Sure there is more profit in sales and less labor. You don't get into rod building to make it a career, most builders start selling their rods to pay for their components and it grows from there. Rod building is a very good additional income but you would be hard pressed to make a living off just rod building. Jesse

Jesse, this is for you! The original rod sold for $ 175 with RX8 high modulus popping rod blank with flocked split grip and Amtak Holos. I made a deal with him to replace that rod built on a wonderful Forecast Special Green Custom Pro Model Signature Limited Edition. As per his request no Fuzz on this one and reused all but one of the guides. I let him have this special deal on replacing the old one for a exchange fee of $ 50. I would be ashamed to list what I paid for the blank. He is happy, still a charter customer and I am wrapping the new one tonight. Without your guidance I would probably challenged him to a duel with loaded pistols and run him completely off.

This rod is worth a heck of a lot more !! When builders sell rods like this for cheap prices ---all builders loose out. People see this and then figure if they look hard enough they will get some one to make one like this.

maybe that is why I keep getting people that want high quality rods made for wallmart prices ????

Ever think you may be targeting the wrong group of fishermen? There are only a few that will pay the really high prices where there are a lot that will pay medium high prices. You may build what you feel is the best rod in the world but it is only worth what someone is willing to pay for it. Jesse

Maybe I just need better " hype "

No doubt about it "Hype" sells, how are people going to even know about you with out it? What part of the country are you in? Here in Va. Beach, Va. I have over a million people within a 50 mile radius and there are only a few rodbuilders here. I spend about 6-7 hundred a month to air a radio commercial that I got G.Gordan Liddy to make for me in 1997 for a bait castig rod with his picture on it. You got to have Hype, no wonder you sound bitter, you got no Hype! Few years back at at the Rodcrafters Convention this guy was telling me he got 1100.00 for his trolling rods, I asked how many he sold and he said he averaged 2 a month.My math tells me that is 22,400.00 per year with is nice as added income but hardley enough for a total income. Forgot to ask him but I bet he didn't have Hype. Jesse

Up here in Jersey there are a lot of builders - even Billy V LOL. Don't tell him I said that.
But there ya go, you have the money to spend on advertising .
I keep wondering if I should keep spending the money for the search, and my site. Figure I should go for another year. What the hay.

I have money to throw around now but I sure did'nt for a long time in the beginning. By search and site are you talking about the net? I have gotten orders from my site but it has not come close to paying for it's self. Word of mouth is by far the best advertising there is and it takes a while to build that up with satisfied customers. Jesse

I hear ya on that. Yes the net.
I got to fish more - get more exposure. Fly rods seem to be hot. Hopfully in time.