Been needing to pick up another saw for the fire wood chores. I have a 372 xp that is awesome saw and love using it but using all day long kills my back. I run a sthil 260 but I prefer a 3/8 chain. I have heard great things and seen a lot good reviews on the echo saws. Never ran one but have one coming next week. The price point was something I could afford right now. Hope I made a good decision. What’s your thoughts .
I know the 590 it's a reliable saw, but I don't think it's really much less weight than the 372. I know the 620 takes 3/8 chain and has more of a weight savings over the 590, but more cost. Honestly though, if you want a lighter saw, don't let the .325 chain be a deterrent. A cs4910 is the lightest 50cc chainsaw out there and it's basically a pro saw because it's got a magnesium case.
Put 3/8 on the 260. Get saw ported if need be. Buddy has 3/8 on just a muffler modded 261 n loves it. I ran it n it is nice.
While i don't own a 372 so its hard to say the weight comparison I do own a Echo 590. I am really impressed with the saw, I have both a 20 and 24 inch bar (running 3/8ths chain) and I find the saw runs very strong and very reliable. I have gone through red oak at around 26 inches and it handled it well. With that said, a CS-590 I would not consider light by any means, its quite large and bulky in my opinion. I would not think the Echo 590 is really what you are looking for, if looking for a saw with the power in between a Stihl 260 and a Husky 372 and weight is a big issue. Great saw - just giving my honest opinion. p.s. I wish this was not the case, but the Echo 590's in my limited experience do run a different size chain than the 372. I believe the 372 is consistent with my Dolmar 7300. 24 Inch bar/chain: My echo runs a 81 link chain, my Dolmar runs 84 20 Inch bar/chain: My echo runs a 70 link chain, my Dolmar runs 72 While i understand there a different set ups, i think i have the "most" common set up for both bars.
There good saws for what they are. I've had mine for 6 years with no problems. A little heavy for 60cc but not excessive. Can run large mount husky bars but not a perfect match.
590’s are good saws. Bit heavy, but they are dependable. I’ve got a 372 that’s my go to saw, but it does get heavy if your slinging it all day. My brother just picked up a 590 a few weeks ago to replace an old 034. The more you run it the better it will get. Echo seems to build things very tight so once it gets some hours on it you will notice a difference. I had a 590 I made into a 620PW. I liked it and for the extra cost of changing the p/c, coil and handle I wouldn’t at it was worth the $$$. In my situation it was a 590 that was straight gassed so why not?! You’ll be happy with it either way.
I have the 600p which is just a 590 with an aluminum handle. Its the biggest saw I've had and its plenty enough for everything I do. Its never bogged down on me like my stihl farm boss. Mines got the 22.5 inch bar. Best saw for the money imo.
My dad had a 590 that gave him all kinds of trouble. I ran it a few times and it was meh. He ended up sending it down the road and got a 362.
Echo 590 is no doubt a good saw, but, i agree with others, they are not lightweights, BUT, if you start one up let it idle, you can tell there's something ''special'' about that saw, lol. It just has that sound. But, on the other end of the bar, the Stihl 261 is a laser of a saw, super fast cutting, fairly lightweight and very quick handling. Both have a compression release, that's a plus, 590 3/8ths chain, that's another plus. If weight is a big deal, go for the 261 and never look back.
For 400 bucks I don’t think you can beat the 590 but yea, it doesn’t have the fit and finish of a Stihl or Husky.
The 590 is a good saw but it isnt light, I have a 490 and its about 8lbs iirc. Runs like a dream and you can cut all day and not get fatigued. You could also look at the 501p which has 20% more power than the 490.
Look at Echo CS4910. Same saw as 501P except for the handle, color, and a few small non consequential parts. $120 less than the 501P. This is the saw that I want. Lightest in it's class.
So if the Husqvarna 372 is too heavy, I'd probably not choose the Echo. Not enough weight difference. And if you already have a Stihl 260, I'd tune it up and just use that. You can definitely convert to 3/8. If you're willing to tolerate a little bit louder saw, you could get a modified muffler and retune the saw, which would give it a little boost in power. If you are looking for a lighter saw than that (listed 13.4lbs) 372, check into a saw with a plastic case instead of magnesium. The weight saving will typically be significant. Echo's weight says 13.2lbs for the 590.
