# What advantage is a $1000 bow verus a $500 bow



## CRISSMAN6903 (Mar 11, 2011)

I don't know about recurves or long bows but as far as compounds go there generally is a significant difference. That is not always the case however.


----------



## LBR (Jan 1, 2004)

It depends. I have never paid near $1,000 for a bow. I have shot and owned several that cost that much (new), and I currently don't own one now. I've only seen a very few that, to me, were worth that kind of money. They were either collectable and/or had an artistic value besides just being a good shooter.

On the other hand, some custom bows are well worth the money...some cost less than some production bows and are made to fit the individual ordering them.

Bottom line, "you get what you pay for" doesn't always apply.


----------



## IAIS604 (Apr 11, 2010)

Well, you can get some very beautiful bows for your money, but I (for one) am sure I couldn't shoot them any better than my Excel (or my Bama, once I get it), so I will probably never buy a BW (or a Formula Rx or even a Formula Excel). 

Unless I win the lottery .....

For a very good shooter, a custom-fit bow would probably improve their shooting, but I am sure not in that class!

(BTW - how come comments about compound bows keep springing up on threads in this TRADITIONAL forum? Apples and oranges.)


----------



## ryersonhill (Mar 18, 2006)

I know there are some people out the making Recurves and Longbows out there in the mid range that are just as efficient as the top end bows, i would like a place to start, my Grizzly is about 350ish retail and it cast a arrow pretty decent and i was shooting it the other day thinking that what would i gain if i was shooting the Widow or any other high end bow, would i gain a little speed, would i gain a lot of speed, i know i would gain looks and it would be nice to have a beautiful bow like that but then i got reading the book by Sam Fadala he talks bows in the midrange that shoot as good if not better, it would be easy if i wasn' stuck up here in the bowels of Maine where we are limited by shops and mileage to get to more shops, where would one look to get a decent custom or production bow in the midrange


----------



## Eldermike (Mar 24, 2009)

There is no general rule concerning value of things the exception being the techno world. I have a $100.00 bow I would not take a $1000.00 for it, and I have some expensive bows that are worth what I paid in my mind.

However: You can't compare this to the compound world where todays technological advancments and marketing ideas introduce preceptions that reduce the value of last years models. You might see something like: The mogul famble fab bearing grabbit tongue cam with the torch grumble gabigit wheel bearings on this year’s model; and with zero backward compatibility. It's how they operate. 

The stick and string bow from 40 years ago is just as good as any made today.
The goal is to find THE BOW. And it's not a price thing.
Good luck and enjoy the search.


----------



## whitewolf1 (Jun 28, 2006)

You see this question in various forma a lot and the issue that is being confused, imo, is function vs. economics. Price in large part is detrmined by supply and demand. If a bowyer can build 200 bows a year in his one man shop and there is demand for 500, he can charge more and get it. You have to keep in mind though that there generally will not be excess demand if the product quality doesnt exceed average. Does that mean that a $1000 bow is a better shooting bow than a $500? Not at all. It means that particualr bowyer has built a reputation of producing a quality product.


----------



## emac396 (Jul 7, 2010)

I just bought a BW tracking says it will arrive May 4th. I was wondering the same thing. IMO I am sure there are $200 bows that are better but how do you find it. Do you keep buying and selling till you find it??? I have 4 bows all are good but not the "ONE" maybe its me maybe bow. Its my hope in spending the $$$ I will save time and money finding the "one". Only time will tell


----------



## trapperDave (Mar 12, 2005)

the only difference between a 500 dollar bow and a 1500 dollar one is the looks. There is NO performance gain. Just more laminations in the riser and choice of veneers on the limbs. It just shows who can glue more pieces together. I have one expensive bow, worth way more than I paid for it cause it was made by a friend. Its a truely one of a kind bow that will appreciate in value verses depreciate.


----------



## BLACK WOLF (Aug 26, 2005)

It really boils down to which bows are you comparing.

To make a generalized comment may be right a few times and wrong the other times.

Example:

Compare a new Win Win Inno to a new Martin Mamba.

Compare a new martin Mamba with a new Black Widow PA.

