hi aileen -
i assume you are looking at the juki 9” harp. i considered the brother/babylock (i hear they are the same), janome and juki. i finally purchased the babylock jane - but they were all similar - 9” throat, high speed (1500 spm), straight stitch only, and they all seemed to include a small selection of feet including fmq, ¼” and walking foot. i think they all had extension tables, a knee lift, automatic thread cutters, and a needle down function. if i remember, the janome did not have dropped feed dogs - but you could buy an overpriced cover plate. from what i’ve read, most folks are happy with their purchase, regardless of manufacturer. the biggest decisions seemed to be dealer vs internet. there can be a significant price difference.
the babylock jane has been a good choice for me. i like that i can adjust the feed dog height, adjust the thread tension, and adjust the pressure foot pressure. i even figured out how to use the needle threader - but not the pin feed. i find the thread cutter and needle down features useful - though at first i didn’t think i would use them. i rarely use the knee lift because i can’t use it with the extension table (machine is on top of desk).
the babylock makes a nice stitch, is easy to maintain, doesn’t vibrate - even at high speed and is relatively quiet. the walking foot performs great and it can fmq better than i can.
the bad news is, it does have some sort of computerized function - i see 3 little circuit boards in the diagram. i think that is true of all machines that have the needle down feature, and probably the auto thread cutter too. if you are determined to avoid that, maybe a singer 66 or 201 in a cabinet would be a better choice. they do have large harps, and my 66 treadle is almost as big as the babylock. even an old singer in pristine shape would be a lot less than the newer 9” harp machines. with the convenience of the level machine in the cabinet, there is not much difference in handling a large, bulky quilt. unfortunately, i can’t treadle anywhere near 1500 spm - and it doesn’t have reverse. i find the high speed really helps in fmq.
i don’t have any info on used machines - but i would not want to buy one sight unseen.
i had never used a walking foot, and didn’t know much about fmq when i purchased my
machine. having that skill first is certainly going to help you make a good decision.
good luck in your search
lefty - in philly