Good Bowyers/Ugly Bows?

[owlbait]

How do you think good bowyers would handle a customers request to use materials/woods that would probably result in a bow that only a mother could love? The materials wouldn't jepordize the safety or performance of the bow, but the combination may be God-Awful, so do you think they would say yes or no?

[Koko Bow]

I would think that as long as they offered the wood choices or could get the woods then why not - it's your money.

[Over&Under]

They may try and steer you a different direction, but a good bowyer should build to your wishes as long as the bows integrity could stay in tact, like Koko said, it's your money.

[owlbait]

I'm just wondering if they just wouldn't want someone to see a bow that others might not find too appealing?

[Mike Vines]

The smart thing to do is take whatever work comes your way.  If one guy says no out of principle, then there is always someone in the wings ready to take their money, and make you exactly what you want.  After all, the customer is always right, aren't they?  I've made a pretty good living off of doing just that.  Some requests were no where near on my list of things I would like my name on, but the Benjamin's spoke volumes to me, and I did what they wanted in the end.  We both left very happy when I was done.

[Friend]

I would expect a good bowyer to steer me in the right direction that would also be agreeable to me. It is my responsiblity to be up front and ask him to be candid and that I am requesting his guidance. My confidence in the bowyers I have worked with far exceed what I think I want.

[Sixby]

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder but I would not build a bow that I knew was going to look bad and that the customer might decide , it didn't look like he thought it would, and then wanted me to keep his ugly bow.

Keep in mind that plain and ugly are two different cats and that a beautiful bow cab be built with plain wood.

However  ugly is just ugly. I would do my best to talk the customer out of it and tell him why.

 I have turned down customers. I do not have to build bows for people I do not feel right about. There is lots more to life than money. That said I have the best customers in the world. They are my friends. God Bless you All, Steve

[J. Oles]

There are some really ugly color combinations out there.

I remember a couple bows named the: Steelers bow, even a LA pimp longbow!

Pink and black and all different colors...

Guy's seemed to eat it up!

[K. Mogensen]

What the bowyer thinks looks like absolute crap, might be the prettiest bow ever to some people.

[sawtoothscream]

Originally posted by J. Oles:
There are some really ugly color combinations out there.

I remember a couple bows named the: Steelers bow, even a LA pimp longbow!

Pink and black and all different colors...

Guy's seemed to eat it up!

was the steelers bow the one for sale on archery talk? the zona bow?  

i bought a new bow an di wanted something that looks pretty good but not flashy. i like how the bow turned out. looks good to me, just cant wait to see it in person

[legends1]

Ok, im laughing right now.I love this post because it has happen to me.We were talking wood choises. Then it came,he said "Well i think i want ect,ect." what do you think? My thoughts ran fast and i said that would be just fine if thats your wish.Then i said i also think your wood choise could go very nice with ect. wood. He said,your right,i really like that idea.When i was done with his bow told me he loved it and was glad i suggested ect.wood.I would have done what ever he would have wanted but was glad he liked my idea.Yes, bowyers will do what a customer wants, but we do like to design a nice looking bow.

[YORNOC]

A gentleman from down south ordered an elkskin quiver from me. The body was to be the usual gold, but all trim was to be kelly green. I did it, but it was "different".
Best part, it was to match his takedown recurve, hmmmmmmm...what did that look like?

[Flinttim]

I'm not a bowyer but am in a business where I have to do "custom" type stuff for folks. Here's my take on it. I try to steer the customer in the right direction but if he won't budge and I can't live with the job myself, I pass on it. After 40 years of dealing with the public I have learned a thing or two. The main thing is, people won't take responsibility for their own decisions. Some bowyer builds a guy an ugly bow, after discussions about how it will look. The bowyer opts out for the $$$ instead of his integrity. New bow owner shows it off at the next 3D shoot. All there howl and laugh and ask "where'd you get that thing?"  The owner will throw the bowyer under the bus and never mention that it's exactly how he ordered it. Remember, anything you build and sell will have your name on it for it's entire life, not just the time the first owner owns it. Be proud to put your name on anything you build or don't build it.

[Izzy]

With the exceptions of leopard wood and lace wood Ive never seen a wood species that I could call ugly. All I can say is I cant wait to see your Frankenstein bow.

[GRINCH]

Never seen an ugly bow,seen some that were plain,but never ugly.

[7 Lakes]

Artists and their Patron's have had this conflict well before the Sistine Chapel ceiling was commissioned.  

Each artist must deal with it on an individual basis. Just remember that most "Archers" (not on this site of course) consider wheelie bows as works of art and worth many thousands of dollars.  Everyone has their own concept of beauty.

[Duker]

No matter how ugly we might think something is someone out there will like it or as the saying goes "different strokes for different folks"  

[Ric Anderson]

I've started on bows following customers requests that I thought would be absolutely hideous when completed but turned out to be gorgeous when done.  I was wrong and they were right.  If the customers wood selections won't impact the quality of the finished product in regards to performance, or in any other way, then who am I to say what is pretty and what is ugly.

[BWD]

Never seen a bow that was too plain, but seen many I considered awful gaudy. Some of them look like a saleman's wood sample display. Hey, each to his own.

[Sixby]

When you build bows you are creating an image and a brand. That kind of makes it important that you build to that brand ., that you maintain it. What my brand is can be immensely improved or rapidly diminished by the quality and looks of even one bow. Like someone said . even if the owner likes the bow but takes it to shoots and everyone sees it and says , where did that piece of garbage come from. Your name is on it. It effects the brand. In spite of all the caterwauling about wanting plain hunting bows I get orders that amount to fancy customs well over 909 opercent of the time. That is customer choice. I personally kind of like plain. Not ugly but nice wood that is complementary. However when the guys start ordering they want this, then that, then more and finally its a full blown custom with all the foo foo. I understand that , but then these are the very same guys that come on the threads and say I don't like fancy, I just like plain bows, LOL.

God Bless you all, Steve