Don Dow Longbows
06-03-2010, 03:05 PM
#7
Guest
Posts: n/a
A black widow IMO is not worth 700-1200 dollars. But many out there will gladly pay the full price for one. Even my favorite, a zipper is probably not worth 1000 dollars. I never had a new one, and will only pay 450-500 for one.
I have shot many no-name bows that shot as good as zipper, or widow. But they won't hold the value.
06-04-2010, 06:29 PM
#8
Boone & Crockett
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Mississippi USA
Posts: 15,296
Not to get off the topic.......
From what I've seen, certain bows holding their value better is mostly a myth. Sure, if you pay $2,000 for a bow nobody ever heard of, most likely you'll loose your shirt if you sell it, but...
For the most part, if you look at it from a percentage standpoint, most hold their value equally. For instance....
You buy a brand new Samick Sage for $150 (they sell for less, but my math stinks, so I have to keep it simple). Keep it in decent shape, you can sell it used for $75-$100--50-75% of the new price.
You buy a new whatever (any of the "big" names) and pay $1,000 for it. You keep it in decent shape, you can sell it used for $500-$750--also 50-75% of the new price.
Sure, some bows bring more used than they did new. If you have an old Ben Pearson Cougar it will bring more now than it sold for new. That's a different ballgame.
A no-name won't usually sell as fast, unless you sell it in an area where folks are familiar with them, but unless you pay a sucker price you won't usually come out any worse for the wear on most any of them.
I used to buy and trade on used bows a lot, until the prices went up to the point where it didn't make any sense to me. $500-$750 for a used bow with no warranty????? When I can get a new bow that shoots as good or better (for me at least) for the same price or less, with a warranty, built to my specs? I had to start passing--I rarely run across a deal even on an old Pearson anymore. Folks want $150-$250+ for old bows...bows that, not that many years ago, I could buy for $25-$50...man, if I'd only known then what I know now....
From what I've seen, certain bows holding their value better is mostly a myth. Sure, if you pay $2,000 for a bow nobody ever heard of, most likely you'll loose your shirt if you sell it, but...
For the most part, if you look at it from a percentage standpoint, most hold their value equally. For instance....
You buy a brand new Samick Sage for $150 (they sell for less, but my math stinks, so I have to keep it simple). Keep it in decent shape, you can sell it used for $75-$100--50-75% of the new price.
You buy a new whatever (any of the "big" names) and pay $1,000 for it. You keep it in decent shape, you can sell it used for $500-$750--also 50-75% of the new price.
Sure, some bows bring more used than they did new. If you have an old Ben Pearson Cougar it will bring more now than it sold for new. That's a different ballgame.
A no-name won't usually sell as fast, unless you sell it in an area where folks are familiar with them, but unless you pay a sucker price you won't usually come out any worse for the wear on most any of them.
I used to buy and trade on used bows a lot, until the prices went up to the point where it didn't make any sense to me. $500-$750 for a used bow with no warranty????? When I can get a new bow that shoots as good or better (for me at least) for the same price or less, with a warranty, built to my specs? I had to start passing--I rarely run across a deal even on an old Pearson anymore. Folks want $150-$250+ for old bows...bows that, not that many years ago, I could buy for $25-$50...man, if I'd only known then what I know now....
06-04-2010, 07:17 PM
#9
Spike
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Warren,Indiana
Posts: 55
I spoke with Mr. Dow a few years back as I called inquiring about his bows, I've never seen or handled one in person, which is kind of suprising since he lives about 30 min away from me, and there aren't very many trad shooters around here, but he did seem to be a very nice and knowledgable fellow, and his bows were going for 200-250 dollars at the time......
