Tourna 350-CS Vs Prince Neos 1000: Which machine should I buy?

Hello everyone,

I work in a tennis pro shop and I started stringing about 5 months ago and have done probably close to over 100 racquets in the shop, and I absolutely love stringing. I bought a Klippermate to practice at home, but I am officially looking for a machine that I will use the rest of my life. I am not looking for the cream of the crop electric machines like a Bairdo, but I am looking for something for the home to string my own racquets as well as do a small business and string for others. As of now it wouldn't be more than just a few frames a week, although it could change as I get more clients. I am looking for a long term machine that I could use for the rest of my life (50+ years if I'm lucky!).


I have done a fair amount of research and I am looking at the Tourna 350-CS and the Prince Neos 1000. Both are in my budget ( I would be willing to spend 1,800 for a new machine). Both machines are different and I am here to ask for some help and guidance from more experienced stringers who have knowledge of these machines. Clamps are different, and the Neos has gliding bars while the Tourna has a more traditional base clamp. I am also used to stringing on a 6pt machine in the shop, and I have heard its generally better for the frame than a 2 pt that the Neos has. This leads me to ask why the Neos is nearly 700 dollars more than the Tourna, as it has a 2pt and no base swivel clamping?

I would also be potentially interested in getting a Wise down the road if I felt the need to get a CP electric, and was wondering if there would be any differences between the two machines installing it.


What do you think are the pros and cons to each machine? Ultimately, which machine do you think would be best to have for a lifetime?
 

Irvin

Talk Tennis Guru
The biggest difference between these 2 machines are fixed swivel clamps (Tourna machine) and glide bar single action clamps (NEOS.) Of all the machines I’ve used I think single action glide bar clamps to be the fastest. On the other hand I prefer fixed swivel clamps for ease of use. The NEOS machines have been around for decades and have a proven track record. Can’t say the same for Tourna machines.
 

USMC-615

Hall of Fame
I own both machines with Wise 2086 v14’s sitting on them…you cannot go wrong with either machine purchase. As far as mounting a Wise to either, if you can run an allen wrench and phillips screwdriver you got it licked. Pull the factory crank tension head off, slide the Wise on the rail and tighten where it needs to be mounted…no adapter plate, etc needed.
 

LocNetMonster

Professional
The only downside to a glide bar system is stringing Head's Ti.S6 frames and string badminton racquets. With the Head fan pattern and racquets like them, keeping tension on the last two mains is a chore. Regarding badminton stringing, the clamp teeth are too wide for some racquet patterns and harder to get close to the frame.
 

struggle

Legend
The only downside to a glide bar system is stringing Head's Ti.S6 frames and string badminton racquets. With the Head fan pattern and racquets like them, keeping tension on the last two mains is a chore. Regarding badminton stringing, the clamp teeth are too wide for some racquet patterns and harder to get close to the frame.

Valid points. I’ll add this:

Head Snowshoe Stick players will never be the wiser.

I’m 54 years old and have still never strung a badminton racquet. You don’t need to either.
 

Rabbit

G.O.A.T.
Valid points. I’ll add this:

Head Snowshoe Stick players will never be the wiser.

I’m 54 years old and have still never strung a badminton racquet. You don’t need to either.
64 and never strung a badminton racket. I've strung Head Ti.Sx frames on a NEOS 1000 and never had a complaint. Prince made (makes?) a floating clamp that is designed to be used with fan patterns. For the two or three pulls that were not suited to the fixed clamps, I used the floating clamp.
 

USMC-615

Hall of Fame
64 and never strung a badminton racket. I've strung Head Ti.Sx frames on a NEOS 1000 and never had a complaint. Prince made (makes?) a floating clamp that is designed to be used with fan patterns. For the two or three pulls that were not suited to the fixed clamps, I used the floating clamp.
Correct. My new NEOS 1000 came with two floating clamps...one with standard (for lack of better words) string gap capabilities and one with a wider capability to it. I've never strung one of these style Head Ti racquets though, and if I never see one I'll be ok with that as well. I've had zero reason to even use either floating clamp to date.
 

Rabbit

G.O.A.T.
@USMC-615 - a fellow poster, who shall go unnamed but is well known for arguing, who never used a NEOS 1000 argued with me over the floating clamps. He maintained Prince made no such clamp.
 

USMC-615

Hall of Fame
@USMC-615 - a fellow poster, who shall go unnamed but is well known for arguing, who never used a NEOS 1000 argued with me over the floating clamps. He maintained Prince made no such clamp.
Amazing ain't it? Prince has been supplying their own floating clamps for years, is my understanding, with the NEOS 1000's...for just such an animal, these oversize fan string patterns. This is what I gathered from a conversation with JC we had some time ago when I bought my 1000.
 

graycrait

Legend
The plastic Prince NEOS floating clamps can be had with either insert, standard or fan. Pic below shows two clamps with standard inserts with "fan" inserts standing by. Unscrew the knob take out standard replace with fan insert. Even at my age I can manage it:)
VfChcTl.jpg
 
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USMC-615

Hall of Fame
@Rabbit
@struggle

…sometimes I just have to scratch my own noggin at times regarding some of the contradictory posts, and then I realize I’m heading right back to where I was prior to the scratching…absolute state of cornfusion!
 

Cobra Tennis

Professional
Hello, OP.

I strung on a NEOS in my own pro shop for 20 years and now own an Ektelon H (the predecessor to the NEOS, but basically the same thing). The Ektelon was purchased new in 1988 and is still going strong after 30,000 racquets. (yep, 30k!).

I would hold out and find a used one on craigslist, FB marketplace or another second hand avenue as they tend to pop up from time to time and can be found for a good deal. A used NEOS will work just fine and can easily be maintained.
 

Steve Huff

G.O.A.T.
Hello, OP.

I strung on a NEOS in my own pro shop for 20 years and now own an Ektelon H (the predecessor to the NEOS, but basically the same thing). The Ektelon was purchased new in 1988 and is still going strong after 30,000 racquets. (yep, 30k!).

I would hold out and find a used one on craigslist, FB marketplace or another second hand avenue as they tend to pop up from time to time and can be found for a good deal. A used NEOS will work just fine and can easily be maintained.
Do you find the frame mounting arms on the H to be sturdier than those on the Neos? I personally believe they were designed better and were sturdier.
 

MAX PLY

Hall of Fame
^^^Well, assuming I survive the nuke, I am still going to want to play tennis and it's good to know I will be able to restring (looking forward to mutated self-healing irradiated gut strings).
All kidding aside, I still have one of my original Hs and have owned some Neos machines as well--both great but have kept the H as I actually like the design better. And it is sturdier but the Neos would likely survive the nuke too.
 

Irvin

Talk Tennis Guru
With the temperature of a nuclear explosion being about the same as the interior of the sun, I doubt any metal would survive a direct hit except a liquid metal radical with Gamma TNT2 strings.
 

Cobra Tennis

Professional
Do you find the frame mounting arms on the H to be sturdier than those on the Neos? I personally believe they were designed better and were sturdier.

I can agree with that statement. I think the biggest improvement from H to NEOS was no longer needing the hex wrench to adjust for frame size---and the bigger table. However, in the grand scheme of things, it's all good!
 
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