What is the Best Long Arm to Buy
06-26-2010, 09:52 AM
#21
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Originally Posted by BKrenning
First you need to have a price you are willing to pay. That will narrow down your choices especially if you want the computerized robotics. Unless, of course, you're sitting on a gold mine--then just waltz on over to Gammill or APQS and tell them you want one with everything to go--LOL!
Make a list and put price at the top. Then decide which features you must have and which you would like to have. Then go try as many as you can get your hands on.
Make a list and put price at the top. Then decide which features you must have and which you would like to have. Then go try as many as you can get your hands on.
Funny thing though the contents of my garage is worth way more than my house LOL!! Scary :shock: :shock:
Billy
06-26-2010, 11:30 AM
#22
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Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Lake Wales, FL, USA
Posts: 1,554
Originally Posted by Lostn51
Originally Posted by BKrenning
First you need to have a price you are willing to pay. That will narrow down your choices especially if you want the computerized robotics. Unless, of course, you're sitting on a gold mine--then just waltz on over to Gammill or APQS and tell them you want one with everything to go--LOL!
Make a list and put price at the top. Then decide which features you must have and which you would like to have. Then go try as many as you can get your hands on.
Make a list and put price at the top. Then decide which features you must have and which you would like to have. Then go try as many as you can get your hands on.
Funny thing though the contents of my garage is worth way more than my house LOL!! Scary :shock: :shock:
Billy
So, you only want the good stuff! As long as I'm spending someone else's money; I would compare the:
A-1 Elite-- http://www.a1quiltingmachines.com/index.php
APQS Millenium-- http://www.apqs.com/machines_millennium.php
Gammill Vision-- http://www.gammill.com/index.php?m=model_comparison
Nolting Pro-- http://www.nolting.com/catalog.php
There may be a couple others but these are the creme de la creme and all have a rock solid reputation.
06-26-2010, 12:26 PM
#23
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Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Longwood, Florida
Posts: 2,910
The gammill needs to be on top lol. They were the first to make a long arm and the have so improved on their merchandise. The service is wonderful. The dealer came to my house and set my machine up then the wife spent 4 hour with me, teaching me....I can call them anytime if I have questions...but I have been well sesoned for years now lol....
Anyway Bill, you really need to try a few of those machines...you know the sales pitch is great but there is nothing like trying the things they say the machine can do.....
Anyway Bill, you really need to try a few of those machines...you know the sales pitch is great but there is nothing like trying the things they say the machine can do.....
06-26-2010, 02:45 PM
#24
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Join Date: Oct 2009
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Originally Posted by BKrenning
So, you only want the good stuff! As long as I'm spending someone else's money; I would compare the:
A-1 Elite-- http://www.a1quiltingmachines.com/index.php
APQS Millenium-- http://www.apqs.com/machines_millennium.php
Gammill Vision-- http://www.gammill.com/index.php?m=model_comparison
Nolting Pro-- http://www.nolting.com/catalog.php
There may be a couple others but these are the creme de la creme and all have a rock solid reputation.
A-1 Elite-- http://www.a1quiltingmachines.com/index.php
APQS Millenium-- http://www.apqs.com/machines_millennium.php
Gammill Vision-- http://www.gammill.com/index.php?m=model_comparison
Nolting Pro-- http://www.nolting.com/catalog.php
There may be a couple others but these are the creme de la creme and all have a rock solid reputation.
Billy
06-26-2010, 02:51 PM
#25
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Originally Posted by Rosyhf
The gammill needs to be on top lol. They were the first to make a long arm and the have so improved on their merchandise. The service is wonderful. The dealer came to my house and set my machine up then the wife spent 4 hour with me, teaching me....I can call them anytime if I have questions...but I have been well sesoned for years now lol....
Anyway Bill, you really need to try a few of those machines...you know the sales pitch is great but there is nothing like trying the things they say the machine can do.....
Anyway Bill, you really need to try a few of those machines...you know the sales pitch is great but there is nothing like trying the things they say the machine can do.....
So now I have a list to work from and I will be choosing from one of these. Who knows an embroidery machine may be next. But I know which one of those to get ;)
Billy
06-26-2010, 03:28 PM
#27
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Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Southwest Kansas
Posts: 4,820
I had an APQS. It was a fairly good machine but it wasn't stitch regulated and it was too light weight to stich slow with, it bounced at slow speeds. If I was going to get one now I'd look at the Nolting, Gammill and A-1s. My friend had a Proto that was great too but I don't know if they're still in business. And I wouldn't get any thing shorter than a 20 inch on any frame smaller than a 12 foot.
06-26-2010, 03:31 PM
#28
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Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Colorado
Posts: 1,624
Well, of course the wives make all the important decisions!
Now we are talking, I will see about all of these and I am thinking just from what I heard so far Gammil will be the one I might end up with but I need my wife to take them for a test drive first. I will be using it also but she will pick the one that suits her the best.
Billy
Originally Posted by Lostn51
Originally Posted by BKrenning
So, you only want the good stuff! As long as I'm spending someone else's money; I would compare the:
A-1 Elite-- http://www.a1quiltingmachines.com/index.php
APQS Millenium-- http://www.apqs.com/machines_millennium.php
Gammill Vision-- http://www.gammill.com/index.php?m=model_comparison
Nolting Pro-- http://www.nolting.com/catalog.php
There may be a couple others but these are the creme de la creme and all have a rock solid reputation.
A-1 Elite-- http://www.a1quiltingmachines.com/index.php
APQS Millenium-- http://www.apqs.com/machines_millennium.php
Gammill Vision-- http://www.gammill.com/index.php?m=model_comparison
Nolting Pro-- http://www.nolting.com/catalog.php
There may be a couple others but these are the creme de la creme and all have a rock solid reputation.
Billy
06-26-2010, 04:05 PM
#29
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Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Lake Elsinore, CA
Posts: 15,266
I bought a 26", 12' Innova, made by ABM International, in December 2009. I shopped around and found out that I could get that machine, loaded the way I wanted, for a decent price - about what I would be paying for a used Gammill, which was my other option. And I liked the Innova better. ABM hasn't been making longarms for very long, but they have been making industrial-size quilting machines since 1947. They have taken many of the concepts (and patents) developed for the commercial market over into their longarm product. Service for the machine is excellent and 24/7/365. What might interest you, Billy, is that there is a MacGuyver-type owner who has invented a number of very cost-effective DIY projects for the Innova. He posts on the InnovaLAQ Yahoo group. (And yes, I hated yahoo groups too, but I joined the 2 for the Innova because there is so much useful information there.) The choice of a longarm is very personal, but I hope you will check out the Innova. I think you will be impressed by its engineering, price, and features. The machine itself is lightweight and easy to steer. The stitch regulator is awesome and you can't outrun it. The frame is all metal and rock-solid, but it doesn't weigh a ton. The design is such that (at least so far) you can upgrade your machine with any feature, rather than having to buy a new machine. As a novice, I've had almost no problems with my Innova so far, and the problems I did have (user error) were solved by a phone call. Feel free to pm me if you have any questions. Oh yes, one of the nice features of the Innova frame is that you can lift up the bar holding the top to check that the back and batting are nice and flat before you start quilting a section.
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