Griffin at Denton Hill?

Yellow Dog · July 28, 2009, 09:02:00 PM

Well I got lucky! Back when I put my order in for a 64" Griffin I asked John if there was anytime he might have a few bow's in stock and he told me maybe. Denton Hill is the only shoot he builds bows for to sell. He told me he try's to have 10 to 20 bow's built to sell there and to give him a call when he came back and there might be a few "left overs". I put that date on the calender and I called him today. I have one of those "left overs" heading my way! 60" 59'er, 43@28. Black glass face and belly with a Granadillo riser and Purpleheart I beam. As John said it's nothing fancy, just a "working man's" bow. I'll post pic's when the fine people from the USPS knock on my door. Can't wait!

BobW · July 28, 2009, 09:16:00 PM

Seen it, and I know you won't be disappointed.

4runr · July 28, 2009, 09:29:00 PM

Yellowdog, that's the beauty I shot. You will not be dissapointed. Shoots as good as it looks!!

jwingman · July 29, 2009, 06:50:00 AM

When you've been waiting for a bow from a bowyer for 18 months and then he makes 20 bows to bring to a shoot to sell to anyone who walks up while mine isn't even started, I think there is something wrong with this picture. Just my two cents. There I said it because I have been in those shoes.

tippit · July 29, 2009, 07:06:00 AM

jwingman, I believe this is the only event that John shows his bows to the general traditional crowd...for people to try one out. He told me once that Denton generated enough orders to keep him busy for a year...that was before he got real busy. He doesn't have a web site or advertise so Denton is his only official advertisement. Ron & Gregg do a similar showing of the Shrew with the Michigan event. A few bows for one event isn't going to change your wait time much for a guy to keep his product out there...besides the Griffin is worth the wait. JMHO...Doc

monkeyball · July 29, 2009, 07:13:00 AM

The only problem that I see with buying a bow off of
John after Denton Hill is cleaning all the saliva off of them...........

Craig

Whip · July 29, 2009, 07:38:00 AM

QuoteOriginally posted by monkeyball:
The only problem that I see with buying a bow off of
John after Denton Hill is cleaning all the saliva off of them...........

Craig

You're exactly right Craig. I was going to suggest that very thing to Yellow Dog because I know for a fact I left drool marks on that 59'r.

Although I understand the comment about making bows for shows ahead of custom orders, realistically that is a necessary part of the business. With no bows to show bowyers couldn't attend the shows, and without attending the shows it wouldn't be long before there were no new customers. Bowyers need to plan ahead for the shows, so actually, the bows built for the shows were on "the list" even before the custom orders came in.

BobW · July 29, 2009, 08:13:00 AM

well said Whip

swampbuck · July 29, 2009, 04:52:00 PM

If somebody wanted to take one of the left overs made for the show I,m sure it'd get shipped out right away with no wait perhaps last yr even

Having been on a list paid in full for over 5 yrs before giving up on the bow I've got little to no sympathy for folks that don't like to wait 1.5 - 2yrs thats just the way it is and most times the wait is spelled out before the order is placed...maybe not 5 yrs worth LOL but the wait should be expected same as bowers needing to build bows to show it's just buisness

StickBowManMI · July 30, 2009, 12:12:00 AM

John has just notified my wife and I that the Griffin Longbow that she ordered in April 2007 will be completed sometime this August. I am sure that it will be worth the wait time. John is making a special handle on her bow because she shoots with only one finger on the string. She has been shooting a 52lb Navajo Scout while waiting for her McCullough bow.

Oliverstacy · July 30, 2009, 02:01:00 AM

QuoteOriginally posted by jwingman:
When you've been waiting for a bow from a bowyer for 18 months and then he makes 20 bows to bring to a shoot to sell to anyone who walks up while mine isn't even started, I think there is something wrong with this picture. Just my two cents. There I said it because I have been in those shoes.

Remember that bow making is not an exact science and they miss weight from time to time. That bow becomes a "stock" bow and will either be sold to a person that calls wanting about the exact same thing or it will be brought to a show/shoot and sold there or used as a demo. Almost all of his bows were under 45 lbs, at least the ones I looked at there and for the most part everyone wants one in the 50-55 lb range.

I don't fault a bowyer for this...if he said it was a 6 month wait and it turned into 12 months or more and I heard this I might be a touch mad. I asked him what his current lead time is and he said 18 months...so I guess if you placed an order you would have to know it's gong to be about that long.

