Originally Posted by
lswan
?.....for zig zag, I use a 401. I have paid over $200 for a couple of them in absolute mint shape and I am not sorry. I leave one with a small quilt on it to sew, one with a bed size on it, and one for piecing, one for classes. Still less than the horrible Pfaff creative expression I bought new 3 years ago and had to get rid of due to inability to keep tension right in FMQ.
i am new to the 401's but I recently broke my stiff rule of no more than $50 for a machine. I really wanted a 401 and knew they went for more, so I put an ad in Craigslist and got no responses for several weeks. Then a lady contacted me and I paid $175, ouch! BUT, I considered it a good deal because it is in like new condition, so is the case AND it came with the matching card table in excellent condition. But lo and behold, wouldn't you know it....the very same day a guy contacts me and says he found one in a rental he was cleaning out and everything going to the dump. He asks if I would like it....well
yeah! lol. I gave him $30 for his trouble (it's in a cabinet and he hauled it to his house so I could pick it up) and it too is in immaculate shape. So in one day I became the proud owner of 2 minty 401's. Now I am having fun playing with them and I know they are gonna become a new favorite!