Ray :shade:


----------



## centershot (Sep 13, 2002)

Well here's the bad news, You can't buy success with a stickbow - you'll have to earn every shot. As for the $1000 bow vs. $500 bow - usually what you get is something hand made and beautiful, many are functional works of art. If your into that, then by all means they are worth it. Performance wise you will be hard pressed to beat an ILF setup - and for $500 you could have a nice one. Production bows from Martin and Bear are very good in the <$500 price range - the designs they use are decades old and for good reason, they work. Unless you have been at this for a few seasons and know what you really want to shoot for a long time, then spending the big $ on a nice bow is ill advised. You will likely want to try something else and end up taking a big hit on the resale. In the end, if you have the money and want it, then it's up to you. There are some real bargains out there also - so it depends on the guy pulling the string.


----------



## grantmac (May 31, 2007)

Totally depends on the bow. There are some very high performance bows for under $500, or you could spend $600+ on just a set of limbs.
That is all on the performance side. If looks are your thing then you can spend an awful lot and gain nothing but a bow you don't want to scratch up.

-Grant


----------



## Night Wing (Feb 4, 2009)

A custom built wooden Blacktail recurve starts at $975. With a custom bow, you choose the exotic woods you want your bow to be made of. Both of my Blacktail recurves have risers made up of south american cocobolo, footed with african shedua seperated by two lines of north american myrtle. The limbs are made of bamboo, but since I don't like the yellow color of bamboo, the bowyer put a veneer of north american stained red elm over the bamboo so the limbs look tiger striped. The limbs tips on one of my recurves is made of cocobolo and on the other recurve, it's made of shedua. 

You can order a Blacktail in 60", 62", 64" and 66" lengths. The poundage is measured at "your" length instead of the 28" production made bows are measured at. With me, my poundage is measured and marked on my bows at 30". 

Since I have small hands, the bowyer had me send him a tracing of my hand that holds the bow so he could down size the regular grip he uses to fit my hand. 

Both of my Blacktails are the smoothest drawing recurve bows I've ever drawn and I'ved owned Bear, Herters, Wing, Bob Lee and Groves recurves in my lifetime. They hit where I look after I tune them. There is absolutely no hand shock and with a pair of puff string silencers, the bows are whisper quiet upon arrow release when using light arrows GPP (grains per pound) wise. And since they're 66" in length, with my 30" draw length, there is no finger pinch.

The bowyer is a full time bowyer. You can call him up and you'll usually catch him building bows in his shop. The wait time to get a Blacktail is long. My first Blacktail took 13 months, from the time I placed the order till I received it and my second Blacktail took 15 months. With a long wait, it says many people buy a custom made Blacktail. If you check the classified sections on traditional archery sites like Trad Gang and Stickbow (Leatherwall), which get a lot of classified ad postings everyday, you'll find Blacktails for sale.....are far and few inbetween. 

My two Blacktail take down recurves are the only two bows I own. If I was to order a third recurve, it would be a 66" one piece Blacktail recurve just because both of my two Blacktails are take downs. Speaking strictly for myself, spending $1000 each for my recurves was well worth it.


----------



## ryersonhill (Mar 18, 2006)

Thanks guys is is great to see all the different comments and thoughts from the end users of different bows, i guess i am looking for the best bang for my buck, and it would be nice to be able to handle different models, probably if i went to a big traditional event and was able to try a lot of different models it would be easy, it is hard looking thru the pages of a magazine and going on sight not feel, they are all beautiful and it would be hard pressed to pick one on just looks alone, we have a few shops here in Maine that may carry a brand mostly, production models mostly Bear and maybe a martin here or there, maybe it time to get out of this backwards state and head out into the world


----------



## trapperDave (Mar 12, 2005)

my best shooting bow, which is also the quickest when comparing gpp, is my PSE warf I made from a PSE Silverhawk compound riser and a pair of hardly used PSE Competition limbs. Total cost I have in the complete bow including FF string and adapter plates.......$140.


----------



## Night Wing (Feb 4, 2009)

ryersonhill,

If you want to see some expensive eye candy, click on the Blacktail link below and look at the take down footed gallery.

http://www.blacktailbows.com/

There are other great looking custom built bows out there that don't cost $1000, but they come in at around $750. One of them is Rose Oak Creations and the bowyer is Brandon Stahl. The only reason I didn't go with Brandon is because the longest length recurve he builds is 64", but I prefer 66" recurves. 

http://www.roseoakcreations.com/


----------



## BLACK WOLF (Aug 26, 2005)

ryersonhill said:


> it is hard looking thru the pages of a magazine and going on sight not feel, they are all beautiful and it would be hard pressed to pick one on just looks alone


I agree....especially for anyone new wanting to get involved in this sport.

