Best Electric Rig?

[dantesinferno18]

Hi All,

I am currently in the market to upgrade from my gamma progression II 200 drop weight stringing machine. I would ideally like to get into an electric machine but am considering the price differential between something like the gamma X-ELS ($1400) or simply buying a drop weight and install a WISE tension head on it for roughly $1200.

I would like to have fixed clamps and be done dealing with my annoying floating clamps otherwise I'd just buy the electric head for my current machine. Curious what your guys' thoughts are on buying an electric machine from the start or buying a crank/DW and installing an electric tension head on it. Any advantages/disadvantages to either aside from cost?

Thanks in advance for your input!

 

[Irvin]

You probably won’t be able to find the deal that I got but give it a try. I had a Gamma 6004 w/Wise tension head and thought it was absolutely great. I was 100% satisfied with it and had strung a few thousand rackets without any issues. Then one day I stumbled on a used Babolat Star 5 for an unbelievable price. At first I considered selling the Star 5 for a profit but decided to try it a few days to see which one I would let go. It didn’t take long to decide the Gamma / Wise was going. I’ve strung almost 3,000 rackets on my Babolat machine and I’ve never had an issue

Buy the best machine you can afford even if it is used. The Star 5 is on the low end of premium machines but they are still great machines. Nothing fancy just a great basic stringer.

 

[jim e]

@Irvin is correct. Get the best machine you can afford. Especially in your situation, as you have strung racquets and now know that you will be stringing for a while, since you are looking to upgrade.
If you can wait, there are used good machines that do come up every so often. The more features, the easier the job, and the more enjoyable it is. No one ever complains about getting too much of a machine.

 

[dantesinferno18]

Where do you generally find used machines? Here on the forums? $$bay? Etc.?

 

[Irvin]

Where do you generally find used machines? Here on the forums? $$bay? Etc.?

There is a local chain here in Atlanta that had Star 5 machines until this spring. I think there are about 5 stores and each of the stores had at least 2 Star 5s now they are all Baiardos. I asked one of the stringers what happened to the Star 5s he said there were about 15 sitting in a warehouse.

You can find lots of machines on the different auction sites, TW for sale forum, TW sells their used NEOS machines, IART, and USRSA sites can help If you’re a member. Facebook marketplace and stringing groups like Facebooks’s ‘Unstrung Heroes’ can help too. They’re everywhere.

 

[Rabbit]

@dantesinferno18 I bought a Babolat Mighty Sensor Dual off the large auction site. It's worked great with nary a hitch for a couple of years now. TennisMachines also gets trade ins from time to time. They won't sell them unless they are in tip top shape.

 

[Wes]

@dantesinferno18 I bought a Babolat Sensor Dual off the large auction site.

Umm... @Rabbit, I believe you meant Mighty Sensor!

 

[esgee48]

There is one unmentioned caveat; make sure your SO is onboard if you have one or contemplate having one. You may want it a a Living Room conversation piece, but the SO may not. [Just saying....]

 

[Rabbit]

Umm... @Rabbit, I believe you meant Mighty Sensor!

Right you are! I have corrected the error in my post. Actually, I didn't want to confuse a new stringer with any adjectives. I don't think a Google of Babolat Mighty Sensor would yield much.

 

[Irvin]

Actually, I didn't want to confuse a new stringer with any adverbs.

Did you mean adverbs? An adjective is a word or phrase naming an attribute, added to or grammatically related to a noun to modify or describe it. Sensor is a noun not a verb.

 

[Rabbit]

@Irvin - right you are, corrected. I do have a hard time believing that you would correct anyone else's grammar/posts given your history of non-English, but thank you. I reckon even a blind squirrel finds an acorn every now and then.

 

[MAX PLY]

^^^ 2 resources (both on YouTube):

Schoolhouse Rock: "Unpack Your Adjectives"
Schoolhouse Rock: "Lolly, Lolly, Lolly Get Your Adverbs Here!"

When virtual learning only needed a TV and was pared with commercials for dangerous toys and sugary breakfast cereals--those were the days!

 

[Rabbit]

@MAX PLY - my personal favorite was Conjuntion Junction, what's your function? Hooking up words..

 

[MAX PLY]

. . . and phrases and clauses . . .

 

[Wes]

^^^ 2 resources (both on YouTube):

Schoolhouse Rock: "Unpack Your Adjectives"
Schoolhouse Rock: "Lolly, Lolly, Lolly Get Your Adverbs Here!"

When virtual learning only needed a TV and was pared with commercials for dangerous toys and sugary breakfast cereals--those were the days!

@MAX PLY - my personal favorite was Conjuntion Junction, what's your function? Hooking up words..

. . . and phrases and clauses . . .

But... but... what about Bill?

I'm just a Bill.
Sittin' on the steps of Capitol Hill.

 

[lwto]

Where do you generally find used machines? Here on the forums? $$bay? Etc.?

I used craigslist and just scoured big metropolotin areas for stringing machines.. got a Senser in LA shipped to me. s

 

[Folsom_Stringer_Musa]

@dantesinferno18 I bought a Babolat Mighty Sensor Dual off the large auction site. It's worked great with nary a hitch for a couple of years now. TennisMachines also gets trade ins from time to time. They won't sell them unless they are in tip top shape.

Large auction site and other retailers charge a sales tax now a days. On 3K machine, this + shipping charge makes me think alternate route.