Can a tennis stringing machine really improve your game? More than that, it can provide several advantages. Let’s take a look.
Are you a keen tennis player?
You own a racket, you look awesome in your tennis outfit, you have great tennis shoes, you have tennis balls – what else do you need?
Some people consider a tennis stringing machine to be an essential piece of equipment for any tennis player. Tennis stringing machines are not expensive and they offer a number of advantages.
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Here are 5 genuine reasons to buy a stringing machine:
1. Save Money
Okay, this reason is obvious, but it’s worth mentioning and I’ll explain why.
Once you own a tennis stringing machine you can save yourself a lot of money. This is especially true if you are stringing for more than one member of your family.
If you have a couple of children who are good tennis players you will want to invest in a tennis stringing machine early so you can keep affording their tennis lessons! Why pay your hard-earned money to the local sports store or the pro shop every time you need a re-string when you can simply purchase the string and do it yourself?
You also get to choose the string you want to use and buy it in bulk which adds to your savings.
More choice in strings
At the pro shop they tend to only stock the strings they want to sell you. With unlimited choice of strings you will feel better about re-stringing when you need to, rather than leaving it longer than you should (see point 3 below titled, Improve Your Game).
You can also be sure you have the string you need rather than finding you have to make a compromise when you get to the pro shop because you want your racket ready for the next day.
Strings can be bought over the internet which allows you to access any string you want from wherever you want to buy it. Shop around to get the best deal on best quantity.
Tennis stringing machines start from as little as $250 and there is a huge range right up to the professional ones for thousands.
Many people cover the cost of their tennis stringing machine in the first 12 months of ownership. Obviously this depends on a number of factors, the two most important being, the number of times you play tennis per week (or month) and the type of stringing machine you purchase.
It is wise to remember that your tennis stringing machine will last for years, or even decades, so it is wise to put a little bit extra money into your initial purchase rather than upgrading later when you want a machine that is faster or easier or portable or professional (there are so many options, you need to do your research, you can find everything you need here at GetEquippedForSports.com)
If you want an inexpensive tennis stringing machine you should look at the drop weight machines like the Gamma X-6 or the Gamma Progression II 602, as well as the Gamma X-6FC or Gamma Progression II 602FC.
2. Added Convenience and Consistent Tension
You can waste a lot of time taking your racket to the local sports store, waiting a day for it to be strung and then returning to pick it up. It can be inconvenient if you can’t get there during business hours and sometimes it takes longer than a day.
Once you have your own tennis stringing machine you can string a racket at night and be back on the court the next morning. It gives you control over the whole process.
When you string your own racket you know you will get consistency in tension in the string bed. Professional stringers all use different machines and if you go to more than one place to get your tennis racket strung then you can end up with a variation in the tension depending on which tennis stringing machine was used. It’s a bit of a gamble.
If you are very particular about the tension of your strings you will love being able to string your racket on the same machine every time with the same tension.
If you want to be able to string your racket faster than the time it takes using a drop weight machine then you should consider a spring tension winder tennis stringing machine such as the Gamma X-ST, Gamma Progression II ST or Gamma 5003.
3. Improve Your Game with a Tennis Racket Stringing Machine
Are you one of those people who says “I haven’t had my racket re-strung in years!”
You may be interested to learn that a lot of the frustrations in your game can be removed by re-stringing more regularly.
A lot of people think you only re-string a racket when the strings actually break. This should NOT be your rule-of-thumb. Long before the strings break your racket begins to lack pizzazz. As your strings lose tension you find that your racket lacks control and your game suffers.
Are your ground shots going over the back fence? Are your volleys over-shooting the tram lines? It could be that your racket needs a re-string. Once you have your own tennis stringing machine it becomes so much easier to re-string when it is good for your game and not just when your strings reach the desperate point of snapping.
As well as losing tension you may see some physical wear on the strings such as fraying. Obviously this also affects your game. If you are using textured strings because you love playing a spin game you will find that you are putting more effort into your play with lesser results.
Feel the difference
The important point to remember is that if you have been playing many hours of tennis with the same strings they will not be or feel the same as they did when you first began playing with them. Of course there is also that initial stage where some strings will settle (and feel better) after the first hour’s play, but generally you will notice a change for the worse the longer you leave the strings in the racket.
Owning a tennis stringing machine and re-stringing more often gives you an unfair advantage over your opponent. You’ll love the control you get in your game. You’ll smile when you get the results you’ve been wanting.
If you feel like your game has stagnated, you’ll love getting better results simply by re-stringing more often. This is not a luxury. Your tennis stringing machine becomes an essential part of your sports equipment. You might even call it your secret weapon!
4. Become More Knowledgeable
Did you know?
A higher string tension gives you more control in your game and a lower tension gives you more power.
When you string your own racket you can experiment with different tensions to find the perfect one for your game. You become more knowledgeable about what small or large differences in tension can make to your ground strokes, volleys, smashes individually or to your game as a whole.
When you have your own tennis stringing machine you can test different brands of strings as well as different types and different gauges. Different types of string include: poly, synthetic gut, textured, hybrid etc.
Customization of your strings
Some strings are soft on your arm meaning they are perfect for players who suffer from arm or shoulder pain.
Some strings hold tension better after several hours of play and this is good for hard hitting players who notice their string tension eases by the next time they play.
There are also textured strings for players looking for more spin.
Strings also come in different gauges which are identified with a number. For example if you are playing with a 16 gauge string you may want to try a 17 gauge and see what difference it makes to your game.
Apart from the different types and gauges of string you may also be interested to try the same brand of string your favorite player uses. With your own tennis stringing machine you can easily do this. And if you don’t like the result, it is easy (and cheaper) to cut the strings out and re-string yourself. If you have to go the local sports store to re-string you are less likely to try different options.
The advantage of owning your own tennis stringing machine is that you learn so much more than just how to string a racket. You learn more about tennis and how to improve your game because you become skilled in assessing what is best for your primary piece of equipment – your racket.
5. Impress Your Friends
If you really want to impress your friends, buy an electronic tennis stringing machine like the Gamma X-ELS or Gamma Progression II ELS. Even more impressive is a professional electronic machine like a Gamma 5800 ELS or a Gamma 8800 ELS.
We all like to impress our friends with a new toy. But there’s more to it than just buying a new stringing machine.
When I use the word “impress” I don’t mean that in a superficial way. You can impress your friends by genuinely becoming an expert on how someone can improve their game. Not only can you talk about the tennis stringing machine itself but you will also impress friends with your added knowledge about how strings and tension affect their game.
You will sound like a professional, talking from experience. And that’s because you will get the experience first-hand from trying out different strings and tensions yourself.
It’s a nice feeling to be an expert about something and impart knowledge. It’s an even nicer feeling to hit a ball well and chalk up a win!