Advice on buying new Gamma Stringer

[leog]

I'm finally tired of paying sporting goods store employees $30 to take a week to string my rackets.

I've pretty much decided on getting a new Gamma stringer from ATS, but stringing technology is pretty new to me and I'm wondering if a few of you veterans could help me out on a couple points:

I think I want to get one of the new 'X' series machines, are they new? What are their improvements (if any) over the Progression series? The prices between the two series seem comparable, except ATS has free shipping on the X series.

I don't want to spend the money on an electric, so it's between crank vs dropweight. What advantages does one system have over another?

I'll be stringing at most 1 racket/week.

Thanks for any help/input.

 

[Gaines Hillix]

Leo, the X-series is new and feedback on here has been limited. Just from looking at the pictures of these machines that are available on-line, they seem to constructed of lighter weight material than the Progression machines. In some cases, what used to be a heavy, one piece steel casting now looks like an aluminum piece made from more than one part that is bolted together. Of the gamma drop weight and crank machines, I prefer the 5003/6004 crank machines. The mounting system on these machines is very good and the build quality has always been good. Have never seen a complaint about the quality of these models or the ATS or Gamma customer service.I've also seen good reviews of the Prog II 602FC dropweight model. I'd also recommend the Alpha Blu DC and Apex. The biggest difference between a drop weight and a crank machine is in the tension head. The drop weight arm required more physical effort to use and it usually takes 2-3 pulls to get the arm to reach the horizontal position required to achieve the set tension. With a crank machine, you wind the crank until it locks out and you're done. A second pull is almost never needed. Having said that, the dropweight machine will create a stringbed that is about 10% stiffer than the crank machine because it doesn't lock out and quit pulling. It keeps pulling until you clamp off and release the string from the tension head. One can compensate for this by raising the reference tension on the crank machine. However, it depends on what you're used to having your racquets strung on as to whether you would need to make this adjustment. I believe most people would also agree that a crank machine is faster and easier to use than most dropweights. If constant pull is important to you, then the 602FC or equivelant X-series machine would be the way to go. I am not aware of any advantage in features of either one. You also might want to call ATS and get their input.

 

[leog]

Thanks, I'll probably go with the dropweight so I get constant-pull.

 

[dax_q]

I wouldn't go with the drop weight. I strung with an Alpha Pioneer for about six years and hated every second of it. I got an Eagnas Flex 940(Crank) and have had much better results. It is quicker, easier, and I think more accurate. Just my 2 cents