Anybody know what year the Howatt super diablo was introduced? How long were they made with Brazilian rosewood? Kenny

That would a Larry Hatfield question.

I bought my first one in '71 and they had been out for a year or so as I remembered.

Pete Denley will answer you in great detail soon;-)

Thanks for the vote of confidence Aaron but both cueman and I are trying to figure it out. I think it is 1969 or 1970 from what I can glean from the internet. Diablo's were discontinued in 1965...I don't think they made them that year as I have not seen one with a serial number beginning with 5. The Diablo was 58" and so was the Hi- Speed and that's why the Diablo was dropped. Did Howatt have a 60" bow in the 60's? That length was the niche the SD filled.

I have seen the reference to 1966 being the first year and that would make sense with the Diablo being discontinued but I have not seen a pre 1970 bow. I see lots of references to people buying them in the very early 70's " a couple of years after they came out."

I have most of the Howatt catalogs and although they are not all dated the first reference I see of the SD is 1970 where they have a special insert introducing it. Also the early Hi Speeds and Diablos came in 54" and 58" lengths.

I have seen one 68 catalog that said that the new howatt super diablo was being introduced and that it was made in Brazilian rosewood. I also am pretty sure I have read that Larry Hatfield stated that they started in 66 or 67. I have seen a lot of them but they were all post 70 bows in east indies rosewood, I have one and have had others.

I just picked up a Brazilian rosewood super diablo with serial ESD 445C 60", all of the others I have seen are amo 60". By 68 Howatt was using the first digit of the serial as year of make and most all of the bows were listed with AMO. Maybe April of what ever year they started?

In contrast, my 74 SD has a serial of ESDP 417B AMO60, so I know this is not a 74 bow. I also know that in the late 60's, most of the Brazilian rosewood bows are gone and the later SD's were in east indies rosewood.

I know they were around in '72'. It was a popular bow with the guys in the club I joined that year. I was always getting a hard time about my "factory" bow, my Bear SK. I was always being offered their bows to shoot. "See what a real bow shoots like".

Larry has a post 20 Sept 2012 that states; 66-79 in Rosewood 85-94 in Zebrawood 95-99 were redesigned ( same shape as the Dream Catcher then) But after Larry left , Martin redesigned them again . Not sure if 2012 or 2013 but, I have one dated 2013.

Jim Reed is correct.

Thank Jim, that is what I read, just could not find it.

Thank you Larry. Must have posted at the same time, did not see your post. I was pretty sure it was 66. How long were they made with Brazilian rosewood? I know you have said you were running out in the late 60's.

Mr. cueman, don't tease us, It doesn't exist without pictures. Please oblige us.

We ran out quickly after mid 1960. Went to East Indian from the Dutch West Indies for a few years and then dropped that because the grading was not good. East Indian from India was Nationalized also. The Dutch planted lots of Dalbergia Latifolia in Indonesia, where ours came from.

Larry, which version of rosewood is this? is it East Indian?

Is 1963 the correct date?

Sorry for jacking your thread cueman.

No problem grizzly, looks like a 63 Catalina in Brazilian rosewood. I was hoping the super D would be here today but looks like tomorrow. I will post pics as soon as I get it.

It is Brazilian. The East Indian wood was dark red with black streaks because of the different soil in Indonesia, where ours originated.

I started shooting recurves on a consistent basis in 1969 and my very first one was a Damon Howatt Balboa I bought from a neighbor. My next bow was a brand spanking new Super Diablo I bought from Gasmann's Archery in San Antonio, Tx. in the early 70's (71-72) and it was the darker Indonesian Rosewood if I remember correctly.

I am old and it is hard to remember dates back that far and besides I never remembered dates anyway.

Straitshot if you can remember could you please get that last sentence made up on T Shirts. I find myself saying that at least once a week. Easier to just point to the shirt.

DDave

Here is the decal from my Catalina...does the serial number place this one in the 1960s as well? Not sure if they were numbered sequentially, and apologies for continuing the hijack away from SD's

Keoneloa, looks like it was built 25 bows before grizzly's. My 62 has the conquistador logo. I find it very interesting that the later 63 bows have the drawn bow logo.

Thanks cueman...it is interesting--I have a 63 Monterey with the conquistador logo love this stuff!

camodave,

I do remember I gave a 100 dollar bill for that SD and that included tax, title, and license. I saved up several months so I could get it. I would go into Gasmann's every few days and drool all over it. I remember it had a price tag of $99 but Mr. Gasmann let me take it out the door for an even $100. :)

She finally showed up, here it is

Sorry, picture did not show up

The first bow with that shape and the new lams was a solid maple one I made and shot for a year before we decided to go ahead with that style. I shot it at a Archery Golf tournament at Camas Prairie, off Blewett Pass the spring after I built it and Dale Marcy was so impressed with it he bought it from me during the shoot. They will cast an arrow.

Great information Larry. This one needs some loving, but it is beautiful and deserves the work. My 74 Super Diablo is one of my favorite bows, but then pretty much any of the bows you designed are great shooters and I love them all.

Here's my '71 50# on 11/4/72. Doesn't look too pretty but it cleaned up nice in the end. I also hit the biggest buck I've ever shot at in the shoulder with this bow and it bounced out.

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