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 A Gopher's Worst Nightmare
Posts: 5094
 
Location: Southern Oregon | How well do Merrill saddles hold their value? I am looking at an older one and it looks like a super nice saddle, but I am curious if they are as good of quality as the newer ones? |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 303
| If it has the newer tree, then I think they hold their value. |
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 Hot Dispatcher
Posts: 10185
Location: Utah | We have 4 of them. 3 are older made in Vernal Utah and one is a newer one made in Three forks MT. I think they are as good of quality. The issue with the older ones are the tree, if the tree has been replaced I would buy it. I like that the older ones are lighter than the newer ones. |
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 Accident Prone
Posts: 22277
Location: 100 miles from Nowhere, AR | I've got a Three Forks one from 2002 with the new tree. Love that saddle. I gave $1200 for it a year ago. The seat has a small rip, but the leather is good. |
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A Gopher's Worst Nightmare
Posts: 5094
Location: Southern Oregon | kanchazer - 2015-08-22 10:32 AM
We have 4 of them. 3 are older made in Vernal Utah and one is a newer one made in Three forks MT. I think they are as good of quality. The issue with the older ones are the tree, if the tree has been replaced I would buy it. I like that the older ones are lighter than the newer ones.
What is so bad about the older tree's? |
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 Money Eating Baggage Owner
Posts: 9586
Location: Phoenix | I think they were breaking. |
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Hot Dispatcher
Posts: 10185
Location: Utah | cowgirl_3207 - 2015-08-22 11:53 AM kanchazer - 2015-08-22 10:32 AM We have 4 of them. 3 are older made in Vernal Utah and one is a newer one made in Three forks MT. I think they are as good of quality. The issue with the older ones are the tree, if the tree has been replaced I would buy it. I like that the older ones are lighter than the newer ones. What is so bad about the older tree's?
They are fiberglass and flexible and not as built up as the newer tree. They broke after years of use. We have had one that a new tree has been put in, one that is broken and needs the tree replaced and one that is still good. |
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A Gopher's Worst Nightmare
Posts: 5094
Location: Southern Oregon | Oh wow....thank you for the information! I knew I needed to ask about them on here before buying one! Thank you. Do you know the cost of having the tree replaced? |
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 Strong Willed Woman
Posts: 6577
Location: Prosser, WA | I had an older Merrill and loved it. I sold it because at the time it took a long time to get your saddle back and I almost felt like it was a matter of when the tree would break and not if. |
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 Jr. Detective
Location: Beggs, OK | I have a 2005 that made me feel like I needed to just take up trail riding and hope for the best, lol. I bought it last year after I had the twins and made a couple of runs on a horse that wasn't mine. I couldn't stay in the middle of him! Considering the fact that this was September and I had been on bedrest from January until the babies were born via c-section in May, I figured that I just needed more time to get myself back together....
I decided that I might sell it and was taking pictures of it when I noticed a crack in the tree. I had flipped up the fender and was looking at the rigging and it was right there plain as day. Allen Ranch is just down the road from us and Stanley is building flex tree saddles now, so I thought he might be able to fix it for me... no go, He said that it was basically shattered on the inside when he tore it down. Next step was to call Three Forks and get the name of their guy that replaces the trees...You send him the saddle and your address and just wait on it to come back to you. $300 to get it fixed plus the shipping. Mine still has not returned.... I'll update once I ride in it again. |
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Accident Prone
Posts: 22277
Location: 100 miles from Nowhere, AR | That sucks, Rachel. I bought one in 04 that had a broken tree and sold it cheap rather than deal with re-treeing. I really didn't intend to mess with them again, but was having trouble finding a saddle that fit both Cooper and me. So I took a chance on this one and it worked. He's built downhill and sets hard and I can sit him better in this saddle than anything else I've tried. And no pinned ears when I cinch it up. They say you can dally a colt on the new tree, but I haven't tried it, just in case they're wrong. |
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A Gopher's Worst Nightmare
Posts: 5094
Location: Southern Oregon | Dang it, It is such a nice looking older saddle. I don't think I will take the chance. I have the worst luck!
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Accident Prone
Posts: 22277
Location: 100 miles from Nowhere, AR | cowgirl_3207 - 2015-08-23 1:22 PM Dang it, It is such a nice looking older saddle. I don't think I will take the chance. I have the worst luck!
If you can get a pic up underneath, the new tree is yellow, old one is white. I wouldn't buy a white tree. |
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A Gopher's Worst Nightmare
Posts: 5094
Location: Southern Oregon | Three 4 Luck - 2015-08-23 11:27 AM
cowgirl_3207 - 2015-08-23 1:22 PM Dang it, It is such a nice looking older saddle. I don't think I will take the chance. I have the worst luck!
If you can get a pic up underneath, the new tree is yellow, old one is white. I wouldn't buy a white tree.
She is supposed to be sending more pictures tonight.
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Jr. Detective
Location: Beggs, OK | Three 4 Luck - 2015-08-23 1:27 PM cowgirl_3207 - 2015-08-23 1:22 PM Dang it, It is such a nice looking older saddle. I don't think I will take the chance. I have the worst luck! If you can get a pic up underneath, the new tree is yellow, old one is white. I wouldn't buy a white tree.
Mine had the white tree... They're going to cost you at least another $400 if you buy one. I haven't heard of one yet that hasn't busted.
My saddle is somewhere in Oregon right now....too bad you couldn't just go pick it up! lol |
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