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Better durability

Q: I string my 16×19 racquet with 17-gauge multifilament nylon mains at 52 lbs. and poly crosses at 49 lbs. I get the power I want this way, but I’m having problems with durability on the mains. I am thinking of using 17-gauge natural gut instead as my mains. If I go to a gut, do I need to increase the tension to achieve the same playability as I achieved with the multi mains at 52 lbs?

An additional, related question: If I put this same string setup in an 18×20 string bed, how much would I have to tweak the settings to accommodate the increased string-bed stiffness?

A: Normally, when switching from a multifilament nylon to natural gut, you can go up a couple of pounds, and some players do get better durability from natural gut than from a multifilament. However, if this doesn’t work for you, you can also try a monofilament nylon in the mains, or a thicker version of the string you’re already using. Either of these should improve durability, and going to the denser string pattern might reduce string movement, too.

As for the change in racquet, there are few (if any?) racquets that come in both 16×19 and 18×20, so if you make this switch you will likely be changing more than the stringbed density. This means that you’re going to have to experiment with the new racquet to get it set up the way you like. In our tests comparing a 16×18 stringbed against a 18×20 stringbed, we had to drop the tension 8 pounds from the 16×18 to achieve the same stringbed stiffness in an 18×20. Therefore, everything else being equal, you’ll need to lower the reference tension by 6 pounds or so when stringing the 18×20, to get roughly the same stringbed stiffness as with the 16×19.

From the August 2008 issue
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