i agree, tajima and burdan are top tier, swf is second tier.
SWFs are great to get into it with don't get me wrong, its IMO one of the best bang for the bucks out there, but it's not a top level machine. Its maybe 3rd or 4th in the game. I wouldn't change what ive done. I would do it all the same again. I couldn't afford these nicer machines when I started, so had I done that I wouldn't have as many machines as I do now.