Best tabletop stringer setup?

[Illusive]

Hey folks, first time poster here. I'd like to purchase a tabletop stringing machine (I don't have lots of space in my apartment sadly, but I'm amenable to a tabletop setup with a foldable stand or a cart or something). This will be my first stringing machine.

I'm mostly looking for convenience/speed, so I'm orienting towards electronic stringing machines (or something with the Wise 2086 Electronic Tensioner). I just can't play with a full bed of poly anymore, otherwise my arm is wrecked, so I've moved onto multifilaments and hybrid setups. Unfortunately, those strings don't last long, and at the rate I'm breaking strings, it's going to be a pretty penny very soon with all the trips I'm making to my stringer.

My maximum budget is $4,000. I've found the Gamma XLT, but I'm also curious about the Wise 2086 on a manual machine. Any thoughts on a good setup for a small space? Thanks!

 

[Irvin]

I wouldn’t go for a high price machine you’re going to moving it in and out every time you string. I’d just get a crank table top machine with fixed clamps. Later on if you want a Wise you could buy one but I wouldn’t.

 

[esgee48]

I would get this one

Gamma Progression II ELS Stringing Machine | Tennis Warehouse

www.tennis-warehouse.com

There is a bias against rotational tensioners, but IME, there isn't any except in the posters' head.

 

[MAX PLY]

If you want a table-top electronic machine, it's hard to beat the XLT--the fact that it is linear pull is a huge plus (my bias is showing). It's a bit pricy but your budget is more than ample. As Irvin notes, you might also be well served by a good table top crank (again, linear pull--Alpha and Gamma are both good options). But, unless you like to string sitting down, you are going to need a tray, tall table or cart to put it on. Alternatively, you could get a quality upright crank (Alpha, Gamma, Prince or Tourna) and put it on coasters depending on your storage situation--the cranks are typically smaller than most quality upright electronic machines and the coasters make them very portable (and rolling it out is much more convenient than setting up the portable). Lots of great options either way. Good luck.

 

[LOBALOT]

OK, as long as you have a $4000 to spend I have an idea. How about the Alpha Ghost 2 and leave the stand/base in the box until some day when you own a house?

It has the footings for a tabletop and when you have more space to permanently park the machine you will have a standup machine.

You get the eCP you seek plus linear gripper, plus better clamps than XLT or II, and auto table lock.

 

[Soundbyte]

I agree with Irvin.

The Tourna ES700 can be tabletop only. Nice machibe but overkill for your situation. You can string just as fast on a crank as a. Electronic tension head

 

[USMC-615]

There’s a ton of good options out there when $4K is itching to get out of the wallet...believe I‘d go the Ghost 2 route as mentioned above with that much loot to play with.

 

[Wes]

You can string just as fast on a crank as a. Electronic tension head

That's not completely accurate.

That sort of statement has been repeated many times by others on here.
However, that doesn't necessarily make it true.

 

[Soundbyte]

That's not completely accurate.

That sort of statement has been repeated many times by others on here.
However, that doesn't necessarily make it true.

I mean heres a stringer doing a head to head Neos with a Prince 7000 (I believe).

Depending on the electronic tension head pulling speed it could also be slower than a crank.

There's obviously variables, but from a practical stringing standpoint, you can string just as quickly on a crank.

 

[jimmy8]

Gamma Progression ELS

 

[Sardines]

If you want electronic that packs down to a shoe bag and weighs 9lbs/4kg, the Pro Stringer 2.0 is the way to go. I've owned one for 3 years and we string in cafes, parks and even in our car with a cut off table and an inverter, basically anywhere with power. It's constant pull and strings quickly. My kids have it down to 22+ mins per racquet, while I am now at 26+ cos I get distracted more. It's used 2-5 times a week, and hasn't skipped a beat.

Hey folks, first time poster here. I'd like to purchase a tabletop stringing machine (I don't have lots of space in my apartment sadly, but I'm amenable to a tabletop setup with a foldable stand or a cart or something). This will be my first stringing machine.

I'm mostly looking for convenience/speed, so I'm orienting towards electronic stringing machines (or something with the Wise 2086 Electronic Tensioner). I just can't play with a full bed of poly anymore, otherwise my arm is wrecked, so I've moved onto multifilaments and hybrid setups. Unfortunately, those strings don't last long, and at the rate I'm breaking strings, it's going to be a pretty penny very soon with all the trips I'm making to my stringer.

