So I really like my factory strings but usually break them within a month after buying a new racquet. After I take it to my racquet stringer I never really like it as much as I did when it was strung from the factory. Has anyone else felt the same way about factory strings?

Almost never. I usually cut out the stock strings and re-string, right out of the box. Unless I happen to be experimenting/playing around with a new-to-me racquet, then I might keep 'em for a awhile to establish a benchmark while dialing in the racquet(s).

If you like the stock string, by all means stick with it. Order a few sets of the same string & gauge, and bring 'em to your stringer (in case she doesn't have it on hand).

Thing is, you never really know what the stock tension is - so you have to start over (by restringing, even with the stock string) to figure out your tension preference.

-Jim

I think I read some where, that companies that prestring their racquets (especially racquetball) string them at the high end or even higher of the exceptable range they print on the racquet or on their sites.

They say they do this, because of the time the racquets spends in transit from the slow boats from China, sitting on the stores shelves and so on before the end customer looks at them.

They also say, that the end user likes to see and feel a tighter stringbed when thinking about buying them, instead of a loose ones. Especially for the buyers that pluck the outer mains to see what the tension feels like.

I would have to say you like the racquet strung at a high tension and when you have it restrung, the stringer usually restrings it in the middle of the exceptable range, which will be looser, which you don't like.

I agree with Jcamasto and for you to find a string you like and then experiment with the tension range until you find a tension that works. It can be very costly, especially if the string is expensive and you have to have it restung many times over to find the right tension for you. Out here in CA. restringing is over $30.00 a pop.

That is way I bought a low end drop weight stringing machine and restring my own racquets the way I like them. I also restring for friends that has help me pay many times over for the reels of strings I use and the stringing machine itself.

What was the question again ?? LOL

Thanks for your reply. I do have my racquets restrung with string that is wound. I like it ok, but not as much as I like a new factory strung racquet. I play Head Amp racquets and have them restrung at higher tension then the factory suggests. I also go thru string quite quickly. Restringing here is $27 per and I have had three racquets being restrung at the same time. Anyway, I am trying to see what some of the other guys on this board are using and maybe I will buy some different string and have my stringer use what I bring him instead of what he has on his stringing reel.

15yearslater,

I believe the Head Amp comes with the Head Megablast 16g multifilament string.

You don't say what string and at what tension your stringer puts on your racquets. If you like the way it feels from the factory, you should use Head Megablast 16g and experiment with the tension. I believe the range is 31 to 37 lbs.

From my experience with stringing Head racquets like the Amp, you need to string it at least at 35 lbs to make it feel like 30-31 lbs afterwards. You can only pull from the top of the racquet and that means 2 mains at a time. When I first did them at 31 lbs, I had to cut them out as people said they were way to loose.

So, if you wanted a final tension of 37 lbs, the stringer might need to actually set his machine for 42 lbs or more.

This is just my opinion and what I do for my clients. Other stringers might not agree.

I also believe that the higher tensions cause the strings to break faster, especially if you hit the ball near the top of the frame. It just takes one hard frame hit to break the string in most racquets. So, check to see where the strings are breaking at.

Maybe JCamasto can give his opinion about this and what he has does when he strings Head Amp type racquets.

Btw, I use either Forten 16g mono string (in a reel of 660' and costs $17.00) or Gearbox 17g mono (in a reel of 660' and costs $40.00). I hit well with both and it is hard to beat $1.00 - $2.50 for a set of string). I have yet to break any strings, but then I cut them out almost every month or so.

Good Luck.

Lionel,
Great information!! I really appreciate your help. I will find out what string and tension I am currently using. The guy that strings my racquets, does this almost full time. He mostly does tennis racquets. I will ask him and get back to you.

I mostly string my own, on a tabletop klippermate. ~100 racquets total.

I agree that generally for dbl-pulled mains (like eforce, wilson, head) you need a higher tension (for the dbl pulls), and hope that the strings even out. I'm playing e-force; to compensate I audibly "tune" the two mains being pulled (like a guitar) to even them out - and thus use the same tension setting. I don't think many stringers do this. It works for me.

I also agree that strings generally come over-tensioned from the factory, or at the high end of their spec range. So if you like how the stock set up plays, use the same string & gauge, and start moving up in tension.

Of course, this whole conversation is why I string my own. To take out the variability of: stringer(s) * machine(s) * string(s) * communication * cost

-Jim

FYI- Wilson frames are not double-pulled on the mains. You can and should tension at the throat and head of the racquet.

For Head, Eforce, and Ektelon frames I double pull without increasing the tension any from what the player wanted. For me it's more important to know exactly what tension is going on the frame versus trying to guess what the final tension might be once I tie off. It's easier to make adjustments later on once you get feedback from the player.

But everyone has their own style and reasoning behind it.

Hilario: are you using fixed or floating clamps? I suppose one could tension from head & throat of all racquets, now that you got me thinking about it...

Floating clamp users would need a starter pin/string for the first pull, but else it should work. Problem, especially with Eforce, is friction through the "richter tubes" makes the two pulls "uneven" (18" "open" vs. 26" w/ tubes). That's why I tune them.

-Jim

Fixed clamps and a starting clamp when able. Yeah, I got it easy.

I guess a stringer could string a racquet quite a few different ways, and then do it the way they like best to get the results they want.

But Eforce and Head gives stringers detailed instructions on how to string most of their racquets and doing it Hilario's way is not one of them. The only thing that is lacking in their instructions, is what reference tension needs to be used on the mains to get the desired tension wanted.

Example for Eforce.

I called Eforce directly and ask for the person involved with the stringing of their racquets. The person told me that they add 6 lbs for mono strings and 8 lbs for multifilament strings to the desired tension wanted for the mains.

Thus if you want a desired tension of 32 lbs, you would pull the mains at 38 lbs for mono and 40 lbs for multifilament strings. The crosses would be pulled at 32 lbs.

This has worked out fine for the people using Eforce racquets that I string for.


Example for Head.

Most of the current head racquets have the mains pulled only at the top. I believe (right or wrong) you need to add some tension to the reference tension to get the desired tension. I tried various amounts and for me and my customers, I decided on 5 lbs more when doing the mains to give me a tension that feels like 30-31 lbs. I string the crosses at the desire wanted.

Since the manufacturers of these no grommets in the throat(Head) and thru the handle with tubes (E-force) can't even tell you exactly what the refernece tensions should be in stringing their racquet to get a desired tension, it is trial and error in finding one that works out the best for you and the customer.

Anyways, just my 2 cents and how I string these types of racquets. Life would be much easier, if they kept making the racquets the old way with grommets everywhere and you just pull one string at a time.