will i regret buying cheap machine??

J

jacktyler627

New User
After researching previous threads, and talking to many people...I've decided I want to get into stringing.

Being only 15, I don't have a ton of money to sink into a machine.

I am planning on buying a dropweight machine, but will I regret buying something like the gamma beginner machine??

Are flying clamps okay??

Please any info or feedback will be much appreciated.

Thank you for taking time to hear me out,
Jack:)
 
You'll be fine. I started off with a dropweight machine in the early 80's, wasn't nearly the machines of today. As you get older, you can always upgrade if you feel the need. Don't get caught up in too many forum discussions where most people have jobs and can decide whether to spend more money on a better machine. At this point, you'd be better served getting something cheap and functional.
 
I agree that you won't regret buying a cheap machine. That's what I did, fresh out of college and getting back into the tennis scene.

One day I'll probably upgrade, but I've been with my dropweight / flying clamps for about 3 years now and I'm happy with the decision. You're in an even better position, being in high school - you can string for yourself, your friends, your teammates, whoever!

Just go for it!
 
Many on this forum start off with a drop weight and are still using them today so I think you should be fine with what you had in mind.

What you will regret is not getting it sooner.
 
Got a Progression 200 for Christmas. I've strung 3 rackets so far. It will pay for itself by June and I like stringing my own rackets. The Gamma machine comes with 5 sets of string. Some of them aren't the best but if you just use those 5 sets, you're almost breaking even.
Having a machine also gives you flexibility about strings. For example, money is tight here for the next couple of months, so when I broke my strings last week I used a hybrid of Mantis Comfort for the mains and Forten Nylon for the crosses. Because the Forten is $16 for a 660 foot reel, the total cost of string for that job was about $5.
 
Is your question "Does a basic drop-weight machine work well?"

IMO, it does really well and is very accurate.

Paying more is for a high-end machine makes sense if you're planning on being a "stringer for hire".

Either a Klippermate or the X-2 is perfect for a young player. It will pay for itself in no time.
 
In your opinion, should I go with the beginner gamma DW machine, or the klippermate.

I'm only noticing a 10$ difference, but it seems the gamma flying clamps are composite.....and klippermate has metal clamps (please correct me if I'm wrong)

Also, do I need a starting clamp for these machines?
TW doesn't sell them
 
I have no experience with the Klipper but I haven't had a problem with the gamma clamps. The gamma has a ratcheting device, which makes it easier to get the correct tension. I'm not sure if the Klipper does. The gamma machine also comes with 5 sets of string.
 
I just got the Klippermate and you do not need a starting clamp.

They provide a starting pin that serves as a surrogate "string" to clamp onto along with the first string you tension. It avoids a "double pull" on the mains

As for Klipper vs. Gamma... look at previous threads by using the search function. The consensus seems to be that Klipper has the better clamps and Gamma has a tension jaw that automatically adjusts for the length of string feed.

Klipper is built like a tank and I like the fact that it easily stores into a tool box. It's been around for more than 20 years.

You can't go wrong with either.
 
The Klippermate is a time-tested veteran. If you are stringing your own frames, you really don't get much benefit from the gamma's ratchet. I've used both gamma and Kmate clamps, and the Kmate are far superior.

At your age, you are smart thinking an upgrade might make sense down the road. Most Kmates end up selling on the secondary market for around $100 or so. So the end cost is what, $35? The nice edge a Kmate has is that it's been around for so long, that it's a more recognized machine to sell.

At this point with my Kmate, I'm actually saving money: I've done enough to have paid for it. . . and saving labor cost each time I need a string job (maybe $15) plus the inherent resale value, I'd say, why doesn't everyone buy a Klippermate?
 
Thank you everyone for all the help...


But I have just a few more questions..

Do I have to have the starting clamp?? (The ones on TW seem just like the ones included with machine)

Where do I order alpha machine??

Does anyone on hear reccomend the eagnas machines, from my limited knowledge they seem to have the best value for money with 6 point mounting and fixed clamps...but I've hear of lots of problems with warranty.....

All info appreciated :)
 
jacktyler627 said:
Thank you everyone for all the help...


But I have just a few more questions..

Do I have to have the starting clamp?? (The ones on TW seem just like the ones included with machine)

Where do I order alpha machine??

Does anyone on hear reccomend the eagnas machines, from my limited knowledge they seem to have the best value for money with 6 point mounting and fixed clamps...but I've hear of lots of problems with warranty.....

All info appreciated :)
Click to expand...
I used a klippermate for about 6 or 7 years in the 90s. In was a good machine and got the job done. I was/am a string breaker and it paid for itself in a couple of months. As for eagnas I bought the flex 940 about 6 years ago. I had a problem with the clamps slipping. Their customer service was horrible and I was not successful in getting the problem with the clamps resolved. I ended up buying some gamma clamps for it and they have worked great. No other problems with the eagnas
 
OP: to answer your question. You don't need any other tools; you don't need a starting clamp with the Klippermate. It's good to go.
 
Its like getting a new tv..
Its great for awhile.. maybe 2 days and then you realize..
damn
I should have gotten the bigger one.
 
lwto said:
Its like getting a new tv..
Its great for awhile.. maybe 2 days and then you realize..
damn
I should have gotten the bigger one.
Click to expand...

I disagree. For a home stringer, an inexpensive machine works great.
 
lwto said:
Its like getting a new tv..
Its great for awhile.. maybe 2 days and then you realize..
damn
I should have gotten the bigger one.
Click to expand...

