The underated 390xp

[huskihl]

I would have thought that it would be obvious that the "40%" was a felt time, I don't believe his crew carries around stop watches or anything while they work.

Hard to say what people actually feel versus what is real. 50% is twice as fast, or half the time.

But stock for stock, the 592 is definitely faster than a 390. More like 25% though

 

[hacskaroly]

some days I think about selling the 394 and 390 to buy a 592

I had some customers that used the 572 and 592 that complained that their saw stopped working in the middle of a job and when they took it into the dealer, the dealer hooked them up to the computer and said "oh, it needs a firmware upgrade" and then the saw was running again. I had other customers that stuck to the 3 series so they can fiddle with the carb as they needed to.

Other people I know with a 572 or 592 absolutely love them. A few months ago I got to start up a 545 and it sounded like an old-style hot rod going pop-pop-pop-pop....rev it up and then it settles back down into the pop-pop-pop-pop.

 

[Normzilla]

I had some customers that used the 572 and 592 that complained that their saw stopped working in the middle of a job and when they took it into the dealer, the dealer hooked them up to the computer and said "oh, it needs a firmware upgrade" and then the saw was running again. I had other customers that stuck to the 3 series so they can fiddle with the carb as they needed to.

Other people I know with a 572 or 592 absolutely love them. A few months ago I got to start up a 545 and it sounded like an old-style hot rod going pop-pop-pop-pop....rev it up and then it settles back down into the pop-pop-pop-pop.

I've heard that too from folks. I guess in a way maybe it's nice to still have both sides and any excuse for me to ad a saw, without reducing the numbers
Well that's just a win I love having a truckload of em.

 

[Normzilla]

Hard to say what people actually feel versus what is real. 50% is twice as fast, or half the time.

But stock for stock, the 592 is definitely faster than a 390. More like 25% though

Well now we gotta prove it or we are comparing opinions. Let's get the test rolling and stop watches

 

[huskihl]

Well now we gotta prove it or we are comparing opinions. Let's get the test rolling and stop watches

Just trying to help clarify. I’ve run them and compared cut times quite a bit back to back with the same chain and log

 

[farminkarman]

Hard to say what people actually feel versus what is real. 50% is twice as fast, or half the time.

But stock for stock, the 592 is definitely faster than a 390. More like 25% though

Boy, aint this the truth. About a month ago I had a guy come test drive a 562xp that I had rebuilt & ported. He was used to running a 455 rancher and apparently didn't know how to sharpen his chains. The chain on my 562xp was sweet and the dogs were not required. Anyway, he kept pulling the saw down to what sounded like 8 or 9K rpm. I then had him try again without letting the dogs touch the log, and then he finally understood what a ported saw could do. My point is some folks won't be able to fully realize the gains of a ported saw if they don't know how to run the saw where it is going to make the most horsepower. For guys like I mentioned above, they very well might think a saw with less peak hp is more "powerful" than one that actually has higher peak hp.

 

[Stump Shot]

Hard to say what people actually feel versus what is real. 50% is twice as fast, or half the time.

But stock for stock, the 592 is definitely faster than a 390. More like 25% though

Well, I believe what you say is correct, however, I believe what he was trying to communicate to me was his job times, which yes cut times are a part of, but if it invigorates the crew 15%, then indeed, it is something to be noteworthy.
But hey, I woke the internet up this morning.

Y'all can put your Texas Instruments calculators away now, the 390xp rocks on!

Over and out...

 

[hacskaroly]

Y'all can put your Texas Instruments calculators away now

But my Eniac just got warmed up...

 

[Normzilla]

Well, I believe what you say is correct, however, I believe what he was trying to communicate to me was his job times, which yes cut times are a part of, but if it invigorates the crew 15%, then indeed, it is something to be noteworthy.
But hey, I woke the internet up this morning.

Y'all can put your Texas Instruments calculators away now, the 390xp rocks on!

Over and out...

I agree. Funny how a post gets so derailed lol. Yep back on point 390 is legit

 

[Fun2Cut]

A) Fellas, I'm talking stock saws here. The "Tree Guy has a pile of 390's that they run every day. Slowly but Shirley, they will be replaced by 592's.
B) I said "up to" which means different wood cutting conditions played to one saw vs the other at that point in time and is unofficial in nature.
C) I have a 385 sitting on my bench to do for me, so I don't think poorly of them.
D) Nothing the 390 can do is going to take away from how good the new breed of saws are/is and going to be in the future.
E) Ported, the 390xp is a great running saw.

