In case you haven't noticed, Pac Bay is changing the color of the Tradition blanks to Matte Gray. I, for one am really bummed out by this. Maybe if we all protest, they won't do it?

I'm tickled to death; I really like these blanks and the plum color totally limited the thread work I could do on them. Sorry, Gerry, but I love the idea!!

Putter
Williston, ND

I'm with you Gerry. I have never built that blank as a fly rod but 2/3 s of the spinning rods I have built have been on the Tradition due to the plum color on a good competitive blank. Beside that the color is complementary to my wood if not to Putter's thread. Beside that if you have garnet thead and gold metallic trim thread why would you search further! Surely not for purple!

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



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 03/29/2005 11:14AM by Stan Grace.

As much as I respect youPutter, I will have to go with Gerry on this subject. I really like the plum color. But then it would be a boring world if we all agreed on everything. At least we won't have to mass our opposing armies while wearing our code of arms and go at each other with tie-off loops, brushes and burnishing tools.
Cheers, Ellis

Stan,
Try the 7'9" 3 weight, it's a really nice rod. Better yet, let's go fishing this summer and I'll let you try mine.

That sounds like a good deal!

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

That is a bummer they are changing the color. I have a Pac Bay Tradition that I use for Kings up here in Alaska. It is tough as nails, and I get all sorts of compliments on the color, and rod in general. DOesn't hurt that it matches the color on my truck either..........:)

plum for me

I have to get in an order a Plum blank before they change. You can get grey in just about any make of blank. Sorry Putter but I'm with the other guy's.

I really like the plum color as well. The first rod I built was a pac bay tradition. Kind of a bummer. Grey just seems so ordinary. Especially matte gray.
Greg

I guess I'm just partial to Pac Bay as a company on the whole and this blank not being available in black or white just always had me bummed.

I guess I've just been a long time advocate that other than white or black blanks, any other color should be an option, not the standard. With black or white, any color thread will go with it. When I find a blank that I and my customers like, I might build 100 of them in a year and a half. With this plum color, it just killed my creativity on those 100 rods that I might've been able to do, guys.

I sure see the other side, too. It's a beauty of a color, no doubt. But I'm sure you can see where I come from on this, too. At least I hope that we can all see the sides to it!! Have a great one to all of ya!

Putter

Putter, from what I've seen of your work, you can do just about anything with any color. I do agree with you that colored blanks do limit our options to a ccertain extent but some colors are just exceptional to work on. I like a little variety at times.

Regards

Yeah, Mark, I do enjoy working on a colored blank at times, too. And thanks for the nice comment, too!!

This Pac Bay Tradition blank goes well past it's beautiful color, though. It's a tremendous value blank and makes up into a fine, strong fishing tool. I'll now be able to stock 30 or 40 of them and be able to use them much more than I've been able to in the past.

The best to you, Outback
Putter

Putter,
I have to agree with you on the quality and price of the Pac Bay blanks. One of my friends is a local distributor and I get my blanks from him. I build a few of those for my sons and nephews. If the company does go to black the rest of us will know how I felt when Fenwick stopped selling their S glass blanks. There are still a few old timers that like those blanks for popping rods and crank bait rods. We used to buy those blanks for $15 and with a nice diamond wrap sell them for $150.

Someone (sponsor here) had a few select sizes on sale not long ago at that price, Ellis. I found out too late and couldn't get any that would work for me. I was amazed at the price. Great quality and value at the regular price, though, and I have no problem paying that for these blanks at all.

But at least the same blank will be available, Ellis. Without having to color it, they probably won't have to increase their prices (maybe) this year, too. With oil prices going crazy, I don't doubt that everything is going to see an increase, though...

Cheers to you, Ellis
Putter

Guess I might have to find a local auto body shop that can do a nice Plum Imron finish for me, or learn to do it myself with Permagloss.

That Testor's "purple" metallic might be close, Gerry. Mixed in with Permagloss and wiped on, it might be a bit prettier yet with the metallic in it!!