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[racketwiz]

The trend toward "kinder and gentler" polyester-based strings continue, due in large part to the on-going trend of baseline-bashing style of play.  The polyester craze began with Kirschbaum. Relatively inexpensive and comparatively as durable as Kevlar but with better elasticity, polyester became the string of choice for European clay-courters, the epitome of baseline-bashing, heavy topspinning chronic stringbreakers.  Polyester, however, has a host of issues including tension loss, stiffness and sensitivity to the elements, among other things. I suppose being cheap and readily available was a compromise players were willing to accept.  To address these playability issues, Luxilon came out with the Big Banger line.  Rather than using polyester, they used a similar material called polyether.  While significantly more expensive than regular polyesters, the Big Banger series did mitigate some, if not all of polyester’s problems.  The Big Bangers quickly supplanted polyester’s hold in the pro circuit.

Today, most string manufacturers have Big Banger-type strings and have gone a step further by mixing exotic poly-composite materials all in an effort to reduce poly’s bad qualities and improve on the good ones. We no longer have to pay a premium for Big Banger-type strings.  Ashaway’s MonoGut and Unique’s Big Hitter, for instance, are both made by the same German firm using basically the same Big Banger materials, and are just as cheap, if not cheaper than high-grade polyester.  We’re still quite a ways from equating poly strings with gut-like playability, which is why top pros who use these strings prefer natural gut as their cross strings in a hybrid stringjob.

Speaking of Luxilon, Wilson is now its worldwide marketing and distribution agent.

My advice regarding the matter is, if you play frequently and you break strings often, and budget is a concern, inexpensive polyesters or Big Banger clones are a good thing for your wallet.  Just don’t expect it to be as playable or as comfortable as synthetic or natural gut strings. If you play once or twice a week, you’d be better off with a regular high-grade synthetic. It plays and holds tension better, it’s easier on the arm (especially for us old folks, hehehe) and is not susceptible to the elements as polys are.  To those who are apt to be proud to declare that their poly stringjob lasts a year, I would say that you’d be playing with dead strings for 11 months.  Generally-speaking, polys tend to go dead 3 to 4 weeks after stringing.

To my fellow racketeers at PTO, there is no need to limit your string options to what is available locally.  You can pick and choose the kind of strings you want to try or use by browsing the internet, and then pool your orders together.  You can certainly ask my opinion regarding strings if you’re undecided and I’ll point you in the right direction.  After pooling your order, I can check with my suppliers to get the best prices.  Nominate a treasurer to handle your payment, and the nominee can deposit that payment (in pesos) to my local bank account.  I will then send your package to the nominee who will be charged to distribute your orders.  No, I’m not looking to make a quick buck here.  Remember, there are at least 500 different kinds of strings out there. I just want us to explore the world of strings and if can help us play better, why not? 

[Francis]

Hi Ric,

May be I am just not very good in paying attention or not being conscious to the type of string I use. Or may be I've had on some occasions but since I'm limited to what we have locally I didn't have much choice.

Well, I normaly check the price when I pick a string. I normally get a synthetic gut gauge 16 or 17. And the price I normally go is between the range of P200 to P300 per string (excluding the charge for the stringing job), I may go lower but not higher. Hehehe...

For synthetic guts, how soon do they go dead? I have a pair of rackets and I don't restring them on a regular basis but it depends on when one breaks. So may be I'm using a dead string already, huh! 

Regards,
Francis

[racketwiz]

That’s not unusual, amigo.  A lot of players qualify strings by its price tag.  The common rationale is that strings wear out and break, and the longer one can go without re-stringing the better it is for the wallet.  There’s nothing wrong with that. But, if an alcoholic can find the money to buy their booze, a tennis addict can find a way to look beyond the price tag and get better strings. It’s an extreme correlation, I know, but as someone who loves and appreciates the technical nuances of the game, I’m merely trying to illustrate a point.

Anyhow, Php 200-300 (about $4-6) can buy you a decent set of strings such as the best-selling Prince Synthetic Duraflex or the Big Banger clone, Ashaway MonoGut.  Either one of these is technically and physically better than HySheep-type nylons or cheap polyester, respectively.  Php 400-500 (about $8-10) opens up a whole new world of high performance strings.

So, if you’re using a synthetic, I suggest you use a 16g.  The thicker diameter gives you a bit more durability than a 17g, although the 17g gives you a better feel on the ball. It’s up to you to decide which matters more to you.  If you’re using a polyester-type string, I suggest you use a 17g.  There is not much difference in durability between 16g and 17g, and the 17g gives you a bit more playability and feel.  If you’re using a poly/synthetic hybrid, I suggest 17g poly mains and 16g synthetic crosses, with the poly mains strung 2 lb tighter than the synthetic crosses which is strung at your normal tension.

