Earlier this year we posted a blog entry suggesting that our method for stringing the Prince “port style” racquets was a superior approach to that used by most stringers. (Click Here for Blog Entry) Above you will find an image of a racquet that came into our shop yesterday. The customer had it strung elsewhere and claimed “it didn’t feel right.” Uhh, no wonder. The stringing of this racquet goes well beyond that of routine negligence. In fact, I would have to label it as the Granddaddy of incompetence.

For those not familiar with this racquet. You will note from the image above that the stringer of this racquet inserted the piece that Prince intends to be the bridge support randomly into the throat. In this position it serves no purpose other than to possibly add some dampening properties. Speaking of dampeners, the DAMPENER, has been inserted into the bridge to presumably hold the strings. Brilliant! What in God’s green Earth was this stringer thinking? How could this well known area tennis specialty chain have allowed this racquet to go out like this??? It truly boggles the mind.

In this case, the racquet was strung by a local tennis shop. Not a high school kid in the basement, not an exercise facility, not a big-box retailer, but rather a TENNIS specialty shop that is part of a small chain of shops. The type of place that attempts to attract customers with their superior knowledge of tennis. A place where customers supposedly pay a little more for experienced service. Seriously?

Anyway, we invite those local customers using the Prince port-style racquets to use our stringing service where you will get the most consistent, accurate and professional string job possible. For those reading the blog who are not local, we suggest you carefully research and locate a professional stringer who is intimately familiar with the Prince port-style racquets to string your stick. To those associated with the tennis shop that performed this service, thank you for helping our business continue to grow and thrive.

UPDATE: Earlier today a blog reader sent us an email and requested an image be posted of the racquet as it “should appear.” After restringing we took a quick shot and included it below. It is perfectly strung with WeissCANNON Explosiv! and our new customer is going to LOVE IT!!!