Star 5 vs Wise tension head

badmice2

Professional
So I'm working to help out a local stringer with his work; aim is to eventually take over his work as he's looking to retire. In doing so, he's been passing off his knowledge to the people he strings for, setup, etc.; which have been great and invaluable to say the lease.

One thing we're trying to work through is his pull vs. mine. We know its not going to be exact, but I'm trying to get it to the ball park he's currently stringing at. That said, he used to string on a Babolat Star 5, but the machine broke some time ago, and transition to an older model Wise 2086. He's mentioned that his Star 5 have a 8% over pull by factory default, something he didnt have control over; this means that if the weight is set to 50lbs, the machine pulls at 56-58lbs. When he transitioned to the Wise, he was string +5 lbs higher to compensate for the 8% lost. Yet, he mentioned when he check with a tension calibrator, the read is the same; yet the end results are very different.

So some feedback I'm looking for:
1. Can anyone confirm if the 8% over pull on the Star 5 is accurate?
2. Its odd to me that the end result between the 2 tension head is +5 lbs (he said it was pretty consistent), is this a plassible?

I'll be string on my Alpha Revo + Wise 2085 ver 14. I'm stringing a few rackets for a couple of friends we both know now to see what I might need to do to hit his sweet spot. Ultimately, our goal is to have some consistency/normality with the people he works with now to keep the business going.

Any feedback is appreciated.
 

Rabbit

G.O.A.T.
I wouldn't overthink this. I've owned two models of the Wise and now string on a Babolat Sensor, which I believe uses the same tensioner. When I moved from the Wise to the Sensor, I didn't have to adjust the tension at all. Were I you, I'd string a frame at the same tension your other guy did and then play with it. I'll bet a dollar to a doughnut that they feel the same. On the off chance they don't, just bump your tension 3 pounds in the desired direction to correct the feel. Do so until they feel the same (upon each stringing). But overall, they should be the same and you shouldn't notice any difference.
 

Irvin

Talk Tennis Guru
The Star 5 does have more overpull than any other tensioner on the market. @abllee2198 can give you the exact figures he has measured. I have a peak hold meter but it is not of the quality of Albert’s meter. 8% sound a little low to me but not sure. But you say the owner now uses the same (wise) tensioner you use so why worry about the old Star 5 that broke?
 

kkm

Hall of Fame
The Star 5 does have more overpull than any other tensioner on the market. @abllee2198 can give you the exact figures he has measured. I have a peak hold meter but it is not of the quality of Albert’s meter. 8% sound a little low to me but not sure. But you say the owner now uses the same (wise) tensioner you use so why worry about the old Star 5 that broke?

The title for the machine with the most overpull might belong to one of the Prince machines - the 5000 or 6000. But it might also belong to one of the other machines from a smaller brand also made by the OEMs in Taiwan.
 
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