I just bought one of the few bows on my bucket list here on the TG classifieds - a 2nd Gen St. Charles Thunderbird - I feel very fortunate in that its' signed by Glen (not sure if they all were while he was still with us.)
Don was a great guy to deal with - even gave me a couple weeks to come up with the money - had to sell another hard to part with bow first.
- here's a link to the auction page:
http://tradgang.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=216;t=000348#000000
So, since the bow won't be in my hands for another week or so - anybody out there willing to tell me about their Thunderbird? - I plan on hunting with mine this coming fall.
Terry
Had mine for five or six years.
Good bow, smooth and plenty fast.
You will be happy with it.
Signed by Glenn you have a piece of archery history
Enjoy!
George
Hah!
I contacted him a half hour after you committed to that bow...if you don't want it, let me know!
I should tell you you'll hate it, but Im not that kind of guy. I actually have had one on order that I just shot for the first time today. I am a Hill style guy, and this is actually my only recurve, so I am probably not a good reference. Mine is gorgeous, smooth, fast, and accurate. I could not be happier with it. It is very light, so if you are a riser mass guy, you may be surprised.
George is right, you have a piece of history. Seriously, if you decide its not for you, let me know.
Tim
Thanks guys - really appreciate you taking the time to help me deal with the wait :)
Hey Texas - it would take more than that to put me off any bow! One of my favorite bows to hunt and carry all day is my 62 Kodiak , so it sounds like the Thunderbird is very similar that way.
Keep it coming - ANY pictures (especially with game taken) would be great.
Terry
I had a single shelf with a yew riser and yew limbs.It was very rustic looking bow and had a timeless quality.It was a smooth shooter at 63 inches.I like the looks of the double shelf bows alot.I am sure you will like it.Sit tight!
I think it will be similar to your 62 kodiak in feel.You may like it more in the 63" length.Especially if you have a longer draw.I liked my 62 Kodiak.I was born in 1962.So I had to have one.
The Thunderbird reminded me of my 64 inch 59er Kodiak more.I had those 2 bows at the same time and shot them alot one after the other.I think I was using a 12 strand B-50 string on both of them.
Texas King - you will be first on my list if I need to sell this bow for any reason - but don't sit by the phone waiting for the call ;)
Great info Steelhead - especially the first hand experience with the vintage Bears.
I'm sitting tight waiting - several years ago I had the good fortune (after years of saving) to buy a bow I'd wanted since I was a kid back in the early 70's - a wood A handle Bear takedown.
That bow had me as excited to finally have as anything I've had in 44 years of archery.
- This bow ranks right up there for me - and will soon be making memories with me in the Minnesota woods!
It had been a few years since I took the time to look at the page discussing the history of the Thunderbird bow - a great read that has once again sunk home to me what Tree Dancer stated above: "a real piece of archery history"
Here is a link to it off the St. Charles website:
http://www.selfbow.com/thunderbirdcomm.html
TB I posted in that thread,,, Glenn signed a lot of them and I believe he was in Bed when he did Jay told me because it depended on how he felt if they got signed or not,,, Glenn wrote the Fred bear quote on my bow "Happy Hunting" then signed his name and its priceless to me as long as my family isn't hungry.
the bow,, mine is #31 an all Yew riser and limbs now even though Yew is great its soft as pine and the riser gets a mark every time something touches it,, not bad looks like character but I can see why a lot of people opted for Osage instead of yew,,, the shelf cut can be different from bow to bow jay would cut from ctr or at ctr he would do a double shelf, but whatever you wanted.
my bow is 63" and shoots very well, the grip reminds me of an old bear Kodiak grip with a moose wrap but very comfortable and my favorite part of the bow, I guess for speed its graceful like a nice moderate reflex/deflex longbow with a FF string,, after all the bare shaft testing my 48@28 bow shoots 28" 1916 aluminums with 200gr points perfect OR older version Heritage 90's with 250gr points cut to 29" these two arrows fly like darts with no fletching for me!!
no harvests yet I usually don't take harvest photos but I would with this bow because it does not get taken out much maybe twice a year.
I still use the st Charles string,,, scared to change really because the arrows match but I put the bow hush silencers on and the bow is about as loud as a selfbow,,,, its pretty quiet!
wood grain looks very nice and I would rate it as fancy in the limb veneer's dept.,, black horn tip overlays.
I would buy another one in a heart beat if I had the extra money.
Don is a great guy! He takes care of his equipment. I think you will be pleased.
Ted - that is excellent info and very helpful. I've had 2 St. Charles Pacific Classic Longbows - my son's 2nd bow he ever had is still one of his favorites (he had to prove himself first with a vintage Red Wing Hunter :)
I appreciate the reminder about how soft Yew is - a little character is OK - but gotta keep in mind that it can get banged up too. I will be hunting with this bow - unless it just does not suit me for some reason - which I think is highly doubtful from the descriptions given above.
Hey Charlie! - thanks for your input my TGMM brother - that's sure how its' been dealing with Don.
Terry
Remember Terry, it's an Osage riser. Thanks Charlie, for the kind words, Don
Hi Don - Osage riser, Yew limbs, right?
I have one....dual shelved...signed by Glenn....it is a heavy one..#70 ....shot a wild boar with it couple of years ago....pig went less than 80 yards....it is smooth and fast and at 63" is forgiving bow...would love a lighter one ...by about 8 to 10 lbs ....really nice to look at too
it was very cold -25 or so...look kinda goofy ...good eating pig with a great bow
mine is all YEW....
(http://i1233.photobucket.com/albums/ff383/bte1958/strung.jpg) (http://s1233.photobucket.com/user/bte1958/media/strung.jpg.html)
(http://i1233.photobucket.com/albums/ff383/bte1958/P1030056-1.jpg) (http://s1233.photobucket.com/user/bte1958/media/P1030056-1.jpg.html)
(http://i1233.photobucket.com/albums/ff383/bte1958/mypig2013_zps8329f816.jpg) (http://s1233.photobucket.com/user/bte1958/media/mypig2013_zps8329f816.jpg.html)
Brad - great post - beautiful bow and signed too!
-25 below! - You are serious about your hunting - I thought it was cold out when I hunted in 5 below weather :)
I don't usually see pictures of pigs taken in the snow - especially at 25 below.
Thanks for taking the time to post.
Terry
goofy? you look normal for someone who isn't keeping warm at home looking out the window wishing he went hunting ha ha ha,,,, anything beyond 10 degrees I have my whole face covered with just eye balls peering out.
nice pig and nice bow but wow 70# at -25degrees I don't know how some of you guys can do it,,, I'm usually in the mid to high forty's at single digits and colder because of all the layers!
Terry,
I finally got to shoot mine for a while yesterday and it is ridiculously accurate. I'm not necessarily a big speed guy but I did have to break out the chronograph and see if it really was as fast as I thought it was, and it was.
You're gonna like the bow, and what a great deal you got to boot!!
:)