I am posting this question for a friend of mine. He wants a new Mathews-LX. The only store that carries them is a large sporting goods store. This sporting goods store is a good place to buy tennis shoes & that is about it. There bow department has a nice selection. The problem is the guys in the archery department should be selling shoes not bows. I would not trust them to re-sting my nike's little own my bow.[]
What would you do if you want to buy a bow that your local proshop does not sell? He does not know how to set it up himself & either do I. He wants to suport his local proshop? He has shot all of the proshop's bows but he likes the Mathews better.

What would you do? Remember you know nothing about setting up or tuning a bow???

I bet your proshop could set it up for him.

Though it flies in the face of what most folks will tell you, I would head to the local shop first. I would explain to the shop owner your predicament and see if he has any suggestions. If he cannot come up with anything else then I would ask if he would have a problem setting up the bow (at whatever cost) if you were to buy all the accessories from him (just not the bow).

Some shop owners don't mind as long as you are spending money in the store. Some shop owners will just refuse to do it. Some shop owners will charge an additional fee since you did not buy the bow there...even if you are buying the accessories there.

Your only other option is to find another Mathews dealer anywhere in the area and that you feel comfortable dealing with.

I personally would buy whatever I wanted and then take it to the ProShop to have it set up. I would expect to pay even if I bought the accessories there (which I prbably would). However, if the ProShop owner refused because you didn't buy the bow there, I would never spend a dime in the shop again. JMO

I agree with silent 100%.

I actually don't know of any of the bows shops around me that would refuse to setup another brand of bow then what they sell. I wouldn't even hesitate or feel bad to ask them to do it.

I can't believe Mathews would set up a dealership with an outfit like that. Don't they have some kind of minimum standards, like having staff that actually knows something about bows, before they commit to a dealership?

Whatever... I agree with silentassassin. He has to buy the bow he wants where it's available, but go to the proshop to get the accessories. Maybe by doing that the pro shop will cut him some slack on the setup fee, but don't expect them to.

Buy the bow and learn. The sport demands it. Whether it be a pro shop, a friend, or these forums; there is a limit what others can do to tune your bow for you, and tune to your specs and shooting style.

I agree w/ c903.

This could be a great opportunity to learn from a pro shop. Like others have stated, buy the bow and take it to a pro shop to have them set it up for you.

But instead of just dropping the bow off, ask to schedule a time when you can be present and learn as much as you can.

Use this website as a tool as well. I've learned a great deal just from reading and asking questions here.

good luck

C903 is right on.

For what they may charge to set up the bow you could pick up most of the tools needed. A bow press is a great investment if you plan on doing your own work. I downloaded a great tuning guide off the easton website and have been trying to learn as much as possible with my new bow.

http://www.eastonarchery.com/downloads/

click on tuning guide and away you go. I was supprised how easy tuning can be if you have detailed instructions. Besides what better time to learn. The season dosen't open for another six months here in Maine. Most states open later than that. Bottom line THERE IS NO BETTER TIME TO LEARN.

I admire you guys spirit. Afterall recommending that someone try to do their own work rather go to a ProShop could bring down the wrath of the powers that be[&:][:-][:'(]