Luxilon strings

[KluddKalle]

Ok, thanks. But how big of a difference would you say it is?

[Rob ITST]

Not big, but noticeable to some.

[djarvik]

Never used Savage (I think Coolhand did). RPM Blast is a great string, but it just dies on me too fast.

Spiky Shark works great for me. Holds the tension really good, great bite on the ball and very crisp feel. In full bed only. In hybrid I didn't like it much.

[L Sanchez MD]

So I need a restring..

Suggestions from this list?

http://www.cjstennis.com/pages/Tennis.html


(also, wrong thread, but has anyone tried the Dunlop Aerogel 4D 200? Thinking of moving to something like that. I like a heavy head, but not sure if it's just gonna be crazy heavy.)

[Rob ITST]

Suggestions from this list?

What is your current string, and what do you want different in your next string?

[L Sanchez MD]

Suggestions from this list?

What is your current string, and what do you want different in your next string?

Dunlop max comfort. Would probably want a little more power and bite.

[Rob ITST]

Gut will give you the most power, and some extra bite; RPM or ALU will give the most bite, and probably some extra power too.

If you go with the gut, I'd keep the tension the same. If you go with the RPM or ALU, I'd drop the tension about 10%, and another 2-3 pounds on the crosses.

Personally, I'd go with 16 gauge gut in the mains and 17 gauge RPM in the crosses (they should do that for about £27) - drop the tension about 5%, and again, another 2-3 pounds on the crosses. Putting the gut in the mains will give a lot more durability than you probably think.

A good, lower cost option could be the Babolat Pro Hurricane Tour/Prince Synthetic Gut (Gamma would be my next choice). If you go with the Hurricane, make sure it's the Tour. The old Pro Hurricane kind of sucks by today's standards.

[KluddKalle]

So, I finally got to play with my new strings. It took a while to get there. Been sick since I restringed my pure storm gt early in january.

After one hour of pretty intense playing indoors today I have to say that I'm extremely pleased. Soft feeling with great power and spin. Maybe its in my head mostly, I don't know. Or maybe its the clay tennis I got to play last week on Gran Canaria that inspired me, but today I was unstoppable.

Will definately keep playing with the lime savage. Will also test some more this weekend, hopefully with the same great feeling.

[djarvik]

Did you string Full bed?

Quite some time since you stringed. I would not play a poly that is a month old, but then again I don't let them sit for a month I guess the worst thing that can happen is the notching. You will lose tension right after the stringing job, but then it settles and stays rather constant, but the Poly strings that dont move for so long may notch against each other, killing that advantage that poly actually has over gut.

Check to see if your strings somewhere in mid bed have not notched, move the string to the side and see it it made an imprint in the cross (or main).

[KluddKalle]

Yeah, full bed. And no notching that I can see. They look like the day I stringed them. Guess I'll see how it feels on saturday when I'll string my second psgt. I'll have a great chance to compare.

[djarvik]

Good to know! Thanks. Did you keep the racket indoors, room temperature?

[KluddKalle]

Yeah, its been packed in my bag that's been in my evenly, and mildly, tempered basement. I've only picked it up once or twice squeezing the handle and dreaming of playing.

[KluddKalle]

And the tension (when newly stringed) was/is 24 kg. Don't know if the original tension makes any difference?

[Rob ITST]

I would not play a poly that is a month old

I'm actually the opposite. This is how I rotate my racquets:

I have 3 racquets. #1 has new strings, #2 is about a month old, and #3 is about 2 months old. I play with #3. When I break a string (or after a month passes, whichever comes first), I'll restring that frame, and I start playing with #2. When those break, I resting and start playing with #1. Next, I go back to #3.

The reasoning behind this:

When I restring, I string about 5 pounds tighter than I really like. After 2 months, the strings are where I want them. Because the strings have settled in, they no longer lose tension as quickly as when they were new. When I break a string, the racquet I grab has also lost most of it's tension, so there is not much of a difference in tension between the two.

Now, many people rotate their racquets much more often. They try to play with each frame an equal amount, and will string all of them at the same time. This also makes a lot of sense, because all of the racquets should be very close to the same tension, all the time.

I have one very big problem with this method: When you break a string, if all of your racquets have equal amounts of play, then you know that the other racquets are very close to breaking as well. I worry that my other racquets will not make it through the match. Also, when I use new strings, I can feel them losing tension the first time I use them. You basically have two choices: play with strings that are too tight the first time you use them, or deal with loose strings for the remaining time the strings are in the racquet. The tension between the first time you use the racquet is quite different from the last time you use it.

With my method, when you break a string, you have two string jobs with no wear - basically, brand new strings. You can be pretty sure that the other racquets will get you through the match, and then some. Also, there is much less of a tension difference between the first time you use the new strings, and the last time.

I'm not saying my method is better, I'm just sharing it. Both have their merits in achieving similar goals: Consistency. With my method, the tension is more consistent over the life of the strings; the other method is more consistent between each frame.

My method does have one other benefit: You always have three racquets with different tension - if the ball is flying on you one day, you can always grab a newer string job to get a little extra control.

@Djarvik:

What you described as "notching", in a racquet that has been sitting unused for a long period of time, is not really notching. Wheat you're seeing is actually the "memory" of the poly strings - their tendency to hold their shape, so to speak. It's more like a dent, and it's one of the things that makes polys play the way they do - they want to stay in the same position they have been in. This, along with the very low friction, is what causes polys to snap back into position after each hit. Notching only occurs when the strings have moved back in forth enough to actually wear a groove in the string. Notching normally occurs on the main strings, and very rarely on the crosses.

@KluddKalle:

If you liked the tension after the racquet sat for a long time, then I suggest you do one of two things the next time you string. Either use the method I described, or string looser.

[djarvik]

Good stuff.

I have to say though, I do not like the feeling of dented poly. The string doesn't move and that causes a totally different feel of the strings for me. I actually cut it out when that happens.

I use two frames and string both the same. I will switch them mid play. Most ploys don't last more then a week for me in the summer. They either break or go dead.

I got pretty good at stringing this past summer tried tons of strings. I guess it all depends how often do you play.

I like your idea about 3 frames, will have to try it. Assuming a string job lasts me a week, what kinda tension difference I should be going for? Stinging at 55lbs usually.