Hello everyone,
Sorry for the length between posts--I've been busy getting my new website up and running. I pulled my hair out for two days trying to go the technical route that my uber-computer-geek friends recommended before I decide to stick with a format I was familiar with. But I digress.
I had a chance to hit with my new Gamma ZO Magic/Live-Wire Hybrid. Here is the verdict:
It hit fairly well, but the ZO Magic was very stiff which one would expect from a poly-mono string, but considering it is one of their high-end mono strings, I was expecting a bit more from it. Overall, the hybrid hit like a slightly better than average synthetic gut--I'm sure the durability will far surpass that of a typical syn-gut however.
It could also be that I strung it too tight. I went a couple pounds higher than my Babolat Hurricane/Tecnifibre Hybrid. I might try it again and go down 2-3 pounds, which might make a difference. But for the price, which was in the range of my other hybrid, I can't say it's worth the money.
Also: as soon as I get my digital fish scale delivered (it was supposed to be here a few days ago) I'll try it out and take some pretty pictures and post about how it works--I'm afraid to know how off my tensioner is:)
Saturday, May 8, 2010
Sunday, May 2, 2010
A stringing video from Vinh
One of my valued readers, Vinh, sent me a link to his YouTube video. Even though he only filmed himself stringing the mains, he is lightning fast. I can't make out the machine brand/model, but hopefully Vinh will send me another message with the info. Here's a link to Vinh's YouTube page for anyone interested: Vinh's YouTube
Thanks again Vinh,
UPDATE: Vinh uses a Alpha Axis Pro, but replaced the lock out crank tensioner with a Head 2086 electronic constant pull machine. FYI
My Gamma Hybrid Experiment (w/ visual aides)
Here are the Zo Magic mains completed. These were strung at 65 lbs.--not pre-stretched as that would be superfluous for mono-filament strings. As far as poly strings go, it was fairly flexible, quite similar to the Babolat Pro Hurricane.
Here's the Live Wire going in the crosses at 63 lbs. I did pre-stretch these. They had a bit of an "oily" feel to them. Of course that could be the result of the leftover lasagna I had for lunch--usually a good idea to wash one's hands, but since this is for my racquet, I let such graces slide.
Here is the completed racquet. I put the other two halves in plastic baggies and labeled what they are--just in case I mistake it for a very long piece of spaghetti. The ease of stringing was quite excellent with this combo, my poorly constructed machine not withstanding. I will give an update as soon as I have a chance to go out and hit with it--hopefully on Har-Tru again; I've missed the dirt so much--my knees have missed it even more.
Until then; keep stringing and evolving!
Saturday, May 1, 2010
To stretch or not to stretch
Happy May to everyone.
I get to go play on clay tomorrow (well, har-tru) for the first time in a while. It's nice to slide around on the dirt every now and again. But anyone who has played on properly maintained European Red Clay, knows that Har-Tru just doesn't cut it--like playing with natural gut and switching to cheap nylon. But I digress.
I ask the grand philosophical question for the ages: to stretch or not to stretch?
I was initially of the understanding, I'm not sure why, that typically pre-stretching wasn't a necessity except for
natural gut. I typically stood by that assertion for many years. That was until I talked with some more experienced and learned stringers who informed me that all strings should be pre-stretched. This made since based on their reasoning. It cuts down on tension loss (though very slightly); it makes the string easier to deal with--not so many knots to contend with; and it reduces the chance of "folding" or snagging going through the grommet. An unnoticed snag with natural gut could be disasterous.
I suppose I am still a subscriber to the virtues of pre-stretching as I still continue to do it. Better safe than sorry. Of course, with so many monofilaments/polyesters gaining favor, pre-stretching seems somewhat superfluous as they are already so rigid. One is much more likely to cause cause permanent circulation damage to the hand and fingers than to actually stretch the string. I don't even attempt pre-stretching with mono. In reality though, does stretching even multi-filaments actually do significant good, or is it just an old wive's tale? Again, preventing knots and snags is a plus, but can be avoided with a little extra care and attention.