No offense of course!

Josh

2treks · July 30, 2009, 06:29:00 AM

Like whip said, A bow maker has to plan on having bows for the shows. It's the way the business works, and the "stock" bows are already on the list for the next show, to show to a "new" customer. Just think if John did more than one show each year.

jwingman · July 30, 2009, 03:57:00 PM

I am glad that there are people that are willing to wait and that they all love John's bows. He is a great bowyer and makes a beautiful product. I am a fan of his bows and I own some of them. If someone wants to wait two years for one of his bows while anyone can walk up and buy one every July right off the shelf, that is a choice they have to make. Bowyers do need to have bows for people to try out and see their product. They do not need to put there paying customers on the back shelf and make bows for sale at the shows. Most have a line of Demo bows for this use. This leaves them to focus on getting the product out to the people that gave them money in good faith to have a bow built for them. That is just my two cents. I think the guy/gal who has been waiting 15-20 months should be given preference over someone who can walk up and buy the same bow as if it was a commodity product.
To all the Griffin and 59er owners, enjoy your great bow. To all that are waiting to get one, go to Denton and buy one and you just might save yourself a long wait. They have been readily available at his booth for the last three or four years running. It might not be the exact bow you want but they will all have drool on them for sure.

pdk25 · July 30, 2009, 05:42:00 PM

QuoteOriginally posted by jwingman:
... Bowyers do need to have bows for people to try out and see their product. They do not need to put there paying customers on the back shelf and make bows for sale at the shows. Most have a line of Demo bows for this use.

I think enough people have stated the various reasons for a custom bowyer to have sale bows at a show. I can certainly appreciate the frustration for someone on the waiting list but, as state previously, that is something that is understood at the time of the order. As far as most bowyers having a line of demo bows available, I'm not sure that is true. Maybe for the biggest companies like Black Widow. I guess I can only speak to the bowyers that I have gotten bows from, and none of them had a line of demo bows that weren't for sale.

Yellow Dog · July 30, 2009, 10:27:00 PM

I guess I should have contained my joy and kept my mouth shut. In no way did I mean to cause John any grief. I do know that John has called people that have been on his waiting list if he has a bow that is close to what they have ordered to see if they want it. As Josh, Oliverstacy, said most of the bows that John had at Denton Hill were very low weight. I draw 30" so I'm always on the lookout for bows made by John in the mid to low 40's. As a few people stated, John is a one man operation, with no website, no advertising and no email. He's just a guy that makes a great bow that's in demand. If he makes 10 to 20 bows to take to Denton Hill once a year, what does that amount to? A bow a month over the course of a year. When I was lucky enough to pick up the bow I did, I was dropped of his list and everybody else moved up one.

Steve O · July 30, 2009, 10:40:00 PM

Mike,

You did not hurt John one bit...there are 20,000 people here who understand what a custom bowyer needs to do to make a living. If you look in the sponsor classifieds right now you will see Schafer Silvertips in there and they are going quick. Stock bows Dave made up to sell at Denton Hill...hmmmmmm...that just can't be right, or could it! If any of the stock bows are close to what a guy on "the list" wants, I don't know any bowyer who is not going to sell it to them and move everybody else up one.

All the rest of us are waiting for the pictures; don't let ONE cranky crybaby spoil the fun

July 31, 2009, 10:52:00 AM

How do I track down Joh Griffin?

danseitz · July 31, 2009, 11:21:00 AM

I was at Denton and I shoot a 60" Griffin 59@29. My friend along with me is left handed as I am and he wanted to shoot a Griffin. John had a LH take down 45@28 that was beautiful. We shot it and I was amazed at the speed of that bow. What I mean is that I was probably pulling 48 lbs and it really impressed me. I believe if I had it to do all over again I would probably get a 60" Griffin somewhere around 50@29. I'm a one bow guy, though not by choice at this point in life. But, boy, did that light poundage feel good!

BobW · July 31, 2009, 11:33:00 AM

Bows By McCollough
John McCollough
8525 W. Chadwick Rd.
DeWitt, MI 48820
(517) 626-6365

Wapiti Chaser · July 31, 2009, 06:56:00 PM

The drool on the Ebony 59er was mine ! If I wasn't going moose hunting this fall it was mine.
There are six of John's bows in our group and on one shoot I had the only non McColough bow !