I need help in a hurry. I'm buiding a 5 weight SCIV fly rod for a friend. I've never worked with this blank and need to know some thoughts on thread choices. I have med. green, garnett, chestnut, maroon, gray, gold, gold silk, scarlett, silver metallic,and a lighter green silk. I did test a couple using water. I would probably prefer not too use CP if possible. i did do a search but found a lot of disagreement on what looks right including those who hated what others loved and others who said there is no good color for this rod. I would like to do trim wraps but not at the expense of gaudiness. I liked the med. green with gray trim wraps while my likes the maroon. i need to make a decision soon. I could purchase more thread tomorrow but i need to start! Guides are Tich. Thanks, Jeff

Med Green with grey trim, or maroon. YOu can't ask someone else what they like for you, and expect them to tell you what you like.

How about your favorate color??

Billy, he says it doesn't really matter but we were looking for something understated. I thought green on green would be fine but am looking for last minute thoughts as I am ready to start. thanks, Jeff

Be sure you check the color of that blank in bright full sunlight. If it is like mine I wrapped with a green but in full light it shows some blue which makes the green wraps off a little........It still catches fish well. I think a red (for me) would have looked better.

Al, that's exactly why I posed the question. It looks very green inside but pretty blue outside. Did you use CP What trim would you use? Thanks, Jeff

Easyist thing, match the blank color then some gold, or silver bands

i understand looking for understated but wouldn't grey trim wraps look a bit dingy? of course my dingy is probably someone else's fantastic. i just finished two rods trimmed with white nylon NCP thread (pac bay) and it looks nice. the pure-ish white is a nice slight, tightly packed 4 wrap accent to the green thread on green blank i was dealing with. they were single foot guides so additionally, there's only one trim wrap per guide.

eric
fresno, ca.

On a Hook and Hackle green blank, I've used Gudebrod medium brown (#521) with an NCP green inlay. Used Flex Coat color preserver. The wraps have a subtle old-fashioned look to them (almost like wood), and it looked great with the cocobolo or other dark wood insert I used with the reel seat. The amount of green NCP thread used is ver little, and will probably look OK on a greenish-bluish rod as well. Good luck!

Not sure what trim to use. I have another one to build (6wt) but I have been busy with another rod. I am partial to the reds so might do a gray with red trim but need to give it more thought

I trust my wife's color judgement (she's won awards for her quilts) and she agrees that in sun it's not a true green but is blueish. She suggested that I wrap it with Gudebrod Teal ( #638), no CP. The color on the thread spool will scare you, but it darkens with epoxy and looks great on the blank. Several metallic trims will work with this, such as gold, teal, etc. I also wrap this blank with Gudebrod Rust (#257), again, with no CP it darkens and lok great with gold metallic trim.

are these blanks similar to the color of the old forecast "blue" which had a definate shade of green or teal in them? if you're trying to match it, i wrapped my first blank, an older forecast, with gudebrod Blue Dun. it seems an almost perfect match.

eric
fresno, ca.

Jeff, I've posted a photo of the green rod with medium brown thread with NCP green thread wraps (and color preserver). Go to the site below, and look at the photo labeled "decal inscription".
[www.fishingphotos.net]
Have fun!

I just finished an SC IV with Gudebrod dark Green (5896), trimmed and inletted with narrow bands of Gudebrod Metallic Pearl (9003). Others that have seen it like it. The Pearl has a green tint that appears to be amplified by the green thread.

Stan Grace
Helena, MT
"Our best is none too good"

Any color of brown looks great on that blank. I like dk. brown with no CP. Chestnut looks good (no CP), as does med. brown, and Pearsall's java brown gossamer. Can't go wrong with brown.

Black.

I've had & fished several factory Legend Ultras/SCIV's, & have a built a few. The last one I built, with black thread & no CP, looks the sharpest of all of them. Subtle, but sharp. Same comments from friends who own factory Legend Ultras.

Take this with a grain of salt, since I'm only a hobby builder, but it worked for me.

Tom