I got my Singer 600 new in 1963. My DH was sent to a remote site (Air Force) in Alaska for a year and wrote telling me he had spent $400 on a tape deck. It was my first year teaching, so I figured I could spend $300 on a sewing machine. It's still my favorite machine -- and still runs, unlike that tape deck he got! Since then I have purchased 2 more 600's as well as 5 other old Singers (that I use to help others learn to sew) and a Janome 6500. My thoughts now are, if he can have a couple of Vettes to play with, I can have sewing machines and play too!