or two today and see how it settles.....

Now that is Racquettune dedication!

 

[struggle]

Now that is Racquettune dedication!

no joke. I check my DT......... sometimes...

 

[Buford T Justice]

I just strung up another frame with the same Babolat VS 16 and Signum Pro Poly Plasma 16L combination, but this time with the VS mains at 65 and the SPPP crosses at 45. Off the stringer, Racquet Tune pinged it at 60.7, and when measured ~1 hour later, it pinged at 60.0. I am going to track this one every hour or two today and see how it settles.....

 

[jbm]

Question for Spin and anyone else who knows more than me, which is most of you:
I use tough gut in the mains with YOnex pro poly yellow 17 g in the cross. Softness and comfort are very important. Second is spin. While I think Hawk and Outlast may help generate more spin, might either be more comfortable? Thanks.

 

[SpinToWin]

Question for Spin and anyone else who knows more than me, which is most of you:
I use tough gut in the mains with YOnex pro poly yellow 17 g in the cross. Softness and comfort are very important. Second is spin. While I think Hawk and Outlast may help generate more spin, might either be more comfortable? Thanks.

I'm not sure about more comfortable (as I've never had the setup with YPTP in the crosses), but the setup with Hawk is the closest thing to a pillow I've ever hit with. Very plush and comfortable. Just don't go too high on the tension.

 

[Edberg's Iceburg]

I am hitting with my babolat vs 17 mains @ 56, Kirsh Max Power 17 crosses at 52 in a pure drive. I like it a lot but want a tiny bit more bite and spin. Power level is good. About to string up my other racket with the rest of the babolat vs in the mains. Which of the polys I have sitting in my house do you think might give me what i'm looking for?

Babolat Hurricane 18
Signum Poly Pro plasma 17
Weiss Cannon silverstring 17
Lux Big banger Ace 18.

 

[SpinToWin]

I am hitting with my babolat vs 17 mains @ 56, Kirsh Max Power 17 crosses at 52 in a pure drive. I like it a lot but want a tiny bit more bite and spin. Power level is good. About to string up my other racket with the rest of the babolat vs in the mains. Which of the polys I have sitting in my house do you think might give me what i'm looking for?

Babolat Hurricane 18
Signum Poly Pro plasma 17
Weiss Cannon silverstring 17
Lux Big banger Ace 18.

Just a disclaimer here: I am more or less guessing as I haven't played these hybrid setups and polys can perform somewhat surprisingly in the crosses…

Now, first of all, all these strings lose significantly more tension than Max Power, so you may have to string them higher initially. Silverstring is a pretty lively string, so it won't be for you if you like the current power level. The same is the case for Hurricane 18 and Ace really… SPPP is the most similar string, but I'm not sure whether it will give more bite and spin to be honest…

 

[PGlock]

VS Black and Kirschbaum Max Power

I tried this combination in a RF97. The original setup was VS Black mains strung at 56lbs and ALU Power Rough crosses at 53lbs. This setup had very good control and moderate spin but I noticed that the gut was beginning to fray after six hours of play. It also was not as comfortable as I would like and noticed some shoulder pain from this setup as well. As reference, I have been playing with a Six.One 95 16x18 strung with ALU Power 16L at 52 to 54lbs and have no comfort issues.

I decided to cut the crosses out and try Max Power 17 at 51lbs. This setup played very firm and control oriented with medium spin and not much ball pocketing. Max Power is crisp but may be too stiff for me, even at 51lbs, I was experiencing some shoulder soreness after playing. If doing this over, I would probably drop tension down by another 3 to 4lbs.

I also think that the RF97 is much more string and tension sensitive than many rackets, at least for me it is. I think the tension range may be something more in the range of 47lbs to 57lbs.

 

[Edberg's Iceburg]

I decided to cut the crosses out and try Max Power 17 at 51lbs. This setup played very firm and control oriented with medium spin and not much ball pocketing. Max Power is crisp but may be too stiff for me, even at 51lbs, I was experiencing some shoulder soreness after playing. If doing this over, I would probably drop tension down by another 3 to 4lbs.

I agree with your description of the feel of the vs/max power combo. It has good control but just doesn't have the heavy bite that i'm looking for. I think I will try the SPPP and see if that gives me more of what I'm looking for.

The problem is that there are just so darn MANY polys to try as crosses that we have all tried different ones and it is hard to reach any sort of consensus about what is best.

 

[Edberg's Iceburg]

I agree with your description of the feel of the vs/max power combo. It has good control but just doesn't have the heavy bite that i'm looking for. I think I will try the SPPP and see if that gives me more of what I'm looking for.

The problem is that there are just so darn MANY polys to try as crosses that we have all tried different ones and it is hard to reach any sort of consensus about what is best.

Funny, I just re-read what I wrote about the vs/max power combo when I first tried it last week and at that time I said it had lots of spin. Guess I'm just getting greedy and want more!

 

[PGlock]

I am about to try VS Black mains at 51lbs with Head Hawk crosses at 48lbs in a RF97. After that maybe Yonex Poly Tour Pro 16L, since I have already played it in a full bed, have sets of it on hand and others in this thread are trying it.

 

[Aretium]

I am about to try VS Black mains at 51lbs with Head Hawk crosses at 48lbs in a RF97. After that maybe Yonex Poly Tour Pro 16L, since I have already played it in a full bed, have sets of it on hand and others in this thread are trying it.

Head hawk will be lower powered than PTP but with better/crisper feel and better spin and better tension maintenance/ playability duration. As you can tell I am jealous.