When I started sewing many years ago Singers were THE machine company. I'd really never seen any others when I was in school. I started sewing when I was 11 and then we moved selling the machine my Mom had. It wasn't until I was about 13 that my Dad brought home a used 403 that my sisters and I sewed our school clothes on. I have that machine after my sister that got it from my Mom wanted to throw it in the dump!! My youngest sister saved it and gave it to me. I cleaned it up (sister is a smoker) and I fixed the bobbin tension (reason why sister thought it was no good anymore) and it's in my sewing room now. I also have the 626 I bought in '65 when I graduated and got my first job at the phone company. Made many dresses for work on that in my apartment and still have that one. Then about 6 years ago fell in love with Featherweights and found one in a fabric shop and bought it for my birthday. I also have newer computerized machines (Viking, Bernina 440QE, Phaff 1171 and 2 sergers) but can't give up any of them--old or new!! The 403 I'm thinking of giving to my niece after she gets out of college and on her own since it was her mother that saved the 403. She doesn't sew but thought she might want it for mending if nothing else. It's in the original cabinet and maybe she can use it as a lamp table until she needs to sew.