Advantage Of Building Your Own Rods?

[Neil McCauley]

Explain this to me.

Rods don't exactly wear out. Is it just for the heck of doing it or is it a cost saver or what?

[Jrob78]

For me it's to build a rod exactly how I want it.  I can pick and choose the best blanks that each company makes and use the exact components that I like a rod to have.  I can't buy a factory rod set up the way I like it, with the guides, reel seat, hook keeper, keeper placement, grip, grip placement, etc. exactly how I want.  I can build one pretty easily though.

 

Some people like to have something with custom colors and a custom design, that's more important than the performance aspect, or a combination of the two.  For some people it's just something rewarding and creative to do that keeps you involved in fishing.  It's cool to catch fish on a rod you built.

 

I never found money savings to really play into it at all.

[Canyon explorer]

I have incurred quite a few benefits from learning how to build my own rods.

1. I get a stronger sense of pride and accomplishment building my own equipment, similar to the trout fisherman tying his own flies.
2. I am able to repair them when they break ,especially replacing the guides and tips.
3. Blanks don,t decompose so you can rebuild and redesign them into near new.
4. Once your on top of your game you can build and repair them for others.$$.
5. There is good market for saltwater sets. more $$.

[Canyon explorer]

Attached is a couple of G-Loomis rods I rebuilt inlaying a crawdad in the butt made from fly tieing feathers.

[MickD]

It started as a way to get the top of the line blanks without breaking the bank.  It morphed into getting exactly what I want in a rod. I have developed a design feature that I use on many spinning rods that offers significant advantage in some kinds of fishing and it has yet to make it onto commercial rods.  Some special types of rods are just not available commercially.  Take the long ultra-light panfish spinning rod for example. You have a hard time even finding blanks to build from, impossible to find finished rods with a regular spinning grip design as opposed to crappie rod holder rods.  They can be built on fly blanks and make wonderful panfish rods.

 

With regard to cork quality, it is very difficult today to get top quality cork on commercial rods, even pretty high end ones.  You can still get it as rings, although they are pretty pricey.

[S Hovanec]

I started building because what I wanted wasn't commercially available. Not to mention the build quality of most of the mass produced rods is crap, even the highly coveted NRX.

[MickD]

I have never had a factory rod fail due to the quality of the build, so would be interested in how the build quality is "crap."  

 

I know cork is not the best, guides are often less than top of the line, I've had a couple tiptops groove, but considering the price, I don't think I've been screwed.  The quality of the components has not been up to what I use in my builds, but the "quality of the build" has not been deficient.  

[S Hovanec]

Take a close look sometime. too much finish. bubbles in finish. wavy finish. gaps in wraps. guide feet not tapered. cardboard arbors with insufficient epoxy to seal out water. reelseats filled with epoxy instead of using arbors. cork veneer over tan colored EVA to emulate a solid cork grip. IMO, crap.

Musky rod brought in to have full grip made into split grip. Here's what I found when i started tearing into the project.

This nice looking chunk of cork was only tacked down in 3 places with epoxy.

Oh, wait a minute, it's not even cork!

If you're spending $500+ for a rod, something like this is unacceptable. This was just the hook keep. there were 8 or 9 guides, all with the same gappy wraps.

1 piece blank? Think again!

Here's one from another supposedly popular maker. This is all on one rod. every guide looked like this and every winding check had the same gap.

Maybe "football" is the look they were going for?

These examples are why we build our own rods. Plus, it's fun having something that no one else has. The only time I've ever duplicated a rod is when the customer wanted 2 of the same thing.

[EvanT123]

Explain this to me.

Rods don't exactly wear out. Is it just for the heck of doing it or is it a cost saver or what?

I started building rods for the long term. It is much easier for me to spend the $$ over time than at one shot. I can purchase components over a period of months; meanwhile creating a vision of what I want this blank to do.

When I got "serious" into fishing I decided I wasn't going to buy the new best $100 rods and end up with 5-6 meh rods. I would build them one at time based off what I learn on the water and where the techniques I like take me.

[Hogsticker]

The entire point of custom rod building is to maximize the performance level of the blank / rod. How could anyone know if a company has taken the time to achieve this through trial and error? Guide placement in the perfect locations to prevent line slap, dead straight allignment, minimal wraps with no excess epoxy, no slop, no gaps, perfect balance. These are all things you simply won't find in a mass produced rod. I mean everything we do in life turns out better if we take our time and do it right. To the person who simply shakes a stick before buying may not know any better, nor will you ever know if that rod you're fishing could fish better. Aside from a very few companies, what can you tell me about the blank you are fishing? Chances are jack squat. It may feel pretty good, but trust me, it can feel better. If given the choice why not know what it is you are using? Pick all my own parts based on what is good and what I like. Yes please!

[Angry John]

S Hovanec that picture with your blue cork cutting tool is the worst I have ever seen.  Did a guy buy that rod???

[S Hovanec]

S Hovanec that picture with your blue cork cutting tool is the worst I have ever seen.  Did a guy buy that rod???

Yep. That is the way it was bought. Every guide came with a football!

[Canyon explorer]

Take a close look sometime. too much finish. bubbles in finish. wavy finish. gaps in wraps. guide feet not tapered. cardboard arbors with insufficient epoxy to seal out water. reelseats filled with epoxy instead of using arbors. cork veneer over tan colored EVA to emulate a solid cork grip. IMO, crap.

