What Generation APQS Machine Do I Have?
Ever since its inception, APQS has been providing quilters with quality machines and tools to help them create beautiful quilts. From its first mechanical longarm machine to the latest computerized longarm machines, APQS has been a leader in the quilting industry for over 40 years.
Let's take a walk back in time and explore some of APQS' most iconic and popular machines. We'll also look at how these machines have evolved over the years and how they are still relevant today. By understanding the history of APQS, we can better appreciate their products and understand why they have been around for so long.
Quick Glance
Generation 1 - These machines are gray, have a curved back, mushroom handles, curved handles, and most of the time, the On/Off switch is on the back of the machine.
Generation 2 - These machines are still gray (with the exception of Lucey) with curved handles, mushroom handles, but the power On/Off is on the side of the machine.
Generation 3 - These machines are white, curved back, curved handles, toggle switches, and power On/Off on the side of the machines.
Generation 4 - These machines are white with a straight back. This allows more quiltable space! They have toggle switches, curved handles until 2022, and the On/Off is on the side of the machine. In 2022, the handles changed from 2 curved handles that move together to more square handles that can move independently of each other, plus the “handle” part can be positioned differently.
Detailed Differences
The Ultimate XX - made up to the year 2000. It has a 36-inch throat, no stitch regulator, thread cutter, and a fluorescent light bulb. Wow, just look at those handles. Looks straight out of a Star Wars movie!
Ultimate XX
Consew EZQ - made up to the year 2000. This machine has an 8-inch throat space. It is small but mighty! That one is super heavy. Jacob has worked on one here in the Omaha area, and she is still going strong! There is no stitch regulator or external lighting, and it is gold in color.
Ultimate I - made up to the year 2000. She is simply known as the “Plain Jane”. This machine has a 26-inch throat space. There is no stitch regulator, has a hopping foot, thread cutter, speed control adjustment via rotary dial, a curved back, and a fluorescent light bulb. Again, this machine is still out there stitching. We actually worked on one that was in a flood. Jacob oiled everything, and told the customer that probably the electronics might have an issue, but she kept on stitching for another year!
Ultimate II - made up to the year 2000. This machine has a 20-inch throat space. The difference between the Ultimate I is that the Ultimate II has a presser foot and not a hopping foot.
When we first had the store, we had older machines for rent. When we were transitioning to the new machines, I had a nickname for the older machines - Gray Backs. They are mighty, strong, and beautiful, just like a grayback gorilla.
Discovery - made from 2000 to 2006. This machine has a 20-inch throat space. The Discovery has a fluorescent light bulb, speed control on the side of the machine via a rotary dial, vertical handles, no stitch regulator, a curved back, and the power On/Off is on the back of the machine.
Liberty - made from 1999 to 2007. This machine has a 20-inch throat space. The handles are vertical and have what we call mushroom heads with multiple buttons for controls, LED stitch display, stitch regulator, a curved back, and the power button on the back of the machine.
Freedom Standard (aka Freddie)- made from 1999-2007. This machine has a 26-inch throat space. He has no stitch regulator, curved handles, fluorescent light, speed control dial on the top cover, curved handles were optional, a curved back, and the On/Off switch is on the back of the machine.
Millennium (AKA Millie) Generation 1 (AKA Gen 1) - made from 1999 to 2007. This machine has a 26-inch throat space. There is a “gas gauge” meter or an LCD meter for the stitch length indicator, mushroom heads, fluorescent light bulb, thread cutter, curved handles, electronic channel locks, a curved back, and the power On/Off switch is on the back of the machine.
Freddie Gen 1 - made from 2006-2008. This machine has a 26-inch throat space. He has fluorescent lights, stitch regulator, a curved back, mushroom heads, LCD stitch length display, On/Off switch on the back of the machine.
Lenni Gen 1 & 2 - made from 2007-2013. This machine has a 20-inch throat space. He has LED lights with black light optional, vertical handles, a curved back, speed control via a rotary control on the side of the machine, On/Off switch on the center of the throat.
Millie Gen 2 - made from 2008-2012. This machine has a 26-inch throat space. She has LED lights with black light switch, stitch regulator, thread cutter, mushroom heads, curved handles, LED stitch length display, a curved back, and the On/Off button is on the center of the throat.
