Champlin aside, I've never heard any major complaints from the two brands mentioned either. As far as Champlin's preference, I think the Chapuis has some kind of a double locking lug system. Not sure if that has an affect on his recommendation or not. He said that the Heym is higher priced than the Chapuis, because the labor is much higher in Germany. But that doesn't explain the price difference between them and Merkel. I'm in the market for a modern 450/400, and I'm just wanting the most bang for the buck.