Husqvarna quality, how has it been compromised since sold at big box stores?

[brettl]

As I understand it, and please correct me where wrong, Husky, Poulan, Craftastman, Jonsered, Redmax and how many others(?) are one. Since the big box store availability, where does the old Husky quality end, and the Poulan/Craftsman-type "disposable" stuff begin? How far does the disposable stuff carry over into the Jonsered and Redmax saws? No disrespect to Poulan or Craftsman. I've owned Poulan and it was a decent saw for the use it was intended. I currently own a so-called "Professional" Craftsman and have been favorably surprised at the performance. Starts well, idles and transitions well and has good power. Cheesy chain tensioning system though. Looking forward to your answers.  Thanks

[Rob5073]

I can say this: Husqvarna doesn't let the big box stores sell the pro grade saws.  I tried to get the "blue store"  to order me a 545 Auto Tune.  The employee called the Husqvarna rep while I was standing there and Husqvarna said no.  I went through Baileys.  I don't know about their home owner or ranch saws. Husqvarna's pro saws are top notch IMO.

[nmurph]

I'm pretty sure you can order up to a 2265 through TSC.

[brettl]

That Jonsered series at TSC is one I'm curious about. Can I buy parts for and service them? Are they built more along the lines of Poulan/Craftsman disposables, or the better Husky saws?  I'm seeing Echo saws almost identical in appearance to the Jonsereds, are they part of this Husky family as well?

[nmurph]

The Jreds you see on the shelf are the low end and the Rancher lines. The Rancher lines are decent saws.

No, Echo is not a part of the Husqvarna conglomerate.

[SawTroll]

"Husqvarna quality, how has it been compromised since sold at big box stores?"

Not at all, as they made some really cheap models anyway (or had Poulan make them).
Actually, all the brands do....

[brettl]

Perhaps I should have phrased it "... since Poulan started making some of them"? That would have been more accurate. I just don't know how long Poulan was making them before they showed up in the big box stores. I will be buying another saw soon and would like to know which saws in this conglomerate are still quality saws. I cut a lot of hedge every year and recently lost my best mid-sized Stihl to theft.

[sawguy21]

The 400 series and up (and I believe the entry level 240) are made in Sweden and are top notch saws in their class. The 100 series were Poulan built, decent enough for the occasional user but of not much interest to most of us.

[JohnG28]

The rebadging of saws comes from parent companies owning multiple brands and combining lines to serve both brands, if you get what I mean.  The quality of any manufacturer's saws depends on which one you are buying, at least for Husky, Stihl, Jonsered(which are twins to most Husky saws in different colors),  Dolmar, etc.  Their light use homeowner saws are just that, and their pro saws are quality professional saws. The box stores selling them is just an outlet for some lower models, save for TSC and some of the Jonsereds they offer.

[SawTroll]

Rebadging isn't always connected to saw brands owning each other - it started long before that.

[cheeves]

I'm still partial to the Husky's made in the 70's and 80's though! Love the old 162 Husqvarna! And the old orange top 44 was an incredible little saw!! Have 2 now, not orange top, and one has an OE 346 piston milled down .015 to fit. Have 2 61's that are hard to beat, and a converted 261 to a 262 that is my favorite!
Can't beat the old Husky's. But the old Stihl's were great too. A 056 were fabulous, and my 032 is probably the best built 50cc saw ever!! ( Not to get off Topic)!  :laugh:

[JohnG28]

Rebadging isn't always connected to saw brands owning each other - it started long before that.

I meant more for modern day. In the past it has been more involved but currently is more due to parent companies.

[luvmexfood]

Don't know about if the quality has changed but when Husqvarna started going the box store route it put one fine local lawn and garden shop out of business. Course that was a few years back. Most consumers just look at the brand name and don't consider if the box store model is as well made as what the dealer has. This is especially true in lawnmowers.

[thecfarm]

I support a dealer. If I need something,thier help,than I should have it.

[ReggieT]

Perhaps I should have phrased it "... since Poulan started making some of them"? That would have been more accurate. I just don't know how long Poulan was making them before they showed up in the big box stores. I will be buying another saw soon and would like to know which saws in this conglomerate are still quality saws. I cut a lot of hedge every year and recently lost my best mid-sized Stihl to theft.

Did you say;"HEDGE?"....my most favorite wood in the world!! 8)

[bandmiller2]

If you want to play you got to pay, price tells you a lot about quality. They make home owner and pro quality. Frank C.

[Al_Smith]

Rebadging isn't always connected to saw brands owning each other - it started long before that.

I think in general conversation just about every manufacturer in the world produces products that are of a lesser quality to target a specific market niche .

Sears/Poulans take the brunt of unfavorable comments but keep in mind they were made to Sears' specs .Poulan made some pretty robust saws and for that matter Stihl made some that aren't what one would  consider to be real bullit proof .

[SawTroll]

Perhaps I should have phrased it "... since Poulan started making some of them"? That would have been more accurate. ......

