I have an old Montgomery Ward machine that was my grandmother's. I used it for years before I got my Janome this Christmas. They are real workhorses. The only trouble it ever gave me was when it needed the timing checked. That was an easy adjustment. I'd say go for it. Some of them came with cams so you could do fancy stitches. Mine is supposed to have them but they are nowhere to be found so I think Grandma lost them.