If you don't have an opportunity to try a few different bows, my suggestion would be to just pick one within your price range based on what appeals to you visually after you have determined your goals.

Most bows built today are going to be good bows. If you have any doubts about a specific brand or line of bows...pass it by us first before you commit to buy.

Ray :shade:


----------



## Whitey375 (Mar 26, 2009)

IAIS604 said:


> Well, you can get some very beautiful bows for your money, but I (for one) am sure I couldn't shoot them any better than my Excel (or my Bama, once I get it), so I will probably never buy a BW (or a Formula Rx or even a Formula Excel).
> 
> Unless I win the lottery .....
> 
> ...


 Because the thread titles pop up under the "NewPosts" heading. Also for those of us who access this website from our phones through the mobile site you can't tell what section it is.


----------



## kegan (Aug 28, 2006)

How much does it cost to make it?

Sammick is Korean, so they can make you a great recurve for $200-$300. 

An American bowyer using expensive imported woods and exotic material, if using fancy lamination styles that require great time and effort (not to mention skill), wouldn't be able to charge less than $1000 to make it worth it. 

Given the time and materials I put into my bows, the price comes to about $575. That's just so that if I'm making a bow for someone, I'm not losing money. That's the best I can do. If you want cheaper, get a rig built overseas (like centershot said, ILF rigs are still the best bang for the buck). If you want fancier, there are lots of bowyers that will happily charget you for the add ons. I build a rugged hybrid longbow with fairly good performance. 

There's a market for just about every buyer some where, provided your desires aren't too unrealistic.


----------



## Sanford (Jan 26, 2009)

kegan said:


> There's a market for just about every buyer some where, provided your desires aren't too unrealistic.


Excellent point! One can be catered to the extent of their imagination and including their imagination.


----------



## steve morley (Dec 24, 2005)

I was playing with my 21st century Edge longbow yesterday, nice bow, fast stable and decent build quality for around $550 afterwards I picked up my English made double carbon blackbrook zeta £800, (double carbon bumps the price up) better build quality by far, a little faster, much nicer to shoot and first thing I noticed is that it grouped arrows better. 

The Edge is a great shooting bow but (shooting wise) the Zeta felt like it was like comparing a Hill style bow to a Recurve, I doubt I would have noticed if I hadn't shot the bows side by side.


----------



## whitewolf1 (Jun 28, 2006)

Keagan hit on the other point I though about after replying earlier and that is the bowyers time. I can build a plain jane recurve for less than 150 but that is just material cost. What or who should dictate the value of bowyers time and skill?


----------



## Sanford (Jan 26, 2009)

whitewolf1 said:


> *What* or who should dictate the value of bowyers time and skill?


These days, a CNC wood carver.


----------



## kegan (Aug 28, 2006)

whitewolf1 said:


> What or who should dictate the value of bowyers time and skill?


It usually finds itself, it's the compromise between where the bowyer thinks it should be and the customer thinks it should be. If the bowyer thinks too highly, people wouldn't buy, and if the customer deams it too low, the bowyer wouldn't build.


----------



## Swamp Phantom (Jan 18, 2011)

Hey Ryerson, That is an excellent question that I've given a lot of thought to for a good number of years. I wish you the best at finding an answer that makes sense "for you".

To me there appears to be differnet Levels of Bowing just as in every other thing we humans do. It simplifies the whole cycle for me if I think of the Levels as:
1. Beginner/Rookie/Novice(which would be like me with a Traditional Bow).
2. Somewhat committed and has a good grasp of the Traditional Basics.
3. Completely committed and has a thorough knowledge of using a Traditional Bow.

As a Beginner myself, spending $1000 on a Traditional Bow would be a joke on myself. Don't know enough about about them yet to make wise decisions. I do know that just because a specific Bow fits a bunch of folks, that does not necessarily mean it Fits me or meets my needs though. I am able to read the threads and see where some Bows do not always get Positive Reports and dealing with some of the people Selling them can make the process even more difficult. That is why I bother to read the threads, so I can get an ide aof what typically gets good Reviews and what gets poor Reviews. That just takes time, reading and it begins to fall into place.

