I have been noticing the great bows for sale on the classifieds. Bows that are half sometimes less than half what a new model costs. They aren't selling. stuff that would be gone in an hour is lasting days....if it sells at all. I thought things would pick up after November but if anything it seems to be getting worse.
:(
Heck gas topped well over $4 a gal yesterday, I've got good bows that shoot but If I can't get to my hunting spot then no hunting...saving $$$...oh yea and st judes auction is coming up,,, won't go crazy over there but I see an item or two that looks nice to bid on
I have cash and a list of bows I want to pick up, but can't find any of them listed. There have been a lot of too short, too light, too heavy and too left handed bows. Not a lot of stuff around 50# and mid range on length.
Depends where you are in the country, but the economy is still pretty bad. I think money is tight for a lot of people!! Shawn
for me its more of just having the discipline to keep and shoot the bows I already own! My days of buying every good deal I see are gone. Thats not to say I wont order bows etc.... just have to be wiser.
Jobs are pretty abundant here in the South. I see a lot of growth going on right now. Now is the time to buy them bows!
If the one-piece, left-hand bows I want would ever show up, I'll buy them !
QuoteMy days of buying every good deal I see are gone.
Things are pretty tuff here so, the above quote depicts me! I've got one and it has to last me.
The economy is good enough that many bowyers have year-long waiting lists or more.
Maybe the guys looking for bows will post their desires. I'm not listing any for sale because they're not selling.
I was doing better when the economy was "worse". I suppose now guys have the $$$ to do the really fun stuff now like buying quads and fixing up their homes.
I'm self employed and if things continue on there present pace, I am looking a a 25k hit compared to last year. There are a couple of bows I'd love to pick up, but at this point, I just can't justify spending the money.
Wages stay the same or get lower, the cost of everything has gone through the roof. Here in Calif. Diesel is over $4.00 a gal. shipping cost have to be passed along. Insurance is through the roof, housing prices are a little better but the only things selling are being bought up by oversea's companys then being used as rentals.
don't even get me started on the taxes. Fed, State, and local goverments continue to waist and spend all they have to do is crrat a shortage and raise the taxes.
Meanwhile we all hear how good the economy is doing on the news at night.
One hell of a snow job
I'm having a hard time justifing going to shoots let alone buying another bow.
I bet some of it has to do with the waiting lists for new custom bows getting shorter. When waiting lists were running 1-2 years, it was easy to justify spending quite a bit on a used bow you wanted, just to avoid the wait. Now lists have gotten much shorter so if you want a bow you can order exactly what you want new and if you want used, it had to be a killer deal. I know of at least a few people that feel this way.
I personally think part is the economy and the other part is a bow just doesn't appeal to me ....
If the wood combination doesn't appeal to me I just skip it ..
Also the type of bow and how it performs has much to to with it as well....
I wrote to someone the other day about how pierce points look good on some bows when used sparringly and look ugly to me when used all over the bow..
That's just my take on it but I'm sure some love it when there's pierce points from top to bottom...
I think Brandon Stahl uses just the right amount on his risers and Dick Robertson but some folks just go overboard with them and this is just one of many things like wood combos not what one might want in a bow...
Now if a bow funtions well and has some pretty exotic riser wood I sometimes just offer a trade up or save the cash if I can and purchase what I want..
Then like others have already explained this economy has many folks using thier money more wisely like feeding thier family's...
Very true but I could see that from how many small businesses have closed up around my job and home. I've had bows for sale that even at half cost could not sell, back on the rack they go.
People are holding back right now for St Jude's ! Don't read too much into the tea leaves
I agree with Ray. Bow prices can't get much cheaper than they are now for quality used bows.
A tax write off plus the chance at getting something that you are interested in on the Auction is a win-win!
I haven't bought a bow quiver yet, in part because I wanted to see what came up for the St. Judes auction. When times are tight I'd rather see folks spending for St. Judes and leaving the classifieds alone.
I tend to agree with the shortage of cash that a lot of people have and the auction. There are some great items listed that I know appeal to more people than just me. I am on a fixed income and as has been stated the prices on everything keeps going up but not wages or my Social Security.
I build cabinets as a side business. Been pretty quiet for the last two years. I got a request for a quote today. I can't believe faced plywood is now over $75 a sheet! Not quite double but pretty close. Hope I get the job. Couple of bows I'm looking at on St. Judes auction.
