Decisions

[kansastroubles]

Cathy,
I was looking into the same machines mentioned here, APQS, Gammill and A-1, did alot of research for about a year or more, and ended up not feeling fully satisfied with those choices. My biggest concern was ease of movement and stitch quality. I couldn't find a model that gave me both. I'm now looking into the Prodigy which Sharon Schamber uses and was highly recommended to me by Nicole Webb. You can see Sharon quilt on it by ordering one of her DVD's or seeing some of the free videos she has posted lately on her Sharon Schamber Network website.

Try to have a list of all the things you'd like to be able to do when you compare models. Also, keep in mind, if you will be quilting for customers, even casually, they will be the most concerned about stitch quality so whatever machine you choose, you will be competing on the strength of the brand you choose and how well it delivers on performance features that your customers will care about the most.

Also, dealer relationship is extremely important. You'll want to have a relationship with someone who will be there for you. I ran into a gal who had to have her Gammill replaced three times during her warranty period, so you'll want to make sure you have someone to work with that you can count on to support you when you need it.

Try not to let a dealer talk you into buying the "biggest" model if big isn't comfortable for you. I ran into a dealer that was only interested in selling the top of the line because it offered them the most profit on the sale; it became pretty obvious to me when I started discussing other models and never heard back from them.

Also, try to visit all the longarm forums. Look in the "problem" or "help" sections so you can get a good reality check on what owners are experiencing and how the company is responsive to them. Try to become familiar with the brand personalities of the companies that sell these machines, are they sales and marketing driven...are they engineering driven...are they made in the US, overseas...have they recently been purchased by another firm? All of these things are very important in your due diligence because it will tell you alot about what kind of relationship you will be getting into. I've learned enough from the forums to know that you will need technical support at one point or another, you may want to upgrade or tradeup so you are not just buying into a machine, you are buying into a relationship and you'll want to know what kind of relationship you can expect to have.

I learned that both APQS and Gammill were bought out by other firms within the last few years. Gammill is now owned by a holding company that invests in a large portfolio of technology companies, they are privately held and I would imagine they would not hesitate to sell the Gammill brand if they were not achieving a certain rate of return since their 'interests' in owning it are only as a financial investment. If they sold the brand, some other firm who chooses to buy it may do very well selling the models because of its legacy however they may stop paying attention to quality, customer service etc as often seems to be the case once a brand is sold from one firm to the next. APQS was bought out by some employees and I'm just not all that sure they understand the technology and engineering aspects of the machines they sell but they seem to be very clever at marketing. I was surprised to learn that all their machines are made by only one or two people. Prodigy is still owned by the original founder who I understand created the first commercial longarm machine, this company is very engineering focused, and I haven't spotted one clever marketing pitch which I take to be a very healthy sign. The owner still makes personal calls to potential buyers and I've seen nothing but integrity from that firm. Nicole mentioned to me that they have the ease of movement of the A-1 with the stitch quality of a Gammill and I can hardly wait to give it a try.

After visiting alot of forums and trying the Gammill I feel confident in saying that their machines are difficult to maneuver except their lowest end model, the Premier, and they do seem to have thread tension/thread breakage problems that you have to learn how to adjust to. The A-1 was very easy to maneuver, but I felt the stitch quality was not as good as the Gammill or the APQS. I felt the APQS did not have the same ease of movement as the A-1 but it had excellent stitch quality.

Alot of the serious long arm quilters out there have moved around from brand to brand on a quest for the elusive perfect machine. I am sure as their skills grew and the market developed they came to outgrow what they had and ended up finding a better model. There are so many factors to take into consideration and so many ways to analyze and slice and dice the information you collect, everything from dependability, reliability, ease of use, financing, etc. Its alot to consider!

Good luck with everything and don't worry too much, you are doing the right thing by not rushing in and really taking your time, its a big decision!

Kathy

[Tiggersmom]

Are you looking to start a business or just for yourself?
I'm a Gammill Classic Plus owner and a friend of mine has had the HQ16 for at least 6 months. I sewed on a HQ16 the other day and it sewed fine. but what I didn't like about it was the table and my friend isn't really thrilled with the table either.

Gammil has just come out with a home model that sells for about the same price as the HQ16. I would check into that. imho........I've not had tension trouble or any other problems with my Gammil which I've had over 3 1/2 years except in my climate, VERY dry, the grommets on the back side of my machine have a tendency to split. . . .LOL, just think what the weather does to us people! lol [live in arizona]