I would estimate that synthetics would go dead in 6-8 weeks on the average, with an average 8 hrs of play per week. But if you play a lot, your strings will probably pop before the 8 weeks are up.  An occasional player will most likely not know the difference between live and dead strings and it surely won’t bother them either way as long as the strings are still intact.

The rule of thumb is, if your balls begin to fly out on shots that you normally keep in play and you are forced to compromise on your strokes in order to keep the ball in play, chances are your strings are going dead.  I would suggest a re-string, whether or not the strings are broken.

If you have a pair of rackets, I suggest you have them strung at the same time then alternate its use.  This would allow the strings in both rackets to wear evenly, and in a lot of cases, give you more mileage on your strings. Understand that strings still lose tension even without play.  So, if you’re playing with one stick until the string breaks while keeping the other as a reserve, the strings in your reserve racket continues to lose tension.  Don’t cheat yourself. If your strings are going to lose tension anyway, might as well play with it.

[max_alvarado]

i was told by my string shop folks poly's should be strung around 5% lower than your normal tension.  is this true?   

also, i pay around 20$ (the cheapest) everytime i get my racket restrung.  they use gamma infinity 5V 16g on the mains and gamma infinity 6A 16g on the cross.  i dont know if it's the same strings but they look different.  after all i've read from your posts i feel ripped off.      i do wanna try a hybrid for some time now but i dont know what's a good price for it.  i play with a group of college players here in socal area and i restring about once a month so money really is a big deal form me.  what would be my best option?

 
max

[rock_it_man]

among the moderately priced and locally available polys that has been getting good feedback among our friends is the toalson cyberblade thermaxe 123mm (P310), 127mm (P380) and the toalson ployester 130mm (P180). 

[racketwiz]

i was told by my string shop folks poly's should be strung around 5% lower than your normal tension.  is this true?   

also, i pay around 20$ (the cheapest) everytime i get my racket restrung.  they use gamma infinity 5V 16g on the mains and gamma infinity 6A 16g on the cross.  i dont know if it's the same strings but they look different.  after all i've read from your posts i feel ripped off.      i do wanna try a hybrid for some time now but i dont know what's a good price for it.  i play with a group of college players here in socal area and i restring about once a month so money really is a big deal form me.  what would be my best option?

 
max

About the 5% tension drop…

Tension drop recommendations for polys vary anywhere from 5-15%.  But those are “paper” recommendations in my opinion.  The reason for this is that polys are so damn stiff and because of that, dropping tension would seem to be the logical thing to do to soften up the stringbed. The thing is, polys are notorious for tension loss, more so in hot and/or humid weather. I string a lot of polys and poly-composite strings and what I do is string at normal tensions during summer (to mitigate some tension loss) and drop about 3 lb during winter (strings play stiff during winter). This seems to work fine for my poly players.

I no longer install or recommend Kevlar and Kevlar-composites, but when I did I maintained a 10% drop on Kevlar and 5% on Kevlar-composites.

About your strings…

Actually, you are using a hybrid.  The Gamma Infinity has Kevlar composite mains and synthetic crosses. I could understand a 5% tension drop in this stringjob, but only on the mains. As far as feeling ripped off, all I can say is that you’re paying for a service. If your guy is doing a pretty good job, 20 bucks is not that bad.

My recommendation…

Why not try Ashaway Monogut in 17g?  It’s a Luxilon Alu Power clone, and it’s a lot cheaper, too.  The thinner gauge gives you a bit more playability. You can always switch to the thicker 16g if you want a slightly better durability. String at your normal tension, though. Almost all of my Luxilon players have switched to the Monogut.

[racketwiz]

among the moderately priced and locally available polys that has been getting good feedback among our friends is the toalson cyberblade thermaxe 123mm (P310), 127mm (P380) and the toalson ployester 130mm (P180). 

The Thermaxe is one of the better poly composites and I'm not surprised it's getting some good feedback. There is a slightly cheaper poly composite that plays a bit better than the Thermaxe that might be worth a try. I don't know if it's available there, but it's called Polylon Comfort (not to be confused with the regular Polylon) and is made by Gosen.

[max_alvarado]

ashaway monogut!  i'll keep that in mind.   

also, about my being ripped off, i didn't mean in a monetary sense (considering that's about the average price in my area which is cerritos).  i meant that i've learn more from your posts as from what i've learned from my stringer.   after all the time i told them that i'm a baseliner and i nail balls all they could say to me was get something durable.  they never really explained to me the exact science of the strings like you did.   maybe i could have had a better set of strings for something cheaper than a natural gut.   

p.s.
when i ask to get ashaway monogut at 60lbs.  is that automatically assumed for both cross and mains or do i have to chose another string for the cross?

