Tenpin Bowling string pins - behind the scenes 

My local bowling hall has moved over to strings, I will be looking around for somewhere using proper pinsetters. The sweep is part of the experience!

give me a real pinsetter any day.

At 27:14, the past pin of that "strike" was taken down BY THE STRING!

I see both AMF & Brunswick (?!) when viewing from the bowler's angle. But where is Fisher-Price's name?

I'm glad there's finally a practical application for string theory.

Doesn't look as exciting as true pin action! There is less pin action with the string. I love the messenger or the flying pin knocking out another one. I'll stick with the free standing pins!

Bye bye helicopter pins also byebye to messengers. All the things we loved to watch in bowling will be gone. A pin that is attached to a string cannot fly freely. This was only developed to make more profit as a proprietor. Its the death of the sport of bowling. I'm sad to watch what is becoming of our sport. If this is the future I'll stop playing this game for sure.

I work on 82-70s so does my dad and our boss is thinking about getting these. This just puts us out of a job after my 10years and his 30+ years.

Strings pin setters changed the ten pin bowling game to a higher leve of difficulty. No more crazy split spares or lucky strikes. Thanks 😮

That strike at 27:14 was sketchy.

Glad you uploaded so recently

Fantastic video. A life long question have been answered

It's not the same as watching a mechanical pinsetter with free standing pins. String machine completely ruin the experience

At 27:10 the 10 pin is left, but the 6 pins string took the 10 pin down. Okay for recreational bowling but not sanctioned league.

At 27:12 string takes out 10 pin proving that these should never be sanctioned

This works for kids who want to have fun sometimes. But not for someone who want to play bowling serious hahaha. Was playing on one string court in Phuket Thailand in 2006. We were laughing so hard at it we didnt knew it existed. But it works if you just wanna play ONCE for fun and there is no other courts. But on daily basis...not so much. I do understand the string thing. Its cheaper ofc. And it works for tourists and kids. I enjoyed it.

Bowled on these just recently. almost impossible to leave a ringing 10 pin. I witnessed so many other bowlers leave things like a 3-10 and miss it but the string clotheslines the 10 down. I thought it would be impossible to make a 7-10, but pins still fly around ok. It'll raise averages by about 5-10 pins in my opinion.

Randy Pederson would LOVE this machine! No more stone 8's ahahahaha

How many centre have the string system?

10 Pin bowling is pretty popular in my area and if a center converted to string bowling majority of the league players would just go bowl at another Center that uses free-standing pins it would really be Financial suicide to convert to string bowling as you will not recoup the cost as League Bowlers will not like it. I see string bowling as a novelty or for a bowling alley located in the middle of nowhere that needs a low maintenance machine. The serious bowlers won't go here. The only way to get real bowlers in my area to go here is to be cheaper than 10 pin bowling... there are six free standing Pin bowling areas in my area and if string bowling is going to cost more why would anyone even go there?

George, where do you situated you pindecklights? I have converted my center to funk stringpinsetter and have my old amf pindecklights I want to use Thanks Paul

Has anybody noticed this is an AMF Center with Brunswick string machines

More strikers in ten mins than in my whole life.

From what I saw the Weber wall shots will no longer be part of the bowling landscape. We can expect more 4-5-7 splits when the ball enters the pocket light. The bounciness of these pins may make the 7-10 split a little easier to convert. Hope all is well George. Much respect from NYC

whats the life longevity of the strings?

will never be approved by USBC because you must shoot spare pins where you leave them and that is impossible with string pins

These machines are still expensive, in my opinion you should buy the real thing if you are going to spend enough to get a string machine in the first place. Although for residential use, I see one of these being a lot more practical, just not in a tournament setting.

