Many times a machine will "speak" to me. There is not much that can go wrong with the really old machines. If you turn the wheel and the needle goes up and down, it works. Just a matter of cleaning them up and learning to use them. I have a top of the line Janome, way too much money, my grandmothers Singer treadle 1918, a Featherweight 1938 and over the weekend I bought a Hus.Viking. It is pathetic, but will be beautiful once she is cleaned. So it is up to you. I say a Singer 301a and fell madly in love with it, a black one, so that is my next conquest.