[makinao]

among the moderately priced and locally available polys that has been getting good feedback among our friends is the toalson cyberblade thermaxe 123mm (P310), 127mm (P380) and the toalson ployester 130mm (P180). 

The Thermaxe is one of the better poly composites and I'm not surprised it's getting some good feedback. There is a slightly cheaper poly composite that plays a bit better than the Thermaxe that might be worth a try. I don't know if it's available there, but it's called Polylon Comfort (not to be confused with the regular Polylon) and is made by Gosen.

Ive been using thermaxe 123 for more than a year now. I started at about 5lbs below what I used for synthetics. But now its up the the same as before (58lbs). It used to be very hard to find in MetroManila. At one point I had to call several branches of Toby's and Chris just to find one that had stocks. Thank God word has gotten around that it is good, so its never missing from the stores anymore.

[racketwiz]

ashaway monogut!  i'll keep that in mind.   

also, about my being ripped off, i didn't mean in a monetary sense (considering that's about the average price in my area which is cerritos).  i meant that i've learn more from your posts as from what i've learned from my stringer.   after all the time i told them that i'm a baseliner and i nail balls all they could say to me was get something durable.  they never really explained to me the exact science of the strings like you did.   maybe i could have had a better set of strings for something cheaper than a natural gut.   

p.s.
when i ask to get ashaway monogut at 60lbs.  is that automatically assumed for both cross and mains or do i have to chose another string for the cross?

Hehehe, I didn't mean it in a monetary sense, either. I just didn't want to step on your stringer's toes. Professional courtesy   But service for me not only includes stringing but also a thorough understanding of the technology behind it. A good stringer understands the synergy between the racquet, strings and the player.

[racketwiz]

among the moderately priced and locally available polys that has been getting good feedback among our friends is the toalson cyberblade thermaxe 123mm (P310), 127mm (P380) and the toalson ployester 130mm (P180). 

The Thermaxe is one of the better poly composites and I'm not surprised it's getting some good feedback. There is a slightly cheaper poly composite that plays a bit better than the Thermaxe that might be worth a try. I don't know if it's available there, but it's called Polylon Comfort (not to be confused with the regular Polylon) and is made by Gosen.

Ive been using thermaxe 123 for more than a year now. I started at about 5lbs below what I used for synthetics. But now its up the the same as before (58lbs). It used to be very hard to find in MetroManila. At one point I had to call several branches of Toby's and Chris just to find one that had stocks. Thank God word has gotten around that it is good, so its never missing from the stores anymore.

Just curious, amigo. Any reason why you gradually upped your tension from 5 lb below?

------------------------------------------

Selection has always been an issue locally when it comes to tennis equipment. It makes me glad that some of the better strings are slowly becoming available. That's a big plus for players.  Now, if we can only do something to turn our local string weavers into racquet technicians...

A couple of years ago I thought about putting up a "racquet lab" in Manila, complete with racquet testing equipment, a full line of strings from Alpha to Zo, and services such as racquet customization, racquet matching, and of course, custom stringing. I was also asked about technical consultancy for some of the university teams.  Back then, I didn't think it would be profitable. Would local players really care much about the little technical details regarding their equipment, and would they pay for performance tweaks? I also thought that my services would be priced out of the local market, even with basic stringing.

Any thoughts, PTO?

[racketwiz]

ashaway monogut!  i'll keep that in mind.   
p.s.
when i ask to get ashaway monogut at 60lbs.  is that automatically assumed for both cross and mains or do i have to chose another string for the cross?

Max,

The Monogut is a 40-ft full set. You can use it for both mains and crosses.  My hard-hitting, baseline-bashing players prefer this stringjob. Lots of control, keeps the ball in play, they say.

In your case, you mentioned that you’re lacking some depth in your shots after that minor weight tweak. It’s a normal thing, especially when you are able to up the rpm’s on your topspin. More topspin brings the ball down sooner.  In this case, I’d like to make another suggestion.  Before going for a full Monogut stringjob, I’d like for you to test a Monogut hybrid stringjob first.  Halve the Monogut for your mains, and use a half-set of synthetic for your crosses. Considering your budget issues, you can pair up the Monogut mains with good monofilament crosses such as the Prince Synthetic Duraflex. If you got a couple more dollars to spare, go for a quality but inexpensive multifilament such as the Wilson Sensation.  I am hoping that this custom hybrid stringjob will soften up the stringbed (vs a full Monogut stringjob) which will in turn allow you to get a bit more depth on your shots. If this works, you can go back to your normal strokes and don’t have to make the extra adjustment of aiming high. If it was me, I’d go for the Wilson Sensation crosses just because multifilaments generally play better. However, this doesn’t mean that the monofilament Prince Duraflex is no good. If anything, this mono string will tend to last just a bit longer than multis. Budget-wise, it would be the better bet. Performance-wise, it’s a good compromise.

