Rainshadow RX7 8'6" 5wt for? no frills kit from Hook and Hackle paid $60 for it.

building as a gift for my brother, just curious.

thanks!

If I only paid $60.00 for it and it was gift to a family member. Free. If it was to a customer I'd figure the time into it and come up with a fair price probably in the neighborhood of $125.00 to $200.00. Randy.

It took me a minute to figure out what you were asking - gifts aren't usually sold. Okay, I think you want to know what the average selling price would be so you can gauge some sort of value for your brother's gift. Right?

In that case, Randy is probably as close any anybody is going to be. Most builders can do with $100 per rod for their time and knowledge so figure the rod at about $160.. That would be for a good, sound functional no-frills rod. If the rods you build are any good, I think you'd be shortchanging yourself to value it at any less.

And keep in mind that it may perform as well as many $400 commerciallyl made rods. You might want to mentiont that to your brother.

...............

Lance, we are going to start calling you Mister Survey, LOL. I agree, I would charge about $160. If your brother gives you a six pack of beer tell him the rod is worth $725, then you'll be good for next year.

Tom Kirkman Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> It took me a minute to figure out what you were
> asking - gifts aren't usually sold. Okay, I think
> you want to know what the average selling price
> would be so you can gauge some sort of value for
> your brother's gift. Right?
>
> In that case, Randy is probably as close any
> anybody is going to be. Most builders can do with
> $100 per rod for their time and knowledge so
> figure the rod at about $160.. That would be for
> a good, sound functional no-frills rod. If the
> rods you build are any good, I think you'd be
> shortchanging yourself to value it at any less.
>
> And keep in mind that it may perform as well as
> many $400 commerciallyl made rods. You might want
> to mentiont that to your brother.
>
Tom's last two sentences was really what i wanted to know about. How do you compare a custom rod to a retail rod in order to give someone an idea of the quality they are getting and the savings. sorry about the sloppy post. I teach 9th graders all day and its friday!
> ...............

Mr. Survey

sounds good, call me what you wish, as long as you keep answering my questions!

Everyone go out and catch some fish this weekend!

Build it right and tell them to fish it.

I would sell a $60 kit rod for $185.00 plus $10 excise tax and $22 New Mexico Gross Receipts tax = $207.00 I would probably round to $210. Don't forget to include something for shipping and materials if you plan to sell a rod like this.

Can't put a price on a handcrafted gift. Just tell him he owes you...big time.

I would base it on is it better than a retail rod. It's only my opinion, but a custom rod (to me) is a lot more than throwing components together. If the components are no better than a comparable off the shelf rod,and the guide spacing is generic spacing like an off the shelf rod, then I would doubt that there is any better performance than on off the shelf rod and shouldn't be pricedd any more than an equivelant off the shelf rod.

I don't mean to sound negative, but I'm getting a feeling lately that a lot of people seem to think that throwing a kit together makes a rod "custom" and demands a better price. I just don't think that is true (Lance, I don't mean to imply in any way that this applies to your work) Personally think that it takes a pretty good amount of time and experience before most people gain the skill to command a "custom" rod price. I have had numerous potential customers who like nothing better than to bad mouth custom rods (which hurts all of us) because they have either purchased, or know some one who has, a poor quality custom rod.

As I said, I really don't mean to offend anyone, but I just had to listen to a pretty well respected angler tell a meeting room full of anglers that he would NEVER recommend to anyone that they buy a custom rod. When I saw 2 rods that he had with him that he paid very good money for from two different builders, I couldn't really argue because they were basically crap!!! Pre made grips (poorly filled cork, low end blank/components and absolutely nothing to distinguish them from a $29 WallyWorld special, which actually was probably a beter rod.

Every rod like that which is sold just puts one more bad rap on custom rods. It takes a lot more than a business card to make a custom rod builder!!!! Sorry to vent like this, but listening to him really hurt!

Mike

Mike,
You hit on a very good point there. For instance, there is a builder in my area that has a shop strickly for building "custom" rods. He uses nothing but the cheapest components available, no decorative thread art whatsoever and the same colors on all his rods. Every one looks identical. He says he has to sell a certain number of rods to keep the doors open so he doesn't have time to get fancy. It's that kind of attitude that's detrimental to our craft. Randy.

