Factory Rods

[kemper]

Ever since I started building rods I've found myself looking at factory sticks in a new light.

 

Are the wraps clean? Are the guide feet straight? Are the guides themselves lined up? Is the blank straight? Why is there a thread sticking up on a $300 rod? etc, etc.

 

Now I don't claim to be a master builder (insert joke here), but after only 4 years and give or take 20 rods I can answer those questions YES about my own builds.

 

Last week I went to Sail to browse some rods - I'm looking for a new medium duty spinning rod and I have 5 builds on the go already so I was thinking I would just pick up something off the rack for now.

 

Every brand has an offering in the 6'6" medium spinning category, and I couldn't find a single one that I thought was worth the $$. Oddly enough, when looking closely what I did find was the moving up the price scale actually increased the gap between price and (perceived) quality.

 

I'm not suggesting that the $30 Ugly Stick is better in performance than the $300 Loomis, but it surprised me how close they were in aesthetic quality.

 

Crooked guide feet, misaligned guides (this is a BIG pet peeve for me, how can anyone pick up a $300 rod, look down the barrel at crooked guides and make the purchase?), and poorly thought out wrap design (light bright red accent bands on translucent wraps - not great if I can see the tag ends...).

 

I never gave any of these things a second look until I started building myself, but now it's like a big red warning light goes off every time I pick up a factory rod.

 

I guess my question is this - is this a new thing that has happened with the mass market appeal on high end rods, or has it been happening forever and I simply never noticed?

 

/rant

 

Kemper

[muddler]

Yup. I started building almost 40 years ago. All my personal rods(100+) have been built by me. My loaners are store bought sale items. I simply will not buy a store rod for myself the reasons that you stated. All my graphite reel seats have graphite bushings. I an amazed how many high end rods still use wood inserts or making tape under the reel seats. All the store bought rods have the same guide spacing. Every one of my hand made ones have the guide spacing adjusted for the best performance possible. NO two blanks are the same.

 

Next time you go into a store, take the tip section and rotate it under slight pressure and watch where it jumps on the spline. Now look where the guides are placed. I agree with 100%, you just never noticed.

 

muddler

[kemper]

Yup. I started building almost 40 years ago. All my personal rods(100+) have been built by me. My loaners are store bought sale items. I simply will not buy a store rod for myself the reasons that you stated. All my graphite reel seats have graphite bushings. I an amazed how many high end rods still use wood inserts or making tape under the reel seats. All the store bought rods have the same guide spacing. Every one of my hand made ones have the guide spacing adjusted for the best performance possible. NO two blanks are the same.

 

Next time you go into a store, take the tip section and rotate it under slight pressure and watch where it jumps on the spline. Now look where the guides are placed. I agree with 100%, you just never noticed.

 

muddler

Yup - most factory rods are not splined.

 

I suspect that might be partially because the blanks aren't straight, so the rods are built on straightest axis (which I'll also use sometimes, depending on the rod/application)

[esoxansteel]

One thing with building rods, is those issues will stand out no more then ever, they are mass produced, like the same home builder in a sub-division, alot of the home look the same with the same features etc, also to add to Brady's observations, does the rod have a hook keeper, which is likely the cheapest piece of component on a rod, many rod do not, even some very highend models of factory rods, also does the rod have a fixed reel seat or sliding rings, for a 600.00 rod i would want a fixed seat, does it have enough guides for the length or the rod, does it have cork, or EVA foam etc, and then the hidden stuff you dont see, ie is there enough epoxy on the blank to secure the handle and reelseat, it certainly makes you 2nd guess whats out there on a factory level, and Kemper your part about moving up the price scale and perceived quality is absolutley correct.

[Steve]

what, you mean it's not right/normal to have the glue releasing on NRX's, causing reel's to fall off?

 

i thought shimano figured if your willing to pay that kind of money for a rod the buyer has enough skill to get that fish in the boat without the reel actually attached to the rod, no?

 

you think skills like this can be acquired without factory built rod failures - i don't think so.

 

 

 

I mean anyone can get a bass in the boat WITH the reel on the rod - this take actual skill that only a factory built NRX can provide.

Edited February 25, 2013 by Steve

[azebra]

I love the last two pics.

[Garnet]

Like you I came from a custom built Steelhead rods to walleye and bass.

 

Like you my first set of sticks bass/walleye all custom built by me for tournament fishing.

 

My first point is tourmament fishing is just way to hard on custom built for me. To just drop one grab another kick it out of the way, throw it back between consoles. I just couldn't do it.

 

By the time I started winning tournaments I'd worked my way down from high end factory rods to factory rods under $100.

 

Nobody is more fussy about the correct action than me. I also don't care what anybody else thinks I know what works for me.

 

About every 7-8 years I just get rid of all rods and reels. Particulary reels.

 

I buy rods in sets of 4 all exactly the same model 2 different spinning 4 different casting models.

 

I too went thru the quality issues of rack rods and learned most are off minor importants.

Edited February 26, 2013 by Garnet

[jedimaster]

Custom rods look good at the dock, but at the weigh in if you are still thinking about your rod it means you didn't catch fish. I think for some fun fishing or collecting custom is the way to go, but factory stuff and cheap stuff has its place. Tourney Bass fishing is one where a decent quality factory rod will do very well. Maybe a nice custom drop shot rod for finessing finicky smallies, but I don't think I would want to be pulling logs up off the bottom with a 600 dollar custom.

