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What brand saw do you use? What's the best bang for your buck?

Started by RDevonshire94, November 21, 2019, 06:01:06 AM

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Two Trax

Echo is not the only brand saw I own that benefits from some muffler work and tuning. You can add both Stihl and Husqvarna to that list. 

And yes thank the EPA for that. 

And no I do not for one second think that they, Echo, are an inferior design/product because they seem to benefit a bit more from those procedures. 
Livin the dream!

weimedog

Quote from: ladylake on November 23, 2019, 08:00:34 AM

You will be seeing more Echo saws as they are way ahead of Husky and Stihl mid range saws and cost less. Steve
Heard that for ten years now. While certainly not in any way implying Echo's are any less of a saw that the offerings from the Makita, Husqvarna, Stihl brands, because I simply have no idea; have to state what I have experienced is all. And I actually do have an echo, actually "Kioritz"; its this solid metal block of a saw in John Deere Green! :) Looks like it built tank tough! Looking to get it going as it's really a well built machine. Will fit right in with the Mac's and Homelite's.

Also wondered what happened with the Shindaiwa / Echo merge. Did it actually even happened? Any of the original Shindaiwa designs survive? They too made a pretty solid saw.
Problem with the small gas saw market is other than top handles for arborists...its like...why? Just get a 50cc pro saw! And the other thing is the battery powered saws are just going to sweep them out of the market over the next ten years.

Always wondered what happened with the cs-670 / 680 series saws that competed in the 65-70cc saw market, really solid saws BTW; which brings up another point. Stihl & Husqvarna have sold so many saws over the years they have justified aftermarket support for many of their models. Case and point is go look for a cylinder kit for a cs-670 which was sold up until a few years back, then do the same for a Stihl 038 or Husqvarna 272 which are 1980's era saws! Long since obsolete. The difference in "options" tells the entire story and also one of the reasons why it makes sense to buy a major brand saw.

Companies like Solo come to mind. Echo has done well in that smaller saw and landscape market, but even though excellent tools, will never have the market share and follow on support of the the major brands. So with All thing equal what really makes the most sense? :)
Husqvarna 365sp/372xpw Blend, Jonsered 2171 51.4mm XPW build,562xp HTSS, 560 HTSS, 272XP, 61/272XP, 555, 257, 242, 238, Homelite S-XL 925, XP-1020A, Super XL (Dad's saw); Jonsered 2094, Three 920's, CS-2172, Solo 603; 3 Huztl MS660's (2 54mm and 1 56mm)

ladylake

 Husky and Stihl are cheapening their lower level saws a lot over the past few years , it will and is catching up to them.  I run a portable saw mill and customers who use my Echo saws most often hold them up, look them over and ask where to get them.  They start and run and cut  great plus are built good .  Last saw job the customer asked about Echo and said he liked his Stihl if he could get it started. Many times on saw jobs I watch customers pull and pull on their Stihl saws even after they have been run. A couple jobs ago they had a 441 Stihl which took around 20 pulls a couple of times, I's sure some start good but a lot don't.  Stihl number 1 selling saw the MS290  291 is heavy, gutless and hard to work on. When these company's start cheapening up their products and live off brand loyalty they will lose sales but most times it takes a long time. but it will happen.  Polaris snowmobiles used to have 70% of the market, after cheapening them up it took a long time but their market share is somewhere around 30% and people wouldn't be brand loyal it would be lower.  Steve
Timberking B20  18000  hours +  Case75xt grapple + forks+8" snow bucket + dirt bucket   770 Oliver   Lots(too many) of chainsaws, Like the Echo saws and the Stihl and Husky     W5  Case loader   1  trailers  Wright sharpener     Suffolk  setter Volvo MCT125c skid loader

