Athena Singer 2000
 

Could anyone tell me about the Singer Athena 2000, the first electronic sewing machine made. I looked at one today in a beautiful cabinet. The gentleman's wife of 70 years had passed away and he said he gave $1,000.00 for it new. Wanted $200.00. I did not try to sew on it but it looked like it was in excellent condition. any advise would be appreciated.

The advice my local sewing/vac shop gave me when I inquired about the Athena: "Stay away." Something about the uncertainty of 40 year-old electronic components and the cost of replacing them. I've seen this model for sale for a fraction of what the seller is asking (usually around $40) and I've occasionally seen them given away for free.

One of the nice things about vintage machines is their simplicity. Problems can be diagnosed and often resolved by even an inexperienced owner. With electronic machines, all bets are off.

Were you looking for particular features that the Athena 2000 offers, or (like me) drawn in by its retro design?

Ditto unfortunately
electronics + plastic gears = leave it alone

The gears Miriam mentions get brittle with age and Murphy's Law dictates they will shatter when no other machines are available and you're in the midst of a deadline project with only a few hours to spare. To avoid plastic (or nylon) gears in Singers, stick with models before the Touch & Sew (600 series). The first T&S models (there are several amusing interpretations of these initials, presumably invented by disgruntled owners), the 600s, had metal gears but you'll have to inspect to be sure.

I wouldn't pay $200. I've seen them cheaper too. What the others say about the plastic gears and cam stacks is dead on. Unlike metal, plastic seems to have a shelf life and the 40 year old machines are at the end of the usable span. Parts aren't available any more for a lot of them either. I avoid electronic machines because I know I can't work on them.

I have two machines sitting with broken plastic gears. They just haven't been a priority to fix. It's a problem with all brands of machines that use plastic parts. Yellowing of the plastic bodies on older machines is an issue too. I prefer all metal for these reasons.

The Touch & Sew series started using plastic gears somewhere around model #620. The 600 and 603 machines have metal gears. Personally I like the Touch & Sews. They're descended from the 400 and 500 series slant needle machines. Most of the differences are in the bobbin area. The biggest thing with Touch & Sews is they're not real easy to use. You need the owner's manual to get the most out of them.
Rodney

Thanks to all who replied. I am glad I didn't bite on this one. I knew the cabinet was nice but that does not mean that the machine was. Frankly I had never heard of this model before. You all are the greatest help ever.
t

Not to disagree with what the others have said, I will say that I have my mother's Singer Athena 2000 that she purchased in the '70s along with the beautiful cabinet, the original price was over $1000. She was a professional seamstress and had her machine in once a year for maintenance. It still runs flawlessly, but many years ago she was warned that if the "circuit" board went out it could not be replaced because they aren't made anymore. She has since passed away and I have put away her machine, but use the well designed cabinet because it reminds me of her everytime I sew. The cabinet is a beautiful piece of furniture and she got her moneys' worth out of the machine.

I have a Singer Athena 2000 that my husband bought me in the early 70s and it still works fine. I have it oiled and cleaned every year or so. If she was using it within the last few years I wouldn't hesitate to buy it myself. I love my machine and still use it today.

Sounds like a plan.

I paid $20 for my Touch-Tronic 2000 memory (Athena). I bought it because of the slant walking foot and darning foot that came with it. It's not a bad machine but I thought it was quite noisy. I played with the chain stitch capability for a bit. I haven't used it for sewing since I have so many machines that are much nicer but I'm happy to have the slant feet :-), A 'beautiful' cabinet would be worth some money to me since I don't like a portable machine on a regular table. I guess if I really wanted a machine in a cabinet I might pay $100 for it especially if the matching stool is there. But, I'd be prepared for a gear to crack or the electronics to fail on the machine at any time.