The Sewing Place

Dealer says Pfaff aren't good any more. Should I believe him?

b15erk

Re: Dealer says Pfaff aren't good any more. Should I believe him?
« Reply #45 on: January 31, 2019, 09:03:20 AM »
I still use my Pfaff 1475cd regularly.  It's over thirty years old, and is as good now as when I bought it.  The built in IDT is excellent, and when I move over to use one of my other machines, that is what I miss.

Jessie

Jessie, who is very happy to be here!!  :),  but who has far too many sewing machines to be healthy, and a fabric stash which is becoming embarrassing.

Celia

Re: Dealer says Pfaff aren't good any more. Should I believe him?
« Reply #46 on: January 31, 2019, 09:06:08 AM »
If you are still looking for the performance 5.2 and can find one it should be at a very reduced price, Pfaff reduced the price before the new one was available so no way shoud it be the same.  Not too sure how many there are around though.

coffeeandcake

Re: Dealer says Pfaff aren't good any more. Should I believe him?
« Reply #47 on: January 31, 2019, 12:23:10 PM »
If you are still looking for the performance 5.2 and can find one it should be at a very reduced price, Pfaff reduced the price before the new one was available so no way shoud it be the same.

Yes, you'd have thought so wouldn't you? However, when I was looking nobody would budge on price for the P5.2(£1800 - £2000 range). I did get my QE4.2 for £500 less than the retail price just as Ploshkin did.  I seem to recall that the 720 is an amalgamation of the good bits of the QE4.2 and P5.2. I don't know if you'd be planning to carry your new machine to classes or anything Giotto but both of these machines are quite big.

Giotto

Re: Dealer says Pfaff aren't good any more. Should I believe him?
« Reply #48 on: January 31, 2019, 23:22:17 PM »
No, @coffeeandcake, once installed on my sewing bench my machine won't be going anywhere! 
I spoke (more accurately had a "chat") with someone from sewing machines direct today and they've offered me some reduction in price for a Quilt Ambition 630 and a Quilt Expression 720.  I'm going to do a comparison and a thorough check through the features/functions of each.  One is half the price of the other and if I get the more expensive machine I'd need to be sure that I'd benefit from the extra features - otherwise it's just a waste of money. If the 720 is mostly about hundreds of extra stitches I would probably never use them, since embroidery isn't really my thing.  However, since I'm now retired from working and have more time for sewing I'd like to be sure that I'm not limiting my future choices by picking a machine which won't do things I might want it to do at a later date, if you know what I mean.

Ploshkin

Re: Dealer says Pfaff aren't good any more. Should I believe him?
« Reply #49 on: February 01, 2019, 08:06:28 AM »
@Giotto the dealer I had my machine from told me that the more expensive machines came from the same factory but were made on a different 'line' and the components were higher quality hence the price difference between 2 machines that might outwardly not seem very different.
Life's too short for ironing.

Giotto

Re: Dealer says Pfaff aren't good any more. Should I believe him?
« Reply #50 on: February 01, 2019, 15:26:02 PM »
Oh, @Ploshkin, that's interesting.  There I was just about persuading myself that I don't need to "treat myself" to the fantastically expensive 720 and now you throw a spanner in the works!!  ;)  Talking of price, though, I can't remember exactly what I paid for my Creative 1471 in 1984 but I do know it was over £1000 - seems to me as if it was more expensive, comparatively speaking, then than now.

Mamashep

Re: Dealer says Pfaff aren't good any more. Should I believe him?
« Reply #51 on: March 24, 2019, 22:13:24 PM »
I had a Pfaff 1475 which I sold to upgrade to a Janome - basically because a dealer persuaded me the Pfaff would not last much longer. I have regretted it ever since as I loved the IDT. I have a Janome *900QCY with the accufeed and find the accufeed feet to be bulky, even the narrower VD foot. I had to put the Janome into the dealers a couple of weeks ago to have the Led lighting replaced, and while I was in there, I noticed he had a second hand Pfaff QE4 for the bargain price £250 (at that price becuase the knee lift and manual were missing, but I've printed a manual and knee lift from Janome fits).  I got it home, and had a play and it sews beautifully, and I much prefer the IDT to the Accufeed on the Janome. Another thing I prefer is the selection of feet available for the Pfaff.  I liked the automatic foot when I had a Husqvarna Designer 1 and it took me ages to get used to lifting a foot when I changed to the Janome. It did not take me long to adapt back to the automatic foot.

