# Echo CS 501P first impression



## Sarge (Feb 5, 2017)

I just bought a CS 501P and put the first two tanks of gas through it. I LOVE this little saw. It is light, powerful, and cuts great. The balance feels good with the 18 inch bar and I really like the ergonomics?
I sucked up a piece of baling twine while sawing and really appreciated the captured bar nuts and outboard sprocket. About three minutes and had it cleared. The five year warranty is also a plus. About a 1/2 pound less than a 550xp and only a little less power. Also has a conventional carb, which I prefer over auto-tune for longevity. 
Bottom line.....Very satisfied.


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## mountainlake (Feb 6, 2017)

Echo advertises 17% more power which the 500p needed according to the parts list the 501p has a different cylinder, piston and muffler. Steve


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## 7sleeper (Feb 6, 2017)

Waiting for first comparison photos & videos. 

7


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## Donnieboy (Feb 6, 2017)

Awesome! Let's see some pics[emoji1360]


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk


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## Matto (Feb 7, 2017)

Don't know if the 501P is the same as the 501SX here in europe?
Otherwise here are some pics of the 501SX








If interests I also just got a brand new CS620SX


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## CoreyB (Feb 7, 2017)

Should make a really neat saw. I would love to run one for a day to check it out.


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## Matto (Feb 7, 2017)

I realy love the new Echo saws. 
I used a lot of saws and brands, and since the latest Echo models came out and ran with it, I don't want anything else anymore.

They are well build, well studied, great feeling and the engines are amazing. 
Loads of torque and power compared with similar displacement engines. (latest pro models has longer stroke engines who delivers more torque) 

Echo sticks to sure values and quality manufactured engines, where some other brands bet on new technologies for marketing purposes...


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## Conquistador3 (Feb 7, 2017)

Matto said:


> Don't know if the 501P is the same as the 501SX here in europe?
> Otherwise here are some pics of the 501SX
> 
> View attachment 556557
> ...



Congratulation on the purchase. I am stopping to the Echo dealership tomorrow to couple of spare parts and I'll keep an eye out if they have one.

Regarding the differences... the US-bound CS501P has a different, seemingly cheaper, bar and obviously a different carburetor due to different emission requirements. There may be some engine differences as well due to leaner fueling, but that I am not sure of. 
The saw is also sold as Shindaiwa 501SX: €30 more to have it in red.


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## Elaine Landscapes (Jan 31, 2019)

Love to hear more feedback on the CS-501P. I love my CS-490 but the allure of the 501P is killing me here...

Apparently the 501P has about 17% more power than the 490 and weighs a hair less too. 

I may grab one the next time Echo has a sale.

Pictures, and feedback on the 501P appreciated


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## holeycow (Jan 31, 2019)

I too find the cs501p intriguing..

I’ve merely held the 490. Kind-of cheesey here and there, but also kind of excellent feeling overall.

And I am short on 50cc saws, obviously 

Oh, and I would prefer it in red!


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## Elaine Landscapes (Feb 1, 2019)

Checked with a local dealer today and they will be having a ‘one day sale’ coming up this Spring. She didn’t have a date for me yet but swore she would give me a heads up before the sale. 20% off the 501P, which takes it down to $500 Cdn.


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## holeycow (Feb 1, 2019)

That is a worthwhile price for a decent 50cc saw

The current Stihl 261’s were on sale for a while last fall for 650.00 cad. A good price for that saw, but..I’d rather not have mtronic, myself..

Don’t overlook the Makita 4300. About 410.00 on sale right now at KMS Tools. It’s a great little saw. You should at least look at one somewhere, imo.

KMS Tools has a store in Burnaby?? Or somewhere out there


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## Mygalomorph (Feb 2, 2019)

Sarge said:


> I just bought a CS 501P and put the first two tanks of gas through it. I LOVE this little saw. It is light, powerful, and cuts great. The balance feels good with the 18 inch bar and I really like the ergonomics?
> I sucked up a piece of baling twine while sawing and really appreciated the captured bar nuts and outboard sprocket. About three minutes and had it cleared. The five year warranty is also a plus. About a 1/2 pound less than a 550xp and only a little less power. Also has a conventional carb, which I prefer over auto-tune for longevity.
> Bottom line.....Very satisfied.




