Trying out Fed's Hybrid

[Supracool94]

Last night I strung up my i. prestige Mid with the following:

Babolat V.S. Gut 16 on the mains @ 58 pounds

Lux Big Banger ALU Rough 16 on the crosses @ 52.2 pounds

It was tough to string, I never have used Lux on the crosses before. I'm playing later today, and I will see how it feels.

 

[carac]

Last night I strung up my i. prestige Mid with the following:

Babolat V.S. Gut 16 on the mains @ 58 pounds

Lux Big Banger ALU Rough 16 on the crosses @ 52.2 pounds

It was tough to string, I never have used Lux on the crosses before. I'm playing later today, and I will see how it feels.

Let us know!!!
However keep in mind that Federer will probably change the raquet after 9-12 games or so - my point being that the combination was NOT designed to last !!! Probably using the non-rough might double actual life but can change other parameters ...

 

[Stan]

Works good for Fed because he uses fresh strings at every ball change. I am assuming if you follow this same pattern, you will be happy too!

If not, the Luxilon string will ruin the gut because it loses playing characteristics so fast. You are much better off going with full gut or a cross that will actually compliment the gut better than the ALU. The Luxilon BB ALU is older school and not as good as many of the newer copolys. Sorry, bit this setup is not for the club or recreational level player.

 

[Supracool94]

Works good for Fed because he uses fresh strings at every ball change. I am assuming if you follow this same pattern, you will be happy too!

If not, the Luxilon string will ruin the gut because it loses playing characteristics so fast. You are much better off going with full gut or a cross that will actually compliment the gut better than the ALU. The Luxilon BB ALU is older school and not as good as many of the newer copolys. Sorry, bit this setup is not for the club or recreational level player.

I know it will probably be a waste of string, but I had to try Fed's blend at least one time. I know I can not afford to keep trying it.

Which other poly would you recommend using in place of the Lux? Or, what other string in general would you cross gut with?

 

[ProStaff Legend]

i thought he used wilson gut

 

[pham4313]

i use syn gut 15g on the main and poly 17g on the cross. It plays great with nice feel and power. And the whole set up is less than $7 plus i string on my own so i can always afford it

 

[ht4444____]

i thought he used wilson gut

no,he doesn't....

 

[denty151]

http://www.tennis-warehouse.com/player.html?ccode=RFEDERER

apparently he does. it doesn't matter anyways. on the package of
the wilson gut it says "made exclusively for Wilson by Babolat".

 

[Ripper]

Supracool94, don't let others discourage you, the Fed setup is great and lasts more than some would tend to think, very specially if you use string savers.

 

[fastdunn]

i've tried similar setup (with tonic+)

it played favulously for about 2-3 hours(near zoning experiences)
and then stringbed rapidly went very springy.

still kinda ok to play. i'll see how it ages...

but next time, i will use different polys and string tighter..

 

[Supracool94]

Lets just say my whole arm plus my shoulder is killing me from using this blend. Anything that was not perfectly hit, sent immense vibration through my whole arm all the way to my lats. I had to switch to one of my other racquets because my arm was hurting so bad.

This blend felt so stiff. One of my other racquets is strung with lux on the mains and Gamma Astrisk on the crosses, and it does not feel nearly as stiff.

I think I might cut out the lux and replace it with aother string. I have sets of Kirschbaum Pro line II 17, Pro Hurricane 17, TNT 17, and Gamma Astrisk Spin. Which one of these would be best?

I never have replaced the just crosses on racquet, I hope the natural gut can handle the re-stinging.

 

[carac]

Lets just say my whole arm plus my shoulder is killing me from using this blend. Anything that was not perfectly hit, sent immense vibration through my whole arm all the way to my lats. I had to switch to one of my other racquets because my arm was hurting so bad.

This blend felt so stiff. One of my other racquets is strung with lux on the mains and Gamma Astrisk on the crosses, and it does not feel nearly as stiff.

The tension was probably too high ...

I think I might cut out the lux and replace it with aother string. I have sets of Kirschbaum Pro line II 17, Pro Hurricane 17, TNT 17, and Gamma Astrisk Spin. Which one of these would be best?

I never have replaced the just crosses on racquet, I hope the natural gut can handle the re-stinging.

I don't know if it's a simple task ... and it might also be dangerous for the frame!

 

[jackson vile]

Lets just say my whole arm plus my shoulder is killing me from using this blend. Anything that was not perfectly hit, sent immense vibration through my whole arm all the way to my lats. I had to switch to one of my other racquets because my arm was hurting so bad.

This blend felt so stiff. One of my other racquets is strung with lux on the mains and Gamma Astrisk on the crosses, and it does not feel nearly as stiff.

I think I might cut out the lux and replace it with aother string. I have sets of Kirschbaum Pro line II 17, Pro Hurricane 17, TNT 17, and Gamma Astrisk Spin. Which one of these would be best?

I never have replaced the just crosses on racquet, I hope the natural gut can handle the re-stinging.

what did you string it at?

You have to string really really low like re does as well you know espcially since you have such a closed pattern

 

[Supracool94]

52 pounds does not seem that high.

Would it hurt the frame if I put it on a six point mounting system and cut out crosses from the middle? It should release the tension evenly and the frame would be supported.

