Help choosing new machine
 

I am trying to decide between a Janome MC 8900QCP and Husqvarna Viking Sapphire 960q, but I’m also open to other suggestions!

i am not familiar with HV machines.
what i do know is that unless there is an HV certified service and repair facility near you it might be difficult to get help if anything goes wrong.

the Janome MC8900QCP is a fabulous machine.
it will last for decades with proper care.
i had one and loved it to pieces. :thumbup:
it was hard to part with, but "needs must."

The most important thing is the service department. Do you have a store near you that sells them. I used Vikings for 20 years. The last time I traded up I got a lemon. It happens. Brand new machine would not wind a decent bobbin. it was in the service department for weeks several times. But it still wouldn’t work right. The store was under different management than in the past though still in the same family. Check with other sewers about their experience. I switched to Bernina at a store with great service department. I have it gone through once a year. Have made my final sewing machine purchase. A top of the line Bernina with embroidery module. Won’t trade, someone will have to pry it out of my cold dead hands.

We all have so many individual likes and dislikes...

I really like having the knee lift for the foot up/down on my Bernina -- my friend who owned the machine for 5 years before me never used it!

So for me, it would be the Janome, and it looks like it has a higher throat than the other one as well. If you are going to be quilting on it, the extra height will make it easier.

The other consideration I would look at is the bobbins, I've found I really like buying prewound bobbins. My Bernina has a proprietary bobbin that won't allow me to do that.

My Mom has the 8900 and she adores it.

Not familiar with the other machine.

Watson

I'd do the Janome, hands down. I sew on vintage Vikings from the '60s-'70s. They are probably the best machines going, but you couldn't pay me enough to buy a newer Viking. I have a Janome that's roughly three years old, and even though I don't use it every day, it 's been very good with no troubles. I just have it set for specific tasks so I no longer use it for piecing or garments.

Back in 2007 or '08 (or thereabouts) Husqvarna/Viking sold the sewing machine division to a conglomerate called SVP Worldwide. "SVP" stands for Singer-Viking-Pfaff. Yep, SVP bought these three, and it appears quality has suffered after the acquisitions. They are no longer made in the original country of origin, and I've heard of dealers who have dropped the line.

I have one Janome, the Janome Jem and it is years old, never been serviced. I have not had one problem with it. It is on the shelf as I have other newer machines with more features that like to use. I think there are more Janome dealers then the Husqvarna so finding a good repair service when needed the Janome would probably be my choice.

Janome - especially if it's the newer SE version with the 3 needle plates and the quick-set bobbin (pretty sure this will have a pale blue faceplate rather than the grey/silver one).

I have the 8900 and love it, but if I'd thought harder I'd have gotten the next one down (8200?) the only difference is a lot lower price because it has less embroidery stitches. I only use 3, who needs 400? :)

In the end, You are the only one with a deciding vote, try them all. You can order any machine in the world on-line, but can you get it serviced/tuned up locally?? A huge factor in my book.

I have the 8900 MCQCP and love it. Have pretty much sewed on it every day for (5) years. A lot. It worked perfectly until it didn't. No warning that anything was amiss. I brought it in to the dealer, and they said it's the computer board. Bad enough that the part alone is $435, but the part is back ordered until the end of March. Needless to say I am a little freaked out. All they have told me so far at the dealer is that it is "not common" that the computer board goes out. That said I have made about 60 quilts on this machine from start to finish; piecing as well as FMQ. I have been super happy with it. I am hoping once it gets fixed it will be trouble free once more.