mollyv

Hey.

Hoping for some advice here, I'm looking to buy a VSM for my main machine and am a beginner. I need a machine that has straight, reverse and zig-zag but am not concerned with more decorative stitches. I am based in the UK and have found a couple of machines I like the look of but am struggling to make an educated choice so hopefully someone can help

The current options i have are
Singer 317 - £30
Singer 457 - £60
Singer 431G - £100
This unknown Singer https://www.gumtree.com/p/hobbies-co...ing/1377558231
Model 35 Frister & Rossman (semi-industrial) - £180 (with recent £60 refurb receipt)
Brother Model 888 - £90
Brother Model 651 - £50
Brother ?? (Very similar to the above 2 with slightly different controls) - £50
Sorry for the long list but I'm just a bit lost.

Thanks in advance,
Molly.

mimspencer

I don't own either brand right now, but I have found that brother has many more "generic" attachments -- like walking feet -- than singer. I used to own a Brother and lid it very much

Rocketeer

Oh my goodness the 431G. It's a convertible free-arm machine, and truly a workhorse. Awesome in every way. Here's the manual:

http://ismacs.net/singer_sewing_mach...anuals/431.pdf

Gymnast2

I would choose the Brother 888. It seems to be threaded from the side, and such machines in general do a better stitch and you can sew heavier thread and fabric with it. This machine got a lever to position the needle left or right. The Brother 651 do not have that. I do not know about the last Brother.

But the Brother 888 is a flatbed machine. A free arm machine can be handy for repair work on clothes, so the Singer 431G can do that, but it do not have the other advantages, that the Brother have.

If you can find a Singer 237, it would be a good and reliable machine as well and often you can get them to a lower price.

bkay

The unknown Singer she mentioned appears to be a Singer 237.

I would personally choose the 431G, as I love the slant shank machines and is reported to be great machine. I'm not sure I would recommend it for someone's first machine. For one thing, I don't think it will fit in a cabinet, should you decide to put it in one. I do not have a 431g, nor are the common in the US, but it appears to be similar to the Singer 401. The 401s are so tightly machined that they can get "frozen" with old oil. It's a real pain to free them up. It just takes time. I would buy it anyway. If you should decide to buy it, make sure all the extensions are still there. Sometimes, those get broken. If you are not familiar with the machine, you might not notice it.

Past that, I have no recommendations, as I'm not familiar with the other machines you mention. I can tell you this, however, you can usually get parts for Singer if you need them as they are so common.
bkay

Gymnast2

I am sorry bkay, but I cannot agree. The unknovn Singer in the link looks like a Singer 237, but the controls on the front are different. I think it is a Singer 457, - that by the way have got a plastic gear, and it threaded from the front. So I cannot recommend this machine.

bkay

If so, that means I'm not familiar with any of the machines.

Sorry I couldn't help.

bkay

+socoso

I think one of these went for more than $400 at an auction website recently.

Hooligan

431G without a doubt