Changing from Neos 1000 with Wise to new machine?

J

jlucas79

New User
I am presently using a Neos 1000 with Wise tensioner and am thinking about changing. I string 50 to 100 racquets a year. I have never had a problem with the 2 point mounting and have never used swivel clamps.
My thoughts are buying a drop weight machine with swivel clamps and mount the Wise on it. (Would I need an adapter?) or buy a tourna Ennox tensioner and sell the Wise or keep what I have or a different idea. Also please give me an education on swivel clamps. I know there are different kinds but I don't understand them. I was also looking at the Gamma $1700 electronic machine.
 
I have a Alpha Axis Pro Floor Machine and would have preferred a Neos 1000.
No real reason to upgrade unless you are getting a "proper premium eCP"
 
The glide bar clamps on your 1000 clamp well only when the string is parallel to the glide bar. Swivel clamps turn so strings running in any direction can be clamped efficiently. There are as many bad swivel clamps as there are good ones. Buying an inexpensive DW and slapping an eCP on it for tension won’t do anything for the clamps.

EDIT: My 1st stringer used flying clamps. Then I went to a Prince MP100 w/glide bars. My latest machines have all been swivel clamp machines except for my Gamma X2, and I upgraded the clamps on it. I doubt I’ll ever go back to glide bar clamps again. They’re just clumsy to use when you don’t have main strings parallel to the centerline of the racket. I think the most important part of any stringer is the clamps. Glide bars are fast, I’ll have to give them that, but that’s their only redeeming feature. Not sure what slows down swivel clamps, but I think it’s the fact that you have to reorient, and clamp the bases and string clamps. Smooth operaging bases are a must on swivel clamps exactly machines.

Unless you’re going to move up to good swivel clamps, not just any swivel clamp machine, I’d stick with the NEOS/Wise combo you have.
 
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the quickest way to double your money is to fold it in half and put it back in your wallet.

keep the NEOS with the wise. --- that's about as good as it gets especially with your racquet count.

In my old pro shop, I strung 1200 racquets a year for 20 years on a NEOS with just the lock out mechanism.
 
Wes said:
@jlucas79,
Check your inbox. I sent you a PM.
Click to expand...

Curious Cat is now curious... JK!
tenor.gif
 
Personally, I think your proposal is an inferior option. That stated, if you decide to switch out the Neos, you’ll have many suitors for its company.
 
+1 - keep the NEOS/WISE combo, especially if you haven't had any issues with it. Yes, glidebars don't play nice with fan patterns, but at least for me, I don't string fan patterns much, so I'd figure something out when that happens.

There's more to the NEOS than meets the eye - for most machines you're buying at the "dropweight and upgrade" level, the mounting system(s) will be a lot more fiddly (generally non-self-centering), and if there's a brake, it's a piece of junk. There's tons of tool space, especially space that stays completely out of the way for the tools you need to have nearby, but rarely use. I personally like the 2-point mount on the NEOS, but I probably have some degree of nostalgia clouding my judgment there.

One downside that might annoy me is the lack of 360 degree rotation. At the same time, you do get used to not having it pretty quickly, and you would already be used to it, so...
 
I go down this path every now and then. I always arrive in the same spot: keep neos and wise.

I do like swivels more. From any machine I’ve used them on (revo 4K, high end electric prince/babolat).

But the thing with swivels is there is also more maintenance involved, ime than glide clamps.

All this said; I’m ok with neos because I only string my own rackets.

So I’d propose a different idea:
- say no to certain frames from customers if they are fan patterns.


Now if most of your customer base is from rackets you don’t want to string on neos…. Then that’s different. But in that case I think you should look at higher end…good swivels plus mounting upgrades.
 
Keep it.

They make/made floating clamps for fan pattern racquets. Unsure how difficult they are to come by. Tennis machines dot com might have them…
 
Based on what you've said, I see no reason to change from your current setup. If you were planning to significantly increase the number of racquets you are stringing, I could maybe see the justification in spending the money for a purpose-built eCP machine. But it would still take you a chunk of time to recover the expenses from that purchase.

