Is this Alpha stringer any good?

[danwang]

Hi, everybody! I am a new member and a total newbie in stringing machines. I recently got back into tennis after 30 years and am thoroughly enjoying my new hobby.
I am trying to buy an Alpha stringer from an old lady on Facebook but communication is extremely hard. It shows "Alpha" in the picture but I can't find anything similar online. I also don't know if it's got all the pieces based on the pictures with my zero knowledge. And I sure don't want to drive 200 miles round trip to get it and find out later that I can't use it and can't get a part anywhere.

Can someone tell me whether it's worth $200 (she claimed it was over 400 when new) and whether it has all the parts to string a racquet? tried to watch some youtube videos to learn. It seems to me that the mounting points on the sides don't have anything to hold the frame.

Any insight will be immensely appreciated!

Stringer Photos

Dan

 

[Wes]

@danwang,

Yes, the Alpha Pioneer III (same as the Gamma 600FC) is a very good machine, IF you have all the necessary parts/adaptors.
It would be well worth the $200 (even much more, in my opinion).

IMO, it's much nicer than some of the current fixed clamp drop-weight offerings that run $500+ (i.e. Alpha Pioneer DC+, Gamma Progression 602FC, Gamma X-6FC, etc.)
It's great for ~95% of tennis racquets (yes, even oversize frames).
Just keep in mind that, due to it's parallel glide-bars, it isn't well suited for frames that have "fan-shaped" main strings (like the majority of racquetball & squash frames have).
Fortunately, 95% of tennis racquets don't have fan-shaped main strings.

From what I can make out in the linked photos, it appears that almost everything is there (2 string clamps, 2 glide-bars, all 4 nylon outer frame supports).
However, I only see 2 of the nylon inner frame adaptors (these support the inside of the frame at the head/12 o'clock & at the throat/6 o'clock positions).

There's supposed to be a total of 13 of those nylon head/throat adaptors (various shapes/sizes to accommodate different frames). For photos of these, see my links below.
Depending on exactly which frames you plan to be mounting, you need the proper shaped adaptors.

So, the issue is... you may not need all 13 of them, but you'll certainly need the correct ones for whatever frame(s) you plan on stringing.
Ask the seller if they have some/any of the other 11 nylon pieces (which, obviously, aren't pictured in the linked photos).

See very detailed info./photos in my posts here...

https://tt.tennis-warehouse.com/index.php?threads/old-gamma-progression-fc600-help-questions.665799/#post-14203355

https://tt.tennis-warehouse.com/index.php?threads/new-stringer-gamma-600-fc.677188/#post-14534080

 

[danwang]

@Wes,

Thank you so much for the in-depth information. I asked around in other forums for two days but got no answer. And it took nearly two days for TT.tennis-warehouse.com to approve my registration. I waited for a day and I thought I would just take a chance to drive to Austin. That was an hour before you replied. The old lady was very sure everything was there, so I took the machine. I will send the 13 piece adaptor picture to her and ask. But most likely I will either have to find the remaining 11 piece elsewhere or figure out a way to 3D print the missing adapters. Do you know where to get a manual? I need dimensions of these head/throat adapters in order to 3D print them.

 

[Wes]

@Wes,

Thank you so much for the in-depth information. I asked around in other forums for two days but got no answer. And it took nearly two days for TT.tennis-warehouse.com to approve my registration. I waited for a day and I thought I would just take a chance to drive to Austin. That was an hour before you replied. The old lady was very sure everything was there, so I took the machine. I will send the 13 piece adaptor picture to her and ask. But most likely I will either have to find the remaining 11 piece elsewhere or figure out a way to 3D print the missing adapters. Do you know where to get a manual? I need dimensions of these head/throat adapters in order to 3D print them.

If I can locate my manual, I could send you photos of the pages (or photocopy them).
First, try calling Mark at Alpha. He may have a pdf that he can email you.

I have digital calipers, so I could get measurements. However, the part that would be difficult to convey (at least to me) would be the curves.
I could tell you how wide, thick, etc., but how do you write/type out the amount of curvature, or arc, that something has?

I've wondered, many times, if someone could 3D print these, in order to make replacements.

Now, I know nothing about 3D printing.
Is/would it be even easier to replicate them by actually having an original one present (in order to simply scan/"clone" the original), or do you have to input the dimensions anyway (regardless of whether you have an original one physically present or not)?

What I'm getting at is... would the 3D printing process be much easier, if I were to send you the actual original pieces, so they could simply be scanned/"cloned"?


