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Long Arm reviews


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Hi all, yes I am still on the hold pattern. In June of last year I was diagnosed with cancer. Surgeries and now chemo has kept me from continuing moving forward. My goal is by Christmas of this year. I am doing well. God's got this and He is so good to me!! In March, A Mountain Quilt Fest in Pigeon Forge. I won't be up for a class, chemo brain is a real thing, however Sharon Schambler will be teaching so I am going to see if I can find her and ask about her Prodigy experience. I have been able to test Handi Quilter, Nolting, APQS, Innova, Pennywinkle, Q'nique 14+, Juki 2200 QVP,  Baby Lock Crown Jewel, and Tiara III. I was at a Tin Lizzy dealer buying fabric, a renter started her quilt and within 10 minutes I had a headache, it was so loud - that's definitely not an option. Thank you all for your input. I admire and respect you all.

 

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On ‎6‎/‎24‎/‎2016 at 10:19 AM, CBing said:

Sharon, I only know of 2 mechanics for long arms in my area (within an hours drive). One is a Handi Quilter dealer and the other a Tin Lizzie dealer, so I am not all that certain that I would get a fair assement on machine qualities. I live on the boarder of TN, KY and VA, so there are no dealers close by to go try out machines. I am hoping next year to go to Des Moines so I can try out all of them. I am wanting to go into business, there is a need here for a quilter. Is it true that there are some manufacturers who void the warranty if it is used for commercial purposes?

Service is what I have been most leary of. Thanks for your advice.

don't tell them you are quilting for a business

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Bing:  If you think you will quilt professionally, do yourself a favor, and only consider the following manufactures:  A-1 Elite, APQS, Gammill, Innova, Nolting, or Prodigy.  They are industrial quality, and all offer good product support.  As far as repairs go, you probably won't need any.  I don't know too much about the Innova or the Prodigy, but the others are pretty simple and straight forward so most of the service needed you can do yourself.  Jim 

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11 hours ago, CBing said:

 I have been able to test ......., Pennywinkle

 

Run as fast as you can fom this machine. I have an online group of quilters who own this machine. We have all had to rebuild our machines in order to use them. Do not be tempted by the cheap price as I and most others are. You get what you pay for.

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I think at present, I am leaning most to Innova or Prodigy. Innova 22" or Prodigy 24". The Prodigy 2412 has electric quilt advance included and the frame can be lowered and raised with a smooth crank. Both of those features are very appealing and would add close to 5k to the price of an Innova. Both can glide over very thick layers (aka seams). Watching YouTube videos, users say that you cannot outrun the regulators or get long stitches. I have tested both LS and regular stitch regulator on Innova. I could not out run it, nor get a long stitch. Personally, I could hardly tell the difference between the two. Is LS worth the extra $3999?

The Prodigy only has L bobbin, would buying prewound bobbins make up the difference in size?

If anyone out there has a Prodigy within a 3-4 hours drive of East Tennessee would you be willing to let me come look at your machine?

You rarely see Prodigy listed in used machines. This makes me wonder, do people love them and keep them OR does the manufacturer just not sell very many?

Innova 24/7/365 service is ideal. I have called Prodigy and they were prompt to answer phone calls, emails etc.

Iquiltit, why do you say "don't tell them you are quilting for a business"?

~C.

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Bing:  Pre-wound bobbins will help increase L system bobbin capacity a little, but the M system will hold twice the amount of thread.  I don't know where you've looked for used Prodigy's, but if it's only here, I wouldn't be surprised you haven't seen many.  Have you looked at Longarm University?  I imagine Prodigy has a user group too.  Maybe they have used machine listings.  You might also look at House of Hansen.  I think they still have used longarms listed, though I haven't looked there in some time.  Jim