Accept my sincere apologies for detailing your comparison by bringing in mention of a ported saw. Not my intent at all to detract from a point you were trying to make.

I agree that the 592 is a wonderful saw! I mean, they better be! T’would seem a sad thing to me, if “advanced technology” meant poorer performance!

Again, I didn’t mean to detract from the 592. More meaning to back the thought that the 390 has much potential.

 

[Fun2Cut]

Accept my sincere apologies for detailing your comparison by bringing in mention of a ported saw. Not my intent at all to detract from a point you were trying to make.

I agree that the 592 is a wonderful saw! I mean, they better be! T’would seem a sad thing to me, if “advanced technology” meant poorer performance!

Again, I didn’t mean to detract from the 592. More meaning to back the thought that the 390 has much potential.

Thanks spell check. Yes we did get “detailed” but I meant “derailing”…

 

[Normzilla]

Accept my sincere apologies for detailing your comparison by bringing in mention of a ported saw. Not my intent at all to detract from a point you were trying to make.

I agree that the 592 is a wonderful saw! I mean, they better be! T’would seem a sad thing to me, if “advanced technology” meant poorer performance!

Again, I didn’t mean to detract from the 592. More meaning to back the thought that the 390 has much potential.

Na not at all Amigo all good points.

 

[Hoser]

Another thing I like about 390’s is they seem to go pretty cheap mine was around $1300 new after tax (13%) where as a 592 was about $650 more. That buys a lot of chains, bars, etc
That’s Canadian $$
And I don’t have to undo 3 screws to clean a filter like a 288

 

[Nutball]

The first job I used my 2188 (390) on was a big oak. The other guy bought or rented a 660. Stock, they seemed to cut around the same speed, but it seemed like I could cut twice the wood before refilling. Some of that may have been my chain maintenance skills at the time, which weren't nearly as good as now.

I'd like another new one. Not sure how I'd port it. If it had a little more low end torque it could chug through hardwood quickly, but getting it's peak power above the stock 9500rpm point might achieve the same goal better.

 

[Normzilla]

Another thing I like about 390’s is they seem to go pretty cheap mine was around $1300 new after tax (13%) where as a 592 was about $650 more. That buys a lot of chains, bars, etc
That’s Canadian $$
And I don’t have to undo 3 screws to clean a filter like a 288

Agree

 

[HumBurner]

My main daily use saws, are my 500i and My Stumpsot 572. But I have a ported 390 I traded a Stihl guy a MS 460 for years back. I think many overlook the 390, and IMO it has seemed underrated by many. All I can say is when I got mine my 395 started sitting in the truck. The 390 is more manageable to pack. Especially for hillside falling. Over a 66 or 395. And I have put some big wood on the ground, bucked the biggest logs, and cut big big stumps. I still use it, and it's been tough as nails. We were in a financial crunch about 5 or 6 years ago. I had to let a saw or two go. I had two good ole 288s and always been a huge 288 fan. But I thought I'd be crazy to sell a newer production saw, vs selling those 288s. So I let the 288s go. Ended up being glad I kept the 390. Great saws, tough plenty of power and smoother.

I've had my 390 wearing a 42" bar in 44" madrone with little taper over 80-100', as well as ~40 tan oak, ~48" live oak. Used it for limbing over my head when convenient with the long bar. Perfect balance with a 32", smooth. Eats and eats and eats and rarely stalls.

I'll be sad when it dies, but I'm the third owner and have put quite a few hours on it, including milling.

Damn good saw.

 

[Normzilla]

I've had my 390 wearing a 42" bar in 44" madrone with little taper over 80-100', as well as ~40 tan oak, ~48" live oak. Used it for limbing over my head when convenient with the long bar. Perfect balance with a 32", smooth. Eats and eats and eats and rarely stalls.

I'll be sad when it dies, but I'm the third owner and have put quite a few hours on it, including milling.

Damn good saw.

Agree awesome saws

 

[DC1072]

I have a 390. I personally love the saw nice weight balance. I usually run a 32 on it it stocked but it definitely will hand off 36 and it feels good in hand. But it doesn’t beat the 592 I have.

 

[pbillyi69]

i built a 2188 that's all stock. its a good running saw i didn't need it. i just wanted one. i havent put that many tanks through it. I like it a lot. its not that much heavier than my oe 372xpw but has more grunt.

 

[mrxlh]

The 390XP is lighter than the 592, I haven’t run a 592 so I don’t know if the ergonomics negate the additional weight. I’m 5’9” and the 390 is absolutely the largest thing I would tote felling all day.