Then once I've got an idea of a few that show promise, I go to a local Dealer to try them out. I don't mind driving out of my way to try one either. Then it either fits my Rookie needs and feels good in my hands or gets passed on. So, I do not see a need for a $1000 Trad Bow at my level.

Folks at Level 2, being a bit more committed, would probably enjoy the "Pride of Ownership" and "Bragging Rights" of having a $1000 Bow. But, I'm not real sure they would really be getting their moneys worth either - maybe and maybe not. Some of the High End Factory products come closer to $1000 than they do to the Bows I'm considering. Now, if they really shoot well for them, and they meet their needs, I can understand why they would want to "move-up" to a nicer Bow than I'll have.

The Level 3 folks seem to me they really know what they are doing and can "Specify" particular aspects of a Bow that they want which has to be Built to their Specs. If they can find everything they want in an Off-the-Shelf Bow, then they can save some $$$money$$$, but the Pride of Ownership on a truely Custom Bow(made to their Specs) makes a person feel the money is not at all wasted. That is why we make $$$money$$$, so we can get the things that we want and give us pleasure. And I wish them well.

But, I might never get to even Level 2. I do enjoy it now, but I'm old, tired and just don't need the Bragging Rights.

Excellent question. Best of luck in your selections.


----------



## Gig49 (Apr 25, 2010)

Just my opinon but nothing except maybe more confidence for the individual. Thats if your lacking confidence in the first place


----------



## 1denogean (Jan 9, 2009)

Nothing they both Miss!


----------



## DwayneR (Feb 23, 2004)

the difference???

I have a 1000 dollar bow. . .and I have a 350 dollar bow. . .all from Hoyt.

Differences are:
1. Lamination. One is graphite the other is wood.
2. Number of Lamination's 
3. The smoothness of the draw. . .Does it draw evenly throughout the entire power stroke, or does it stack the last few inches?
4. Vibrations and hand shock. 
5. Balance of the bow.

That 1000 dollar bow puts rings around my 350 dollar bow in all areas. 

When you shoot the difference between a competition bow and a regular bow, you feel, see, and hear the difference. 

Just like there are differences between a 250 dollar brown compound and a 700 dollar Mathews or PSE, there are differences you notice between traditional equipment.

But, for the average Joe, I would only worry about two things:

1. Vibration (or hand shock)
2. Stacking.

Most Bowers have these things solved. . . Yet some Bowers still make crappy products like the "PSE Colt"

Go out and spend 200 dollars on a PSE Colt, then take any other bow out there and shoot it. THAT is the difference between cheapness and get what you pay for. 

But, for most people, the real thing becomes.. .who cares? 

If you are not in competition, but shoo for fun, hunt, or whatever, it really doesn't matter. Even that Colt is a nice shooting bow. . .may be noisy, a little shaky, and cheaply made, but it throws those arrows out quite well.


----------



## ryersonhill (Mar 18, 2006)

Well i have gotten to the point with my Traditional shooting that i want to have a nice piece of wood in my hands and i have been looking at the Shrew line and i kinda like the Kiowa from Great Plains, i guess i can go ahead and order a Shew Classic Hunter anyways they said on there website they are 18 months back ordered so that will be here in a year and a half lol there are so many beautiful pieces out there so i might as well bite the bullet and just buy one


----------



## chep (Jan 27, 2009)

It depends on what you consider an advantage. Of course most poeple would be more than happy in a collectors sense to own a beautiful bow. At the same time those bows might be the ones you are scared to get scratched in the field. Especially if you consider re-selling later.

I have found that once you hit about 500 dollars - there is not always <- (this is not a definitive rule) much difference between the bows if the bow maker has similar skill as another. The truth I think is that you should buy the bow you want. If you need one that shoots 200 feet per second and which has a shelf to shoot from, carbon limbs, etc. then by all means throw your money down. I have seen some bow makers who are obscure and can really craft a nice bow for less than 600 dollars.


