Martin Savannah, a great little bow

[DesertDude]

My first bow in 87 was a Martin hunter.  loved it. All my friends were getting new Brackenbury's and I got the custom bow bug. I sold Wes Wallace's and Martin bows over the next 10 years while working in the archery biz. I have shot and owend most of the different Martin bow models like the "Hunter" "Bushmaster" "Dream Catcher" "Ventura" "Hatfield" "Vision" "x100 & 200" and a few others. It seams you never forget the bow that got you started on your way in "Traditional Archery". I feel that Martin makes a great bow for the $$. In all the years I sold the I never had one problem with any of them. When the Savannh came out I really liked the looks of it but waited to buy one.  Well Today I got one 55# @28 I took it home and set it up with a new rest, made a FF flemish for it, leather grip then headed out to test it. Wow what a great little bow. Quite fast (550gr GT 55-75) shoots were you look, quite, great cast, and most of all not bad looking. Most of us have shot alot of different bows over the years. I have to say that most of the bows being made today shoot real well, just some have more details.  Martin has done well with this bow, now to find the new bamboo viper........Mark

PS exceptions to most bows shoot real well.  Just shot an Adcock. At a loss for words.

[8up]

Until I read your post I hadn't thought about it, but my first bow was a Martin as well a lynx. That was almost 18 years ago. I am now in the process of buying a Savannah as well its marked 55 @28 but the scale shows it to be 58 @28 which should make it around 50 @ my 25". The one I'm buying has a high gloss finish and is signed by Larry Hatfield It also has a leather grip on it already. I hope I am as pleased with mine as you are with yours......Ron

[buckeye_hunter]

I shot a Savannah yesterday.  It was accurate, but had a lot of vibration.  I think that was because I shot it with very light arrows and no string silencers.  I'm still considering it for $360, but not sure....Charlie

[PigStikker]

Yeah, I have a Savannah and love it.  It is a very comfortable bow and surprisingly quick.

Matt

[buckeye_hunter]

What kind and grain of arrows are you guys shootiing out of it?  One guy told me it was accurate no matter what he shot from it, but my main thing is smooth draw and non-shock/silent on the release.  Quiet and accurate are most important to me.  If you have those two things, and don't get caught moving, the deer are in trouble!!!......Charlie

[DesertDude]

I made a FF flemish string (18 strands) the first FF material, a set of Beaver silencers. I set the brace height to 6 7/8, and a 540gr arrow. very quite great feeling in hand. the  string that came with the bow really twanged and I felt more shock with it.......Mark

[Spang]

My only Trad bow is the Savannah. I have just about learned to shoot it. Mine is 45#@28 and my draw is 27". That still gives me enough power to hit the target. I actually hit in the same area     . This is my first attempt at Trad and have learned to use my Right hand and Left eye for shooting. I have this problem with other shooting disciplines.

[Dan the man]

have one 55# @28 great little bow

[suttoman]

Sorry guys - I beg to differ!  

I used to think my Savannah was ok, until I ordered a couple of custom bows in the ensuing months!  I didn't have to spend anymore to realise that there are much better bows for the money.  My last bow - Renegade Spirit ll by Dave Neidigh - blows the socks off the Savannah in every department - and that bow is only $375 with standard wood selection.

Furthermore - my Savannah was probably made by the Monday night-shift crew.  When one sights along the arc formed by the strung bow - it looks like the rocky road to China.  There is not a nice even uniform arc as on my other bows -there are flat sections and it looks really terrible.  One does not have to be a Rhodes Island scholar to realise their jigs, formwork or moulds (whatever one chooses to call them), are not perfect.  Fix those and the problem is fixed.

I  wrote to Martin about the problem and they told me to see my dealer.  As I live in Australia and not even in the same country as Martin - it was very hard to get anything done about it.  The dealer did not want to know about it either.

This problem is not unique to myself.  When this happened - at the time - I wrote a thread on here stating my problem.  A couple of other guys p/m'd me and they had the same problem and the same response from Martin.

Sorry guys - don't let me take the shine off your enjoyment of the Savannah!!  

However, my Martin Vision is an awesome bow and the build quality second to none.  Regrettably, I have not had a similiar experience with the Savannah.  Compared to my customs - with the same string - it is very noisy and slow!!  I think it is a terrible bow!!

Sutto

[Mr.Magoo]

Like my Savannah just fine ...

 

[skeaterbait]

Mine does a dandy job as well. I have a 55# but in hopes of adding a 60# sometime soon.