Adding lead tape is the easiest and probably the best way to modify the playability of your racquet. Lead tape usually comes in rolls or strips ½ inch wide, with markings for every 0.5 grams in weight. (1 inch of tape = 0.5g weight, most of the time)

Determining the ideal amount [...]]]> Customizing racquets

Adding lead tape is the easiest and probably the best way to modify the playability of your racquet. Lead tape usually comes in rolls or strips ½ inch wide, with markings for every 0.5 grams in weight. (1 inch of tape = 0.5g weight, most of the time)

Determining the ideal amount and placement of the tape, requires quite a bit of experimenting. Here are a few very general guidelines:

• Tape at 12 o’clock – increases power, moves sweet spot up a bit
• Tape at 3 and 9 o’clock – reduces twisting on off-centre hits
• Tape at 6 o’clock – adds weight retaining the racquet’s original balance (minimal difference in balance)

What is racquet “balance”?

Balance is an indicator of a racquet’s weight distribution along the frame. The balance position of a racquet is referenced to the mid-point of the frame and is expressed in points. For a standard 27 inch racquet the mid-point is 13 ½ inches from the butt (or from the tip…). One point (in balance-speak) is 1/8 inch. So, if a racquet’s balance point is 13 inches from the butt end -> we have a 4 points head light racquet (4 x 1/8 =1/2 inch).

The balance defines how the racquet feels when you pick it up and hold it. But you don’t just hold a racquet when you play, you swing it, most of the time. Whether you hit the ball or not, it’s a completely different story… So here comes one last thing – the swingweight.

Swingweight

Swingweight is what you feel when you actually swing the racquet. It’s the moment of inertia of the racquet.

Two racquets of the same weight and same balance can have very different swingweights. Imagine  two completely identical racquets. Now you load one of them with lead tape at 12 o’clock and at the butt, and load the other one with the same amount of lead in the throat area (of course  you wouldn’t use tape at the butt-end, but that doesn’t matter now).

You would get 2 racquets that weight the same  (we added the same amount of lead) and have the same balance, but would have completely different playing characteristics.

The swingweight of the first racquet, the one with the lead at 12 o’clock will be much higher – “the racquet will have more power”.

Some other racquet facts, in random order:

• A larger frame generates more power, has a bigger sweet spot and is more resistant to twisting
• A heavier frame generates more power and has a bigger sweet spot
• A stiffer frame generates more power, has a bigger sweet spot but transmits more shock/vibration to the arm

Without even attempting a thorough explanation of string types, here are a few basic things you should know about different [...]]]> There are various classifications of strings, some based on the material used, some on the manufacturing technology, some created by marketing people (…), etc. Categories in most of those classifications overlap to various degree.

Without even attempting a thorough explanation of string types, here are a few basic things you should know about different types of strings:

Natural Gut

• The “mother of all strings”. Made of cow gut, and priced accordingly  (ie very expensive)
• Natural gut provides the best “feel”.
• It is more elastic at higher tensions (over 55 lbs) and it keeps it’s characteristics longer than most synthetics.
• The best string for people with tennis elbow .
• On the down side – very sensible to the elements. Playing in rain or high humidity is not recommended. (it takes very little playing time to ruin a brand new string job on a misty/cold fall morning…)

Nylon (Synthetic Gut)

• Most nylon strings are extremely cost-effective (as in “cheap”)
• Very popular strings. There’s a great variety of synthetic gut strings on the market.
• Elasticity decreases significantly at higher tensions
• Loses elasticity faster than natural gut (for example), becoming very “flat”.

Polyester

• Very durable string, but looses tension quickly.
• This is the string that you’d cut out of your racquet before it breaks.

