Why such a long wait for bows?

[T Lail]

to each his own...custom work takes time....consider this....do you want a Kia or a Cadillac....go hang with a bowyer for one day, and a lot of your questions would be answered....

[kawika b]

Along with Mike Mecredy I'd like to add Jim Neaves to the list of bowyers with excellent customer service. About a month back I bought a Chimera off the classifieds here (thanks again Joe) and had it sent to Jim to shave a few pounds, reshape the grip, remove the owners name and old specs and add the new one. Communication through emails has been flawless. I told Jim that he could ship my bow out after I paid him for the work this Friday. He told me that I have been waiting for it long enough and shipped it out this morning. What can you say about guys like Mike and Jim... just awesome man!    

[L. Harris]

To me, There just isn't any shortcuts in traditional archery or the making of a custom bow. The path to isntant gratification is the wheel bow. The choice is smooth rich graceful lines and laid back times (traditional) or slam bam thank you (wheelie). I'll take Trad. life everyime!!!

[capt eddie]

How long do you wait, when they say it will be mailed in a couple of days, and it is 9 days later.  At what point is it considered unproffessional and aggrevating.  i draw the line at 9 days without a reason being give.  But the check cleared the back weks ago.  It has been getting sprayed and final coated twice now.

[Hit-or-Miss]

If I recall, even Jack Howard had a long wait time for his Gamemaster Jets, as he did them in batches at certain times of the year. You get what you pay for in life, not just in alcohol, cars & guns, but with bows too. If you want fast and cheap, buy a Samick Sage. 3-Rivers will have it at your door step in 4 days. They shoot just fine!
  If you want an exotic wood, fine quality bow, built to your specs, to fondle in your treestand, and stroke in your den, then pay for a custom job and be prepared to wait.
  And, find out WHO you are sending your money to, BEFORE the check is mailed.
  There are more good guys out there than bad ones, at least in Traditional Archery. But, as previously mentioned, they also have family, full time day jobs (some), lawns to cut, kids sports events to attend, bad backs, church, medical appointments and all the stress of trying to run a small shop.
   Have a cold one, light your cigar and relax. "Good things come to those who wait".

[**DONOTDELETE**]

Originally posted by capt eddie:
How long do you wait, when they say it will be mailed in a couple of days, and it is 9 days later.  At what point is it considered unproffessional and aggrevating.  i draw the line at 9 days without a reason being give.  But the check cleared the back weks ago.  It has been getting sprayed and final coated twice now.

You don't think that a bowyer taking the time to take the bow back into the spray booth a couple extra times to make sure you have a high quality product is a good enough reason?

i would think delaying a shipment to give a customer a better product would be a good thing that would be appreciated, not whined about on a public forum.      

[BWD]

Having finished a few bow blanks, and knowing how long it took me to do the easy stuff and get them like I wanted them, I can truly say I would starve to death if I tried to make bows for a living, from scratch. Besides you can't knock off at 5:00, and there is no overtime pay involved.
Probably takes bowyers a little longer to complete some of the tacky bows we order, on account of only having one hand to work with, due to holding their nose with their other hand.

[capt eddie]

Originally posted by Kirkll:
 

Originally posted by capt eddie:
How long do you wait, when they say it will be mailed in a couple of days, and it is 9 days later.  At what point is it considered unproffessional and aggrevating.  i draw the line at 9 days without a reason being give.  But the check cleared the back weks ago.  It has been getting sprayed and final coated twice now.

You don't think that a bowyer taking the time to take the bow back into the spray booth a couple extra times to make sure
you have a high quality product is a good enough reason?

yes that would be a good reason for the wait.  But this has went on for 3 weeks now.  Would you reply to a customer 3 times that "the limbs are beings sprayed and will be in the mail in a couple of days".  I understand that things happen.  But keep the customer informed of changes, or problems.  Voicing this issue on a public forum will let my know if my exspectations are to high in this matter. And i have nothing to worry about, it happens all the time. I think someone else quoted that Bowyers are great artist and craftsmen, just eccentric at times and not good businessman.  

i would think delaying a shipment to give a customer a better product would be a good thing that would be appreciated, not whined about on a public forum.            [/b]

[TxAg]

I didn't think you were whining. I'd be asking questions myself. The internet is full of misinterpretations....don't let it bug you.

[kawika b]

You went from...
 

