SIMPLE 101 "basics" on badminton strings & racquets for Newbies & "Oldies"

I am sharing this here because I find this information to be GREAT and answer almost all the newbies and "blur" oldies (like me ) questions.

BTW, I don't use Ashaway strings or affiliated with them, I prefer Yonex strings but Ashaway provides great information and education for new players (see below).

TQ Ashaway !!

The website link:

http://www.ashawayusa.com/BadmintonTips.php


Key points/tables:

[TABLE="class: MsoNormalTable"]
[TR]
[TD="bgcolor: transparent"]Stringing Choices
[/TD]
[TD="bgcolor: transparent"]

Power​

[/TD]
[TD="bgcolor: transparent"]

Control​

[/TD]
[TD="bgcolor: transparent"]

Durability​

[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="bgcolor: transparent"]

Thin gauge/Loose Tension​

[/TD]
[TD="bgcolor: transparent"]

High​

[/TD]
[TD="bgcolor: transparent"]

Low​

[/TD]
[TD="bgcolor: transparent"]

Medium​

[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="bgcolor: transparent"]

Thin gauge/Tight Tension​

[/TD]
[TD="bgcolor: transparent"]

Medium​

[/TD]
[TD="bgcolor: transparent"]

Medium​

[/TD]
[TD="bgcolor: transparent"]

Low​

[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="bgcolor: transparent"]

Thick gauge/Loose Tension​

[/TD]
[TD="bgcolor: transparent"]

Medium​

[/TD]
[TD="bgcolor: transparent"]

Medium​

[/TD]
[TD="bgcolor: transparent"]

High​

[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="bgcolor: transparent"]

Thick gauge/Tight Tension​

[/TD]
[TD="bgcolor: transparent"]

Low​

[/TD]
[TD="bgcolor: transparent"]

High​

[/TD]
[TD="bgcolor: transparent"]

Medium​

[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]

Racket And String Choices - Based On Skill Level
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[TABLE="class: MsoNormalTable, width: 507"]
[TR]
[TD="bgcolor: transparent"]

SKILL LEVEL​

[/TD]
[TD="bgcolor: transparent"]

EQUIPMENTREQUIREMENT​

[/TD]
[TD="bgcolor: transparent"]

RACKET TYPE​

[/TD]
[TD="bgcolor: transparent"]

STRING GAUGE​

[/TD]
[TD="bgcolor: transparent"]

STRING CONSTRUCTION​

[/TD]
[TD="bgcolor: transparent"]

STRING TENSION​

[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="bgcolor: transparent"]

Novice​

[/TD]
[TD="bgcolor: transparent"]

Power and Durability​

[/TD]
[TD="bgcolor: transparent"]

Flexible​

[/TD]
[TD="bgcolor: transparent"]
20–21
[/TD]
[TD="bgcolor: transparent"]

multifilament​

[/TD]
[TD="bgcolor: transparent"]

12–18 lb.​

[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="bgcolor: transparent"]

Intermediate​

[/TD]
[TD="bgcolor: transparent"]

Power and Control​

[/TD]
[TD="bgcolor: transparent"]

Stiffer​

[/TD]
[TD="bgcolor: transparent"]

21–21 micro​

[/TD]
[TD="bgcolor: transparent"]

multifilament​

[/TD]
[TD="bgcolor: transparent"]

18–20 lb.​

[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="bgcolor: transparent"]

Advanced​

[/TD]
[TD="bgcolor: transparent"]

Control​

[/TD]
[TD="bgcolor: transparent"]

Very Stiff​

[/TD]
[TD="bgcolor: transparent"]

21 micro​

[/TD]
[TD="bgcolor: transparent"]

microfilament​

[/TD]
[TD="bgcolor: transparent"]

20–25 lb.​

[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]

Note: The mods may have to help tidy up this post as I don't know how to make the tables smaller and neater !!

 

I heard so too BUT finding them in the area I live in is like looking for a needle in a haystack .... Yonex strings flood the market here ...

 

BTW, looking at those tables and cross referencing against other threads, I just noticed that Lin Dan who prefers SOFT-FEELING BG65 (thick gauge) or nowadays the Li-Ning equivalent of BG-65 but strung at high tension - around 33 lbs (from some threads I have read), will theoretically give him HIGH CONTROL ... well, he doesn't have to worry about power since he is a brute force player anyway ... interesting to note ....

This is in contrast to other players who are aiming for thinner gauge strings (MEDIUM & HARD FEELING) that gives CONTROL or REPLUSION ... seems like LD has a different approach towards achieving control, or is there something that he knows that we don't ?


I also noticed from reading a number of threads in the forum that Lin Dan is quite a creature of habit .... in his playing career ... only used 2 (or "3") racquets ... (MP99, AT700 (1st gen) and now N90 (AT700 1st gen in "different colours" ) and BG65 at 32-33 lbs for years ....

Contrast this with LCW or TH, who changes racquets and strings almost each time when Yonex releases a new type .... hmmmmm .... "CONSISTENCY" factor ?????