Would you upgrade a quilting machine without trying it?
05-08-2021, 05:32 AM
#1
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: Ontario, Canada
Posts: 305
Would you upgrade a quilting machine without trying it?
You may remember my "what to look for in a quilt machine thread" where I narrowed down some features to look for and was planning to go at the end of May to start testing machines out. Lockdown for in person shopping is May 20th but there is a good chance they will extend it to the end of May, I'm in Ontario.
I was looking to try a:
Viking Brilliance 75Q $3500
pfaff Quilt expression 710 $3200
pfaff Quilt expression 720 $3900
And I was going to look at a place that sells Janome but they don't post their machines online.
Yesterday the quilt shop posted a video stating that sewing machines usually go on sale April/May in anticipation of Quilt Canada and they usually get a huge selection of sales. But this year they only got one flyer with 2 machine in it because of covid and supply issues.
Ladies, the viking Brillance 75Q is one of them. It's on for $2600! My initial budget was $3000 so it really fits!!
Problems/pros/cons: I can't go in during lockdown to try it out. She said in the video it will likely sell fast. I don't know how fast but I would hate to wait until July (like my original plan so I could save) and find out I love it and have to pay full price. They open soon and will likely be willing to do a zoom video to show me but on a Saturday this may be hard and I have to wait until next week...what if they sell out!?
My DSM is a viking emerald 118 and I LOVE it so a Briallance can't be that different right?
As I type this I am itching to just pull out my credit card and just order it today....
Would you buy something untested? In my situation?
I'm kinda looking for enablers but if this is a bad idea you gotta tell me.
I was looking to try a:
Viking Brilliance 75Q $3500
pfaff Quilt expression 710 $3200
pfaff Quilt expression 720 $3900
And I was going to look at a place that sells Janome but they don't post their machines online.
Yesterday the quilt shop posted a video stating that sewing machines usually go on sale April/May in anticipation of Quilt Canada and they usually get a huge selection of sales. But this year they only got one flyer with 2 machine in it because of covid and supply issues.
Ladies, the viking Brillance 75Q is one of them. It's on for $2600! My initial budget was $3000 so it really fits!!
Problems/pros/cons: I can't go in during lockdown to try it out. She said in the video it will likely sell fast. I don't know how fast but I would hate to wait until July (like my original plan so I could save) and find out I love it and have to pay full price. They open soon and will likely be willing to do a zoom video to show me but on a Saturday this may be hard and I have to wait until next week...what if they sell out!?
My DSM is a viking emerald 118 and I LOVE it so a Briallance can't be that different right?
As I type this I am itching to just pull out my credit card and just order it today....
Would you buy something untested? In my situation?
I'm kinda looking for enablers but if this is a bad idea you gotta tell me.
05-08-2021, 05:57 AM
#2
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Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Ontario, Canada
Posts: 41,464
If you were already looking at it, it is tempting! Does the shop have a good repairman and classes to go with it? Classes can help you get the most out of any machine but may need to be postponed due to lockdown.
05-08-2021, 06:09 AM
#4
Super Member
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: Houston, TX
Posts: 9,519
Are you desperately in need of buying the machine right now or is this a "I'm bored with the lockdown and want to buy something" idea? If you aren't needing it immediately, I'd just wait a while until I can try out the machine. Its a lot of money to pay for something that you aren't sure you'll like. .
And definitely consider whether or not the shop will service the machine and have classes. New machines aren't like the vintage ones. There are a lot of ins and outs to using them. I've always takent the guide classes for my machines. There are things I learned in the guide classes for my Bernina's that have proved invaluable over the years.
And definitely consider whether or not the shop will service the machine and have classes. New machines aren't like the vintage ones. There are a lot of ins and outs to using them. I've always takent the guide classes for my machines. There are things I learned in the guide classes for my Bernina's that have proved invaluable over the years.
05-08-2021, 06:10 AM
#5
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Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: Ontario, Canada
Posts: 305
I think they hire someone to fix machines, so you can bring in a machine and leave it for a couple weeks and I think the guy comes every week or two?
They always teach you how to use a machine you purchase but that may be zoom due to covid.
They always teach you how to use a machine you purchase but that may be zoom due to covid.
05-08-2021, 06:12 AM
#6
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: Ontario, Canada
Posts: 305
Not bored. I stopped quilting for four years and with covid I started up again. I realized that part of the reason I had quit was i had outgrown my machine and it wasn't meeting my needs/wants anymore. I went in just before Christmas to ask questions but I didn't really know what to ask/look for so didn't order one.
05-08-2021, 06:18 AM
#7
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Join Date: Jul 2019
Location: northern minnesota
Posts: 2,357
I got a new to me out of the box Viking Topaz 40 and while the topaz had been out for a while it is still being made and importantly, this was what they actually had in stock at the time. Well anyway, I went to sewingmastery .com and they have done a ton of videos on various viking models...and yep....they have done some on the Brilliance. So you might want to watch a few of them! I think it will be a bit different from the emerald as it can do a lot more.
Ahhhh! Just watched some of the videos for the Brilliance. OH my, it will take you a while to outgrow this machine. Now I am kicking myself cuz I got the topaz. My Bad. I told that dealer I wanted one that would do what my old D1 would do...and he suggested the the topaz cuz it would do that and a bit more. I also wanted a smaller machine. But watching the videos, the Brilliance would have been sweet and do even more. It is a bigger than the topaz 40
Ahhhh! Just watched some of the videos for the Brilliance. OH my, it will take you a while to outgrow this machine. Now I am kicking myself cuz I got the topaz. My Bad. I told that dealer I wanted one that would do what my old D1 would do...and he suggested the the topaz cuz it would do that and a bit more. I also wanted a smaller machine. But watching the videos, the Brilliance would have been sweet and do even more. It is a bigger than the topaz 40
Last edited by sewingpup; 05-08-2021 at 06:38 AM. Reason: additional info
05-08-2021, 06:20 AM
#8
Super Member
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: Houston, TX
Posts: 9,519
Originally Posted by lizzie3
Not bored. I stopped quilting for four years and with covid I started up again. I realized that part of the reason I had quit was i had outgrown my machine and it wasn't meeting my needs/wants anymore. I went in just before Christmas to ask questions but I didn't really know what to ask/look for so didn't order one.
05-08-2021, 06:40 AM
#10
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: Ontario, Canada
Posts: 305
Well I just bought it over the phone.
I talked to the owner on the phone and she said when at work she always uses the Brilliance 75q and uses a different one at home. She is also buying one with the sale and was able to give me lots of personal insights on the machine and why she loves it. She said it's better than the expression 710 but the 720 was on par with the brillance but in some ways was better. But not $900 better ya know? We talked about my needs/wants it it just felt so right.
She also told me that she suspects they are renaming it the sapphire 75 and that's why it's so cheap. She had already sold 3 since yesterday.
It will be in within 2 weeks and she will do in person training and I can go in for machine help/demos for life. I am finishing up 3 quilt tops and will use them as guinea pigs when it arrives!
I talked to the owner on the phone and she said when at work she always uses the Brilliance 75q and uses a different one at home. She is also buying one with the sale and was able to give me lots of personal insights on the machine and why she loves it. She said it's better than the expression 710 but the 720 was on par with the brillance but in some ways was better. But not $900 better ya know? We talked about my needs/wants it it just felt so right.
She also told me that she suspects they are renaming it the sapphire 75 and that's why it's so cheap. She had already sold 3 since yesterday.
It will be in within 2 weeks and she will do in person training and I can go in for machine help/demos for life. I am finishing up 3 quilt tops and will use them as guinea pigs when it arrives!
