The Bob Lee - Morrison comment??

[suttoman]

As some of you may have read my recent thread on Centaur/Morrison bows - you will be aware I have been thinking of ordering one of these top end bows.  I have written to them both and am waiting final replies -I think Bob is at some bow show or somethng and Jim must be busy!

I read a comment a few months ago so the specifics are a bit hazy. Somebody wrote on a thread disussing Morrison bows that he and/or "many" of his friends were trading in their Morrisons for Bob Lees.  He implied that the Lee were much better and cheaper.

Wow - I have the Bob Lee T/D Signature L/B and I love it so much. It is without doubt in the top two of all the bows I have owned.

I was wondering if the person who wrote that could P/M me with some details.  Remember I am bringing this into Australia so I have to pay at least another 35% on top of what you American boys do!!

Sutto

[Danny Rowan]

I cannot imagine anyone trading in a Morrison for a Bob Lee, just my thoughts. Not "dissing" Bob Lee bows,never shot one, and they have been around for a long time so I am sure they are good bows. But I do own two Morrisons and have owned others and Mr. Morrisons customer service is beyond compare. Not many bowyers will send you a bow and tell you to send him the money when you can, just a great guy.

Danny

[AkDan]

I owned a bob lee signature recurve.  I still have it.  If I went back to shooting recurves this would be my bow.  

I dont though, as I hunt with longbows for awhile so she gathers dust in the case.   I dont care fo the lee longbow 3 piece takedown.  It's basically a straight limbed recurve.

I've never shot a morrison.  But I will say you wont be dissappointed with a lee recurve!

[Crooked Stic]

I dont own either one but have shot both and they are both great shooters and well made bows. If I wanted a top end bow one of Bobs would be my first choice.

[tukudu]

I have shot or owned some of the very best recurve and longbows available. Bob's continual innovations are evident in his new bow offerings. High Performance,hard hitting, consistent shootability, balance and feel in the hand and fit and finish that will marvel anyone and challenge the best bowyers out there. In my opinion his bows are better now than they were a decade ago when I bought my first one. Sometimes you get one or two of these characteristics in bow but not all of them and that is the key differentiating factor. When you do expect to put down a big chunk of hard earned cash.  Add to this mix a gentlemen who truly has a passion for what he is doing. He is never satisfied and I like that. I cannot ever remember a time when my questions asked were not handled in a friendly, helpful, and professional manner in dealing with me. Sutto he is a master bowyer and a fine gentlemen and his bows reflect what he has achieved.

[tippit]

Suttoman,  
The beauty of shooting traditional equipment is the diversity of the bows and bowyers on the market now as apposed to the number of bowyers back in the 70's when I started.  

Comments about Not Speaking Highly about a bowyer really have no bearing on what you should be looking for in a bow.  What I like and what you like could be miles apart.  I suggest trying every bow you can and decide for yourself...not on a comment like that.

As to Morrison bows and the man, tukudu pretty much sums it up.  JMHO...Doc

[Killdeer]

Mr. Morrison is indeed at "some show". He is at K-zoo, with other top suppliers of trad equipment. There is a thread or two about it onsite.

I have shot Morrisons of several flavors, and some Bob Lees. I own four Morrisons.    

Killdeer  

[Lefty]

All you are getting is opinions, so here is mine.  I have never shot a Bob Lee, so I won't comment on them.  I personally think it is poor tastes to post negatively about a bow or bowyer that I have never shot.  As far as Bob Morrison and his bows, I have owned and shot them and he and his crew are tops in the craft.  Producing some on the fine shooting and most beautiful bows out there.  Fast, smooth and Bob is one of the nicest guys around.  Even though he doesn't know me from Adam, he has always gone out of his way to talk to me like an old friend at the shoots and shows I have seen him at.  When I needed a set of limbs bolts for my shawnee, he sent them right out free of charge, even though I had picked up the riser and limbs from different people, both second hand.  
  In my opinion, you should not order any new bow unless it is another Bob Lee.  You seem to really like it and no matter how much someone else likes or dislikes another bow, you have to shoot it for yourself to really know.  Didn't you just have a similar post a few weeks ago, only that time is was a ACS CX verses your Bob Lee?  
  If you do want a different bow, you should consider the used market for a bow.  Trade or sell the ones you try and don't like.  Then when you find exactly what you know you like, order a new one and have it made exactly to your liking.  Or travel over for one of the big shoots or shows and get a chance to shoot them all first hand and decide for yourself.  Bottom line, you cannot find out how a bow shoots or feels to you, while sitting at a computer.

[Rod Jenkins]

Originally posted by Lefty:
  Didn't you just have a similar post a few weeks ago, only that time is was a ACS CX verses your Bob Lee?  
 

Good question !

I consider both Bob Morrison and Rob Lee friends and both are stand up men... Rob and the Bob Lee gang certainly don't need or would approve of these type posts.

[HATCHCHASER]

It is all personal preference.  Take a look at the used market and see how long a Morrison stays for sale.  Just a thought.  I have shot both but owned neither.  I have talked to Bob Morrison a few times and he is a super nice guy.  My next bow will be a Morrison and if I don't like it I will sell or trade it and not blame the bowyer.  There are plenty of well made bows out there, each one is dirrerent.  PERSONAL PREFERENCE!