Congrats with youre new Saw, but please tune the carb or have it tuned by someone who knows hos to do it, Echo saws are Very often tuned WAY to lean from the factory. To be safe, tune it so it 4 strokes Out of the cut and 2 strokes in the cut. 

run it with Echo's own 2 stroke oil with no more Than 30 days old pump fuel 

keep the chain Sharp and adjust the rakers between every 3-4 sharpenings 

Clean the Saw and airfilter on a dayli
basis

and you Will Enjoy MANY years of effective and problem free cutting.

Enjoy


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## Elaine Landscapes (Feb 2, 2019)

holeycow said:


> That is a worthwhile price for a decent 50cc saw
> 
> The current Stihl 261’s were on sale for a while last fall for 650.00 cad. A good price for that saw, but..I’d rather not have mtronic, myself..
> 
> ...



Interesting you would mention the Makita 4300. That was the saw I was initially going to grab on Amazon.ca for $419 delivered. The thing that made me go with the 490 was likely cause the Echo shop gave me $200 for a 310 I had, so I only had to kick in another $200 for the 490. That Makita does look sweet  Just checked Amazon.ca and they have one for $415 free shipping now...


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## Elaine Landscapes (Feb 2, 2019)

Almost pulled the trigger on the Makita 4300 today, but I kept coming back to thinking that I really like the size and weight of the Echo 50 cc saw. Gonna hold off for the CS-501P. I like Echo saws and if it’s even better than my 490 then it is gold.


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## holeycow (Feb 2, 2019)

you would not regret the purchase of a 4300.

you will likely not regret buying a 501 either

but an Echo is not a Dolmar

IMO

I will keep my eyes peeled for a 501 too.


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## Colt Marlington (Feb 2, 2019)

As solid a saw as the Dolkita 421/4300 is, I'd take a 501P over it any day. 
The 421 is a tad heavy for 42cc, and a little chunky with the giant starter. Still a very nice saw.

I got the 490. And although I haven't held a 501P, I would assume it is a little slimmer with not having the ez start. And the aluminum handlebar is icing on the cake.
Only thing that's noticeably cheesy about the 490 is the kind of loose and flimsy chain brake thing. 
I don't mind the dinky choke at all. You only use it for starting.
But I got my 490 at a wholesale price. And although the higher power would be nice, I just can't convince myself to spend the extra cash.
Maybe I'll just buy a aluminum handle here, and the slimmer starter there. Regardless, I'm pretty happy with the 490.


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## holeycow (Feb 2, 2019)

somehow that 420 just fits me. The 420 is slightly lighter than the 4300 and it becomes very ergonomic when you run it, bulk and weight notwithstanding.

I have merely held a 490, and it seems to fit me too

but it just doesn't "seem" to be the same quality of a piece as the Dolmar. I felt the same way about my cs590, but it grew on me. I did get the 590 reasonable tho, and I wouldn't have paid more at the time. I would pay a little more now. A little.

Echo's upcharge from the 490 and 590 to their equivalent "pro" models is a little too steep for the "upgraded" features, IMO.


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## Kostas (Feb 3, 2019)

It is all about the price,590-620 price difference is small considering the upgrades and imo the 620 is well worth the money.490-501 price difference is huge(for me at least) and it is not worth for someone to bother,get the 490 and you won't miss a thing.


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## Ryan'smilling (Feb 3, 2019)

Those Dolmar/Makitas are made in China now, by the way. Personally I'd take the Echo 501 over a Dolmar 421 unless the easy start feature was what you wanted.


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## Colt Marlington (Feb 3, 2019)

No doubt the 421 is well built, except for the clutch cover is often broken.

