Trad Gang

Main Boards => PowWow => Topic started by: snag on September 02, 2010, 12:30:00 PM

Title: Griffin bows
Post by: snag on September 02, 2010, 12:30:00 PM
I have done a search for John's website...evidently he doesn't have one. How do you contact him?
Title: Re: Griffin bows
Post by: snag on September 02, 2010, 12:43:00 PM
Found another thread that had a phone no. on it...thanks, David
Title: Re: Griffin bows
Post by: snag on September 02, 2010, 12:44:00 PM
It appears he makes different models. Could you post them so I can see the differences? Thanks, David
Title: Re: Griffin bows
Post by: Horner on September 02, 2010, 01:53:00 PM
Here are a few pics of a (59er) I just traded for.

(http://i782.photobucket.com/albums/yy101/hornerblack24/P8130324.jpg)

(http://i782.photobucket.com/albums/yy101/hornerblack24/P8140327.jpg)
Title: Re: Griffin bows
Post by: snag on September 02, 2010, 02:22:00 PM
Horner, is that his "standard" model? Is there a name for this model?
Title: Re: Griffin bows
Post by: Warchild on September 02, 2010, 02:45:00 PM
I had a 59'er at one point. John had just designed the bow and I believe that it was the prototype for a bow that he was going to call the "Grayling Spirit". My bow was a 65# @28 and if it was a lighter bow, or I hadn't lost so much muscle over 15 years, I would still own the bow as I believe that it was one of the very first 59'ers. I would love to have one made. Does anyone out there have contact info for John?
Title: Re: Griffin bows
Post by: Ron LaClair on September 02, 2010, 03:39:00 PM
QuoteI had a 59'er at one point. John had just designed the bow and I believe that it was the prototype for a bow that he was going to call the "Grayling Spirit". My bow was a 65# @28 and if it was a lighter bow, or I hadn't lost so much muscle over 15 years, I would still own the bow as I believe that it was one of the very first 59'ers. I would love to have one made. Does anyone out there have contact info for John?
 
Just to set the record straight, the "Grayling Spirit" is the name I gave the bow that John  made when he made bows for me. I always liked the 59 Bear Kodiak and had used one back in the day.

I still had one and used it occasionally. I wanted to recreat this great bow so I gave John my personal 1959 Bear Kodiak to use as a model to  make a form. The Grayling Spirit had a Rosewood riser and Purplehart inlayed in the riser, maple limbs and brown glass, just like the original Bear bow.

At one point John wanted to have his own line of bows so he started making the Griffin longbow which was/is a copy of my Super Shrew design. He also made a copy of the Grayling Spirit and called it the "59'er". His 59'er was brown or gray actionwood. After John stopped making bows for me he continued making the Griffins and 59'er with the customers choice of woods.

Even though John doesn't make bows for me anymore we are still very good friends. John is a very knowledgeable craftsman and he helped Gregg Coffey tremendously when Gregg started making the Shrew bows. You can't go wrong with a McCullough bow.
Title: Re: Griffin bows
Post by: Curtis Haden on September 02, 2010, 03:57:00 PM
Snag, I know he makes a Fifty-Niner, a Griffin, and it seems like another bow he calls a Tsunami(?) or something like that.  The Griffin (which is what a lot of people call all of his bows) is actually a r/d hybrid model longbow.  The Griffin is very similar to a Shrew, and he was actually Ron LaClair's bowyer for that line several years ago.  From what I've seen lately, he's making "short" Griffins again, but the main difference between them and the Shrew has always been a very slight difference in the handle design, and the fact that many of his earlier Griffins were quite a bit longer than Shrews.

I had a 64" Griffin I bought from another Tradgang member, and eventually traded off here.  It was a very nice, smooth, and pretty bow!  Not sure what his wait time is now for a new bow, but I know it was up around 24 months at one point not too long ago.

Edit: Oops... Looks like Ron posted whilst I was typing, so now you have "the rest of the story."    :saywhat:
Title: Re: Griffin bows
Post by: snag on September 02, 2010, 04:05:00 PM
Ron's always one step ahead of us! Thanks for the info Ron and Curtis.
Title: Re: Griffin bows
Post by: Horner on September 02, 2010, 04:06:00 PM
Snag, sent you a PM.  Curtis, said just about everything that I know also.

