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So recently I have had a few squash racquets in for restringing, one also needed the bumper guard replacing and the other was just a new racquet in to get the owners string of choice.

Once strung I noticed how the colour schemes on both matched perfectly with the string!

So a common issue when I have a discussion with prospective customer is what type of strings and in which sort of configuration they would like. So below is a (relatively) short version of common stringing scenarios:

• Casual – for most players just a simple Synthetic Gut restring is required. Can either be in one colour / type or a mixture for mains and crosses and generally strung at 55lbs tension. Colours available:
  • Natural / Clear
  • Black
  • White
  • Yellow
• Improvers – if you want something with a little more bite / spin / power then the next step would be to use a hybrid setup; mixing Polyester strings with Synthetic Gut. Most common for early match play or those just looking to improve their game. Normally Poly strings in the mains with Syn Gut (colours as per above) in crosses is the most common. Colours for Poly are:
  • Black
  • White
• Match / Advanced – for those who want to push it further then a full bed of Polyester strings is the way to go. They are stiffer so provide more control, power and less movement but potentially loose their elasticity quicker potentially needing more frequent re-stringing as they will feel ‘dead’.

Tension is relatively easy, most common is 55lbs as a recommended for most frames and players. Generally if you want to change then the suggestion is only 2lbs difference at a time until you are happy:

• Higher tension provides more control – the ball will go where you hit it as the strings act more like a solid surface
• Lower tension provides more power – higher speed but potentially not exactly where you hit it! The ball will ‘pocket’ more but spring more like a trampoline

I have played racquet sports, primarily tennis, for the better part of 30 years. Over lockdown I decided to start stringing my own tennis and badminton racquets, I found the actual process to be very soothing so I jumped in with both feet!

I started with a second-hand drop weight stringing machine, I researched the methods of stringing and found many sites where I could interact with professional stringers from around the world. Using these resources I honed my abilities and it turns out that a background of engineering, a keen eye for detail and stubbornness are a great combination for stringing.

I started stringing for my local tennis club late 2022 and then also the badminton club a little while after that. As my competency improved I invested in a more professional electronic constant pull machine in 2024 and I have decided to provide a basic website for customers to view information – so here it is!