ross_scott
ArboristSite Guru
brand names such as pioneer, Mcculloch etc were still around what would their saws be like today and would stihl and husqvarna be as dominant on the market as what they are today
They may be sold somewhere, I haven't seen one here in a while. Home depot or Lowes used to sell them. They looked like something crazy, Wildly colored and cheap. I'm with you though, If you're going to buy a mac, Better look for an old one. Randymac could tell ya about all those old macs he ran.I actually though Mac was still making saws somewhere. No matter, the gent is right, they are not good saws. I think we see what would happen if we take a look at Homelite. When it comes to saws, there's a pretty good basis for getting nostalgic for the old days.
I think if they had a different history the Macs would have still survived. If the employees had purchased the company like the Harley employees did after the AMF years they may have remained the icon they were.
Partner saws in their Prime,and they were excellent saws way ahead of all the others in technology.
Just got my hands on a P100, and I am amazed by how many of its features are standard on modern saws today: engine layout, rim sprocket, chainbrake, solid-state ignition, etc. I like to think that Stihl and Husky were about ten years behind in design, and still would be if Partner was its own independent company today.
that is what I am getting at guys like if McCulloch was not bought out and crap saws marketed under that brand what would they be like now if they were still being manufactured in their original factories and not demoted to inferior quality just to make their own brand e.g Husqvarna take a strangle hold on the market.
I have used both Pioneer, and Partner saws in their Prime,and they were excellent saws way ahead of all the others in technology. They both were swallowed up by the Husqvarna, buy out. They started the poulan pro line, which was created with Pioneer, and Partner models,and then they slowly eliminated the other two lines. (partner survives in Europe) They were better saws at the time than the rest, and if they still were in business as separate companies, they most likely would be excellent modern saws, most likely still ahead of the competition.
I think if they had a different history the Macs would have still survived. If the employees had purchased the company like the Harley employees did after the AMF years they may have remained the icon they were.
Who knows what would have been?
Too bad a good company wouldn't get hold of the old icon names and make something good again. Some manufacturing growth in the USA would be nice.
Corporate America just really confuses me
Just got my hands on a P100, and I am amazed by how many of its features are standard on modern saws today: engine layout, rim sprocket, chainbrake, solid-state ignition, etc. I like to think that Stihl and Husky were about ten years behind in design, and still would be if Partner was its own independent company today.
Okay some of you fellas on this thread know a bit about me,I'm no saw Guru for sure,but I am one hell of a good listener.most of the talk on AS regarding Pioneer's is that they were one hell of a saw!I mean com on the name say's it all, PIONEER! Honestly answer this question"What comes to your mind when someone say's He was a Pioneer,they were Pioneers,they Pioneer,d this or that.JEEEEZZZZ!.I'll tell you what comes to my mind,not a quitter,tough as hell,innovative,get down and get dirty.Pioneers beat the path down so people could walk the beaten path.Just wait till I get some of the Pioneer Gurus on to this thread like,well, pioneerguy600,propliner,the Pioneer thread is full of fellas that will back me up on this.I hope they will or I'm going to look like a complete idiot!LOL! Hey,just imagine if one of the firearm companies came out with a model named Pioneer.I can here it now"You see that fella over there" He's packing a Pioneer! Wow! that's just so kick ass!
Lawrence
Pioneer made a very good strong saw at the time but they did not have deep enough pockets to keep up the R&D necessary to carry them into the future. Pioneer was deeply in dept and had production problems, mostly the cost of production was too high compared with what they could sell their saws for. Labour costs were prohibitive and the leadership of the company started breaking down.They just could not compete with the other manufacturers even though the saws were top notch and very well made. There was just so much market for chainsaws and if you could not make your product and sell it at a competitive price then your company will not make it, cannot keep running a company at a loss. All very sad but the reality of corporate America is you make a profit for your shareholders or you are sold to the highest bidder.
Pioneerguy600
Dunno if this helps but my Pioneer Partner 500 has a rivetted metal tag saying "PARTNER 500 6141865 Electrolux AB SWEDEN" That would confirm the Electrolux involvement. I thought they made vacuums. I don't understand that business either, nor do I want to.Jerry I ran across this a short time ago.
http://books.google.com/books?id=qt...e&q=Pioneer Chain Saw Massacre -texas&f=false
Very interesting reading! It explains alot of what happened to Pioneer and why. What I want to know is what happened after 1984 when Pioneer was closed untill 1988 when the Poulan Pro line was introduced.
I have a feeling that from 84-88 was when the Pioneer/Partner partnership was going on. Thats why I was asking if anyone knew what year my Pioneer/Partner 500 was made so I could get a handle on it. I was told it was a 86 which makes sense.
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