Custom Strings. A Significant Difference?

[WapitiTalk1]

I have had my local shop put two new strings on my Alpine since I bought it at the end of 2011. They're both strings he obtained from the bow manufacturer in Idaho and seem to work fine. Here's the question. Do custom strings (insert company here) make a significant difference on a bow and how? I really don't know and am curious.

[>>>---WW---->]

I shoot an older Mathews LX. So far, I've been happy with the Mathews strings and cables. No stretch or creep in the two sets I have put on it. I also tried a set of BuckNasty strings. Excellent quality and great price as well. But no significant difference.

[cnelk]

RJ
Significant difference? - NO

But...
I like to have an extra set of string/cables.
So I shoot in the string/cables that come with the bow.
After a few hundred shots I switch them out.
And since Im switching, I decide to pay for custom string/cables

[bnsafe]

I have mike carter "crackerize" all my bows. his strings are unbelieveable, but the main reason I do it is because I tell him when I pick the bow up I want it tuned PERFECTLY to whatever broadhead im shooting an it is. plus I love my red an black strings

[ctdad]

I sent my bow to crackers and have been very happy with his strings. However, my bow came back so ridiculously out of tune it was laughable. I would buy his strings again but I'll just put them on myself. I only did it to see what all the hype was about. I am glad others have had success with his service. I did not. Not a problem though, as I have my own tuning equipment.

I've shot mostly Hoyt for the last ten years. I do same as cnelk. Shoot in stock strings, ie I shoot them enough to get string stretch to settle in. This has been a problem with Hoyt strings in the past. Supposedly they are better these days though. Still like having backup. It has saved a hunt once when string got cut two days before hunt!

[JJ Overkill]

I sent my bow to crackers and have been very happy with his strings. However, my bow came back so ridiculously out of tune it was laughable. I would buy his strings again but I'll just put them on myself. I only did it to see what all the hype was about. I am glad others have had success with his service. I did not. Not a problem though, as I have my own tuning equipment.

REALLY?????? im shocked, how was it out of tune? ive never heard anybody say a bad thing about mikes work. he the only person I will send my bows to. ive never had a problem.

[ctdad]

Broadheads 4 inches left and two low of field points at 20 yards out of a kwik shooter (not a form issue). Asked for broad head tuning when I sent it too. Center shot was set on rest but it was too low and yokes were about five full twists from correct. He made and sold me my arrows so can't claim he didn't have my arrow either. He was pretty proud of the fact that he got an extra 5fps out of it. I probably ruined that by changing the yokes but it shoots broadheads perfect out to 90 so I don't care. Like I said, quality string that hasn't stretched once. I'll probably order strings from him again but I'll just set em up myself

[JJ Overkill]

no kidding, 5 twist out is a lot. ive had to tune my rest a touch when ive gotten my bow back but never the cables. ive never sent a broad head to him. I do that myself. don't take this wrong im not calling you a liar or anything like that. but wow. how far off was your brace height, ATA and timing dots? im just curios.

[ctdad]

I never measured it. Once I found the issue with the broadheads I just started from scratch and tuned it myself. Another friend asked me a couple weeks later about alk those things and I wished I would have checked. It was laughable

[Swede]

Personally I can't tell any difference. I would compare it to having a rabbit's foot in your pocket. If you believe it will help, it is likely that it will.

[WapitiTalk1]

Interesting. Soo, if the quality of the custom strings is negligible (durable, stretch, creep, twisting) is it more a factor that the companies micro tune bows when a guy/gal sends them in? Shoot, I can slosh my way thru bow tuning. Keep the thoughts coming.

[Swede]

Custom strings and custom or quality are two different things altogether. I do not think one equates necessarily with the other. After all some custom cables and strings can be ordered by mail. Maybe I just want a custom string with the colors of my school, or a shortened serving near the nock point. They too are custom made for me.

[ctdad]

String stretch, string thickness (which affects speed mostly), and color are the reasons I'm aware that you would use a custom string. Am I missing any? I've had stretch issues though with a few different custom strings as well as hoyt fuse strings pre 2012, stock mathews strings, stock bowtech strings, stock bear strings. Sometimes I wonder if any string maker can get me a string that won't stretch. After about 10 months and quite a few arrows, the string I got from crackers has impressed me. No stretch. No changes to bh, ata, or peep rotation.

[pointysticks]

i've never had any string really fail me.

sure my stock mathews string was the worst..but even that thing got the job done with little fanfare. knowing what i know now, i bet that was more of a function with how long that single cam string was. probably 80 inches long or something of that magnitude.

i do however love how some of the anal custom string guys build their stuff. the servings are perfect..string loops served neatly, no lumps or bumps..cool colors, etc. some of the guys are pretty economical as well. nice to have options.

[Willie makit]

Here's what happened to me, i got a "new to me" alpha max32 last year, put new winners choice strings on, had it tuned and was practicing every day 10- 20 shots. I shot religiously, shooting quite well out to 70 yards, I never really paying attention to my bow tuning, I just stayed consistent all the way up till I did not draw a desired tag then just quit shooting around July.

About 10 days prior to whitetail season In early November I started back shooting daily and instantly I noticed hand shock and saw the string stop 1/4" away from string. I moved it back to just touching the string, this helped but it still seemed to be more noisy than I recall from earlier when I was shooing daily.

While hunting, I noticed the string had little "fuzzies" coming out of it, I do a lot of "stilking", in and out of thickets and briars so I'm not sure if these came from physical damage or it's just some strands in the string gave out.

When I got back I took it to shop and let them check I out, it was way off the stops on one end making the let off nearly gone, he wasn't too concerned about the "fuzzies" and burned them off and waxed the string , fixed th stops and then we just paper tuned it again. This was in late November, I've been shooting enough to be confident in the bow to finish out this season, but sat week after hunting I went to get down and pulled my arrow out of string and the nock pulled out and remained on the string. You can nock it anywhere else on the string serving and it releases much, much easier than where it's shooting postion, I'm guessing its a fuzzy turned loose right under the nock point and I feel this is where my noise is coming from.

I do have another string on order but will have to try to limp through the peak of the Deer rut as it is. I'm no bow tech, (obviously) but now I do pay much more attention to things, especially the string stops. And now my questions

Anyone else have their string grow and get tight in the nock?

Is there anything else I should be more alert for on the bow other that the string stops?

I reordered winners choice string, is this normal wear/behavior for this brand?

FYI, I shoot gold tip 5575 at 65#, 100gr G5 fixed blade at 65# last I checked last year. There has bee no noticeable peep rotation throughout any of this. Sorry not meaning to hijack thread but wondering if I might should have gotten another brand or if this is Normal wear when a bow et shot like this.

[>>>---WW---->]

No way should a custom string have that much creep! I think I would call Winners Choice and tell them about it. They are way over priced anyhow, JMHO! Maybe they will make it right for you.

[Swede]

Willie: Are you sure it is not your cams that are slipping. My son and I both have had our cams replaced by the factory because they slipped, and the bow went out of tune. When I told the dealer, he thought I was nuts until he called the factory and they admitted there was a problem, especially with short draw shooters. My bow is fine now, but it took me awhile to figure out what the problem was.

[Willie makit]

Not sure how a cam slips, but the only thing other was when I mentioned something about the noise we poked, prodded and taped around on the bow and one cam resonated more than other. It was slight, but reduced when grabbing one cam tightly verses the other. He said it would be a warranty issue and I assumed it would be the bushing or bearing in the cam, but I've not got too much into the mechanics of the bow.