Rod blank recommendations

[JeffD]

I'm thinking about making my own rods. I built a few back a lot of years ago, so I know the process. I'm thinking I can get more bang for my buck if I build them myself. I've seen a number of blank manufacturers, but I'm not familiar with most of them. I don't need the top of the line stuff, but can anyone give me a few choices for reasonably priced decent quality options. Thanks in advance. 

[S Hovanec]

 Rainshadow has a good variety in every price range.

[MickD]

Rainshadow Revelations and American Tackle Bushidos are in what I consider the sweet spot of price vs. performance.  You can do better, but not much and it will cost quite a bit.  The advantage of these lines is also that they have a lot of different blanks available in the lines.

[JeffD]

Thanks guys.

I know the satisfaction of building your own rod. Is there also much money savings? Is a $50 blank a $100 store bought rod?  If I wanted to duplicate a $200 rod, how much would the blank be. I know there are guides and handles to be added to the final price, but I'm just wondering. I don't know if I'm making sense to you guys or not.

[bish0p]

I've built rods using these blanks:

Rainshadow

North Fork Composites

RODgeeks

 

[MickD]

You are not going to save much money by building, but you will get exactly what you want.  You may even spend more because you get caught up in the building.  One cannot have too many rods.  

[KCFinesse]

I think a lot of builders realize the importance of components and balancing a rod. Those are things that really separate building from buying.

 

I really like Northfork, the Amtack Bushidos, and CRC rods. NFCs are awesome but more expensive. I've been told that there's really no difference between the Bushidos and MHX, but (for whatever reason) I think my Bushido builds have been better. I've been impressed with CRCs- they are American made reasonably priced and are not gimmicky despite the  multitude of color options.

 

You won't really save money, but you can definitely build a $150 rod with quality components that you generally wouldn't see on rods that list for less than $300. I stopped building for a while because lifetime warranties were really common on solid <$150 manufactured rods. That trend has definitely slowed so it makes more sense to me to build a quality rod with components that don't break as easily.

 

Take your time, don't be afraid to redo anything. You can turn a quality blank into a less than quality rod, but I think there's a 'high floor' when it comes to custom built rods built properly.

 

-Jared

[MickD]

On 6/27/2021 at 3:23 PM, JeffD said:

Is a $50 blank a $100 store bought rod?  If I wanted to duplicate a $200 rod, how much would the blank be.

I don't think there is an answer that will fit all situations.  A lot depends on the price of the guides, which can go from probably $20 per rod to well over $100 for the premiums (which are not really necessary in order to get a great rod). I usually have about $50 in the guides, $10 in the seat, $10 in the tiptop, and about $10-15 in the cork.  I build grips from rings turned to my designs.  Thread and epoxy a couple bucks.  So I have about $85 + the blank in a build, and my blanks range from about $60 to $160.  What an equivalent factory rod would cost?  I guess about $250-$300, but I'm really not familiar with factory rods exc for what I see  in Cablelas/Bass Pro catalogs.  

As I mention in another post in this string, Revelations and Bushidos go for about $75 - $100, and make very nice rods.

[Lead Head]

In my opinion...

 

The $200-$250 mark is right where you can really build better than you get off the shelf. I have several NFC x-ray and Rainshadow immortal builds that cost me right at, or just over $200 to build. It would be difficult to buy off the shelf rods that perform at the same level for $200. It would be impossible to find a off the shelf rod that has my preferred grip type, grip length, and color scheme.

 

You absolutely can build great rods for less, but you are getting into a area where the rods are great because they fit your personal preferences, not necessarily because they out perform off the shelf stuff. 

 

This is all just my opinion so far. I'm not a professional and have only been building rods for about 3 years now (around 20 rods).

[Michigander]

On 6/27/2021 at 3:23 PM, JeffD said:

Is there also much money savings?

I shop the sales and choose my components carefully. For me, I saved a ton of money by building for myself.

[Delaware Valley Tackle]

Savings potential depends on the level of rod. The higher end you go, the more you can potentially save and vice versa. Saving money is the absolute worst reason to get into rod building IMO. 

[MickD]

Agree with DVT.  I build spin rods to a design you just cannot get commercially, work better for me, would work better for anyone.  IMHO.  The real advantage in rodbuilding is getting exactly what you want.  To do this requires the builder to go beyond commercially offerred components and design and make his own.

[JeffD]

I never said that saving money was the reason I was interested in getting back into rod building. I fully appreciate the satisfaction of catching fish on something you put together. I was simply asking what others thought about the costs and whether there was any savings or not.

[MickD]

The simple answer is that there are savings to be had if you choose the right stuff.

[Alpster]

You can't go wrong with "Lamiglas" blanks. Great selection for any type fishing and they have some great sales if you watch out for them.

[roadwarrior]

Alpster built me a Lamiglas SR705R, "The Ultimate Crankbait Rod".

 

[Alex from GA]

Usually, IMO, you can buy a decent rod for less than building one costs.  It's the custom details that you build that sets it apart.  Personally I build for minimum weight because I'm a weak old man.  I have some rods that weigh under 3 oz that I use for bass fishing.

[MickD]

1 hour ago, Alex from GA said:

I have some rods that weigh under 3 oz that I use for bass fishing.

Please describe the less than 3 oz rod.  thanks, 

[spoonplugger1]

Old guys use short rods a lot, use the smallest, least and lightest with minimum wraps and old school thread coating like Permagloss, you could get awful close. What isn't there doesn't weigh nothing and neither does a hole. No leaders, or knots cuts guide size way down, 6ea. 3mm guides weigh the same as one 6mm and I have used 2mm guides.

If Gary Loomis can make a 4.4 oz. 9 1/2 ft steelhead spinning rod out of his HM material 10 years ago, I see no reason why it can't be done. Rod was weighed, fished and stress tested by Salmon & Steelhead Journal.

[MickD]

I didn't say it couldn't be done, I simply asked for a description of it.  I can make a lot of rods that weigh less than 3 oz, but I'm not sure I want to fish them.

[Chris Catignani]

On 6/26/2021 at 9:02 PM, JeffD said:

I'm thinking about making my own rods. I built a few back a lot of years ago, so I know the process. I'm thinking I can get more bang for my buck if I build them myself. I've seen a number of blank manufacturers, but I'm not familiar with most of them. I don't need the top of the line stuff, but can anyone give me a few choices for reasonably priced decent quality options. Thanks in advance. 

What kind of rod are you looking to make? Several suppliers have closeout and you can get a pretty decent blank for $30 - $50.

[JeffD]

I'm looking to build 3 or 4 rods with different applications for bass fishing. Probably 3 baitcasters and 1 spinning.

[Chris Catignani]

3 hours ago, JeffD said:

I'm looking to build 3 or 4 rods with different applications for bass fishing. Probably 3 baitcasters and 1 spinning.

Look at MudHole clearance rack MudHole Clearance

[Lead Head]

I think NFC is still running a big sale. X-ray blanks for $85 ($95 really) is a pretty good buy, especially if you are getting multiple rods and only need to pay the shipping 1 time.

[MickD]

Makes sense if NFC is on their good mode, responsive, shipping on time, etc, but not if on their often mode, ignoring messages, not shipping, no communication.  Take a gamble.  Might pay off.