[makinao]

Just curious, amigo. Any reason why you gradually upped your tension from 5 lb below?
[/quote]

THE SHORT ANSWER:
I put the tension down because the label said so (less 5%). But in subsequent string jobs I increased it because I wanted more control and pop. So now its at 58. It might be higher next time, but I doubt if it will ever go over 60.

THE LONG ANSWER:
I was intrigued by racketwiz's information about the behaviour of polys. So I thought about how it corresponds to my personal experience. So based on my own subjective, unscientific, undocumented olbservations, I "feel" there are four stages in a string's life.

1) NEW - fresh off the stringing machine, the strings are at their highest tension. It feels a bit board-like, which is nice when I want lots of control and spin. While it needs a long swing to get depth, the swing doesn't always have to be fast.

2) SETTLED IN - The strings eventually "settle in" meaning the tension comes down a little, but is still resilient. I realized now what that Racketwiz said about polys losing tension faster than synthetics it true. While my synthetics used to settle in after about 2 days of play, polys are there after one. But polys stay in this stage much, much, much longer than synthetics.

3) DEAD - This is the stage wherein the strings feel dead, and they lose their resilience. Synthetics reach this stage much faster than polys. But both stay in this stage about the same length of time.

4) BREAK - This is the stage immediately before, and including the point at which the string actually breaks. The difference between the 2 types of strings is that for synthetics, I can usually feel when they are about to go. You can see "filaments" separating, and/or it starts sounding brittle. But polys don't give any warning, they just break when you least expect it.

Based on these observations, both string types go from stage 1 to stage 2 by the same amount of tension, but at different rates. So now, I string my rackets with polys at the same tension as I used to with synthetics. Polys are a godsend to a 4.5 player like me because they stay at stage 2 that much longer, so much so that I don't feel to bad about cutting my polys when they reach stage 3 because by then they had gotten so much action.

[racketwiz]

Interesting stuff, and thanks for sharing your thoughts.  As a racquet technician, I find it important and necessary to understand the physics involved in a tennis ball's collision against a racquet.  Equally important is the understanding of a player’s perception and interpretation of that collision, regardless of what the scientific numbers say. Ultimately, manipulating the technical variables of a player’s equipment in order to achieve the player’s performance goals while maintaining the player’s feel and perception is a challenge that a stringer/technician must successfully meet.  This, in my opinion, is what separates a good technician from a mediocre one.  I am constantly on this learning curve, and that’s why I appreciate comments like these from players.

[whizzard]

Hi racketwiz,

A local stringer has another reason for not recommending a high tension for polys:

   " As the string is already "makunat" and together with a high tension, it puts too much stress on the frame that it may get damaged/broken in the long term."

Is this true??? 

[racketwiz]

Hi racketwiz,

A local stringer has another reason for not recommending a high tension for polys:

   " As the string is already "makunat" and together with a high tension, it puts too much stress on the frame that it may get damaged/broken in the long term."

Is this true??? 

I could understand where the premise is coming from, but I would say this statement is false. A string’s elasticity and/or resiliency has no bearing on frame stress. A stiff poly string does not apply any more stress on the frame than an elastic natural gut strung at the same tension.

While manufacturers maintain a specific tension range per racquet model, they do not require or impose limitations on any particular type of string to be used. They may specify a “recommended” string of their own brand but that’s just a form of extended marketing. Tension ranges are established in consideration of a racquet design’s anticipated stress loads, performance intent and technical characteristics. Besides, polys lose tension at least twice as fast as the average nylon-based synthetic, so that in itself mitigates the “extra” stress if there is such a thing. As long as the racquet is strung properly (and I don’t mean just correctly weaving the strings) within its tension range, the frame should withstand the stress loads regardless of string type. Heck, you can even use a thin cable if you want (Gamma actually had a 20-gauge metallic wire string called the Edge a few years back).

Considering frame stress, I think what’s more important is the stringer’s own stringing method. If a stringer is inconsistent and unmindful of the stress that a frame bears during stringing and does not use a method that properly manages the stress brought about by mounting, stringing and tie-offs, then the stringer is unknowingly creating a breeding ground for microscopic fractures that inevitably shortens a sticks optimal service life.

Anyhoo, it’s an interesting perspective and I’d like to find out what the pro experts have to say about this. I’ll keep you posted.

[whizzard]

thanks again!