Originally posted by capt eddie:
Can someone tell me why there is such a long wait for a custom bow?  Does it really take 6 months to build a bow.  Are the bowyers that far behind on their orders? Are there that many bows ahead of your?  If a bowyer has that many orders to fill, why do they not go up on the price of their bows so that they can make a good living and be able to get bows out in a reasonable length of time? Like 30 days.  I would rather pay them a higher price and get the bow earlier. From start to finish if it takes 12 hours of real work to produce a quality bow why not charge $100 an hour and build one bow instead of charging $25 an hour and needing to sell and build 4 bows for the same money?  Yes one bow cost $1200 and the other bows cost $300.  More people can afford a $300 bow but now the bowyer most built three times as many.  I think that in this day.  There are people that would pay $1200 for a bow if they could get the bow in a reasonable length of time.

to a sort of rant in...

 

Originally posted by capt eddie:
How long do you wait, when they say it will be mailed in a couple of days, and it is 9 days later.  At what point is it considered unproffessional and aggrevating.  i draw the line at 9 days without a reason being give.  But the check cleared the back weks ago.  It has been getting sprayed and final coated twice now.

Are you having issues with a bowyer at the moment? Is the last post a hypothetical?

[kawika b]

Originally posted by TxAg:
I didn't think you were whining. I'd be asking questions myself. The internet is full of misinterpretations....don't let it bug you.

You say tomato I say tomato.    

[LYONEL]

I think that honesty & communication is the key, if a bowyer is not going to be able to have a product finished in time they need to communicate this in a timely fashion not after it's overdue by a week or so, they also need to give a realistic time that the delay will be, no point saying it will be ready in a week just to keep the customer happy for that moment if you know it' going to take two or three weeks or more. This only serves to aggravate the customer & destroys peoples reputations."BUT" as a customer you also need to understand that sometimes things happen, if you have done your homework properly & chosen the right bowyer for you than you need to have confidence in them that they will deliver what you have ordered in the most timely fashion that is possible & also deliver the quality that you expect. I know that a lot of bowyers build bows part time & also have a full time job & if  over time is available in a job where you actually get paid for all the hours you do I to would take it because in hard times we all need the extra money & if this means some delays then so be it, FAMILY always comes first.As for full time bowyers I honestly don't know how they make ends meet. I have a good friend here who makes fantastic recurves & I know if it wasn't a passion for him there is no way he would do it, he would make more money pushing shopping trolleys in a supermarket but thank God for people like him or we would all be shooting wheeley bows & i don't want to go back there.As far as payment in advance & having to wait for what I have ordered i don't really have a problem with this if I trust the person I'm dealing with & this comes back to doing your homework.I have just received a custom made recurve for my daughter from Herway Bows & they were excellent, I paid for this bow in full well before it was finished I couldn't be happier with the bow so far.I have also bought 5 kids bows from Maddog & his honesty & service have been second to none. I also am currently waiting for a new bow for myself & this bow has taken a little longer than originally quoted but there have been good reasons for this.This bow was also paid for in full back on the 15th of March(about $1350 in total) but I have full confidence I will be happy when it arrives.Living in Australia believe me I know what it's like to wait (Most traditional gear comes out of the USA)  I know it's hard to wait sometimes but a bit of patience goes a long way.I have also just paid the deposit on another bow & I have been waiting months for this guy to start taking orders again(he also has a real job)he could have asked for my deposit months ago which I would have happily paid but he wouldn't take it until he was happy he could start the bow that's honestly & integrity.I became a member of this website because I believe in the ethics it tries to promote & I have got to say that all the people I have dealt with so far have not disappointed me at all.

Thanks

Lyonel

[capt eddie]

My current issue is with a bowyer that emailed on the June 15, that he finished the tiller on the limbs, will spray them an, and get them out next week. Then a week later an email that he is spraying the limbs and will get them out in a couple of days.  A week later the same type of email,  Spraying the limbs will get out in couple of days.  Three times the same story.  This post is not directed to hurt the bowyer or his business. I have tryed calling but only get a answering machine and no reply. Only he knows what is going on.  Just a little communication may solve all of this.But he has my lifes blood of money for a set of limbs that I do not have.  My first post was really in do conpare the two differant types of bowyers that i have researched.  The Big money guys and the lesser priced.

[LongStick64]

I think what most forget is that some guys build the same bow over and over, just use different materials, others like to come out with new models, that takes a lot of testing and design time. So maybe the price and time are reflected in that. Not to pick on them but for example, you can get a great Howard Hill longbow, priced very reasonable, but the design of this bow has hardly changed. Now take a look at a carbon, no glass longbow by Border, priced at least 200 higher, yet I believe it took more r and d to make the Border than the Hill, and the guys at Border are always looking to increase performance. Does it make one better than the other, no way, but there are reasons at times other than materials that create the cost.

