I don't see that anyone said they were "junk." You all must remember that such major Spanish names as AyA and Victor Sarasqueta also made some VERY low end guns. They were heavy, call them sturdy if you will, and put together quickly for a price market, but they worked (if they had two triggers) and they held up for a long time. You see them around still for sale today in the $300 to $600 range, depending on condition. I would say the E. Arizaga guns were a cut above the Gaspar Arizaga guns, and a cut above the very low end AyA and VS guns, not junk, just a long way from being Best. No doubt a sidelock version of the E. Arizaga line would be better than their really low end boxlocks, but not currently in the $2,800 range, IMO.