Can I make a carefull prediction of the poll results? 10% - yes top down 10% - bottom down 80% - what's the difference? For all the people I string here, the have more than enough problems handling which tension/string they want (heck, some can't even choose a color!) Next up is asking them what pattern they want? where they want their knots? What kind of knots? how many crosses and mains? If you ask me, in the end people just want their racket strung, and preferably in a way they feel plays nice...Any technical stuff just bothers or bores them...
Let us have an open mind. Why be so negative about it? Are we all not curious to gauge what the market says?
I just want to make some other prediction about the % of people's preference. 100% - top down for the girl driving next to me 100% - bottom up for the girl drinking with me. 0% - what's G string?
We have a poll on NSS vs OSS and it produces results that were never thought possible. Two to three years ago high string tension advocates like me were scorned at. Today things look a bit different. There is a lot of confusion and mystery about stringing because there are endless methods and patterns of stringing, oftentimes with the customer at the short end of the bargain. Surely, a poll will reduce some of this confusion and allow the customer to understand stringing better. The more informed the customer the higher the stringing standard will become.
I've heard people talk about how they strung their racquet with main: 21lbs and cross 23lbs. I thought you can only do one specific tension setup throughout the whole racquet. What's the difference between one tension setup & 2 tensions setup in main and cross through the racquet?? Adv/Cons? Thanks
Thanks a lot so in that case, main 21lbs, cross 23lbs: do we just call that a 23lbs tension? Or we need to be specific and tell the stringer that we want to do the main 21lbs and cross 23lbs?
21lbs for the main and 23lbs for the cross will mean that it's 22lbs. Just find out the average of the two tensions. Most stringers would know that they need to string the crosses at a 10% higher tension than the mains, so I dont think there's a need to tell them.. but if you're unsure, then of course you can tell them, it's your racquet and your string that's being strung.
For me, 21lbs for the mains and 23lbs for the crosses will mean it's 23lbs......depends on the stringer .
Me also - 21/23, for example, means that the mains will tighten when all the crosses have been pulled, so it's not a simple as taking the average.
Great ideas about strings and tensions, but the final decisions have to be made by the individual player. I have been stringing for all racquet sports for over 30 years, and have these thoughts about tensions and strings. More experienced players are more particular about their racquets performance. Beginners are just happy to be able to play and are not concerned with string guage or materials, and experienced players are always looking for an edge that might get them an extra point or two! Unfortunately most players cannot afford to try different frames and strings every week or more to see what they like or do not like. Pros can so they do. I find the best thing is to find a frame you can hit confidently all shots with, then upgrade strings. Ask your stringing pro questions about this, because they string many different frames with many different strings at many different tensions. This can elimanate you from trying them all. Remember if a pro player likes model A with type B string at 30lbs, this probably will not work for you. (they are pros and have trie thousands of combinations). The most important thing is if you like a string or tension in a particular frame, write it down because it will not feel the same in another frame. If you use the same stringer and your happy with his work, keep going there because another stringers different tecniques will feel different to you. They will remember how you like your strings. That is good business. I string over 1200 racquets from all sports every year and this practice has always worked well for me.
Generally I string the same tensions on mains and crosses unless told so by the player. 6-7 lbs different on the crosses sounds quite extreme and could damage your frame or void the warranty. I have never had a customer ask for this. Maybe a lb. or two and usually only when the crosses are a different type of string(hybid).
Please write it in the correct format which is main (vertical) x cross (horizontal), not cross x main for future reference. It should be written as 24 x 26. The average is somewhere around 25lb+ (less than 26lbs), but it is safe to say the average is 25lbs.
I have a question here: recently i went to a regular stringer who suddenly decided that he should string my mains and cross the other way round for tensions, instead of the main string tensions being lower than those for the cross ones. His explanations was that since the main strings were of a longer distance apart (from point to point) on the frame than those cross ones, they deserve a higher tension to match the cross ones. He is using a large orange machine which seems to have a four-point or six-point grip for the racquet frame. I "catch no ball"...... Is he right or not? I have playing mates who have had and are still using him for stringing jobs and their racquets display no problems.
My question to you is. How does the racquet play with the new tension? If it work, and feels good, stick with it. Yes, it has been used on tennis racquet for top spin. However, tennis racquet are much thicker and stronger. Badminton racquet might not be able to take the tension that way if the person is not experienced.
