Should I buy a Singer Quantum 9940?

I've been doing some research on which sewing machine to buy my wife
for her bday that is coming up. If I had the money I'd buy a top of
the line Bernina but those cost a bit more than I can afford... ok,
quite a bit more. I'm hoping to get her something that has all of the
features she's going to need yet doesn't cost more than $1,000. In my
hunt for this happy medium I came across the Quantum line of machines
by Singer. They look very nice and the price is right but I've heard
here and there that I should avoid Singers made after 1970.

I have not found any info as to specific problems that people have had
with Singers... most people just say to avoid them... but why? And is
it all Singers or just certain ones? I find it hard to believe that
all of the models produced by Singer could have problems... but maybe
that is the case.

I've also talked to a few people who have Singers and love them... and
I really like the features offered on the Quantum 9940. So what do you
think? Should I go ahead with the 9940 or keep looking, and if you
think I would be better off getting my wife a different brand, which
brand and model would be good in the sub-$1000 range?

Thanks,
Gary

Most of the time when people come here to ask what brand to buy for someone
else we suggest they give a gift card promising the machine of their choice.
Chosing a machine for another is like buying a car for someone else. We all
have our personal preferences when it comes to our sewing machines.
Singers made after 1970 dont meet the high standards they met before that.
We love our old Singers. They were and are great workhorses.
Have you thought of a good, used machine? Check out a dealer who takes trade
ins. You can get more bang for the buck that way.
When all is said and done, its your wife who will be driving this machine,
might want to let her kick the tires and check under the hood. :-)
Diana

--
Heart and soul can make up for technical lacking in any form of art, but let
the heart be lacking and all the perfection means nothing.
"Blimey" wrote in message
om...
I've been doing some research on which sewing machine to buy my wife
for her bday that is coming up. If I had the money I'd buy a top of
the line Bernina but those cost a bit more than I can afford... ok,
quite a bit more. I'm hoping to get her something that has all of the
features she's going to need yet doesn't cost more than $1,000. In my
hunt for this happy medium I came across the Quantum line of machines
by Singer. They look very nice and the price is right but I've heard
here and there that I should avoid Singers made after 1970.

I have not found any info as to specific problems that people have had
with Singers... most people just say to avoid them... but why? And is
it all Singers or just certain ones? I find it hard to believe that
all of the models produced by Singer could have problems... but maybe
that is the case.

I've also talked to a few people who have Singers and love them... and
I really like the features offered on the Quantum 9940. So what do you
think? Should I go ahead with the 9940 or keep looking, and if you
think I would be better off getting my wife a different brand, which
brand and model would be good in the sub-$1000 range?

Thanks,
Gary

I do not nor have I owned a post-1970's Singer machine. I do, however,
teach quilting and quite a few wander into my classes.

They are noisy.

They vibrate

They are particular about thread and just generally fussy about making a
nice stitch consistently

Did I mention they are noisy?

Now....that being said. I honestly do not know if they were Quantum
machines at such a high price. I know a few were from WalMart or Costco
so I am sure those were not. Perhaps the higher priced line is better.

Have you sewed on the machine? Did you sew on other brands like a
comparable Bernina to feel the difference? I highly recommend it. A
good salesman can made any sewing machine act like a miracle machine.
You can't just watch - you gotta get your own hands in there.

Frankly, I don't know of another sewing machine with over 500 stitches
for that price. I don't know of many quilters who use that many
stitches either, so it truly depends upon how your wife sews. Do you
know that or did this machine just look good because of the many
stitches?

There are, however, quite a few nice machines for quilters that are
under your price point made by Elna, Brother, and Janome. Perhaps you
have a dealer near you who sells those and you can test drive some to
compare. Better yet, take your wife out to lunch and an afternoon of
machine shopping and let her try them.

marcella

In article ,
(Blimey) wrote:

I've been doing some research on which sewing machine to buy my wife
for her bday that is coming up. If I had the money I'd buy a top of
the line Bernina but those cost a bit more than I can afford... ok,
quite a bit more. I'm hoping to get her something that has all of the
features she's going to need yet doesn't cost more than $1,000. In my
hunt for this happy medium I came across the Quantum line of machines
by Singer. They look very nice and the price is right but I've heard
here and there that I should avoid Singers made after 1970.

