From what I remember reading, several of the major Spanish players made a conscious business decision to move upmarket. Looks like they made that decision at the wrong time (recession) and now it is biting them in the butt (literally and figuratively). Example: Arrieta dropping a couple of their lower-end models. Didn't Garbi drop the 100 because it was priced for hand chasing rather than hand engraving?
Combine bad decisions with the recession and the $/Euro exchange, and it's a recipe for trouble. When you could buy an AyA No. 2 Round Body small bore with long barrels, new, for $3195, I was hot to get one but kept buying other guns instead. At current prices, I don't need that No. 2. Lots of the alternatives have seen much more modest price increases, so those alternatives are a lot more attractive. I'm an Uggie guy now, and quite happy with them.