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I just looked, and see that Prodigy has a 3 roller system rather than the 4 roller used on the Innova or the APQS.  It looks like you have to raise and lower each end independently as well.  I liked the manual lift feature of their table just as you do.  I do think however, I'd personally trade that for the M bobbin system and the four roller of the Innova.  One thing I like about both that it seems like no one ever mentions, is the rotating sewing head.  It allows you to remove the head from the table without removing the leveling or take-up rollers.  I can't count how many times I would have liked to take one of my machines off the table, but didn't do it because of the need to disassemble the table.  Jim

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Jim, every day I look at Longarm University, this forum, Accomplished Quilting, the Longarm Network, Nolting. House of Hanson hasn't updated their page since 2015. Three roller means as you roll the quilt you have to raise, is this right? Gammill also has 3 roller. Is it difficult to do? The 2412 has 22" field. The Innova 22 has 19" field. The 22 has throat height of 9". Prodigy has 12". What significance is throat height? I am looking at 22- 24" as I only have 5 - 7' depth of space, not ideal, but it's all I have to work with. I do think that either machine would be light enough to move easily.

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Bing:  The Gammill table requires that you raise the take-up roller as you quilt.  It's better than the others because you only have to crank at one end (the A-1 Elite table may also lift the take-up roller with a single crank-I don't remember).  I have a Gammill Classic, so I'm used to raising the take-up roller on it.  Not too wearysome, but a little inconvenient.  

The throat height would affect how large a rolled up quilt you could put on it without hitting the machine.  My APQS Ult 2 has an 8.5" throat height, and I can put at least a 10' quilt on it. (I think it will take a maximum quilt roll of about 6" in diameter.  I'm sure the Innova has as much room as you'd need.  The 19" sewing field of the 22" Innova is great.  My Gammill (a 26" machine) might get you 20" field.  The 26" APQS machines won't get you nearly that much.  All these machines are light and move easily.  If one doesn't, there's something wrong with the wheels or their adjustment.

There isn't a machine made that fits all my requirements.  Any model would be a compromise for me to some extent.  That's why I have a Ult 2 that I've customized to my personal requirements.  What does the Innova and Prodigy have in the way of channel locks?  The ones I built into my machine are built on Gammill parts.  They work great.  I've heard complaints about those on the Millie's, I'm not sure whether A-1 Elite has electronic locks, and I know Nolting.  I use mine a lot, and I wouldn't want to be without them.  Lots of things to consider.  Jim

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  • 3 years later...
  • 1 year later...

Definitely would not recommend Gammill for a longarm purchase or use. After purchase and years of use the customer service diminished greatly. I use to have a sevice guy in town but was moved and now we have to await his arrival from the middle of the United States. You would think their would be no problem of training but this company runs on the cheap. No one to answer the phone when you call. Does not have the parts but relies on the website for you to figure out your problem which can be costly to the customer. Customer satisfaction isn't in their business  model more like "            take the money and run".

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  • 2 months later...
On 6/24/2016 at 7:34 AM, CBing said:

Helen, I have been looking at used LA's for the last 3 years on many different sites. Do I go through a dealer that offers a 1 year warranty? Do I go through an individual. My biggest fear is buying someone else's problem child. If a machine has not been used for a while, wouldn't it be prone to seize up? Are there warning signs to look for in a machine? Lots of people say it runs great, almost new, etc, and I think.....if it is so great, why are you getting rid of it? ANy amount of money is too much money if you are getting something that doesn't work well.

Any advise on what to look for or questions to ask are appreciated. Thank you for your help.

If the seller gives you an opportunity to try the machine out before you buy it, take them up on it.  I live in Southern CA and am selling an Ulitmate I.  It's been a fabulous machine for me, but many of the quilts I do (Hawaiian quilts) have extra large blocks, so I updated to the Millie 30.  Had it not been for all of the Hawaiian quilts, I would have been perfectly happy with the Ultimate I forever.  It's a great machine.  

Anyway, just ask the seller if you can test drive the machine before you commit to buying it.  If they don't want you to do that, I would consider that a red flag.  

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