----------



## Eldermike (Mar 24, 2009)

Hoyt excel riser 21 inch + medium 50lb TT (samick, black) carbon limbs = $400.00 = my favorite bow. I do like all my bows some of which cost 2 1/2 times as much. It's all a personal thing. My favorite longbow is a $100.00 slightly used Jerry Hill 68in 50lb bow. Tons of hand shock and it's slow but every time I pull an arrow out of the X it makes my like it more. I never paid quite a $1000 for a bow but close enough and they are good bows. I admire the workmanship in a couple of my bows, they are works of art and worth every penny, but the two I listed above are my shooters. A workman is worthy of his hire and good custom bowers are no exception to that rule.


----------



## Pepper (Feb 9, 2004)

What it all boils down to is this.
Do you feel that you got what you paid for? No matter the cost.
Does it make you feel good to have a custom made bow that just sets in your hand like you were born with it there?
Does it do what you expect it to, having in mind that you have to do your part as well?
It really doesn't matter what the cost is, if you are satisfied with what you have, what you paid for it, and how it performs for you.
Good luck in your quest for perfection, we are still looking.


----------



## Doeslayer13 (Apr 27, 2010)

My Quest $425 (no longer have) could shoot deadly and just as accurate as my $700 Pse


----------



## Bowsage (Apr 29, 2008)

$ 279.00 'ish Martin = warped limbs (cared for properly) , $ 450.00 - $ 11000 Fedora custom = ain't happening


----------



## Bowsage (Apr 29, 2008)

$ 1000.00


----------



## caknives (Nov 4, 2009)

At the end of the day its not the weapon its the warrior. The bow might shoot "smoother" or stack less, but a good shot is a good shot and a miss is a miss, it's never the bows fault. A good archer with a twisted 60 dollar ben pearson will out shoot a poor archer with a 1000 dollar "super" bow every time. That being said i'd really like to trade my pearson for a widow if anyone is interested!:wink:


----------



## Eldermike (Mar 24, 2009)

Recurve or longbow $100-$1000.00, Arrows $50-$$200, tab $free-$50.00, arm guard free-$100.00, time spent enjoying your $150-$1350 investment - priceless.


----------



## BowmanJay (Jan 1, 2007)

Honestly most of it is cosmetic really. The performance of most bows is so close these days, the only thing you are really paying for is custom looks and features....


----------



## BrokenArrows (Apr 20, 2004)

ryersonhill said:


> what are the advantages, what do you get,


Nothing. Everything. Depends. There is a difference, but the difference might not make any difference to you.

I shot the Ragim Fox Custom (AKA Martin L100), Martin Savannah, and A&H ACS CX longbows. Priced from $200 to $1200.

Using the same string and arrows, I shoot all three the same as far as accuracy (6 inch groups at 20 yds - that has worked well enough for 40 yrs now). 

All draw smooth w no stack for me. All of 'em are quiet when tuned. The arrow speed goes up and the hand "shock" goes down as the price goes up of course. I hesitate to call what the Fox does "shock"; whatever you call it, it's no problem for me. Speed/energy spread is about 20 fps/10 ft lbs. Or about $50/fps, $100/ft lb. 

For some, the difference is worth every penny and more, for others, not so much. If the Fox was the only bow I had, I would still be smiling when I shoot.

I mention this only to say you don't have to spend a lot of money to have a lot of fun, or put meat on the table. Nothing wrong w spending more and stimulating the economy either; bowyers have kids to feed too. 

I'm getting a lot of use out of this old post lately...


----------



## BLACK WOLF (Aug 26, 2005)

Choosing a bow is kind of like choosing a mate or a car. You can choose one that looks and runs like a Camaro...or you can pick one the runs and looks like a Prius. To each their own. No choice is really right or wrong. Just make a choice based on what you like. Make a list and find something that fulfills it best.

Ray :shade:


----------



## kegan (Aug 28, 2006)

BLACK WOLF said:


> Choosing a bow is kind of like choosing a mate or a car. You can choose one that looks and runs like a Camaro...or you can pick one the runs and looks like a Prius. To each their own. No choice is really right or wrong. Just make a choice based on what you like. Make a list and find something that fulfills it best.
> 
> Ray :shade:


My brother's a gear head, and anything you pick is fine... unless it's a Prius:lol:


----------



## BLACK WOLF (Aug 26, 2005)

kegan said:


> My brother's a gear head, and anything you pick is fine... unless it's a Prius:lol:


My stepson is the same way! 

