What is the general concensus of this board, of the listings on @#$%& (and elsewhere)that offer "name brand" blanks at reduced prices, no warranties, and no logo decals. Are they really what they advertise to be, do blank manufacturers
sell their "seconds" (I am assuming that this is what these products must be).

Has anyone every purchased one of these no warranty blanks, if so, what quality
did it present,

thanks

Anytime you buy a blank from any source and it has no warranty or decals I would assume it is a "Blem" or second.

Do a search on this board for past experiences some folks have had with @#$%&. You are taking quite a chance in some instances. How would you be able to tell the difference between a Loomis blank and a Jimbo's underground blank. Blanks all pretty much look the same. All first quality products come with documentation. Even then, counterfeited header cards and decals are not unheard of with some of the @#$%& sales.

So is it really worth it? There are so many really good blanks these days, first quality blanks, at very low prices anyway, that you really don't have to put yourself at risk to begin with.

On the other side of the coin, some of the sponsors here have their own @#$%& stores. Since you're dealing with a known entity in such a case, the risk is not at all bad.


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

If they aren't offering a warranty or other "proof" of the name brand, then you are taking your chances of getting just what you are paying for; a rod blank of unknown mfgr that may or may not be a good deal. Personally, with the number of great blanks available, often at a terrific value, through the sponsors here, I wouldn't even consider an @#$%& sale. Even if I want a blem, second or value blank "made by those whose name we do not speak of due to purchase agreements", I'll stick with folks to the left who will even stand by those products.

I was an @#$%& addict when it was starting up and though I got some great deals, I also picked up some real garbage. Do your homework and contact the seller to get a better idea of what you might be getting. As the saying goes, if it seems to good to be true, it probably isn't.

C and M Custom tackle is an @#$%& seller and one of my sources and I dont have any complaints. All the items I have received have been exactly as described. Wide selection and fair prices.

If they were NOT blems, seconds or counterfiet, they would have the factory warrantee. Most manufacturer's have discontinued selling their blems because they were being sold as first quality by unscrupulous dealers. Generally, when a mfg'r sells over runs, etc. they don't allow them to be resold under their name. I would consider any name brand blank being sold at a cheap price with a lot of suspicion!!!!
Generally, you get what you pay for

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!!

C&M has an @#$%& store and is a known entity in this business. Same with Mud Hole who also has an @#$%& store. In either case, you have recourse for your purchases from either. The general @#$%& selling rod building whatnots may or may not be accurately describing his or her items. There is a difference.

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

TY Mr. K.

Check the seller's feedback. If it's low, it's a crap shoot. If it's high, they don't want to subject themselves to your DIS-satisfaction (negative feedback) and won't make promises that they can't back up. If you see a seller that sells a LOT of blanks (via their past sales) and doesn't have feedback issues, I think you can feel safe. It's the ones who sell nothing but clearance items and don't specialize in components (or Tackle for that matter) that you need to be wary of.

We sell both "branded" and "un-branded" blanks in an @#$%& store. We're authorized Dealers on the branded blanks and are your go-to point on warranty claims. Any "unbranded" blanks that we come across we only pick up if we'd build them ourselves w/o hesitation and can pass them along at a nice savings. We guarantee satisfaction on these blanks, so if you're not happy with what arrives for any reason, we take it back for either exchange or refund no questions asked. If it snaps a year down the road however, you're on your own. For this reason, I’ll stay away from "deals" on many blanks or manufacturers if I know of ANY history of problems. We don’t need “issues” any more than you do!

If by chance we get blems, they get turned into reamers. More and more manufacturers are reluctant to let go of even cosmetic blems because of the concerns that you stated. We can get some at times but they’re usually cut in half and sold as reamer stock so that they can’t be passed along as build quality blanks. That's not to say that they aren't out there. Not all sellers & manufacturers have the same ethics.

Chances are, you're not going to get a first quality blank for $5. As mentioned in the post above, if it looks too good to be true, it probably is…


PS: @#$%& our seller ID is CMCUSTOMTACKLE


Mark Griffin
[]
C&M Custom Tackle
San Dimas, California



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/30/2006 04:06PM by Mark Griffin.

WHY REWARD the ROGUE @#$%& Dealers with your limited cash when there are DOZENS of highly DEDICATED and very LEGITIMATE and highly REPUTABLE Vendors / Suppliers and Sponsors with LINKS AT LEFT?

ANYTHING on @#$%& is a GAMBLE:
Is THAT what you want???

Our RBO SPONSORS have many great values on quality products that will do justice to your investment of time & effort. And allow you to stretch your rod-building dollar. CALL THEM and tell them what you are looking for. ASK if there are any unadvertised Specials available on components of interest. ...

The end of the summer is a bit of a SLOW stretch in the year for the Custom Rod-Building Vendors. They would really appreciate your patronage at this time.

The irony of NOT spending your money with them NOW is that they may not be able to afford to STAY IN BUSINESS to be there when you NEED THEM LATER.

Don't be PENNY-WISE and POUND-FOOLISH.
IMO, -Cliff Hall, FL-USA.

"The bitterness in your belly of poor quality lasts much longer than the sweet taste in your mouth of low prices. " - Unknown.

"ANYTHING on @#$%& is a GAMBLE: "

We've got over 3000 DIFFERENT satisfied customers (many from right here) that would beg to differ...

