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looking at a Janome 6600P trading in the pfaff for ?
Artsewer   Intermediate NY USA Member since 2011 Posts: 593	Login to reply to this post Like this post Date: 1/15/12 12:58 PM Some of you may remember I was having major problems with my new bought in August Pfaff EX4 Though warned I just loved all the features of this machine, and was assured that the problems had been addressed. Not on this one. I hope all other owners have better luck. Anyway, my frustration was such that even though my dealer (who is wonderful, Beyond the Timble in Long Is NY) got me a brand new one to replace the lemon. I am just off of the Pfaff. Lost my confidence, and dont want to deal with it anymore. Luckily they also sell Janome. I could use my credit for one. I looked at the 6600P and even though it does not have the Hoover lift, (which I love) and it does not have the IDT of Pfaff I was impressed with this machine. I did not try however, small seams, or different fabrics. I would like to know if anyone has a newer model of this machine and how they have faired with it. What should I look for in it. And does anyone have any other suggestions of Janome models. All of the reviews here on this machine date back to 2006. I should add I own a Bernina 630E which I love. Greatly appreciate all your imput. You are all so wonderful. Thanks -- Edited on 1/15/12 1:01 PM --
sewfrequent Intermediate TX USA Member since 2003 Posts: 2596	Login to reply to this post In reply to Artsewer Like this post Date: 1/15/12 1:22 PM When you test drive the 6600p, you'll notice the accufeed are very wide. But, keep in mind, you don't need to use those feet for your small seams. You can reserve the accu-feed system for applications that you would typically use a walking foot for. I personally do not like the accu-feed system for narrow seams such as for 1/4" seams. I discovered the clearview 1/4" foot that janome makes and now i'm in business! Very accurate and easy to use. These fall into the "work-horse" category so it won't give you the bells and whistles of the Pfaff but they are very solid, capable machines with proven track record. If i were in the market now, I might be tempted to look at the 6300 which is similar without accu-feed and fewer stitches but still has the important ones. I actually prefer a traditional walking foot to the accu-feed but I might be in the minority there.
Warbler   Advanced VT USA Member since 2007 Posts: 1621	Login to reply to this post In reply to Artsewer Like this post Date: 1/15/12 2:29 PM I agree with everything SewFrequent said about the 6600 But I love Acufeed because it is so powerful. Though I do not use it for piecing but rather traditional even feeding mulitple layers. As for piecing small seams, Janome now has several 1/4 inch feet to choose from... there is the standard *O* foot that comes with the machine, there is the *O2* foot which is an updated version of the standard O that produces a perfect scant 1/4 inch sa. The O2 foot also has a cut out on the bottom that solves the problem of sewing over seams for which some Janome machines struggle, particularly the 7700 Horizon, (though that problem has been fixed. This new O2 foot solves that problem and is the reason Janome updated the foot. Then there is the Clearview 1/4 inch foot which is very nice. I have all three. I like the Clearview when I need to piece 1/8 seams for some mini quilts. Janome feet are very affordable which is a nice benefit over other brands. To keep 1/4 inch seams accurate, I love piecing with a 10/70 Microtex or Sharp, either Organ or Schmetz needles. I also piece with a fine thread like Masterpiece by Superior Threads. As for new model 6600's... if you read in older reviews about paint chip problems on the machine bed, THAT is a thing of the past. End of Story! 2005 is the year the 6600 came out and is why there are no earlier reviews - unless you look at the 6500 (same as the 6600 without acufeed). ------ Janome MC6600 Bernina 240 Juki MO735 Singer 201-2 Singer 221-1 Singer 15-91
PortlandMaine Advanced Beginner ME USA Member since 2011 Posts: 612	Login to reply to this post Like this post Date: 1/15/12 3:45 PM Im sorry about the Pfaff - There are lots of Janome's that look like great machines! I think that 6600 with its speed and size - and built in holders for big thread cones with a leg lft and thread cutter looks like a great machine. If you dont know if you will use the accufeed - take a peek at the (is it?) 6300. -- same body and heft w/o some of the deco stitches and the accuefeed - but, still has thread cutters and a leg lift. I think the 6300 is just under a grand? Janome also makes that great straight stitch machine - it sews very fast has a leg lift, snips, speed controll and does very nice FMQ. Keep us posted with your process - I love watching hoe people decide what to buy.
