Stringing Machine Recommendations

[sinnet1]

I'm in the market for a stringing machine and appreciate all suggestions. Currently I'm looking at the Prince Neos 1000, Gamma 5003, and Silent Partner Maestro machines as good possibilities.

My family all play tennis and the machine is primarily for stringing our own racquets and maybe earning a few dollars stringing for friends. I'm guessing we will probably string 2 - 3 racquets per week on average. Most important requirements are durability, ease of use, and stringing speed.

I open to other recommendations and also looking for information on where to buy reliable used machines.

Thanks for your suggestions.

[rjl1885]

What did you end up buying? Why? Where did you get it. I have also narrowed my search to the three you mentioned.

[sinnet1]

I was surprised that I received hardly any feedback from this forum on the machines I listed. I've continued to search for information and narrowed my choice to the Prince Neos. I've heard that Tennis Warehouse sells their used, well maintanied machine at a good price. I've sent an email to them asking if they would have any for sale soon but have not received a reply. Let me know what you wind up doing.

[rjl1885]

I had a 45-minute conversation with our local master racquet technician. He is the one who certifies people in all of upper NY State. I trust his judgment. To my surprise, he owns a drop weight machine. The laserfibre MS200 series is a constant pull system. The advantage to this particular drop weight machine is that the arm does not have to be parallel to the ground to be accurate. I haven’t yet sorted out the difference between laserfibre and stringway. I think laserfibre is the distributor for stringway but don't understand why they brand the machines laserfiber or if they’re really is a difference (other than paint). He did not like the spring tension machines because they require constant calibration and they are not constant pull.

[TennezSport]

Your local MRT is correct (is his name Gerald?). A CP machine is much more accurate than a lockout. Both are good machines but a CP reduces the creep that happens in the string while stringing the racquet, so you get a more accurate string job.

Laserfiber is just a rebrand of Stringway, they are the same machine made by Stringway. Laserfibre is having a little trouble in delivering machine so far, so I would go to Alpha (if you are in the US) as they are the new US distributors for Stringway.
http://www.alphatennis.com/Machines2.htm

Take a look and good luck.

TennezSport :cool:

[BOSSMANBUDDYLEE]

Sinnet1, since you are stringing only for your friends and family, most stringers should work for you. However a drop weight is more accurate but if you string high volume of frames then the crank is so much faster. Either way, if you are planning on keeping the stringer for a while, take the plunge and spend a little more for a solid stringer.

I had both a Gamma drop weight and the Prince Neos 1000. They are both great machines. The choice really comes down to speed over constant pull. Don't forget that with the Prince Neos 1000, you can always add the Wise 2086 constant pull head unit as an upgrade later if you want to take your stringing to a new level.

[downey]

on ebay usa i saw eagnas electric machine with all pre stretch , pro functions .. stand.. 2 fixed clamps etc.. for $500-600 dollars. better than a $1000 neos i think. or if you can afford is get a used spring machine or new... then add a constant pull head like the wise 2086 simply take off the tensions and clamp on the wise. no installation. self calibrates and the amazing info is on site. www.tennishead.com 495$ it is and a lovely peice of equipment im getting in about two weeks. then you'll have a cheap amazing quality machine for you and your family. sorryhavent commented on the others your intrested in but these are outstanding for their price

[STRINGA]

Hi Sinnet1,

I do not think that a lock out machine is the way to go because constant pull is so much more accurate certainly when you string all kind of different strings.
If you are going to string a larger number of racquets in the future, the best alternative for the Stringway dropweight machine is the Stringway footoperated machine MS200.
This machine is constant pull, very convenient to use and as fast or faster then a lock out machine.

You can see the action of it on the Stringway website and download the MS200 video.
Good luck.

Stringa

[BOSSMANBUDDYLEE]

Stringa, even though I had two Eagnas stringers, I do caution you about Eagnas' constant pull head. Some of their electric head is not as good for constant pull as their lock out hand crank units. Both of my old Eagnas stringers were crank lockouts units.

For constant pull go ahead with the Wise 2086 head as Downey suggests. As you upgrade your stringer, the Wise 2086 can keep up with whatever stringer you throw at it. Just make sure the clamps in the unit you choose are made from quality parts.

Don't forget, the two most important parts of a stringer are the clamps and the tension head. Everything else is secondary.

[STRINGA]

Who is talking about Eagnas constant pull, I am talking about high quality constant pull. Perhaps it is useful to take a look at the document “chosing a stringing machine” which you can download from the Stringway site http://www.stringway-nl.com/en/index.html
This document describes quite understandable why a mechanical constant pull machine is the most accurate machine there is. And why it is even difficult for high quality electronic machines to match the accuracy of a constant pull drop-weight or the spring driven foot-operated machine.

Cheap electronics that are called “constant-pull” are very inaccurate machines compared to the constant pull drop-weight machine.

And if you compare the price of a high quality drop-weight (like the ML100 or 120) you have a machine with high quality clamps, direct racquet support that is much cheaper than a lock out machine with the Wise head.

Stringa

[BOSSMANBUDDYLEE]

I completely agree Stringa. When going with constant pull, don't be cheap. Also you are right. Drop weight constant pull will be more accurate than an electric head.

I also used a drop weight constant pull in the past. The only reason I switched was the speed of the electric head from the Wise 2086. I string for different clubs and tournaments therefore speed is a factor, although I have never used a Laserfibre/Stringway dropweight system.

As for the Neos, it is the most used stringer by USRSA members due to its durability, simplicity and high quality. The Neos is a bullet proof stringer that will last forever.

If you do decide to go with a Stringway, make sure you post a review. I have used six different stringers over the years. I would love to checkout a Stringway. Good Luck.

[STRINGA]

There is an enormous amount of discussions in the TW archives about the Stringway machines that were supplied to Laserfibre. You can do a search.
The machines to look at are the MS200TT= SW ML100 and the MS200DX = SW MS200.

The eco models are the cheaper models they have the same constant pull tensionhead also so the stringing qualities are the same.

Stringa