tensions tensions tensions

[mikejsb876]

i strung three of my racquets with three different stringing configs in order for me to find something i like and stick with it.... i know that what i decide will ultimatly be on me to do that, but im here to ask you all some pros and cons of my configs that i have

what im trying to shoot for is more spin, which can basically be control, and power (some extra pop)

1st config - Wilson Polylast 17g Mains at 59lbs. Gosen OG SHEEP MICRO 16g at 57 pounds

2nd config - Wilson Polylast 17g Mains at 57lbs. Gosen OG SHEEP
MICRO 16g at 59 pounds

3rd config - Wilson Polylast 17g Mains at 56lbs. Gosen OG SHEEP
MICRO 16g at 60 pounds

from hitting with each i felt the 3rd config felt the stiffest which i didnt care for very much.... the 2nd config really felt like i generated alot of spin on my strokes and serves. the only reason i have the 1st config is because halfway through stringing the mains i noticed how i set the tension at 59... and well i feel like that 1st and 2nd config outweigh and outperform the 3rd. i appretciate your comments in helping me decide on a tension. thanks

[Hawkeye2]

Hi,

sounds as if you liked the 2nd config the most so why don't play it ?!

By the way, Jay Cee won't like your results at all !

Bye

[Jay Cee]

Hawkeye2,

If you think that the results obtained by Mike, who is apparantly a novice stringer, would not be to my liking, is really not serious and I would have expected a more constructive comment from you. :(

My experiences and conclusions are the consequence of about 20 years work as a professional in stringing for thousands of players at all different levels. I am personally totally convinced of the benefits of applying my stringing method, and I am happy to offer my advice and explain how to get the most out of your strings and your raquette. If anyone wants to try it at least once, and if he is happy with the results then he is free to continue or not with this method of stringing. :p

Personally, if Mike or you or Jaypro or anyone else is not convinced then that's OK with me, I have no wish to impose my method on anyone.If however, an experienced stringer (like you) had taken the time or had enough curiosity to check out what I have explained, I doubt very much that you would have written your latest posting. Perhaps you would have noted that the results of the tests are surprising and logically the contrary would appear to be more coherent. ;)

I can demonstrate to any reasonable stringer, that it is absolutely impossible that with 2 identical raquettes strung at :
1st config - Wilson Polylast 17g Mains at 59lbs. Gosen OG SHEEP MICRO 16g at 57 pounds,
and
3rd config - Wilson Polylast 17g Mains at 56lbs. Gosen OG SHEEP
MICRO 16g at 60 pounds
that the 3rd Config would have a stiffer stringbed than the 1st Config.

Do you seriously expect me to believe that a Poly main strung at 59lbs is softer than a Poly main strung at 56lbs.? Most unlikely :o
Do you think that the crosses at 60lbs are going to make that string bed so much stiffer than the crosses at 57lbs.? I don't think so. :o
As for the 2nd Config, with mains at 57 and crosses at 59 I would be very surprised that this is softer than either Config 1 or 3. Unbelievable! :o

OK, Mike says it feels stiffer and in his words "which I didn't care for very much.... " Maybe there is another reason why it's stiffer, perhaps Mike can find an answer to that one . . .

So back to base one, I have no problems with Mike's Test results, he can draw any conclusion he feels like, but as you say, if he likes Config 2. why look for something else.

Your "By the way, Jay Cee won't like your results at all !" were a little more difficult to accept, but there again, why should I take that seriously, it was probably meant to be a joke. :D

Thanks for your posting Dirk, it's been a long time since I've seen you on the Board, some positive input from your side would be nice to see from time to time.
Cheers,
JC :cool:

[David Pavlich]

This is the type of thing that makes stringing for a lot of different people a real challenge. I make suggestions depending on the playing style to either enhance a good part of their game, help a bad part or to help solve other problems such as health issues. The majority of my customers barely know which racquet they use, let alone the little nuances of all things stringing.

There is merit to every way a frame is strung as long as it's within the parameters of good stringing practices. What feels good for 8 of my customers might feel like junk to 1 of my customers. And for that one customer, I do what's right for him or her, regardless if I think my way is better. I advise and weigh the pros and cons for each customer, but in the end, it's what the customer wants.

JayCee has done a lot more research than I have done or have the time to do. In general, he has found his way of stringing to have very positive results. However, it is impossible to take one method of stringing and please 100% of the customers. I string nearly everything one piece and ATW when needed. I do use JayCee's method of overtensioning on the last 2 string before a tie off. However, I have some customers that want something different and I comply.

