I got out the 'new' 301 last night. It was very stiff to turn by hand, so I oiled it first. I cleaned some nasty black lube off the gears - it wasn't very hardened - and use my Singer lube. At fist, it sewed well at slow speeds, but screamed in the gear area at high speeds. After a while sewing that improved. With a little tension adjustment in the bobbin case, the stitch is as perfect as AnnieRose's. I was surprised a to find little rust inside and on the bottom of the presser foot, but it's not bad. Bad is the case. THe seller packed the machine well inside the case, but only put the case in a single well fitting box. One corner of the shipping box was slightly crushed and three corners of the case are broken though the fiberboard. What is, is and I was after a machine, not a case, so I'm not crying in my tea.
So AnnieRose has an older sister (and a backup plug so I won't ever be without a working 301). ErinRose is a longbed which won't fit in the table and mocha when I wanted something different, but if she sews as well as she seems to, I won't complain. I will make a table runner with her as I like to use a machine after oiling. My OSMG told me years ago to never oil and machine and put it away. Candace, I made sure my purchase had the single plug. Thank you for the heads up that there are two styles.
notsureif, that's a very sweet story. I'm impressed you can carry a 128 around. I pulled a pectoral muscle moving mine to decorate at Christmas. It's for sale, but it has to be local as I can't lift it to pack it for shipping.
I have a family member in ICU. I'm trying to figure how to take a sewing machine to use while I sit there. I know it's a no-go, so I may have to do some hand piecing or knitting.