The guys here aren't joking though. If you decided to sell your Neos, you would have plenty of interested buyers who'd be willing to pay a thoroughly respectable price for your current setup.
 
jlucas79 said:
I am presently using a Neos 1000 with Wise tensioner and am thinking about changing. I string 50 to 100 racquets a year. I have never had a problem with the 2 point mounting and have never used swivel clamps.
My thoughts are buying a drop weight machine with swivel clamps and mount the Wise on it. (Would I need an adapter?) or buy a tourna Ennox tensioner and sell the Wise or keep what I have or a different idea. Also please give me an education on swivel clamps. I know there are different kinds but I don't understand them. I was also looking at the Gamma $1700 electronic machine.
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Only machines I would consider to be an upgrade from your current setup are the Wilson Baiardos, Alpha Ghost 2, Solinco Falcon GT, Head TE-3600, Tecnifibre Ergo One, Yonex machines, and the Babolat Evolutions. I would not consider Gamma machines to be an upgrade.
 
mad dog1 said:
Only machines I would consider to be an upgrade from your current setup are the Wilson Baiardos, Alpha Ghost 2, Solinco Falcon GT, Head TE-3600, Tecnifibre Ergo One, Yonex machines, and the Babolat Evolutions. I would not consider Gamma machines to be an upgrade.
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There's many other machines he could get that would be better and nicer to use.

But stringing machines are like cars. A old Pinto that runs will get you from A to B, but you'll probably enjoy the ride in a new Porsche better.

This should be a "buy once cry once" situation. If you get a eCP machine, you'll likely be set for life unless you run into hardware / repair issues.

Ghost and Tourna has the best "value" for the longest time. Many will say to get a Wilson. But they're getting very long in the tooth and if you're the only user, you don't need half the ergonomic features they offer.
 
mad dog1 said:
Only machines I would consider to be an upgrade from your current setup are the Wilson Baiardos, Alpha Ghost 2, Solinco Falcon GT, Head TE-3600, Tecnifibre Ergo One, Yonex machines, and the Babolat Evolutions. I would not consider Gamma machines to be an upgrade.
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As a perfectly happy Gamma owner, I would agree with this statement. Especially at current prices.

When i purchased my 6004 in 2012, it made sense (i think). Now, i'd buy a used Neos instead. Haha
 
Soundbyte said:
There's many other machines he could get that would be better and nicer to use.

But stringing machines are like cars. A old Pinto that runs will get you from A to B, but you'll probably enjoy the ride in a new Porsche better.

This should be a "buy once cry once" situation. If you get a eCP machine, you'll likely be set for life unless you run into hardware / repair issues.

Ghost and Tourna has the best "value" for the longest time. Many will say to get a Wilson. But they're getting very long in the tooth and if you're the only user, you don't need half the ergonomic features they offer.
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I agree. There are other options in that space. I'm happy with my Ghost 2 but I find myself missing my Tourna 850-ES at times.

It should be a "buy once, cry once" situation. Making sure you have support for whatever machine you buy should be a key factor.
 
ryushen21 said:
I agree. There are other options in that space. I'm happy with my Ghost 2 but I find myself missing my Tourna 850-ES at times.

It should be a "buy once, cry once" situation. Making sure you have support for whatever machine you buy should be a key factor.
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You had the 850 and switched to the Ghost? Curious what lead to that decision. My dad has the Ghost 1, and I was debating the Ghost 2 vs the Tourna (700), and the push down clamp sealed it for me. I've been happy with it
 
Soundbyte said:
You had the 850 and switched to the Ghost? Curious what lead to that decision. My dad has the Ghost 1, and I was debating the Ghost 2 vs the Tourna (700), and the push down clamp sealed it for me. I've been happy with it
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I switched jobs. Old district bought the 850. I had ordered another 850 for my new school but Tourna was having issues and I couldn't wait 6 months for a machine so I ended up with the ghost.

I miss the clamps on the 850 more than I do the bases.
 
