Pfaff Grand Quilter Hobby 1200 - Feedback?
 

Does anyone own this machine? I am looking at one for sale and would like some feedback.

I have one on a 10 foot Inspira quilting frame - I bought them new about 8 years ago I think. It's a very good basic machine for quilting. What all do you want to know?
Mine has been very dependable, keeps excellent tension, and I can use any brand/type of thread with it. It came with dozens of pantagraphs (to follow with a lazer light). It's the only machine I own that I have never had in for a service job. Probably cuz I can oil it and there's no electronics or computers involved.

I have one that I bought used but have not used it recently due to a move. It is a nice, heavy duty machine that only straight stitches but that is what it was made to do. It sews up to 1600 stitches per minute so it's fast and great for quilting either free motion or otherwise. It also has a larger harp space than most regular domestic machines so it's easier to wrangle a quilt through it. It's really a semi-industrial like machine so it's heavy and stays put. It comes with a nice big sewing bed and a knee lifter. The one thing you do have to remember with it is to oil it a lot. It's very thirsty so oil it before sewing and maybe even in the middle of a long sewing period. Don't inundate it with oil; just put in what the Pfaff instructions tell you but do it often if you are using it a lot. With the way this machine is built, I expect it to last a long time plus there is not much to go wrong with it. Oh and it has the thread cutter which can be handy and the "needle up/down" feature too. I would buy this machine again if I had the opportunity especially at "used" prices compared to other machines. Good luck!

I gave mine away to a good home because I upgraded. She is a straight-stitch machine and only goes forward and backward. But she goes forward really fast. You can set the motor speed which is a feature I like. She is a mechanical machine and very easy to use. SHE DOES LIKE HER OIL! The bobbin is large so it lasts a while. The bobbin inserts from the side and is a bit tricky to get set. There is a tool to make that easier.

The throat is nice and large as is the table attachment. She has a built-in cutter which is nice.
Mine wasn't picky about which threads to use but it is a bit tricky to get the tension right. That is just a matter of trial and error though. She was a bit louder than I expected but something under the machine probably would have helped that. Nothing really bad to say.

My club in a retirement community owns one and it is used very frequently. We have had it for 4 or 5 years now, no problems. It goes in for regular yearly maintenance. Has been a great machine! Most of the ladies use it for FMQ. It takes a lot of abuse because of the high use. But keeps chugging along.

I have one and have thoroughly enjoyed quilting on it. I bought it used several years ago and it is truly a workhorse. It is a mid arm machine but holds a large quilt while you're working on it. I
have it serviced about once a year and find it to be a good, solid machine.

I would encourage you to buy it and enjoy it.

delma

This is encouraging! The asking price for the one that I am looking at is $2000.00. I'm not sure how old the machine is. Do you think that the price sounds ok?

I have mine for four years. Love it and use it a lot.

Wow, that does sound really high to me unless it is a more advanced model than the standard Pfaff GrandQuilter Hobby 1200 I have from 7 or 8 years ago. I paid $1000.00 for it and the Inspira frame was included in that price along with all the standard feet, extension table, DVD, pantagraphs, etc. I think I remember prices on ebay going for more like $500 or so plus shipping of course. Maybe it depends on where you live? Still ..... that sounds too high to me!

I have two GrandQuilter Hobby 1200, one was purchased with the Next Generation frame, the other I purchased on it's own. With the frame I paid $1200 and alone $700.