Come on Eric! There are more than a couple :biglaugh: !!
Hope we're not looking at the same ones ;) !
Sorry, we have the same taste in bows. :thumbsup: :thumbsup:
I think the national economy has been bad, for so long, that most peoples reserve of cash or disposable income is history.
With interest rates so low, retired people are unable to make any money on their investments, and are living on their principal.
Theres just not a lot of spare cash floating around out there, in other words. And all the credit card debt that was fueling the economy is used up.
Unfornately, prices haven't come down. Actually, they haven't come down in my lifetime and I'm 47.
Plus, all the manufacturing jobs have gone to China. Before NAFTA, you could graduate from High School, get a job at the local factory, work 30 years, have insurance and a retirement. Now some dude in China is doing your job for 10 cents an hour.
Sorry to be so depressing, but I wonder...
There are pockets of the country that are insulated from the bad economy, like parts of the south and a few other parts of the country. It is still bad overall, I live in an area of state government and work for a local town, we lose someone now to retirement, new job(rare) or someone gets hurt there is no replacing anyone. Never was like this(40 years plus knowing the town)that tells me the economy still sux! Shawn
Tell Paul and Shawn are right. Have sold a Robertson and Dye [bought used]that would not have sold a couple years ago. Just bought a Blacktail here and may move it on just to keep my investment in Trad. archery down.Looking to keep bow rack down to 3 longbows and 3 recurves[three if which I made risers for another bowyers limbs] as this recovery seems to sink to depression levels. Not seeing jobs or changes needed to turn this around happening either.Still hoping for the upturn, Roy
Lol why would it get better after november. No political speaking here but if things keep going the way are, we will all be gladnto have any bow and be in a arrow rush.
The economy is due to corporate greed. Its not rocket science people. Pay a person a FAIR WAGE for a days work, whether the person is blue collar or white collar and that person will buy products and stimulate the economy. The oil company's are raping us, then lying about it. As far as bows I have 6 recurves now and am planning on buying a long bow sometime in the next 6 months that's about all the bows I need at this point. Maybe sell a couple off and replace them.
Oakie dokie
(The economy is due to corporate greed. Its not rocket science people)
I passed on 6 recurve bows at a yard sale yesterday that were $50.00 each. all in good to very good shape. BUT, I was 2 minutes from getting a cheaper model Bear takedown for that same $50.00. The guy also had custom made damascus knives that were very nice and he offered me one for $40.00 and turned it down. Just don't need any more bows or knives.
I did buy a Marine Corps cap for one of my grandsons for a quarter.
Honestly, I don't think I'd buy a used bow unless it was about half or less of the original price - especially if it's a custom. I'm the kind of guy who shoots 1 bow at a time. I'm saving up a little at a time to buy one in the next year or so, and I'm going to buy straight from the bowyer if I can. Saving $200 on a bow from a regular price of $800.00 doesn't seem worth it, unless I'm buying a lot of bows or I'm anxious to get a new one RIGHT NOW.
Maybe there's just more guys like me out there holding out for a new bow?
I think if someone wants something they will do whatever it takes to get that bow for themselves regardless of the times.
I have seen men sell things at a loss to get something else even men selling their prizes but onething I never saw was a man sell his bird dog yet?
I doubt if this will recover things just aren't worth what we pay new and thats the best indication when we sell a lot of times 50 % or lower.
Pplenty of greed to go around. Corporate raiders and trade unions take up the top and workers suffer. I am trying hsrd to corral my expenses now so I can afford to hunt this Fall. I have 4 very diffetent longbows to last me. There are other things the auction may temp me to inverst in
Economy must be bad? Now that is a complicated issue. Alot of signs are looking up. I think like alot of things in the world go thru cycles. Over the years I have seen the Traditional people dropping off. Less interest in Trad events, archery gear buying etc. I just believe people get bored and move on to other venues. They spend their money in those areas. There is alot of cool stuff to do in the world. Trad is a tiny bit of it in good times.
