Different Coloured Yonex Strings

Why Yonex don't sell all of their strings all around the world can sometimes be a mystery to me. There is quite clearly the same market for coloured badminton strings in the UK, so Yonex could be losing a lot of revenue just from not stocking a product that they already sell elsewhere. I know that many people are put off by the fact that Bg80 only comes in yellow, which makes people go for a usually slightly cheaper white string. However, if you look on the Yonex USA website, Bg80 is only available in white over there! This is something that baffles me beyond belief.

I also have many different people (usually girls) ask me if I have a variety of different coloured strings, and I can usually get a string from a different manufacturer that is of the colour they would like, but that is still a sale that Yonex has lost here in the UK. If you look on www.mybadmintonstore.com for example, then they have some Yonex strings in as many as about 7 different colours, so if ever I have a specific request for a particular Yonex string in a colour that is not available in the UK then that is the place I got to first.

Here is the problem though, I should not have to order strings from abroad just because Yonex do not think there is a big enough market here in the UK, there clearly is and after speaking to one of the biggest UK retailers of badminton string, who said that if Yonex did have coloured string in the UK they would happily buy at least a box of reels of each one, it shows that Yonex are potentially losing a huge amount of profit every year by not selling all of their colours of strings everwhere!

Sussex Senior Restricted Entry Form

I know that this is not going to affect the vast majority of people who read this blog, but I will include it anyway. The entry forms for the Sussex Senior Restricted are now available at www.sussexjuniorbadminton.co.uk this is because the main Sussex badminton website is down, so if you want to enter the restricted the forms are available and are due in on the 14th of September!

Bg80 Power Review

Well, my review of Yonex's most expensive string in the UK is finally here and its definitely a bit of a weird one! When I heard that Yonex was going to be releasing a "power" version of one of their top selling strings around the world I have to say that I was extremely excited. Everyone wants that little bit extra power in their game don't they? But does the string live up to all of the hype?

Stringing with Bg80 power is no different to stringing with any other Yonex string, although I did find that the slightly less textured surface did mean that I was able to weave the crosses slightly easier than with Bg80.

When it comes to playing with Bg80 power I am still a little undecided. Of course it is a good quality string coming from a big brand such as Yonex, however I am not quite sure whether it deserves its hefty price tag. It doesn't have quite the same sharp feel that you get with Bg80, or the raw power of Bg66UM, in fact, it seems to fall a bit short in my opinion. I would say that you can get the same repulsion power, with a better feel from Bg80 and I can't see why you should spend the extra £20 a reel on a string that offers very little in the way of increased power or performance.

I am still sticking to my opinion that Bg80 is the best all-round badminton string available in the world today, I'm not sure why Yonex would risk ruining the Bg80 brand by bringing out a different version of the string that doesn't quite match up to the original, but their marketing opinions are their own.

All in all, if you're looking to use a slightly softer, less immediate version of Bg80, then here's your answer, if not, then I would recommend continuing to use Bg80 or try a completely new string entirely!

Types of Tennis Strings Explained

Choosing the right tennis strings for your game can be a complete minefield, however, hopefully with this guide you will know a bit more about the different types of tennis strings available and which one will be right for your game.

Nylon (Synthetic Gut)

Nylon strings are often referred to as synthetic gut strings because of their likeness to the more expensive natural gut. They can be made out of a number of different blends of fibers and are some of the most popular strings on the market, as they are usually used by most club and recreational players due to their excellent balance of playability, durability and price. They are more durable than natural gut, however not as durable as polyester or kevlar strings. A good example of a nylon string is Prince Synthetic Gut with Duraflex, which has been one of the top selling strings around the world for the past 10 years.

Natural Gut

Natural gut is made from the intestines of usually cows or sheep. Natural gut strings offer the best power, comfort and playability among all types of strings. It is excellent for people with tennis elbow as it has a really soft feel to it, however, all of this does come at a price, and it is a big one! Just one set of natural gut can cost up to as much as £36 and that is without the labor cost of the stringer added onto that! Natural gut is used by many professional players in a hybrid usually with a polyester as natural gut is the least durable string on the market and can be easily affect by environmental factors such as rain or temperature. However, if you are a money no object kind of guy, then natural gut will offer you the best all round playability, although be prepared to be visiting your stringer very frequently.

Polyester

Polyester strings offer lest power and comfort than nylon strings, however, offer a lot more durability. Polyester strings tend to lose tension a lot quicker than other types of strings, so many players string their rackets a little tighter in order to compensate for this drop off. While polyester strings are ideal for frequent string breakers the lack of feel and comfort usually means that they are paired with a multi-filament nylon or natural gut in order to soften up the string bed.

Kevlar

Last but no means least, kevlar strings offer an extremely frequent string breaker a little respite. They are by far the most durable strings on the market, although, offer very little power or comfort. That is why they are not recommended to juniors or adults with arm injuries. A very soft nylon is also usually needed in a hybrid in order to soften up the extremely stiff string.

