We purchased my longarm (Innova) from the dealer in Ephrata, WA. The frame was partially put together, but we transported it in pieces in a pickup (poles hanging out the back) to our home in Albany and my DH and I finished the assembly. It wasn't that hard, but it helped having two people working on it. I had classes at the dealer before bringing the machine home and have since then read books and watched videos. Like any sewing, I think it requires a certain amount of logic. When something is wrong (tension problems, uneven stitch length, etc.) you need to be able to trouble shoot it, but "it ain't rocket science."