Traditional Archery Discussions on the Leatherwall


Shakespear Necedah Bow Info

Messages posted to thread:
casekiska 30-Jan-25
Jed Gitchel 30-Jan-25
Jed Gitchel 30-Jan-25
Trying hard 30-Jan-25
Kelly 30-Jan-25
Shaftcaster 30-Jan-25
Phil Magistro 30-Jan-25
Mike E 30-Jan-25
Mike E 30-Jan-25
Mike E 30-Jan-25
Tradslinger 31-Jan-25
fdp 31-Jan-25
bearmagtd 31-Jan-25
Babysaph 31-Jan-25
fdp 31-Jan-25
Zbone 01-Feb-25
casekiska 01-Feb-25
casekiska 01-Feb-25
Dale Hajas 01-Feb-25
2 bears 01-Feb-25
mahantango 02-Feb-25
crookedstix 02-Feb-25
Joe2Crow 02-Feb-25
Zbone 02-Feb-25
Kelly 02-Feb-25
stagetek 02-Feb-25
Shaftcaster 02-Feb-25
Piercfh 02-Feb-25
Lowcountry 02-Feb-25
Mpdh 03-Feb-25
Dale Hajas 03-Feb-25
Dale Hajas 03-Feb-25
Dale Hajas 03-Feb-25
Longcruise 03-Feb-25
Piercfh 03-Feb-25
Colonel 10-Feb-25
sawtooth 10-Feb-25
From: casekiska
Date: 30-Jan-25




The Shakespear Necedah bow was a popular and inexpensive hunting bow in the 1960s and into the early 1970s. Does anyone have any credible information regarding it's history...when first made...for how long...where made...who designed it...etc,...what ever you can come up with. Hope to hear from you. In advance, thanks.

From: Jed Gitchel
Date: 30-Jan-25




As I understand it the necedah was first made by Root just south of big rapids Michigan. Root was sold to Shakespeare and for a while there was Shakespeare by Root and Root by Shakespeare . A good friend Dick B who goes to Elm Hall every year is a root fan and is well versed in the history. It's a excellent bow.

From: Jed Gitchel
Date: 30-Jan-25




I don't recall the name when it was made by Root possibly the warrior but I'm working off the fuzzy side of my memory.

From: Trying hard
Date: 30-Jan-25




Online...Vintage Archery Catalog website...quite a bit of info on Shakespeare and Root

From: Kelly
Date: 30-Jan-25




Believe the first year it was made was 1964 and it only came in 55” length. Then a couple years later they added the 58” model.

From: Shaftcaster
Date: 30-Jan-25




Necedah was based on Root Warrior and Super Necedah was based on Root Predator , they were made alongside each other till about 69/70.

From: Phil Magistro
Date: 30-Jan-25




Here is an excellent resource for all Shakespeare and Root bows.

https://shakespearearchery.blogspot.com/

From: Mike E
Date: 30-Jan-25

Mike E's embedded Photo



I doubt you'll hear a bad word about Shakespeare's. I'm partial to the Necedah's, 55". I came across this a couple of years ago. Very nice little shooting bow at 40+ lbs.

From: Mike E
Date: 30-Jan-25

Mike E's embedded Photo



From: Mike E
Date: 30-Jan-25

Mike E's embedded Photo



Made in '64. Warrior Archery Milwaukee, is all it says, except for the grip being a tad little bit smaller, it's just like my Necedah, also made in '64.

From: Tradslinger
Date: 31-Jan-25




I was blessed with a light Root Warrior to give away, it felt and shot very well. I would love to have one from 35# to 42# for myself, they seem to be a very nice bow. I can't see how you could go wrong with a decent one. The young lady loves hers now.

From: fdp
Date: 31-Jan-25




In the early 1960s, Ernie Root partnered with Shakespeare Archery to create their first bows.

The initial models were the 1959-60 Model 100-600 bows, followed by the Wonderbow in 1961-64. The Wonderbow had a model number and an "X" designation and was succeeded by the Model X26-55 in 1963.

This bow was almost identical to the Root Warrior and measured 55 inches from nock to nock.

In 1964, the X26-55 was renamed The Necedah X26, but it remained essentially the same as its predecessor.

From: bearmagtd
Date: 31-Jan-25




https://shakespearearchery.blogspot.com/ This site has all the info on Root and Shakespear .

From: Babysaph
Date: 31-Jan-25




Is Shakespeare the same company as the fishing company?

From: fdp
Date: 31-Jan-25




Yes.....

From: Zbone
Date: 01-Feb-25




Bill, here is the link to the Necedah info:

https://shakespearearchery.blogspot.com/2012/10/the-necedah- wonderbow.html

From: casekiska
Date: 01-Feb-25




Thanks for the link Gary - I'll get on it.

From: casekiska
Date: 01-Feb-25




And a thanks to all who have contributed to this thread. FYI - this info will be used at the WI Bowhunting Museum, I'm on the committee. If anyone is ever traveling Wisconsin our museum is in Clintonville at the Headquarters of the WI Bowhunters Assoc,...it's family friendly, free admission, and there's two large rooms full of donated vintage archery tackle, memorabilia, and bowhunting history. Hours vary somewhat, call ahead, 1-715-823-4670.

