I own a 401 and I will tell you they are the best! All metal gears, lots of stitch options, and able to handle about anything. A manual is most helpful as the full features of the machine are covered in detail. If you dont have one you can find them on ebay on cd's for very little. They have a few quirks, one being the way you move from gear to gear sometimes the machine will not let you move the dial, if this happens move the other dial from its current setting then move the dial you wanted to move and put the dial you moved first back into the position you wanted. This doesn't nevessarily happen every time but it has happened enough on 401's I have owned to know it is one of those little things peculiar to a 401. To use the discs you have to remove the disc by pulling up on it and the manual will explain that in detail. Congratulations.