I have been using a Husqvarna 350, 52cc engine with 18" bar for the last 8 years or so. Used primarily to cut trim cedar junipers and live oaks.

I have a few large dying live oaks I need to fell and want to relegate the light rode hard Husky to trim work only.

So now I am looking for a "Farm Boss/Rancher" saw to take over the majority of the work using a 20" bar. The Husqvarna 460 and Stihl MS290 were the front runners until I read about the Echo CS-590 Timber Wolf. Anyone here have any experience with this new saw?

I don't have any experience with the timberwolf but I did have an Echo CS5000 and it was junk. I wouldn't trust anything with the Echo name on it again. Stick with Stihl or Husky.

no but i do own a ms290. i bought it when i had almost 20 very large white oaks dropped and needed a better saw. it cuts like a SOB all day long. i use the aggressive cut chains and it tears through 24" solid white oak no problem. truly a pleasure to cut with. of course, my last saw was a walmart poulan.

I just lately did a thread similar to this one.

Chainsaws

Admittedly, a guy dealing in Dolmars is going to run other brands down, but I talked specifically with him about Echo's since they've seemingly srpung up everywhere around here. He said the quality of the past wasn't there. I have no direct experience with them and am passing the info on FWIW.

My new Dolmar along with my Dad's Farm Boss which is pretty much mine now.

Older SuperWoodBoss 028 has never let me down.

Homeowner

Farm and Ranch

Professional

Here's why I bought a Dolmar...

Dolmars

The Stihl line, and IIRC the Husky line too, have so many different grades of saws that it's confusing. To me a brand should either be top-notch or entry level, to put it charitably, not make all these different levels of quality. All Dolmars are professional grade whereas you can get some junk from other brands. I didn't look up Echo because I've no experience with them. I've used both Stihl and Husky extensively, as well as Dolmar's. I can't say Dolmars are any better because they were all older ones and I'd rate all three about the same from back when I bought my last quality saw before the above Dolmar, which was 2001.

I don't know what that is but if it's an Echo I'm specifically passing along info pertaining to new Echo's, not the old ones which I've always heard were quality saws. I assume the OP is talking about getting a new saw.

Stihl,
I guess nowadays Stihl makes a "good and better" line or consumer and professional. When I bought mine they old only made one level.

Husqvarna

There's just the professional grade Huskys. I counted 32 saws compared to Dolmar's 19 models and Stihl's 37.

Looks like you are set with the Stihl and Dolmar.

A ranch/wild life maintenance company up the road uses Echo 450's.

Lots of abuse and dull chains, they seem to hold up.
I like the little small block Chevy air cleaners they use.

I have read a lot of good things about Dolmars on the arboristsite.com forums.
Cracks me up to see the pro's argue down to the gnats ass about chainsaws.

I'm not an expert and who knows how mine will turn out but I just looked the stuff up several times before I made a move. Stihl makes three frickin' grades, Homeowner, Farm and Ranch and Professional. Husqvarna makes two. Dolmar just makes one grade. Some of the models may have better features or whatever, but they don't got like three different monikers. If a person is getting a Stihl because they're better than anything else, why would a man get a "Homeowner's" or whatever? I want professional grade.

i have now purchesed 2 echo 590 they ARE THE BEST SAW YOu CAN BUY FOR 400 BUCKS, they have tons of power, no vibrations, very smooth, i have many saws, in that class a stihl 029 super, older husky 61, new 455 extra torq 460 husky, the 590 blows them away, sorry to stih and husky, but a 5 year warrenty 59cc, 20inch bar that is made extremly superior,it is a delight to run, no complaints, and i have 35 years of running chainsaws,

ECHO-5 YEAR warranty.
Ask another brand about that.
Stihl, Husky and others all make great saws.
Just get the Pro Series.
No need to worry about that with Echo...All of their motors are Pro Series.


P.S. My Echo is the 450, but the Timberwolf looks great.

This X 1000

Two Farm Boss saws and one Dolmar. When we cut everyone fights to get the Dolmar.

Every Echo I've run across has been a good saw.

The decision usually comes down to buying a pro grade saw that has local support. Here Stihl and Husqvarna are the best bets, with Stihl being the best seller. Lately Johnsered, Dolmar, and Echo have entered the area, but old timers are resistant to change, and I can't blame them.

I have a Stihl 028 Wood Boss that is 33 years old and needs a discontinued part to be A1, a Husqvarna 61 that is very powerful, and a Husqvarna 346 that is light and cuts way more powerfully than its size suggests. The 346 is my favorite.

I have an Echo push mower that might have been the single best purchase I have ever made.

John, welcome to the fire.

I just bought the CS-590 with a 20" bar last week. For $400, I couldn't not try it. I looked at stihl and to get as much power in a stihl, I was going to spend almost twice as much. I am not a stihl hater, I have a MS250 and a 009L that work well for me.

We will see as I have a bunch of wood to cut.

This topic, and I guess my reply, can sound like Ground Hog Day.
Fresh gas with a precise mix, clean continuously air filter, and always run a sharp chain, and even the cheapo s will cover most every chainsaw and non professional loggers needs.
That said, if you go buy a pro grade saw and ignore any of those details above you are pissing away good money.
My saw is a Stihl 044, yes I logged for a few years. This saw is a beast, great for a pro, but too much for the average guy to plink down the money on(new model is now 046)
I do own an Echo trimmer, its older, I run the circle blade on it, it is extremely reliable.
The info above to make sure you have local, quality support is VERY good advice too.

I don't cut a lot of wood, or fell many trees these days........but when I do, I use an Echo CS-400. Bulletproof, and a cutting machine.

I have an Echo 550 and it is an awesome saw- probably 20 years old though and is top quality. Compares to a Stihl 440 in size. I have had three Echo line trimmers in the past 5 years. The first one was awesome until it was stolen out of my garage. The last two got thrown in the trash after 2-3 tanks of fuel. Garbage carbs on them. Not sure what line trimmer to get now.

I work for a tree company and we run a but load of Stihls up to the 660s. They all break down quite a bit when you have idiots using them. We had one Husky- it was a great big SOB with a 32" bar but it was stolen off a truck.

I would be very suspect of the new Echos myself due to my bad luck with the new line trimmers.