Good day gents, hope all is well.

Well I really did it this time!

I had an accident of which was too wierd to tell in detail but it ruined the paint job on the Matte blank that I was about to wrap. I was up untill 1 am stripping the paint finish off.

After I finished stripping I played with some thread and as many of you said many things look good on Matte Gray .I was playing with a wrap that was 75% black and 25% purple I thought it looked real nice and Yes The blank did feel quite a bit lighter without paint.

Im thinking of leaving it alone and building it Matte with the above color for wraps.

My problem is the reel seat. I have a Veneeri esopus seat thats spalted tiger maple it has great color, browns and honey tones in wavy lines. Its not great looking on the matte blank, though its a beautiful seat.

Robert V makes all my seats and he wants to try this rod out when Im done as Im Using a Dan Craft V River Blank and Robert is Friends with Dan and never had tried Dans Blanks. Ill get Un-seated if you know what I mean if I show up to fish and have a non Veneeri seat. any suggestions on maybe a different wood spacer or do you guys put $$ seats on matte blanks and donttry to match the seat to anything? I could always re paint!!

Small things seem to be the biggest headache!!!

MANY THANKS AGAIN!!! Happy wraps "John"

I know how this can be frustrating, the details. But, it is the attention to those that make great builders versus good ones. Personally, with matte grey (actually slate is what I use [G.Loomis]) I like Umbuya wood, or a darker wood. I did build a rod for a customer who wanted a maple seat with the slate blank, bright hardware, gunsmoke guides, pewter metallic wraps with silver inlays. It actually looks very nice. I did inlay burl cork rings to offset the monotonous color of the cork right into the maple. The burl rings will add color and "break it up a bit" if you stay with the maple seat.
Just some opinions.

Jon ,

Thanks for dropping in !!

This little problem is driving me bannanas. Im building this rod for myself and planned on snazzy but subtle fittings and colors,

The paint job took me 3 times to get it right. I used the dark cranberry color that crysler uses on the PT cruiser! So now back to stage one with hardware a bit to fancy and brown/honey color for a matte Gray blank.

Your Idea may work as I do have some burl but im afraid the browns on the one end will be goofed up with black/purple and gray hangin off the front, maybe a rust or reddish brown thread for wraps or 75% black 25% reddish brown/brick/ ??.

I also have a very dark english walnut spacer for the esopus hardware, the grain does not show too well as the seat is small But its very BROWN.

While im stooling I may give Robert a call tonight and see if he has some wood thats grayish green or has some red in it and I May take a new approach.

Rod building ya got to love it!! Do any of you get stuck in the mud like this?

Happy wraps "John"

Gosh, why don't you just send me the reel seat if that is all the problem?


Matt blanks are ugly anyway, so why try to match anything to them. My vote would be to put the beautiful spalted maple reel seat on and go with it. You have got the cork handle to seperate the seat and the blank. Pick some winding that sorta goes with the seat.

Thanks Bill,

I was never an advocate of matte blanks,I wanted to use this particular blank but knew I was going to paint it.

Well I feel a paint job comming on AGAIN.

If I decide on a new seat I'll use this one for a short 3wt im planning but no matte blank!!!. But thanks for the offer to get rid of my demise!

Happy wraps "John"

Here's a couple thoughts - cocobolo with rust (no cp) thread, and rosewood with garnet thread. I've done both on matte blanks and liked the results very much.

I've got a nice spalted cherry burl downslide seat of Bob V's I'm saving for a special rod. A real museum piece, that one. He's a great guy, too.

Bob

I would use the reelseat just blue the hardware... I dont see why you guys think matte black is ugly, thats where the custom rodbuilder comes into affect.. Make reelseat, wraps, and a butt wrapp or do a feather inlay to make rod look pretty.. If you want a painted blank buy a painted blank.. Remember a rod is a tool not a Wall hanger.. I use to think Custom Rods had to look pretty so everyone around me new it was a custom rod no a factory rod, but now my ways have changed lighter is better and not use anything bright on rod.. I just would rather catch more fish than more admirers.. I hate to be outfished by anybody... Just my thoughts.. Thanks Dave's Rods

Dave

You made some very good points (I still tend to think plane graphite is a bit unsightly butit is effective none the less),

I think im going to use the walnut spacer and blue the hardware as you suggested,

I actually set out to paint the blank as a challenge to myself and being able to be able to do more than just blue black or green and not relying on $$$$

proffesional auto body paint or the $$$ UV cure Urathanes the factories use,

The funny thing is before I found this site none of this kind of detail would have mattered but now im always saying Hmmmmm, I wonder.well what if and how would it look and if I do .......

I think ill save the spalted tiger maple seat for one of Hals " Painted blanks" When hes up and running!! a short 7-8' 3/4 wt ,3 or 4pc med-med fast.

Happy wraps every one Thanks "John"

I have 2 of Hals freshly rolled Blanks and the are Matte finish..Hals has also been rolling tip over butt blanks and they are matte also.. Funny thing about it these rods will sell for 550.00.. I talk to Hal about how everyone is burned out on matte blanks so he said he will probalby make them some other kind of color.. Hal said he will be rolling blanks real quick.. I think if you are wanting Venneri to check out this rod, I bet he will look more at your thread work and finish work more than anything.. Vennerri builds Bamboo rods and most bamboo builders dont go for that flashy stuff.. I do have some Blue,Green and Brown Fisher Blanks if you want color Blanks, and I have a Eastbranch 9'3" 8wt 2 piece Green GT40 Blank.. I have all kinds of Fisher Blanks.. Thanks Dave's Rods