Sewing Machine Buying Guide -Singer
201
Some say it is "the
Best Sewing Machine Ever Made".
During the "glory" days of
Singer Sewing Machines, Singer produced the
model 201 from the 1930's to at least the
1950's. It was their finest (and highest
priced) machine. Thousands of these machines
were produced -- and most of them are still
sewing as finely and strongly today as they did
when first produced.
Research the Singer 201 and
you'll find more than one reference stating
that the 201 is the finest sewing machine
Singer ever made. While I can't authoritatively
say the same (I haven't tried all the machines
Singer ever made!), I haven't found anything
about the 201 that would make me disagree with
that statement.
I really appreciate fine
mechanical and electronic devices. I like old
Hammond clocks and organs, tube amplifiers and
vintage guitars, vintage sports cars, gizmos
and gadgets like that. About 10 years ago (in a
fit of mid-life crisis) I bought a used Porsche
944. When I sit down at the Singer 201 and
press the foot pedal, I get a very similar
feeling to that experienced when cruising down
the highway in the Porsche at a way-too-fast
speed -- the smooth and comfortable feeling of
machinery performing perfectly.
I compare it to a Porsche --
and I've seen others compare it to driving a
Ferrari!
Singer produced at least
four different versions of the 201:
201-1 - Treadle version
201-2 - Potted motor and
gear-driven
201-3 - External motor and
belt-driven
201-4 - Hand-crank (original
factory, not later conversion)
The 201 is a sturdy and
heavy machine -- not a portable at all! This is
not a slim and sexy sports car -- it's a
full-sized, classy and luxurious grand touring
sedan! It's built to last -- but does need
maintenance to perform its best. You'll need to
oil it regularly and also grease the gears from
time to time. You can unscrew the circular
silver plate on the backside of the machine to
reveal the gears and the greasing points. Use
regular Singer Sewing Machine gear grease (not
oil!). Use sewing machine oil only at the
recommended oiling points. This rotary hook
machine uses a Class 66 bobbin (means very
little vibration, great stitch quality, and
easily found bobbins.)
The machine is easy to
thread and easy to use. The fact that some of
these machines are going on 80 years old and
still outsewing modern machines is a telling
point -- they'll probably last at least another
80 years! Maintain them well and they'll keep
sewing -- well, longer than you or I probably
will!
One reason the machine is so
easy to use is that it is a straight stitch
only machine. A single stitch ... but a
beautiful and perfect straight stitch! You
won't find yourself "fighting" the 201 like you
might battle with low end plastic machines --
less time fighting means less time fixing and
redoing problems and less frustration!
Even though the machine is
straight stitch only, Singer and other vendors
made a host of attachments that offer a world
of possibilities -- free-form embroidery,
buttonholes, zig-zag, blindhemming -- pretty
much anything you want from a quality sewing
machine is easily achievable.
Best of all, prices tend to
be really low (supply and demand -- Singer made
zillions of these machines!). You'll often pay
way less than you would for a plastic import
that may die a deserved death after a few weeks
or months of sporadic sewing -- and you'll gain
a lifelong sewing servant.
How should you view the
Singer 201? Well, think back on the
Porsche/Ferrari analogy -- except lower the
price to less than $100! This machine purrs
like the well-crafted piece of machinery it is.
It feels "quality:, if you know what I mean.
This machine will definitely be in your
"keeper" list.
Curious -- check out the
Singer 201 in action!
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