ncredbird

If you are lucky enough to find one of these for under $100.00 you have hit the jackpot and managed to find someone selling one who doesn't know the true value of what they have. So many people just want "New". They have no idea of what kind of quality they are getting or what a great old machine this is. It is just old to them. You can even do your own maintenance on these with very little instruction. Try doing that with one of the new computerized machines.

I was lucky enough to find an old white featherweight years ago for $30.00. I asked the girl why she was selling and she said because she wanted a new machine with fancy stitches. I knew then that it was worth much more than what she wanted for it. I bought it and value it for the great little machine it is. Ann in Tn

Annaquilts

Wow it is very nice. I do think it is worth the $150.

Prism99

That is a very nice one. I too think it would be worth $150.

ewecansew

I would be asking to see pictures of the turn of the century quilts for $50.

sewbeadit

It is a good price if this is a machine you want. It helps to get a nice cabinet too. Good luck. :)

gypsyquilter

so, I couldn't resist. I went to go look at it - and I left it behind. it "looks" nice, but it was very difficult to get anything to move on the machine. There was also some rust on the needle, probably not anything one of the talented people on this board couldn't fix, but I just didn't have the "burn" for this particular machine all that bad or the inclination to put a lot of time into it. glad I went to look, nonetheless!

miriam

I don't think it is too much. Those are nice machines. Make sure it works and has a bobbin case. Spend a little time looking it over.

ssinks

I just bought a "beige" or "mocha" short bed 301A in a nice cabinet for 100$ and I am delighted. But it all comes down to the intersection of money and value. I don't need another sewing machine, but I negotiated a price that matched my perceived value of the machine. Bingo! I know I will be working on it a bit, cleaning it up, and gifting it to someone who will get a lifetime of use out of it. I really tried to convince the young man who sold it to me to "hang on to it" but thread tension issues convinced him that sewing was not the best creative outlet for him I think these machines will just keep going up in prices, but they already have very solid value.

Cari-in-Oly

Value is subjective. I think they're becoming over priced just like Featherweights. Vintage sewing machine prices in general are getting out of control. 301s are still very common. Lots of them out there. Nothing rare or "special" about them other than they sew very well just like millions of other vintage machines. The only way I would pay $100 or more for one is if it was still in the original crate, never been touched. I've had 4 of them, never paid more than $40 and that was for a very low serial number, one of the first 10,000 produced black short bed machines in a #40 cabinet. One was given to me.
All that being said, I do enjoy sewing with a 301 but I'm not really a Singer gal. I usually prefer my Japanese machines.

Cari

bkay

If you wanted the machine, it's a great deal. Cari is a very knowledgeable sewing machine enthusiast/collector/seller/buyer/repair person. She probably wouldn't pay $100. for a nice 301.

I kept looking for a 301 in good condition for a low price. I didn't find one. I ended up paying more than that for a machine that was in less than good condition, which I would not do again.

Long story - short. I think it was a good deal for $100. They don't come up that often here in DFW.

bkay