Artisan Price Decrease

[Deb59]

Steve,

I have tried emailing from the web site a few times, no responses and some bounce backs. Not very inspiring for a potential customer.

Andy

I got on the new Cobra Website yesterday afternoon. There have been some pictures added and I sent off an email to Steve inquiring on prices of a couple of machines, and asked if they were going to have some Show Specials at Sheridan. I really did not expect to hear back anything until sometime this week (during normal business hrs), but to my suprise, I received an email back yesterday evening with answers to my question, and 2 phone numbers (one of them a cell #) to call and talk to him at any time. I was greatly impressed with getting a response so quickly, and on a Sunday evening no less.

I am sure with all that is on his plate right now, new business, Wickenburg, Web Page etc it just takes a little time.....(Of course we leathercrafters can't wait to see the new machines, tools etc and want the information NOW so we can either buy, or figure how long we have to save up before we can get one)....Darn leather addiction anyway:}

Contact #'s for Steve are

1-866-962-9880

cell 1-909-800-1429

(Hope I did not step out of turn by posting the numbers, he will probably have a phone permanently attached to his ear) - Thanks Deb

[Lui]

I bought my first machine when I was 6 months into leather crafting since from the start I already knew I was not going to do much hand sewing. I met Steve at the Butler Pennsylvania show and bought the 3000 floor model he was setting up at the show. We closed the deal with a handshake and I left with it when the show ended. He has basically held my hand throughout my learning curve and I have no complaints about the machine or Steve and if it ever gives me a problem chances are I will still call Steve for help and when I buy another I will look him up first.

Lui

[Cobra Steve]

- bought my first machine when I was 6 months into leather crafting since from the start I already knew I was not going to do much hand sewing. I met Steve at the Butler Pennsylvania show and bought the 3000 floor model he was setting up at the show. We closed the deal with a handshake and I left with it when the show ended. He has basically held my hand throughout my learning curve and I have no complaints about the machine or Steve and if it ever gives me a problem chances are I will still call Steve for help and when I buy another I will look him up first.

Lui

HI lui, I remember you well. How are you doing? Hope all is well.- Thank you for the kind words and for your support. If you ever need me, please call me at 1-866-962-9880, or on my cell at 1-909-800-1429. Thanks, your friend, Steve

[Red744T]

So, if you are buying a Chinese sewing machine labeled (in alphabetical order):

Artisan

Cobra

Cowboy

Ferdco

Sewmo

I am not too fond of the Chinese government nor their brand of authoritarian capitalism. To be fair, they earned their 2 trillion through hard work and the quality on quite a few products made in China is excellent but still I would prefer to buy something that's made in a more democratic country.

What alternative do I have? and what premium do I have to pay for a simple cylinder arm sewing machine that is made outside of China? I have a brother 787 I picked up locally for a fairly decent price and after stumbling across the leatherworker.net forum I added an Artisan servo motored on it. The servo motor allow me to better control my stitchings and really improved the sewing quality. The brother is great, but I am still having trouble increasing the upper thread tension with heavier thread and given the rave reviews on the cylinder arm machines and the advice to buy new for a beginner I was seriously considering an Artisan Toro 3000 or 4000 given that I thought it was assembled in the US.

I may still end up with a Chinese made machine, but it's always nice to know what other options exists and if it's feasible to save for those alternatives. I don't mind Taiwanese made machines.

Thanks,

John

[harleysue]

Hi Chuck, hope all is well. Thank you for the kind words. Johanna from leatherworker.net is building my website as we speak. There should be info within a couple of days. Thanks, your friend, Steve

[Art]

Hi John,

Even the Japanese names we know like Consew and Mitsubishi are built in China.

Campbell Bosworth, Union, and Randall are all built/refurbished in the US. The Classic by Luberto is also made in the US. All of them absolutely great machines. I have a Campbell and a No.9 (Daddy of the Classic) both are excellent machines. Juki still makes the 441, and I know a few folks who can modify it for leatherwork. Big Adlers are sill being assembled/made in the Czech Republic and sold by Weaver.

Anyone else chime in if you know of any.

