if your client give you a fake racket, and ask to string it at 26lbs. do you accept the business or not? if your client give you a rare classic racket, and also ask to string it at 26lbs. do you accept the business or not? today i got a very obvious NS6000 fake. and also got a rare US coded, blue cab20 with old logo, old font, gold/black cap. looks like it was from the 80s.
For the first, does the client know it's a fake? I have strung fake rackets that high before as long as there's no damage. With the rare one... that's harder, if there is no damage and the client knows that you're not responsible for any damage... One option is to have the owner there while you string it.
I think if I am a stringer, I would highlight to him that the racket may be a fake and may not withstand the high tension. I would string it if he insists but I will assume no responbilities and he would still have to pay for my service and string nonetheless.
yeah. i think the first one is easier. that's what i did. tell the owner it is a fake. in this case, it is a brand new one. so it should be ok. for the second one, to me, it is not about whether it would break or not, it is more like "this is something i would be putting up in a frame as decoration", do you really want to string it? or "i offer you $100 for it!" type of thing...
That is definitely something that I would think of doing, plus giving him a free restring on his very next racquet to be more persuasive
why not ask the signature for something out of specification. example, the racket mentioned 24lbs only, so when the customer requests 26lbs, the customer should sign the declaration that will not blame the stringer if the racket is broken during stringing process. better play safe.
i suppose it depends on how well you and your client know each other and how much he trusts you definitely not worth the business if he's a new client
that actually brings up a good point. most of our home stringers, and even professional stringers takes orders very casually. there are little more than giving a order form in shops, and for us, it is mostly just based on trust. nothing formal. does anyone actually use a formal contract signed by the customer, that will potentially cover things like out of spec, or any kind of situation that may arise? afterall, we are dealing with an item that cost the customer potentially $100+ $200+ . it can be used to save either side's ass.
I string for my local club & get 'antiques' & fakes alot of the time asking for ridiculous tensions like 27lbs. Some of these racquets are pretty warped as well. From this you can sorta deduce that they really can't tell the difference anyway, and a gentle 21lbs will do. I've been doing this for a little while & when in doubt i just give the owners a ring & they're generally nice and reasonable people. Better a slightly dissatisfied customer than having to explain broken dodgy racquets imo
$100 is too cheap...what is the code on it? If a three letter one should be 80's. Also how dark does the blue look I have two blue ones, one is much darker than the other. The darker one of mine is 2 years older - I think. Regarding the dilemma with the fake I have strung a few fakes I just tell them they are fake. Most have said they know but they like it, others were surprised. About the Cab20 I think it is just a matter of warning. I warn customers that on the first stringing rackets are more likely to be damaged, because we are not sure whether the frame is ok yet. Once the first string is done you usually know the rackets is safe and the racket shouldn't break - I did one racket at very low tension on the first time ad it broke very cleanly I knew it was a manufacturing fault, but of course the manufacturer won't accept it as the warranty only up to the first restring. I also warn people on high tensions (over 26) and when they are very old and beat up rackets that they are nearing the end of their life & they might consider retiring them. Some say I am right, others will just continue till they do break.
1) Yes, I will point out it is a fake and hammer it into his/her head that I do not guarantee the performance nor against racquet damage before I accept the racquet. 2) I will try to talk him/her out of using that racquet PERIOD. May be offer to trade with a new Cab35 or something.