[Keefer]

Eddie,
 My last bowyer had about 3 months to build mine and I thought that was more then a resonable time and he comunicated with me on the internet and with a few calls and I was very pleased with his customer service...He had quite a few bows ahead of mine and he also is a carpenter,chicken farmer and more important a Dad with several children to help raise...We tend to forget that these bowyers have a family life and we need to give them ample time to build our bows especially if it's a part time hobbie or job...I had asked to have some very special work put into my bow and some stippling with a moose antler that my bowyer hasn't done till mine and he was a bit unsure at first but I trusted he would do an excellent job and he proved me right...Now if you really want a bow quick you also need to understand that some bowyers have to order exotic woods that need to cure and the moisture needs to be a certain level if they don't stock it so that adds to more time...I would rather wait for a Quality and not Quanity job...Bowyers have created some very beutiful bows and some really nice designs lately and I respect the wait time...If you need a bow in a jiffy then you may want to order a mass production bow like a Bear or a Samick or such but if you can give a bowyer your patience then you will have a bow that was custom built and you can admire the talent they put into it...My bowyer was Lee Hoot's and not only just a bowyer but who I consider a friend and brother now...He and I will p.m. and harass each other over anything but he asks about my children and just about anything that pertains to archery and family and that cann't be bought...I look at my bow at times and wonder how could he build this thing so quickly and still be a carpenter,chicken farmer ,father and still be a bowyer with so much on his plate? Thank you Lee Hoots!  

[YORNOC]

The list of fantastic bowyers who are also good at running a business is too long to list here. Not a name or two...tons of great ones.I'm sure a few are not, but they wont be around long.

When business is slower, bows turn out faster. When they get 100 orders in a day.....theres suddenly going to be a wait! Plus almost every bow is different.  Too many variables to try and generalize the bowyers craft like that Eddie!

 It stinks you are having a hard time, I can guess how frustrating that must be.  I've never had a bowyer give me false or exaggerated info. Usually the opposite, and I've had dozens of custom bowyers build for me. Maybe I'm lucky but I dont think so.
 I've had to wait extra but I've always been contacted first and I have no problem waiting longer if thats what it takes.  
If not willing to wait or accept delays, a custom is probably not for you. (Not YOU personally and only Capt Eddie...anyone in general here).
You can get great bows that are factory made or plenty of customs from classifieds at great prices and no wait.
Unfortunatelty every custom I've ever had has taken time. I'm okay with that because its the nature of the beast. A custom bow should be a pleasure in your life, not a source of pain. Relax and roll with the punches, the extra time wont kill you...although it may feel that way!
If you get seriously dissed by a bowyer at some point...there are lots of Tradgangers here to back you up and pressure the person to make things right.
I hope things turn out great for you, I for one have not see a huge difference in service from BIG money guys or lesser priced if I know of the bowyer. Some guys are part time, some guys are raising a family at it. That changes price. If I see a bow I want, I decide if I am willing to pay what the bowyer wants for it. Thats my call. If its 3000 or 300 its my call. And yes I have spent both of those numbers...ouch!

[capt eddie]

It never was and still not an issue with the time it takes for a project.  But when I am told a time frame I take the person for their word.  And if problems come up, and I question the time do not blow me off with a flip response.  Tell me what is going on with me bow.  It broke and I'm starting over, the dog chewed on the limb.  Just dont keep me waiting withut an explanation.

[Keefer]

No disrespect Capt.Eddie but your first question was Why it takes so long to build a bow wasn't it?  Now you are saying It never was an issue with the time....Now I'm   :confused:  and    what to tell ya... Now on a serious note if a bowyer gives you a time frame I also would expect to hear from that bowyer if a problem on my order came up and cann't blame you for being upset...From my experience I have found that a little homework and questioning the bowyer up front will help me determine if I want to have that bow...Like others have said sometimes a bow will come up for sale at half the cost of a new one and no waiting other then the delivery time ...Some bowyers are better bowyers then others and it shows in their work and can take longer cause they may work at a slower pace...I would rather have a bowyer take a few extra days to do a better job then rush my bow to meet a deadline and mess it up somehow...

[Keefer]

Now I think I understand your first question after going back and reading it...I thought you were asking if it really takes 6 months to build a bow and sorry I read it wrong Capt. Eddie but not sure all bowyers will work that way! I think some will work in the evenings on them and some whenever time allows ...

[YORNOC]

Originally posted by capt eddie:
It never was and still not an issue with the time it takes for a project.  But when I am told a time frame I take the person for their word.  And if problems come up, and I question the time do not blow me off with a flip response.  Tell me what is going on with me bow.  It broke and I'm starting over, the dog chewed on the limb.  Just dont keep me waiting withut an explanation.

Ah, I did not get that from your opening post. I agree.