This is fascinating to me from a mechanical standpoint. As a former bowler though, I don't care. I left bowling about 15 years ago when the synthetic lanes, oil patterns, reactive balls, two handed bowlers, etc. made the game too high scoring - like watching an NBA game (which I also quit as a fan). I see the PGA is going to reduce the flight of the golf ball to counteract equipment and other technology to improve the game in tournaments. In our softball league, we went to wood bats because the high tech bats were getting ridiculous (not to mention the unsanctioned modifications). For bowling, I don't see an answer. Sure, they can fix the balls and stop two handed throws if they wanted, but those free fall pinsetters are huge, they're complicated, they're expensive, and they're getting old. Other than a far simpler free fall pinsetter being designed (unlikely), I don't see how bowling can do anything but go to string setters. Good luck guys.

Reminds me of a bowling game I had as a kid.

String pins are only good for Casuals but not for the Real Sport of Bowling.

You'd think with the technology available, they could place an RFID chip in the pin (to return it to it's proper spot) along with a metal cap on the pin and use some kind of magnetic technology to reset the pins. Maybe you wouldn't need an RFID identifier...just a way to indicate which pin "sockets" are empty. You get the picture. Or...you could put the magnet system in the floor boards. Activate it to set the pins, deactivate it for the shot...voila..regular pin action.

Maybe for once in a while bowlers just for fun, but not for anyone serious about bowling. The strings completely change the carry of the pins. Sorry, not real bowling no matter how much hype is forced on it.

Humdingers is located in Bergen County in Paramus NJ its a Small Bowling alley but I've been to Bowler city in Hackensack NJ Mont Vale lanes in Mont Vale NJ and Fairlawn Bowling alley

Welll, 10 string bowling is a slightly different game then 10 pin bowling. The machinery is potentially a lot less expensive do it might have a place in a venue that's only used occasionally.

AMF String pinsetters, masking units and Brunswick lanes?? WTH, lol weird they would mix it up like that. Longtime bowler here with the Canadian 5 pin but know 10 as well. I had heard that AMF used the plans from the Canadian Mendes bowling company to make their own version of a string setter. Mendes was a well known Quebec company which made pretty much bowling everything. Fun fact: Mendes scoring computers are used in North Korea bowling alleys, lol :)

As a bowler I hate this. Having done a lot of work on 82-30's though I at least understand the concept of why they're working on these.

Bowling on wood with the evolution to synthetic lanes is one thing, but bowling with string pins is an absolute disaster for the sport. A true player and fan of the sport would never agree with it nor promote it like it is in this video. I visited a bowling centre in the UK in 2019 as part of a celebration event, at night. I thought something was off - the sound was different and the bounce wasn't right. I then noticed pins getting caught in something. When I looked closer I was horrified to see string pins - what a con! I felt cheated. It was as if I was back at the holiday park as a kid with the crappy miniature bowling lanes.

So... these machines come with some strings attached?

The only thing about free fall pin setters is that for the bowling proprietor is that they cost more to run plus parts for the older machines like the A2 are getting harder to find thus costing more in down time where as the newer stringed machines are not that bad for tangles as they tend to fix themselves thus the proprietor not needing to have a pin chaser on hand at all times. For the most part all staff members ( if trained well enough ) can fix most of the prob that may come up. At lest this is what i have been finding out with most string machines that i have bowled on in Canada. P.s. As for pin action on a stringed machine as aposed to a free fall machine.... I have found them to be pretty close to the same if not maybe a few pins more on the stringed lanes case of the string catching the top part of a pin in just the right way as to make it fall over. So my fellow bowlers near and far don't knock the string lanes until you have givin them a few try's. I'am not saying that i like them and I"am not saying that i don't like them as i grew up on free falling machines but as the free fall machines get older they get harder and harder to fix and they are costing more to do so this is why owners/Proprietors are changing there machines over to string as they will no longer have to pay as much less on 1. Hydro. 2. Staffing. 3. Parts. 4. Training. and did i mention Hydro that is being the big one here in Ontario Canada. Thanks again for taking time to read my rant HAPPY ROLLING.

Don't regular pin setters put the pin back where it was if it slides out of place on the first roll? This clearly does not do that. Except sometimes, it places it in the wrong spot when you don't want to.

I wonder if you can spot certain pins with these.? Or reset the pins.