The 501P with it's decomp button should be plenty easy to start. Maybe an extra pull or two to get the juices flowing over the 421 from a cold start.


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## Elaine Landscapes (Feb 3, 2019)

Kostas said:


> It is all about the price,590-620 price difference is small considering the upgrades and imo the 620 is well worth the money.490-501 price difference is huge(for me at least) and it is not worth for someone to bother,get the 490 and you won't miss a thing.



Kostas... scenario is if you could get a 501P on sale for $100 more than the 490 on sale, would that do it for you? Or do you still see the price gap not justifying the cost? Just asking ...


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## Elaine Landscapes (Feb 3, 2019)

Ryan'smilling said:


> Those Dolmar/Makitas are made in China now, by the way. Personally I'd take the Echo 501 over a Dolmar 421 unless the easy start feature was what you wanted.



Ya, unfortunately that whole ‘China’ thing was / is kind of a sticking point for me. I appreciate that some companies still assemble and check tolerances here at home, but it did / does weigh on my trigger finger


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## Elaine Landscapes (Feb 3, 2019)

As an aside, I used a newish Stihl 261 today for a couple hours. Nice, nice saw. But I really think the CS-490 is as good and a way better value. Comments?


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## two4spooky (Feb 4, 2019)

Elaine Landscapes said:


> As an aside, I used a newish Stihl 261 today for a couple hours. Nice, nice saw. But I really think the CS-490 is as good and a way better value. Comments?


 I use a two year old MS 261C(non-mtronic, new style side cover) and an year old CS 501P(muffler baffle removed), both tuned. 50cc pro saws are the most verstile for my needs. Both wear 16" bars with 3/8" chain. If I were a professional making a living with saws I would go with the Stihl; better AV, better air filter, metal side cover and seems to have a little more power on top end. I'm not a pro though. I usually grab the Echo first because of it's likeable manners and handling. Pluses are: feels a little smaller, easier starting, old school aluminum bar and lower cost(good when throwing it on a tractor or 4-wheeler). I could get by fine with only one 50cc saw, either would do. No experience with the CS 490 but I would think the 501P a notch above. Just my opinion, since you asked.


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## Kostas (Feb 4, 2019)

Elaine Landscapes said:


> Kostas... scenario is if you could get a 501P on sale for $100 more than the 490 on sale, would that do it for you? Or do you still see the price gap not justifying the cost? Just asking ...



100$ is nothing between these two saws,for 100$ more i would take the 501p any day.I am speaking for 250$+ between them.I told it a while back,cs501sx is 500€ in Greece and i was able to get a cs490 new in box for 200€+40€ shipping+60€ customs,so i paid 200€ (250$) less for the cs490.


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## brent denny (Feb 4, 2019)

I too have wondered about the 501p. For my small saw I currently run a 421 with stihl ps and it rips. Cuts very close to most 50 cc saws running .325. I had a 490 and while there was a lot to like about the saw, there was no getting around the fact it was underpowered (yes it had a mm), had an air filter that was filthy after a few tanks, and had way more vibes than the 421. My 421 was made in china and while I would prefer it was made in Germany, it has been flawless. I believe while it is assembled in china, the parts are still german made. Would like to try a 501 but doubt it would pick it over my 421 running them back to back.


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## Webb33 (Mar 12, 2019)

Not to uproot a dead post, but just to put my two cents in...

My father and I make a living cutting eastern red cedar and white oaks. We are in the woods 5+ days a week. We have always used Stihl saws because our local dealer has them and every part imaginable for them on hand. I was in the market for a new saw and our local shop recently became an Echo dealer. I saw the 501P and did some research online for myself. I decided to buy the saw based on it's power to weight ratio and it has an outstanding warranty comparably. I put about 8 tanks through the saw and then removed the screen and baffle from the muffler and then tuned. This saw absolutely rips for its weight and is very comfortable to use with very little vibration in comparison to the other saws in its class I have used. I got the 18'' bar on mine. The see through gas tank is very nice, along with the captive bar nuts. Price wise it is extremely competitive for a "pro" saw. I have put about 7-8 gallons through it now and have had no trouble whatsoever with performance or reliability. 

