Why is it every time I say I'm thinning the herd and selling a couple of bows, I wind up trading instead?
This one is REALLY new to me, though. I normally brace my recurves around 8" +- 1/4 and my r/d longbows around 7 1/4 +- 1/4. I just traded for a Black Creek Banshee that's a nice light weight for my rehab shooting. When it arrived it was braced right around 9". I said "That's way to high for that little bow" and dropped the brace height down to 8 1/4". Then, just for grins, I e-mailed the bowyer, Jim Gainey, and asked for the recommended brace height.
Within the hour I had an answer back. Jim said the Banshee was designed to be braced high 8 1/4 - 9". I raised the brace height back up to 8 3/4" (I'm so conservative it hurts) and crawled up the hill to my shop to shoot it. Can't get but about 6 - 7 yards in the shop, but I sure learned something. I lowered the brace height 1/2 inch and the bow got somewhat noisy and the speed actually seemed to drop off. Hey, the man built the bow, why am I second guessing him. Raised the brace height back up and the bow is a joy to shoot. Lots of pre-load, but at 41#, it still draws really easy to my 29.5" and is whisper quiet and really quick for that weight.
I have to say Jim makes one heck of a nice bow. The split wood veneers don't hurt a bit either
I checked his web site and the prices are great too.