Out of curiosity what makes a stringer a Master? I hear the name Master Halim or Master Bernie, what makes those people masters, I have even heard the term Master Kakinami, but he is far from being considered a master. It is difficult to see anyone as a master, if anything maybe there are 2 in the world. To be a master in my opinion, first you have to master your technique, I guess you can consider Bernie and Halim into that group, but then as a master how do you help players? A call up to maybe a Sudermian Cup 1 time or maybe a Malaysia Open or US Open, what are the most prestigious tournamets? Olympics, World Championships, All Englands? I think a Master Stringer should know their technique, as well serve regular customers and have a need to be wanted from the professionals themselves when it matters, when the best of the world competes, an Olympics, a World Championships, maybe even an All Englands, called on a regular basis, not just a 1 time deal, wham bam, thank you maam'. I guess for me the term Master as a stringer is a very serious thing. I guess it is because of my love for stringing and wanting knowledge to being close to be considered a master. Master is like a GOD like title, you are the best of the best, your talent and knowledge is wanted by everyone, and you have credintals to back up what you say. So to hear the term Master stringer for me is you are a GOD, there is no higher term for a stringer. Sorry it just bothers me when I hear the term, Master Halim or Master Bernie, they are GOD like, but to me they are maybe just excellent stringers. Ahh thinking maybe a GOD like stringer must be humble so maybe there is only 1, the other is an egotistical manaic, but that is why I look up to him =) Your thoughts....
In my opinion, maybe they have completed full stringing courses and recognized from Stringer association. Sent from my CLT-L29 using Tapatalk
I am thinking master stringer should be above someone who just good at stringing. Something magical. He is not only good at doing an amazing job, in my imagination he might be even a little imperfect. However when you take the racket he strang you would feel that you were never as happy playing badminton. He is not only perfectly consistent but also really good at knowing and understanding players and judging what kind of stringing job you need... and nailing it from the first time... He have years of experience and he have seen it all. After stringing in the biggest events in the world, he is sitting there in his shop happy to see everyone passing by and despite doing it for a long long time he still enjoys the process. Every single racket is a quest for him to do better. He is humble to share his experience and despite been great at teaching the new generation there is something about him that no one can understand or imitate. There is just something un-explainable almost metaphysical happening when he touches the stringing machine... In the real world... ... It probably does not exist... unfortunately....
Good point! Unfortunately I don't think there are any recognized for badminton only tennis. I believe there is one for Victor but their major tournament is Korea Open? Sent from my SM-G935F using Tapatalk
I think to have a title like Master, person not only need to have years of experience, have a passion for the job, but that's not enough. person need not only need to know what to do, but also why. person need to have a deep understanding of the various variables in stringing, all the engineering and physics involved, and be able to explain why we follow a certain flow. with such true understanding, then one can become a true Master.
I think we must differ between Master Stringer and Master Badminton Stringer. A Master Stringer should be able to string all rackets perferct, no matter which sport. Also a Master should always try to get better and better, try new things and techniques. I think Consistency is a big key to become a Master.
to elaborate more. the understanding is very important. we can train a monkey, or we can train a robot to be a very good stringer. in fact, a monkey/robot can probably do a better, faster, more consistent job than a human given enough training. but a monkey/robot do not understand what it is doing. it just follows instructions. case in point, ppl says, add 2lbs, 10%, why? follow this pattern. tie the knot this way, why? pull at this tension, why? keep the strings straight, why? But WHY? to be a master stringer, one must understand not only the how, but why. when one understands the why can one then truly understand the essence behind stringing. even when teaching new stringers, need to know why in order to teach. otherwise, they are just training monkeys.
to further add. To be a true master, one doesn't have to be the best at something (whatever "best" mean). perhaps best means you can be called up to string 20hours a day during a 1 week tournament? would that make you a master? I don't think so. I once met one Karate 7th or 8th degree black belt. The guy is like 60+ years old. He probably won't survive a one-on-one kumite against a younger low level blackbelt, but he is considered much more of a master as I am sure his understanding of the art is way deeper than the younger.