If anyone has some pics of that Tsunami model please post them up.  I would like to see it also.
Title: Re: Griffin bows
Post by: Froggy on September 02, 2010, 04:10:00 PM
Snag,
John's # is (517) 626-6365. Here's a Griffin Carbon 60" 51@28 I just recently recieved from him. Came from him with the 3D dip camo.
 (http://i389.photobucket.com/albums/oo338/widowmaker448/DSCN2455.jpg)
(http://i389.photobucket.com/albums/oo338/widowmaker448/DSCN2457.jpg)
(http://i389.photobucket.com/albums/oo338/widowmaker448/DSCN2459.jpg)
Title: Re: Griffin bows
Post by: snag on September 02, 2010, 04:12:00 PM
Froggy is this the "Griffin" model?
Title: Re: Griffin bows
Post by: Froggy on September 02, 2010, 04:17:00 PM
Yes it is.... heres another pic I forgot about.
(http://i389.photobucket.com/albums/oo338/widowmaker448/DSCN2458.jpg)
(http://i389.photobucket.com/albums/oo338/widowmaker448/DSCN2452.jpg)
(http://i389.photobucket.com/albums/oo338/widowmaker448/DSCN2443.jpg)
Title: Re: Griffin bows
Post by: 2treks on September 02, 2010, 06:55:00 PM
Griffen longbow(in variuos lengths)
Fiftyniner Recurve
Tsunami longbow(68" bigger riser target style.)
Raco longbow(r/d lb.not sure if he still makes it
He has also had some others that he no longer makes. He has talked about doing a website, time will tell.
Thats about it.
Chuck
Title: Re: Griffin bows
Post by: PAPA BEAR on September 02, 2010, 07:06:00 PM
(http://i711.photobucket.com/albums/ww111/elkherder/griffin%20ready%20to%20eat/griffinreadytohunt4.jpg)

i've shot a lot of bows in my day but nothing came close to these griffins snag.hella smooth hella fast and very accurate.if you want to try mine you pay the postage both ways and i'll mail er to ya..i spoke with john at length on the phone a while back and his opinion is that the tsunami is his smoothest,fastest bow.guess i'll take his word for it eh.long waiting list though.
Title: Re: Griffin bows
Post by: PAPA BEAR on September 02, 2010, 10:04:00 PM
(http://i711.photobucket.com/albums/ww111/elkherder/holy%20grail/griffin28.jpg)  (http://i711.photobucket.com/albums/ww111/elkherder/holy%20grail/griffin23.jpg) (http://i711.photobucket.com/albums/ww111/elkherder/holy%20grail/griffin16.jpg)
Title: Re: Griffin bows
Post by: PAPA BEAR on September 02, 2010, 10:13:00 PM
heres a few pics including strung and unstrung profile for ya snag...these bows rock..good luck gettin one though.  :readit:  
(http://i711.photobucket.com/albums/ww111/elkherder/holy%20grail/griffin4.jpg)
Title: Re: Griffin bows
Post by: airrow on September 03, 2010, 10:07:00 AM
John also makes a model - 56"  GNAT; and will add carbon to the back of any of the bows that he currently makes.
Title: Re: Griffin bows
Post by: buckster on September 03, 2010, 12:25:00 PM
Has anyone got pics of a GNAT, my name is still probably still 8-10 months out, but I haven't decided which bow to order yet.
Title: Re: Griffin bows
Post by: snag on September 03, 2010, 01:28:00 PM
What is the model that Papa Bear has?
Title: Re: Griffin bows
Post by: PAPA BEAR on September 03, 2010, 02:02:00 PM
standard griffin...64"
Title: Re: Griffin bows
Post by: Shawn Leonard on September 03, 2010, 03:50:00 PM
Snag, Ishiwannabe has one for trade, in exc. condition!! PM him as I know you have a few bows and maybe ya could make a deal! Shawn
Title: Re: Griffin bows
Post by: airrow on September 03, 2010, 04:26:00 PM
Gnat pictures emailed.......
Title: Re: Griffin bows
Post by: MSwickard on September 03, 2010, 04:48:00 PM
Here is my 60" Griffin 53@28, Kingwood riser w/a Prupleheart I-Beam, actionboo limbs w/ black glass on the back and brown on the belly.

John's phone is: 517.626.6365


 (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v676/MSwickard/2010_0814071820100265-1.jpg)

 (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v676/MSwickard/2010_0814071820100264-1.jpg)
Title: Re: Griffin bows
Post by: snag on September 03, 2010, 05:25:00 PM
I saw that one Shawn...just a little light in weight unfortunately. Thanks, David
Title: Re: Griffin bows
Post by: tippit on September 03, 2010, 07:36:00 PM
Ask him if he'll make you one of these  :)   He was one heck of selbow bowyer too  :notworthy:  Doc

 (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v110/tippit/McCullough%20Bows/McCulloughSelfbow001.jpg)  

 (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v110/tippit/McCullough%20Bows/McCulloughSelfbow012-1.jpg)
Title: Re: Griffin bows
Post by: Yellow Dog on September 03, 2010, 09:10:00 PM
Jeff, very nice.
Title: Re: Griffin bows
Post by: snag on September 04, 2010, 12:16:00 AM
That's a beauty! Sure like the looks of his bows...Griffin or selfbow he does make a fine looking bow.
Title: Re: Griffin bows
Post by: K.Morgan on September 04, 2010, 12:19:00 AM
Snag, I have shot many bows including the Shrew and the Griffin is still just a bit different and I like it better. I have had one on order for two years and have been thinking about having it dipped. Not sure what I am going to do yet.
Title: Re: Griffin bows
Post by: rholzie on September 04, 2010, 10:19:00 AM
Too many bows! Too many bows! Now I gotta have one of these! Sweet bow!!