JustAbitCrazy

Hi--

This looks like a great machine, but the reviews of it on patternreviews.com are not good.

What do Serenade owners here have to say about your machine? Are you happy with it? What do you especially like or dislike about the machine?

Would you purchase it again, or do you wish you had bought something else instead?

Thanks to all for your advise!

kerriy

I have the cousin, Pfaff Smarter C1100 pro. I have had it about a month, and it is a really good machine. It is high tech and I love how it glides over thick seams with beautiful stitching, since I mostly quilt, but also hem Jeans now and then with those super thick seams. If you search Pfaff Smarter here are QB you can read my post about how I figured out the auto bobbin sensor going off unexpectedly and my discovery on getting my super large spools of Superior masterpiece cotton thread to feed smoothly. The cutter, knee lift and DFS are the great features to have. On mine, if you are in needle down position and push the thread cutter, after the machine defaults to needle up. I just tap my foot pedal once and it goes back to needle down, or just push the needle down button to achieve the same result.

I love the pfaff presser feet alot for some reason, so I can't speak to that on the Serenade.

I have read all the pros and cons on these cousins Babylock, Pfaff and singer, and I think with these high tech lots of features machines, you have to get used to them with trial and error, and it justs takes a few sewing sessions with different things you are working on. I do know people get lemons now and then with all machines, but overall I think the machines are amazing.

PS the auto thread cutter and these is just the best to me, sturdy and quick and then I zoom along again. I can't wait to use it for paper piecing.

Dolphyngyrl

I wish I could find the thread because someone was saying good things about their serenade the other day but I don't remember the thread

JustAbitCrazy

Thank you both for the help!

Kerriy, thanks for letting me know that Pfaff has a similar machine. I didn't find one with a knee lift when I searched. I found other machines with needle/down and thread cutter, but not knee lift. It's nice to know that Pfaff has a machine with all those features, because I love Pfaff machines! By any chance does your machine have a low bobbin alert or second motor just for winding a bobbin (so you can wind a bobbin while sewing)? The Janome 6600 has the second bobbin motor, but not a low bobbin alert. It also does not have free arm capability, and the bobbin is accessed from the top of the bed (which I don't like because it is under the fabric and not easily reached if a thread gets caught in there.)

kerriy

Yes, it has low bobbin alert, second motor for bobbin winding (very nice), free arm, and vertical bobbin case. It seems like Babylock, Singer and Pfaff all have their own specific feet and attributes put on this similar style machine.

JustAbitCrazy

Kerriy, can you give me an idea of the new price for a Pfaff Smarter C1100? The dealers' websites I found don't have any prices, so I looked on ebay, but there aren't any there for sale.

vondae

I just bought my Seranade and got to sew on it yesterday. I talked to the sales person where I bought it about the bad review and they said the #l problem is that people do not wind the bobbin properly. I sewed quite a while yesterday and didn't have a single problem. It's still early but, so far I am very happy. Can't wait to take my classes so I try some of the many things it does. I got a great deal on mine. They had been having a sale in March, giving an extra $100 off. I bought mine on April 4, and they had not removed the sale sign. So I asked for the extra $100 off. They were kind enough to give it to me. Very nice people. Always happy when I can save some $.

vondae

Check out my thread " I got a new Babylock " Dont' know how to get you there but, there were several replies, all favorable. Good luck on making your decision. I'm a happy Babylock momma. Just need to give her a name.

kerriy

Yes! If you don't live in So Cal you can probably do better than me! I'm never by a dealer who gives away much. I paid 1699 + tax and I got the quilters toolbox which gives 4 extra feet and the clear plexiglass table. I have seen on patternreview 1499 with the quilters toolbox.

I had an Ambition 1.5 that I got for 1199, only 100 off msrp, but two feet thrown in. It was one of the first machines and had a problem, so I got the chance to trade in, she has a 100% trade in policy in a year too, anyway. But you trade at full mrsp. Sooo, I paid in 500 more dollars, and got to keep the other two feet as well.

I don't think i had any clout, but I was happy to trade in and get the extra features in the end

I bet you were expecting a shorter answer than that, lol.

JustAbitCrazy

kerriy--I just read that when the low bobbin alert is activated on this machine, the machine won't stitch at all! Is that true? To me, that's not an ALERT if it just shuts down! It may as well just run out of thread and quit just the same! I read that on a review, and another owner said she just puts a piece of tape over the sensor in the bobbin area so she can finish sewing off the bobbin. I don't want to be bothered with all that. What is your experience? (Thanks again. And again!)