Not bowling as I have come to know it. The issue I would say is the string could help carry a number of the pins that you wouldn't normally carry on a standard set of pins. At the 27:14 time of the video, the 10 pin was knocked over by the string of the 6, thus not a true carry.

How is this machine able to detect off spot pins?

my wife and i go bowling for dollars on sunday evening. how could a center do it with string machines as you need random set colored pins for this and other games as well. i will pass if my center switched.

Interesting , what is the price difference of standard vs string pinsetters ? Can they charge less for string pins ? If so, then amateurs wouldn't care anyway and it would cost less.

The creator says he's "absolutely ok" with the strings knocking over pins. Out of curiosity, I would ask if he is then ok with pinsetters knocking over pins on freefall machines. Imo if they have these machines sanctioned and allow the equipment to influence carry, why two different rules?

I don't like the fact randomness for each pin is taken away. Same pin, same spot all the time.

So if u move a pin but dont knock it down, changing spare parameters the machine is going to reset said pin helping/hurting spare chances..... I dont trust it

remembered a toy game that did this

How can the USBC even consider sanctioning these things? The rule is you play it where it lands so what about the off spots or “out of range pins? The ones that slide 6 inches and don’t fall? These machines pull everything back up and respot your spare shot on center not to mention your ringing tens or flat tens or messengers! Where do the tickets spit out for the cheap prizes you get at the counter??!! These are for carnivals! If the almighty dollar is all your after then here you go. The only upgrade I see here is this is an upgraded skee ball machine you get rid of the ramp for strings!!

But the pins are always spotted in the same slot. The headpin will ALWAYS be the headpin. The 10 pin will ALWAYS be the 10 pin. Is that not BS?

All that is needed is for the machine to detect no more pin movement or to extend the re-rack a few more seconds before dropping the pins. Why does the reset have to be that fast? Most bowlers take at least 20 seconds between shots.

Bowl candlepin if you want no strings attached 😀

I know that is another thing that could break down, but my god..just have the little plate with the pin holes that the strings pull them up to come down 6-8 inches or so before dropping the strings. That would result in FAR fewer instances of the pins being placed in the wrong spot.

cant believe they show this. it shows the messenger eliminated, pins set off spot and not corrected, and the strings taking out pins not hit by ball or other pins frequently. i guess if you have never bowled before it would be ok but non string bowlers wont like it.

i argue a robotic placement machine could be designed similarly to this string system but allowing the pins to sit placed in the older style sweep and place manner with reduced parts or perhaps the use of some smaller robotic arms it wouldnt be as safe but still safer than the old machinery

I am going to built 2 bowling Lanes with Brunswick A2 pinsetters

Stafford UK, Tenpin starting this soon

If String Bowling will catch on, their needs to be a separate sanctioning body for String Bowling vs. "Regular" ten pin. Pin reaction is most certainly different. We are not talking apples to apples here.

the big question is what are the costs per machine

You will never see a messenger with string pins.

Let’s see if in slow motion to really see those strings work ?

Seems ok...not the exciting pin action but seems like something youd get used to

The only good thing with these machines is less moving parts to get hurt on when performing maintenance

I'm for one to leave the string spotter at the carnival where they belong. Free Fall Forever

ya know, I'm not a super duper bowling aficionado by any means, and I get the gripe for string pin machines but... Aren't these a whole lot safer than the older style machines? There's been some terrible, terrible accidents that have happened with the old machines so this might not be so bad if you think of it that way. If I'm wrong please do correct me.

Would they even take the time and oil these lanes? But then, why bother since it wouldn't be ABC sanctioned anyways?

This is totally ridiculous. If they do this conversion in my current house I will be moving to one of the really old alleys in town where they are still bowling on wood…and will never do such a conversion. This is nearly exactly the way my old Bowl-A-Matic 300 game (toy) used to work (except there were magnets in the bottom of the pins and on the pin-spots…………and the pins were around 4 inches tall). See here ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-COKx0_2Dofk.html By the way…This was one of the coolest toys ever….and I was really disappointed when my wife made it disappear after holding onto it for 50 years 😅…….but the concept is definitely not suitable for full-scale bowling !!

