INDUSTRY NEWS
INDUSTRY NEWS
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Racquet Stringers Should Advise More , Consent Less , Says Ashaway ’ s Steve Crandall
In a recent column on the risks of polyester string , Ashaway ’ s Steve Crandall said that it is the job of a racquet technician to advise his or her clients on proper string choice , and that doing so is good for business . Crandall noted that while top pros may be able to get more spin with poly strings , most recreational players cannot . What they do get , he said , is less power from the strings and increased shock to their arms and joints , often resulting in injury . But his main point in the article is that this is a common problem , well-known within the racquet stringing community , and one that stringers need to address .
Crandall quoted Master Racquet Technician John Gugel , who has been known to decline to string racquets for juniors with poly string . “ Anybody can be an order taker ,” said John , “ and a robot could probably be programmed to string a racquet . If you work that way , you build no customer rapport and consequently , no customer loyalty . Your business devolves to a simple matter of price .”
On the other hand , working with a customer to find the right string does build rapport and loyalty . It demonstrates your expertise , which is your true value , and keeps the customer coming back for more , and making referrals . John ’ s business is referral based so his clients are normally predisposed to making a change . “ We really try to help players avoid arm issues ,” he said , and offered a list of five questions he uses to help players select the proper string for their game .
A key issue for John is working with coaches who know their players but may not be familiar with the many string alternatives . “ We need to work with them to get better stringing outcomes ,” he said . “ It is certainly not a good idea to bypass them , but then , players who are in pain are not going to be taking lessons from any pro !”
Crandall said one of the best alternatives to polyesters are PEEK polymers – the best known of which is Zyex ® monofilament , sold by Ashaway as MonoGut ® ZX and ZX Pro . “ These materials have a number of properties that make them well suited for racquet strings and , we believe , a better option than polyester ,” he said . These properties include low dynamic stiffness and a low coefficient of friction that combine to allow the strings to easily slide across each other and snap back forcefully , generating spin . The same ability to stretch and snap back forcefully generates shot power , which polyester does not do , and increases ‘ dwell time ’ of the ball on the strings , enhancing control . Finally , PEEK has an excellent ability to retain tension longer than other materials , increasing the playing life of the string -- polyester does not .
www . ashawayusa . com
14 ERSA PRO STRINGER // ISSUE 4-2018