Hi, I'm planninng to buy a new stringing machine (my 2rd one) but hesitate between two options. My budget is about 1400 - 1500 usd. So I would like to know which is the best between an high end crank machine (gamma 6004 seem to be the online choise) and a low end electronic constant pull in the same price range. I know the the electronic one will have the ecp, and prestresh. But in term of quality and final job, what do you think ? Thank you in advance koo&tan
u can easily get a mid end ECP with $1500. WISE is around $5xx? then add a $8-900 or so crank machine will be very sufficient.
Personally, I'd rather have a crank with a good mounting system than an ECP with a bad one. Your budget is more than enough for an Eagnas Combo with a WISE, and that's what I'd get.
I've used a number of Eagnas machines before switching over to Gamma 6004 and now using the Yonex Protech 8. You really know where the money is going when you put in a few hundred/thousand of dollars towards the machine. Makes your life a lot easier when stringing racquets. I would stay away from Eagnas machines. I've found them to have very poor build quality (parts do break over time like the spring used to assist in locking the fixed clamp base). The edges on the machine are quite rough with a poor paint job. Think of it as buying a piece of wood where they didn't sand down the rough spots but instead just painted over it. Invest a little more and aim for a Gamma 6004 with the Wise2086. In my experience, this is the best combination for a lower budget. This may drive you up to around $2500 (taxes, shipping, etc) but each string job will definitely be easier. I have recommended this in the past to others but they decided to go with a lower end Gamma. Needless to say, they have to finesse around with the machine each time they mount and string the racquet. Hopefully that helps!
I forgot to mention that you should try to aim for a mounting system where the top 2 arms and bottom 2 arms are adjustable TOGETHER with a single knob (usually a knob at 12 o'clock and a knob at 6 o'clock).
that's what i would recommend if his total budget were lower, say $800-900. but since it is as high as $1500, the base machine can be as high as $800-900. there are many good machines in that budget range with a solid mounting system. they may not be as fancy as a Gamma 6004 but they will hold the racket very securely. it may take sightly longer to mount/dismount, but that is only done once in the whole process. whereas pulling string with a ECP is done 40+ times. and i do agree with Trinhity that if you can stretch your budget a bit more, consider the 6004. this machine will be sufficient for a lifetime of stringing.
thanks to OP for posting and thx to all the stringers here for answering ALL my questions about getting a machine.
Not only that, but ordering from Eagnas is quite a gamble. You never know if you'll get your full order or if the machine will be in a functional state when you receive it. I think there are better alternatives for about the same cost or a little higher.
Thanks for all answers. For the eagnas, no, I will not go for it since I have already one and know the poor-quality (I was lucky to receive all my order in a "correct condition" but was very disappointing by the quality indeed). So, I think now I will go for a Gamma 6004, and maybe wait a little to add a wise. Also, do you have any commendations on which website I can do the order ? I have just seen tennis warehouse that sell this machine. Also, where can I buy a badminton adapter ? (not a load spreaders but a 12 o'clock arm)
depending on which country you are from, you may need to buy from the local distributor/reseller. in the US, atssport is the retail site of Gamma. they are the same company.
Sorry - what are you looking for? The machine comes with 6 and 12 o'clock arms. The only thing I would consider getting is a load spreader for the 12 o'clock arm to take the load off the racquet to prevent "notches" from forming on the inside of the racquet frame.
Yes, I'm talking about yan.v's link. Sorry, my english is not good, so for me a load spreader was just like the mbs one (just a piece of plastic). Another problem is there are 3 models of these arms : http://www.atssports.com/tennis.cfm?product=2296 http://www.atssports.com/tennis.cfm?product=2297 http://www.atssports.com/tennis.cfm?product=2298 The last one is not the one I'm looking for but what's the difference between the others ? There is one for 12 o'clock and another for 6 o'clock ? Or are there both adaptable at both 6 and 12 o'clock ? Or simply there are not for the same machine ? And what about fixed clamp ? Can the originals ones be used for badminton ? Any others thinks to take into consideration ?
They are for different machines. http://www.atssports.com/tennis.cfm?product=2296 is what you need for the 6004. The fixed clamps that come with the machine are now universal, so they should work for both badminton and tennis. As for other considerations, there were adapters for side supports for the older versions of the Gamma machines, but it seems like it's not on their web site anymore. Maybe the newer versions don't need them. You might wanna consider a cover to prevent your machine from getting dusty and a string mover. Other than that, you should be good.
If you order 6004 from ATS sports, you have no worry, they know which part go with which mahine. You just need to tell them you going to stringing badminton racket and you need the badminton frame support. I got very good services from them. The 6004 + wiser the total cost for me was $1930. Now I think back, I would just go for a full size machine like Alpha Ghost which is $2500. I did visit the store at Austin, Texas. The machine is solid and very good build, it run much silent and quick them Wiser.
One thing to note about having the 6004 is that you ALWAYS have a back up tensioner should the WISE 2086 tensioner fail. You can always put the manual crank back on and you're good to go! For the load spreader, I like the one that is designed for the machine; however, the one from MBS should work fine. Note that you only need a load spreader at the 12 o'clock location. There is no need for one at the 6 o'clock. I found that has never been an issue for me when stringing racquets.
Machine can fail. I was thinking the backup at that time too. My Wise 2086 fail after around 700 badminton rackets. I can't use the crank, because I don't want to tell my customer that your racket was strung with crank machine instead electronic, I know there's big different result from this two type machine. I would say Wise 2086 is the best upgrade option and affordable from crank machine to electronic without paying for a new machine. But If I want a real Electronic machine and good quality from the star and my budget is around US$2500, I would go with Alpha Ghost electronic machine. I did spend a lot time looking at this machine. This machine has everythings up to the day and everythings you need to stringing badminton racket. From turntable (automatic electric brake) with self center side arm, universal all metal aluminum clamp (for tennis, racquetball and badminton rackets) to "gravity" release clamp base. The tension head is quick and silent (no like Wise 2086 is slow and noise). A machine at their store has 270,000 pulls (for tennis rackets mainly) within 4 years in services has no sign for issues (running quick and silent).
Yes, the Alpha Ghost look very good. Unfortunately, my budget is 1500 USD, not 2500... I can buy a Gamma 6004, maybe add a wise => it's 1800 $ (I don't know yet for the wise, I think I will buy it later), it's very the maximum I can do. So, I will definitely buy a 6004, and maybe the ghost will be the next ? Thank you for all yours answers.
