Turning an electro down to 5.5bps is NOT a match for mech guns.decent electronic marker you can turn down the rates to match the mech guns
It firmly puts the advantage in having a mech gun.
And from a player who has tons of electros forces me to buy a mech gun...
Older tech is just as competitive as the latest guns out today.
If you buy a gun from 2007 and onward, Planet, Dye, SP and can get a board which provides the correct fire modes, you can compete.
If i was in the OP's shoes, and just got the EMEK id be looking to take it out and see where i land. They may not need the electro just yet.
IF they do need an electro they are very easy to pick up. Some of my latest purchases have been less than £100 and the gun is great - see my post in the GWC thread as to how many ive got this year alone....
Other things to think about are a decent barrel kit - as the EMEK stock barrel is tosh.
A force feed loader - an old halo would be fine
An air tank - personally id go for the carbon 4500 from the off.
And of course the decent goggles