Nicholas Noker
Rookie
I have an alpha revo 4000 crank machine and am wanting to go electric. Would u be better spending the $750 on the wise or just jumping to a new (I would likely get something used) machine? Thoughts?
What clamp bases would you upgrade to?I don’t have any experience with a purpose built electronic stringer, but I’m super happy with my Revo + Wise setup. I’m only stringing for family and friends (about 5 frames a week).
I kinda wish they had gravity drop clamps so have toyed with the idea of upgrading the clamp bases, but not making a move on that right now.
Why do you like the ennox? It's about $400 more I believe.I have a Revo 4000 and upgraded with a Wise when I started stringing more as a side-gig. I did upgrade to a Baiardo after about a year, but that was partially because I started stringing more for the local University and if I wanted to take racquets home, I needed the same machine they had. I have taken the Revo plus Wise on the road with me since then though, and it's my backup machine. If I did it all again, I would probably look at the Tourna Ennox.
With either upgrade though, it's hard to beat the better clamps I got with a premium machine.
I’m not sure how many different bases are compatible but I was looking at the “Alpha Gravity-Release Clamp Base” on the New Tech website.What clamp bases would you upgrade to?
If the rest of your original machine is still solid, nothing's loose or janky, go with the a Wise upgrade. It'll be a nice and inexpensive way to get into the electric world.
But if the rest of your original machine is falling apart, I'd just get a whole new electric machine. I've been frankensteining and refurbishing my nearly 20 years old Eagnas machine and I'm tired of it. (Even though I have a Wise on it, the rest of it is just too old and janky.)
I've got a slightly different opinion on this. I did get my RAB 16 years ago for £5-600. The closest US equivalent at the time was Alpha. The Pros Pro machines started popping up maybe 5 years later, and people equated those to Eagnas. The RAB and Pros Pro were clearly from the same factory, but the difference in build quality was really quite stark. My turntable rotates smoothly, there's no wobble, the whole thing feels well constructed. Solid, if you will. I've helped a number of people with Pros Pro machines, and quality control on them is not good. Everything about them feels cheaper, from the construction all the way down to the paint. Then there are also the clamps, though that's less of an issue in this context as those can be replaced.You guys do realize 10+ years ago, a full fledged crank with 6 points mount Eagnas and a standing mount could be had for $500 brand new, right?
And they're no different than any other entry level Tournas or Alpha's crank machine.
I've got a slightly different opinion on this. I did get my RAB 16 years ago for £5-600. The closest US equivalent at the time was Alpha. The Pros Pro machines started popping up maybe 5 years later, and people equated those to Eagnas. The RAB and Pros Pro were clearly from the same factory, but the difference in build quality was really quite stark. My turntable rotates smoothly, there's no wobble, the whole thing feels well constructed. Solid, if you will. I've helped a number of people with Pros Pro machines, and quality control on them is not good. Everything about them feels cheaper, from the construction all the way down to the paint. Then there are also the clamps, though that's less of an issue in this context as those can be replaced.
There may be confirmation bias at play - my only direct experience with Pros Pro is when people have problems and have asked for help - but I've seen enough to never recommend them. I'm fairly sure they have much looser tolerances than other brands to keep costs down, and they're a lesser machine in my eyes.
I do agree that if a $500 machine lasts you 10+ years then that's a pretty decent return on investment! My Wise cost me something like £550, and I've certainly had my money's worth out of that too.
Linear gripper, dedicated knot tension button, display.Why do you like the ennox? It's about $400 more I believe.
Overall the Wise has been great. No regrets in buying it, and zero technical issues. I'd have to check my records, but I've had it since either 2009 or 2010, so a while. If I needed to replace it, the sensible thing would probably be to buy another one, but I'm very curious about the Ennox.
This is why I was so hesitant to buy one. Agree that it makes no sense logically. Yet finally I just did it after thinking about it for over 15 years…I'm the exact opposite here. I bought a used NEOS that came with a Wise (~2010 vintage with low miles) and it broke. Wise says it was too old to fix so it’s basically a paperweight. For a casual stringer, I can't justify dropping $800 on a nice to have vs the NEOS crank that will never break over it's life so I am looking into the Pros Pro e-tensioner at about $500. I think that's a better value to tack on to a REVO...otherwise sell it and get a Ghost or something similar.
Yo! Post up your STL and a list of hardware! I'm sure someone else would like that info.- side supports. I had K supports, and switching them to C / V is a fairly inexpensive improvement.
- string clamps. I've done this twice now, with the latest iteration being as recent as last week. At some point I might create a thread comparing my various clamps: I think it's one of those areas where you don't really appreciate the difference in quality until you experience it.
- raising the turntable. I lost 360 rotation with the Wise, lived with it for over a decade, then discovered someone at work had a 3D printer. I spend a couple of hours making measurements and creating a file, then asked him to print it and bought some longer screws.
The one remaining upgrade I have considered but never followed through on are the base clamps. This is partly because I think what I have are decent, partly because it's harder to get the information of what would be compatible. You either need something that will fit on your existing rails (with maybe an alteration such as a shim to get the distance right), or find clamps and rails as a set where the rails will fit on your turntable.
Overall, would I prefer to string on a high end machine? Most likely. Is it the best fit for my current situation? Not really. With the upgrades I've made, I do think my machine is significantly higher quality than the original I bought, and it's enough for me at present.
Sent a PMI'm the exact opposite here. I bought a used NEOS that came with a Wise (~2010 vintage with low miles) and it broke. Wise says it was too old to fix so its basically a paperweight. For a casual stringer, I can't justify dropping $800 on a nice to have vs the NEOS crank that will never break over it's life so I am looking into the Pros Pro e-tensioner at about $500. I think that's a better value to tack on to a REVO...otherwise sell it and get a Ghost or something similar.
I posted about raising the turntable in another thread, which had a few other options:Yo! Post up your STL and a list of hardware! I'm sure someone else would like that info.
Would you mind sharing the post about the clamps? Let's spend some more of my money...I posted about raising the turntable in another thread, which had a few other options:
Wise addition to Alpha
Looking to add a Wise to my Alpha Pioneer, but I'd really like to preserve the 360 rotation. Can anyone who has this setup let me know the approximate clearance needed from the diablo that the racquet needs to be (I can't find dimensions of the Wise anywhere on the web). One option is to add a...tt.tennis-warehouse.com
I have also made posts about the first set of side supports I bought, and the first replacement string clamps. I need to spend more time with my newest clamps and also dig out the originals, as I think a comparison could be of interest. That post might well start out with 'It was all diredesire's fault...' as the latest purchase was almost an impulse buy after reading your machine review. I'd previously told myself that I wouldn't make any more upgrades and the next purchase would be a premium machine, but your description of your clamps and the weight of your machine changed my mind in the short term. Initial impression: you're right, the clamps are very nice.