don't be a lurker!! opinions and thoughts are the lifeblood of a forum!
I found a lot of good info on the 301 here
http://www.singer301.com/about/default.html which is worth a read.
My machine isn't marked Centennial, although my featherweight is. I don't care for the featherweight Someday I'll get off my lazy bum and put it up for sale.
My saying the 301A is a 1951 machine is just ego, it is still a 1953 model
The Anderson facility didn't produce until 1953.
My saying I'm not a collector of anything is based on working through my house with FlyLady
and having had breast cancer in 2011 and lung cancer in 2013.
I do have a selection of 'users' though..
I was given a treadle by founder of TreadleOn, Richard Wrightman. Love it!
A client gave me a 1927 singer hand crank AND a 1946 White in a cabinet. Love them both!
Got caught up in the featherweight and bought one... don't like it, too little
I have a 15 clone which I got just because I wanted one, I've made two quilts on it and will let it go to the right person.
My 404 I got strictly for classes, my preference being the drop in bobbin. like the 301 it is aluminum frame and only 2 pounds more than the 301. Classes because by mid September we will both be retired and I'll finally get to do some of the things I've not been able to do before.
Oh, and I have a Janome 6600 I bought to use the 3 years I lived away from home caring for my FIL
and a 8900 as a reward when I finally got back home. I've got the machines through the house so I can sit down and sew with what ever view strikes my fancy that day.
Now see, if you hadn't come out of lurkdom we'd not know each other at all would we.
And I'm still most excited about the cabinet