The current Poulan involvement in making the cheapest Husky (and Jonsered) models started around 1990, with the 36 and 41. Then it went 136/141 - 137/142 and then 235/236/240.
Before that it was a mix of Skil/Quadra Train/Emab (that operation had many names) in Canada, a single Solo, and more Poulan made ones....

[Al_Smith]

You can carry it on farther than that .

Briggs and Stratton for example made at least three versions of a vertical cylinder 8 HP engine depending on the market .The least expensive was a plated cylinder with a non inserted main bearing .In other words the aluminum case was the bearing .

Next up was the iron cylinder brass inserted sleeve bearing model .Lastly the industrial version with a ball bearing crankshaft and iron cylinder at least as robust as a compairable Kohler in that power range .

So just like chainsaws just because it has a certain name does not qualify it nor disqualify the product of being robust .

[brettl]

Thanks for the input everyone. I certainly understand that a name doesn't make the saw. True in most industries. I'm just trying to learn a bit more about the Husky line of saws. Jonsered and Redmax seem to have some good ones to but I don't know if they're quality saws any more with Poulan in the mix. I'm particularly interested in learning about the Husky 261 as there's one on my local cl right now. The seller has totally rebuilt it and it has the 262XP top end. If the 261 was a true Husky I'm interested, but if it's a Poulan-made saw I'll pass it up. Keep the information coming guys. Thanks

[weimedog]

I guess I don't accept the premise that because Husqvarna and attached companies developed sales channels thru box stores, their over all quality went down. I think you have to think about it from the marketing perspective, as they have developed sales channels; they needed to build products at price points that will make those business ventures profitable and therefor worth while. I think they also have allowed dealers to respond by offering pricing that allows dealers to compete dollar for dollar with the box store saws while also giving dealers the edge with pro user/customers by having the pro saw sales channels still primarily power equipment dealers instead of box stores and tractor/farm stores.

My local TSC (Tractor Supply) used to have Husqvarna saws and their best was the 359 rancher series, along with 455's, 450's, 440's, etc. The new saw display from Jonsered has a 2266 as their top line saw for almost $700 dollars. We all know a 2166 is essentially a slightly down tuned 2172 (Transfer port caps that can be modified to flow like the 2172's!) So they are selling a true pro saw in the 2166. They also  have the 2152 and the rest of Jonsered's mid range and home owner saws with the exception of the 2258.

Interestingly enough, most of the Dealer's will sell the 2166 for less than TSC so WHY would a person looking for a pro level saw NOT got to a good dealer? Better or equal prices plus some real support for the same money on the pro level saws.

Back to the topic at hand. Since there have been $150-$200 dollar options in the market place for a long time, Husqvarna has provided a series of products to serve that lower level price point. The 440 series saws are alternatives to their Poulan based offerings. For that price point and market served , they are solid products.

At each price point in the saw market; Husqvarna has offerings either through the Husqvarna brand or though owned brands such as Jonsered or Poulan. I believe from what I have seen their product offerings are a match if not better than any brand out there measured by their price / performance / reliability. In addition they have some real killer bang per buck offerings in the 555/ Jred 2258, 455AT (Auto tune version of the 455), and 365/ Jred 2166 saws.

So I don't think the quality of the pro level offerings is at all effected by the products driven by the box store marketplace.

[nmurph]

The 262 is all Husqvarna, and a great one at that. I am working on a rebuild of one right now.

[SawTroll]

Thanks for the input everyone. I certainly understand that a name doesn't make the saw. True in most industries. I'm just trying to learn a bit more about the Husky line of saws. Jonsered and Redmax seem to have some good ones to but I don't know if they're quality saws any more with Poulan in the mix. I'm particularly interested in learning about the Husky 261 as there's one on my local cl right now. The seller has totally rebuilt it and it has the 262XP top end. If the 261 was a true Husky I'm interested, but if it's a Poulan-made saw I'll pass it up. Keep the information coming guys. Thanks

The 261 is a "detuned" version of the 262xp, and was made by Husky in Sweden.

[CTYank]

Since you keep bringing up RedMax and nobody takes the bait, I'll wager you won't see any of their saws at a big-box. They are serious saws, some few cuts above the green Poulans, IMHO. No way will you confuse them once you fire them up. Big-boxes are all about price.
Common corporate ownership no way means common products.
I'd be much more concerned about the decline of quality in the casual-user Stihls- things like rods stamped out of mild steel, bar studs mounted in plastic, little things like that.

[JohnG28]

Common corporate ownership in no way means common products?!? Really? Hmm, ever look at the offerings of say, any car company? Saw companies? Dolmar/Makita and Husqvarna/Jonsered come to mind right off the top. :

As for box stores, they are like a Walmart for tools and the like IMO. Average person can walk in for about anything they want for their house, task, whatever and walk out with it. Quality of many things isn't as good as it was once. That said, my 142 came from Lowes, I think is a Poulan, and is a great little saw for what it is. I never tried to abuse it and it's never let me down.