Musky rod brought in to have full grip made into split grip. Here's what I found when i started tearing into the project.

This nice looking chunk of cork was only tacked down in 3 places with epoxy.

Oh, wait a minute, it's not even cork!

If you're spending $500+ for a rod, something like this is unacceptable. This was just the hook keep. there were 8 or 9 guides, all with the same gappy wraps.

1 piece blank? Think again!

Here's one from another supposedly popular maker. This is all on one rod. every guide looked like this and every winding check had the same gap.

Maybe "football" is the look they were going for?

These examples are why we build our own rods. Plus, it's fun having something that no one else has. The only time I've ever duplicated a rod is when the customer wanted 2 of the same thing.

Outstanding work.

[S Hovanec]

Outstanding work.

I'm hoping that was sarcastic. These are examples of poorly executed production rods and in no way, shape or form a sample of my work.

[Canyon explorer]

I'm hoping that was sarcastic. These are examples of poorly executed production rods and in no way, shape or form a sample of my work.

The "outstanding work" relates to your ability to disclose how a brand name rod builder uses a two piece blank glued together at the butt and maintains it is a sensitive piece of equipment.

[S Hovanec]

The "outstanding work" relates to your ability to disclose how a brand name rod builder uses a two piece blank glued together at the butt and maintains it is a sensitive piece of equipment.

Oh, sorry. I took it the wrong way.

[Batson]

Take a close look sometime. too much finish. bubbles in finish. wavy finish. gaps in wraps. guide feet not tapered. cardboard arbors with insufficient epoxy to seal out water. reelseats filled with epoxy instead of using arbors. cork veneer over tan colored EVA to emulate a solid cork grip. IMO, crap.

Musky rod brought in to have full grip made into split grip. Here's what I found when i started tearing into the project.

This nice looking chunk of cork was only tacked down in 3 places with epoxy.

Oh, wait a minute, it's not even cork!

If you're spending $500+ for a rod, something like this is unacceptable. This was just the hook keep. there were 8 or 9 guides, all with the same gappy wraps.

1 piece blank? Think again!

Here's one from another supposedly popular maker. This is all on one rod. every guide looked like this and every winding check had the same gap.

Maybe "football" is the look they were going for?

These examples are why we build our own rods. Plus, it's fun having something that no one else has. The only time I've ever duplicated a rod is when the customer wanted 2 of the same thing.

Yup... I know agreed! We as a company want customs to flourish. But how do we tell people? The only way for others to know is people such as yourself spreading the word! 

 

S Hovanec that picture with your blue cork cutting tool is the worst I have ever seen.  Did a guy buy that rod???

Yes.. Actually go to Bass Pro shops or your local dealer and actually look at all the rods. Even check if they have spined properly as well. You will find interesting facts when looked closely. 

[MickD]

OK, you've documented some crap.  But to characterize a whole industry with with the word "crap" is still, in my opinion, a stretch.  There have been a lot of rods from this industry that have satisfied their purchasers very well.

[S Hovanec]

Everyone has different expectations of their equipment. I guess mine are too high. Of all the rods I've built, I've never been 100% satisfied with a single one. In my eyes, there's always something wrong with it. No one else can ever find the issues I have with them, so I guess as long as the customer is happy, then its all good!

All of the rods pictured were fully functional with the exception of the Abu. It was the only one that failed. Call it whatever you want, its still poor quality and every company that I've messed with puts it out in one form or another.

[MickD]

I understand your  position, you have a lot more experience with tearing those rods apart than I.  I do know that I've never had a structural issue with any of the rods I have made, and many are getting pretty old and well used.  There is no doubt that the structural epoxy work on ALL custom rods is more trustworthy than most if not all factory rods.

[BasserJim]

OK, you've documented some crap. But to characterize a whole industry with with the word "crap" is still, in my opinion, a stretch. There have been a lot of rods from this industry that have satisfied their purchasers very well.

But here's the thing, it's not just the half dozen rods that Scott has documented here. Go to BPS, or Cabelas, or Academy, or Dicks, or Gander, or whatever you have locally, and examine some of the rods. Almost all, if not all of them are built shoddily. Gaps in wraps, wraps that are too long, too much epoxy, not enough epoxy, guide missing inserts right off the shelf, guides that don't line up with the reel seat, guides that don't line up with the other guides, too many guides, too few guides, etc etc.

And it's not just off the shelf rods. I've seen many custom rod guys with crap work. It's usually the custom rod assemblers, not the builders though.

Now, on the topic you brought up, could someone buy one of these rods and have it perform to expectations? Sure. Could you purchase one of these rods and be completely satisfied, absolutely. But they are obviously not being built by individuals who take any pride in their work. Maybe I just have high expectations because my friend S Hovanec is a true craftsman who has incredible attention to detail and his rods are incredible, I don't know. All I do know, is every time I see a rod built by someone other than Scott, I'm thankful Scott builds my rods.

[Batson]

S Hovanec,

You have started a ball rolling really fast now

BTW, I like the hidden RainShadow XSB rod!! 

[S Hovanec]

S Hovanec,

You have started a ball rolling really fast now

BTW, I like the hidden RainShadow XSB rod!!

Someone been poking around in my photobucket albums? Lol

one would think if they didn't want you to know who the blank manufacturer was, they would have at least removed the OEM Decal.

[Batson]

True.. Its funny that there are a ton of private labels and oem's that use our products.. Most don't know unless they go the distance!