How much would you pay for Babolat 4 star?
- Thread starter naruto83
- Start date
uk_skippy
Hall of Fame
IMO, thats way over priced. I think best price would be around $800. This is because if the wrong part becomes faulty, then it's going to be a big paper weight. Things like motherboards or load cells are no longer available as spares; at least not easily. This goes for any pre-Sensor Babolat machines.
We've probably got more of a reason to buy a Star 4/2502E more than anyone out there. That being said, we'd have a hard time buying one priced more that around 800-900 USD. No more available parts means they are one failure away from being worthless. They are 20 year old machines, and brand new back then, they were going for around 3500 USD. Imagine if you wanted to purchase a used car from 1999 that cost 3500 dollars new back in 1999. Would you pay 2500 now? Not even close.
StringGuruMRT
Semi-Pro
Way too much!
cluckcluck
Hall of Fame
Way too high, $2,500 for a older machine that has little parts support (Babolat doesn't make the parts for it so you'd have to scour to find any parts that go bad). Like @MAX PLY said, get the Alpha Ghost II. I have the first version and it's a workhorse and offers so much. Take up @SavvyStringer for his; I know it's the absolute best condition.
Rabbit
G.O.A.T.
If the Mighty Sensor ever dies, I'm going straight to the Ghost. I probably should have taken that route anyhow. The Ghost has more advanced feature, the only thing it doesn't have (I think) is the Babolat clamps which are hands down the best I've ever used. (@cluckcluck @SavvyStringer if you tell me that the Ghost clamps are on par with Babolat, I may break down and cry here at the office)
cluckcluck
Hall of Fame
The Ghost clamps are like the Prince P7000 clamps, 5 teeth; whereas the Sensor has 3 teeth. Having never strung on a Sensor before, so I can't compare apples to apples. Though, I will say that they are some of the mightiest clamps I've come across....and the gravity release is something special.
Don't cry.
Rabbit
G.O.A.T.
The Mighty Sensor I have has the gravity release and yes, like you, I love it. Like I said, if the Mighty Sensor ever craps out, I'll go Ghost....The Ghost clamps are like the Prince P7000 clamps, 5 teeth; whereas the Sensor has 3 teeth. Having never strung on a Sensor before, so I can't compare apples to apples. Though, I will say that they are some of the mightiest clamps I've come across....and the gravity release is something special.
Don't cry.
cluckcluck
Hall of Fame
Very very unlikely you'd regret it.The Mighty Sensor I have has the gravity release and yes, like you, I love it. Like I said, if the Mighty Sensor ever craps out, I'll go Ghost....
Rabbit
G.O.A.T.
@cluckcluck, I know..... I've strung one racket on one. It was pretty nice. I didn't pay much attention to the clamps when I did.
I've strung one racket on one. It was pretty nice. I didn't pay much attention to the clamps when I did.Good point abou it becoming paper weight of the electronics die. I was gonna get a gamma x2 when I go us in the fall. But having a look at the alpha 2. Still within my budget I think. Never strung before, but I’m 100% sure I will like it. It’s just like baking, and it can’t be harder than putting up my pool fence
SavvyStringer
Professional
No clamps are on par with Babolat. I’ve used basically everything, Wilson Baiardo, Alpha Ghost, Prince 5000, neos, Babolat Star 5, tecnifibre ergo 1 and pro, and a couple of the different gamma electrics. I would rate them Babolat, Wilson, tecnifibre, Alpha/prince/gamma. Babolat require very little adjustment and are rock solid.
StringGuruMRT
Semi-Pro
I love the clamps on the Baiardo, but I do feel like they need to be adjusted pretty frequently...
SavvyStringer
Professional
I agree. Unless they're overly tight they need to be adjusted frequently. Best I can figure is because the gravity release drop down incrementally loosens them. Similar problems with gravity release on the prince/alpha.
graycrait
Hall of Fame
@naruto83 , you couldn't be more right. Stringing a racket isn't rocket science. I had a firearm totally dismantled one day doing an action job and thought, "Can stringing a racket be more difficult?" I had never seen a racket strung before. I knew I couldn't afford the local pro stringer if I wanted to experiment with strings. Looked around this forum, then called Tennis Machines and purchased a used NEOS 1000. Watched the TW stringing video twice, sat my lap top up with that video next to my "new" Neos and strung my first racket. When I get bamboozled I ask @Irvin or this forum a question and then get on with it. I string several rackets a week for myself mostly, occasionally for friends or someone who is in "dire" need. If they don't like 2-piece stringing with double half hitch tie-off knots and a standard cross starter knot they can go somewhere else.
In addition to the stringing machine and because I string some older rackets often needing grommet repair I find myself using the following tools quite a bit:
I use that particular brand/model of scissors to quickly cut out strings, the clamp with the 3 springs I use to help start mains, the side cutter I use to cut string, the cam pliers I use to pull tension on the last cross and I stuff that short blunt smooth nose awl in the cross tie off hole to hold tension while tying the knot. The drill bit in the chuck I use to efficiently cut out grommets. I tried grommet grinders but "for me" I find the drill bit efficient. Occasionally I also use a small needle nose pliers for a variety of things.
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I've seen alpha ghost2 in person but never strung on it. It looks amazing , and the people that did string on it said they really liked it.
If you can swing that much it's a great machine!
Also if you are smart it will pay for itself in a few years.
Even at 1 racquet a week and only charging $10 it would be paid for in under 6 years
3 racquets a week at $13 would take about 1.5 years
cluckcluck
Hall of Fame
That's a good observation. The more I think about it, the more it makes sense.
Yup, wondered the same thing myself.
Also, I find when I’m starting the crosses, I always have to tighten the clamps up for the first 2-3 crosses. Then I have to back them off (looser). Then the last few bottom crosses I have to tighten them back up again. Seems those couple top and bottom crosses, it’s difficult (if not impossible) to get the string all the way down to the bottom of the jaws of the clamps. Thus, it is necessary to tighten the clamps in order to avoid having the string slip.
I wasn’t around when the machine was new. So I don’t know if this is something that developed over time? Maybe the rails are worn down corresponding to where it is more difficult to fully bottom the string out in the jaws of the clamp? Or maybe this is just a quirky thing with the Baiardo?
I bought a very nice Star 5 at half that price.