weimedog

Quote from: ladylake on November 24, 2019, 07:52:19 AM
Husky and Stihl are cheapening their lower level saws a lot over the past few years , it will and is catching up to them.  I run a portable saw mill and customers who use my Echo saws most often hold them up, look them over and ask where to get them.  They start and run and cut  great plus are built good .  Last saw job the customer asked about Echo and said he liked his Stihl if he could get it started. Many times on saw jobs I watch customers pull and pull on their Stihl saws even after they have been run. A couple jobs ago they had a 441 Stihl which took around 20 pulls a couple of times, I's sure some start good but a lot don't.  Stihl number 1 selling saw the MS290  291 is heavy, gutless and hard to work on. When these company's start cheapening up their products and live off brand loyalty they will lose sales but most times it takes a long time. but it will happen.  Polaris snowmobiles used to have 70% of the market, after cheapening them up it took a long time but their market share is somewhere around 30% and people wouldn't be brand loyal it would be lower.  Steve
Agree with the 291/391 vs 290. The first of those with the "spring" anti-vibs had throttle linkage issues as they burrowed into the plastic. But those old "hockey puck" anti vib stihls like the 290's are still bullet proof. And the point I'm making is there are many excellent saws that have come into the market and left....us all wondering why they didn't make more of a "mark". Remember all the hype around the Dolmar 5100's and 7900's a few years back? Great as they were they never really took off to be a real competitive offering. Makita has a stronger name and marketing channels so I expect them to do better than when they were simply Dolmar's prior to Makita buying them. Had nothing to do with the saw relative to the competition technically, had everything to do with the size of the "channels" the brand had access to. And all the discussion about performance one vs the other means nothing if they don't have the marketing channels to push product as compared to the other brands. So there are always "pockets" of enthusiasm for the smaller "good quality" brands, but that doesn't mean they will make a major "mark" in the over all scheme of thing.....witness Echo. Been around building good stuff for decades but can't really move relative to tne major player in the market place. While there are pockets....as defined by you... there really isn't a ground swell that would make Stihl worry much. So relative to the OP, bottom line is support. If there is a great echo dealer that has proven they can last...why not? If not then all things considered which ever brand the best and most stable dealer in a customers area has to be the best brand to buy. And I happen to like the Dolmar/Makita small to mid range saws, but really can't argue both Stihl and Husqvarna have some excellent offerings there as well. Having said that an all around "bang per buck" saw...back to my original posting. I would start with the 60cc and larger offerings.  
Husqvarna 365sp/372xpw Blend, Jonsered 2171 51.4mm XPW build,562xp HTSS, 560 HTSS, 272XP, 61/272XP, 555, 257, 242, 238, Homelite S-XL 925, XP-1020A, Super XL (Dad's saw); Jonsered 2094, Three 920's, CS-2172, Solo 603; 3 Huztl MS660's (2 54mm and 1 56mm)

ehp

around here a lot and I mean a lot of guys are using the Stihl 462, the husky 572 is a good saw as well and cheaper to buy but everyone is liking the light weight of the 462

weimedog

Seems like both the 572's and 462's are excellent offerings. Since the OP is about "bang per buck", to those in the "know" what are typical price points for those two new saw offerings? What about a good used 461? Not being a "Stihl" guy, an interesting phenom for me is the local guys around here are a little behind the times and are seem to be hunting down all the 461's they can. I happen to like all of the above. We do have several excellent Stihl dealers and all the Tractor stores now have the brand. Three dealers in my home town alone, and a few more within driving distance. SO folks around here can't go wrong with that brand. Can only expect the 462 to be an improvement over the 461's. Time will tell. Hoping sooner than later so the price of good used 461's drop into the 441 range...or I can acquire a "junk pile" of those to build from...like I have with 441's, 385's and 372's :)
Husqvarna 365sp/372xpw Blend, Jonsered 2171 51.4mm XPW build,562xp HTSS, 560 HTSS, 272XP, 61/272XP, 555, 257, 242, 238, Homelite S-XL 925, XP-1020A, Super XL (Dad's saw); Jonsered 2094, Three 920's, CS-2172, Solo 603; 3 Huztl MS660's (2 54mm and 1 56mm)

ehp

I got a bunch of 461's and bought another 461 arctic a month or so ago for cutting on the landing , they are a good tough saw , we honestly donot know how the 462 is going to be like once its a couple years old but as of right now if I had to have 1 saw only it would be the 462 . Its a 60 cc weight saw with a lot more power than a 60cc saw

