Any one know who makes the rods that Shimano sells? The reason I ask is because I have a couple of the TDR med. heavy and a couple of the triton extra heavy I bought from a charter guy at a somewhat fair price, about $10.00 a pole. They are in pretty rough shape. They need to be repainted, refinished, and new guides put on. Is it worth all the work and cost of paint, finish, and guides to do this? I'm new at this rod work and repairs so any info. or advice on this would be great.Thanks Butch North

Shimano makes their own rods or has them made at plants overseas. There is some talk that Loomis may be making some of the high end ones.

For me completely redoing factory rods is not something that will pay you. If somebody really likes the rod and wants it upgraded or you want to practice then I guess that's fine. For me, I would buy one of the inexpensive blanks and build one up from scratch. I think you'd still get a better overall rod that way.

I have a Shimano spinning rod that I use to demonstrate why some factory models are inferior to custom rods. The spine is 90 degrees off center and is so obvious that my 5 year old can find it!!!

A guy brought in a Shimano spinning rod recently for me to repair the guides. When I removed the #30 guide (which had a funny looking wrap) I found that they had taken two blanks and glued them together, one inside the other, and then hid the joint under the guide wrap. This was a fairly expensive Shimano rod. This worked out great as he ordered two new rods from me immediately. He told me this rod had never been worked on before, that he bought it this way. I was amazed that anyone, especially a company this large would do something like that.

Ray Alston
Goldrush Rods

Since Shimano now owns G-Loomis it might just be possible that they are getting their higher end rods made by Loomis

I think all the calcutta rods from shimano may be made by Loomis, these rods are definately better quality than there other lines. The Calcutta line of rods were made for there line of Calcutta reels which are a standard in high quality and technology. But I do agree one can make an equal if not better custom rod with a blank that cost less but has similar taper and action. I have the 720 MJA and MFA rods for my 400 and 700, and recently built replacements for them with higher quality components and they look so much better :)

Shimano Calcutta's 720 MJA and MFA cost = $200.00 each
My cost for replacements = $180 for both, higher quality components and equal quality in blank.

In the older days, all shimano rod are made by NFT. As NFT is being absorbed by Shimano, now I am not sure you can call it NFT or a shimano subsiderate. As Shimano also pouches Loomis, some of their rod are now manufactured by loomis. Be very careful that a loomis design blank is significant from a Shimano design rod. Shimano's design use the benefit of the 42 Ton graphite which IMHO is better than IM7 but as durable as IM6. Now shimano also have a factory in China, which built rod/blank for so many people I am not sure who is what, Ah! I forgot about the korean outfit too. the old NFT only shimano is gone AFAIK.

Good fishing (catching) <*)))))))>{

My understanding is that Loomis assembles some rods for Shamino and that they do not use Loomis blanks at persent. It would make sense that they might have some Loomis/Shamino rods in the future, but for now Loomis is selling about everything they can make. That may have something to do with cutting back on blanks for custom builders. Gary did say a year ago that they were trying to increase production for the custom market and they do have a blank catalog again.