BTW, a bit of good news... the 2 nylon frame supports that are already on your machine (they should have the number "1" embossed on them), happen to be the ones that you'll need more often than the others.

 

[loosegroove]

And I sure don't want to drive 200 miles round trip to get it and find out later that I can't use it and can't get a part anywhere.

I know @Wes holds this stringer in high regard, but dang, you drove 200 miles! Anywho, good luck. Hope it all works out!

 

[McLovin]

On a side note, I'm sure she'd be extremely happy to see you referring to her as 'old lady'...

 

[danwang]

First of all, I need to apologize for my derogatory label on the seller. I guess I was a little frustrated because it was extremely hard to get her to respond to me and if she did, half of the time I couldn't understand her. And when I politely asked her to clarify, she would say "you can't read???". BTW, she did look elderly on Facebook and she told me her age when I got there ) And we got along well. But there is absolutely no way I can ask her to look again. Let's just say that I got my first experience in what real hoarding is like.

Man, what a trip! It took me 5 hours for a 210 miles round trip. With everyone moving to Austin, traffic is horrible. It's not the cozy town with only half a million people anymore. LoL

 

[danwang]

If I can locate my manual, I could send you photos of the pages (or photocopy them).
First, try calling Mark at Alpha. He may have a pdf that he can email you.

Yes, I will try to locate and contact him first. I did find a link to the pdf in this forum but it doesn't work any more.

I have digital calipers, so I could get measurements. However, the part that would be difficult to convey (at least to me) would be the curves.
I could tell you how wide, thick, etc., but how do you write/type out the amount of curvature, or arc, that something has?

I've wondered, many times, if someone could 3D print these, in order to make replacements.

Now, I know nothing about 3D printing.
Is/would it be even easier to replicate them by actually having an original one present (in order to simply scan/"clone" the original), or do you have to input the dimensions anyway (regardless of whether you have an original one physically present or not)?

What I'm getting at is... would the 3D printing process be much easier, if I were to send you the actual original pieces, so they could simply be scanned/"cloned"?

All these are great questions I want to find answers to. I am in IT and into all things DIY. So naturally, I am very interested in it but have never gotten around to trying it. But I do have a brilliant engineer friend who owns a woodworking shop and has configured/modified 3D printers and CNC machines in his shop. I will check with him and get some answers.

BTW, a bit of good news... the 2 nylon frame supports that are already on your machine (they should have the number "1" embossed on them), happen to be the ones that you'll need more often than the others.

That's great news! So most likely I should be able to start stringing my racquet right away.
Thank you so much!

I am so glad I joined this forum. I have been searching for tennis information for several weeks now. So far tennis-warehouse has proven to be the most helpful in my learning. People like you on this site just go out of their ways to help others! I am so thankful and hope one day I will be able to contribute.

 

[esgee48]

how do you write/type out the amount of curvature, or arc, that something has?

You can't without without knowing the radius. If you have that then the arc can be described with degrees or radians. To roughly determine the radius, lay the piece on a piece of paper and trace it. Then using a ruler, draw a line from each end and where they intersect is your radius. You may have to determine several radii if you have multiple curves. I believe that the 6/12 frame adapters can be purchased from Alpha.

 

[danwang]

Great idea! @esgee48
And thanks for the suggestion. I will give them a ring.

 

[danwang]

@Wes
Well, as it turns out, I won't be stringing the racquet any time soon. I was trying to show my daughter what a stringer was like and came to find that the tensioner rod is broken from the base. The broken rod end was hidden inside the cylindrical weight. The other broken end is flushed with the base. I regret I didn't take the time to figure out where all the pieces fit yesterday. The machine was on the floor. The room was dimly lit and so full of stuff that I could hardly set my feet down. I was tired. And, I was gullible.
I started a new thread wondering if JB Weld would work. Worse case I will try to find someone who can weld.

https://tt.tennis-warehouse.com/index.php?threads/any-idea-on-how-to-fix-a-broken-drop-weight-tensioner-lever.682762/

 

[Wes]

I'm sure she'd be extremely happy to see you referring to her as 'old lady'...

Wait... hold on... @danwang bought a stringing machine from his own wife?

if she did, half of the time I couldn't understand her.

And we got along well. But there is absolutely no way I can ask her to look again.

Mmm hmm... sounds like a wife.

I guess I was a little frustrated because it was extremely hard to get her to respond to me

Definitely sounds like a wife.

And when I politely asked her to clarify, she would say "you can't read???".

Yeah... now you're just making my case for me.

 

[danwang]

OMG, @Wes that was good!! You made me LMHO