quiltlady1941

Thank you all!!! I found a dealer for the sweet sixteen that isn't to far from me, I think like a hour and half ride. so weather permitting I will be going there to try out one of these machines and get some prices. I have never tried the sweet sixteen just watched tons of videos on the net..Glad that I listened to one of the ladies here about trying it out first..Thanks again for all of your help!!

QuiltE

Glad I was able to help you! Good Luck .... plan to be able to stay for a good while. Might be best to book a n appt with them, to make sure someone who is well-informed is there to give you a good demo.

Before I bought my S16, I pounced on every thread on this Board and reading anything and everything I could to learn about it. By the time I went for test drives, I was pretty informed. I went to three shops, and discovered at two, I probably knew more than the people demonstrating it to me. Guilt struck, and I backed off. Two years later, I bought .......... and they were amazed at how well I settled in when I was taking my lessons. Guess I had been quilting on it in my mind all that time!

Have fun ..... and happy shopping!

MadQuilter

Handiquilter is an excellent company with great customer service. You can always get help from them.

There is a HQ Sweet 16 group - wish I could remember if it was yahoo or google. You could get more info there, particularly about a reasonable price. With all the goodies you are over 6k MSRP but I don't know the markdown for used. 43 000 stitches is barely broken in.

eastslopequilter

I have a sweet 16. If you watch sales at a reputable dealer, you can get a new one for around $5,000. If you look at the used one, I would have ask the owner to have the repairman or dealer go through it before I bought it. We built our extensions from used countertop and piano hinges for $11.00. The company charges a lot for the same exact thing. A good dealer might know if someone upgrades and has a 16 for sale that is in good shape.

institches33

I purchased a Husqvarna 18 long arm from a preacher who's wife died shortly after she bought the machine. I couldn't try it out until it was set up in my home and it wasn't quite right.

Repairmen are rare as hen's teeth for long arms, but I found a Nolting repairman willing to fix it. The entire electrical system and computer had to be replaced. It is the same electrical system and computer as used in the Sweet Sixteen. Just saying.

If you decide to buy it I hope you get a really good one because they are very expensive to fix.

cathyvv

Ask her if she could video herself working on it, so you can know that it works. 43,000 stitches is not a large number for a machine used for FMQ. The table, and so on, seem right. I think you could use facebook live for the video, so you know it is not an old video or someone elses video.

I bought a HQ16 used, with frame, table and pc quilter in 2010 for $4,000. It has worked very well; most problems I had were due to operator error. My sister has the table, so it was never used by either of us on the table. It does not have tru-stitch, so can't speak for how well that works.

My DH cleans the machine for me about every 2 years, and so far we have found nothing to complain about before or after cleaning. The needle area always has some fuzz in it, even though I do take the needle plate off now and then to dust it, but the rest of the machine is clean and lint free. I oil clean and oil the bobbin area after each quilt is done. So maintenance has not been a problem for me.

If you can see the machine work, are able to look at whatever is quilted, and you really want it, I say go for it.

On another note, Grace Company now has a mid arm quilter, the Qnique. (Grace also makes the Block Rocket, which is the identical machine to qnique: although Brother is the actual manufacturer of both of the machines and has it's own Brother branded machine as well. It comes in 15M, R (which I think means stitch regulated) and a 21 inch. I believe you can get a new 14+ and a table for about the same cost as the used HQ set up. I am considering upgrading to the qnique 21 on a frame, and am this close () to making the purchase. My HQ set up will go to my sister, as she quilts as well.

An intensive search on Qnique to find best prices and dealers before you buy the used HQ. Having said all that, I have NOT ever actually seen a qnique in use, so everything I know about it is what I read on the internet.

mjpEncinitas

I bought one last year $3000. Had about the same number of stitches. Was checked out by her repair guy who I’d met previously. He said it was in good condition and it is. Does not have table extensions, has a few little extras. I went to her house and played with the machine, the owner was great. I wouldn’t buy a machine without seeing if it worked. I would also want to see the receipt the last time it was serviced. An annual service is $200. The $3700 price is high but cheaper than a new one. Wait she may come down on the price. I’m in so cal so A number of used sweet 16s to choose from.

quiltlady1941

Well i went to the dealer and played with the sweet sixteen there, it is a wonderful machine, now I know I really want one..
I can buy the demo machine for 4695.00 with the table overlay and the bobbin winder which I found out comes with the machine. no Thu Stitch...

the difference from the used one is that one came with the Thu Stitch I made a mistake it didn't come with the extinction for the table. It is about 945.00 more them the used one without the Thu Stitch.. full warranty the demo..Don't know what to do..have to think on this one..

coffeecozy

quiltlady1941, it was good taking the time to go and try out the 16 at the dealers.
I just wanted to offer a thought on the tru stitch. I think if you check with the other users of this machine you will find that most of us don't use our true stitch. there is a learning curve to working without it but most people seem to find they don't need it.

lots2do

If you buy the used one from the dealer, he or she will or should stand behind the sale, so to speak and help you out with any issues. If you buy the other, it may end up costing you more in the long run, financially and/or emotionally. This is all depending on the dealer's honesty and work ethic, of course.