RACQUET CUSTOMIZING {1997}

By Vince Chiarelli, PTR, MRT and Owner of String Along With Vince in Largo

If you are not quite ready to take the plunge into the vast pool of new racquet technology, you may have a means of getting some of the benefit without the confusion and expense. Many players have found that they can get more out of their ground strokes by changing one or more of the variables inherent in their present frames.
[NOTE: PRICES MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE ARE FROM 1997]

Customizing is familiar to the pros, but only lately has it become something the rest of us can appreciate. You can change the weight, balance and swing weight of your racquet by adding lead tape to various frame positions around the string plane area or even to the shaft and grip. Depending on the placement, various things will happen. You can get more power or more stability, raise the sweet spot or maybe change the timing just that little bit to make more of your shots stay in the court.

You can experiment with a package of lead tape for less than $2 and see for yourself the difference it can make. If you have a specific change in mind, I strongly suggest you seek the aid of a professional with the tools needed to do the job right. A digital scale, precise balance board and more importantly, a method of determining swing weight is essential. Without these items, it would be like trying to balance your car's tires by just adding weight here and there. More misses than hits.

I know that some of you are thinking, "I don't want to add weight to my racquet. It will make it too heavy." The amount of weight we are talking about can be as little as 3 grams--about 1/10 of an ounce! If your racquet weighs 11 ounces, 3 grams will be less than 1% of the overall weight. It's not how much weight you use, but where you use it that counts. That 3 grams put at the bottom of the hoop will change the balance, but only slightly change the swing weight. That same amount at the top of the frame will make quite a difference in swing weight.

Another way to customize a frame is to change the size or shape of the grip. Different manufacturers make their grips in different shapes. Head is more rectangular, while Prince and Wilson have squarer shapes. Different preferences can be incorporated into racquets using very lightweight materials. If you bought or inherited a racquet with the wrong grip size, don't despair. Many grips can be made smaller and all can be made larger.

For those of you who have more than one frame, you may have noticed that you keep hitting with the same one. You may be able to have that other frame customized so that you won't be able to tell them apart. We frequently change matching frames for our customers so that they can play comfortably with any of them.

The cost of customizing depends on the time and material it takes to do the job. Many times you will have to make a change then try it and make some adjustments before it's just right. A professional job will cost between $8 and $80 depending on the work involved. But the change can be well worth the price.

Copyright 1997 (Previously published in THE LATEST RACQUET -- Jul/Aug 1997)
By Vince Chiarelli, MRT, PTR