My first tennis racquet was the Spalding Pancho Gonzales, which I got at "Toy City" in the summer of 1971. Back then, the popular models were the Jack Kramer, Maxply, and Challenger. I played with the Jack Kramer throughout my high school years. By the way, sometimes I bring out my wood racquets and play with them. I’m going to have my 50-year reunion soon. In one of my texts to the organizer, I wrote, "This is the last time we’re going to see each other."
@@eddiechen2128 Thanks for sharing. I remember the Pancho Gonzales but never used it. I believe the Spalding Specialist Natural (in the video) was Spalding's last series of wood racquets made in the mid-80s. Have fun at your 50th reunion! 🤙
I think my Kramer Pro Staff hasn't been strung for 40 years, IE the last time I played with it. I wasn't stringing my rackets back then, so it was very interesting to see this technique. Thanks.
Great video as always, Albert! I really appreciate the attention to detail and historical preservation that your videos always provide! Question, if I was stringing a wood racquet, would this be your recommended method, or is there an easier method that you would recommend for beginners? I have never strung a wood racquet before as it is very intimidating, haha. Don't want to break them!
Aloha, Thanks for watching, and I appreciate your support! If you'd like to string a wood racquet with the conventional 2-piece, cut your string set in half. Install all the mains, then install the crosses from top to bottom. I recommend a reference tension of 40-50 pounds. Happy Stringing! 🤙
Aloha CB, Did your parent's wooden racquets have a press on them? And if so, did you know what purpose it served? That's one of the questions I frequently get asked by people who see it for the first time. 😆🤙
I played with a wood racket when I was 13. Never strung one though. Very tough job. The modern day graphite racket with bigger heads are much easier. Didn't string my first racket until I was 56.
Aloha Mark, Yes, stringers nowadays don't know how challenging it was to string those wood racquets compared to today's modern racquets. It's never too late to string your first wood racquet for old-time sake! 🤙
Nice one! Maybe I will need that at some point. A clubmate of mine thought about an internal wooden racquet tournament. Getting some fresh strings could give me exactly the edge that I need. Or I cheat my way around and get an Epok racquet. Merry Christmas!
Aloha Sebastian, Those wooden racquet-type tournaments are always fun! I hold an annual "Breakfast at Wimbledon" tournament where everyone has to dress in white, hence my classic white attire in this video. Playing with an Epok racquet wood (would) be fun, but I think it woodn't (wouldn't) be quite the same as playing with an old-school wooden racquet! 🤣 Hau'oli Makahiki Hou! 🤙
@AMstringing I am old enough to have learned with wooden racquets. It would be way more of a challenge for those who didn't. And still the Idea of a modern wooden racquet gets me. If it only wasn't so outrageously expensive! I even suggested white balls (which are still available on Amazon), but I doubt it will come to fruiton. Many ppl rather talk the talk, but don't walk the walk. I haven't watched any older tutorial for wooden racquet stringing. Wood it be possible to do like modern ones? Maybe even as a one piece string job?
@@sebastiandomagala9233 Although I've never strung a conventional wood racquet 1-piece, I have some racquets in my collection that were strung in that fashion. Installing the crosses from top-to-bottom wasn't a thing back then, so apparently, there were some racquets strung bottom-to-top. The main thing was to fill all the holes with strings, which was primarily an 18x20 pattern. 🤙
I played with a Kramer Pro Staff starting in 1970. I’m thinking about buying one on eBay, there are lot of them for sale at reasonable prices. Albert, any chance you do do a video about stringing that racquet and measuring the specs? Of course there were 3 different weights; light, medium, and heavy. By modern standards even the light weight Pro Staff is pretty heavy but I am curious about the swing weight and stiffness. Anyway, thanks so much for this video!
Aloha Joe, Thanks for watching. I hope you're able to pick up a Kramer Pro Staff for old-time sake! I'm not sure if I'll do another wood racquet video, but here are the strung specs of the Jack Kramer Pro Staff and the Jack Kramer Autograph. * Pro Staff (4-1/2L)- 13.2 oz. / 35 RA / 336 SW * Autograph (4-5/8L) - 13.0 oz. / 36 RA / 358 SW 🤙
Aloha Roberto, I used a 16-gauge (1.30 mm) synthetic string in this racquet. Most of the strings used back were synthetic gut or natural gut. Watch this video if you'd like to learn about some classic and unique strings in the 70s and 80s. ruclips.net/video/8LS8oLMciCM/видео.html 🤙
hi albert, nice video to bring back old times when i played tennis and started stringing. my first woodie was the wilson stan smith autograph 4-5/8". i think the wilsons were easier to find back when tennis pro shops were more common. some other great woodies were slazenger challenger 1, davis imperial, ta.davis classic 1 and 2 and of course the wilson kramer, kramer pro sfaff, s.smith and c.evert autographs. questions: wood racquets came in various weights, L, M and H, how did they do that and what was the most difficult racquet youve strung? id say the wilson 2000 series and the mad-raq.
