Replies

1. 
   Kiley | Jun 06, 2006 11:45am | #1

   The Jem Gold and the Jem Silver are well reviewed and loved little machines. The Jem Silver can be purchased on line for only $199 with free shipping and it comes in a little blue carry bag. This is the same machine as the Jem Gold but the Jem Silver has the ASG logo on the head of the machine and the little blue bag to commerate the ASG's Anniversary. I think this machine was originally made for the guild to take to classes. My daughter has this machine and it performs like a larger Janome. The performance is excellent for such a small machine and well reviewed by many owners.

   I am unfamiliar with the 659 and it's performance and I did not see it listed on the Janome site, but from the ads on line I see it does have some features that the Gold and Silver models lack. The ads say that the 659 has a drop feed, the Jems have a plastic cover for the feed. The 659 has a 1 step buttonholer and the Jems have a 4 step but do an outstanding buttonhole. The Jems do not have a handle but the 659 does. The 659 might also have more stitches. I think the 659 and the Jems all have the jam free hook with the top loading bobbin. The 659 has a buttonhole density dial and stitch width dial where the stitches on the Jems have to be dialed manually to which width you prefer, sort of pre programmed. I think the 659 has an extension table but I didn't see it but saw mention of it. The 659 also comes with more feet.  I know the Jems are very small machines to tote to classes. I didn't check to see how small the 659 was but it seems larger than the mechanical Jems. There are some newer computerized Jems that are much more expensive. They cost as much as a larger machine. I hope this helps a bit.  

    

    

   
   

   ---

   Edited 6/6/2006 5:00 am ET by Kiley