What gives more spin, a gut/poly hybrid or the same strings in a poly/gut setup?

[Rally]

I know that you get more feel and a livelier stringbed with gut mains and poly crosses. I'm wondering about spin. I've read in some places that some people get more spin with gut in the mains and a slick lower tensioned poly in the crosses than they do with a textured poly in the mains and lower tensioned gut in the crosses. Also how do these layout stack up against one another in power, control, and spin?

Gut main/smooth poly cross
Gut main/textured poly cross
Textured poly main/gut cross
Smooth poly main/gut cross
Textured poly main/SynGut cross.

 

[Irvin]

Whichever allows you to hit harder. Poly produces spin because it robs power from the ball enabling you to hit harder. The faster you can swing the racket through the ball the more spin you can produce. Gut in the mains usually provides for more power and better feel, poly mains rob a bit more power and will generally last longer. Both hybrids provide plenty of spin with the propr technique.

 

[Rally]

Whichever allows you to hit harder. Poly produces spin because it robs power from the ball enabling you to hit harder. The faster you can swing the racket through the ball the more spin you can produce. Gut in the mains usually provides for more power and better feel, poly mains rob a bit more power and will generally last longer. Both hybrids provide plenty of spin with the propr technique.

So extrapolating from that, theoretically will a gut at a high tension (not advisable since it could break sooner and even as early as the stringing process, I know) provide spin closer to a poly at a lower tension or the same gut at a lower tension?

 

[SpinToWin]

Given the same swing gut/poly should produce more spin, but I won't go into poly shape, that can't be generalised.

In the end the player produces the spin, so as Irvin said, what gives you the most confidence to swing fast and produce a lot of spin will be the best for you. Some tame the power of gut by exaggerating spin, whereas others slow down their swing to cope with the power...The former will find a lot of spin with gut/poly, whereas the others may find a decrease.

 

[Sander001]

Gut/polyester, proven on court and in the lab.

 

[Serjojeee]

That's a very different feel combo, tried both, poly mains were very spinny but control was an issue, poly crosses were very easy to control, spin was ok and super predictable, but that combo lasted for two hours. Loved the feel of gut mains poly crosses but the durability is horrible.

 

[thizbit]

That's a very different feel combo, tried both, poly mains were very spinny but control was an issue, poly crosses were very easy to control, spin was ok and super predictable, but that combo lasted for two hours. Loved the feel of gut mains poly crosses but the durability is horrible.

What poly crosses you using? I find gut/poly keeps going and going paired with kirschbaum competition.

 

[Serjojeee]

What poly crosses you using? I find gut/poly keeps going and going paired with kirschbaum competition.

Don't remember, that was too long ago... They started to move very fast and spin suffered, so I moved to full poly. The feel is harsher, but playability is good, and you don't have to move strings after each game.

 

[ricki]

gut main/poly cross but only when its fresh... when it losese tension it wont let you swing hard without overhitting

 

[TennisCJC]

So extrapolating from that, theoretically will a gut at a high tension (not advisable since it could break sooner and even as early as the stringing process, I know) provide spin closer to a poly at a lower tension or the same gut at a lower tension?

Lots of previous generations have gone with the very high tension gut approach for control and spin. Borg strung gut at 80lbs in 65" head to generate a lot of topspin. Sampras strung gut at 75lbs in 85" head for control and spin - he hit very high spin rate on his serves. Both Venus and Serena both string gut around 75lbs in 104" head for control and spin but Serena has since gone to gut/poly hybrid.

Personally, I would vote for gut mains with smooth poly crosses for most spin. If you find that setup to lively, then go with poly mains with a syn gut or multi cross - no sense using expensive gut in cross as mains determine most of feel. If you find even poly/syn gut or multi too lively, then go to all poly.

 

[Rally]

Lots of previous generations have gone with the very high tension gut approach for control and spin. Borg strung gut at 80lbs in 65" head to generate a lot of topspin. Sampras strung gut at 75lbs in 85" head for control and spin - he hit very high spin rate on his serves. Both Venus and Serena both string gut around 75lbs in 104" head for control and spin but Serena has since gone to gut/poly hybrid.

Personally, I would vote for gut mains with smooth poly crosses for most spin. If you find that setup to lively, then go with poly mains with a syn gut or multi cross - no sense using expensive gut in cross as mains determine most of feel. If you find even poly/syn gut or multi too lively, then go to all poly.

Is there a point where a poly can be too smooth and make the strings not play as well as something that is still smooth but not as smooth?

 

[Serjojeee]

Mi

Is there a point where a poly can be too smooth and make the strings not play as well as something that is still smooth but not as smooth?

Mind boggling answer

 

[Rally]

Mi

Mind boggling answer

I'll rephrase. Is there a point where a cross string can be too slippery and work against you? Is there a requisite floor for string to string friction or is it always less friction = better stringbed?

 

[Serjojeee]

I'll rephrase. Is there a point where a cross string can be too slippery and work against you? Is there a requisite floor for string to string friction or is it always less friction = better stringbed?

It depends on your racquet spin potential and how much spin do you need. Too much spin (those erratic super open string patterns) results in problems with depth control and sitters. More slippery strings - more spin.

 

[Sander001]

I'll rephrase. Is there a point where a cross string can be too slippery and work against you? Is there a requisite floor for string to string friction or is it always less friction = better stringbed?

Work against you? By that do you mean a steeper launch angle? I'm very particular about many things and find some things difficult to adapt to but getting accustomed a steeper launch angle is pretty easy, I find. Now, going back to a more moderate launch angle is a bit problematic...

 

[Moveforwardalways]

gut main/poly cross but only when its fresh... when it losese tension it wont let you swing hard without overhitting

Natural gut actually retains tension quite well. It's pretty much consistent from freshly strung until it breaks.

 

[thizbit]

Don't remember, that was too long ago... They started to move very fast and spin suffered, so I moved to full poly. The feel is harsher, but playability is good, and you don't have to move strings after each game.

I've returned to full poly as well. I just play better with it, and touch is surprisingly decent at low tension