Marniesews

Re: Dealer says Pfaff aren't good any more. Should I believe him?
« Reply #52 on: March 24, 2019, 23:39:18 PM »
Pfaff reduced the P5 by around £500 within a year of me buying mine and at least 2 years before the P5.2 came out so I can't believe they won't make a major reduction before it's phased out

. I still have my P5 but rarely use it, I find it's too over-computerised for me. I much prefer the direct connection that I feel with my old Berninas (bought used after I had the Pfaff). I like the IDT very much but I just wish it was in an old Bernina for the best of all worlds. The little Select 3.2 is the nearest to that but it has a plastic case.

I do wonder about their current standards since the buy-out so have you thought of looking for a used Pfaff with a good spec? I'm sure there are some good dealers here who would look out for one and ship to you.
Hopefully back more regularly! Ballroom sewing may be permanently paused but bag making is the current focus.

Apricot

Re: Dealer says Pfaff aren't good any more. Should I believe him?
« Reply #53 on: April 06, 2019, 11:15:07 AM »
Wondering myself about changing to a 630 or a 710. The local shop hasn’t got them in to demo yet although they would if I asked. So be great to hear from anyone who has seen them.
sew long and prosper

Fiona M

Re: Dealer says Pfaff aren't good any more. Should I believe him?
« Reply #54 on: April 06, 2019, 15:44:18 PM »
Wondering myself about changing to a 630 or a 710. The local shop hasn’t got them in to demo yet although they would if I asked. So be great to hear from anyone who has seen them.
I could sell you a nice Janome ...  ;)

Efemera

Re: Dealer says Pfaff aren't good any more. Should I believe him?
« Reply #55 on: April 06, 2019, 15:47:27 PM »
I’ve got a quilt Expression 4 and keep thinking of upgrading but I don’t know if I’d be gaining much.

Lisanne

Re: Dealer says Pfaff aren't good any more. Should I believe him?
« Reply #56 on: April 07, 2019, 13:05:44 PM »
I agree with the points about upper and lower price machines.
I used to be a 'Pfaffie' - had some older machines which were excellent.  Then went for a pure 'workhorse' machine at the bottom of the range. Tried a sequence of 2 and was not at all disappointed when each failed after a few years - poor stitch quality and clunky to use.  So I switched to Bernina.  But I understand basic Pfaffs have improved since then, and the machines more towards the top-of-range have always been good.
Any computerised machine is going to have the problem of the mother board failing. . . so access to good servicing is important when choosing.
https://sewingplums.com - opinions on wardrobes, patterns, fit, pattern alterations
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Mamashep

Re: Dealer says Pfaff aren't good any more. Should I believe him?
« Reply #57 on: May 15, 2019, 22:49:59 PM »
I must admit that I love the ease of use of the Pfaff IDT - in one second you can just flip it on or off.  No messing about with an extra part/foot that needs to be applied. It seems as if not all IDT systems are equal. E.g. when the dealer talked about the Accufeed on the Janome he showed me a separate part/foot that you put on when you want the IDT.  I imagine, coming from a Pfaff, that I would find that a bit of a nuisance. 

When a sewing machine is advertised as having integrated dual feed or built-in dual feed does that mean it's more like the integrated just-flick-it-on-or-off Pfaff dual feed? I think I've seen adverts for more expensive Janomes with dual feed but don't know if it's of the you-need-to-apply-a-separate-foot variety.

As @Iminei said my old Pfaff is now serviced and should work for a while so I hope I've got some thinking/researching time in which to decide.

I had a Pfaff 1475Cd for many years until I foolishly sold to upgrade, and I have regretted it ever since. I have  Janome 8900QCP with the dual feed, but bought a used Pfaff quilt expression 4 recently just for the Pfaff IDT, and have not used the Janome since buying the Pfaff.

annieeg

Re: Dealer says Pfaff aren't good any more. Should I believe him?
« Reply #58 on: May 15, 2019, 23:09:48 PM »
I upgraded to janome atelier 6 for the accuflex foot option.  It is not as straightforward as the Pfaff IDT and I notice the accuflex foot tends to wobble a bit after constant use.
However I don't have the resources to buy a Pfaff so I guess I will keep the janome to get some value out of it.
Annie

Iminei

Re: Dealer says Pfaff aren't good any more. Should I believe him?
« Reply #59 on: May 16, 2019, 09:12:38 AM »
@annieeg  is the accuflex foot the grown up version of the walking foot ... just no bar to rest on the needleuppy doeny thing???

When I first started using mine (on the Atelier 7) I found after a few stitches of my preferred length it went back to teeny stitches, and I couldnt figure out why?

I rang Janome... usually really helpful but they couldnt help ... but I discovered you have to make sure the pushy in bit at the back... (that does the same job as the bar on the needle uppy downy thing on a normal WF) had come out ...

You have to make sure its very securely inserted to start with... Also check you've tightened the screw holding the foot on enough (not too much tho')

linky
« Last Edit: May 16, 2019, 09:14:53 AM by Iminei »
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