Need help with hybriding

sweatband · 2010-08-27, 22:40

Hello all,

I want to try a hybrid - a poly with a syn gut - but don't know which string to put in the mains versus the crosses. I know it can go either way, but what do you all suggest, and why?

Thanks.

sweatband · 2010-08-28, 19:09

Let me clarify, the way I worded that initially was unclear.

Do I put the polyesters in the mains or crosses? Do I put the synthetic guts in the mains or crosses? Why? What benefit does one arrangement have over another?

Thanks.

Jens · 2010-08-28, 20:56

Poly in the mains for
- durability
- power
- spin

Poly in the crosses for
- control

For me, putting the poly in the mains has more benefits. Only benefit of putting the poly in the crosses (for me) would be increased control compared to the vice-versa variant.

ClubHoUno · 2010-09-06, 19:47

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jens

Poly in the mains for
- durability
- power
- spin

Poly in the crosses for
- control

For me, putting the poly in the mains has more benefits. Only benefit of putting the poly in the crosses (for me) would be increased control compared to the vice-versa variant.

I don't quite feel it that way.

For me the benefits of having natty gut in the mains far outweighs the benefits of having it in the crosses.
I also feel I get a prolonged good feel of my hybrid, when I have the gut in the mains and the poly in the crosses, because the hybrid continues to play well, even after the poly has died. When the poly dies in the reverse hybrid, I feel it far more and I won't play the hybrid after that point.

Poly in the mains are for:

More control,
More spin,
Stiffer feel,

Natural gut in the mains are for:

More power,
Better feel,
Better volleys and drop volleys

loudriver23 · 2010-09-12, 21:48

I think some important questions you need to answer are.
1: What string/tension are you currently using?
2: What does your current setup do well for you?
3: What are you hoping to change with a different stringing configuration?
4: How is your arm doing tennis elbow wise? Poly plays stiffer, and if you have a history of arm, wrist, hand, or shoulder pain I would think twice about introducing poly into your string bed.

As far as having the poly in the crosses vs the mains, the other guys answered that question perfectly.

sweatband · 2010-09-12, 23:24

Quote:

Originally Posted by loudriver23

I think some important questions you need to answer are.
1: What string/tension are you currently using?
2: What does your current setup do well for you?
3: What are you hoping to change with a different stringing configuration?
4: How is your arm doing tennis elbow wise? Poly plays stiffer, and if you have a history of arm, wrist, hand, or shoulder pain I would think twice about introducing poly into your string bed.

As far as having the poly in the crosses vs the mains, the other guys answered that question perfectly.

Thanks for the responses everyone. Loudriver, here are my answers, those are good questions:

1: I'm using a syn gut (OG Micro Sheep 16) at the middle of the tension range on a given racquet.

2: Current setup is good for control and comfort.

3: Looking for less tension loss over time. Also a little more grip on the ball for serving with spin.

4: I have a history of TE. Which is now actually more or less under control with a new racquet I recently purchased.

I have used a poly in a full stringbed before, and it was low enough not to bother my elbow. I really liked my serves with it. However, I like the feel and control of shot I get out of a full synthetic gut stringbed for all groundies. So...
My thinking is, I can have the best of both worlds (hopefully) with a hybrid. I am thinking that my tension loss issue (I am not a string breaker and can't afford new string that often, so I always look for stuff that holds tension well) can also be solved by using one of the few pre-stretched polys on the market as the poly in my would be set up.

loudriver23 · 2010-09-12, 23:39

It sounds like you can achieve a great hybrid that will fit your requirements with only one exception. I have yet to play with poly in my string bed that will last anywhere near as long as a full bed of a nice multi-filament string. I find that even the longer lasting co-polymers will lose tension faster than the Gamma livewire XP, or Technifibre X-1 Biphase that I like.

That said, because you're like me and string breakage is not a huge issue, I would recommend to put the multi in the mains. It will hold its tension longer and your string job will feel usable longer than if you put the poly in the mains.

