Singer 160th Anniversary Sewing Machine

[Bruce Wayne]

If I had $400 I would get this.

http://www.joann.com/singer-160th-a...18_Sew_And_Save-D&rId=20120318_Sew_And_Save-D

 

[Shangas]

This reminds me of my grandmother's old vintage Singer. One day I really should haul it out of the basement and have a look at it again. Haven't clapped eyes on it in years.

 

[Doctor Mabuse]

I'll give it an A for design, but I'm a bit wary of Singer's products since they changed hands a few years back. According to a local sewing machine repairman, most of the reputable brand names (Singer, Husqvarna, Pfaff, etc.) are actually made by the same parent company selling the same disposable, cheap, Chinese-made product with different packaging. If this is indeed the case, one would probably do better spending the 400 dollars (or in some cases, a lot less) on one of the American-made (or Swedish, in the case of Husqvarna or Pfaff) originals.

 

[Shangas]

Just posting in here after I hauled out my gran's Singer (mentioned in my first post, above).

I've watched a few YouTube videos of this Singer 160th and honestly...I don't see what the fuss is.

This "limited edition" 160th anniversary thing is NOT going to last. 90% of the damn thing is made of plastic! One crack and the whole thing will start falling apart. Whoever bought one of these things, I hope they don't pay a lot of money for it. My Gran's Singer is about 45% metal, 45% wood, 10% plastic and rubber. That will last forever. This? I'd give it a few years. Before something warps, melts, cracks, chips, snaps off or falls out.

Old Singers...old sewing-machines in general...were built so solidly that they sort of became a victim of their own success. Once everyone had one, people stopped buying them, because the ones they had never broke down. So there was never any need to buy a new one...

 

[Katinka von K.]

I´m sorry to say but from what I´ve seen on photos I think it looks horribly cheap. I know a lot of people like the design but to me it´s just a modern machine with 2 or 3 curves whose plastic is black, not white. Nothing like the original. As Shangas said, I don´t believe it´s long living. Plastic cracks easily and where there´s many buttons there´s also much room for technical problems. My machine was built around 1960, is made of solid metal, weights 15kg (I just checked it), works great and purrs like a cat. I wouldn´t trade it for something made of plastic, because plastic´s fragile. (Not to mention that my monster looks wonderful in it´s pastel green-grey and chrome-y glory . And to support Shangas theory: My mum still uses her first ever sewing machine bought in the 80s, also a solid metal product. She or my dad could repair everything themselves so far.)

Btw, the singer160 machine is even more expensive in Germany, 600€ on Amazon.

 

[Shangas]

My gran's singer weighs about 15kg as well. Solid as Gibraltar. The issue with this machine, I see, is that it's far too easy to break. The buttons can wear out, the plastic drawer can crack or warp or break. The electrics crap out...It looks like it has all the structural integrity of a house of cards.

I mean, I'm no tailor or seamstress like what my grandmother was, but I do know one thing, and that's how to spot a quality product. And I honestly don't spot that here...

 

[59Lark]

Irony of this machine, its made in hanoi, to celebrate the history of a company that doesnt make anything in their own country anymore probably has recycled metal from the war in the parts inside. Its kinda sad actually. I was a singer dealer till jan for over 25 years but I have lost any respect for the company they just sell boxes today. Pale shadow of the company. This one that I would pass on, like someone else said take the $400. and buy a mint 221k or bernina or ? but not that plastic . 59LARK

 

[Doctor Mabuse]

Sadly, Bernina has jumped into the "cheap plastic crap" market as well. Their high-end machines are still quality (and should be, for the $1000-$5000 price tag), but their entry-level offerings are essentially just cheap Brother machines in a plastic Bernina case.

 

[59Lark]

Doc; I meant a used bernina such as a 830 or a 930 they go for that used or more, not a new one, $300 to $4000. bernina is only china, $4000 to $15000. is steckborn switzerland but hey its the only machine still made in europe and the only one family owned really. 59LARK

 

[Bruce Wayne]

I saw this priced at $350 the other week. Any lower & I might have to pick this up.

 

[ButteMT61]

I saw this priced at $350 the other week. Any lower & I might have to pick this up.

Might get one for my wife/son. Thanks for sharing this. Very cool...

 

[Bruce Wayne]

Edit: make that I saw it for $300.