Ambassadeur Fans - Rods That Combine Classic Style AND Modern Function

[Goose52]

Over 58,700 members on BR - perhaps only a few will "get it"...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

So - the explanation:

 

How to get the classic offset-handle style BUT with a modern blank?  AND, keep it all in the family?  Easy - start with late-60s/early-70s Garcia Conolon rods, salvage the handles, add modern Abu Veracity blanks - presto - form AND function!

 

How to do it?  

• Buy some old Conolon rods off of eBay that look like this:

 

 

• cut off the fiberglass blanks,
• strip the original handles until they look like this:

 

 

• send the lock rings in the photo above over to Hawgtech for anodizing,
• repaint the handles like this:

 

 

• THEN, send the handles and a couple Veracity rods to DVT for some "hybridization" !

 

So, what did I end up with?  Well, with the slow IPTs of the Ambassadeur reels, what is their niche? For me, that would be cranking and slow-rolling spinnerbaits and bladed swim jigs. To accomplish that, I started with a 7' Veracity Winch Med-Mod, and a 6'6" Veracity MH-F. Due to how the handles turned out and getting the Veracity blanks married up with the handles - we are left with a 6'10" Med-Mod and a 6'7" MH-F.  Perfect matches for the Ambassadeurs.

 

MY THANKS to Mike (DVT) for taking on this very weird project !

 

I have a whole bunch of classic Ambassadeur round reels that will be rotating on and off these Conolon/Veracity rods in the future...

[fishnkamp]

Do you think you could build a swimbait rod like that? It might be cool to fish with 

[Goose52]

33 minutes ago, fishnkamp said:

Do you think you could build a swimbait rod like that? It might be cool to fish with 

 

I'd have to leave the answer to that question up to the rod-builders out there. With these old Conolon handles, you only have about 2.5 inches of blank inside the handle - not sure that would be enough to handle the stress involved in tossing big swimbaits.
 

For what I want them for - these rods will be lots of fun.  BUT, at the end of the day, they are novelty rods and this design is probably not adaptable to all current bass fishing applications.

[oldschoolbasser]

Pretty cool,but I'll stick with my old Phenix rods.

[Goose52]

9 hours ago, oldschoolbasser said:

Pretty cool,but I'll stick with my old Phenix rods.

 

I still occasionally fish one Conolon light-power rod with a 1500C on it and it's fun...but generally, I just don't like the early fiberglass rods. The Conolon in the photo below was one I bought to strip down for the hybrid rod project - but it just looked so good I had to keep it stock.

 

[Delaware Valley Tackle]

Thank you for inviting me to participate in your project. It was a fun change of pace. Enjoy the results !

[kickerfish1]

Cool builds Goose! Those sort of reel seats and old school rods that use a pistol grip handle are starting to have a rebirth with some groups of anglers. Looks like you accomplished exactly what you wanted

[Goose52]

14 hours ago, kickerfish1 said:

Cool builds Goose! Those sort of reel seats and old school rods that use a pistol grip handle are starting to have a rebirth with some groups of anglers. Looks like you accomplished exactly what you wanted

Not everyone's cup of tea but I think they're pretty cool as well. I had heard there was  a JDM run of uber-expensive offset handle rods like these which was mostly the inspiration for these builds. Too bad there's no source for graphite offset handles - if there had been, I might have gone for complete custom builds instead of using the Veracity blanks.

 

Here's the rods again from this morning:

 

[Crestliner2008]

Pure eye candy for me! Love those abu's!

[blckshirt98]

Those setups look awesome, I'm curious how those feel/fish.  Nice project that turned out well!

[Goose52]

Thanks to all that have responded...

 

21 hours ago, blckshirt98 said:

Those setups look awesome, I'm curious how those feel/fish.  Nice project that turned out well!

 

The rods fish like, well, Abu Veracity rods!  I had caught a number of fish on the cranking rod before the mod and it still feels the same even though you don't have a finger on the blank.  I guess the aluminum handles do a fair job of transmitting the feel from the blank to the hand.  The MH-F rod I had never fished before the modification but it feels true to power and with good sensitivity.

 

The only thing that I thought might feel different is the cant to the grip.  THAT I can feel when I cast - just a different sensation, not anything bad.  The cant doesn't throw off the timing of the release or anything - the first cast with the modified rod was just as good as when it was a straight grip.

 

 

[Big-Bass]

Nice looking setups.  I have a few Iovino reels that would look nice on those rods!

[Goose52]

20 hours ago, LowRange said:

Nice.  Something similar was done like this on TT using an old abu with a BFS spool and an UL blank.

 

Do you know what handle they used with the UL blank ?

[XpressJeff]

I have a number of RH round Abus I may trade for LH models and use them more. I used to use them for big stupid Esox baits up north. My comfort in bait casters has reversed since I used them a lot!

[Goose52]

2 hours ago, XpressJeff said:

I have a number of RH round Abus I may trade for LH models and use them more. I used to use them for big stupid Esox baits up north. My comfort in bait casters has reversed since I used them a lot!

 

Interesting avatar you have there - it looks EXACTLY like a bass I caught back on August 14, 2014 - it weighed 7.65 pounds and was caught on a craw-colored Wiggle Wart. It looked like this:

 

 

I remember that fish well - it was sorta an "anniversary" present as August 14, 2014 was my 44th anniversary of my enlistment in the Marines...

 

 

1 hour ago, LowRange said:

 Not sure.  It was a chrome offset reel seat and the grip appeared to be a pistol grip with new cork.  There is a thread on it in the show and tell section but the forums are down at the moment.

 

Thanks - I'll try to remember to go over there and check it out when the board is back up.

[XpressJeff]

My apologies. I never loaded it.

 

Wouldn't be smart enough to do that on my tablet with no graphic software. Will find a way to get it off or get a moderator to help.

 

Sorry Goose!

[Goose52]

No problem sir...electronic gremlims at work looks like...

[oldschoolbasser]

Goose52,my favorite pistol grip rods

[Big-Bass]

Are they Phenix Boron rods?  I just picked up a Fenwick Boron X pistol grip (6' Medium) and wonder it's worth.

[oldschoolbasser]

Big Bass,yes they're Phenix Boron rods. I have about 20 left. I also have a few IM6 rods that Gary Loomis made for Phenix

[grub_man]

Awesome project Goose and DVT, and very well executed!

 

 

 

 

[Hook2Jaw]

This is so awesome!

[Big-Bass]

10 hours ago, oldschoolbasser said:

Big Bass,yes they're Phenix Boron rods. I have about 20 left. I also have a few IM6 rods that Gary Loomis made for Phenix

Why don't you sell me one!  ?

[Maxximus Redneckus]

On 5/17/2018 at 1:13 AM, oldschoolbasser said:

Goose52,my favorite pistol grip rods

Don ivonio?

[Drew03cmc]

Gentlemen, these rods are just gorgeous. I am truly blown away.