From: Dale Hajas
Date: 01-Feb-25




Anybody know where I can get the silk screens for a Super Necedah? Al Harford doesn’t have them. I’m looking forward to refinishing one that was given to me:)

I’ve never heard anything but good about them.

From: 2 bears
Date: 01-Feb-25




I have a Necedah & a Warrior. They are about as good as it gets. >>>----> Ken

From: mahantango
Date: 02-Feb-25

mahantango's embedded Photo



One Shakespeare that you don’t hear much about is the Manitou. I have one and really like it - more so than other Shakespeares I’ve had.

From: crookedstix
Date: 02-Feb-25




And if George Stout was still with us, he would be the first to sing the praises of the Necedah; it was one of his favorites. One of the top "bang for the buck" recurves ever made.

From: Joe2Crow
Date: 02-Feb-25




As Kelly mentioned, it was a 55” bow in ‘64 and ‘65, then from ‘66 on it was a 58” bow. I wonder if this was because there was an issue with the shorter bow or if customers just wanted a little longer bow. For those of you who have shot both lengths, how do they compare.

From: Zbone
Date: 02-Feb-25




A lot of good reviews on the Necedah, but don't understand why they didn't create a radius crown on the shelf... A lot of vintage recurves of that era seemed to have flat shelves, including Bear... Had these manufactures not yet discovered less contact with the shelf and/or side/side plate the better? Wonder which commercial manufacture first started rounding shelves and early ones you do see peak at center mass rather than above the deepest part of the grip... Am sure some may like them, but personally, am not a fan of flat shelves...

From: Kelly
Date: 02-Feb-25




The Necedah and other bows of that era with flat shelved came with feather rests which created the rounded shelf.

IMO most mistakes with shelving come from putting a rest on the entire shelf whether flat or rounded. The rest should only be slightly wider than the width of the arrow and length should be kept short too. The less contact with the arrow on your rug rest the better!

From: stagetek Professional Bowhunters Society - Qualified Member Compton's Traditional Bowhunters
Date: 02-Feb-25




My brother hunted with both the Necedah & the Super Necedah. Loved them both. My dad used an early 60's Shakespeare Wonderbow until the mid-eighties. Great bows. Wish I had them now.

From: Shaftcaster
Date: 02-Feb-25

Shaftcaster's embedded Photo



Having owned a few Warriors and Super N. in past I am a little intrigued with my latest Root Warrior in 60" length. Odd that that length is not recorded in literature so I am assuming Ernie was dabbling with some changes in 1969 for that model , maybe ?? See pic Shaftcaster >>>--->

From: Piercfh
Date: 02-Feb-25




I don't think I saw any mention of the vintage archery.net website in the posts above. Along with the blog that website has Shakespeare catalogs by year. Lots of good information on both. I think they both cite each other.

There is a facebook group for Shakespeare root as well. I don't have facebook, but Ive looked at it before. You may can find the silk screens there.

As far as the Shakespeare bows go. It never ceases to amaze me when I look at one of mine, and think who could have had it and used it, but most amazing is the fact that they were produced almost 80 years ago and can be in such good working shape. I hunted with an Ocala exclusively this year. I could pick up the Necedah and hit just as well with no adjustments.

Dale, I understand what you mean with the silkscreens wearing out. If you aren't going for the like new look. You can buff one with some good carnauba cleaner wax. Like automotive. Avoid the silkscreens when you buff. In most cases this brings one around enough to suit me.

I did do one with steel wool and tru oil. Couldn't believe how easy it was. Very similar finish.

From: Lowcountry
Date: 02-Feb-25




Search this site. There should be a ton of info on here. Ernie Root’s son posted some great info on here several years ago. If I get a chance, I will see if I can find those old posts, but they should be on here for everyone to see.

If I remember correctly, when Shakespeare decided to move to Columbia, SC, Ernie Root bowed out shortly there after.

From: Mpdh Compton's Traditional Bowhunters
Date: 03-Feb-25




They were made right here in Kalamazoo. Lots of them were sold from Shau Powell sporting goods store in downtown Kzoo.

MP

From: Dale Hajas
Date: 03-Feb-25




Thanks Frank!

From: Dale Hajas
Date: 03-Feb-25

Dale Hajas's embedded Photo



So here’s my serial #C 4323S

I read this as a March 1974 323rd bow made S equaling Super Necedah I can barely make out the number “30” on the silkscreen. The website says only the X- 32 was made in 1974 and the x-30 was discontinued in 1973.I would assume this to be a cross over year due to the multiple woods in the riser?

From: Dale Hajas
Date: 03-Feb-25

Dale Hajas's embedded Photo



From: Longcruise
Date: 03-Feb-25




Where does the super necedah 54" fit into all this?

From: Piercfh
Date: 03-Feb-25




I think he's just sharing his bow and looking for info to clean it up.

In the catalog they say this bow is made from a laminate of decorative shedua and zebra woods.

So that riser configuration was normal.

From: Colonel Compton's Traditional Bowhunters
Date: 10-Feb-25




Just bought a 1964 Necedah with original feather rest. Great shooting bow!! Perfect shape

From: sawtooth Compton's Traditional Bowhunters
Date: 10-Feb-25




I owned one, purchased from Gerber's in Kazoo way back in the day, nice bow.





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