I have not found any info as to specific problems that people have had
with Singers... most people just say to avoid them... but why? And is
it all Singers or just certain ones? I find it hard to believe that
all of the models produced by Singer could have problems... but maybe
that is the case.

I've also talked to a few people who have Singers and love them... and
I really like the features offered on the Quantum 9940. So what do you
think? Should I go ahead with the 9940 or keep looking, and if you
think I would be better off getting my wife a different brand, which
brand and model would be good in the sub-$1000 range?

Thanks,
Gary

I second and third and fourth the suggestions that you let your wife test
drive machines before buying one for her.

On another note, to add to all the brands that people are suggesting --
look at the Baby Lock. It is a fairly new company (10 years or so) that
makes, IMHO, excellent machines for sewing, quilting and embroidery
(different models for different uses). I got the Quilter's Choice model
last year for just barely under $1,000.

A second note, my dealer and many others, offer the option to "trade up"
within a year of purchase with the full purchase price applied to the new
machine. If you have a choice between two otherwise equal dealers, see if
one or the other will offer you that. Then if your wife feels that the
[BMW] you just bought her isn't quite up to snuff after a few months, she
can trade it in on a new [Porsche} :-D

--
Anne in CA
"It's not having what you want; it's wanting what you've got." -- Sheryl
Crow
http://home.covad.net/~arudolph/annes.htm



Blimey wrote:

I've been doing some research on which sewing machine to buy my wife
for her bday that is coming up. If I had the money I'd buy a top of
the line Bernina but those cost a bit more than I can afford... ok,
quite a bit more. I'm hoping to get her something that has all of the
features she's going to need yet doesn't cost more than $1,000. In my
hunt for this happy medium I came across the Quantum line of machines
by Singer. They look very nice and the price is right but I've heard
here and there that I should avoid Singers made after 1970.

I have not found any info as to specific problems that people have had
with Singers... most people just say to avoid them... but why? And is
it all Singers or just certain ones? I find it hard to believe that
all of the models produced by Singer could have problems... but maybe
that is the case.

I've also talked to a few people who have Singers and love them... and
I really like the features offered on the Quantum 9940. So what do you
think? Should I go ahead with the 9940 or keep looking, and if you
think I would be better off getting my wife a different brand, which
brand and model would be good in the sub-$1000 range?

Thanks,
Gary



remove NOSPAM to reply

Ditto to what Marcella said.
I cringe every time I see one come into one of my classes, especially my
free motion machine quilting class. The newer singers are klunky sounding,
and most of my students end up fighting the machine all evening long. It's
everything from thread breaks to snarly threads on the back side of the
work. It saddens me to say that since I own two vintage singers I wouldn't
trade for anything.

Please, please check out some of the other machines that people have talked
about and I would add Berninas to the list. I would also be looking for
good, reliable, and hopefully friendly people to service your machine when
the need arises. There's nothing worse than being stuck with service people
you can't stand and don't trust.

--
Lisa Caryl
http://www.picturetrails.com/quiltygurl

remove the obvious to reply

"Marcella Tracy Peek" wrote in message
...
I do not nor have I owned a post-1970's Singer machine. I do, however,
teach quilting and quite a few wander into my classes.

They are noisy.

They vibrate

They are particular about thread and just generally fussy about making a
nice stitch consistently

Did I mention they are noisy?

Now....that being said. I honestly do not know if they were Quantum
machines at such a high price. I know a few were from WalMart or Costco
so I am sure those were not. Perhaps the higher priced line is better.

Have you sewed on the machine? Did you sew on other brands like a
comparable Bernina to feel the difference? I highly recommend it. A
good salesman can made any sewing machine act like a miracle machine.
You can't just watch - you gotta get your own hands in there.

Frankly, I don't know of another sewing machine with over 500 stitches
for that price. I don't know of many quilters who use that many
stitches either, so it truly depends upon how your wife sews. Do you
know that or did this machine just look good because of the many
stitches?

There are, however, quite a few nice machines for quilters that are
under your price point made by Elna, Brother, and Janome. Perhaps you
have a dealer near you who sells those and you can test drive some to
compare. Better yet, take your wife out to lunch and an afternoon of
machine shopping and let her try them.

marcella