The only complaints I have so far are that the stock bar is not awesome. The bar doesn't come with a replaceable tip, and I can already tell the sprocket is going to fail before my bar wears too thin to be useable. 
The air filter does not seal perfectly and was fixed by sealing the o-ring area on the intake boot with a very small amount of marine grease applied by hand. The intake is now spotless every night when I clean the air filter.

I would buy another 501P hands down based on the positives and knowing the negative issues it has are easily fixed.


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## bkvanbek (Dec 10, 2019)

How do you think the Echo 501P compares to the Husqvarna 550xp? Is the 501P really a professional saw?


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## vonb (Dec 10, 2019)

Can't speak to the comparison of the 501P to the 550XP as I've only ran the 501P. 

However, I rate the 501P as a "Prosumer" saw. I don't rate it as a pro saw as it doesn't have the car-style pleated filter. The chain cover is made of plastic (while the housing is made of magnesium). I've only ran 3 tanks through mine so I'm still getting to know it. I do like the fact that it is the lightest 50cc powerhead out there.


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## Colt Marlington (Dec 10, 2019)

Think I'm going to go pick up an old Poulan 2750..or maybe it's a 2775, and sell all my other 42 to 50cc saws. Two of which are the lesser of the 501P and 550xp, in the 491s and 545. And the chunky hotrod 42cc 421.

I don't use this size saw like a lot of people do. I have some nice lightweight smaller saws that get used the most. And I could just as easily grab a 60cc or bigger saw when I need cut some bigger stuff fast. 

I wouldn't even consider the 2750 if it wasn't 46cc and lighter than any 40cc saw you can buy today. 

Though I do think a lot of getting a 241cm and setting it up for carving. Probably can't even buy one new now anyway though. Maybe someone will come out with a new sub-10 pound 3hp saw in the near future and I'll have gotten rid of enough saws by then that I'll have room for it.


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## holeycow (Dec 10, 2019)

Get rid of your 421?

There's a reason you rarely see them for sale on the used market.

there's always a need to have a cadillac 40cc saw around, isn't there?

my 420 will have to be pried from my cold, dead hands. Or I'll give it to one of the kids.


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## James Miller (Dec 11, 2019)

I picked up a 421 HD rental saw one time just to look at it. Heavy is the first thing that came to mind for a saw its size. With modern 50cc saws being under 11lb for pho 40cc seems like a waist of time.


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## James Miller (Dec 11, 2019)

I picked up a 421 HD rental saw one time just to look at it. Heavy is the first thing that came to mind for a saw its size. With modern 50cc saws being under 11lb for pho 40cc seems like a waist of time.


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## holeycow (Dec 11, 2019)

You just have to run one


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## holeycow (Dec 11, 2019)

You just have to run one


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## James Miller (Dec 11, 2019)

If the price is right I just might pick one up this year when they sell them off.


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## holeycow (Dec 11, 2019)

Then you will find that your 490 has no point


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## James Miller (Dec 11, 2019)

261v2 couldn't do that so the small dolmar better be world changing.


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## holeycow (Dec 11, 2019)

Maybe you just have a ... unique taste.


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## White Pine (Mar 5, 2020)

Ryan'smilling said:


> Those Dolmar/Makitas are made in China now, by the way. Personally I'd take the Echo 501 over a Dolmar 421 unless the easy start feature was what you wanted.
> [/QUOTE
> 
> Funny you mention this. In my research today, I just confirmed that the EA4300 is made in China. I saw one in person with the sticker on it. Makita Customer Service was saying that all manufacturing facilities are the same. I would rather have a German built unit. However, the EA5000, EA5600 or EA6100 are made in Germany and not on an assembly line. One person builds a saw from start to finish.
> ...


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