I agree with the sentiment of those who say a Master is not just a technician but also an artist. One can imagine a youtube spoof of the Harry Potter wand dealer, Mr. Ollivander, as a badminton stringer in some dingy Hong Kong shop: « You say you want BG 80 at 36 lbs, Mr. Chen? I think you will find the stringjob chooses the player, not the reverse. May I suggest Li Ning No.1 at 27lb. Very nice. »
Hahaha. To be honest, i always nervous when customer ask me to string their racket above 28 lbs. First thing I tell my customer is that I won't hold any responsibility if the racket cracks during stringing time. Once the customers give me the greenlight, well I have nothing to worry about. Sent from my CLT-L29 using Tapatalk
Well, but a monkey/robot cannot act if he get a strange racket. He only can string it if he know what he do, not just doing. Yes, a good (not Master) Stringer has to question the things what/why he do. He should justify and understand why he do what he do. Ack. Also ack. To complete stringing courses and to pass the exams of the associations is not a must. Some "Masters" in Tennis never passed a stringing exam or thought about it. Here are some key words for a master (in this order maybe): experience consistency accuracy passion quick stringing A question from my side: must a Master be a good player?
I see your point on an extreme sport but on the technical side where I work my boss is 83 years old and he still strings very well so on the stringing side as a laborious process physical strengths are not a factor. I am sure I can beat the crap out of an 80 year old man but that 80 year old man can probably string as good as any other stringer. =) Sent from my SM-G935F using Tapatalk
@Alex82 actually you do need to take a test and renew to be a MRT in tennis Master Racket Technician. But useless for badminton. I don't know a tennis stringer who likes to string a badminton racket. Sent from my SM-G935F using Tapatalk
I strung tennis racket 2 times before. I don't really like it. Hahaha. Sent from my CLT-L29 using Tapatalk
Actually I have the Master Professional Stringer Level 1 in Tennis and Pro Tour Stringer Level 1 in Badminton (actually there is no higher rank and Pro Tour Stringer is higher than Master Professional Stinger). But for me it is not a must have, to call someone a Master. Badminton PTS1 is "easy". I want to make the Pro Tour Stringer in Tennis, but this was a little bit too hard (long) for me this day. PTS1 takes more time than MPS1. Because I want to do Badminton and Tennis at the same day. You must do: a written test (90 minutes, 90 questions, most of them multiple choice) Badminton test (around 80 minutes) for PTS1 Tennis MPS1 (maybe around 1 hour) change grommets change basic grip increase grip size string one racket with hybrid (natural gut/poly) Tennis PTS1 (maybe around 2,5 hours or more) all things from MPS1 except stringing string one racket ATW with natural gut within 30 minutes stringing three 16x19 rackets with ATW within 60 minutes (all stringjobs must be within 1 DT) match two rackets (weight +/- 1g, balance +/- 0.1mm, swingweight +/- 1) But what i will say with that: All of the tests makes nobody to a Master. Don't know if I'm a Tennis or Badminton stringer. I string both. And i like both. Also squash. And squash is sometimes challenging. They have some very weird string patterns. For me, this make a lot of fun to string such weird string patterns. I bought 3 rackets with different weird string pattern just for trying, testing the best way to string and for fun. But none of them makes me to a master stringer!
That's kinda my point. if you ask your boss to go string for a tournament, 7 days a week 18 hours a day, he probably won't make it! But that doesn't make him any less of a "master" than younger stringer. So the ability to be called upon at any time to work on a big event should not be a critieria.
What is a Pro Tour Stringer? Is it like a degree or actually stringing on the WTA or ATP Tour? For that it is just having contacts. I have never tested, except with the guy who contracted me, it is having networking skills if you want to string on the tour, my friend is a consistant stringer and does good work, he has never tested, certified stringer, MRT nothing, he has been in the industry so long his stringing skills speak for themself. He has never had a desire to test. He has no e-mail, his cell phone is a flip phone, and if he wants to watch porn he uses his VCR =P
Just a degree. Yes. That is what I say: Maybe true. Maybe the one and only master sits in a backyard and strings with a simple dropweight machine rackets better than every one of us.
