What is wrong with this stringing job?

[dolphinsrus]

My twelve year old son is experimenting with my new gamma x-2. He strung his first racquet, but there are extra holes, which means that he missed something. I am assuming he didn't align the racquet correctly, but I am also a rookie as I just stringed one racquet so far. Can anybody graphically explain what is the problem?

 

[v-verb]

Congrats on his first string job but cut it out ASAP. He's missed some crosses and actually used wrong grommets for some of the crosses. There are other issues but I'll leave it for the experts to chime in

You'll have some very uneven tension of the frame hence my suggestion to cut the strings out.

However stringing is daunting the first time so really he should be commended for trying!

 

[esgee48]

He is suppose to skip 8 T&H for the mains. That's not what he did.

 

[dolphinsrus]

Sorry, but as mentioned I am also inexperienced. Can someone point on the pictures which are the mains that he was supposed to skip and didn't? Thanks so much

 

[Chotobaka]

Well, he showed resourcefulness in getting the racquet strung, no matter what.

I think the best thing you can for a young beginner is to instill the importance of planning the string job and creating the equivalent of a check-list and road map. Verify all of the racquet-specific parameters from the manufacturer or another of the many resources available online. Things like the pattern; recommended tension range; 1 or 2 pieces (or either); length for M's and X's; start at H or T; skipped holes (it doesn't hurt to place a piece of scrap string in each skipped hole when just starting out); tie-offs, etc. Once everything is organized and pre-planned, it is all about being methodical.

If he plans things in advance, I am betting on a perfectly usable string job as the result.

 

[tennytive]

Starting from the middle, count out to the 8th grommet. This one is used for the first cross string and that's why you *skip* it when stringing the mains.

In your photo at the bottom left you can see that the 8th grommet has a main string and the 9th grommet has a cross string. It should be just the opposite.

 

[dolphinsrus]

My question is if we cut everything out and start from scratch. Which holes should we skip and what do we need to do to do it right this time?
The string was stringed before at the pro shop with the same grommets, so I don't understand why these are not appropriate.

 

[Chotobaka]

My question is if we cut everything out and start from scratch. Which holes should we skip and what do we need to do to do it right this time?
The string was stringed before at the pro shop with the same grommets, so I don't understand why these are not appropriate.

This is the type of online resource I was referring to -- everything is right there.

http://www.klipperusa.com/stringing/viewpattern.php?mfg=TBAB

 

[Muppet]

It looks to me like the frame was improperly mounted. If it is rotated to its proper alignment next time, you should be able to string the proper holes more easily.

 

[struggle]

how does it play??

really it's not all that bad for a first time youngster with no guidance, imo.

 

[Irvin]

It looks to me like the frame was improperly mounted. If it is rotated to its proper alignment next time, you should be able to string the proper holes more easily.

You are correct he had the top of the racket off center.

 

[Steve Huff]

Agree with Muppet--frame was mounted wrong to start with. At the top, the holes are 1 hole off center for the mains. This takes all of the holes out of alignment, and means the proper holes aren't skipped, etc. Nothing to do but cut them out. Make sure the racket is centered properly when mounting next time.

 

[Irvin]

Another thing is he could have had the racket mounted correctly and started at the head instead of the throat, and had the forethought to get the strings ran in to keep from overlapping the frame.

 

[KaiserW]

Starting that young he will be an expert soon enough!

 

[jswinf]

The knots look pretty good.

 

[jim e]

First off have him look at this video,
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1CuV0mEzW-A&fmt=18
Then he can view these videos too get a better understanding of stringing, they are well put together:
http://tt.tennis-warehouse.com/showthread.php?t=172626

 

[Irvin]

There is one tip I might add for stringing. Strings CANNOT be more dense on the outside than they are in the center of the stringbed. If you look at the top of the frame on the right side the 6th and 7th mains are closer together than the 5th and 6th mains. That's an illegal pattern - RED FLAG - something is wrong.

 

[unorthodox stringing]

Dolphinsrus,

Which exact model of Babolat is that? Where did you buy it from?

Some of the grommets look really weird to me...

 

[lwto]

bottom looks ok, skip 8, just messed up on the left side there and like what was said, wasn't centered at the top.

9 mains on the left, 7 on the right.
Poor guy was probably like.. WhiskeyTangoFoxtrot

Babolat doesn't always make it clear where the center is.

 

[dolphinsrus]

what do you mean it is an illegal patter? I bought the racquet from a big, authorized dealer and the racquet has been always stringed by professionals (except for the last time that was stringed by my son).

 

[Irvin]

what do you mean it is an illegal patter? I bought the racquet from a big, authorized dealer and the racquet has been always stringed by professionals (except for the last time that was stringed by my son).

According to the 2014 ITF rules of tennis, "The stringing pattern must be generally uniform and, in particular, not less dense in the centre than in any other area." That frame strung properly is legal but if playing with in a match the way it is and contested it will be disallowed.

EDIT: Because your son skipped two holes on the left and is more dense on the outside top right it becomes illegal.

 

[Irvin]

Leaving string out of the pattern does not make it an illegal pattern. If I take a 16x19 racket and string it with only 10 crosses it may or may not be illegal. It all depends on which strings are left out. If I omit every even numbered cross it is fine. If I omit crosses 5-14 it is illegal.

 

[Muppet]

You are correct he had the top of the racket off center.

Yea, when do I receive my prize? Did I hear something about a Wise Tension Head?

 

[tray999]

Good first effort!!!