One method is not nor will it ever be 100% correct, and I include my method in the mix because the customer is always right! ;)

David

[Hawkeye2]

Hi Jay Cee,

my comment was meant to be joke, I thought this would be obvious, that's why I left out a smiley ;)

I really appreciate your professional advice on tensions and mikejsb876 results are just his personal experience with this combination of strings.

In the last year I was just able to test your setup once on my old Ti Radical, not enough to really compare the playability with my old setup.

Since then I switched my racket (to a Völkl Tour 10 MP) and my standard string (Concept 3).

So I tested first the best setup for this racket with the old stringing method (getting 55/53 as a best result).

Then I tested some different strings and it made no sense to use another stringing method otherwise I could not have compared the different string characteristics.

And on top of that I'm a club player with a winter and a summer season and I don't like to change the tension on my standard string midseason...

You see, not much time to test different tensions on the same string last year.

I hope I can test your setup thoroughly after the end of the winter season (should be Feb...) it deserves more attention then to be just a "by the way" test !

If my comment offended you in any way I really apologize for this !

I really thought you would be quite battle-hardened after your discussions with Jaypro... ;)

[Jay Cee]

Thanks Dirk,

I pay much more attention to comments from people who know what they are talking about, if you, Joe, David, Kwick, Eric or DF pick shit out of my comments it is obvious that I am more upset than if Jaypro goes bananas, though in all fairness to him he has come a long way in the last 6 months and apart from the plastic bag stuff (he forgot my bags for Xmas :D )I don't have much of a chance to argue with him anymore, and now that he is a regular poster with the pros of GSS, I have to be carefull. :(

No mate, I'm not offended, I did take it as a joke, but even after sleeping on it, I still can't understand how the racquet with the lowest tension in the mains has the stiffest feeling. Of course, I should play it cool and not gone into details, but I guess that I tend to shoot my mouth off also when I don"t agree with something. That's just me, an arrogant Aussi (as observed by JB) who thinks he knows it all, an unworthy bastard going off the deep end. ;)

David is of course the one that does all the thinking whilst he's stringing, (and as he stings a lot, he thinks a lot) so when he writes something it's spot on, my problem is that I can't think and string at the same time (I mess up the string job) so he has an unfair advantage over me. :D

By the way, (my turn) I would be very interested in you testing my method, I need some serious support, but if you don't agree with my findings just forget about reporting it here (but you could send me a personal message instead :p ), as you can see, I prefer to back a winner. :)

Have a great day,
JC :cool:

PS. David in my game the stringer is almost always right, the customer must be guided by the pro, unless of course he knows what he is talking about, that is exceptional, as you rightly stated "The majority of my customers barely know which racquet they use, let alone the little nuances of all things stringing" I agree entirely and act accordingly, but I pay total attention to the requirements of a good player who gives constructive infos, of course in this case the client is generally right. :cool:

[David Pavlich]

JayCee,

You're assetion that the stringer is always right depends on who the stringer is. If he or she is the consumate professional that studies string and frame technology and understands why this hardware does what it does AND is able to put in terms that the player can understand, yes, the stringer knows best. That knowledge doesn't always sink in when passed along, but at least the information, therefore the options, are given.

A stringer that puts string in a frame that understands the mechanics of stringing but hasn't a clue as far as why what happens, happens, then the stringer isn't always right.

Because I see such a diverse group of players, I get to discuss a wide variety of facts and myths concerning strings and frames and the interaction of the two. One of my favorite parts of this job is when I can diplomatically refute a myth or reinforce a fact that may have gotten lost because of bad advice. All in all, it's really a great job that I have. How can a stringing geek like me have it better than owning a tennis shop?! :D

David

[Jay Cee]

David,

After 20 years of running a tennis shop, I closed it down and now give free advice on Tennis Forum's, you have to be a a freak as well as a stringing geek to get away with that one. :D

Your point is well taken, in MY shop, very few clients got the better of me, I really imposed my way of stringing, but as for the major part of so called pro-stringers, the client would be better off insisting on what he wants rather than leaving it all up to the stringer. Sad but true. :(

My shop was always a great meeting place for players, mostly animated by real differences of opinion on almost every aspect of Tennis, whether it be racquets, strings, accessories, weightd and balance and on and on . . .. But if you are, like me, passioned by all that, it's really the best place to be. Enjoy it mate, you're where you should be. ;)
Bye.
:cool:

[Tim Strawn]

Very well said by David. I've seen some very incompetent stringers out there and more often than not, they think very highly of their inadequate skills. It really does make a difference in terms of who the stringer is, their education level of the craft, and their experience level.

I'm new to these boards and have been reading some of the posts. My observations tell me that you have a nice forum going on here and some very knowledgeable folks willing to share valuable information. So far it's been a pleasure to read the posts and get some varying ideas from different people.

Maxx