this is the singer website serial number information page, you can locate
the number on your machine in the front at the base on the gold plate and learn what your machine
is, singer sells some manuals around 15.00 altho i noticed they don't have any available
for the machines i need below..
Singer 201-2 gear driven sews like a dream,
considered the best sewing machine singer ever made, all metal gears.
prices are going up on these machines, i have a 201-k which is a little more rare, but they are excellent machines, sews everything . you can find resources to repair them, some are linked below.
they are low shank machines, and use low shank pressor feet, simple to use as well and readily available, this machine is cast iron, very heavy, won't move around while you sew, and sews very very fast.
the other popular vintage models, include the Singer
401A , 403A, 500 and 503A models.. these are also metal gear driven machines,
the Singer 221 portable is loved by quilters as it is very liteweight and portable yet sews so nicely,
and can be carried easily to quilters classes, or groups.
prices on those are now 300-and up to 2500 for a 222 which has a free arm ability and those are rare to find..
i have 2--- 401's, a 15-91 , a 201-k, also an old shuttle machine that is so cool to use, works
really well, the bobbin is a shuttle , long shaped like a space shuttle, a couple of other sewing machines
just for when i feel like it, a nelco that sews really well, and old dressmaker that seems to keep going.
another benefit of the 401 model is you can use 2 needles at the same time to create different results,
it also has alot of different stitch cams that you pop into the top that will sew creative stitches,
the cams are also metal gear driven inside..
they are pretty rugged machines, if you find one cheap you can usually fix it very easily .
parts are still available for all of the machines mentioned.
all of these machines have feed dogs that lower for free motion sewing like embroidery etc.
