Singer 14U557

by Jeanne-M Turner
(France)

Ten years ago I purchased a brand new Singer five thread overlocker. Top of the range and expensive. I had always wanted one to cope with the all the soft furnishing and dressmaking I do. It never worked.

For months I struggled but could sew no more than a one to two foot length before the threads all tangled. I took it back and it was (presumably) returned to Singer factory in Paris for repair. One year later it was returned to me. It was still no better. I wept.

My husband told me to abandon it and purchase another make. I bought a Janome four thread Mylock 744D at half the price. It has been a dream and copes with everything. Five years later, whilst taking a machine for a friend to a man in Perpignan, who is a wizard with all machines, for a small repair, I decided to take this Singer 14U557 overlocker to him also.

There must be nothing he does not know about machines. He examined this machine and immediately diagnosed the fault. A small part had been missing from new. It took him almost another year for the factory to send him the part. It now works but not fantastic.

The problem with all Singer machines we have found is that they are eager to sell but not to service. For that reason I would neither recommend or buy another. This experience I have since discovered, has been found by other friends also.