[kemper]

Like you I came from a custom built Steelhead rods to walleye and bass.

 

Like you my first set of sticks bass/walleye all custom built by me for tournament fishing.

 

My first point is tourmament fishing is just way to hard on custom built for me. To just drop one grab another kick it out of the way, throw it back between consoles. I just couldn't do it.

 

By the time I started winning tournaments I'd worked my way down from high end factory rods to factory rods under $100.

 

Nobody is more mussy about the correct action than me. I also don't care what anybody else thinks I know what works for me.

 

About every 7-8 years I just get rid of all rods and reels. Particulary reels.

 

I buy rods in sets of 4 all exactly the same model 2 different spinning 4 different casting models.

 

I too went thru the quality issues of rack rods and learned most are off minor importants.

 

I agree - performance wise most factory sticks are just fine. Sometimes they are a few guides short, or they cheaped out on cork etc but does it affect the performance? Probably not much.

 

Custom rods look good at the dock, but at the weigh in if you are still thinking about your rod it means you didn't catch fish. I think for some fun fishing or collecting custom is the way to go, but factory stuff and cheap stuff has its place. Tourney Bass fishing is one where a decent quality factory rod will do very well. Maybe a nice custom drop shot rod for finessing finicky smallies, but I don't think I would want to be pulling logs up off the bottom with a 600 dollar custom.

 

Agree again - although unless it's covered in gold I wouldn't be paying $600 for a custom bass rod...

 

 

I should have been more specific - I guess I was speaking more to the fit and finish of factory rods and what seems to be a complete lack of care taken when building them (obviously, as is anything mass produced).

 

If I do buy a factory stick (which has happened exactly twice since I started building) it tends to be Shimano. I find they stand up to the abuse of being kicked around in the boat better than most others, and the guides are generally straight which can't be said for most rods.

 

Next time you're in the tackle shop pick up an expensive rod and look down the barrel, you might be surprised.

[BillM]

I've got no issues with the fit and finish on my Avids.

[kemper]

I've got no issues with the fit and finish on my Avids.

That's one rod I've never taken a close look at - but have heard good things.

[BillM]

I'm not scrutinizing them all that much though, I'm sure they aren't perfect, lol.

 

Although I've got zero complaints about their warranty exchange. Had a new rod in my hands within 2 weeks after I snapped it about 5 inches above the handle on a monster snake last spring.

[kemper]

You get all the graphite out of your face?

 

Had that happen to a Abu a couple years ago trying to haul an average bass out of a larger than average pile of cabbage

[BillM]

Split my lip open... I was just pissed I didn't get the fish, lol.

[Garnet]

When I was ordering new rods and reels they all came at 1 time. So maybe 30 rods reels the only returns I would do is a dog leg or the guides so far off spline the blank twist.

 

Most of the other defects bent guides not perectly straight I would add 2 dozen more in the first season.

 

Things like ceramic popes out of a middle guide. Side cutters, cut foot off, cut guide in half and back to fishing. I wouldn't even repair them until all 4 rods had a lease 1 guide missing. They just moved to practice rods.

 

I never repaired my self in tournament season.

[jedimaster]

I have only ever had one rod snap on me, and one guide come out. I cracked one guide that was my fault.

[Harrison]

A friend gave me a "Fish'n Canada" cheap knock off "somethingorother" telescopic rod as a gift a few years ago now. I blew up a Loomis frog rod and grabbed this one as the spare one day in a T. I could horse anything in with it, cast a mile too, loved it. I didn't put it down for the next few years. That cheapo rod cashed more cheques for me then any other one rod I owned at the time. Ceramic popped out of the top eyelit, still gav'er. We were actually "with" Gloomis at the time too My bro got cut up pretty bad from a crucial that blew up on hookset. Fished the full day and got a few stiches that night. Prettys sure he still has some graphite in his bottom lip beside the tip of a balsa stream float

Edited February 26, 2013 by Harrison

[kemper]

A friend gave me a "Fish'n Canada" cheap knock off "somethingorother" telescopic rod as a gift a few years ago now. I blew up a Loomis frog rod and grabbed this one as the spare one day in a T. I could horse anything in with it, cast a mile too, loved it. I didn't put it down for the next few years. That cheapo rod cashed more cheques for me then any other one rod I owned at the time. Ceramic popped out of the top eyelit, still gav'er. We were actually "with" Gloomis at the time too My bro got cut up pretty bad from a crucial that blew up on hookset. Fished the full day and got a few stiches that night. Prettys sure he still has some graphite in his bottom lip beside the tip of a balsa stream float

 

Gotta watch out for floats and busted rods!

 

I got cut up pretty bad by a splitshot once when I snagged up on bottom and broke the lead off

[Garnet]

Most ceramic issues are from bending guides back. Not a warranty issue for me. I would have to take the rod back to a factory rep and explain how it wasn't abuse.

 

I also didn't want newer rods replace older stlyes. Often manufacters will change the handle on the new model. I buy sets of 4 so they are all the same.

[FrankTheRabbit]

Over the past few days, I've been thinking about that custom Rainshadow bait casting rod that Spiel built that was in the classifieds, about a year ago. I hummed and hawed and eventually, somebody snatched it up. I can't remember who bought it, but that is a sweet rod for a great price. I'm sure the finish was impeccable.