Art

I am not too fond of the Chinese government nor their brand of authoritarian capitalism. To be fair, they earned their 2 trillion through hard work and the quality on quite a few products made in China is excellent but still I would prefer to buy something that's made in a more democratic country.

What alternative do I have? and what premium do I have to pay for a simple cylinder arm sewing machine that is made outside of China? I have a brother 787 I picked up locally for a fairly decent price and after stumbling across the leatherworker.net forum I added an Artisan servo motored on it. The servo motor allow me to better control my stitchings and really improved the sewing quality. The brother is great, but I am still having trouble increasing the upper thread tension with heavier thread and given the rave reviews on the cylinder arm machines and the advice to buy new for a beginner I was seriously considering an Artisan Toro 3000 or 4000 given that I thought it was assembled in the US.

I may still end up with a Chinese made machine, but it's always nice to know what other options exists and if it's feasible to save for those alternatives. I don't mind Taiwanese made machines.

Thanks,

John

[gnarls]

John, There is a used adler on the forum for sale.

[greg gomersall]

Maybe the silence from Jerry and Dave reflects the fact that they realize they have lost all credibilty they ever had and do not have a clue about trying to rebuild it? Greg

[neelsaddlery]

Hi John,

Even the Japanese names we know like Consew and Mitsubishi are built in China.

Campbell Bosworth, Union, and Randall are all built/refurbished in the US. The Classic by Luberto is also made in the US. All of them absolutely great machines. I have a Campbell and a No.9 (Daddy of the Classic) both are excellent machines. Juki still makes the 441, and I know a few folks who can modify it for leatherwork. Big Adlers are sill being assembled/made in the Czech Republic and sold by Weaver.

Anyone else chime in if you know of any.

Art

It was my understanding that a controlling share of Adler is now owned by a Chinese sewing machine company named Shanggong. I used to do business with Shanggong for some lightweight machines and went to visit them at their corporate offices in Shanghai about 4 years ago. This was right after the news broke that Adler had been bought by Shanggong. I had spoke with the general manager of Shanggong at that time, and they said that they planned to keep the assembly plant for the heavy machines in the Czech Republic for the time being, but that they had plans to move production of some of the lighter weight machines to China. A few years after that meeting, we heard of a joint venture in China where they were making the 267-373 in an assembly plant in China.

My advice to people who are trying to buy a machine that is free of China influence at this point is to buy an older used machine, as you simply cannot get clear of China at all when dealing with the question of serwing machines in today's day and age.

I know there are 3 Juki assembly plants in China, there are also many small parts manufacturers for companies like Juki, Seiko, and some others in China as well. I actually visited a factory in Shanghai that built parts for Juki overlock machines, and also spoke with an aluminum extruder in China that made the oilpans for Seiko machines.

I do not have any way of knowing for sure (short of calling my contact at Shanggong) but I would not be a bit suprised to learn that a staggering majority of parts for Adler sewing machines are now made in China. They may still be assembled in Czech Republic, but I would bet that a lot of parts for these machines are coming from China.

Just my two cents worth.

Kindest Regards,

Ryan O. Neel

Neel's Saddlery and Harness

Cowboy Serwing Machines

Oh, one more thing -- Mitsubishi sewing machines are all pretty much made by Highlead in China., Highlead is the OEM manufacturer for Mitsubishi.

Kindest Regards,

Ryan O. Neel

Neel's Saddlery and Harness

Cowboy Sewing Machines

[Henry]

All this talk of Chinese machines and comparative quality is enough to make one's head spin. My 2 cents worth is to buy an older second hand Adler 205 somewhere and you will be sewing trouble free for a very long time! And so will your descendants if you take care of it. There were a couple here somewhere on this site for $25-3000.00 recently which is a bargain.

If any of you readers want a truly modern American made machine I still have Tippmann Aerostitch machines for sale. They are supported with the best customer service in the industry and all parts are made in Fort Wayne, Indiana. You can talk to the designer/inventor anytime and you won't have to worry whether the parts are in stock or when they will be coming from China. I've sold about a doxen of these in the US and Canada and never heard a complant from anyone; just praise.

Thanks,

Henry Veenhoven

Toronto, Ontario

416-231-1870

Email me here!