 

[Stan]

Cut out the full stringbed. You can't safely cut out and string only 1/2. I was right about the hybrid and I am right about this too.

 

[carac]

52 pounds does not seem that high.

Would it hurt the frame if I put it on a six point mounting system and cut out crosses from the middle? It should release the tension evenly and the frame would be supported.

I agree, 52 for ALU and 58 for natural gut don't look over the top (I play Prestige flexpoint , but midplus).

The problem with cutting crosses would be that you will have to tension the raquet a little in the mounting system (I believe that even a 2 point might work) - but in either case things might be very risky !!!

If you don't need that racquet ASAP I would rather leave it in a dry place for a week or so - the small tension loss might bring it to an usable state. However I believe that most of the tension loss will be in the poly so it might still be stiff.

 

[fastdunn]

I think OP was about gut mains and poly cross (which is Fed's set up),
not poly mains and gut crosses.

 

[bmichaelia]

52 pounds does not seem that high.

Would it hurt the frame if I put it on a six point mounting system and cut out crosses from the middle? It should release the tension evenly and the frame would be supported.

Wouldn't hurt the frame.Go for it. It's controversial, but many people have had complete success replacing just the crosses (see the huge thread on this). Some people lower the tension with the new crosses, but you're already pretty low. I'd just try a softer poly at the same tension.

 

[Supracool94]

I fail to see the danger of removing the crosses if it is done correctly. The racquet was fine when I was putting the crosses in, applying tension to each cross. So what is the difference if you take them out one by one. If you go through and cut every cross in order, it should slowly release the tension. The racquet would not warp because it will be supported by the mounting system.

If you really want be technical, you could clamp every string as you cut them, so that the racquet doesnt loose tension so fast.

What happens to a racquet when a cross string breaks while playing? Nothing!

 

[LafayetteHitter]

I have Babolat Tonic 16g mains with Cyberflash 17g in my crosses currently in my Prestige Classic and it is simply superb in the racquet. It is strung at 57 in the mains and 56 in the crosses. No harshness whatsoever. Wish I had tried this setup long ago. Next up I am going to string one of my other Prestige with Laserfibre Supreme 17g mains and Cyberflash in the crosses to see how that works out for poor weather days.

 

[nickb]

I also like the "fed hybrid" for 3 hours...there is nothing better for that time but it becomes unplayable after those 3 hours. Waste of gut imo. A co-poly that holds tension better is a more sensible choice for the crosses.

 

[PBODY99]

Your tension for the gut was too high for your dense pattern. In a 16 x 20 95 to 102 frame the gut should be at less than 55 lbs in my experience, otherwise the string bed feels too tight. I have strung Gut hybird with various crosses for twenty years and it is the tension on the gut that really matters. Remember gut keeps it tension, the crosses loosen up.

 

[rockthebox]

I fail to see the danger of removing the crosses if it is done correctly. The racquet was fine when I was putting the crosses in, applying tension to each cross. So what is the difference if you take them out one by one. If you go through and cut every cross in order, it should slowly release the tension. The racquet would not warp because it will be supported by the mounting system.

If you really want be technical, you could clamp every string as you cut them, so that the racquet doesnt loose tension so fast.

What happens to a racquet when a cross string breaks while playing? Nothing!

Clamp the racquet into your machine, and briskly cut out all the crosses. Immediately start stringing your new crosses, starting at the bottom. The mounting system should keep your racquet safe. Don't use clamps while cutting out each string individually, that will put stress on your mains and stretch them out.

 

[Supracool94]

Restrung Just the Crosses!

After my arm and shoulder were killing me from playing with Fed's Blend, I cut the crosses out, which were Lux Big Banger ALU Rough, and replaced them with Gamma TNT 17. I did this without cutting out my V.S. Gut Mains. So, basically I replaced just the crosses on my Head i. Prestige Mid with no problems.

I mounted the frame (six point mounting system), clamped and cut every cross string in order from bottom to top, letting the the tension out slowly. Then I restrung the racquet with TNT 17 and had no problems.

I am going to play today and see if this new blend feels better.

 

[carac]

After my arm and shoulder were killing me from playing with Fed's Blend, I cut the crosses out, which were Lux Big Banger ALU Rough, and replaced them with Gamma TNT 17. I did this without cutting out my V.S. Gut Mains. So, basically I replaced just the crosses on my Head i. Prestige Mid with no problems.

I mounted the frame (six point mounting system), clamped and cut every cross string in order from bottom to top, letting the the tension out slowly. Then I restrung the racquet with TNT 17 and had no problems.

I am going to play today and see if this new blend feels better.

Well, I expect very good feel - I only wonder how long TNT will last

 

[coloskier]

i thought he used wilson gut

Wilson's gut is made by VS and is equivalent to the VS Team. I tried the Fed version of the hybrid and liked it for about a week. After 1 week the Alu rough goes dead and your racket becomes a trampoline with absolutely no control. So, if you can afford paying for a new string job every week, have at it.

 

[Supracool94]

The VS Gut crossed with TNT 17 felt great, my one hander was spining in with no problem. It seemed like the gut gave me extra spin on my ground strokes. It definitly felt lively.