NFC SB Series?

[KCFinesse]

Anyone build on an XRay SB Series? I just placed an order for a sb722 and was planning on turning it into a bfs casting ned and light boot tail rod.

 

Thanks!

-Jared

[spoonplugger1]

I haven't used that blank, but I have used many SB blanks over the years, some designed by Gary. They are more powerful and faster tipped than the SJ blanks we are more used to, kind of like a light line MB blank. It should make a very nice line line casting rod, we were using them for that in the late 80's and 90's. SJ blanks also make nice light line blanks with the versatility to tie on treble hook lures also without pulling hooks.

[dv616]

I wish NFC would clarify their ratings more.  Even within a product line (like the SJ x-rays) it is not consistent with ratings and power ratings.  It would be nice if they would do some include some verbiage about the differences between MB, SJ, SB, etc.

[spoonplugger1]

The info about blank types is readily available and all the rodbuilders know them. Look at the other more relevant rod building sites where there are libraries, FAQs and glossaries. They usually end in .org.

[dv616]

When I started building was toward the end of Loomis selling blanks and I didn't use G. Loomis stuff except for one IMX SJ6400 I extended to 6' (my take on Kirkman's ultimate smallmouth stream rod). Since they were the only one using those designations (maybe Shikari has some, only built a couple of those they also no longer exist), it seems the SJ and SB designations have fallen by the wayside.

 

The SJ series NFC X-ray series for example has an SJ 725 that is related as a medium heavy, but based on the specs is more powerful than the SJ 736 that is rated as a heavy power blank.  It makes it harder to predict what your are actually going to get when you buy a blank without being able to handle it first.  The reports I have read show many are confused by the rating system NFC uses for the X-rays in particular on various rod building sites.  The SJ736 vs MB736 was a source of confusion for many, the SJ 703 is view as significantly lighter than its rating.  I read A LOT of posts from people wondering about the ratings and their accuracy on the usual sites.  

[Michigander]

13 hours ago, dv616 said:

When I started building was toward the end of Loomis selling blanks and I didn't use G. Loomis stuff except for one IMX SJ6400 I extended to 6' (my take on Kirkman's ultimate smallmouth stream rod). Since they were the only one using those designations (maybe Shikari has some, only built a couple of those they also no longer exist), it seems the SJ and SB designations have fallen by the wayside.

 

The SJ series NFC X-ray series for example has an SJ 725 that is related as a medium heavy, but based on the specs is more powerful than the SJ 736 that is rated as a heavy power blank.  It makes it harder to predict what your are actually going to get when you buy a blank without being able to handle it first.  The reports I have read show many are confused by the rating system NFC uses for the X-rays in particular on various rod building sites.  The SJ736 vs MB736 was a source of confusion for many, the SJ 703 is view as significantly lighter than its rating.  I read A LOT of posts from people wondering about the ratings and their accuracy on the usual sites.  

I called NFC to ask the difference between the prefixes and they told me to ignore them and just look at the line and lure weight ratings, lol 

[.ghoti.]

11 hours ago, Michigander said:

I called NFC to ask the difference between the prefixes and they told me to ignore them and just look at the line and lure weight ratings, lol 

See, even they can’t make any sense of their own ratings system.. come to think of it, system is the wrong word. System implies some  kind of order or logic.

[KCFinesse]

Glad I'm not crazy!

 

My SB722 showed up with a MB734 sticker (just to add to the confusion ?).

 

The SB722 seems like a pretty legitimate medium light. It'll make a nice 1/8oz Ned dragging bfs rod.

 

The MB736 looks like a heavy t-rig machine- I wish I was building that one for myself!

 

I also grabbed a delta SJ705 to hit the free shipping threshold. Definitely doesn't seem to have the 'umph' that the MB736 has... 

 

All of them are pretty cool although the hoopy scrim is a little obnoxious to pack against.

 

-Jared

[dv616]

I had the DS721 X-ray show up with an SJ736 label once.  I had both blanks in the same order, but that is a bit of a discrepancy between the two blanks.

 

[spoonplugger1]

Deltas are raw blanks, that is not scrim, it is the natural condition all blanks look like when they come out of the oven. The epoxy prepeg, (goo that holds the graphite fibers together) oozes out of the blank and through the cellophane ribbon that is wound over the blank to keep the material on the mandrel as it hangs vertically in the oven. You're seeing a mirror image of the overlapping ribbon.

[KCFinesse]

11 hours ago, spoonplugger1 said:

Deltas are raw blanks, that is not scrim, it is the natural condition all blanks look like when they come out of the oven. The epoxy prepeg, (goo that holds the graphite fibers together) oozes out of the blank and through the cellophane ribbon that is wound over the blank to keep the material on the mandrel as it hangs vertically in the oven. You're seeing a mirror image of the overlapping ribbon.

Awesome info! Thanks!

[SkinnyWaterBasser]

All this time later how do you like your sb722? I just got one and was initially concerned it was the wrong blank after I measured the tip at 1.22 mm which is quite different from the 1.5-1.6 they were advertised at, I also thought about switching directions and going bfs with this blank, just curious if you think it's capable of all around finesse fishing for bass. 

[KCFinesse]

22 hours ago, SkinnyWaterBasser said:

All this time later how do you like your sb722? I just got one and was initially concerned it was the wrong blank after I measured the tip at 1.22 mm which is quite different from the 1.5-1.6 they were advertised at, I also thought about switching directions and going bfs with this blank, just curious if you think it's capable of all around finesse fishing for bass. 