Aloha Coach Dudley, I'm sorry, but I'm unsure how the racquet manufacturers differentiated between L, M, and H. However, I have a Kramer Pro Staff in a 5/8 Light, and the specifications labeled on the racquet range from 12.0 to 12.5 oz. It's been a while since I've strung a Wilson 2000, and I was thinking of doing one in a video; however, I don't think many people would be interested. Plus, I would have to read the instructions. 😆 I've never had the pleasure of stringing a Mad Raq racquet, but I would love to string one just for fun! The most time-consuming racquet I've strung was the Blackburne racquet. 🤙
aloha albert, i just found in my collection, a brand new unstrung dunlop maxply fort with plastic wrap around the 4-1/2" leather grip in med. serial #35946. just shy of 13 oz. i also have a kramer auto, the black (not the red) version factory strung, 14 oz. both beauties...
@@dbk7238 Wow, what a great FIND! Can you measure the length of your Maxply and confirm if it's 26-5/8" like mine? I thought it was interesting that it was shorter than the other racquets. I didn't know the Kramer Autograph came in a black version. It must be rare. My friend (mid-60s) from NorCal donated some of his collectibles to my pro shop "museum." One of the items is an autographed (by Jack Kramer) JK Pro Staff racquet. Of course, this is something only us old guys would only appreciate! 🤣
![Racquet Strings [5 String Materials - Episode 2]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/Oe4dcCDE7Sk/mqdefault.jpg)
![Racquet Strings [5 String Materials - Episode 2]](/img/tr.png)
![Racquet Stringing [Sergetti Stringing Technology | Episode 2]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/CbUDAsyrGPE/mqdefault.jpg)
![Racquet Stringing [Tying Off the Last String | Techniques & Tips]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/V83Uq97W5r0/mqdefault.jpg)
![Noob To Max With DRAGON REWORK In Blox Fruits [FULL MOVIE]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/LnBMOinoOvA/mqdefault.jpg)
![Racquet Customization [Shaving Down a Grip]](/img/1.gif)
Thank you for doing a wood racquet, so many histories that bring back memories.
Aloha Eddie,
I'm guessing you played with a wood racquet in your early days. What was the first racquet you played with a Maxply Fort? 🤙
My first tennis racquet was the Spalding Pancho Gonzales, which I got at "Toy City" in the summer of 1971. Back then, the popular models were the Jack Kramer, Maxply, and Challenger. I played with the Jack Kramer throughout my high school years. By the way, sometimes I bring out my wood racquets and play with them.
I’m going to have my 50-year reunion soon. In one of my texts to the organizer, I wrote, "This is the last time we’re going to see each other."
@@eddiechen2128 Thanks for sharing. I remember the Pancho Gonzales but never used it. I believe the Spalding Specialist Natural (in the video) was Spalding's last series of wood racquets made in the mid-80s.
Have fun at your 50th reunion! 🤙
I think my Kramer Pro Staff hasn't been strung for 40 years, IE the last time I played with it. I wasn't stringing my rackets back then, so it was very interesting to see this technique. Thanks.
Aloha,
Thanks for watching! I hope this will be helpful if you decide to restring your Kramer Pro Staff someday! 🤙
Great video as always, Albert! I really appreciate the attention to detail and historical preservation that your videos always provide! Question, if I was stringing a wood racquet, would this be your recommended method, or is there an easier method that you would recommend for beginners? I have never strung a wood racquet before as it is very intimidating, haha. Don't want to break them!
Aloha,
Thanks for watching, and I appreciate your support!
If you'd like to string a wood racquet with the conventional 2-piece, cut your string set in half. Install all the mains, then install the crosses from top to bottom. I recommend a reference tension of 40-50 pounds.
Happy Stringing! 🤙
My parents have a few wooden racquets from back in the day. I always wondered how they strung these 😂
Aloha CB,
Did your parent's wooden racquets have a press on them? And if so, did you know what purpose it served? That's one of the questions I frequently get asked by people who see it for the first time. 😆🤙
I played with a wood racket when I was 13. Never strung one though. Very tough job. The modern day graphite racket with bigger heads are much easier. Didn't string my first racket until I was 56.
Aloha Mark,
Yes, stringers nowadays don't know how challenging it was to string those wood racquets compared to today's modern racquets.
It's never too late to string your first wood racquet for old-time sake! 🤙
Nice one!