Interesting video. But string pinsetters are a novelty, a cost-saving thing, not accurate, and dissapointing Castle Hill Zone put them in. This video proves it. The strings influence pinfall way too much. I've bowled here, now go to other centres with free-falling pins. And yes.. you can tell they are strings. I've seen strings pull down pins they shouldn't, it is that simple. For kids birthday parties (yep revenue) sure.. but for serious bowlers, and league? No thanks.

Never gonna make a 7 10 split on this. EVER! 🤣🤣🤣🤣

NO dead wood....ever!

Like it or not, they will be replacing free fall machines. We literally spent millions of dollars per year on parts for 1956 and newer A 2s. Owners won't care how you feel about it especially after the USBC tested them against free fall and found no significant difference in scoring. It's the coming thing and im seriously considering starting an alley! Seriously! A teenager can maintain them just once a week!

I prefer the last sistem

you can

Not a fan of 10-pin stringsetters at all. I understand their purpose in 5-pin it's just been long accepted. And 5-pin freefall setters are expensive to maintain and use up more electricity. Balance I guess.

A lot of those pins are still off spot, even 1/2" makes a difference

If you want to make more money this is it, but it’s will never be bowling as we’ve known it. The game will never be the same 😢

First two handed idiots. Now strings. RIP, bowling, a once great sport.

Humdingers Bowling pins have strings

Just played on these, really ruins the unpredictability and fun of bowling. It may be fine for recreational purposes, but anything else and these would ruin it. Never going back to that bowling alley.

i hope this place goes out of business for installation of this ridiculous carnival game

27:13 10 pin gets pulled down by another pins string

Ok only for non-serious recreational use, IMO.

The deaths and injuries come from 2 sources.... Minimum wage employee with little training. And Employees with years of experience ignoring safety protocols. I worked at a bowling alley in the late 90's. I never entered that machine without disabling it. Danger eliminated.

The length of the strings must be so long, that the head of the 1st pin can reach the corner of the back wall, without resistance. So it is possible to solve a 7-10 spare.

Once again technology is destroying humanity

Seems like the ABC and local associations have lost their influence of the sport of bowling. I’ve been bowling almost fifty years and there’s little or no jurisdiction over what goes on in leagues as years pass. The organizations that would provide oversight are a shell of what they used to be

Also, got word that they sold out at recent exhibition. Saves 50-60% on installation and another 30-40% on annual costs. Don't be surprised is this is USBC approved in the next 2-3 years. If you want to see new bowling centers, this might be the only way to keep them financially viable. News flash, bowling centers are expensive with one of the lowest income rate per square foot in any business.

Give me a real pinsetters any day

I am opposed to the strings. The carry will be different. No More " Bird Dogs"!!!!

Kinda sorta like regular bowling. I wouldn't bowl anywhere that used string pins because string pins destroy the physics of the game.

I'll pay to put someone back there to set em up manually then to have the pins attached to a string.

Tell the guy to stop making strikes!! This didn’t show tough splits, so he can bowl strikes, that doesn’t show the system.

Just asked the Pros

Are they going to pass on the savings to the customers? Timezone has taken over bowling! What next VR! I used to bowl a lot in my teens as it was cheap and fun , but now more expensive half the lanes have been replaced with loud arcade noisy ticket giving scamming kids with $2 prizes! And selling alcohol in the same building! It’s all about profit now and not about the bowler!

If my bowling alley gets this i will quit bowling 😡

yeeeeeeaaaaaaah IDK about this

Is it true that most bowling alleys will be charging $10 PER GAME??? Sorry, but I don't think it's worth the money! Explanation: I was a PBA member back in the 1980s...for 6 years. That makes me a purist as far as bowling is concerned. This changes a lot of things, including the real possibility of pins being knocked over...by the strings! THAT IS NOT REAL BOWLING! If this is what the game is going to be, my comeback attempt (at age 71) is FINISHED!

I like how there are 10 pins on string 🧵

The end of bowling as we know it.