Freddie Gen 2 - made from 2008 to 2012. This machine has a 26-inch throat space. He has LED lights with black light switch, LED stitch length display, stitch regulator, no thread cutter, curved handles, a curved back, mushroom heads, LCD stitch length display, On/Off switch on the center of the throat.
Lucey Gen 2 - made from 2010 to 2013. This machine has a 26-inch throat space. She had LED light with black light upgrade optional, curved handles, curved back, has a white shell, green toggle switches that have separate operations, stitch regulator On/Off on the side of the machine, stitch length on the side of the machine, as well as the On/Off on the side of the machine.
George - Gooseneck Light - made from 2005 - 2011. This machine has a 20-inch throat. He has a rotary dial for motor speed on the side of the machine, no stitch regulator, On/Off switch on the right end of the machine (opposite the needle). In May of 2011, the table came with a plexiglass insert and portable table.
At the end of generation 2, machines were made with white paint. So, you might have a generation 2 machine that is white, but for sure, all generations moving forward are made with white paint.
Millie Gen 3 - made from 2013 to 2018. This machine has a 26-inch throat space. She has toggle switches, LED lights with a black light switch, thread brake detector, low bobbin indicator, a curved back, thread cutter, and the On/Off button in the center of the throat.
Freddie Gen 3 - made from 2013 to 2018. This machine has a 26-inch throat space. He has toggle switches, LED lights with black light switch, thread brake detector, low bobbin indicator, a curved back, no thread cutter, and the On/Off button in the center of the throat.
Larry - made from 2015 to 2017. his machine has an 18-inch throat space. He has toggle switches, a curved back, upright handles, LED lights with black light optional, the On/Off switch is in the center of the throat. The one downside to Larry is no quilt path option.
Lenni Gen 3 - made from 2013 to 2018. This machine has a 20-inch throat space. He has toggle switches, LED lights with black light optional but became included in 2017, round handles, a curved back, speed control via the rotary control on the side of the machine, On/Off switch on the center of the throat.
Lucey Gen 3 - made from 2013 to 2018. This machine has a 26-inch throat space. She had LED light with black light upgrade optional, curved handles, curved back, toggle switches, stitch regulator On/Off on the side of the machine, stitch length on the side of the machines, as well as the On/Off on the back of the machine.
George - made from 2015 - 2018. This machine has a 20-inch throat. He has a rotary dial for motor speed on the side of the machine, no stitch regulator, On/Off switch on the center throat, and is white.
In 2019, the machine had a big upgrade; even though the throat space is the same, the quiltable space increased by making the back of the machine straight instead of curved.
Millie Gen 4 - made from 2019 to current. This machine has a 26-inch throat space. he has toggle switches, LED lights with black light switch, thread brake detector, low bobbin indicator, thread cutter, quick change hopping foot, and the On/Off button in the center of the throat.
Freddie Gen 4 - made from 2019 to current. This machine has a 26-inch throat space. He has toggle switches, LED lights with black light switch, LED stitch length display, thread brake detector, low bobbin indicator, a curved back, no thread cutter, quick change hopping foot, and the On/Off button in the center of the throat.
Lenni Gen 4 - made from 2019 to present. This machine has a 22-inch throat space. He has toggle switches, LED lights with black light optional but became included in 2017, round handles, a curved back, speed control via the rotary control on the side of the machine, quick change feet, On/Off switch on the center of the throat.
Lucey Gen 4 - made from 2019 to present. This machine has a 26-inch throat space. She had LEd light with black light upgrade optional, curved handles, curved back, toggle switches, stitch regulator On/Off on the side of the machine, stitch length on the side of the machines, quick change feet, as well as the On/Off on the side of the machine.
George - made from 2019 - 2021. This machine has a 22-inch throat. He has a rotary dial for motor speed on the side of the machine, no stitch regulator, quick change feet, On/Off switch on the center throat, and is white.
Millie 30 - made from 2017 to current. This machine has a 30-inch throat. She has the new squarish handles, LED light with black light, toggle switches, thread break detector, low bobbin indicator, On/Off in the center of the throat.
As I type this article, I am sitting by our Millie Gen 1 machines. These machines are dear to my heart as our first rentals. They are still going strong! APQS is known for being a workhorse machine. Our rentals work six days a week, 8 hours or more a day, and still hum along beautifully.
Tell us about your machine, what you like best about your machine, and what generation it is. We look forward to the conversations!
Cathy.