Best Stringing Machine for $3500 of Less
David,
Thanks again for your comments. Yes, the Alpha Orabitor SE has the same six point suspension system that is on the Alpha Apex, recommended by Gaines Hillix. I did receive a report that the Orbitor SE is an excellent machine from someone who had posted an inquiry about it some time ago on the GSS forum, but didn't receive any replies. He emailed back that he really likes the machine for use in his shop.
Unfortunately, I haven't been able to locate any Orbitor SE machine to look at in Southern California. I've learned that only about fifteen have been sold so far, but that number should increase when Alpha does some promotional things they have planned.
I did see a Prince 3000 in a store in Woodland Hills, about 25 miles away. I learned that a buyer for the store where I bought several pairs of skiis and a Kennex Black Ace racquet years ago, selected the Prince 3000 over the Alpha Orbitor SE, as the machine to replace the Babolat Star 3 machines that are in most of their stores, including the one here in Valencia. I understand that they looked at the Babolat Sensor, but felt that it was more than they wanted to spend.
I am very impressed with the Prince 3000. It really looks like a professional quality machine. The tension head is about twice the size of the Prince 2000, a discontinued machine that cost a thousand dollars more. Also, the 3000 has a cooling fan in the tension head to keep it running cool for a long time.
The four point mounting system is extremely easy to operate, and seems very secure. The adjustment parts are made out of heavy duty materials, and are very convenient and quick to use. The electronic controls for the tensioning head are very clear, easy to read and easy to use. The button to pull and release tension is a good size and is right there to hit. But, if you prefer, there is a foot pedal to use and keep both hands free.
The Prince 3000 has three pulling speeds, for different types of strings, a prestretch feature if you want to use it, three presets for your most used tensions, a single time 10% increase of tension for the last pull before tying a knot, an automatic turntable brake, that can be switched to manual, if you don't want to use it on automatic, and a very convenient crank built in to the top of the platform that makes raising or lowering the machine quite easy. It seems to me that this is a very nice feature that I don't see on the other machines I have considered. I brought a measuring tape and found that the 3000 does go up to 48 inches, which I feel is just about right for me.
The clamps I saw on the Prince 3000 were actually made for a 2000 machine, because the manager of the tennis department was familiar with the 2000 clamps and had an extra pair. The clamps that come with the 3000 are a bit larger, and are reported to close on a very slight angle, but to work very well. The new clamps on the 3000 even have two adjustment screws to adjust the closing distance from the string on each side, in addition to the regular adjustment knob for the whole clamp. I'd never heard of that before. The clamp bases move very smoothly, and close easily, but are a bit harder to release than the ones that were on the Prince 2000. I'm trying to locate a machine that has the 3000 clamps, so I can take a look at them.
A very impressive thing about the Prince 3000 is that it is almost entirely made out of metal and looks very sturdy overall. As I have been reviewing the functions and qualities of the various machines, I have become less inclined to want one with a lot of plastic on it. At first, they looked very smooth and modern, but now a machine that is made almost entirely of substantial metal parts looks better to me.
I know that you, and others as well, have advised me to get a lockout/crank machine for the limited amount of stringing I plan to do. But my feeling is that if I can afford to spend over 13K a year in taxes in order to have a nice new house in a gated community with a Tournament Player's Club golf course, two large pools, a private park and tennis courts, I can surely afford 3K for a good quality stringing machine.
I feel that it is important for me to have much better control over the tensions and types of strings that are used by my students and me. Cranking back and forth has been rather annoying to me in the limited amount of stringing I have done. While the electronic machines, such as the Prince 3000 and Babolat models seem to operate so easily.
What do you think?
RD