Making a normal rod a split grip

[reo]

reo,

I bought one of these AMP rods to see if I liked the handle/reel seat not at all for the split grip. I found I like the direct contact with the blank, which leads to my question(s).

For years there have been casting blanks with the blank exposed in the reel seat, why does this seem to be such a breakthrough in spinning rods and are the seats available to builders?

Because the AMP rods don't use a ECSM (BLANK EXPOSED REEL SEATS), they are using what is called a skeleton seat (just the heal and toe of a seat are mounted).

Neither the ECSM or the skeleton seats are break through they both have been around for some time now. The first skeleton seat was made by Fuji® back in the early 80-90's and didn't sell well and they discontinued it. There were a few builders (including myself) testing the skeleton theory, and we found on lighter more brittle thin walled blanks we were having failure issues with a skeleton seat. They were failing right in the middle were the anglers hands would make contact with the blank. Causing sometimes damage to the hands.

I know I dumped the idea real quick and opted to use just the ECSM's from Fuji® instead...

Just an old builders .02¢

Tight Lines!!!

Are there ECSM seats for spinning rods available to builders?? I may have a couple made this winter.

Thanks for the clarification on the skeleton seat and the blank failure. Does not sound good.