m/m   Intermediate NJ USA Member since 2005 Posts: 271	Login to reply to this post In reply to Artsewer Like this post Date: 1/15/12 5:12 PM Recently someone on the Yahoo Janome 6600 group shared a link to a "useful hints" section somewhere on the Janome website that recommended using the stitch-in-the-ditch/edge stitching foot with the machine needle set as far to the left as possible for making a tiny, controlled seam for miniature quilts. I haven't tried that but I use either the regular or accufeed version of those feet for edge stitching and they work like a dream, especially with the machine speed control set a bit on the low side. Found the link for the barebones instructions: http://content.janome.com/index.cfm/LearningCenter/Techniques/Newest_Tips/Piecing_with_the_Ditch_Quilting_Foot I love my 6600. I've used it for everything from fine silk and cotton to cotton duck bags with synthetic webbing straps with no problems except occasional problems with the upper thread jumping out of the thread guides and that's mostly user error on my part.
SewBusy63 Advanced IA USA Member since 2007 Posts: 1508	Login to reply to this post In reply to Artsewer Like this post Date: 1/15/12 5:59 PM I bought my 6600 in April 2008. It is a workhorse and I loved it. I did a review here on PR. I sewed on it a lot over the two years I owned it. I did garment sewing, no quilting or FMQ. I did do french seams. I sewed poly-cottons, dress knits, stretch knits, knits with Lycra, polyester suiting. Never had an issue with feeding. The only issue I can remember is the paint started to wear off at about a year. That was a huge disappointment to me. The Acufeed works well, although the feet are big and bulky. You'll need to unscrew the stitch plate to change it out and after having a Bernina that pops off, this may seem like a hassle. The 6600 is an excellent machine and I would highly recommend it. You might try the 6300, although no AcuFeed. I've heard good things about it here on PR. The 7700 would be another suggestion. Although my 7700 was a lemon and I sold the replacement (I can empathize with you as I went through this too!), the lady who bought the replacement is an avid quilter and her FMQ is outstanding. She has had it almost 2 years and loves it. She has never had any problems with it. -- Edited on 1/15/12 6:00 PM -- ------ ~Diana~ ♥ Bernina 830E ♥ Bernina 1150MDA serger ✝The Lord is my Light and my Salvation: whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? Psalm 27:1✝
PortlandMaine Advanced Beginner ME USA Member since 2011 Posts: 612	Login to reply to this post Like this post Date: 1/15/12 7:13 PM Does anyone keep up wth the 365 days of free motion quilting gal - lia day? she ended up with a 7700 after testing out lots of other machines - she loves her machine. she did just post a video where she sad she had worn a part of the machine out.
Canadian Jane Advanced Beginner AB CANADA Member since 2010 Posts: 584	Login to reply to this post In reply to Artsewer Like this post Date: 1/16/12 0:45 AM Artsewer, you and I have have gone back and forth on the QE4. I am very sorry it did not work out for you but I can totally understand why you feel the way you do. I almost traded my QE4 for the 6600 too when I first bought my QE4. I went and test drove it and the 7700. I basically made a mini project of joining together a lot of squares on some old home decor project fabric (heavier in weight a bit) then tried top stitching it and folding it into box pleats to see how each machine handled going over humps and bumps. (I got this heads up from people on this forum who had the 6600.) The result was it did not well I am afraid. I got these tiny stitches. A humper jumper would be required. Given that I work with fabrics with a lot of folds and layers - and sometimes heavier home decor fabric - I thought "oh this would be a pain to have to haul out the humper jumper (or attach the acufeed which isn't always that accomodating to stitch with) for this all of the time." One thing my QE4 is good at is going through the layers with out a hiccup. I said no thanks. So that is my caution to you on the 6600 or 7700. Really check that out and see if that will be something that will be bothersome for you for the type of sewing you do. If you can get your hands on one that doesn't have this problem - or it isn't a problem for the kind of sewing you do - I say go for it! Given the tension problems I have with my QE4 I rather wish I had done so and just hauled out the humper jumper as required. My bad... I probaby would have been much happier with the 6600 or the 7700. I will say that the 7700 handled much better in this regard. I did not enjoy the stitch dial at all - but that is personal preferance. In hindsight I would probably like the dial a lot more than the inevitable fight I know is just around the bend with tension on the QE4 every time I sit down to sew. I hope you have better luck this time around.