Kevlar

• This is the string for you if you break your strings every week. But then again, if you play that hard (generate that much spin) you probably have an other favorite string, and you don’t mind frequent restringing.
• If you have tennis elbow problems – stay away as far as you can from Kevlar.
• Note: – Reduce stringing tension by about 10% when having Kevlar strings installed

How often (if ever) should you restring your racquet? In general, you should restring as many times a year as you play in a week. If you play 4 times a week, you should restring 4 times a [...]]]> A couple of  “beaten to death” things about strings and racquets (and some other things, too):

How often (if ever) should you restring your racquet?
In general, you should restring as many times a year as you play in a week. If you play 4 times a week, you should restring 4 times a year.
Why? – you may ask. The answer is simple - tension loss…

Tension loss:
All strings loose “tension” over time. Some loose very little (natural gut) some loose a lot, in very short time (poly).

Should I try (“expensive brand A”) poly or (“expensive brand B”) poly?
Having a favorite player, and knowing their racquet/string combination, inevitably leads to the urge to try their “setup”.
Do it once if you have to, but chances are you’ll be disappointed on the second use.
… and it will cost you a lot of money…
Remember – most pros restring for every game. They can afford to cut out $40 worth of strings (assuming you try a hybrid) after one use (or even no use) just to get the same consistent feel every time.
Like I said before, poly (a LOT of pros use it in all sorts of hybrids or even full beds) looses playability very fast, and it’s not very cheap.

Should I try (“even more expensive brand C”) natural gut?
Well, this can be a different story altogether. If you suffer from the dreaded tennis elbow – natural gut may be the thing for you.
Personally, I absolutely love natural gut, but because it’s too expensive, and I tend to break strings quite often, I rarely use it.
I suggest you make it one of those “… at least once in a lifetime…” things.

Is natural gut really that sensible to humidity?
Yes, it absolutely is! – ask me how I know…   – a little rain, or excessive moisture on a cold/damp fall morning will absolutely ruin natural gut.

For a brief and utterly incomplete classification of strings – click here.

The following article was published on Ashaway’s website. Please visit www.ashawayusa.com for more information on Ashaway products and other articles on strings. Ashaway is by far the most frequently installed string at stringmyracquet.ca

———————————————————

By Steve Crandall Vice President, Sales & Marketing Ashaway Racket Strings

Many squash players harbor misconceptions [...]]]>

The following article was published on Ashaway’s website. Please visit www.ashawayusa.com for more information on Ashaway products and other articles on strings.
Ashaway is by far the most frequently installed string at stringmyracquet.ca

———————————————————

By Steve Crandall
Vice President, Sales & Marketing
Ashaway Racket Strings

Many squash players harbor misconceptions about racquet string tension. String tight or string loose for power or control? A lot of players get it wrong. Because string tension has a big influence on your game, it’s important to understand it and get it right.

Cut to the chase: tighter strings enhance control, while looser strings enhance power. How you use this information might vary from one player to the next, and there are exceptions and qualifications, which we’ll get to in a moment. But the basic fact you need to know is worth repeating: string tight for control; loose for power.

In our last column, we explained how thin strings are power strings, because they stretch more when you hit the ball. More “trampoline effect” means more power. Thick strings are control strings, because the stringbed remains flatter. It’s easier to control the direction of a bouncing ball when it’s bouncing off a flat, stable surface.

The same goes for tension. Strings that are strung tight are already stretched almost as far as they’ll go. When the ball makes impact, they can’t stretch a lot more, which means not much trampoline effect, but a nice, flat stringbed for good control. Strings that are strung loose stretch a good deal upon impact with the ball, so lots of trampoline, but less control.

How tight is tight? 40 lb. is the maximum recommended by most squash racquet manufacturers. Much tighter than that, and you risk excessive string breakage, and even racquet breakage. Below 20 lb., control becomes extremely difficult because the strings shift around too much, and power begins to drop off as well. But within that 20-40 lb. range, you’ve got lots of room to tune your racquet.

You can use string tension to emphasize your strengths, minimize your weaknesses, or strike a happy medium. Power players-people who are physically strong-generally don’t feel they need more power, so they usually string up tight to enhance control. Players who are less powerful tend to go either way. Many of them also string tight for maximum control, while others string loose to put a bit more pace on the ball. It’s a personal decision.