My maximum budget is $4,000. I've found the Gamma XLT, but I'm also curious about the Wise 2086 on a manual machine. Any thoughts on a good setup for a small space? Thanks!

 

[Jerry Seinfeld]

It’s actually not quite the same as true constant pull machines. It does pull to set tension and when the string loses a bit, it readjusts, but it does not readjust continuously. The results are typically more like lock out than constant pull.

 

[Sardines]

Can you please clarify the definitions of constant pull vs lockout? If it isn't constant pull, but a lock out, then it wouldn't adjust at all? And if it adjusts even just once before clamping, it's considered constant pull, no? If I read your post correctly, you're defining constant pull as
The adjustment sensitivity from the PS2.0 load cell is definitely not as stringent as bigger machines, like a Babolat or Baiardo (which my stringer uses). My experience stringing gut and other softer strings, if I leave the machine pulled over 30 seconds, while I do something else, it adjusts a few times. Most people would clamp once the green light comes on, so it's not that big a deal. Some here have suggested waiting 10-15 seconds between each pull before clamping. On a 16x20 or 18x20, that'd be a lot of added time. And I don't want to sit restringing over 40mins, if I don't have to!

It’s actually not quite the same as true constant pull machines. It does pull to set tension and when the string loses a bit, it readjusts, but it does not readjust continuously. The results are typically more like lock out than constant pull.

 

[Jerry Seinfeld]

The PS can and does produce a consistent stringbed. It’s not the same as true constant pull, but it is repeatable and it does adjust if string loses a certain amount before clamping off. It does not make micro adjustments each second so the overall stringbed stiffness is closer to a lockout vs constant pull.

Maybe this scenario will help clarify my point: If a customer came to me and I was using a PS, and she strung at 52 pounds on a lockout machine, I would string at 52 lbs on the PS to produce a similar stringed. If she strung 52 lbs on a constant pull machine, I would string at 55 on my PS to produce a similar stringbed. I see no need to wait an extended period of time after each pull. In my opinion that is not necessary.

 

[Sardines]

Ah ok, so you're defining that "true" constant pull is only if the machine has a very sensitive load cell which adjusts to say, 0.2 lbs vs, say for example, 1 lbs of tension loss? Fair enough that you personally want the higher accuracy of highly sensitivity load cell, but to say a lower sensitivity load cell isn't "true" constant pull is also inaccurate, imho.
Our experience with the PS is different to yours, but we don't string commercially, and only for ourselves. We've had to string about 1-2 lbs higher, not lower, to get the effective feel of the stringbed from a Baiardo or Babolat. I'll posit it's the flying clamps, which allows a little more string movement and also not being able to clamp right up to the grommets, combined with the calibration of the machine. I can't compare locked out string bed feel because I can't remember the last time I played with a stick strung from a lockout machine, probably in my junior days.
Personally, stringing machines have to be individually adjusted for tension to suit the player. I don't like the feel of my usual 59lbs gut/ 55lbs poly on my stringer's Babolat machine. He's looking at me like I'm on drugs cos he calibrates both his machines but the same scale. But we've also done a few blind tests and I pick that Babolat feel 90% of the time.

The PS can and does produce a consistent stringbed. It’s not the same as true constant pull, but it is repeatable and it does adjust if string loses a certain amount before clamping off. It does not make micro adjustments each second so the overall stringbed stiffness is closer to a lockout vs constant pull.

Maybe this scenario will help clarify my point: If a customer came to me and I was using a PS, and she strung at 52 pounds on a lockout machine, I would string at 52 lbs on the PS to produce a similar stringed. If she strung 52 lbs on a constant pull machine, I would string at 55 on my PS to produce a similar stringbed. I see no need to wait an extended period of time after each pull. In my opinion that is not necessary.

 

[elkwood]

I had a Stringway ML 100 for about 8 years or so. Its not bad. Doesn't take up much room. Its a Automate Drop weight. Been around a long time. I keep mine on a tool chest.

At your budget i be tempted to get the Alpha 2 like has been mentioned. Can't go wrong with that !

 

[nyta2]

Any thoughts on a good setup for a small space?

if i were still back in my 650sq ft apt in nyc... the only stringer i'd buy today is a pro-stringer (portable)... presuming i'm only stringing for myself.
that said, i've been using a klippermate for decades now... works fine... slightly slower (~30m), but works fine... but would still take a much bigger footprint when i put it away, than the pro-stringer.

 

[Tennis_dude101]

Another happy Pro Stringer user here