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I've shot longbows for years and started building my own in the 1990's. Haven't shot much big game with them, but have taken many dozens of grouse.

Glass and lamination's,or Osage and bamboo?

Any take downs ?

I just bought a nice Great Northern long bow off the Class. here! its a Jack Knife type it folds in the handle, intoo! nice for traveling, been wanting one for a long time, Iv been too long without a longbow!

I started with self bows mostly of Yew though did one sinew backed Osage - still have one of the Yew bows and the Osage bow but haven't shot them in years. Then moved on to glass laminated longbows and haven't touched the wood bows since. My first laminated bows were a reflexed H. Hill style followed by a mild reflex/deflex. In more recent years, I've been building a hybrid with fairly pronounced reflex/deflex.

No 3 piece, but occasionally do a 2 piece with the stainless/brass sleeve/socket.

https://goprimalnow.com/product/arc...-folding-survival-bow-50-lb-draw-weight/

I want one of these.

I normally shoot a Silvertip recurve, but this year I promised the wife I'd kill something with the Acadian Woods longbow she bought me for our anniversary some years ago. I like the longbow but the Silvertip is an extension of my arm and is hard to leave home. I shot several with a Jerry Hill longbow where I was still fresh into traditional. Last one I shot with a longbow was with a home made Osage.

I have the Bingahm kit instructions but have never tried a glass laminated bow. I've built a bunch of selfbows,starting with Hickory and graduating to Osage. Currently I shoot a BBO that is nearly the equal of my PL Widow. I always wanted to make a selfbow of Yew,but never had access to any.

John Strunk of Strunks selfbows in Tillimook OG. used to sell yew, hes still makeing bows but not sure if hes sell Staves at this time!

I used to get my Yew from Northwest Archery and got to know the St. Charles family fairly well and got started with some mentoring from them. Jay St. Charles is still making self and laminated bows from Yew. I'm sure he has a good stash of Yew but don't know if he sells any billets/staves. If I was going to do another self bow it would be a true English style with horn nocks like Strunk and St. Charles make.

Ted Fry of Raptor Archery sells all kinds of billets/staves, has Yew listed and is where I'd start. In fact, I've been giving that some serious that lately...

Which longbow would you guys recommend to someone for their first one? Would really like to get into it.

I would repeat the same steps I started with all those years ago. A laminated longbow from a established bowyer that comes with a Million Dollars of good advice on shooting HIS bow.
The rest of the stuff comes along in good time.
It has been a great trip for me...

I don't have a specific maker in mind but I absolutely hate Hill style bows because of the handshock. I wanted to buy one once so bad I could taste it but it was 65 lbs and even shooting an arrow over 700 grains every shot felt like catching a line drive baseball barehanded.
I'm sure someone will shortly tell me I didn't know how to hold it.

I would recommend a reflex deflex bow of considerably less weight than you think you want to shoot. You would be much better learning how to shoot on a 40lb bow than learning how not to shoot on a 60lb bow. How much weight you can shoot on a compound doesn't count.

Thanks guys, I was thinking 45 or 50 pounds and a bow from Martin or two tracks.

There are so many choices ranging from mass produced bows at entry level pricing to exotic custom bows at wildly varying prices, it's really impossible to recommend one. Like buying hunting boots, one person's favorite may not work well at all for the next guy. Shooting as many as possible before buying is the best option but nearly impossible to do unless you attend a large traditional shoot or can travel to the shops of the custom bowyers.

Then you have many varying styles / designs from the 'old school' Howard Hill style to more radical highly reflexed / deflexed bows that approach a recurve bow in limb and riser shape. Most custom bowyers will offer one piece and take down models, with take downs being either 2 piece or 3 piece. Until you've shot a bunch, there is no way to know what is best for you.

That said, my first longbow was in the mass produced category made by Martin. The Bear Montana is in this category and seems to be a fairly well regarded bow for the price. If inclined to go the mass produced route, I'd stick with manufacturers that have a long history / good track record with traditional bows like Martin and Bear. I'm sure there are others, but those two stand out for me. If I wasn't building my own and in the market to buy from someone else, a Centaur longbow from Jim Neeves would be at the top of my list.

I hear you on the 'hand shock' associated with Hill style bows - my first laminated bows were that type. I had the opportunity to meet an old bowyer that used to build bows for Howard Hill Archery and made some of Howard's personal bows. He was a neighbor and got me started building these things so that is naturally what I built. Interestingly, I've recently been fiddling with my first laminated 'Hill' bow and experimenting with my grip to see if it's possible to tame the shock. I have noticed an improvement with more pressure on the heel of my hand, but still more shock than a reflex / deflex bow.

I tried some longbows way back. Didn't like them.
Martin ML10 14 and Jerry Hill, plus an Old Ben 5000 (or whatever it was) and a couple others.
My buddy owned them, and they shot well for him. No matter what the tune or arrow........I hated them.

2 yrs ago I shot a lower # Tomahawk longbow. It was actually pleasant.
Still not a longbow guy...........but that thing was WAY different than the old stuff.

I hear you guys. Jerry Hill nearly caused me to have to get new fillings in my teeth. I shoot a black Widow PL longbow now and like it fine but I was a recurve guy for a bunch of years. I guess I like them all. I have 8 or 10 stick bows. I shoot everything from a 72" Olympic Barebow ILF recurve, to a 68" Osage selfbow

To misquote the HOF Atlanta Braves pitcher John Smoltz "chicks dig the longbow". I'm a very impugned source because of my involvement in the industry but longbows can be every bit as comfortable to shoot and as fast as the fastest recurve. Having said that, however, I personally like the draw/force feel you get from a good static-tip recurve limb versus the more linear draw/force feel of a longbow limb.