New Big Saw

[woodhog73]

T The felling crews are almost exclusively using 460s with one 660 in their crew cab trucks. Big blades on the 660s maybe 36" and looks like 25 to 28 on the 460s. Skip tooth blades and no small saws at all.

Got me to thinking about new saws. Most of those fellers you mention are sub contractors ?

Stihl is notorious for pushing newest product on large tree service companies, cities organizations, state organizations etc. Both Stihl and Husky offer dealerships to tree service companies and other organizations if they are big enough to qualify and purchase enough saws. And they ( stihl and Husky) push to get saws replaced every couple of years.

A buddy of mine I used to work with is a foreman with a large tree company that is national they do right of way clearing , power line clearing for utility companies , etc. Several million in revenue a year and a couple thousand employees across the country.

So they qualify and have a dealership code for both Stihl and Husky. They buy the saws the same way a dealer does . At the same dealer price or less based on dealer status ( more saws you buy less you pay per unit) directly from the manufacturer . He tells me they are hounding them to buy new 461s and 661s ( and 261s etc ) and threatening to pull the dealership rights if they don't purchase new saws.

Husky is the same way.

 

[Jazzberry]

Got me to thinking about new saws. Most of those fellers you mention are sub contractors ?

Stihl is notorious for pushing newest product on large tree service companies, cities organizations, state organizations etc. Both Stihl and Husky offer dealerships to tree service companies and other organizations if they are big enough to qualify and purchase enough saws. And they ( stihl and Husky) push to get saws replaced every couple of years.

A buddy of mine I used to work with is a foreman with a large tree company that is national they do right of way clearing , power line clearing for utility companies , etc. Several million in revenue a year and a couple thousand employees across the country.

So they qualify and have a dealership code for both Stihl and Husky. They buy the saws the same way a dealer does . At the same dealer price or less based on dealer status ( more saws you buy less you pay per unit) directly from the manufacturer . He tells me they are hounding them to buy new 461s and 661s ( and 261s etc ) and threatening to pull the dealership rights if they don't purchase new saws.

Husky is the same way.

Ya they are all private tree companies. Most of the 660 saws I seen were old not new. I called them 660s but most of them were 066s. Also I am sure several of the 460s were 046s cause they were also mostly older saws. During the big fires we have had around here you will see some Husqvarnas used by government agencies but most all the private pros around here use old beat up looking Stihls.

 

[Ashful]

Ya they are all private tree companies. Most of the 660 saws I seen were old not new. I called them 660s but most of them were 066s. Also I am sure several of the 460s were 046s cause they were also mostly older saws. During the big fires we have had around here you will see some Husqvarnas used by government agencies but most all the private pros around here use old beat up looking Stihls.

Pros around here are almost all Stihl, as well. I asked the owner of one tree service around here, who operates about six small crews at a time. He used to buy Husqvarna, but switched to Stihl about 5 years ago. He said the Husqvarnas cost him less, and had equal performance, but used to break too easily in the hands of his crews. He got tired of constant repairs / replacements, and hasn't had the same issue since switching to Stihl.

I own both, so not a die-hard fan-boy of either brand.

 

[woodhog73]

We have a few brands in service in my buddies tree service company. We have 7 full time guys give or take 1 during the season, and just 3 in winter. A good month is 60,000 in business.

Over 20 saws in the shop. 14 Stihls, rest are Husky and 1 Dolmar.

In my neck of the woods Stihl is a solid 50 percent or more . But Husky and Jonsered have a very strong presence. Within 1 hours drive I've got 3 Husky Dealers and 2 Jonsered Dealers. Very good shops that I would call pro shops

With Stihl there's atleast double that amount of dealers but most have no clue about the products. Most carry only homeowner and farm models. One actually carries vacuums, dishwashers , and refrigerators in one room, and a bunch of Stihl 250s and 290s etc in the other room along with string trimmers, blowers, and a bunch of Stihl marketing stuff showing happy people using a 170 to cut branches in the yard.

Stihl is no doubt the current market leader in saws. Doesn't mean their products are superior. I'd put a Husky 372/ Jonsered 2172 on the exact same pedestal that I would put a 460 / 046 on. Been around as long, equal reputation for durability. Very similiar in power, feel, mostly comparable saws honestly. Non autotune, and built very robustly. But on resale I'd give the nod to the 460. Just because of the a stihl brand.

That said I own 3 Stihls, 2 Jonsereds, and 1 Husky. I love running all of them