I have the Janome 6600. I would never purchase any brand machine unless I had local service and support. The first year I had this particular Janome (it is my 3rd Janome), I had it in over and over because I was having trouble with backlash. I was using Gutermann thread and finally figured out my machine did not like that particular brand. I later discovered a product called Magic Bobbin Washers which fixed that problem totally. I love this Janome. It's not an embroidery machine, but it does anything else I could ask of it. Definitely a workhorse, and I love my local Janome dealer.