Tim's final comment is an excellent illustration of an important point. The competition that these new gun makers face isn't just from fine foreign firms, it's also from old hand me downs. The useful life of a lightly used, well maintained gun that was first class when made is pretty close to indefinite. By way of analogy--the current makers of Steinway pianos (the very good brand of piano) have frequently said that their toughest competitors are not the Asian piano builders (who are capable of making very good pianos themselves) but the used Steinways of previous eras, when they have been reconditioned, refurbished and rebuilt.
As for the question of whether there is a public market for an economy double built using modern techniques but with a traditional feel to it, I think the answer is 'yes'. But I'm not sure that the B&E offerings, at their price points, are 'economy' guns by any measure except comparison to a very rarified peer group. I can say that, if one wants such an economy double for less than USD 1k, the answer is spelled Huglu. If you want to define the economy price point as less than USD 10k, the answer is spelled CSMC (and there are other answers, as well--many of them being from Brescia). As I indicated, I personally have a little trouble calling B&E price range 'economy' anything.
