Custom Rods

[K_Mac]

I was just reading another thread about NRX rods, and a couple of comments were made about having a custom rod made for the same money. Are blanks available to compete with the weight, strength, and sensitivity of an NRX rod? Other than asthetics, can a custom rod offer the same level of performance? In the interest of full disclosure I don't have either of these options. I am just curious.

[ChiCityBasser]

I was just reading another thread about NRX rods, and a couple of comments were made about having a custom rod made for the same money. Are blanks available to compete with the weight, strength, and sensitivity of an NRX rod? Other than asthetics, can a custom rod offer the same level of performance? In the interest of full disclosure I don't have either of these options. I am just curious.

Drop DVT a pm or email and sure he can offer insight on this subject that will help you.

[Delaware Valley Tackle]

G Loomis rods are built on quality blanks no doubt about it, but there are competetive blanks on the market available to custom builders. Performance wise there are several advantages to a quality custom build:

1. Components and design can be matched to specific applications.

2. Guides are placed to maximize the blanks effectiveness through Static Testing. This is important because each blank has it's own personality, even if they are the exact same make and model. This also allows for adjusting the number of guides needed which often saves weight.

3. Custom fit to the user includes handle length as well as grip shape, diameter and material. Proper ergonomics reduce fatigue and increase pleasure.

4. Balancing to the exact feel the user desires.

5. Custom styling can be done to match other rods, boat paint scheme or personal preference which may be a theme rod featuring school almamater, military, company...

Basically, it boils down to attention to detail that just isn't possible in a mass production setting. Everything mass produced is aimed at the "Average" user and everyone is different. The last thing is that big companies have a lot of overhead such as marketing that needs to be covered. This includes replacement programs like Shimano's Expediter, which is paid for in the price of every rod they sell.

I'm probably missing something but these are the main points.

[steezy]

Gary Loomis, the guy that created G.Loomis Rods/Blanks, started a new company 2 years ago called North Fork Composites NFC. His top of the line HM blank is IMO equal or above the NRX blank.

I have a custom rod built on his HM blank and its unbelievable !

www.northforkcomposites.com

The blank is $300 so a finished rod will probably cost you $400+, I put $600 into mine.

[Shane J]

I agree that the NRX is an amazing rod, however, I would not trade my spiral wrapped JB Custom rod for one. At only 3oz, it is just as light, and every bit as sensitive as the NRX. I plan on having a couple more made in the near future.

[Fat-G]

Shane that is a nice looing rod man.

[jayo123456]

I don't own a custom rod, never seen one either. So my opinion might not be complete, but this is my opinion.

Considering shimano/Gloomis is a multi billioj dollar company, colaborating hundreds of engineers to build a single rod, I don't see how a single man can outdo that. If you need a really specific rod (action, power, tip softness, handle, etc) to perform a certain task, that you cannot find on the shelf, then I can understand a rod builder will make you a better rod, because it's exactly suited to your needs. But if there does exist a rod on the shelf, with the action/power/tip/grip/etc. that you need, there is simply no way a single man can outbuild a team of 100 engineers with unlimited resources.

A far analogy would be custom cars to exotics. A custom car builder can mold a body to your liking, build an engine with the specs you chose, and if that's what you want, that's all that matters because it exactly fits the specifications that interest you. But if a Ferrari has the engine you want, the looks you want, there is simply no way you can, or should, hire a single man (or a team), to outdo the hundreds if not thousands of engineers behind the design of a ferrari.

So to sum the point of my post: If you need a very specific rod that you can't find on the shelf, a rod builder will make you the best rod possible for your application. But if there is a rod on the shelf with the right action/power/length/etc, get that because there ain't no way a single man can build a better one. But considering the thousands of rods on the market today, I don't see an application where you can't find a rod on the market that will do the job extremely well. I think people want custom because anything custom usually encompasses a mystique and uniqueness that one desires. But to each their own, as long as your happy with your rod, nothing else matters.

[SirSnookalot]

I agree 100% with jayo. I'm not an equipment snob or as some would say enthusiast but I am a fish snob. I would not spend hundreds and hundreds of dollars to go catch small fish when I can buy a moderately priced outfit that will give me the same production. I can't be convinced that spending buku bucks will give me more fun for 2 or 3# fish and get me less tired, if you get tired maybe getting in shape is the answer. However I have dropped some serious coin on equipment for fish that I consider not my everyday run of the mill catch.

[Quillback]

I disagree, I would say buying a custom rod is analogous to buying a custom made suit from a tailor. You can get a great suit off the rack, or you can get one made specifically to fit you made out of the material you want from a tailor. The off the rack suit may have been designed by 100 Italian fashion experts, but did they design it for you specifically, or for the mass market? And would you rather have something built by a commitee or by an expert? Of course this is assuming that the rod builder or tailor is experienced and is good at what they do.