weimedog

I'm jealous because those 461's are still pretty pricey used around here, plan to have one sooner or later. But the take away from your commentary is sort of like Spike60 and I have pontificated on for years...that commentary..."If I had ONE saw, it would be X, Y, or Z"....but in fact we have multiples. :) I have just one 572, but this season have been living day to day with a pile of 372's Original editions in various states of disrepair. And one 70e. Certainly nothing to brag about, almost a confession. They do what I want and have for a long time. Old, Out dated, ugly, but they work and have been hammer reliable. And I have said and still would say if I had ONE saw it would be a 562...but actions speak louder than words I guess. ( My 572 & 3 562's sit on a shelf for now )
Husqvarna 365sp/372xpw Blend, Jonsered 2171 51.4mm XPW build,562xp HTSS, 560 HTSS, 272XP, 61/272XP, 555, 257, 242, 238, Homelite S-XL 925, XP-1020A, Super XL (Dad's saw); Jonsered 2094, Three 920's, CS-2172, Solo 603; 3 Huztl MS660's (2 54mm and 1 56mm)

samandothers

@RDevonshire94 
Did you make a decision?  

I'll throw my hat on the Echo wagon. I have increased usage in recent years.  The Stihl I had, an MS250,  was getting hard to start and I wanted a bigger saw.  At the time I had a smaller Echo with a 14" bar and it was a great starting and running saw.  So I bought an Echo 620 and really like using it.  Look at Echo's site for 'Dealer Day' sale dates.  If you find one near you can save 15%.

Good luck!

TheTexasRAT

eight years ago I wanted to buy a chainsaw, and a tree guy of 30 years told me that if I wanted a saw that would simply start every time get a Stihl. He told me that eight out of ten saws on jobs where Stilhs and the other two usually were Huskies.

So I have had an MS290 for 8 years now with a 20" bar straight out the store. I have only use the Premium Stihl 50:1 oil (in the grey bottle) for the fuel, and always fill it full of fuel before putting it back on the shelf. It has always started (year after year), even after 6 months of sitting around. I have cut down and up at least ten 36" oak trees, over twenty 24" oak trees, and numerous pines over the years and it runs as good as it did from day one, and it still has the same spark plug and air filter. I never tuned it or anything other than pull it off the self and start it up and start cutting wood. The only thing I do is blow it off with air compressor before putting it back on the self other than fill it with fuel.

I also have had a MS 250 now for the past two years and treat it in the same manor and have never had to work on it either.

And the Stilh bars and chains hold up very to boot.

So even though mine are not of the Pro line-up they are Stihl and hold up to their reputation. That is they start when you need it, whether up a tree or on the ground. Neither have the Mtronics either, just carbs, so take that as it may, my advise is buy Stihl, and always use their Premium 50:1 oil in the grey bottle, and fuel it up before shelving it.

moodnacreek


longtime lurker



Yeah Ford/Chevy debate and honestly IMHO it's just like that... One manufacturer will outperform the rest in a given class and who that is changes over time.

I've got a pair of 461's. Nice little saw, can't fault them. Great dealer support which is typical of Stihl. Plenty power to weight and simple carburettor design for old relics like me. 372XP's were a good saw too but their day has passed.

I've got 3 of 395's, trade one out every year. Been my go to work saw since I pensioned off my 076's, ain't found anything newer that's better, it's that big bar + .404 torque curve that the new screamers can't match. 076's were the pick of them 30 years back.

Got a little MS 192T. Most dangerous saw I've ever picked up, and the only one that's ever bit me. Can't fault the saw, I did something dumb.

Got a little rancher about 036 size. Piece of junk.

If I could only have one... 895 McCullough gear drive, in case of big wood or zombie apocalypse or something. :D
The quickest way to make a million dollars with a sawmill is to start with two million.

Parmstrong191

My favorite personal saw is the stihl 270c. Not sure if you can find them anymore, i'm sure they've been replaced with something up-to-date. But from my experience it pulls a 20" bar with a full house chain perfectly. I have done a muffler mod on it (how i run it now), and it's just amazing. Runs great even as a stock saw with a simple carb tune. 

Andyshine77

For the money none of the other brands Fran/Ranch saws come close to the Echo CS590, they are disposable plastic junk comparatively IMHO. Built like a tank, simple non strato, and very high in quality. The nicest cylinder, crank I've ever seen in a saw.  
Andre.

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