Gold Tips spine variance

[Lefty]

A few years ago, I shot GT trads and really like the shafts.  They seemed durable and I think have the best looking woodgrain pattern of all of them.  What I didn't like was the huge variance in spine between shafts even from the same lot.  I thought that it was maybe due to the woodgrain coating, but having tested other GT shafts and it was a problem with all the ones I had.  
  I am hoping that this problem has been corrected.  The price of the blems from Big Jim are sure nice and if the spine variance has been corrected, I would like to get a couple dozen.  I PM'ed Jim, and although he believes the problem has been corrected, he doesn't have a spine tester to varify it.
  So is anyone out there that has a spine tester and some GT trad shafts that they have spined or can spine them?  Most interested in the newer blems that are available now, but also would like to hear about other GT shafts, if you have spined them.  On the Gold Tip website they state their tolerences for straightness and weight, but not any spine tolerence.

[Roadkill]

I had a similiar experience.  Traxx and I weighed many GT's when they first came out and they were not any where near consistent.  I will weigh some down in the shop when I can get back, but I think i heard they had addressed the problem.

[Paul Mattson]

Are you spine testing the blems?  When I spined GT's seconds some where all over the place.  This being that some where miss marked a 55/75 was actually a 75/95.   As for the non-blems, that I have spine tested.  I have not found a big variance.  On some I did find a high side and low side, I check the spine in four places on the shaft.

What where some of your readings?

[James Wrenn]

If you are not hung up on the woodgrain finish the Beman bowhunter shafts are a much better product for about the same money as the seconds.You won't have spine issues and won't have to deal with those awfull tapered GT inserts.jmho

[bentpole]

Never had a problem with the blems always hit where I was lookin' Do you guys shoot international  professional targets and such where all your arrows have to be within such and such? Just curious.

[xtrema312]

I just got some GT trad blems in 3555.  They do not spine to .500" but from a thread I started it sounds like that is the norm for the 3555 trad shafts.  I found two that were stiffer than the rest, but not up one size.  Those two were about .500” and the same.  The rest were very close to the same, but by the sounds of it about what they typically run.  If you are getting 3555 just know that they run a little weak.

I also got some 5575, but they came in 7595.  Big Jim sent me out the correct shafts before I could ship the others back and included more than enough extra shaft to cover my return shipping.  I plan to start working on them tonight.  I will let you know what I find on those.

[Lefty]

Actually the ones I tested were not blems.  I have had the 55/75 spine any where from low 60's to well over 80.  Sounds like the problem is still ongoing.  
  James, I like the wood grain for the additional weight it adds to the shaft.  
 bentpole, I probably shouldn't even address your smart comment, but here goes.  It doesn't matter what type of targets you are shooting at, if your arrows are spined 20# difference between shafts, you are not going to be able to properly tune your bow.  And tuning is very important to penetration.  So, no I don't shoot international professional targets, but I do tune my equipment to the best of my ability and the place to start is with consistance, no matter if it is gear or form.

[Jason R. Wesbrock]

I bought a set of Gold Tips back in 2001. They were all supposed to be 3555's, but half of the dozen were actually mislabeled 5575's. That was the last set I bought, and it sounds like they still haven't fixed their problem.

Lefty: I personally know a guy who says he can't tell the difference in 20# of spine. Of course, he also can't it a wall tent from the inside.   :D

[xtrema312]

I just finished testing the 5575's and shooting the 3555's some.  The 3555's shoot great.  Very tight 20 yd. groups, 4” and less when doing my part.  I estimated the two stiffer shafts and cut them a bit long after bare shaft shooting them to get them spined the same as the others.

The 5575 I got with the extra shafts added in ended up being 15 shafts.  My makeshift spine tester measured the weakest shaft at .400.  The stiffest shaft was about .380.  Most ran mid .39's.  My weight could be off some.  I didn’t fine tune it with a real accurate scale, but it is in the ball park.  I believe they are basically .400" and within 3 lb. max. static spine as a group.  I can work with that and weed out the few that don’t quite cut it for broad head flight.

My only problem now is I can’t keep hot melt glued inserts in them.  Still playing with trying to rough up the inside so they stick reliably.

[Lefty]

Thanks Todd.  That is exactly the kind of information I was looking for.  I could definately deal with +/-3#.  

Jason, I know what you mean, LOL!!

[LostNation_Larry]

I've spine tested a handful of the non-blems and very few of them come up off the average.  I've seen it happen, but not much in the 5 1/2 years I've been selling them.  I've also tested a dozen for a customer, but I hope I don't have to test all the rest I ever sell.

[Richie Nell]

That is only one reason I like aluminum. Consistency, consistency, consistency

[Wallcrawler]

This would likely explain why the GT 55/75 set-up I had last year was so awkward.  I had a few that would cut my hand with the fletching they deflected so much, others were just darts and I had to choose 2 I could hunt with reliably.  Never even thought of the spines being different. Silly me.  Glad I getting Hammerheads from Badger Arrow.