I disagree as well. The OP is a 15 yr-old kid, looking to string his own frame, not looking for the biggest, baddest thing out there. He's looking for something that's going to get the job done. A simple drop weight machine can do that.

Some posters here will tell you to spend as much as you can afford, yeah, that's peachie and all, but is it needed? No! Any machine can get string a racquet, such as a simple Klippermate or Gamma X-2.

OP, you don't need a starting clamp, nice to have, but not needed. Eagnas does have very competitive pricing, but I have heard bad stories of their services and electronic parts. If you do go with them, have your parents order it for you. Good luck!
 
I spent like 120 bucks on my Klippermate and I've had it for close to 4 years now. I've probably done over a hundred rackets with it. I'm glad that I bought it when I was in high school. It has brought in quite a bit of money over the years.
 
CityTennis22 said:
I spent like 120 bucks on my Klippermate and I've had it for close to 4 years now. I've probably done over a hundred rackets with it. I'm glad that I bought it when I was in high school. It has brought in quite a bit of money over the years.
Click to expand...

And you know the interesting thing I realized recently about my Kmate. . . I've not only saved its purchase amount (and then some on top of that). . . but it STILL has a very high resale value relative to its cost. So I'm way up, in a couple of ways.
 
From my own personal experience, I HATED using a cheap machine with flying clamps. I quickly upgraded to a dropweight with fixed clamps and couldn't be happier. The difference was huge and it make stringing much more enjoyable.
 
I used a Klippermate for 5 years before upgrading to a Neos but I am an adult and even the cost of the Neos was not that big of a deal. I bought the Kmate because I wanted to be sure stringing was something I'd enjoy doing long term before committing a lot of money to it.

For a 15 year old, I think a Klippermate or a Gamma Progression 200 or equilvent is a wise investment. If it turns out you don't like to string then you can always unload it easily without losing much money.

I kept track of all the labor savings from using my Klippermate and when I'd reached the point where I could upgrade using those imaginary savings, I bought my Neos. Interestingly I bought it from a high school kid who quit playing tennis when he graduated and hadn't used it that much when he was playing HS tennis.
 
beernutz said:
For a 15 year old, I think a Klippermate or a Gamma Progression 200 or equilvent is a wise investment. If it turns out you don't like to string then you can always unload it easily without losing much money.
Click to expand...

Beernutz is right on! Low risk for guaranteed savings and a new craft!
 
I like beernutz' method. In my situation, I'm unfortunately playing a good bit less tennis, so upgrading (even though I feel like I've financially qualified) doesn't feel right.
 
lwto said:
Its like getting a new tv..
Its great for awhile.. maybe 2 days and then you realize..
damn
I should have gotten the bigger one.
Click to expand...

....or you're afraid to use the basic one because it's a little more work to use so you buy the expensive ones that you can handle! I guess if money's not an issue, why not. :)
 
max said:
And you know the interesting thing I realized recently about my Kmate. . . I've not only saved its purchase amount (and then some on top of that). . . but it STILL has a very high resale value relative to its cost. So I'm way up, in a couple of ways.
Click to expand...

That's awesome. The best thing about it, and I guess this tells me something about my stringing skills as well, is that everybody I string for has had nothing but good things to say and I've had nobody in 4 years complain about the life of their strings when I do their rackets. It's a quality machine.
 
JackB1 said:
From my own personal experience, I HATED using a cheap machine with flying clamps. I quickly upgraded to a dropweight with fixed clamps and couldn't be happier. The difference was huge and it make stringing much more enjoyable.
Click to expand...

agree with this. i had a gamma x-2 when i first started, it worked fine but the string slipping was quite the annoyance with plastic flying clamps. and they're not cheap either. i think replacing 2 of those is around $35 and the metal ones are higher for just one.

i got the x-2 on the for sale forum for about $100 and a year later upgraded to the gamma 602fc fix clamps for about $450ish i think. metal fix clamps mmmm, never going back to plastic flying clamps.

as for eagnas....type the name into the search function and read the horror stories. just stay away. there was a thread about users who had no problems with their eagnas, but as was mentioned, the fact that it needed a thread to weed out users that had good experiences is concerning for a company.

$100-$150 for a starting machine is fine, they will last forever, the basic models are built like tanks. the only things i don't like about gamma is

- the rotational gripper
- plastic flying clamps !!!
- don't know why they just don't paint the metal foundation instead of covering it with cheap plastic (makes it feel cheaper and less sturdier than it actually is).

and do yourself a favor don't get involved with the 2pt vs 6pt argument, both should be fine as long as you use it correctly.
 
CityTennis22 said:
That's awesome. The best thing about it, and I guess this tells me something about my stringing skills as well, is that everybody I string for has had nothing but good things to say and I've had nobody in 4 years complain about the life of their strings when I do their rackets. It's a quality machine.
Click to expand...

lucky you... i deal with shankers and power hitters (sometimes the same person) that know very little about strings. yes it's my fault that the string broke in 2 weeks even though you play everyday with high amounts of spin and decided to try a multi x_X.
 
autumn_leaf said:
lucky you... i deal with shankers and power hitters (sometimes the same person) that know very little about strings. yes it's my fault that the string broke in 2 weeks even though you play everyday with high amounts of spin and decided to try a multi x_X.
Click to expand...

Lol. I string for some pretty good players although every one of them likes single piece string jobs of all poly. Most of the time it's RPM Blast.
 
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