While re-stringing and re-gripping your racquets on a regular basis is essential for optimal performance, most players these days would benefit from customization beyond the basics of just choosing a string, a tension and a grip. One of the reasons this is true is that racquets today tend to be way too light. It's true that a lighter racquet is easier to swing, but the trade-off is that when a lighter racquet connects with a ball that same lack of mass actually translates into less power and less stability.

The racquets I play with come from the factory weighing around 270 gms and they are balanced head-heavy. Take a look at the label below and you'll see that I add over an ounce of weight to my racquets, sufficient weight to leave them significantly head-light.

The equipment I use for customization includes the Prince Precision Tuning Center pictured below. This unit is used to measure weight, balance and swingweight. When you get a racquet strung I record all three of these measurements and print them out on both your invoice and your racquet label (as above).

If you own a pair of racquets (or more), you'll likely notice that they rarely come from the manufacturer truly matched. If you are interested in having your racquets matched let me know. It's not expensive and generally can be done in less than 24 hours.

In addition to frame customization I am one of the few stringers in the area equipped to do handle reductions and handle reshaping. Not all racquets are candidates for this sort of customization as many of the ultralites have hollow handles that cannot be reworked, but I am still able to do this on racquets with urethane foam handles. I charge $20 for this service, plus the cost of a new butt cap, a bargain if I do say so myself. The equipment is pictured here.

If you need a grip enlarged, no problem. I use heat-shrink PVC sleeves and the cost is a mere $4. PVC builds do add significant weight to a racquet and they round out the bevels somewhat so it's always preferable to get your grip size right when you purchase your racquet.

Head's performance racquets come with removable pallets and make it possible to change handle size without adding weight or rounding the handle. I charge $20 to install a new pallet. You will generally need a new butt cap and a new grip as well, but overall, it's a lot less expensive than getting a new racquet.