I agree, to a degree with you nubbb.(make sense?) My first MZE that I paid around 100 bucks for, is better constructed than my second. But then, I only paid 65(I think) for the second. Perhaps the pro shops are keeping the price up.

Both my MZEs work great. One is around 3.5 years old. The other, 8 months or so. I really prefer the threaded turnbuckle on the original, over the newer one.

By the way, was nub already taken when you registered? How did you come up with your user name? P.M if you prefer.