I’ve seen some used Neos 1000 machines with a Wise and the crank tension head inside your budget. That said, I don’t think you can go wrong with a Tourna, Alpha, or Gamma. Stay away from off brand stuff.
The round hour glass ‘thing’ you wrap the string around on a LO machine is called either a string guide / string roller / roller guide. A similar looking device on an eCP is called a diablo / diabolo. They Look the same, but are different. The string guide spins freely and maintains a constant string angle going into the gripper. The diablo does not spin, maintains a constant string angle going into the gripper, and reduces tension on the string on the gripper side of the Diablo by 50% which reduces the pressure on the string by the gripper plates by 50%.
The X-ELS has a diablo. The X-ST has a string guide. The Gamma lock out maintain a constant angle going into the gripper so the angle of the string going into the gripper is always the same. Therefore the tension at lock is the same because it always requires the same pulling force on the string to lift the gripper assembly to engage the trip lever.the teaching video i saw called it a "clutch", was using the Gamma X-ELS .
so tourna cs-350 vs gamma x-st
both crank style. one has a roller guide. any preference between the two?
@Dak95: Do you consider Pro's Pro as candidate for good brand ?
The only thing I know of Pro's Pro is the information I have read on this forum. Most of the consensus is that it is made at the same manufacturer that makes for Eagnas or similar. Their machines look good but for a little more you could buy an Alpha or a Tourna and know you are getting service support should anything go wrong from these reputable brands.