As for particulars, I've had good luck with both X-1 and LWXP 17 gauge in the mains with the TF BlackCode 17 in the crosses.
Going with a 17 gauge string might help with getting a bit more bite on the ball with your serves and ground strokes. Plus the BlackCode is slightly textured and will help with that too.

Since you're used to a nylon string already putting the multi in the mains will give you more of a familiar feeling as opposed to the other way around.
Good luck and I hope my 2 cents were worth close to that.

ClubHoUno · 2010-09-14, 08:27

Quote:

Originally Posted by loudriver23

It sounds like you can achieve a great hybrid that will fit your requirements with only one exception. I have yet to play with poly in my string bed that will last anywhere near as long as a full bed of a nice multi-filament string. I find that even the longer lasting co-polymers will lose tension faster than the Gamma livewire XP, or Technifibre X-1 Biphase that I like.

That said, because you're like me and string breakage is not a huge issue, I would recommend to put the multi in the mains. It will hold its tension longer and your string job will feel usable longer than if you put the poly in the mains.

As for particulars, I've had good luck with both X-1 and LWXP 17 gauge in the mains with the TF BlackCode 17 in the crosses.
Going with a 17 gauge string might help with getting a bit more bite on the ball with your serves and ground strokes. Plus the BlackCode is slightly textured and will help with that too.

Since you're used to a nylon string already putting the multi in the mains will give you more of a familiar feeling as opposed to the other way around.
Good luck and I hope my 2 cents were worth close to that.

Listen to this guy

Back in 2008, when I started testing and using natural gut and different polys (believ me, I've tested a few polys now: Luxilon Alu Power, Alu Power Spin, Alu Power Rough, Blackcode, SPPP, Red Code, Silverstring, Hyperion, Tornado, TurboTwist, Pro Hurricane, Pro Hurricane Tour, RPM Blast, probably forgot some) - I tried 2 hybrids in the same 2 racquets, one with poly in the mains, and nat gut in the crosses, the other with nat gut in the mains and poly in the crosses.

I actually like the one with Alu power mains and nat gut crosses almost as good as the reverse hybrid with nat gut in the mains, but that is because (in my view) no poly feels quite like Luxilon Alu Power for the first 3-4 hours, but then it starts to lose its nice playing characteristics and turns into just another dead poly.

But when you try both hybrids, you get to feel the difference between them.
If you're used to synth gut, go with nat gut mains and poly crosses.

I've settled with VS Team 17 natgut mains and Luxilon Alu Power Rough crosses now, as I feel this hybrid plays very well until I break if after 8-10 hours. The reverse hybrid began to feel dead within 5-6 hours, prior to me breaking it, and I prefer the feel of natural gut, so I kept the gut in the mains and the poly in the crosses and haven't looked back since that.

If you don't break strings, then the poly at some stage will start to drag the overall performance of the nat gut hybrid downwards - but it's subjective when and if you start to feel this in your hybrid.

Federer, Djokovic and Hewitt plays with nat gut mains and poly in the crosses.

Murray, Roddick and Henman plays with poly mains and nat gut crosses.

They change their strings after 1-2 hours, so if you want them to last longer and feel better, I would use the nat gut in the mains.
Even though the poly dies in the crosses, I don't feel it as much as if the poly was in the mains.

JPtennis · 2010-09-14, 13:09

Why not try it both ways? Keep in mind that the playing attributes of the main string will dominate those of the cross string. So it really comes down to what you prefer. I gave co-polys a try as main strings 1 1/2 years ago and have never looked back. Great feel, crazy spin, and plenty of power. Nothing else plays like it....

ClubHoUno · 2010-09-15, 12:06

Quote:

Originally Posted by JPtennis

Why not try it both ways? Keep in mind that the playing attributes of the main string will dominate those of the cross string. So it really comes down to what you prefer. I gave co-polys a try as main strings 1 1/2 years ago and have never looked back. Great feel, crazy spin, and plenty of power. Nothing else plays like it....

Just wondering how many hours you get out of your poly mains gut crosses hybrid ?