Long story short, spent much of today going one-on-one through a very condensed and intense GOL Phase 1 and 2 with my friend Bill, a guy who had been a GOL instructor but doesn't teach anymore. I brought my MS390 and 025, he brought a brand-new MS361 and an older Husky 372XP. I used my 390 to go through the maintenance and sharpening portion, and then we went to the woods to drop some dead ash and a couple 16" DBH red pines. Nice ones, too, probably 70' trees.
Well, lemme just say that any preconceived notions I had about my 390 being a pig with no power, were soundly confirmed once I got the 361 in my grubby fingers. Holy ^%@)!@^ that thing is a screamer! He used to have an 036Pro and it was stolen, so he used the settlement to buy the 361. He didn't care much for it at first and still doesn't, but he admitted it goes a lot better with an 8-tooth rim on it, and semi-skip chain. It outcut my 390 2-to-1 without a doubt. I'm sold. I took down an 8" ash, and pine #1 with the 361.
Of course, pine #2 came down with the 372XP. It was the first time I had ever used a Husky. Didn't even know how to start it. He warned me, that the 372 would have a LOT more speed and power than the 361. I didn't believe him, it even looks like a physically smaller saw. Went to pick it up and WOW, that thing was heavy! I fired it up and it went through that pine like a hot knife through warm butter. I fould it interesting that there seemed to be less of a difference between the MS361 and 372XP, in cutting speed and power, than between the MS390 and MS361.
Anyway, I now officially hate my MS390. The 361 may not cure cancer but it sure makes you feel good! As for the 372, I always was a Stihl fan, but that 372 (if it wasn't so darned heavy) might almost change my mind. Both of his saws were running a 16" bar with semi-skip chain, while my 390 has a 20" bar and full-comp chain, and that does make a significant difference in cutting speed, but not nearly what I experienced today.
:jawdrop:
Well, lemme just say that any preconceived notions I had about my 390 being a pig with no power, were soundly confirmed once I got the 361 in my grubby fingers. Holy ^%@)!@^ that thing is a screamer! He used to have an 036Pro and it was stolen, so he used the settlement to buy the 361. He didn't care much for it at first and still doesn't, but he admitted it goes a lot better with an 8-tooth rim on it, and semi-skip chain. It outcut my 390 2-to-1 without a doubt. I'm sold. I took down an 8" ash, and pine #1 with the 361.
Of course, pine #2 came down with the 372XP. It was the first time I had ever used a Husky. Didn't even know how to start it. He warned me, that the 372 would have a LOT more speed and power than the 361. I didn't believe him, it even looks like a physically smaller saw. Went to pick it up and WOW, that thing was heavy! I fired it up and it went through that pine like a hot knife through warm butter. I fould it interesting that there seemed to be less of a difference between the MS361 and 372XP, in cutting speed and power, than between the MS390 and MS361.
Anyway, I now officially hate my MS390. The 361 may not cure cancer but it sure makes you feel good! As for the 372, I always was a Stihl fan, but that 372 (if it wasn't so darned heavy) might almost change my mind. Both of his saws were running a 16" bar with semi-skip chain, while my 390 has a 20" bar and full-comp chain, and that does make a significant difference in cutting speed, but not nearly what I experienced today.
:jawdrop:
I also wasn't doing an apples-to-apples comparison. If I had a 16" bar on the 390, I think I would notice a pretty significant difference in cut speed. I do notice the difference between a 16" bar and 18" bar on my 025. 
