String Tension for power?

The frame is your best source of power usually by a choice of stiffness, weight, and balance based on your swing speed. String tension and type make it playable for your needs such as spin and control.

Murray Asks

String Sensistive Rackets

I can't make an overly stiff frame soft enough with a change of strings to make me like the frame. The same goes for a flexible frame that cannot be changed enough by string tension or type to stop that trampoline effect. Maybe a frame that has all of the mid range attributes of moderate head light balance, and flex combined with weight to allow you to choose it's best characteristic with the right string and tension is the ideal and could be seen as string sensitive. Or taken the other way, a stiff and powerful frame can be ruined with rotgut string at the wrong tension just as a sponge bucket frame can be made to lose all feel with the wrong tension and poly.

The best answer is to experiment and test different frames that augment and compliment your game taking into account any predisposition toward injuries you may have. You can always change the characteristics of weight and balance but changing racket flexibility doesn't happen. You can loosen strings to reduce shock but at some point it will alter your stroke results and may require a change of approach which at that point might be best to consider a change of rackets.

Tennis Equipment Costs - It's a bargain

I'm guessing at these prices based on memory but here is a representation of how to value your tennis gear.

Late 1970's Corolla $2k, Stan Smith Shoes $12-15, Jack Kramer Racket $20-25. Current price Corolla $20k, Newest Endorsed Shoes $60-130, Newest Endorsed Racket approx. $200. Everything went up 10x since mid 70's as the dollar went down in value.

The quality has improved generally along with the technology so I'd say we're good on most things. Don't buy the latest frame and when you find a frame you love pick up a dozen of them when they are being discontinued. You can always get your money back on Ebay if you switch out.

Pick shoes that work for you and avoid the logos with endorsements that add cost. If you are hard on shoes get and apply shoe-goo at Wal-M and wear those shoes when practicing and not playing or teaching.

Clothing, well that's your call but the modern fabrics are so much better at surviving stains, wear, and maintaining color that if you get the top quality stuff and wash cold you'll have it for years.

No matter what you think the value versus cost of tennis equipment right now is as good as it has ever been. Just don't think that you can buy skill with fancy equipment. Do the deep and repetitive spending on training, instruction , and competition whenever possible.


Addendum: Everything went up but tennis balls. I think they were $2 a can in 1960 and haven't seemed to budge since then. Spend your money on new tennis balls and laugh.

Wilson Clash Tennis Racket - A new concept that includes control and power

Wilson Clash 100

I always look for new tennis technology so here is a promised innovation I thought I'd pass along. This new frame promises both control from flexibility that adds dwell time and power from stability.

I've always preferred control frames and accepted that I had to produce my own power and accept some reduction relative to a very stiff and powerful frame.  This does sound like an innovation.

A stable yet very flexible frame hopefully offers some injury protection for those who have elbow problems and those of us aging and finding the shock of hard hits much more noticeable than before.

Hybrid Racket Stringing for Great Feel and Control - Gut and Synthetic Gut

I used to be a purist and either stayed with gut or high grade nylon but had never tried the mix.  A few years ago after realizing that my gut breakage was getting out of control during the stringing process I decided to change things.

Getting Crossed Up

The problem was not on the mains.  Running gut that way is easy but I am using heavy gauge gut for durability and savings.  My choice is  Babolat Tonic+ Natural Gut 15L.  I kept breaking the string while doing the crosses because fishing two pieces of heavy gauge gut through a modern frame hole at one of the junctures required using an awl.  I found that the hole size might be the same as the old wood frames, maybe, but there is no give like wood offered.   So rather than creating some space in a wood hole the hard synthetic frame of a racket meant that I was just crushing string.  I was breaking the gut on the mains while stringing or shortly after I began play because I was grooving and crushing the gut mains with the awl.  Solution - Gut for mains and synthetic gut for crosses.  It's easy to fish synthetic past a gut main in a juncture hole without the need for using an awl or at least not over-using it.

Focus on the Mains for Control

If you look at the frame and visualize how the ball strikes it and the path of your swing you'll see that the mains do the grabbing and the crosses act as the support like trampoline.   The mains run opposite of the racket face across the ball and therefore present the frictional and rotational impediment to the ball and so impart the spin while the crosses run in the same direction as the racket face path across the ball.

The crosses simply hold the mains in place, though I'll admit if I used an abrasive string on the crosses as well it would also help with grabbing the ball for imparting spin but with gut on the mains my primary concern is not damaging the gut so I want relatively smooth crosses.  This is telling when you have loose mains that move too much where the crosses rarely move.   I want a string on the mains that has enough texture to allow me to get all the spin I'm entitled to without high tension.

So here is my solution that has worked out perfectly.    String the mains with thick gauge gut at a tension that will initially seem taut but when the usual relaxation of tension comes with use and time it will drop right into the perfect control range.  So if I like a 50lb feel I string it at 55 lbs and within a few weeks of mild use and sitting it works down to an ideal tension.

What to use on the Crosses

The crosses are another question.  I tend to use 16 gauge crosses with high grade synthetic gut to again maintain longevity and look toward a solid platform for the gut strings to do their magic.