[ChiCityBasser]

I'm not a rod builder either but custom built rods don't all have to be $500-$600 dollars either. I've seen comments on here from guys that have had rods built that were in the $150-$200 range and all depends on the components you want and how detailed you want to go with your rod. With a store or off the shelf rod you get the components that those 100 engineers decided on at a huge markup as well. With the custom rod it is just what you want for how you fish with the components you selected.

[Delaware Valley Tackle]

It's a big misconception that a custom rod necessarily costs "hundreds and hundreds of dollars". If you are an enthusiast and want elaborate threadwork and other add-ons that are very time consuming, of course the builder will need to be compensated for their time. IMO GLoomis rods cost a fortune because they live off Gary's reputation and build in the cost of the replacement program. Don't get me wrong, they are high quality sticks no doubt about it, but the technology is not so far advanced as to not be rivaled. Quillbacks analogy of a custom suit is a good one. I'll be the first to admit, fish can be caught on a cane pole and baler twine, there's no "need" for either a custom or high end factory rod if your goal is to go out occationally and snag a few fish. Nicer equipment enhances the experience is all. If you're in competition, the rod is a tool and want that tool to perform in a very specific way. If you can find that off the shelf, there's nothing wrong with that at all. IMO, the point of diminishing returns on a production rod is around $250. As far as engineering and reasearch goes, a lot of people and companies are always looking to improve upon the status quo and the whole industry benefits. In addition, I would bet that for every dollar a rod manufacturer spends on engineering they spend 10 on marketing.

[BrASSmonkey]

I agree 100% with jayo. I'm not an equipment snob or as some would say enthusiast but I am a fish snob. I would not spend hundreds and hundreds of dollars to go catch small fish when I can buy a moderately priced outfit that will give me the same production. I can't be convinced that spending buku bucks will give me more fun for 2 or 3# fish and get me less tired, if you get tired maybe getting in shape is the answer. However I have dropped some serious coin on equipment for fish that I consider not my everyday run of the mill catch.

But the OP was asking if a custom rod (ostensibly $$$) is better than an NRX (also $$$), so this wasn't a question of spending the money on a high end rod - it was assumed in the question that the money would be spent. The question was whether a custom rod for equivalent money is better.

I also like the analogy of the suit. Mass produced products are designed (by the 100 engineers) for the vast majority of the target demographic, and will, in all likeliness, satisfy that majority. The aesthetics, design (grip length,guide spacing, seat and grip configuration), components are selected to satisfy most of the perceived wants of the target demographic. They design a single series of rods for anglersm whereas custm builders will design a single rod for a single angler. Therein lies the niche for custom builders. If you have ever spent big money on a rod, and thought, "This rod is great, but i wish it had...", then a custom rod is the solution. Custom rod builders build one-offs for the minority that the mass produced product did not satisfy.

On top of that, if a custom rod builder uses static testing for guide placement, then those rods will utilize the actual characteristics of the rod to a higher degree than rods build using templates. (I am unsure if the high end production rods are indeed individually static tested or built from templates, but I suspect the latter). Each blank, despite being the exact same power and action as another, will vary to a degree. Accounting for this variation in each build translates to a performance gain. The majority of components, with the notable exception of proprietary components, are available to rod builders, levelling that playing field. What rod builders lack is the economy of scale for purchasing components. How much of these savings are transferred to the consumer? Chances are you save on the advertising costs when you buy custom.

And frankly, most of the innovations and trends in rods were developed by custom rod builders first.

I will not rehash the other benefits that DVT has already identified previously.

In the end, custom rods are worth it IF those things on the production rods which you are unsatisfied with, are big enough in your eyes to force you to go custom. In the end, they will all catch fish.

[K_Mac]

As has been mentioned, whether it makes sense to spend the money for any high-end rod is an entirely personal decision. Since the NRX is a relatively new rod that raises the bar a bit, if one is to believe the GLoomis spin and the testimony of many here, I was just curious if that quality of blank was available to custom builders. Conjecture notwithstanding it appears that comparable blanks are available. A custom rod built from a high-end blank using the proper components and detailed to order sounds like a beautiful thing. Again, whether the form and function is worth the cost is another discussion. Thanks for the responses guys.

[Bassn Blvd]

Before you invest in a custom rod, I suggest you learn about what makes a rod a good rod. I know several people who build "custom" rods, but because I know what to look for in a rod, I know there rods aren't that good or as good as some mass production rods. Example; The right guide placement and seat placement on a particular blank is much more important than having a pretty fish wrapped above the handle.

I guess you could look at a custom rod in two different ways, construction and looks. Just because someone wraps a beuatiful wrap doesn't make the rod "custom" as far as performance goes so don't get taken just because you see a pretty rod that is labled "custom" unless you are only concerned with looks.

[K_Mac]

Bassn Blvd you make a good point. While it is unlikely I will spend the money on a custom rod, if I should decide to do so, I will do exactly as you suggest. Thanks.

[Delaware Valley Tackle]

Our philosophy is that Form Follows Function. I concentrate on building high performance rods that look good. As the saying goes, "You can put lipstick on a pig, and it's still a pig." There are plenty of reputable rod builders that put out some sick looking sticks that perform flawlessly.