Probably, but maybe not. A few folks seem to be able to pick up any bow and shoot it. It didn't take me 10 years, but after having my #1 for about that long I pick up on differences a lot quicker. I used to swap and trade a lot until I found it; haven't had a hankering for anything else since. I have shot some nice bows since I got it, but none I liked well enough to make a change.

Without a doubt--harder, and more expensive. I don't claim to know all the details, but a tapered lam is a bit more complicated to make and place vs. a paralell lam; and a double tapered lam adds even more diffculty. The number of lams makes a difference, tillering (as I understand it a straight or mildly reflexed limb is easiest to tiller), etc. A smooth, rounded, contoured grip is going to take more time to shape than a straight grip, and I'm sure there's other things I'm not thinking about right now.

I can only speak from my experiences with CM, as I have quite a bit with them. The Crusader longbow (their most expensive model)isn't anywhere near their best seller--if they justwanted toincrease their profit margin, it would only make sense to do it with the models that sell the best.

I'll try to remeber to ask Marc (the bowyer) the next time I talk to him and get more information.

Chad