yea, we should believe every BS salesmen say (including BS "welded-not stamped!") - but there are some dishonest JD salesmen, who trying to sell Chinese copies of John Deer in US (see pict) : )))))
but which deck is better - all depends on design
- pros of stamped deck - with same gage metal sheet - they stronger and lighter (all top pro jd mowers has 7-iron(tm) decks, made of 7gage steel, all light duty decks, made from 10-gage steel - also stamped; i didn't saw fabricated, welded 10-gage deck on push-mower : )))
- cons of stamped deck - cost of press for 7-gage steel (quantity of pro mowers not that high as residential, and smaller OEMs can't afford (justify) it, only giants as JD can, but when sales are low - costs of only maintaining equipment like this press only for sit there and do nothing, according to JD emploees - hundrets thousands of $$
http://www.deere.com/wps/dcom/en_US/products/equipment/z_trak_mowers/z_trak_mowers.page?
http://www.deere.com/wps/dcom/en_US..._offerings/7iron_mower/7iron_mower_deck.page?
(though JD pro mowers most overengeneered, most heavy, slow and expensive of all leading OEM, people still willing to buy and pay for good-old name)
p.s. concerning deck designs - they keep changing constantly. right now they pretty much similar (people say jd MOD (mulch on demand) deck - prety good)