On my first attempt I used some 30 year old Prince Synthetic that I had plenty of from my days of outdoor teaching that required a great string not subject to moisture.  This or a string like this is my normal cross string.  It works.  It holds tension well enough.  I string the crosses a few pounds lighter than the mains because the stretching seems to be much less pronounced.  Also, the working strings for me are the mains and they need to grab the ball for spin so I want some tension and less movement.

Longevity as a side benefit

One more great benefit of a non-abrasive nylon cross string is that the wear of the gut strings at each crossover is almost non existent and instead the wear is focused on where the ball contacts the strings.  I get a whole season out of a set of gut now where before I'd get a month or two.

If you like playing with gut but not the price or misery of early breakage you might try a good hybrid combination.  One concern is that your mains need to be in the 20' range to get two string jobs out of one set of gut.  You can also buy half sets of Babolat gut that are 20' in length.

Regarding this Article 

This is my own version of how things work and maybe you'll find a different take from the string masters out there though I have been stringing rackets since the 70's it's not my main effort and I haven't pretended to keep up on all of the new research into string interactions with the tennis  balls.   Based on my results and the fact that I am older and don't want a case of tennis elbow I think gut offers the spin and control options that might only be available in a hard on the arm synthetic strung at higher tensions.  Therefore consider this advice as specific to solving those problems.  If you come up with any other great solution please share it in the comment section.

High Tech Racket Selection

Trying to find the right tennis racket? High Tech Solution

This is interesting and may  become standard someday, but for now your best bet is to choose a racket that feels good in your hand and doesn't strain your arm, wrist,  or shoulder to wield it.

If you can hit your strokes the way you want to with this racket that is what matters.  Tweaking a racket is best done by choosing first the stiffness and balance.  You can adjust the  weight and balance later with lead tape.  You can somewhat alter the feel of stiffness by the type of string, but it is best to find a frame that matches your play style.  Then the string is best chosen to manage your spin preferences.  You can alter the string tension to also change the characteristics but keeping in mind that too much tension of too hard a string can cause injuries.

 Head light rackets help in racket speed but add shock to the arm.

Head heavy rackets are slow to move and therefore are mostly suited to slow courts.

Stiff frames have massive power but very little shock absorption.

Flexible frames give better feel and much more protection against injury.

Gut string had great feel, spin generation, and control with minimal shock, but they are expensive.

Poly strings have great power and spin production but are tough on arms.

Nylon is a a great compromise string and there are types that can fit your style of play.

Hybrid string setups are a solution some players find useful but I never really found it ideal.

Racket stringing: Baseball Hat Clip Light Review - Energizer

I love this light.  I have used it for stringing work regularly for the past five years.  In the past I could see the holes in the frame to snake the string through even in low light conditions, but in the past few years I've noticed I needed more light.  It doesn't help that the lighting in the stringing room is not ideal, so this is my solution.  I either clip it on my hat or just point it to the place I need to get a good view.  I've had this light for probably close to a decade, not sure.  But it is a trooper.  It works and has made my life easier.

This one LED version of the hat clip light is ideal for such purposes.    It probably has a lithium battery that means in general it will last forever unless I leave it on and run it down.  Since I only use it periodically it may be a lifetime light.  I highly recommend it.

The one shown below is a 3 LED version so it is much more expensive than the one I have.  You can probably find the less expensive one at Wal Mart or a hardware store.

Ektelon Stringing Machine Upgrade Kit Review

I have had an original Model C Ekteleon stringing machine for over 30 years with no upgrades.   I somehow got by stringing my own rackets but avoided stringing rackets for friends based on the limitations of the old design meant for much smaller wood rackets.  

I finally decided to get an upgrade kit for my machine so I could make it an easier job of stringing my own Head Radical OS frames.  I have enough floating clamps/speed clamps to accompany my fixed clamps so I didn't go for the clamp upgrade kit yet, though after trying the two point mount upgrade kit and seeing how well it works I may try that as well.

I received the 2 point mount kit today and found the installation very easy and quick.  I got it done in less than 30 minutes without stress or aggravation.

Once complete I went right to stringing my Head Racket and found it was now possible to pull tension on all of the center strings where before I was forced to pull two strings at once on the first four strings making the job less than ideal, and thus I only would string my own frames.  Some frames may still require a two string pull but the added frame support still makes this upgrade a good move.

It works very well and is clearly a very high quality product that is well thought out.  The much wider mounts also are more secure which should reduce stress on oversized frames.  If you have an old Ektelon I think this is a great investment especially when compared to buying a new machine.

Here is the link for the upgrade two point mount kit I purchased and it is designed to work with C,D, and DE models made by Ektelon.

2 point mount upgrade kit.

Another important thing to know is that the seller is very professional and handles the order promptly with tracking information sent once the items are shipped.

******  5 Star Rating for Quality and Performance



Here is a video on stringing machine adjustments  that will give you some general methods of maintaining your old stringing machine.  I didn't create this Youtube video but found it useful.