I have been amazed at how strong traditional archery has stayed with our crumbling economy. We are subjected to price controls by very powerful forces in all things that are not archery related. Gold and silver prices are held artificially low through the naked short selling of gold and silver shares on paper by the bullion banks, while the real stuff gets bought up by wealthy people at a cut rate. A convenient shut down raises the gas prices when two chicago refineries decide to shut down at the same time, even though supplies are high and crude oil is low, espcially for the high grade stuff coming out of North Dakota, we pay more. The Fed banks, which are private, not owned by our government, are controlling the price of most things, while their policies erode the purchasing power of the dollar. Quanitive easing has gone infinitive, the money that is declared out of thin air is available for the big players to prop up wall Street, it does not circulate through the rest of the economy. I think we've been had. Traditional archery remains a breath of fresh air that is maintained by the ethical persistence of how our suppliers do business. The country has a lot to learn from them.
I know things are tougher over there than they have been for a long time. But I have tried to buy three bows in around the last twelve months off Tradgang with no luck, two guys didn't want to take paypal even with me paying the fee's & the other didn't want to ship overseas. They all eventually sold though.
Our exalted members of congress who couldnt make a fart in a windstorm. Have sold us all down the river.when. the troops come home there will be no work for them.if you have a good trade Australia. Has work and new zealand also.if I was a young man I would get out. A friend of mine. Went to Australia in the 70s on vacation he. Got back and he immigrated. It was the road not taken for me.
Hang on to your A%% it's going to get a lot worse before it gets better! Good buy capitalism, it's been nice knowing ya! They may be able to keep us out of ammo, but not arrows. Don't be deceived!!!
Yup. Socialism hard at work..push the middle class from top and bottom and eventually eliminate it...what do you have left? The masses ruled by a power elite that answers to no one but itself. Wake up. At least those of us who shoot a bow will be able to eat squirrel when the grocery stores run out of food.
I am fortunate to live in Alberta, Canada where things are still pretty good...I just bought a very nicely refinished 1960 Kodiak for about a third of what I paid for an original condition one a couple of years ago...definitely a buyers market
I look at them more as the thumb in the dike and hope they stand their ground
QuoteOriginally posted by arrow flynn:
[QB] Our exalted members of congress who couldnt make a fart in a windstorm. Have sold us all down the river
I agree with the original post - it does look as if great bows are hanging on a long time at low prices. I've only bought (3 so far) never sold on TG. Given the competitive market, I am surprised by how many bows are offered for sale w/o pictures.
If the price is right, they will sell.
I see a few interesting LH bows (lefty here), but as of 6 months or so, prices have gone up. Sellers shave a couple of hundred from original cost. Originally was $650, will sell for $475.
I rarely see a good longbow for under $450 used.
It's just not worth it unless the bowyer's waiting list is too long, because they rarely are the specs you want.
And still too few post pics.
Price for gas in Alaska has been over $4.00 for nearly as long as I've been here (6 years). I have sold several bows at near asking price in the last few months. I guarantee if a 2 pc Centaur dark matter showed up it would be gone within a day or two. I personally don't see anything to my taste in there right now. Maybe Rats Stewart Slammer :readit:
USA strong,
~CB
Economy seems to be picking up here. Maybe people are just more careful with their money than they used to be. About time imo.
I figure everyone is just stocking up on ammunition while they still can. Economy has been ok up here the last 6 months, gas through the roof of course, but times are still tight for a lot of folks. I'm just glad the turnout at the events up here hasn't fallen off too much. Hopefully a good turnout at Western States this weekend
I think most of the activity in the classifieds in the last year were a very few of us buying and selling, a lot. I think some of those moving it, myself included, finally figured out what works for us and have quit or slowed way down on the buying. Give it a couple of months and a couple of new guys will come along looking for the "perfect" bow.
In 1985 I was in the. Union making 23 $ an hr in 2004 that. Would have to be 60.00$an hr to have the same buying power.also I had full coverage insurance for my family back then and my employer put 20cents an hr into my retirement people have no idea what we have. Lost.of course being in the union meant something we were united when the cost ofliving went up we went on strike. I have great memories of the crews I worked with and we always made money for the company.the unions are where they were 100 yrs ago.I wasnt born a moment too soon.
I like to post what I want in the classfides maybe to get a deal or to help out someone who has too much of one thing I wait a few days an if I get no response I just go buy it.there has been some heart stopping good deals on here lately.