Maybe I will need that at some point. A clubmate of mine thought about an internal wooden racquet tournament.
Getting some fresh strings could give me exactly the edge that I need. Or I cheat my way around and get an Epok racquet.
Merry Christmas!
Aloha Sebastian,
Those wooden racquet-type tournaments are always fun! I hold an annual "Breakfast at Wimbledon" tournament where everyone has to dress in white, hence my classic white attire in this video.
Playing with an Epok racquet wood (would) be fun, but I think it woodn't (wouldn't) be quite the same as playing with an old-school wooden racquet! 🤣
Hau'oli Makahiki Hou! 🤙
@AMstringing I am old enough to have learned with wooden racquets. It would be way more of a challenge for those who didn't.
And still the Idea of a modern wooden racquet gets me. If it only wasn't so outrageously expensive!
I even suggested white balls (which are still available on Amazon), but I doubt it will come to fruiton. Many ppl rather talk the talk, but don't walk the walk.
I haven't watched any older tutorial for wooden racquet stringing. Wood it be possible to do like modern ones? Maybe even as a one piece string job?
@@sebastiandomagala9233 Although I've never strung a conventional wood racquet 1-piece, I have some racquets in my collection that were strung in that fashion. Installing the crosses from top-to-bottom wasn't a thing back then, so apparently, there were some racquets strung bottom-to-top. The main thing was to fill all the holes with strings, which was primarily an 18x20 pattern. 🤙
I played with a Kramer Pro Staff starting in 1970. I’m thinking about buying one on eBay, there are lot of them for sale at reasonable prices. Albert, any chance you do do a video about stringing that racquet and measuring the specs? Of course there were 3 different weights; light, medium, and heavy. By modern standards even the light weight Pro Staff is pretty heavy but I am curious about the swing weight and stiffness. Anyway, thanks so much for this video!
Aloha Joe,
Thanks for watching. I hope you're able to pick up a Kramer Pro Staff for old-time sake!
I'm not sure if I'll do another wood racquet video, but here are the strung specs of the Jack Kramer Pro Staff and the Jack Kramer Autograph.
* Pro Staff (4-1/2L)- 13.2 oz. / 35 RA / 336 SW
* Autograph (4-5/8L) - 13.0 oz. / 36 RA / 358 SW 🤙
Buen día te saludo desde Argentina que cuerda lleva la raqueta de madera y que milimetro
Aloha Roberto, I used a 16-gauge (1.30 mm) synthetic string in this racquet. Most of the strings used back were synthetic gut or natural gut. Watch this video if you'd like to learn about some classic and unique strings in the 70s and 80s. ruclips.net/video/8LS8oLMciCM/видео.html 🤙
hi albert, nice video to bring back old times when i played tennis and started stringing. my first woodie was the wilson stan smith autograph 4-5/8". i think the wilsons were easier to find back when tennis pro shops were more common. some other great woodies were slazenger challenger 1, davis imperial, ta.davis classic 1 and 2 and of course the wilson kramer, kramer pro sfaff, s.smith and c.evert autographs. questions: wood racquets came in various weights, L, M and H, how did they do that and what was the most difficult racquet youve strung? id say the wilson 2000 series and the mad-raq.
Aloha Coach Dudley,
I'm sorry, but I'm unsure how the racquet manufacturers differentiated between L, M, and H. However, I have a Kramer Pro Staff in a 5/8 Light, and the specifications labeled on the racquet range from 12.0 to 12.5 oz.
It's been a while since I've strung a Wilson 2000, and I was thinking of doing one in a video; however, I don't think many people would be interested. Plus, I would have to read the instructions. 😆
I've never had the pleasure of stringing a Mad Raq racquet, but I would love to string one just for fun!
The most time-consuming racquet I've strung was the Blackburne racquet. 🤙
aloha albert, i just found in my collection, a brand new unstrung dunlop maxply fort with plastic wrap around the 4-1/2" leather grip in med. serial #35946. just shy of 13 oz. i also have a kramer auto, the black (not the red) version factory strung, 14 oz. both beauties...
@@dbk7238 Wow, what a great FIND! Can you measure the length of your Maxply and confirm if it's 26-5/8" like mine? I thought it was interesting that it was shorter than the other racquets.
I didn't know the Kramer Autograph came in a black version. It must be rare.
My friend (mid-60s) from NorCal donated some of his collectibles to my pro shop "museum." One of the items is an autographed (by Jack Kramer) JK Pro Staff racquet. Of course, this is something only us old guys would only appreciate! 🤣
albert, thanks for the replies. i'll take some pictures and send to your email.
@@dbk7238 Sound good!