Racquet Stringing Services
Racquet stringing is one of the most misunderstood things about tennis, even with its newly-found publicity from the pro game. Recreational players still pay less attention to stringing and racquet dynamics than they do to the color of their team uniforms.
Guess which is more important?
In every instance I can imagine, stringing is more important than the racquet itself. The highest-quality frame on the market, custom-matched to your game, will not help you much if it is strung with the wrong string and/or tension. Meanwhile, if the frame is not perfect for you, but it’s strung properly, you will be able to make confident, repeatable swings and get consistent results.
How do you determine the right string and tension for your game, you ask? I don’t think you can do it alone. Every player, regardless of level, would be well served to find an experienced, reputable stringer, take advantage of their knowledge, and never let them go. Whatever price you pay for their service will be returned tenfold in better play, more enjoyment, and fewer injuries.
What to Look For
To know your stringer is on the cutting edge, look for certifications. A USRSA Certified Stringer (CS) has passed a rigorous test ensuring familiarity with stringing procedures and techniques. A Master Racquet Technician (MRT) has passed an even more thorough test to ensure knowledge of customization techniques, racquet and string technologies, and many other things to ensure you “one-stop” racquet work.
Your local CS or MRT may work as a teaching pro, for a tennis shop or sports store, or may even be home-based. Where he or she works isn’t as important as their commitment to service. They should have the knowledge to answer your questions.
A dedicated racquet technician will do everything possible to educate himself and keep up to date on industry trends. I am one of the very few to attend every Grand Slam Stringers (GSS) Symposium, a wonderful learning environment where we study every aspect of racquet work: stringing, customizing, string science, machine maintenance and proper business practices.
A reputable, full-service stringer will offer a large variety of strings. Look for at least 2 dozen different strings (including different gauges but excluding colors), with a minimum of 4 different manufacturers represented. I currently offer 114 SKUs of string, representing 19 manufacturers. Within a large offering like this, you can easily find the best string, or combination of strings, for you (for a discussion of hybrid stringing, see below).
Along with the variety of strings , look for the thing money can’t buy: an understanding of how they work, in general and for you. A stringer worth your time, trouble and money will ask questions and listen to your answers, and then make recommendations for you to consider. Since this is an inexact science (for example, no one can possibly know exactly how much impact shock your elbow can take), you will need to take these suggestions to heart, and try some of them. This will cost you some money, but will also leave you confident you made the best choice (I offer discounts up to 20% for players wanting to experiment. Please contact me for details).
After trying different strings, a good stringer will listen to your report, and then adjust as needed for your next trial. Once you find the “magic formula”, your stringer should have a good information database on you, making results easily duplicable later on.
Racquet Stringing Prices — All Prices Include Installation -Prices are subject to change
Note: This is a very long list. Make sure you keep going until you hit the “exotic strings” page.