Are they worth having? I've had two, supposedly custom built rods over the years. I say supposedly, in reality they were put together by hand onto a mass produced blank. Okay, one was built to my spec re the handle so yes, a custom build, the other, from the same stable, was off the shelf.

The point that I am making is that most 'custom builds' appear to be nothing more than hand finished jobs. I understand that Daiwa and Hardy, for example, supply their blanks to people who hand finish them, but will they, in reality, really be any better than 'shop bought' versions?

The same has happened to well known range of lure rods from a shop that sells 'custom' versions alongside 'off the shelf', but still using the same blessed blank for heavens sake!

My contention is that off the shelf jobs are now good, very good. A custom job is also very good, but unless it is individually fitted to someones hands, arm length or style, it is, in reality a standard hand built version that just costs more!

So, where's the gain? Is it just a market to satisfy the Mrs Buckets/Bouquets amongst us?

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Peter, if you have a rod built to your own spec, supposing it's built exactly to that spec, if you don't like it blame the designer!
I imagine most off the shelf rods, from reputable manufacturers, are built to a design that is a compromise between performance, price, and projected sales volume. They will be relatively good at doing what they are intended for, bearing in mind the above compromise.
If you get someone like Harrison's to build a rod for you, providing you can afford to pay, you will get the best materials, fittings, and workmanship that is available. They'll also probably try to talk you out of making major design booboos. If it still doesn't perform I think it will be nothing to do with the maker and all to do with the designer.

Peter,
As WAG says the important fact is that you get what you want and not what a factory decides you should have. For some it's that individuality that makes them get a hand built rod, others want differemt ringings etc. I personally am happy with ready built rods but I have had hand built ones and have no complaints (and they have never ended up much difference price wise from factory mades).

Rob.

If you ask for a custom built rod, you should get just that. The handle, guides, whippings and finish, should be just how you want it. Sometimes, you get very little over and above any "off the shelf" rod.

What you SHOULD ask for, is a Tailor Made rod. I've been building rods for myself and others, for many years. When I tailor build a rod, I ALWAYS ask the following, and establish the following info.

1. What the rod is going to be used for. From this we select a blank. Also, the number of rings. An Avon action blank, requires more rings, to spread the load along the balnk and make the action right.
2. What type/make of reel will be used. This is very important. The foot angle is different for each manufacturer, which will establish 1st ring distance. Also, if a centrepin is to be used, and extra ring about 1 foot from the reel is desirable, to allow two finger loops of line to be pulled from the reel, to aid casting.
3. Once the previous 2 are found out, the user needs to be there, to work out the position of the reel seat. Stick the butt into the users arm pit. Where he/she grips the blank, is where the reel seat needs to be.
4. Overall finish requirement. Some like plain whippings, some like a bit of embelishment. For the record, I fall firmly on the side of embelishment. Machine whippings can be so boring!

All rods need to be built with the "spine" in the right place. The spine is found, by holding the blank near the tip and lifting the blank, as if you were holding the rod from the other end (do this gently!!!). The blank will form an arc, but will be softer in a certain position. Once the softer bend has been found, mark the uppermost side of the blank with chalk. This is the spine.

For casting rods, the spine needs to be on the outside of the rod, for close range, the spine needs to be on the inside. Most cheaper rods ignore the spine, this can cause the rod to shatter. Added to that, casting accuracy is affexted.

The techniques and machinery needed to make a modern blank mean that you will always be using a "mass produced" blank. But the quality from most makers is excellent and is consistent.

That being said, if you stick with a mass produced premium blank made for a top company, you will get usually better than those made for companies that sell cheaper rods.

Not sure about the UK but for the US, St. Croix, G Loomis, and several others are hard to beat. Lighter and with better action than the competition if you are dealing with graphite blanks. Different if you want e-glass or e-glass/graphite composite though.

As Dunk said, the difference is getting a rod whose action, ring placement, handle size/shape, etc. fit your body and the reels/lines/tactics you use rather than the compromise an off the shelf rod will represent.

Having your name etched in the butt section, a fancy handle pattern, or pretty wrapping design are just a little extra that should go with a good custom job.

[ 19. January 2003, 12:52 AM: Message edited by: Newt ]

All the best blank manufacturers will supply their blanks to any rod builder, as well as supplying "off the peg" rods. It really is worth seeking them out.

The handle length/reel seat position only really applies to rods such as for Carp, Pike etc, where casting of heavy baits/weights will take place. The position described, ensure maximum muscle power when casting. This means that not only COULD you cast further if need be, you will also be able to cast more accurately closer in.

Everyone has different length arms, so it's just about impossible for a mass producer to build the same rod to suit everyone.

whats the point of a rod thats made from a blank ,does a tailor convert a suit from a wholesaler and call it his??
surely to get something "tailor made" it has to be made from the basic materials , getting your blank then having personalised whippings and handles is just embellishing it? :confused:
its like that "super" 3 wheeler car in the paper the other day it was supposed to be a reliant???
strange thing was the body wasnt reliant nor the engine
:confused: just what bit has to be left to call it a reliant :confused:

[ 19. January 2003, 09:49 AM: Message edited by: chesters1 ]

A clothing Tailor, takes the raw materials, i.e the cloth, the thread, the buttons and the zips and "Tailors" it to suit the wearer. He doesn't MAKE the cloth, thread, buttons and zips, does he?

Think about Cars. People who customise cars, don't usually build the engine, an engine builder does that. When a car is customised, a basic car is taken and altered to suit the driver.

True, it would be posible to totally build a rod from scratch, including the blank. Richard Walker used to build his own blanks. But, as the likes of Conoflex, Shaun Harrison, Loomis etc already build blanks sufficient for all applications, these are used.

I certainly wouldn't call a rod alterted slightly from an off the shelf item, a tailor made rod. However, it's quite common to take an old rod and re-build it to a better rod than before, just by moving the ring spacings and reel position around to suit the user.

For the record:

If I build a rod, it doesn't get called a "Conoflex" rod, or a "Harrison". It's called a "Fairley". This applies to whoever makes the blank. Should the user ask that the name of the blank manufacturer be displayed, this is of course done. After all, I'm just the tailor.

If I use do buy an "off the peg" rod, it's only done after much thought, inspection, and trying out for size.

Having been professionally involved in both rod-building and rod design for umpteen years I've found there are two main reasons for customers wanting custom-built rods.

The first is to get the handle, fittings and finish made to suit them. For instance I prefer shorter handles than those usually supplied.

The second is to get a rod with a custom-built action.

Almost any rod builder will be able to offer a custom-built rod on a standard blank. A few can also offer custom-built blanks.

This may be acheived by cutting an existing blank and/or combining 2 or more different blanks. This requires a fair amount of expertise.

Alternatively, the rod builder may be able to get a special blank made. If this is more than a minor variation of an existing model (and thus made at the same time), he'll have to order quite a few at once. Even then the blank manufacturer needs to invest development time, and therefore may not do so unless he gets a lot of business from the rod-builder.

The vast majority of UK custom-made rods are made on UK blanks. Especially if the rod-builder can buy in high volume these rods cost no more than a UK made off-the-peg rod.

So I'd turn Peter's statement round the other way. Why buy an off the peg rod when for the same money you can buy a custom-built one?!

[ 19. January 2003, 10:57 AM: Message edited by: Steve Burke ]