the best advice i can give anyone is this: if you can go to any big show, do it. the major makers are there, all vying for your money. they all beg you to try their machines. of course they want to sell you the top end one, but you don't have to.
just keep trying them all out. go around as often as you like. let them all know you're looking at all the others. ask them what they'll give you in addition to the machine you want. free. i got 100 extra needles, 30 extra bobbins and no sales tax. plus, we bargained on the price. and he came down. a good haul. also, because i bought right at the show, there was no middleman, so the price was the best to begin with. i took my time and shopped around for a year, trying out every machine i saw. be nice, but be professional. get your money's worth.
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