 

So I built this as a BFS rod, acid wrapped it, paired it with an Aldebaran and run mostly 6lb flouro with it. 

 

This blank is super sensitive and has the right amount of backbone to effectively fish finesse plastics on the bottom. I'll fish it down to 1/16oz neds but I do prefer 3/32 or 1/8 oz for this set up. I've also been using it a lot for neko rigging small plastics and split shot rigging- that really seems to be it's wheelhouse. Again, I fish it with 6lb test- I've had zero issues with breaking off- it's close, but I do think the rod may be better running 8lb. I'd have no issues fishing a keitech 2.8 or 3.3 with a 1/4 oz head.

 

It's a great blank and it's not a gimmicky bfs build. It is a legitimate bass finesse rod.

 

-Jared

 

[MickD]

On 5/13/2021 at 12:13 PM, spoonplugger1 said:

The info about blank types is readily available and all the rodbuilders know them. Look at the other more relevant rod building sites where there are libraries, FAQs and glossaries. They usually end in .org.

The problem with NFC as I see it is more with the inconsistency of their action and power "ratings."  The action descriptions Slow/Mod/Fast/Xfast/etc and power Light/MedLight/Med/etc.  You just don't know what you are going to get if their charts don't show CCS data.  They are working to publish all models' CCS data, but when that will get done is ???  I just bought a medium power spin (drop shot)  blank with an ERN of only 12.  I was curious about XRay, but now I'm going to stick  with companies that are now publishing CCS data, like Point Blank.

On 5/19/2021 at 12:15 AM, spoonplugger1 said:

Deltas are raw blanks, that is not scrim, it is the natural condition all blanks look like when they come out of the oven. The epoxy prepeg, (goo that holds the graphite fibers together) oozes out of the blank and through the cellophane ribbon that is wound over the blank to keep the material on the mandrel as it hangs vertically in the oven. You're seeing a mirror image of the overlapping ribbon.

Seems like it would be hard to wrap.  The blank I just built is an XRay "mirror finish" and it still had a slight texture that often was significant enough that it made wrapping and moving the thread a little dicey.  

[SkinnyWaterBasser]

5 hours ago, KCFinesse said:

It's a great blank and it's not a gimmicky bfs build. It is a legitimate bass finesse rod.

I really appreciate that, I've been doing a good amount of just holding it and messing with it to have grown to like it more than initially, I wish it had just a touch more backbone but I'm glad to hear the opinion that the NFC can pull legit Ned duty, hopefully the point blank on the way fits the ticket for my slightly heavier presentations, I do live in smallmouth country so finesse rods are important

[Delaware Valley Tackle]

On 5/18/2021 at 9:51 PM, KCFinesse said:

Glad I'm not crazy!

 

My SB722 showed up with a MB734 sticker (just to add to the confusion ?).

 

The SB722 seems like a pretty legitimate medium light. It'll make a nice 1/8oz Ned dragging bfs rod.

 

The MB736 looks like a heavy t-rig machine- I wish I was building that one for myself!

 

I also grabbed a delta SJ705 to hit the free shipping threshold. Definitely doesn't seem to have the 'umph' that the MB736 has... 

 

All of them are pretty cool although the hoopy scrim is a little obnoxious to pack against.

 

-Jared

Glad I’m not the only one. Those unsanded blanks are a pain to wrap on. I find slightly lowering thread tension helps. 

[spoonplugger1]

I don't know, all the Ugly Stik rods I wrapped 30+ years ago, my 10 wt. Dan Craft SigV fly rod 15+ years ago, the Scott fly rods I've wrapped. You can wrap up a guide foot, but not a little micro-ridge, interesting. 

[MickD]

On 5/16/2022 at 3:32 PM, spoonplugger1 said:

ou can wrap up a guide foot, but not a little micro-ridge, interesting. 

It's just an inconvenience.  The thread comes up against the "micro-ridge", then leaves a small gap when it crosses.  Moving the thread when necessary is a little harder.  Not world peace, but an aggragation that will keep me going Point Blank.   I think Point Blanks are better blanks and don't have this issue.   I also thought that "mirror finish" would mean a smooth blank, but it didn't come that way. 

 

With the inconsistencies of NFC descriptions (medium power drop shot blank with only a 12 ERN, for example, a crank blank called a moderate action with an AA of 80 for another) and a higher true natual frequency for Point Blanks and accurate CCS specs, I see no reason to leave Point Blank for NFC. 

[WC53]

Is there any consensus on between series actions 

SJ, SB, MB, P, CB.

some sites list SJ as more powerful than MB, others the opposite.

SJ703 XRay, IM, Delta lmx, Hybrid

SB703

P703

CB703

Softer tip, more backbone?

or is there a hidden chart anywhere  or just compare bendy pics lol

 

Edit: I did see an old post on Rod….org that SJ was faster/stouter than MB and that hot shot were faster still.

[Lead Head]

The CB is for crankbait... that one will be moderate.

 

I have a SJ736 built into a casting rod that I use for 3/8oz jigs. Its great for that application, in the 2 years I've owned it, I have never tied anything else on.

 

Like you, I have read that the SJ (spin jig) blanks are a little faster and stronger than MB (mag bass) blanks, but I have never confirmed it myself.