Jeff, I am so glad you used that very rod that is available at Cabela's for $320 in your example!!! I had one in my hands a couple weeks ago while at Cabela's. I wanted to see what a 300 dollar store-bought rod was made out of. I gave it a quick, but thorough inspection. I started at the butt end and smiled - just an average cork handle, the butt wrap must not have been impressive because I can't remember if it had one. When I got to the first guide I had to laugh out loud! Two threads had come loose and were laying beside each other on the top of the guide wrap at a 45 degree angle towards the tip. I couldn't tell if one was part of the wrap and one pat of the trim wrap or if it was just excess thread that somehow got wrapped in to the whole mess. There was a perfect clear glossy finish on the wrap that amplified these two threads. I knew right then that there is a need for good custom rod makers!

If there is so little attention to detail on a highly visible guide wrap...I wonder what the quality of the construction is where no one will see it!

Chuck



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/09/2006 08:08PM by Chuck Mills.

I think is is fair to say that the components themselves as far as the blank and guides go are high quality materials...as far as the handle...it is to be expected on factory built rods...plain and simple with medium to low grade cork...BUT the biggest difference in any factory built rod is the assembly process...although the highend manufacturers try to install more quality control than your snoopy pole manufacturers...it is still an assembly line process for the most part. St. Croix makes a great blank and a decent factory rod...but if you are to compare the factory rod to a custom rod built on the same blank...there is little that remains equal in how they compare.

I think the golf club analogy was pretty interesting. Will a $700.00 ultra large headed club allow a stiff of a golfer to drive farther and straighter? I doubt it. He will still muff it, slice and hook the ball. If his technique isn't refined the club won't do him any good. But that same club in the hands of a Tiger Woods, WATCH OUT! I guess this is a reason I haven't invested the thousands of dollars in a good set of clubs.

Getting back to the over priced rod blanks. Will a top of the line Sage make a horrible caster any better as soon as he uses the rod? My guess based on years of fishing experience is NO. An expensive rod will not make the angler a better fisherman. Yes, a high quality custom rod makes the guy look good and may up the "C" factor for him too. But to an accomplished caster with near flawless technique the top of the ine rod will make a diference in the persons casting distance and accuracy.

When I'm building for myself I really don't like to go expensive. I'll take a 89.00 rainshadow float rod blank over a Loomis or Sage. My reason? I'll catch just as many fish with the rainshadow as I will if I had a Sage or Loomis. If someone asks me to build them a rod using a Loomis, Sage, Winston etc. I'll use it. It's totally up to them.

A custom rod is superior to a factory rod because it's made to the customers specs and with out compromise.

Just a few thoughts.

Randy

I agree 100% Randy, but I think the point that Jeff made is that there are a fair number of people out there who feel that using high end, high dollar equipment WILL make them better, or at least, more respectable. I remember betting a business trip to Norway with a former boss that I could beat her in a golf game. She was an experienced golfer and played with a custom built set of Taylor Made clubs. I was self taught, with 3 months golf under my belt and played with three thrift store clubs, a driver, a wedge and a putter. I beat her in the game. (she welshed on the bet). Afterwards, I heard from other people (her cronies, who weren't there) how pathetic I had to have felt with my 3 clubs with sweat socks over them. It didn't matter that I won the match, it was about image. That was almost 10 years ago and it still baffles me. I've often heard the phrase "Perception is reality". I hate that phrase and believe that craftsmen, researchers, testers, etc, need to create a level where reality is perceived and actually matters (marketing), but apparently I'm in the minority in the world of business.

My personal rods are garbage compared to most. I can't afford to buy the rods I build for other people. Even if I could, I wouldn't. I don't need a $300 blank, and I don't belive that anybody else does either. I don't believe that anybody, even a pro fisherman, can make better use of them. In the hands of an expert, assuming a top dollar blank can somehow correct casting accuracy, and doesn't allow a 1 foot drift, does that mean he is casting to the fish? No. The fisherman doesn't know where the fish are. Okay, maybe he has a depth finder and knows where the fish are.. but he doesn't know if they are hungry? Fishing is a crap shoot.

I've talked several faithful Loomis (including bass pros) users into far less expensive blanks and they have all raved about what I gave them. It's all marketing. Does anybody think that their 20 dollar 2003 forecast rod is garbage? If theyved fished them, no they don't. Getting a bit off subject, charge your customers for your labor. Whether you build on a $15 Forecast or $350 Sage, your labor rate is the same. If your profit rate changes whether it's a bargain basement blank or a top line, no discount blank, there's a problem. I'm not against anybody making a buck, but if you cheat people, that's just wrong.

"Whether you build on a $15 Forecast or $350 Sage, your labor rate is the same. If your profit rate changes whether it's a bargain basement blank or a top line, no discount blank, there's a problem. I'm not against anybody making a buck, but if you cheat people, that's just wrong. "

I agree with this Mick....I guess my point is this is exactly what I feel Sage (just for example..not the only one) does. They make good blanks but I don't think any better than say a Batson RX8. But you are spending your money on all the smoke & mirrors. Or once again I'll use the Winston WT blank....their own website tells you they use a IM6 blank....I think it is a great rod....but I can get IMO the same blank for $35.00 instead of $273.00....I don't need their marketing.I think this is the difference in being a smart consumer or not ! Price is not always an indicator of quality.

Mick.....the world is full of folks like your golf partner & her friends.....funny thing is it will usually come around and bite them in the butt later....you can only maintain a facade for so long before domeone notices.