String Gauge Guide

Strings come in a variety of different gauge sizes, but the way of measuring varies from region to region. This diagram should help out with any confusion cause by the different sizing measurements. And remember a thinner string will give greater power and playability but less durability and a thicker string will offer more durability but less power and control.

Picture courtesy of www.stringingsolutions.co.uk

New Logo!

Hey everyone, just another quick update to say that APB Stringers has a new logo, what do you think?

Ideas for New Posts

If anyone has any ideas about any new post ideas for this blog, please feel free to comment or email me with your ideas!

Many thanks,

Antony (APB Stringers)

Choosing the Right Badminton String Tension

Now this is a question I get asked on a very frequent basis; "What tension should I have my racket strung at?" or another question I get asked is, "I have ........ string, what is the best tension for that string in this racket?" And I'm sorry to disappoint you, but there is no real answer to that question. As with almost every part of stringing and racket management it is completely subjective to the individual, however, there are a few rays of light that I may be able to shed on the situation.

It all depends on what you want out of a set of strings, less tension = more power, whereas a higher tension = more control, this is due to the trampoline affect, but I may go on to talk about that in another post. If someone just came to me and they didn't know what string or tension they wanted then I would always string the racket with Bg65ti at 24lbs. This is a standard set up for many club level players who don't really care what string they have in their racket as long as it lasts a reasonable amount of time.

24lbs is also the tension that I would recommend starting at if you are unsure of what tension to use in the first place. I would then increase or decrease by 1-2lbs depending on if it is too tight or too loose. Also changing string will affect what tension you will want your rackets strung at. For a thinner gauge of string I would recommend a slightly higher tension due to the extra power that the string is likely to generate by itself, that is why I used to have my rackets strung in Bg80 at 26lbs, but when I changed to Bg66U I upped my tension to 28lbs to compensate for the extra power that comes with Bg66U. However, a while ago I went through a stage of using Bg65ti, and I had to have that strung right down at 24lbs as I needed to be able to generate a bit more power as it is a less powerful string.

So in my opinion try most strings at 24lbs first, then increase or decrease from there and the type of racket it is very rare affects what string to use, unless it is a Carlton Razor or something like that with an extremely weird stringing pattern.

Quick Side Note

Please note that all of my reviews are subjective to my own opinion, I try to be impartial and give the best advice I can to help you make an informed decision. I am in no way sponsored by Yonex to write these reviews, the only sponsorship I have is a player sponsorship with Tactic and Cramp Sports but I will not review any of their equipment as I would be bias! Thank you for your continued support.

Bg66 Ultimax String Review

Well here it is, finally a review of Bg66 Ulitmax, by Yonex's reckoning their best string overall. Yonex even rated it 10/10 in control, repulsion and hitting sound, so as soon as I found out about this string I was desperate to try it.

As soon as my reel arrived I immediately cut the strings out of my racket and strung up my Tactic Voyager 80 to my usual 27lbs. Even stringing with Bg66U is a joy, the thinner gauge is a real help when threading shared grommets, however, I'm not sure how badly the durability of the string will be affected by the thinner gauge.

On to the play test however, and if there was one word to describe how I felt when I first played with this string, there is only one choice... WOW! I have never felt anything like it. The sheer power that I could generate with no extra effort was simply amazing, yet controlling the shuttle and being able to place it wherever I wanted on the court without any doubts that it may go into the net or drift out.

There is only one major problem with Bg66U, but it is a big one! I found the durability of this string to be worse than any other I have tried so far. This is probably due to the thinner gauge and the fact that not all of my shots come out of the middle of the racket. It could also be because of the high tension that I use, but I found that I broke a string after 5-6 hours of play, and then again, broke a set just tensioning it in the stringing machine, which is the first time that has ever happened to me in my entire stinging career! This then made me extremely nervous about the string and after trying a hybrid with Bg80P in the mains and Bg66U in the crosses, which really didn't work I decided that just to be on the safe side, the day before each tournament I play I will just have to re-string my rackets again, hoping that they will not break during a very important point in the match, and I am please to say that they held up at the kent senior silver very well.

Overall then, I am not sure how to rate this string, Yonex have dropped its price significantly since launch, probably due to the fact that people were complaining about having to re-string their rackets so regularly. This makes it reasonable value for money, however, the main selling point of this string has definitely got to be the amazing power and incredibly control that it offers. I will definitely be using this string throughout the season, unless a better string from Yonex comes along, but I find that extremely hard to believe. This is 100% a string for a high level player, who doesn't mind replacing strings often as they will gain that little extra edge in a tournament situation.

I would give this string 4/5, missing 5/5 only because of the poor durability!

New website!

Hey everyone, just a quick update to say that my new website is up and running, go and check it out for more info on apb stringers!

http://www.apbstringers.co.uk/

Bg66 Ultimax Review Nearly Finished!

Hey guys, just a quick update to say the my bg66 Ultimax review is nearly finished, I am 6 hours into my 10 hour long play test and I must confess that I am in love with this string, only problem is... I have broken a set already!!

A more detailed review will be posted within the next week. Until then, keep playing and watch the Olympics for some good pointers!