Turning Dunlop Aerogel 4D 300 Tour to 4D 200

[Tennisguy777]

I was wondering if I could get the feel of the Aerogel 200 or 4D 200 out of the 4D 300 tour by customizing it? I was a AG200 18 x 20 user but had to switch to a more forgiving 4D 300 tour after I began playing indoors and having issues with lighting and timing.

Fast forward over a year and now I'm overseas playing on clay and regretting selling my 3 AG200s. My arsenal now only consists of a Radical MP and AG 4D 300 tour.

I loved the weight and heft of the AG200 and was hoping that the 4D 300 tour would be a slightly lighter cousin. Boy was I wrong, the 4D 300 Tour is great but I lack the control and stability especially now that I have switched two a 2 handed bachhand.

With the AG200 my 1 handed backhands were consistent and powerful. With the AG 4D 300 tour the racquet twists in my hand when going for 1 handers and for 2 handers it is either dumped into the net or 3 feet out. There is no doubt this thing is unstable.

I don't know if this is a grip issue as much as it is a stability issue. I've always used 4 5/8, is the Head grip more convenient for a 2 handed backhand?

Did Dunlop modify their grip shape from the AG200 to the new AG 4D series? I've noticed on the 4D 300 Tour that the bevels feel more prominent even with an overgrip. Also I used to sometimes use my AG200 with 2 overgrips and never had issues with the grip feeling too big and now with one overgrip it feels too sharp and big.

Also the AG 4D 300 tour feels more head heavier than the LM Radical while it is not but is a lot less stabler especially on volleys and backhands.

I really don't get it because I use the Radical MP and all my shots are on point including my backhands. I was a 4.0 player on hard court in the States. I've switched to a 2 handed backhand after playing on clay and having issues with high bouncing backhands.

So I want to try and replicate that AG200 feel, weight, balance by playing with lead tape. Anyone care to give me any suggestions or knows how much and where to put the lead tape. I don't have access to a scale or RDC machine Thanks.

 

[ilian]

I was wondering if I could get the feel of the Aerogel 200 or 4D 200 out of the 4D 300 tour by customizing it? I was a AG200 18 x 20 user but had to switch to a more forgiving 4D 300 tour after I began playing indoors and having issues with lighting and timing.

Fast forward over a year and now I'm overseas playing on clay and regretting selling my 3 AG200s. My arsenal now only consists of a Radical MP and AG 4D 300 tour.

I loved the weight and heft of the AG200 and was hoping that the 4D 300 tour would be a slightly lighter cousin. Boy was I wrong, the 4D 300 Tour is great but I lack the control and stability especially now that I have switched two a 2 handed bachhand.

With the AG200 my 1 handed backhands were consistent and powerful. With the AG 4D 300 tour the racquet twists in my hand when going for 1 handers and for 2 handers it is either dumped into the net or 3 feet out. There is no doubt this thing is unstable.

I don't know if this is a grip issue as much as it is a stability issue. I've always used 4 5/8, is the Head grip more convenient for a 2 handed backhand?

Did Dunlop modify their grip shape from the AG200 to the new AG 4D series? I've noticed on the 4D 300 Tour that the bevels feel more prominent even with an overgrip. Also I used to sometimes use my AG200 with 2 overgrips and never had issues with the grip feeling too big and now with one overgrip it feels too sharp and big.

Also the AG 4D 300 tour feels more head heavier than the LM Radical while it is not but is a lot less stabler especially on volleys and backhands.

I really don't get it because I use the Radical MP and all my shots are on point including my backhands. I was a 4.0 player on hard court in the States. I've switched to a 2 handed backhand after playing on clay and having issues with high bouncing backhands.

So I want to try and replicate that AG200 feel, weight, balance by playing with lead tape. Anyone care to give me any suggestions or knows how much and where to put the lead tape. I don't have access to a scale or RDC machine Thanks.

Just buy a used AG200. No need to try and customize the 300 to be like the 200 when you can just find and buy the 200.

 

[Tennisguy777]

^^^ Like I said I'm overseas I don't have access to an AG200 for a while, maybe if a relative is nice enough to bring one for me when they visit here. Also shipping one is out of the question as I'll have to pay excessive import taxes, tennis is seen as a leisure activity for the rich and not as a sport here.

 

[GameSetMatch]

If you're dumping shots into the net with the 300T, its nothing to do with the racquet - its your technique that you need to be looking at. If its twisting in your hand, you're not hitting it anywhere near the sweetspot. The 300T is a good racquet in stock form, albeit an underpowered one with a slightly low sweetspot quirk. It certainly dosen't lack control and its not unstable.

It's not really possible to replicate the 200 with the 300T exactly - the weight distribution across the 200 is different in my view and adding lead to the 300 doesn't create quite the same effect or feel, which can be a good or bad thing depending on your viewpoint.

That said, adding weight to the 300T does allow for much more penetrating strokes and brings it up to stability of the 200 at least for groundstrokes. I have 14g in the handle and 6g in the hoop just slightly above 3 and 9. That extra weight turns it into a great racquet, and a better serving one than the stock 200.

Inicidentally, which country do you mean by 'overseas'?

 

[Tennisguy777]

I'll try that thanks. It doesn't have to turn out identical to the AG200 just similar feel, weight and balance. By the way I'm in Africa right now.