I am building a rod for my brother, simple RX7 Rainshadow kit from Hook and Hackle. I wanted to be able to tell him what it was compairable to in the retail market. This is my first time trying to build a rod, so I am not trying to sell it as a custom rod and hurt the reputation YOUR craftsmanship or any of the other fine rodbuilders who use this forum. For me to build a rod is the only way i can afford to have a rod that is not from Wal-Mart. I just wanted some help.

Mike Barkley Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I would base it on is it better than a retail rod.
> It's only my opinion, but a custom rod (to me)
> is a lot more than throwing components together.
> If the components are no better than a comparable
> off the shelf rod,and the guide spacing is generic
> spacing like an off the shelf rod, then I would
> doubt that there is any better performance than on
> off the shelf rod and shouldn't be pricedd any
> more than an equivelant off the shelf rod.
>
> I don't mean to sound negative, but I'm getting a
> feeling lately that a lot of people seem to think
> that throwing a kit together makes a rod "custom"
> and demands a better price. I just don't think
> that is true (Lance, I don't mean to imply in any
> way that this applies to your work) Personally
> think that it takes a pretty good amount of time
> and experience before most people gain the skill
> to command a "custom" rod price. I have had
> numerous potential customers who like nothing
> better than to bad mouth custom rods (which hurts
> all of us) because they have either purchased, or
> know some one who has, a poor quality custom rod.
>
>
> As I said, I really don't mean to offend anyone,
> but I just had to listen to a pretty well
> respected angler tell a meeting room full of
> anglers that he would NEVER recommend to anyone
> that they buy a custom rod. When I saw 2 rods
> that he had with him that he paid very good money
> for from two different builders, I couldn't really
> argue because they were basically crap!!! Pre
> made grips (poorly filled cork, low end
> blank/components and absolutely nothing to
> distinguish them from a $29 WallyWorld special,
> which actually was probably a beter rod.
>
> Every rod like that which is sold just puts one
> more bad rap on custom rods. It takes a lot more
> than a business card to make a custom rod
> builder!!!! Sorry to vent like this, but
> listening to him really hurt!
>
> Mike

Lance,

Like I said, this was NOT directed at you, it was a general statement/opinion brought on by a recent (couple of days ago) experience that I had!!! and what I have noticed in numerous posts recently!

I realize that you are a new builder and this isdefinately the place to find help (I e-mailed what I thought was helpful responses to a couple of your posts, but never received a reply)

I certainly didn't mean to offend you or anyone else!!

Mike

No worries! I wanted to make sure i did not offend anyone, and was clear on what i was asking. Thanks for the email help, it was rude for me not to reply. There is alot of info to take in, but i am trying. Thanks again, and sorry if I cause any confusion.

Mike , the guy that has had his money taken by a not so hot rodbuilder should have done his homework before making a commitment to have a rod built with out seeing some of the builders work first . Shame on him for giving builders in general a bad wrap ...... no pun intended , and if he was indeed that unhappy with his rod , he should have done somthing about it . I would hope someone told him that , and that his ignorance is his problem and not the builder . Mike , I'm sure that you had one of your beauties in the car that would change the oppinion of him and any one else that got on his band wagon . Now if his oppinion couldn't be swayed , I would enforce the fact that he is indeed Ignorant , and people like him should have their money taken by poor craftsmen . These kind of people burn me for the simple fact that custom rods are not for everyone, exspecially people like this guy ..................... now I'm done . John


Got Fish ?

Lance

That is a good blank, if you spinned the blank, preped the blank correctly and used the correct adhesive to put the handle and seat on, properly spaced and sized the guides, finish is level and clear, with good looking thread colors, wrapped the furrels, I would think at least $ 160.00.

Don't know what guides come with the H&H kits, but I don't use Aluminum Oxicide guides for any rod, no matter what, just me. Upcharge for snake guides, more thread to wrap.

Give him at least a simple butt wrap ?

thanks bill!

When it's done show some pictures.

i will, only if no one will laugh, since it is my first.

Lance,
Everybody had a first!! I still have mine and anytime I need a laugh, I go look at it but, you know, I caught a lot of fish on it and still remember the thrill of the fist time I caught a fish on a rod I built. Priceless



Mike (Southgate, MI)
If I don't want to, I don't have to and nobody can make me (except my wife) cuz I'm RETIRED!!