I've bought 4 301's from ebay and they all have worked. I had a friend that had a Featherweight and one day it "just stopped working" and they put it in a shed. Asked her if I could take it home and look at it and oil and lube it. When I got it home there was such a thread jam in the bobbin area - got that cleaned out and oiled and lubed it and took it back to her and asked her please don't put it in the shed-use it and enjoy it!! Hope your fix is an easy one. The 301's are a great machine.