As far as the notion of pre-stretched string holding the tension better, I am very skeptical. Keep in mind, my experience in the hard-sciences is limited to bio-chemistry and pharmacology. This isn't very applicable to string technology. Yet common sense tells me that any benefit of tension retention, if any, would be negligible. For one, the thousands of fibers comprising multi-filament string are intended to recoil after stress. Stretching simply "straightens" out the fibers that have been sitting in a package for who know how long. I don't believe that simply re-aligning the fibers does anything other than make it slightly easier to work with. Perhaps, a little resiliency could be lost by stretching the fibers twice--once before string, once again during stringing. As far as better tension retention; I'm sure studies have been done, but I would be surprise if the result was greater than a 1/2 pound.
But, I will probably still continue to pre-strech regardless of my skepticism. It's hard to let go of beliefs that we picked up at some time for some particular reason. It reminds me of having arguments with players who insist on using vibration dampeners for the purpose of reducing arm and elbow stress. In my mind it is both a marketing ploy and psycho-semantic. They do little other than block the noise--which for me, is not a result I I want. I can tell when I am hitting the sweet spot and when I am not. I can adjust accordingly. With a vibration dampener, anything other than hitting the frame goes unnoticed. As far as I'm concerned, use softer, more forgiving strings. These will provide slightly less vibration and be more forgiving on the arm--slightly. I'm still not sold on the pre-stretching, yet I can't turn my back on a ritual that I have been doing for years now, Right or wrong, it's just now a part of the routine.
I get to go play on clay tomorrow (well, har-tru) for the first time in a while. It's nice to slide around on the dirt every now and again. But anyone who has played on properly maintained European Red Clay, knows that Har-Tru just doesn't cut it--like playing with natural gut and switching to cheap nylon. But I digress.
I ask the grand philosophical question for the ages: to stretch or not to stretch?
I was initially of the understanding, I'm not sure why, that typically pre-stretching wasn't a necessity except for
natural gut. I typically stood by that assertion for many years. That was until I talked with some more experienced and learned stringers who informed me that all strings should be pre-stretched. This made since based on their reasoning. It cuts down on tension loss (though very slightly); it makes the string easier to deal with--not so many knots to contend with; and it reduces the chance of "folding" or snagging going through the grommet. An unnoticed snag with natural gut could be disasterous.
I suppose I am still a subscriber to the virtues of pre-stretching as I still continue to do it. Better safe than sorry. Of course, with so many monofilaments/polyesters gaining favor, pre-stretching seems somewhat superfluous as they are already so rigid. One is much more likely to cause cause permanent circulation damage to the hand and fingers than to actually stretch the string. I don't even attempt pre-stretching with mono. In reality though, does stretching even multi-filaments actually do significant good, or is it just an old wive's tale? Again, preventing knots and snags is a plus, but can be avoided with a little extra care and attention.
As far as the notion of pre-stretched string holding the tension better, I am very skeptical. Keep in mind, my experience in the hard-sciences is limited to bio-chemistry and pharmacology. This isn't very applicable to string technology. Yet common sense tells me that any benefit of tension retention, if any, would be negligible. For one, the thousands of fibers comprising multi-filament string are intended to recoil after stress. Stretching simply "straightens" out the fibers that have been sitting in a package for who know how long. I don't believe that simply re-aligning the fibers does anything other than make it slightly easier to work with. Perhaps, a little resiliency could be lost by stretching the fibers twice--once before string, once again during stringing. As far as better tension retention; I'm sure studies have been done, but I would be surprise if the result was greater than a 1/2 pound.
But, I will probably still continue to pre-strech regardless of my skepticism. It's hard to let go of beliefs that we picked up at some time for some particular reason. It reminds me of having arguments with players who insist on using vibration dampeners for the purpose of reducing arm and elbow stress. In my mind it is both a marketing ploy and psycho-semantic. They do little other than block the noise--which for me, is not a result I I want. I can tell when I am hitting the sweet spot and when I am not. I can adjust accordingly. With a vibration dampener, anything other than hitting the frame goes unnoticed. As far as I'm concerned, use softer, more forgiving strings. These will provide slightly less vibration and be more forgiving on the arm--slightly. I'm still not sold on the pre-stretching, yet I can't turn my back on a ritual that I have been doing for years now, Right or wrong, it's just now a part of the routine.
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