I have just learnt a very valuable lesson - follow your heart. I have long liked Bob Lee bows and always wanted one. However I had this thing in the back of my mind that they would not be a true custom - sort of like a glorifed Martin - a poor man's custom.
Off I went on this expensive search for a bow that would become my go-to-bow and a true keeper. I have come close many times and have two nice bows that I will never sell.
However it turned out to be a very expensive search. Most of my bows were ordered when the Australian dollar was only about 50 - 70c to the USD. Add 150 USD for postage for a full- length bow and after about eleven or twelve bows you can imagine what I spent (some were t/d so much cheaper for postage).
I am not complaining - I had a lot of fun in the process. However I have become very tired of dealing with small company, pedantic bowyers. I have my last bow that is a beauty and the bowyer posts a lot on here and has a very dedicated following.
He almost nailed my bow perfectly but there is a small detail that he said he would rectify to make it into a great bow (one of my two keepers). However after collecting the dough from me and the passing of a few months I think he has grown tired of me. My last two emails dating back to about five weeks for one of them have been ignored.
He posts on here all the time so I know he is around - but just not talking to me. Not a huge problem but it just leaves a sour taste in the mouth when you haven't been treated as you would expect.
Enter Bob Lee. With my last disappointment sticking in my craw I decided to bite the bullet and order my B/L. Sandy was great on the phone and bent over backwards to get the bow here on time. I am heading off again in a few weeks to backpack Asia again for a few months - my bow had to be here within that framework.
Sandy pushed it through double quick time and it arrived today. Three weeks from the day I ordered it to my doorstep in Western Australia - magic stuff.
The bow is truly awesome and the most accurate bow I have ever shot. I just went outside and jammed nearly every arrow out of 20 or so, into my plastic vitamic C container from 13 meters. I have never been able to do that with any of my other bows. The very first arrow went straight in and so did most of the others.
I am going with a friend to hunt New Zealand next year - I know if I had a problem and had to get a set of limbs over quickly I would not have to wait weeks to see if my emails were returned of not. Sandy would be right on the mark I know.
I just want to thank Lee for a great product and great service.
It's not all bad news though and I don't want to end on a negative note. Dan Toelke was great to deal with and I would not hesitate to order another bow off him. He is not long on words but always returned my correspondence straight away - his Whip is great too.
My Lee is 62" Signature T/D longbow, clear glass R/H 43#. Even though it is much heavier than my other bows (in physical weight) it is whisper quiet and very very accurate. The modified high wrist fits me like a glove.
I will put a short thread on *********** and you can see some pic's. I just find it easier to post pic's there than on here.
Cheers - Sutto