SewBusy63 Advanced IA USA Member since 2007 Posts: 1508	Login to reply to this post In reply to Canadian Jane Like this post Date: 1/16/12 9:10 AM You made a very good point I totally forgot to mention, even in my review. In fact, every Janome I have owned (except for the MC4000), did not go over thick seams well, so I thought it was normal until I bought a Bernina. Going over thick seams is not smooth sailing on the 6600. Even on seams that are serged like a shoulder seam or hem, I would get teeny tiny stitches each and every time. This is something Nancy should consider in her decision. Nancy, why not sell the machine yourself and buy another Bernina? ------ ~Diana~ ♥ Bernina 830E ♥ Bernina 1150MDA serger ✝The Lord is my Light and my Salvation: whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? Psalm 27:1✝
Artsewer   Intermediate NY USA Member since 2011 Posts: 593	Login to reply to this post In reply to SewBusy63 Like this post Date: 1/16/12 3:24 PM My dear friends you are all so kind, in your responses. I can't sell my Pfaff, Pfaff has replaced it with another 4,0 my dealer has it. I don't want it and they can not give me a refund, they are a small store like most fabric stores. I am lucky that they got me a new machine, and have given me the option of replacing it with another, I just don't trust that the Pfaff will be trouble free. Even though my Benina 630 may not like lint, and needs to be oiled I trust it. I know I am going to start a project and finish it without issues. If I were to sell the Pfaff I would loose a lot of money, I traded up from a 2.0 and when doing so the dealer charged me close to MSRP and it was 2200. No one would pay that without a warranty. They also sell Horn sewing cabinets and I am waiting on a price for one that would be great to have. Though the Horn is not my first choice of what I would buy, it is really nice. depending on how much of my 2450 is left, I may get a travel machine from them too. Then I would be free to get my studio machine at what ever time, and with whatever machine I want. The things I liked about the 6600 is it has a pretty large harp though not as big as the 7700. I sewed on the floor model and really liked it. the tension was perfect when fmq. and very easy to use. It is quiet except when using the accufeed foot which I would like to know more about since there are several feet that go with it. Some one said that the 02 foot or the clear foot which also has the same function as the 2 foot that comes witht the machine are better then the 2 foot. For some reason it is more accurate. And it makes it easier to sew over thick dense seams. I took the bat that the dealer gave me and a double folded it and the stitches held, though the machine when thunck thunck when sewing it it did not lose power or precision. Altough I would love a Bernlina 580 the price difference between the 6600 and even the horizon are several thousand and I don't think I need it. Nor can I afford it right now. I just would like to have it This machine is to use in my art studio, which I rent and is a different location then my home. So most of the time it will be there instead of home. I would also purchase the very sturdy nice table to put it in. If I don't use my credit for the 6600 then I would go for the sewing table for my Bernina and would buy a nice full featured travel machine. I could use some suggestions for this. I would like thread cutters and a knee lift. Not very heavy. Which model Janome would fit that other then the blue and white one, which I tested and found to have an annoying (to me High pitch sound) I have really sensitive ears! The Pink machine (hate the color) Is very nice in its sewing, but not scissors, or knee lift. Would there be another that has these features I could look at? Thanks so much I am a rambling.......

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