Eco drop vs Alpha Revo 4000, Help me decide

[jorge306]

I have approx $600 to spend on a machine, which seems to be the going rate for a good table top system. From all that I've read between cranks and drop weights, it seems to come down to these two. Not to say that Gammas aren't good either but the majority seems to be these two.
I've been debating, with myself, between the Eco with double action clamps and the Revo which comes with same type of clamps.
On the one hand, drop weights never need calibrating, whereas cranks may need to be eventually. The mounting system and clamps are both good on both systems. Service is apparently good for both, though recently I've been reading a bit of problems with Laserfibre's.
I get the impression that the crank models are easier to operate, whereas you have to wrap the string for the drop weights.
One advantage the Revo has, I think, is that if so desired, at some point you can put a 'Wise' tension head on the Alpha, which seems to be well liked.

I just can't figure out which would be the best table top.
Can you help out?

[Gaines Hillix]

Tough choice for sure. You have several trade-offs to consider. Drop weight vs crank, constant pull vs lock out, future upgrade paths(stand, electronic tension head). These are both good machines, but you'll have to decide which of these trade-offs you want to make. Some people would go with the ECO just because of the constant pull tensioning. To others that's not that important. You just have to decide what's most important to you and go with it. You can't go wrong either way, so don't agonize over the decision.

[vinouspleasure]

I had a principled negotiation with someone here selling a used alpha apex in that price range. I was already stretching into the revo, so I decided to pass.

Let me know if you'd like his email, he seems like a good guy.

[fedex27]

id go with the revo becuase drop weeights take longer and are harder to get consistant

[Gaines Hillix]

Originally Posted by gstring21

id go with the revo becuase drop weeights take longer and are harder to get consistant

The LF dropweights are unique. They only take one pull to reach the set tension except on a small number of very elastic strings and they are consistent because of their unique tensioning mecahism. It's basically insert the string into the gripper, drop the arm, clamp off and go on to the next string.

[zeniththepinnacle]

Jorge,

I would not worry about the service problems with Laserfibre. Tim is a solid guy. May not come thru in time all the time but overall service is great when it come to quality.
I am very happy with the ms200dx. There are a lot of similarities to the eco.

Mounting system is top notch.

turn table and machine of very good build quality.

Clamp - I have SA clamps and also the DA clamps ( I have not tried the DA clamps yet) very good except for the drawback for the SA. Apparently not so pronounced in the DA. (I have a friend with an Alpha electronic stringer and I was with him when he was stringing on his machine and he the alpha with DA clamps also had drawback to me surprise)

String gripper - good.

Constant pull in my mind is a definite advantage.

I do not know much about alpha machines.

P.S. - I have no financial relantionships with Laserfibre and up until 2 months ago did not even know they existed.

[jorge306]

Zenith,

Thanks for the info. Tim is a great guy. Sometimes stays on the phone longer than you want to, but really good.

Not sure what you meant about the 'string gripper', unless you mean where you put the strings to be pulled or tightened. I think and hope the eco has the same string gripper as the tt and dx, where you just put the string between the elements and not have to 'wrap' around a drum style that I think other drop weights use.

Tim also mentioned that the new eco's are 'upgradeable' to a tt. You will be able to put the same string tensioning system on the tt onto the eco if so desired later on, as well as change the 6 o'clock mounting plate to the tt. He says you can 'build' your machine as a Dell computer and put what you want on it, now or later.
This would all be good.

I understand from another thread, that Stringway, LaserF's Europe distributor, now has a really nice stand which I also hope will be able to used with the eco if so desired later on as well.

All in all, I am leaning toward the eco, but it's hard to wait. The Alpha R 4000 has also been well received by many in these boards.
I remember Gaines even writing somewhere that he would get one of these, Revo, given the choice between, can't remember which ones he mentioned. But he didn't mention the eco in that thread.

[zeniththepinnacle]

Jorge,

I mean the tensioning jaw I guess.

Eagle has a great site about the eco http://www.keohi.com/tennis/laserfibre/index.htm

[jorge306]

Zenith,

Thanks.
Yeah, I saw and bookmarked the 'keohi' site. He did a great job.

Heard from Tim yesterday, email, and new ecos have not come in yet.

Am tempted to go with another machine.