Prince Neos 1000

[Pete LSD]

What's your opinion of this stringing machine? www.princetennis.com

It seems that the head and throat mounts are very sturdy and supportive considering a total lack of external braces.

[Traum]

How much is that Prince Neos? It looks kind of similar to this HiQua model (http://www.hiquasports.com/badminton/stringmachHQ07.htm)

-Rick

[taneepak]

How much is that Prince Neos? It looks kind of similar to this HiQua model (http://www.hiquasports.com/badminton/stringmachHQ07.htm)

-Rick

No, these two are different machines. The Prince Neos is a two-point, 4 support, screw-down clamp system at the head and throat. The other one has the same clamp-down system at the head and throat but features two side arms, although there is no mention if the 2 side arms have two or 4 supports.
Both machines are for tennis, squash and badminton, and are more bulky than machines that are made for badminton only. Also, the Prince is primarily for sports stores where speed in stringing, i.e. stringing the highest volume of racquets, is important. That is the reason why it has no side supports, as side supports slow down the stringing process. You can easily string one badminton racquet on this machine in less than 20 mins.
A better but slower machine would be one with the same clamp-down system at the head and throat plus 4 side arms with V-shaped supports. Such a machine is called a 6-point but with a total of 12 supports system. At present there is no badminton only stringing machine that has all these. The closest is the Exthree AM-200 or the Gosen AM-300 (the same machine), which have the 4 side arms but do not have the clamping device at the head and throat. The Eagnas ST-200 and Easy-3 are similar but their 4 side arms do not have the preferred V-shaped supports. However, the AM-200 badminton machine can incorporate such a clamping device by using the clamping device that is used in higher-end Exthree machines, that is if you can buy it as a spare part. The clamping device from the bigger machines can fit into the smaller AM-200 badminton machine and works just as well, as I have tried it. But buying such a device as a spare is a real problem, unless I can get hold of the manufacturer. Or you can get a machinist to fabricate such a device.
The 2-point clamping down system protects your racquet very well when stringing the main strings. They offer very marginal support when you string the cross strings. Because of the clamp-down device at the head and throat, stringing the main strings, even at very high tension, will not compress the frame from head to throat, except for some minimal distortion or compression when you go towards the sides of the main strings. However, when you start to string the cross strings, say from the head first, the frame will start to bulge towards the throat end; the higher the tension, the greater the bulge or distortion. However, if you have 4 side arms with 8 V-shaped supports, the side arms at the 4-5 o'clock and 7-8 o'clock locations will prevent this bulging. Likewise, when you are stringing the throat-end cross strings, the frame at the sides towards the head will bulge but the bulge will be kept in check slightly by the already strung cross strings at the top half of the frame. Having another set of arms at 1-2 o'clock and 10-11 o'clock will virtually eliminate any bulging or side movement of the frame.

[Pete LSD]

Taneepak,

Thanks for the information. Will stringing from the middle out towards the head and throat for the cross strings eliminate much of this bulging problem?

[taneepak]

Taneepak,

Thanks for the information. Will stringing from the middle out towards the head and throat for the cross strings eliminate much of this bulging problem?

Yes and no : stringing towards the head and throat alternately will reduce the big bulge at one end and will be much safer, but you still have two tiny bulges, one at the head the other at the throat, but this technique is much safer. However, you will take a bit longer to string, and you have to provide a slightly longer cross string for the two loops for pulling, unless you have a starter clamp.

[kwun]

yeah. taneepak has a good point about the machien being made for speed strining. the fact that it has glide rail for string clamping instead of rotating clamp also confirms that point. the glide rail fixed clamp is a one action clamping instead of two for the rotating clamp. much faster.

[Kelvin]

It's rather expensive, for the features you get... but the same could be said for a Yonex stringing machine :D

I remember my one coach told me it's over priced, and that as mentioned, it was meant for speed.

I think there are better values on the market, but all personal opinions such as mine are just that... personal opinions.

Got to love the sleek black colour though :D

-Kelvin

PS: I'm looking for a new stringing machine, has anyone tried any of the newer models in north america, either from eagnas, or silent partner at all?
How well are they able to handle badminton frames?

[quintessence]

I'm not happy with my stringer so I decided to buy my own stringing machine.

Prince is good because it is a pneumatic tension stinger that is same as the expensive constant pull machine. I'm holding back just as you guys said it is not a 6 point manchine. Any other good suggestons? My budget is about US$1500. Thanks.