If you have an established fleabay and/or PP account, there is no waiting period for payment. And you can usually complete the transfer of funds out of PP into your linked bank account in 2 to 3 days.
Since you are doing a non-local CL deal with a complete stranger, it would be risky to send a check. It is like sending him cash. If he doesn't deliver, or if the stringer is not as described, you are SOL and without recourse. PP affords you some degree of recourse. You might make the case to him that PP is actually better for him as well as checks are often forged. If you use PP, make sure you send payment for goods and specify in the transaction notes exactly what you are purchasing.
If you have great feedback (and does he) on fleabay, it might make you both a bit more comfortable with the non-local CL deal. Even so, I would advise that if he insists on a check, you may be assuming too much risk. Is this an expensive stringer or a $50 used Klippermate? If it is a low budget deal, it might be worth the risk if the price is great. Otherwise, not so much.
If you decide to do the check, make sure the name the payee is the same as the addressee. Make sure the memo portion of the check specifies what the payment is for. Make sure you have the guy's home phone number, etc. Google his email address, phone number, home address, etc and see if he has any known issues. Is he an adult or a kid? If he seems to be a kid, I would not do the deal period. (I assume given your seeming cluelessness, that you are a kid. I think it is very bad idea for kids to buy stuff from strangers on the internet because you are simply too naive to be doing these sorts of deals.)
All that said, I have sent checks for CL deals but I had some sense the other party was a trustworthy adult. In all those cases, 6?, I received the goods in the stated condition. As well, I have sold things (rackets mostly) off CL non-locally and demanded checks, received them, let them fully clear and then sent the merchandise out. It really depends on the circumstances and how accurate your gut instincts tend to be.
If it is an entry level stringer, just save your money and buy a new one, or wait until you can find one locally or thru a seller you have some data on. Klippermates and Eagnas entry level machines are $150 to $100 plus shipping. Don't know if Alpha still makes an entry level table top/portable. If they do, they make good machines. But, they all will do the job. At least you will have a warranty and have some confidence your new machine won't have any undisclosed flaws. You can also put up a wanted ad here or on your local CL for a used machine as see if you get any hits.
