With the holidays fast aproaching I'm sure many builders are getting requests for rods for gifting. I did several in the last 2 seasons , most of which I was given enough info to pull off the job and create a rod suited to the recipients needs. I've now had 2 requests for fly rods in which the purchaser isn't to sure of what application the rods will be in , other than fresh water , and a river.
Have any other builders given a cirtificate to the purchaser to give to the recipiant that can be used to have a rod built to the end users needs? If so I am interested in any feedback as to how it worked out Without knowing what the end product was going to be , other than a fly rod , or spinning rod , ect.
Any input will help , or is it a bad idea , and more of a hassle than it's worth. Thanks , John

On one hand I guess it's more exciting to give an actual rod but if it's not what the guy needs or can use what good is it? I've only done this a few times but what I did was make up a little brochure on the computer with photos of some of my work and some guys fishing and a gift certificate for a rod of such and such value. Then afterwards the guy would come out and we'd sit down and discuss what he wanted. Things worked out great and one guy even came back over the next year and bought two more rods from me.

I was on the other end once, received a "custom" rod that was obviously expensive, and was given with great pride, but was simply not a rod I have much use for, and certainly not one I would have picked or designed myself.

So, which is the larger negative: giving the wrong rod or letting the giftee know how much is being spent? I vote for the second alternative, and there are ways to hide the cost, such as, as mentioned above, if the builder has a brochure or even a simple information sheet, describing his "presentation custom rod". The information sheet can be easily edited as necessary in each case, then if the giftee wanted something more expensive, that could be discussed as an "upgrade at extra cost" without revealing the base price.

John,
I handle gift rods by sending an information sheet, some photos of rods I have done for others and a small box. As a cane rod builder, I usually include an agate stripper, bamboo shavings and a cork ring in the small box. This lets the person receiving the gift know the rod will be made just for them. The information sheet and self addressed stamped envelope get the basic information to me and a followup phone call is usually all I need to design their rod. I don't discuss what has been paid, but do give them the option to add other items. Depending on what price has been paid, I can include/not include things like rod bag, tubes, etc...

Those are the kind of things I was hopeing to hear , I just needed some ideas if it was going to be a good suggestion to the purchaser , and an alternative to building a rod they(the recipient)already have .
Thanks for the responses gentelmen , John

I have given certificates, and still do. I designed the certificates on the computer and assigned a number to each. When they are purchased, I log the purchaser, amount of money collected, and whom the gift is for. I don't put the amount on the gift certificate, just that the certficate is good for one custom built fly, salt, or freshwater rod. I can usually get the purchaser to tell me what kind of fishing the person does. I give an expiration date of the certificate to help with money flow issues. I have found that it is best to find out salt, fly or freshwater, so that I can give the purchaser a high and low price. I then request the high price as the collectable and refund if the gift choice turns out to be less, or we agree, when the gift certificate is issued that it is OK to build anything that the person wants and then I bill the purchaser. This works for me and the way I do business because most of my customers are feferred to me by someone who knows me or by someone that has fished my rods etc. I do not advertise nor do I have a website, but I do have a lot of customers that give me, at times, more business than I want.

I hope this has helped you somewhat.

Rick Case
RodsByRIck