Have heard mostly negative things about the Singers built since about 1970. That info came from my sewing machine repairman who sells machines. He won't carry them because, in his words, "they're junk"--insides are all plastic and he says they aren't worth the money to repair them. Says you might get 2-3 years out of it but they are essentially disposable. And he's seen them all. He is fond of Janome, Necchi, Elna, and just about any non-electronic machine.