After dealing with my MIL's Golden Touch and Sew 625, I'd also pick the 401A. Though my MIL sewed a lot on that machine and it was very good, it hasn't aged as well as the 401 has. So it's not that I feel the 401 is a better machine, just that I feel a 55 year old 401 is a better bet than a 50 year old 625.