Hybrid mix question from a newbie

[Jonnyshoes]

Hello all, I'm new to the board and new to stringing. I own an Eagnas Flex 920 that I have strung my first two raquets with. I play alot and want to save some money not looking to make this a business or anything. And to be honest some of what I'm reading on this board just shoots over my head so please be kind.

I'm playing 5 times per week with a couple of Head Ti-Radical OS, one pc stinging at 66lbs with Gamma Live wire 16. After reading some of what you all said about 2pc stringing, and since Head suggests 2pc for this racquet I wondered if there is any advantage to Gamma Live wire 17 and Gamma Synthetic gut 17 in any combination. Or should I go with some other combo?

Thanks in advance for any and all input

Johnnyshoes

[ggtennis]

Johnny -

One of the terrific things about stringing your own racquets is you will have an opportunity to experiment with strings and hybrids without breaking the bank.

1 pc vs 2 pc stringing pushes some hot buttons on this board, but if you've read through some of the threads you have already discovered this to be true. IMO 1 pc ATW (Around the World, stringing top down) works well...but 2 pc has it's advocates and members of this board seem to be hot for the jaycee method, which I have also used on a limited basis with success.

Now for the bomb...why are you using Live Wire??? I have playtested this stuff and am forced to install it for customers at a club where only Gamma products are sold. Generally, it plays fine for the first 3 - 5 sets and then tension drops rapidly, control is lost and the string continues deteriorating until it is a mass of limp exposed threads that stand ready to pop on a crucial point. Seriously, the stuff doesn't hold tension at all and durability is also an issue. This is your opportunity to release yourself from the Gamma prison and try some higher quality strings.

Not sure where you live, but if the weather is mild or if you play indoors I would suggest a hybrid of Bow Brand Professional Natural Gut 16 in the mains (Can be had from tennis warehouse for 19.99) and a soft synthetic gut or lower cost string in the crosses. (Using hybrid brings total cost of string job down and gives you great playability). If you use an Alpha Gut 2000 or Laserfibre Synthetic Gut as a cross your total cost for the string job would be about the same as a full Live Wire job and the increased playability and durability is bound to make you smile! In the long run this combination will allow you to save $ because it won't need to be replaced as frequently.

If you want to explore other good multis I have a list of favorites... Technifibre X1 Bi-Phase, Wilson NXT OS (NOT ANY OTHER NXT, just the OS), Yonex Tour Super 850, Unique Tournafiber Irradiated, and Laserfibre Laser Supreme. Again, I am sharing a heavy dose of personal opinion here, but these are among the best performing multis I have tried and are the strings I carry and usually suggest to my customers.

Hybridding any of the above strings with a lower cost cross string works to bring down the total cost. Most of the playing characteristics (some say 70 - 90%) come from the main strings so a hybrid does impact playability, but used in combination with a great playing main you will be fine. Just get rid of the Live Wire. ;)

[Jonnyshoes]

Thanks GG, I'll give those combos a try. I'v been playing with live wire from the start and your right, it always feels different by the next match. Being new to tennis (4yrs) I just assumed it was me.

As for climate, I play outdoors year round, Phoenix is hot in the summer and moderate or cool in the winter. I have planned on lowering my tension settings for the cooler months and the opposite for the summer. Any ideas?

Thanks again for the feed back!

Jonny

[kwick]

Hi Johnnyshoes,

See you have had some help from GG already which all looks good. You might also want to check out the link below which refers you to a earlier posting on this site where you will find one of the best explained set of string recommendations you could wish to find. Thank JayCee for that :

http://www.stringforum.net/board/showthread.php?t=842

Print it out and save it......

Cheers,

kwick

[Jonnyshoes]

Thanks kwick for the link and you too JayCee for posting it. Your tension recommendations are very clear and I'm comfortable giving this a go for the first time.

I will string both of my Ti Radicals with different combos and see what feels best, let you know the outcome.

Thanks again for all your help folks.

Remember if you can't hit'em where they aint, then hit it at them! God loves serve and volley guys!

Shoes

[Jay Cee]

I would have liked to participate in the discussion, but I would just be repeating what's already been written. ;)

Thanks Kwick for the link, I rarely go back over past postings, it's not a bad one, it just goes to show that from time to time some good advice can pop up. You just have to be around the day it happens, otherwise you may miss it, like Jaypro. Here he's got a second chance. :eek:

Cheers, and happy hybriding.
JC :cool:

[Jonnyshoes]

Jay Cee,

You should feel like you contributed since I'm using your 2pc format this weekend. After reading a large number of posts prior to login, your 2pc format was very logical, not to mention I get to benefit from your extensive exp. With only two stringings under my belt, it just seemed like the right way to go. Learn it right once rather then wrong numerous times.

So Thanks again and I'll talk to you after I string!!

Shoes