Tuesday, December 6, 2016

5 out of 5 Stars
I have had this machine for a couple years now. My parents got it for me as a gift when my se400 died so I could keep working on my orders. This is the Grand slam package they got me. I have been looking into a second machine as I run a small home based boutique style online shop where most of what I make is embroidered towels. I have been swamped this year & am thinking that I need a second machine just to keep up with the orders I’m getting. As I was going through the different machines & the reviews on each machine I decided to check into the reviews on this to see how they compare. I noticed several negative reviews that had nothing to do with the machine & more due to personal or setup error.  This is why I’m writing this review. I feel it is important for others basing their decisions on reviews to have the most information possible & I have a good couple year of experience with this machine now. Yes sometimes you get a dud, this happens with any brand. If you do, return it.. However there are so many things that can cause any embroidery machine to go wonky that can easily be resolved with the correct information.. Because of this I recommend one very important thing…forums… forums… forums…
When I first got mine I had already been experienced with the brother se400, & yes, this machine has its own learning curve. (I do believe this is common with the purchase of ANY new embroidery machine) I experienced many of the issues other negative reviewers encountered, however, they were not a result of a bad machine. They were in actuality, a matter of things not set right in my machine or the wrong stabilizer or fabric your using, tension not right. There are so many little things from the bobbin tension, to the stabilizer, the wrong needle, to the thread that will case issue with your final product.. There are several variables that will cause most of the issues I noticed other reviewers had. I would completely recommend that even if you’re great on your prior machine to join a couple forums & post in the section for your specific machine when you encounter an issue. The amount of user help will get you through even the most difficult issue. I have even learned how to service my own machine to an extent due to the extreme helpfulness of my fellow embroiders.
I have also found that Brother is extremely helpful as well if you can’t find a solution in the forums. I had a serious issue with my bobbin tension at one point & no matter how many times I tried to reset the tension on the bobbin case, I just couldn’t get it to work. We all came to the same conclusion on the forums that is was definitely a tension issue but just couldn’t figure out why it wasn’t readjusting correctly.  After not getting a suitable answer from the forums, I decided to call brother. They told me that if I’m using prewound bobbins (which I do) that sometimes that can cause a waxy buildup in the workings of the bobbin case. They ran me through the process of cleaning my bobbing case & resetting it & stayed on the phone with me until it was done & working correctly.. I then went back to the forums & shared my solution with my fellow embroiders for others who may have the same issue
I put this machine through the test. As you can see from my pictures, I use it A LOT…Yes it has its hiccups, But when it starts acting up, I just open up & clean out the bobbin housing & thread run, maybe oil it up a bit close her back up and viola… she is Perring like a kitten again. If you’re having an issue with your machine… feel free to ask me about it, if I don’t have a solution, I can surly direct you to someone who can. Don’t give up on your machine! With proper care & a little TLC, this embroidery machine will last you
This grand slam package it fantastic too. It gives you everything you need to start embroidering right away.  The threads are high quality & the extra hoops are a wonderful addition to this machine. The USB port is perfect for me as now I don’t have to connect my computer to the machine. I have a stack of different USB drives all organized with my files.




Pros:
  • Grand Slam Embroidery Package Included!!!! (A $1,170 Value)
  • Built-In USB Flash Drive Port - Uses USB Memory Stick
  • Easily Transfer Embroidery Designs to the Machine without Additional Software
  • 136 Beautiful Built-In Embroidery Designs and 6 Lettering Fonts
  • Large 5" x 7" Embroidery Field - Create Big Designs in a Few Simple Steps

Cons:
This, like any other embroidery machine has its quirks, but once you get to know the machine, she is good. There is not much troubleshooting help in the manual, just a basic list. There are so many other things that can affect the outcome of your pattern that it becomes necessary to have the wealth of knowledge & experience of other users & sometimes brother itself, to fully troubleshoot the issue.
I would have no problem recommending this product to anyone. I embroider a good 4 hours a day on an easy day.. Times like now when I’m hit with the Christmas shopping rush.. I’m running it almost 8-9 hours a day, sometimes more… this machine never lets me down


Thank you for reading my review!  If my review has been of help to you, please do me the favor of clicking the “yes” at the end of this review where it says “Was this review helpful to you”  If you have a question, feel free to ask, I will do my best to answer them. 

No comments:

Post a Comment