# swf 1501c VS tajima neo



## kodoq (Jun 2, 2007)

help me please to decide which one is the best for beginner. im really really green about this embroidery thing. 

which one has more expensive on labor, parts, service, etc.

please help me.

Thank You.


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## blibby53 (Jun 12, 2007)

I can not speak for Tajima machines, but I have an SWF 1501C and I can speak for the service. SWF East is where I got my machine, they have a great service department and they have a great training set up. Most important thing for me was the two days of training that I received when I purchased my machine. Barb


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## lizziemaxine (Nov 14, 2007)

The brand of machine is not as important as the training and tech support available.
I have a Barudan. It is probably the most expensive machine sold. But, well worth the money as I have received excellent training and tech support. And, in the 5 years I have owned the machine the only parts I have needed to buy were small things that have to be replaced because of normal wear and tear, like O rings. 
With proper training any of the machine brands will be good for a beginner. 
If possible, visit a tradeshow - Imprinted Sportswear Show or Printwear - and take a look at different machines. And, ask a lot of questions about training and support.


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## tfalk (Apr 3, 2008)

Another vote for SWF... we just received our 1501T/Sequin machine a few weeks ago. Because it has the sequin attachment, SWF sent the tech to our house to install the machine and teach us how to use it. He was here yesterday and today, more helpful than I could ever have imagined.


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## lorerodri (Aug 5, 2014)

HI tfalk, do you still have the SWF? how good it has been?


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## tfalk (Apr 3, 2008)

LOL, 8 years later, yes we still have it. It alternates between being a great machine and me wanting to take a baseball bat to it at times. Once we got the tensions set correctly and some other tips, it runs pretty well now. I still think it has a slight timing issue, we have more problems if we run it over 650. I can't seem to use it for caps, we get motor overload errors so at this point we just use it for flats but it runs all day long on them.


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## lorerodri (Aug 5, 2014)

Thanks for you reply my friend, i'm thinking to buy one, but as new in the business with a limitedbudget i see that SWF machine might be a good investment. Right now i'm looking for a technician in Miami who can evaluate it before i buy it.


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## lorerodri (Aug 5, 2014)

Although Tajima has a great reputation, swf has a better investment return in the long run.


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## binki (Jul 16, 2006)

We had a 1501C for 7 years and sold it. It was good but we broke the reciprocator and the factory tech that fixed it really make a mess out of it. It ran ok after that but never the same. Once we got big enough to buy a new one we purchased a 4 head SWF and sold the single head. 

Now as far as the compact machine goes, I would go with a full size if buying a single head again. The difference in price isn't that great and the capabilities and better with the full size.


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## SunEmbroidery (Oct 18, 2007)

Wow - well after 8 years I'll say that my first machine, a Tajima Neo that was purchased in 2002 is still running great. I don't think its had any parts replaced. The disk drive still works. Yes, it can't handle large inflexible bags and you have to be careful with large full back designs that cover all the area of the hoop but its a great machine. We rarely do bags or jacket backs so it has suited our needs.


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## lesz (Mar 24, 2017)

Both good machines but I think the Tajima might be a little more expensive. In my view though well worth it. Tajima still has the best reputation in embroidery hands down and their service and training is topped by none. But as I said both are good machines.

Les


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## SunEmbroidery (Oct 18, 2007)

I just checked out the new SWF machines at ISS AC and they definitely have more of a plastic look then the Tajima machines. Tajimas always look solid. I did hear that Tajima will be coming out with a smaller machine that's more in line with the small Brother machines.


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## tfalk (Apr 3, 2008)

I was surprised at the huge presence StitchIt /SWF had at ISS-AC, they had one of the largest displays of embroidery machines.... One of their guys asked me if I wanted to buy one, got a little offended when I replied "why, so I could have 2 of them that I want to hit with a baseball bat?"  I thought for a while that SunStar was going to be selling the machines themselves but it appears StitchIt is now the US distributor for SunStar. I looked at one of the 1501T models they had at the show and it was identical to my 2009 model other than I have a sequin attachment on mine.

I'm starting to think ours might have the same issue as Binki, it has never been 100% after having the reciprocator replaced. Hopefully once the school season calms down in a few weeks, I'm going to retime it and reset all the needle bar depths, maybe that will eliminate some of the issues we have with it.


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## SunEmbroidery (Oct 18, 2007)

I was also surprised how big their display area was and they had a drawing for a free machine. SWF is definitely trying to make a comeback.


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## pjmom60 (Mar 31, 2013)

TFalk, how do you reset the needle bar depth? I have an SWF 1501 E-T. 

And I hope I never have to call StitchIt to actually fix my machine. I was told by StitchIt that they charge $1 a mile and then it would cost probably $200-$400 in tech time just to do some preventative maintenance on my machine. And I live about 100 miles from them!!! I understand that Tech's need to be paid, but PinPoint told me it would be about $90-$150 to check over my machine and no mileage. (StitchIt did say that they "might" split the cost of the mileage with me if they had to come to my area for another job. Needless to say, I wasn't impressed-how are they planning on servicing sales to other parts of the country?)


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## tfalk (Apr 3, 2008)

pjmom60 said:


> TFalk, how do you reset the needle bar depth? I have an SWF 1501 E-T.


I probably used the wrong terminology, probably should have said presser foot... Behind the front cover, each presser foot has a screw that you can use to adjust the height. On my machine, we get motor overload errors pretty much every time I try to run a cap - I'm thinking of adjusting the presser feet up on a couple of needles and see if that eliminates the problem. I bought a copy of the embroidery machine repair DVD a few years ago, the guy in the videos used to work at the SWF training center here in NJ... I don't see a link for them anymore but I've used the DVD a number of times to fix things that would have otherwise left me stranded...


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## EmbroidTek1 (Sep 27, 2016)

SWF is probably never gonna make a comeback. Too many distributors, expensive parts or lack of, poor service, machine still has too many issues that have not been sorted out. There are too many machines out there right now that are better machines and have long passed SWF in the marketplace. SWF once had a great markets hare but has lost most of it with the bankruptcy/bailout in 2012-2013. The brand has a black eye and has had one for some time. Out of all the post on any forum look how many times you see a SWF broke.


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## EmbroidTek1 (Sep 27, 2016)

Also Sunstar/California/Atlanta is now Richpeace and a RiComa Dealer and is called SEWTECH and still carries SWF parts.


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## arfan (Nov 28, 2016)

I always recommend you tajima. Because tajima is much better than swf. Also tajima is Japaneses and swf are Korean based machines. so, please do not consider prices but think about quality of machine and mechanism of machine.


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## sinGN (Oct 12, 2016)

swf 1501c is the best one.


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## tfalk (Apr 3, 2008)

sinGN said:


> swf 1501c is the best one.


Seriously? And you base this on, exactly, what facts or experience?

Have you ever owned or USED an embroidery machine?


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