You can't beat the oldies for stitch quality and reliability. They just keep on sewing forever if you just do routine maintenance, which is very easy.
I love my featherweight for classes, portability is a big plus for these little jems.
I took classes from Ray White and learned to love working on the oldies. Now my DH and I find them as reasonably as we can (sometimes for free), fix them up and give them to women who can't afford to buy a machine. It has become a ministry for us and keeps us off the streets - which in your 70s is a good thing, lol. Right now we have 2 old Kenmores we are just about ready to find a home to keep them sewing.
And the old treadles - what fun it is !!!!