Are aesthetics important to you?

[bear bowman]

I bought a bow from a reputable bowyer early this year. They are a sponsor here. It has clear glass and the glass is changing in appearance. I phoned them and sent them some photos of the glass. They assured me that the bow was fine and offered to fix it for me after bow season ends. It would be under warranty. I thanked them and declined the fix.

The bow shoots great and I'm not much for looks. It's not why I bought it in the first place.
Are aesthetics important to you? Why?

[Bladepeek]

Heck yeah they're important. Somebody might be able to build me a PVC bow that is functional and would probably shoot beyond my ability. Would I buy it for $50 in preference to a really beautiful bow for $700? Check out what I own in my signature block.

[VA Elite]

depends on how much I spent...for a custom bow yeh, i want it to look like one. you should take them up on that offer after the season.

I love a great looking, beautiful bow! I just can't seem to keep mine looking that way! I take them in the woods and use them hard, and so i get mine all scratched up. I am more worried about showing it to folks who want to see it that are interested in buying one. I don't want to be a negative for my bowyer!!!

Bisch

[McDave]

I'm willing to pay extra for aesthetics, and I would expect a bowyer to make good on any that fail. I realize the problems bowlers have these days with clear glass, but the way for a bowyer to address those issues would be to either stop offering clear glass or to state up front that the warranty doesn't cover incidental clouding.  I realize your bowyer offered to fix it, so this is certainly not intended as a slam on him, and I would take him up on his offer to refinish it, to maintain resale value, unless you plan on taking it to the grave with you.

I sometimes wonder if I'm smart to pay extra for aesthetics, because I usually drop the bow or scrape it myself in the first year or so, and there goes the "like new" appearance. For the same reason, I'm not tempted to get any kind of fancy finish work done on a new car I might buy, because I know it's just going to accumulate the normal amount of dents and scrapes as time goes by.

[Pat B]

For me function is more important. I like pretty bows, etc. but I can shoot an ugly bow just as well and don't worry about hurting it while it is in use.
Back when I was in high school I surfed. Whenever I got a new board I was always worried about getting a ding. Once it went on the rocks the first time I never worried about it again and could finally enjoy surfing.

[highlow]

Yeah, aesthetics are nice, not important. Pretty doesn't help me shoot my bows any better but I sure like looking at them. My Hummingbird 3 pc. Kingfisher longbow is absolutely gorgeous. Wish I could say the same for some of the women I've dated.

[Bladepeek]

highlow, you better not let any of the women you dated hear that    

Just because you're no longer dating them doesn't mean they can't reach you!

Some nice bows there. I'm with you.

[damascusdave]

All of my bows look good to me when I am shooting them...and when I am not shooting them they have no life so I could care less what they look like...which of course means I do have some great looking bows...if traditional bowhunters were logical we would hunt with guns

DDave

[Matty]

I think it depends on what stage in the game you are at.
If it's a bow I'm just "trying" to see if I like it I don't care what it looks like for the most part. I can't remember the last used bow I bought that DIDN HAVE streaks in clear glass. I don't sweat that at all. Even have had flaking off clear finish etc. a used bow is just that. To a certain extent of course. If I'm paying a bowyer to make me a custom bow. That means I've shot that bow and now I want one that IS aesthetically pleasing to me by that point.of the bow is under warrantee and something appears to be wrong with the bow. I'd have the bowyer fix it up.

[KentuckyTJ]

That is a product warranty issue. It decreases your bows value not due to any fault of your own. Send it back and let them fix it. If you ever want to sell it that will make a difference. If its out of warranty then thats the bowyers call on whether he decides to fix or not.

[VA Elite]

anything you buy brand new should look like it...used is different. new car, new house, new suit...should look new when you buy it. no flaws.

To me, bows are beautiful-- simple, deadly tools of perfect design and function. Performance is most important, and the rest is icing on the cake, but sometimes that icing is pretty tasty! I just love the figures in wood--and I want to see them if I'm paying premium for the fancy stuff.

[Jakeemt]

I am too broke to care about aesthetics!! Lol my only bow is sin ugly! But it shoots lights out and is highly adjustable so that works for me! If it were me I would get it fixed not because you care about the aesthetics but, because it will have better resale value if you ever need to sell it.  That's just being practical.

[bear bowman]

You have me thinking of resale value. I can tell you that I've already dinged the bow in a few spots. I consider those character builders. The bow is dark in color as it is. You see some grain but nothing like some of the bows I see posted on here regularly.
In the end, I bought the bow for an intended purpose and it is fulfilling that purpose. It brings me joy when I shoot it and hopefully it'll put some meat in the freezer at some point in the near future.

[Bladepeek]

I think you've answered your own question  

[Izzy]

Yes, I can do with a pretty bow exactly what the best ugly bow can do so why go with the later.

[Michael Arnette]

To a certain extent yes, but not so much that I want perfection. I think a traditional bow is a beautiful thing but keep my choice of woods and equipment modest.

[highlow]

So true Ron but even if they knew where to find me, they wouldn't know in to which category they fall.

Never thought about the resale value so those who say have the bowyer address the issue are correct.

[swamper]

Never been important to me,how it shoots is more important to me.