Alpha Ghost 2 Walkthrough
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- čas přidán 9. 05. 2019
- This is a walkthrough of the Alpha Ghost 2 professional stringing machine. Hopefully I've covered most of the machine's features, however if you have a question, please feel free to comment below and I'll try to respond. I hope this helps professional as well as amateur stringers with their stringing machine research.
~RO
Randy Orebaugh
Master Racquet Technician
USRSA
Excellent job! A really well done review.
Just received my Ghost 2. They got rid of the flying rubber pads at the mounting points. The string type button is replaced by a mute button. I did an electric calibration and a spring type calibration. Both were spot on from 40 pounds to 70 pounds. I have 6 racquets waiting to be strung. Can’t wait. Looks like a super solid machine.
Hi Randy: very nice review. Hope you and your family are doing well. All the best, A.Lee
Hi Albert, indeed we are doing well and wish the best for you and your family too. Thx for stopping by and hope to see you around soon! :-)
I know this was almost 4 years ago but great video - thanks for sharing! I'm trying to decide on the Ghost 2, Baiardo Lite, or the Tourna Cube. Looks like I couldn't go wrong with the Ghost though.
Hi Randy thanks for doing this. Sadly no info on using adapters for oversized racquets on the alpha site? Can you help with this issue? Thanks
Love review, love machine, mine work horse Gamma XLT
Hi, does it come with necessary attachments for badminton rackets? I'm currently using a Prince 5000 machine. I was very worried about the 2 point mounting platform at first, but after 200+ rackets, I haven't had any issues. I do want to get a Alpha Ghost 2 though.
What is your opinion on 6 point mounting vs 2 point? My experience with 6 point is that no matter how you mount the racket, it will always move a little when tensioning the string. As for the 2 point, racket is pinched up against the towers so there is no racket movements at all.
BTW, thank you for the video! I've searched all over and couldn't find anything on the Ghost 2.
I didn't realize it can be set up for table top. Can u demonstrate how to convert machine to a table top version, at some point, to show degree of difficulty. Thanks. Excellent video and sweet machine.
Hi Louis, that's a great idea. I will make a video showing that process from beginning to end. Just need to get caught up on racquets first :-). Thanks for the comment and happy that the video helped. ~RO
Nice review and looking machine. It looks similar or looks to have very similar parts to the P7000, Baiardo, Head TE-3300, Gosen GM20EX etc. Figure they must share components or are made in the same place in Taiwan? Cheers
Not sure of all, but the Alpha machine is made in the same factory as the Head, Gosen, Dunlop, Solinco, Adidas, Yonex Precision 5, and several other brands. The Baiardo is manufactured in the same Factory as Gamma.
Randy, Great walkthrough. I currently have a Gamma X-ST with the Wise 2086 head. My customer base is growing and I started looking at upgrading to an Alpha 2 Ghost or Tourna 800. Is the turntable base of the Alpha plastic? I am hoping it is metal painted black rather than plastic. Thanks - Tony
Hi Tony - Babolat-like turntable this is not. The undercarriage of the turntable--that is to say the center part of the turntable that the pedestals and clamp rails attach to--is solid shaped 5mm metal. The black tool tray--the non-structural circular part of the turntable--is black plastic that lays over the top of the metal center part. I think at about 15:26 or so in the video you can see the metal underneath the black plastic on the right pedestal assembly. It is much sturdier than the X-ST turntable for sure, however it is not all metal. In my opinion the black plastic tool tray could have been made with thicker, sturdier plastic.
Hello Randy,
Did you ever instrument your machine with a digital scale to see whether or not there's a tension overhoot? During your review you say that the stringbed stiffness comes out somewhat higher off this machine by comparison to lower priced constant pull machines due to a more solid construction or something to that extent. Another reason for a higher stiffness can be the tension overshoot. I've done this test on my Wise and the tension hovers around +/- 0.5 lb of the set value, which I find very acceptable. If you haven't already done this test on your Ghost, would it be too much to ask you to do this test and post the result?
Thanks much.
Great Video Randy, im considering the Ghost 2 and the Tourna 700-ES. What are your thoughts on these machines? Have you used or heard feedback on the Tourna machine?
What about Baiardo L?
Where do you adjust the clamp base slider? I found mine is very difficult to slide back and forth on the rail, and when I use the 3mm allen key it doesnt budge. Perhaps I'm trying the wrong spot
Hi Ryan, the 3mm adjustment should be it. If you turn it counter clockwise the clamp base will get easier to lock and slide easier. The down side is if you adjust too far the clamp base will move when under tension. The screw barely adjusts and it's very tight... it feels like it has only a 1/4 turn of total travel, so it's a very minute adjustment but does make a difference. Before doing that I would clean your rails with paper towel and 91% isopropyl alcohol followed by a very, very light coating of 3-in-one dry lube. You can also rotate the clamp base over top of the tool storage on the turntable assembly to clean the bottom of the clamp base.
Hello Randy, Have you attempted to string any rackets with a deep "V" throat, such as racquetball rackets? I find that the pedestals cannot move far enough apart and I must use the included plastic mounts on the pedestal pin to hold the racket in place.
