When a saw is suggested it's usually....

...either a Husqvarna or Stihl. I'm guessing because of the extensive dealer network and experience. I only know 1 saw after 3 years of cutting and wonder why a Jonesred saw is hardly ever mentioned? The saw I use is on a semi permanent free rental from a good friend that has no use for it now but doesn't want to sell it. It's an older model and perhaps a bit on the heavy side for it's power rating but it seems like a great saw to me, esp now that I seemed to have learned how to use it properly!
Any love out there for the J-Reds?

Didn't know they still made saws to be honest. The ones I messed with were probably 25-30 years old.

No dealers near me. Stihl is most common, then Husq, and Echo is a distant third. J'red, Shindy, RedMax, etc all make some good stuff....just don't exist around here because there is no place to buy them...

Because Jonsered saws are just Husqvarna saws where someone messed up the handlebar and painted them red.

They (along with the Homelites) were the top choice in our area as far as loggers and firewood cutters back in the day.

Don't know the history but nowadays they are Husky's in different clothes.
Most under rated over looked powerhouse is the Dolmar 7900.

We have a winner! Old JReds are fantastic saws but when talking new saws, the Jred are just as described above.

And yes, Husky and Stihl recommendations come frequently because of the quality of the product AND the support from dealers. Echo, RedMax, Dolmar, etc. are all good products as well but they don't hold a candle to the dealer network offered by Husq/Stihl.

I looked at Jonsered, as there is a great dealer nearby. The problem is that their models are almost identical to Husqvarna's (slight ergonomics are usually the only differences) and more expensive. When I was buying, it was down to the 361 or 2156, but the latter was a full pound heavier and $50 more. I think that Jonny's going for the old-timers with brand loyalty. Otherwise, the identical Huskies are less expensive and have a wider network.

S

The saw I'm running is fairly old. Not sure what year but I know it's at least 15 yrs old. The air filter I just picked up also fits Huskys, so I wonder when the J-Reds started the duplication.

Thought you guys might find this interesting its off of Husqvarna corporate website.

Home » About » Brands
Brands

Having a portfolio of brands is essential for maintaining a leading position in a range of price and product categories, appealing to various end-users and throughout sales channels and regions. Husqvarna, Gardena, McCulloch and Diamant Boart are the Group’s core brands.
Husqvarna has long been a strong global premium brand for professional users and consumers who demand high performance. The brand stands for technological leadership, professional performance and high quality. The brand accounts for approximately 48 percent of Group net sales.
Gardena is the leading premium brand for watering products and garden tools in the European consumer market. The offering also includes battery-powered products. The Gardena brand accounted for approxiamely 12% of Group sales.
McCulloch was launched in 2011 and will be available to consumers in the retail channel as of 2012. The range will comprice forestry and garden products.
Diamant Boart is recognized as the global leading brand in the stone industry. The product offering includes a complete range of diamond tools for the processing of natural stone.
Other brands

Husqvarna Group’s tactical brands hold strong positions in regional or local markets, or in specific product categories. The tactical brands create scope for flexibility and can, for example, expand to geographical markets or product categories if required. The Group’s regional brands also hold strong positions in their local markets, but there are no plans to expand them into new markets. Examples of tactical and regional brands are:
Tactical:

• Jonsered - Professional products and high-performance products for consumers sold by dealers mainly in the Nordic region but also in North America.
• PoulanPro – Consumer products sold by retailers in North America.
• WeedEater - Consumer products sold by retailers in North America.
• Dixon - Professional products sold by dealers in North America.

Regional:

• Klippo - Professional products and high-performance products for consumers sold mainly by dealers in Scandinavia.
• Flymo - Consumer products sold by retailers mainly in the UK, the Nordic region and the Netherlands.
• Zenoah - Professional products and high-performance products for consumers sold by dealers mainly in Japan.
• Bluebird - Professional products sold by dealers in North America.

Jonesred = Husqvarna

Boy Pete, just when I thought I knew everything.......