Where did your brand bias come from?

[surfincr]

Throughout the time i have been on here i've read a lot of very strong opinions about the manufacturers which piques my curiosity.

I find myself always leaning toward stihls, since its what i grew up with and generally its the brand of saw that lands in my lap 9 times out of 10.

So how did your bias develop?

 

[psrumors]

Dealers and the lack there of......I've had both Husqvarna and Stihl power equipment over the years but Husqvarna dealers that were near by are gone.

 

[fearofpavement]

I started out with a Skil brand saw (small one) then when we were seeking info for a larger saw, my uncle suggested Stihl as he said they are a known reliable saw. So based on his recommendation we bought a new Stihl 026 in 1989. I still use it on every tree job I do. Since then I have had a total of about 60 saws of which I ran more than 50 of. The brands included Stihl, Husqvarna, Jonsered, McCulloch, Homelite, Poulan, Echo, Craftsman, etc. Based on my actual use of other brands, I gradually culled my line-up of everything but Stihl. I still purchase and own other brands but usually flip them after I use them a while. I don't "hate" any brand of saw but prefer Stihls for a number of reasons. I don't purport them to be the only useful brand out there because that just isn't true. Just as I drive GMC trucks and wouldn't even consider a Dodge, there are others with the opposite view.

 

[blsnelling]

I'm a Stihl guy at heart because that's what my dad used. My work saws are now mostly Husqvarna because of the Xtra Performance I get from them.

 

[mdavlee]

I started with a 350 husky. Then bought pro stihls 044 and 460. Then bought a 372xpw off eBay and then started buying more pro huskies. I'm even right now at 2 and 2. I have about as good of husky dealers and stihl dealers.

 

[Stormy]

Pricing, performance (YouTube cutting times), and ergonomics all tipped the scales for Husky. These were my preferences, and fortunately I don't think I know enough to have a bias.

 

[KenJax Tree]

For some its that they read Stihl is the best and just refuse to look further.


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[z71mike]

Like Chevy, Winchester, and US Army, I grew up on Stihls.

That's just the way it is. Though I like running other stuff too, I mainly stick to those brands for commonality.

 

[Eddy_t]

I started off with stihl, but running a 346 against a 260 got me into husky, I prefer husky, but currently own more stihls, as the big old metal ones are the dogs!

 

[zogger]

I am biased towards cheap and affordable to me brand saws. I really don't care as long as it works or I can make it work.

 

[Shagbark]

My brand bias is due to the lack of experience with brands other than Poulan, Husky or Stihl. My bias is subject to change.

 

[Rookie1]

My FIL and BILs had Stihls so when I started hanging around dating my wife a had to fit in. It was solidified by work. All the city uses is Stihl blowers,weedeaters and saws.I have a good relationship with my dealer and that helps too.

 

[CTYank]

I'm biased towards any machine that works long & well and doesn't bleed you of $. Living almost next door to the original Homelite factory, and using a variety of REAL Homies working with a tree crew for college summers, there's probably some bias there. The object is gone. Current Homies induce vomiting.

Having worked some Echos & Poulans mercilessly for 30+ years, they're high on my list. Some others continue to earn respect. For years I just picked up whatever saw appealed to me at a PX or NEX I was visiting.

Dealers around here mean nothing, a-holes for techs and no parts inventory; different story up-river and up the coast. DIY and do it right first time.

 

[AKDoug]

I'm a freakin' Stihl dealer and I'm not as brand biased as many folks on the interwebs... I have Husky and McClloch in my personal stable. I have respect for all the competition, if it can compete. There are some very good saws from many different manufacturers and that's a good thing. I've done all my professional cutting with Husky saws, but I have no interest in being a dealer for them. I much prefer dealing with Stihl on business related decisions.

 

[XSKIER]

hehehehehe...

 

[hamish]

hehehehehe...

Not wearing my glasses..........does that say FarmBoss?

 

[palmrose2]

I'm 53 and have been humping firewood since I was 8. One of my uncles was/is a pro logger. He went from Macs to Jonsereds in the very early seventies. Now he runs Huskies. I don't know all there is to know about saws, but I think you would be hard pressed to find a better made saw than a Jonsreds in 1972. My father bought the 52 in my sig in about 74. The seals were replaced in about 79, and I replaced some rubber mounts in 2010. I love that saw. I used it yesterday. I have nothing against Huskies, but prefer a straight handle. The closest dealers sell Stihls and I ran one for a day. Not a bad saw, but if I were to buy a new saw today, it would most likely be a red, straight handled Husky.

 

[SAWMIKAZE]

No brand bias here..but..my stihl support smashes husky 10-1 in my area so its easy for guys in my area to be stihlheads

 

[sunfish]

I ran old Poulans for over 20 years. Then one day bout 14 years ago I head to the saw shop to buy a Stihl, supposed to be the best right? Well the dealer had two brands and I picked up a 346xp and could not put it down! I didn't even know what a Husqvarna was, but I sure bought one...

 

[Wood Doctor]

Brand bias? McCulloch went out of business. Started using Stihl. Simple as that.