jillmc

[QUOTE=zozee;8162258]My only complaint on my Janome 8200 is that it beeps after every little thing. It beeps after every auto thread cut, when scrolling through stitch selections, when the bobbin is running low, when I turn it on, when anything is wrong.

I turned off the beeps on my 8200....I found the control while scrolling through the “tools”on the screen accidentally. But I don’t think mine ever warned of low bobbin....or I have tuned it out, because I certainly do my share of air sewing!

Friday1961

The only computerized machine I own -- out of five -- is the Brother 450Q, which was a gift.....and one I probably wouldn't have bought myself, confirming my belief that those who don't sew should not buy sewing machines for those who do.....as a surprise gift, anyway. This Brother was a display model -- who knows who sewed on it? -- so they got it at a reduced price. But I think it was abused. The housing is slightly off, as if it may have been dropped, and I was told the shop owner did a hard sell on my family members.

Since I don't know what other computerized machines do, I don't know if this one measures up or not. It's not bad but sometimes quirky; I don't like the sliding speed control because it's on the front of the machine, slides too easily, and I sometimes move it without intending to and then wonder why the machine has changed speeds. The front of the machine "bulges" (it's the design) making the needle difficult to thread and to see. This machine was marketed to be taken to classes, I think, and since I don't do that, I didn't really need a smaller, more portable machine.

Complaints, complaints! I don't mean to sound ungrateful and I'm not, really. It's just that this might not have been the machine of my choice, had I been the one doing the shopping. So, yeah, I don't know what else is out there but I think it's best to find out before buying.

ruby2shoes

Me too! I have 2 Jukis and there is only one dealership on my side of town and from experience with them with my first Juki I don't like them at all. My machines get serviced elsewhere and I where possible, buy parts and bits and bobs on line rather than give them any further business.

ruby2shoes

Me too! I sold it after 4 months, breathed a sigh of relief and then bought another Juki...happy dancing!

GingerK

I have a Janome 4600, a Platinum Jem (my travel/class machine--she's been on an airplane 6 times!!) and my absolute darling Pfaff Performance 5.0. The Janome is a great second machine and actually does a better monogramming stitch than the Pfaff. But the Pfaff has the integrated dual feed which is fabulous--unless you actually need to ease in that pesky block that is a tad larger than its neighbours. Thank goodness it is a feature that can be disengaged. The Janome is significantly quieter--something I did not notice when I tried out the Pfaff because I was at a Creative Needlework show.

Okay that's the stuff that I like. I should have checked more carefully about service locations. It turns out that the nearest warranty approved service is over an hour away. Thank goodness she's a workhorse and as long as I am scrupulous about keeping her clean, she's only needed a single service in 3 years.

romanojg

To be honest, when it comes to my Viking Diamond Deluxe, I can't think of anything, it has auto tension that works, when I get ready to sew I just push start and it starts, it doesn't care where the pressure foot is or the needle is. I love my machine, I have no problems with any thread that I use. Now if I could add a feature or two, it would be the Dreamweavers scanning feature that will digitize what you scan and the lazer light. My Brother NQ3500D, has little quirks that bug the daylight out of me, having to make sure the pressure foot is down before I start, anytime I rethread the machine, I have to pull up on the leaver that threads the needles because it won't go up all the way by itself and therefore it won't start. I had won a stand alone Brother emb machine and traded it to get this one. I wanted to do Disney legally. So since I didn't pay full price for it, I'll deal with it. Now thinking about it, I do think that Brother's needle threader on all of the machines that I've used are better than my Viking. You have to pull the bar down just right to catch the center of the needle. So that's the only problem with my Viking.

I'd love to be able to get all of the things that I love from certain machines and afford to have on built that would include all of those features.

romanojg

While I try to buy American made, sometimes its impossible. And to buy something that is American made with no parts in it made over seas is even harder. You really need to check the box. I've heard so many time show my Viking was made overseas, while I don't doubt that some are, some aren't. The box mine came in said American made and on their web site Viking list my machine is made in USA. Some companies are American but work overseas because the labor is cheaper. As long as I get the same quality I'm not going to stress over it. I do the best I can with buying but I can't control everything.

romanojg

I agree, I promised my self when I bought my first machine Viking Ruby, it was slightly used, I got a new warranty on it, I was going to use all of the features that it came with. I would take the classes even though it meant getting off at 5pm and driving an hour to get the last hour of class in. But at least I learned enough to keep me going. The 2nd machine the Diamond Deluxe, I also got reduced, it was set up at an event to use so I got it half price but I love the heck of this machine and it has the largest hoops around. I had heard so many people on here saying they were scared of using the emb part of their machines and I've lived up to my promise not to follow their footsteps. I did the same thing when I bought my serger, the Ovation. I use it all the time.

DawnFurlong

ruby2shoes - I am wondering where you sold your machine (ebay, craigs list, other)? Did it take long to sell? And how did you decide on pricing?

And lastly, since it was a machine that sounds like it had issues, what did you tell people when they asked why you were selling? I haven't read, so don't know what issues (or perhaps quirks) the machine had that people did not like. But I do have a machine I might like to try to sell on my own, that had issues out of the box. It is being checked out currently (will be warranty work whatever they find), but I'm not sure I will trust this machine when it comes back. It will be fully serviced at that point, it's new anyway. I've never sold a machine before.

anonymous

Yes, Zozee, check page 26 of your Janome 8200 manual, you can turn that annoying buzzer off and later back on if you so choose.