Ray :shade:


----------



## voodoofire1 (Jan 24, 2006)

What your really paying for is time, it takes time to build a great bow and it takes time to add features, takes time to make them work in unison with the basic product too, and skill has something, but not everything to do with it, see you can be extremely skilled, and still choose not to use those skills to their full extent on any certain project..........double, and tripple checking your work takes time, making sure everything is exactly the way it should be takes time too, myself I prefer a handmade bow over an assembly line bow anyday, not that the assembly line bow is a bad one, but I know with a handmade bow, the bowyer had eyes and hands on each and every square mm of that bow and has taken the time to make sure every thing is correct......and if it isn't, he can't pass the blame to anyone but himself, and as a bowyer that only makes one-off kustom bows.........that really makes a difference........but I would never recommend a newby to go out and buy a custom bow, buy a used one first, shoot it for a while get your feet wet, become profficient with it and then think about a custom if your still inclined...........I would never sell one of my bows to a newby.......and I've turned down more than a few......


----------



## Easykeeper (Jan 2, 2003)

There's not much new in the design and construction of recurves and longbows, at least since fiber glass came along. When you pay the extra money for a custom bow from a professional bowyer you should expect better materials, craftsmanship, and input into how the bow is made (if you order one). Custom bows also hold their value very well and are easy to trade or sell. I have recurves by Blacktail, Dale Dye, and a John McCullough 59'er, all bought used. If you have never seen or shot bows in this class you owe it to yourself to try one. The classifieds is the place to find your bow. 

Personally I don't understand why anybody these days would buy a new custom or expensive production bow without trying a used one first. With the internet and sites like Trad Gang, Leatherwall, and AT, you can research enough to make an educated purchase on a used bow. There is a never ending parade of beautiful used bows in the classifieds on these sights, all for considerably less than new price. Used stickbows hold their value pretty well, unlike compounds, so once you get on the used train you can usually trade, buy, sell, with little loss of your original investment except shipping charges. Since there really are no bows that are far superior performance wise, it all boils down to what you want to look at, what feels good, and what you can afford. You won't know what you like until you try them. It's no surprise that people in the traditional archery game usually end up shooting top of the line custom recurves or longbows. For recurves look at Blacktail, Dale Dye, Robertson, Schafer, RER, Tall Tines, Morrison, to name a few. There are others but the point is beyond a certain price point it's mostly aesthetics and personal appeal.


----------



## akduce (Feb 14, 2009)

Apperance is the difference it shouldnt be the quality


----------



## voodoofire1 (Jan 24, 2006)

I agree that quality shouldn't be the difference,.........but it is........people have been shelling out hard eaned bucks for better quality products for a long, long time.....play cheap games, get cheap prizes........ been that way forever...............


----------



## BrokenArrows (Apr 20, 2004)

At the local shop are a Martin Savannah for $500 and an ACS CX for $1200. I shot both, and I liked the Martin much better. Both were smooth, quiet, and shock free. The ACS was a tad faster (5 fps, that's it). The Savannah was just easier to hit with. For me; YMMV.


----------



## sharpbroadhead (Feb 19, 2004)

It depends on the bow - when it comes to "custom" made bows - it is usually only the eye candy value - when it comes to ILF bows - it is materials and performance. For example the Black Max Limbs that sell for $129.00 are made out of wood and glass, the Extreme BF limbs that are $599.00 are made out of multiple layers of carbon and foam and to the demands of Olympic archers.


----------



## IAIS604 (Apr 11, 2010)

Depends on the archer - I doubt that I could shoot the BM carbon limbs any better than my wood/glass ones, so I might as well go cheap !!


----------



## sharpbroadhead (Feb 19, 2004)

Iais604 - that is true - A good archer with a $169.00 Samick Sage will shoot better than an average archer with a $1200.00 Black Widow any day of the week. The price and quality of the bow are not as important as the quality of the archer. Most all bows made today will shoot plenty well for most of us.


----------



## BrokenArrows (Apr 20, 2004)

Byron Ferguson has done some fancy shooting w Bear longbows that cost about $500. He doesn't shoot twice as good w custom $1000 longbows. Maybe better, but not twice as good.