Hi Zopilote, I actually have a separate machine that I dedicate to racquetball racquets, saving me time in having to adjust pedestal mounts all the time. I did, however, attempt to restring a Head Instict 175 on the Alpha Ghost 2 last two nights ago and you are correct - the billiards (pedestal pins) will not contact the throat and 12-oclock postion on the head even with the pedestals adjusted to their farthest out position. My machine did not come with extensions long enough to insert into the billiards, so I think I'll call Alpha to see if they can send me something that will work. Not good!
@@randyorebaugh5252 Hi Randy, I've contacted the manufacturer and was informed that underneath the pedestals, a screw can be removed allowing the necessary distance for deep throat racquets. I've adjusted one of the pedestals and the circumvention does work. The pedestal is still very stable with the remaining pin and single screw.
@@zopiloteleche4037 Hi Zopilote - thank you for following up. Yes - I removed the pedestal and found the screw. Success! :-)
Hey Randy,
Does your racket still move a lot after mounting? I feel like the racket moves a lot but I am not sure if that’s okay or not. Please let me know your thoughts!
Hi Danny, after mounting a racquet in the machine and snugging up the side mounts fingertight and billiards until they just touch, the racquet does move around slightly... I would say about 1 maybe 2 mm of play. This is a good thing because by the time you run your first couple of mains, the frame expands (gets fatter) and the racquet is then firmly held in place for the rest of the stringing process. Do check that your pedestals are tightened down firmly via the knobs below the turntable, and one thing you might want to do is move the pedestals farther out to where on a MP sized racquet you have a finger-width gap (or slightly more) between top/bottom of frame and the tops of the pedestal assemblies. This will move the side mounts out farther from one another, providing a more stable hold on the racquet.~RO
Danny does yours move still? Just got mine and I feel like it moves some. The spacer looks like it slips some
is this one also work for badminton racket?
Hi Randy!! Not sure if this is the proper forum for this, but I've narrowed down my choices to the Ghost 2 or the Tourna Cube. The cost difference is not much, with the Cube being a few $$$ more, really not an issue. I know you have the Ghost 2, obviously, but wanted to ask your opinion since I think you would give an honest opinion. That is, if you knew much about the Cube. Thanks for any insight!! Louis
Hi Louis, I have no experience stringing on Tourna Cube. I've read some of the reviews you've probably read during your research. For me, I'm not certain what the illuminated cube is about other than for aesthetic purposes. If you run a shop or you have a home workshop set up such that you have customer foot traffic, then I could see some marketing benefit with that. The digital display on the Cube is a plus over the Alpha Ghost 2, and it appears the Tourna Cube has a solid machined turntable with curved tracks that I prefer over straight. The Cube also appears to have adjustable tieoff % that the Alpha Ghost 2 does not (tie off is 10% only). Memory function and USB port are of little to no benefit. It lacks diamond dusted clamps which ultimately is a deal breaker for me. Taken all together, the added features of the Cube plus the approx. $800 price difference are not, in my opinion, worth it if you run a small home workshop in the basement or are just stringing for yourself and a few others. But having said that, while I think the price point is a little high on the Cube, it's probably a solid machine, and Tourna has been around forever so I'm thinking you would have no issues with warranty or support.
@@randyorebaugh5252 Thanks Randy for your reply!! The price for the cube is about $100 more than the Ghost 2 so that's not really an issue. Clamps are my main concern. Tough decision, I really like both machines. The Ghost is tried and tested, the Cube no so much. Thanks again for your reply!!
Can the Ghost 2 be set up to use as a table top machine ? Thanks.
Yes the machine separates from the base and be used on tabletop.
Hello Randy, Where did you get your machine ? I want to get the same identical machine in the US. Thanks. I don't see the same clamps that you have.
New Tech Tennis in Austin, TX. Reach out to them and ask for Mark Gonzalez. He can give you the latest specs on the machine.
Where did you order this? What website?
Can be badminton string ?
Hi Randy, great video! I have the Alpha Ghost and I noticed you used the black sleeves as well at the 6 and 12 mount. Do you find them too bulky especially when doing 18x20 rackets?
Hi Chin, yes I sometimes find that the billiard sleeve are too bulky to fit between the center grommets even on some 16x19 frames, especially the one at 12 o'clock. In some cases I can use a load spreader, otherwise I just remove the sleeve and place a piece of grip tape on the billiard to prevent scratching the frame.
Yup sometimes I use the red curved sleeves as well if it fits the contour of the racket. When u say grip tape, do you mean just wrapping some finishing tape?
@@Jasontancm Hi Chin, yes finishing tape, except I don't wrap it around the billiard. I simply apply about a 1" strip vertically along the length of the billiard so that when I'm done I can easily peel it off.
Can the machine also string squash and badminton rackets?
Yes the machine can handle both.
No problem stringing Weed (135sqi) or the Big Bubba (137 sqi)?
How much it cost?
Nice nechine
This is not a $3200 machine. May be $2500 max. I would rather buy Wilson B Light. Also, Tourna released 700-ES which looks a better bang for the buck. Nice review of the machine. Thank you.
Prince NEOS 1500 with wise head? But not available currently.