The string and the racquet have to work together, and a certain amount of trial and error is usually required to find the exact tension that works best for you and your particular racquet. Larger racquets-especially those with very long heads-need slightly higher tension for comparable playability. You may also have to adjust tension based on the stiffness of the racquet itself. Some frames are very rigid (i.e., more control), while others are a bit “whippy” (i.e., more power). Don’t be afraid to go up or down a couple pounds when you restring, looking for the ideal response.

Different stringing machines may produce very different results: for example, 30 lb. on one machine may be equivalent to 25 lb. on another. In order to get consistent results, find a stringer you like to work with and stay with him or her.

Strings lose tension naturally. Strings made from fibers like Zyex(r) and natural gut hold tension better than nylon strings, and they also tend to be more resilient. Most lose roughly 10 percent of their tension by the day after they’re strung. The more you play, the greater the loss of tension.

When strings get looser because of tension loss, they become less powerful, not more, and they begin to lose their control properties. When your racquet no longer has that “zing,” it’s time for a new string job. Don’t put it off.

This article previously appeared in Squash Magazine.

Zyex is a registered trademark of ZYEX Limited.

———————————————————

By Steve Crandall Vice President, Sales & Marketing Ashaway Racket Strings

Racquet string has a [...]]]> The following article was published on Ashaway’s website. Please visit www.ashawayusa.com for more information on Ashaway products and other articles on strings.
Ashaway is by far the most frequently installed string at stringmyracquet.ca

———————————————————

By Steve Crandall
Vice President, Sales & Marketing
Ashaway Racket Strings

Racquet string has a major influence on your squash game. Almost anything you don’t like about your racquet can be improved by careful string selection and proper stringing. Too little power? Too much vibration? Not enough “bite” on the ball? Give your racquet to a professional stringer, have him or her install the right string at the proper tension, and presto! It’s like getting a new racquet for about $25!

That said, finding the right string and the proper tension takes a bit of work, because there are a lot of variables to consider. There are dozens of squash strings on the market, differing in terms of gauge (or thickness), materials of construction, and how those materials are put together. Aside from gauge, you can’t see these differences, but be assured, they’re real. If you’re skeptical, try playing two identical racquets, one strung with a monofilament nylon, and the other with a multifilament Zyex(r) string. If you can’t feel a difference, then squash just isn’t your game. Stay home and watch professional wrestling instead.

The differences between the strings themselves aren’t the only variables to consider when choosing string and tension. The racquet itself makes a difference, as does the frequency with which you’re willing to restring it. Your abilities, your style of play, and your personal preference for how the racquet should feel should also influence your choices.

How do you sort through all the variables and find the best string for your game? You could try every string that’s available, but that would take a long time and cost a lot of money. You could go for a Masters degree in textile engineering, but that would take a really long time, and you still wouldn’t know which string feels best.

The best route is to learn just enough to focus your attention on a few strings that seem to have the right characteristics for your game, then test those strings. Each time you restring, try a change in tension or a change in model. Keep tweaking until you find the combination that feels right, and stay with it for a while. As your abilities improve or your tastes change, don’t be afraid to change your string setup to keep pace. If you learn about a new model that seems right for you, go ahead and try it. You can always change back if it’s not.

The most basic decision-the only one we have remaining space for-is string gauge. You have two choices: thin or thick. Thin, in squash, means 18 gauge, which is anywhere from 1.06mm to 1.15mm in diameter. Thick means 17 gauge, which ranges from 1.16mm to 1.25mm. All other things being equal, thinner strings provide more power, while thicker strings provide more control and durability.

The durability issue is obvious, but the other two bear some explanation. Thinner string is bouncier. Hit the ball, and the string stretches back, then suddenly springs forward. This “trampoline effect” is where power comes from. Thinner string, more stretch, more power.

Thicker string is stiffer, so when you hit the ball, the “stringbed,” or racquet face, remains flatter. It’s easier to control the direction of the ball when it’s bouncing off a flat surface, and that goes double when you’re “cutting” the ball.

We’ll look at other topics in future issues, including tension, materials, construction, breakage, and more. But for now, you already know enough to narrow the field in half. Need more power? Go for an 18-gauge string. More control? Think 17.

This article previously appeared in Squash Magazine.

Zyex is a registered trademark of ZYEX Limited