I’m not following the buy once cry once logic on the uppper end machines. Can someone explain?

Biggest reason I can’t get myself to go there is because of the electric motors and such. Those things have a lifespan and get end of lifed.

This applies to the Wise too; but it’s obnoxious to render a whole machine useless because one part can’t last.
 
ryohazuki222 said:
I’m not following the buy once cry once logic on the uppper end machines. Can someone explain?

Biggest reason I can’t get myself to go there is because of the electric motors and such. Those things have a lifespan and get end of lifed.

This applies to the Wise too; but it’s obnoxious to render a whole machine useless because one part can’t last.
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Many people who buy high end machines, string a lot of rackets, and can write off the purchase price over time. They want the fastest machine they can get because time is money. They don’t plan on using a machine for 15+ years, but if the do that’s great. The buyers of high end machines are looking at their ROI. If the motor goes out in less than 5 years they can usually get a replacement motor for it. When parts are no longer available they can buy the latest and greatest machine, start writing it off, and still sell the old machine to recoup some of the money on the new machine. Then there are those who buy a NEOS and string on it for 20 years.
 
Irvin said:
Many people who buy high end machines, string a lot of rackets, and can write off the purchase price over time. They want the fastest machine they can get because time is money. They don’t plan on using a machine for 15+ years, but if the do that’s great. The buyers of high end machines are looking at their ROI. If the motor goes out in less than 5 years they can usually get a replacement motor for it. When parts are no longer available they can buy the latest and greatest machine, start writing it off, and still sell the old machine to recoup some of the money on the new machine. Then there are those who buy a NEOS and string on it for 20 years.
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Ya. Makes sense. That’s what we did when I worked in the clubs stringing.

But it’s not a buy once cry once situation, right? I mean the warranties on the motors aren’t that long. If/when something goes out; you lose that business. Etc.

The neos with lockout is the closest thing I found to buy once cry once.

The high ends is more like buy at intervals cry at intervals; but be really happy between changes.
 
Irvin said:
Many people who buy high end machines, string a lot of rackets, and can write off the purchase price over time. They want the fastest machine they can get because time is money. They don’t plan on using a machine for 15+ years, but if the do that’s great. The buyers of high end machines are looking at their ROI. If the motor goes out in less than 5 years they can usually get a replacement motor for it. When parts are no longer available they can buy the latest and greatest machine, start writing it off, and still sell the old machine to recoup some of the money on the new machine. Then there are those who buy a NEOS and string on it for 20 years.
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I keep coming back to this conclusion on my NEOS. As a hobbyist stringer there's no good reason to upgrade the glide bar system if I don't do fan patterns and now there are electronic head options so the main NEOS doesn't get junked when the e-tensioner craps out (and yes they do ). I heard the NEOS is now discontinued which might be an issue for parts down the road but we are probably talking 10+ years from now. Bottom line is I would stick to a NEOS.
 
I meant buy once cry on the sense that even if a home stringer, there's a good chance the machine *should* last 15+ years.

The question is always "will it be serviceable" in the event something goes awry.

My dad has had a ghost for 12+ years, probably closer to 15 (I don't remember exactly) and it's still going strong.

It's diminishing returns for sure. A drop weight will get it done and will virtually never break.
 
Soundbyte said:
I meant buy once cry on the sense that even if a home stringer, there's a good chance the machine *should* last 15+ years.

The question is always "will it be serviceable" in the event something goes awry.

My dad has had a ghost for 12+ years, probably closer to 15 (I don't remember exactly) and it's still going strong.

It's diminishing returns for sure. A drop weight will get it done and will virtually never break.
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Really? It lasted 15 years? Without needing major repairs?

(Basically I also have neos 1000 plus wise… keep eyeing the upper end Tournas)
 
Soundbyte said:
Yup. Lasted longer than my old wise. I had that thing serviced twice (Essentially refurbished each time) over a span of 10 years
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Great to know. I expect to need to service the wise; but it’s just a much cheaper part to do just that instead of the whole machine.
 
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