OTOH, I suspect most Olympic style shooters at the top level will shoot a $1000 riser/limb combo better than a $500 combo. Could be the difference between winning and losing.


----------



## archer756 (Aug 10, 2009)

Ferguson doesn't shoot a Bear, shots a Howard Hill


----------



## sharpbroadhead (Feb 19, 2004)

archer - Ferguson shoots either his own bows, his son's bows or the Bear Ferguson signature bow - he does not shoot Howard Hill bows.


----------



## MAC 11700 (Feb 22, 2011)

I have the Black Max Carbons (not the Extremes) on my rig..and like them a-lot. They are very smooth..very accurate and very fast as they are set up...That is one of the neat things with these TT limbs..you have awesome choices of what grades you want and what price you can afford. $189...$289...& $599..

What advantage of a $1000 dollar opposed to a $500 bow..all depends on what you the persons preferences are and what your taste are. Do your place more emphasis utilitarian usage and looking for the most durable product ? Is your preference more to esthetics's and having a hand made sculpted work of art in your hand the most desirable feature for you ? These are 2 extremes you can have ..as well as...Are you more cost conscious and wanting to get the absolute best features for the absolute least amount of money spent..? The advantages will depend on what criteria you as the person spending the money place the most emphasis on...since not all people place the same values of importance on each thing. You can spend as little...or as much on a bow..and no 2 people will agree it is the absolute best for them..You will also hear spending more gains you nothing..There is no difference..Why waste money on buying...People who are saying these absolutes on anything are expressing only _their_ values and what is important to them..Just because someone else can shoot a bow better than you means nothing..You are the person shooting it..and it has to be what you want..and like.. 

You as the buyer have to have a idea of what features you want and what is important to you.and then buy what fits your criteria.Spending more gets you more choices to consider..._that is the advantage of having more to spend_..and you build it or have it built for what _you _consider as the best for _you_.

Points to consider when choosing the "best" selection for you possible...or asking others for their opinions..

Cost...if your budget only allows $500..then don't expect as many choices as what $1000 will buy you..You will find some are the same..but doubling the amount spent will always net you more to choose from.

Esthetics's...or looks of the bow...The only way you will know which you prefer is to hold as many different types in your hand as you can..and understand..your taste may change over time..You may have a certain look or material for your chosen bow..that only $1000 will buy..then again you may want something totally different that doesn't cost as much..This is one of the main things that is important..only to the individual..People have varied taste..in everything..and some place more value in the looks of a bow than others do.

Performance...this is where many will say one is better than another..and go to great lengths to prove just how smooth and easy and how fast one is over another..No 2 bows ever perform exactly the same in different peoples hands..each will feel different to different people.They may scale and be very close on a machine shooter..but..since we all shoot differently with different arrow combinations..rest...draw lengths and in different conditions and even with different grips on the bow and even how we hold the bow string...all will have different results in performance and feel of the bows.. Static tests are nice..and can show us how one set of limbs will perform differently with force draw curves..but won't tell you exactly how it will feel or perform for you..

The bottom line is what do you want to spend your money on..There really isn't a "best bang for the buck " bow out there that fits perfectly for everyone..You have to decide what is best for you..

Mac


----------



## rattus58 (Jul 9, 2007)

BrokenArrows said:


> At the local shop are a Martin Savannah for $500 and an ACS CX for $1200. I shot both, and I liked the Martin much better. Both were smooth, quiet, and shock free. The ACS was a tad faster (5 fps, that's it). The Savannah was just easier to hit with. For me; YMMV.


 Before the Viper came out, Martin considered the Savannah to be their very best ever longbow.... and now they just don't say... :grin: I own one of them Vipers.... and I gots to tell you, it is a fine bow, and I'm of the opinion, that the Savannah is every bit as good, even though 2" shorter.... and $200 less expensive.


----------



## BrokenArrows (Apr 20, 2004)

Byron Ferguson has done some fancy shooting w a lot of bows over the years, and some of them were the Bear bows he designed for them (the signature series Patriot and Royal Safari) that went for about $500. He used them in his demos, videos, and sold them on his web page.

I've tried Vipers too; great bows. The Savannah set world flight records when it was new that have since been bested by the Viper (and other bows). While it may not be best in that respect any longer, it's still the one I like best.


----------

