I have had several different types of machines...as of now, in addition to the vintage Singer 66 I inherited, I have a Brother PC-420, and a Brother PQ-1500...and I love them both! They both have several of the "high end" options such as a knee-lifter and a thread cutter, and I just could not see paying more money for a "brand" name...when my machines have exactly what I wanted! I also have run into what I would call "machine snobbery"...I just take it with a grain of salt, at my lqs meetings, my machine works just as good if not better than a lot of the other more expensive machines. Not only that, but this way I have money left over to buy more fabrics!!...
I also must say that at the lqs I attend most of the ladies I am in group with would never make someone feel "less than" about anything, let alone the price/brand of their machine. I totally understand local sewing machine shops needing to make a living, but to pay several hundred more dollars for the same machine is just not something I want to nor am financially able to do. That's one great thing about this board, we all have differences, and we can all embrace them, and share our of love of quilting and ideas with each other!
Take care all,
Kif
Oops, went to edit last post, instead did a double post, sorry!