If you want to find a used longarm quilting machine, where would you look? I know about craigslist, ebay, houseofhanson, quiltropolis, and longarmuniversity. I also know to check with my local dealer. Does anyone know of other places to search?

Just in case you're wondering, I do have a specific make and model in mind, and I will post that in classifieds. This request is about finding longarm sales sites, not about finding the longarm itself.

Thanks!

I bet the LQS could tell you if someone is getting rid of theirs.

That's brilliant! I hadn't thought of talking to them.

a dealer that sells long arms sometimesthere are trade ins.
a guild may have an insight on someone that wants to sell their long arm.

I see them for sale sometimes on the homequiltingsystems on Yahoo Groups.

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/homequiltingsystems/

Look in the database section. Most of the stuff is short and mid-arms, but occasionally someone will post a long-arm.

Check not just the maker of the machine you want, check them all. They take trade-ins, and your make may be with another dealer.

Thanks for the link. I just hate to join a yahoo group (bad experience in the past). I wish the postings were public.

get in direct touch with the manufacturer you like. they all take back models as trade-ins, and will tell you where and how to find/see reconditioned ones with their tech help and support. depending on who has them (what dealer) you can even get lessons if the owner wants to make the sale. if you buy on your own, you're on your own. a LQS may or may not give good backup on a used model, and it may not be reconditioned, just cleaned up.

check out everything in advance, so you know what your must-haves are. on a used one, you won't have as many choices as brand new customized. decide in advance what you can really live without. keep in mind that the trade-ins were traded in for something more than what these were, so these machines are likely to be kind of basic with maybe one or two optional goodies. people who have longarms that do a lot, tend not to trade them in unless they are professionals and need a more professional machine.

go to the differnt Long arm groups on line- like Longarm chat, or Quilters resource- also the brand names have there own web sites to check and ask questions...make sure you do home work when purchasing such an expense!! myself, I have a APQS milly- love it and have been doing LA ing for 7 years...but- it is taking a toll on my body....good luck!!!

I don't know how big Albany is, but here in Atlanta there is a HUGE used sewing machine business. I've never been to the warehouse, but I imagine they have any kind of machine I could ever want. I'm not going to get up from my computer now to check, but I'm 99 percent sure they are listed in the yellow pages. You could look in your yellow pages, if you have not yet done so.