Custom rod building here in Finland is very very small eventhough there are some gifted builders like Antti Kymäläinen around. It is really difficult to sell a custom built rod of any kind - especially if one wants to sell it even for a small profit to cover the building process not to mention the components. I've not started a business in this - just building for fun - but have tried a good few times selling some big brand Sage, Scott e.g. custom built rods that are so popular here. People are just not willing to pay anything for clearly better components and more thorough craftmanship - even if the blanks original manufacturer's guarantee could be given to the customer. So I've come to the conclusion that the crowd is hesitant in buying a custom built rod partly because of the "unconditional/no questions asked type warranties" that are so common these days.?

What kind of warranties or rebuilding deals you folks give for your work that will give the customer a "more safe approach" for buying a custom rod?

I provide a lifetime warranty on workmanship for the length of time the original buyer owns the rod. I also try to use blanks that have a good manufacturer's warranty as well. Both of these are explained in detail to the customer. Randy.

Keep in mind that a lifetime warranty against defects is not the same thing as a lifetime warranty against breakage. Most breakages are not due to actual defects, but rather customer/fishing abuse. True, it's hard for any custom builder to provide such a "no-fault" warranty, but there are other avenues to take.

First, you need to reach the clientele that isn't being serviced by the commercial rod makers. The number may be small, but there are fishermen near you who would prefer something different in terms of action, handle or grip size, component configuration, etc. It's not always easy to reach them, but they exist. Same here in the States - customers for custom rods are few and far between, but they exist. When you find them, you will also find that having a no-fault warranty is not as important to them as having a rod that does what they want, in the way they want it done. For them, a routine warranty against actual defects is usually suitable.

In my experience, custom builders who make low price or no-fault warranties the mainstay of their selling points, usually end up not doing very well - they're chasing the wrong market.

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What I do is give my customers a 2 year craftsmanship warranty, and the warranty supplied by the man. of components and blank. The other thing I do is have them bring $50 with the rod when they bring it in for warranty. I have yet to have a big warranty claim where it wasn't the owners fault. The customer usually doesn't mind paying the $50 either (new rod for $50 when the customer knows he/she did something they shouldn't have, not a bad deal). If the customer just has a guide replacement issue or something, that's free.

Be careful of how you word your warranty it holds a little legal power in the customers hand.

A great way to attract customers is to give them a test drive. I have 6 identical rods in my boat, with all different handle styles, guides, colors. When somebody sees my boat and asks what is Bt Custom Rods I let them fish with what they think they would like then you go next step and do what the customer asks to improve upon what he/she already felt. Most custom rods are better than factory rods. I keep 6 6'10" rods with three different styles of split grips, two different style spiral wraps, all different guides (fuji titanium, pacbay DPL and FX style guides, AmTak blue and holo guides). The tournament director at the last tourney I fished was talking about how great shimano V-rods were and he was @#$%& they stoppped making them. I told him while he's fishing during the tourney (not in it) take a pick of what rod you want to use off my deck (mid summer weed line fishing was the pattern of choice on this body of water and the all-star bast826C is an awesome blank). He used my rod and ordered one that afternoon. He said just the weight differnece was enough to buy one plus a v-rod is $160+ and It hurts to waste that kind of money when for just about $40 bucks more he gets exactly waht he wants. I think I'm done rambling. Later, Bryan.