[md126]

suttoman,  i wasn't the one who posted the original comment but you have a PM..

i don't think suttoman is attacking bob or jim. i think he is trying to make an educated decision. to do that he needs peoples honest opinions, positive or negative. then he can sift through them, use his brain, and decide for himself. it's not easy to "try every bow and then decide for yourself" in the USA let alone australia.

[Rob DiStefano]

Sutto, I dunno why you make these kinda posts.  Yer not a newbie so it isn't like you need to know about trad bows or bow buying, particularly since both bowyers you mention are top shelf and have the best of reputations.  Neither build inferior bows.  

So it comes down to what it always comes down to, personal preferences and how much ya wanna spend.  

IMHO, and argue about this all ya like - anything else is purely the opinions of others, and you do know about other's opinions?

If yer having a hard time justifying spending all that loot on a bow, and the shipping, and the Oz taxes - maybe that's the real issue and not the bows themselves?  In the end, it will ALWAYS be a gamble of sort when buying a new (or used) bow - even one you've been able to "try before ya buy", as it can take quite a while to decide if it's a really keeper or not, that's the nature of the bows and most of us archers ... just look at our Traditional Bows classifieds and see what I mean.

[Rob DiStefano]

I'll add further ...

I'll "walk a mile" with a bow before I dis it, and if I had any complaints I'd take 'em to the source and not some public forum.  If I never held, let alone shot, a brand/model of bow, how in heck could I pass judgment on it or the bowyer?  Not via the opinions of others, for sure!      :mad:

[centaurshooter]

sutto is just a guy in australia that has been slightly burned on a couple of fronts on previous bow purchases.  they instances that to you or i would be no big deal in the states.  where he's at it is and he wants to get all the info possible before making a decision.  this isn't a flame war, just a question and certainly nothing to get worked up about.  someone did make that comment and he was asking that person why they said what they said.  not all that crazy if you're thinking of plunking down well over a grand on a bow.  and yes, he did ask about the cx comment and why not?  there's plenty of people that stick by their bob lees and plenty that love the cx, but.........there's also alot of cx's on the classifieds so an archer in australia getting ready to shell out major bucks should ask the questions imho.  just give him an honest answer

[BigRonHuntAlot]

quote:Originally posted by Rob DiStefano:
I'll add further ...

I'll "walk a mile" with a bow before I dis it, and if I had any complaints I'd take 'em to the source and not some public forum.  If I never held, let alone shot, a brand/model of bow, how in heck could I pass judgment on it or the bowyer?  Not via the opinions of others, for sure!  

[kawika b]

use the search function,,, lotta good info out there if you need it. most times the old adage holds true,,, "you get what you pay for".

[Three Arrows]

Suttoman, any bow you shoot well and feels just right in your hand is a fine bow.  All the opinions you get are just that.  They don't mean a thing to you if you buy a bow well opinioned and not shoot it well or like the feel of it.  I personally like both bows you refer to.  Well hell... I like all bows!!!  Got some I shoot well, got some I cannot hit air with them.  Hang on to the one you like the most.  Hope it works out for you in your quest for the perfect one.  

[Shawn Leonard]

I will add that if ya love your Lee, why buy a new one in recurve? Just have a set of limbs made for it, ya can even find used recurve Lee limbs a lot of times. I have shot and owned both, as Rob said, both very good bows and I may like apples and you oranges! Shawn

[suttoman]

Thanks folks for the input.  It wasn't actually a recurve I was asking about - it was the Morrison R/D longbow. Sorry if I was vague on that.  I don't shoot recurves.

I am sorry a few of you misunderstood my motives.  'Centaurshooter' and 'MD126' summed it up pretty well - thanks guys.

I am certainly not trying to play one bowyer against the rest - far be it from that.  It is just very frustrating in Australia - a whole different dynamic to what you American boys are used to.

We have no Bowyers of our own as such (or any I would buy a bow from), and we only have a very small Trad following in Australia.  I have to source from the States.  An expensive exercise - but I am not seeking sympathy or complaing about that.  I do what I do and I love buying and researching new bows.  

I just can't shoot any of them first like you USA lads can - so I have to ask lots of (what some may deem as 'stupid) questions!!

Sutto

[insttech1]

What happened to the spider guy?   The huntsman bows or some such?
Does he still make them?  Are they worth a darn?  They looked pretty sweet!

As for Morrison/Lee, here's my take from owning one BL t/d recurve, 1 Morrison t/d recurve, 1 Morrison t/d longbow shawnee dakota, and 1 Morrison Cougar longbow:

The Morrison is by far faster, and the longer overall length, the smoother the draw.  His draw starts out pretty stiff (preload), but is generally smooth.

The Lee, shot for shot, in my opinion, is noticeably slower, and noticeably more forgiving.

I think the only way to maximize forgiveness from the Morrison bows is to have him custom-grind a grip for you.

I just held both bows at the K-zoo show on Saturday, and while I've had finger-grooves on some of the Morrison bows before, I picked one up Saturday that the grooves were so far apart I would never be able to own the bow...I would have to send it back.

If the Lee's fit you, I'd stick with 'em.  Unless Bob is willing to do something like send you a trial chunk of riser, you mark it up, and he does a custom-grind for you when you send it back...and then he sends your bow out.

Take Care,
Marc