“The Necedah Wonderbows- Model X26, X28, X31”

Shakespeare Catalog May 1969

“The Necedah Wonderbows”
by Larry Vienneau

Before the Necedah X26, there was the Model X26-55

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.

The Shakespeare Necedah model x 26 - 55# - 58" was the bow that took the current Pope and Young Non-Typical Mule deer, World Record in 1987, (now number 2 all time).  Ken Plank used a Necedah with Bear wooden arrows.

One of Shakespeare Archery's most renowned and beloved Wonderbow models is "The Necedah." It earned its name from the famous hunting grounds of Necedah National Wildlife Refuge in Wisconsin. This bow is highly efficient and was a formidable contender to Bear Archery. Its design bears the unmistakable influence of Ernie Root and closely resembles the Root Brush Master Model.

The Necedah bow is truly one-of-a-kind due to its many varieties, which can be confusing for both novice and experienced collectors alike. It holds a special place in my heart as my first Shakespeare bow, which I purchased on eBay for a steal because the seller had misspelled both "Shakespeare" and "Recurve". As an owner of Bear bows, I had assumed that all other vintage bows would be inferior, but I was pleasantly surprised by the Necedah's beauty and craftsmanship. Shooting the bow was a revelation - it was smooth, consistent, and simply amazing. I was instantly hooked! Upon further research, I discovered that there are actually five different varieties of the Necedah.

1.  The X-26 at 55" 1964-65
2.  The X-26 at 58" in brown 1966-71,  
3.  The X-26 at 58" in Green Fiberglass 1972-73
4.  The X-28 at 58" in Greenwood and green fiberglass 1974
5.  The X-31 at 58" in Greenwood and other hardwoods laminated with green fiberglass 1974-76.   

   The Necedah was available in 40, 45, 50, and 55 lbs. weight options. However, the Super Necedah is not included in this discussion as it is typically regarded as a distinct model among collectors.

Ernie Root's Bush Master Game Master and Warrior 1966 Ad

My bow is 1964 55” AMO Necedah x26 @50lb.It is unusual because it has "X-25 55" under the Wonderbow logo. After 1964 Shakespeare stopped placing the model number lower right of the company logo. The Model Number is found under the model's name 1965.

my scarce 1964 X26-55 lefty

 

my X-26 58 inch, note the different logo. This logo was used in 1969 or later

Necedah X26, 1964-65 55 inch 1966-1973 58 inch
Necedah X 28, 1974, 58 inches
Necedah x 31 1974-76 58 inches

• Recurve
• Weights 35, 40, 45, 50, and 55 lbs.
• Cinnamon Brown 1964-1971 or Forest green fiberglass 1972-76
• Handle Imbuya Wood or Wonderwood - a green-colored impregnated hardwood, X-31was multi-laminated hardwood and Greenwood)
• Sight window 4 1/2 inches 
• Brace height 7 3/4
• 2-inch-wide limb
• Imbuya or Wonderwood tip overlay
• arrow speed 12 shots avg. 410-grain arrow- 50 lb. Necedah 55” -187.74 FPS, 45 lb. Necedah 58"- 184.66 FPS  

X26 Necedah: 1964-73 The 55” AMO X26 bows were produced approximately from 1964-66. It has handsome cinnamon brown fiberglass with an exotic Imbuya wood riser. What is confusing about this X26 model is there are two different bow lengths 55” and 58”. I was confused by the dual size discrepancy. I later learned that Shakespeare changed the AMO to 58" in 1966.

 The profile of the X-26 remained identical to the Root Warrior until Shakespeare moved its operation to South Carolina. Ernie Root left Shakespeare in 1969. In 1970 the profile of the Necedah changed, and it resembled other bows in the Shakespeare Line. In 1970-71 the riser was modified, and green glass was used.

Lavi Niv's nice X26 Green Glass

X28 Necedah:1974

Necedah Model X-28 was produced for one year in 1974. Unlike the X-26, this bow had Green "Wonderwood" and green fiberglass Its length at 58” and there were also slight modifications to the riser.

Lewis Kent's beautiful Wonderwood X28 with stabilizer

X - 31 probably 1974-76
This variety is unusual. It is similar to both the Necedah X 28 and Super Necedah. It is 58" AMO and has green glass.  It uses Green Wonderwood in the riser, but it also has multi-lamination, rare for a Shakespeare Bow. 

my rare left-hand Necedah X-31

 

I've always been a fan of the Shakespeare Archery line of bows, and the Necedah was one of their best workhorses. Not only was it the first Wonderbow, but it was also one of the last bows they ever produced. The Necedah is a reliable, durable, and hard-shooting bow that I've personally owned several times. Recently, I acquired my Necedah X-31 and was initially skeptical due to the quality decline that occurred after Shakespeare relocated to South Carolina. However, I was pleasantly surprised by its performance. Although it's not as fast as my older Necedah (a 1964 model), it's incredibly consistent, and I even achieved a high round score with it. The Necedah is one of my favorite bows to use because it's lightweight, resilient, and consistently shoots well. You can often find Necedah bows available in auctions at a very reasonable price.

thanks to 
Lavi Niv and Lewis Kent

BOW AND ARROW MAGAZINE REVIEW
November December 1965
pp 48-51
written by Jim Dougherty

November 1965 Ad

 This 1965 ad is a very early Necedah. It is a 55"-inch bow and it is $49.95, by 1969 it was $69.99- that's high inflation!

© Copyright, 2013. Larry Vienneau Jr. All rights reserved.