We have a walk-in Retail Store full of brand name factory direct components supporting our @#$%& Store. We're so busy that we can't just stop what we're doing to complete our regular website. We can have an item up for sale on @#$%& in less than 10% of the time it takes to make it "live" on a website. That's why we're there! Believe me, @#$%& is MUCH more expensive that a regular website for a dealer. Being competitive and dealing with their fees is not easy. The sooner we're off there the better, but it's not because of "image" reasons!

A DPSH24 is the same part whether it comes from @#$%& or any other website. One significant difference in the two methods of purchasing is that @#$%& at least offers "buyer protection" that's easier to use than that of the average Credit Card Company when it comes to fraud. Much faster too.

Not only that, but inventory on @#$%& is dynamic. If an item's out of stock, you won't see it up for sale. Unless it’s noted as a drop-ship item, @#$%& will shut a seller down for offering things that aren’t in their possession. Keeping up inventory like that on a static site is all but impossible when it comes to thousands of parts. That's why you get back orders off of static sites.

Just because an item's on @#$%& doesn't make it a crap shoot. Especially for those who know how to use it. Granted there are some shady deals on there, just like there are shady deals on stand alone sites. That doesn't make them ALL shady in either case.

PS: I agree with the part about supporting Sponsors. That's one surefire way to know you're dealing with a REAL dealer.



Mark Griffin
[]
C&M Custom Tackle
San Dimas, California



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 08/30/2006 07:39PM by Mark Griffin.

Mark Griffin: MY APOLOGIES to those LEGITIMATE VENDORS who have @#$%& SHOPS and do business there.

"ANYTHING on @#$%& is a GAMBLE: " - My harsh comments were meant in reference to ROGUE @#$%& Dealers, selling stuff that falls off the back of the truck, or comes from who knows where, or is not as advertised.

I am not an expert on @#$%& and what is out there,
I am not about to become one either. ... B)- ...
Trust me, Mark - I am on your side.
No slander intended to you legit dealers. -Cliff Hall, FL-USA.

If I want to gamble, I shoot pool. @#$%& is a gamble. there are legitimate sellers on @#$%& but they are in the Minority. Several friends of mine have been ripped off with @#$%& officials saying essentially telling them they are sorry but 'tough stuff' (comment "G" rated). I deal through companies on the left most of the time. I don't have much money so I can't afford to risk any on a "Let The Buyer Beware" site such as @#$%&. Buy rodbuilding stuff from sponsors on the left, people you can trust. I'd rather have a 'back order' from a company I know will ship it as soon as they get it in, rather than a 'Pig in a Poke' from @#$%& or elsewhere. When you buy a 'Pig in a Poke", as often as not when you open it you "Let the Cat out of the Bag'. Those Honest/honorable folks on @#$%&, those few, are not the ones I'm refering to, Mark. Ralph

If at first you don't succeed, go fishing, then try, try again.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/30/2006 07:00PM by Ralph Jones.

Thank you Cliff!

I guess I need to clarify that Pay Pal is more or less the long arm of the law when it comes to @#$%&. THEY are the ones that will refund your money if the Seller won't stand by their item. They give a seller 10 days to satisfy an issue and if the buyer's not happy, his/her money is refunded. As far as I know, this even covers buyers w/o a Pay Pal account who pay by Credit Card THROUGH Pay Pal. A cash deal gone bad leaves you wide open, just like it does anywhere else. All they can do is give the seller a "strike" if you report it and if it happens again, they're gone. I'm happy to say, we don't have any such "strikes".


Mark Griffin
[]
C&M Custom Tackle
San Dimas, California

Mark, I don't think anybody is questioning guys like you who use @#$%& as an alternative/reserve/extra avenue to sell stock, or even completed rods as individuals. My previous post reflects a bit of Cliff's view, in that I was referring to individuals who may be less than reputable. My point, which I still stand by, (though could have better clarified) is that if an individual is selling a "$300 blank" for $150 but with no warranty or original packaging, a red light should start flashing, especially if a quick search among real distributors show that no sales are going on. As you say, a part is a part. And I would expect that somebody like you would back up that the part you are selling is the part you are claiming. Anybody who didn't, wouldn't be in business very long.

If you are not familiar with @#$%&, think of it this way.. it's not much different than the classified ads in your local paper. If you saw it in the paper, would you buy it sight unseen, or would you drive across town to check it out? How much are you willing to trust somebody to buy an unseen item?

If you are comfortable buying something from "[email protected]" cuz he sold 43 items to people and has a good rating.. who am I to say it could be a mistake.

Common sense rules. Again, do your homework. It isn't hard to figure out who is legit and who is running a redneck yard sale before he skips town.

I feel alot better about paying with my credit through paypal then reading it out over the phone to any legitmate vendor. If you check the feed back on the @#$%& seller that as sold over 1000 items or so and everthing is 98% or better you will have no proplem. But make sure you check the shipping cost before you buy. I buy most all my supplies off Acid rod through their @#$%& store, and I am about 6000 miles away from them,No proplems. I do not buy anything in the way of rod building items from anyone that is not a sponsor on this site.
Darren Tucker

I've purchased several times from @#$%& (CMC Custom Tackle) - and have had VERY good experiences. I was happy as heck to see them come on board here as a sponsor!! One thing I like very much about them is that they charge you actual shipping costs - they are not inflated, the way other companies can be at times. I deal a lot on @#$%& - in terms of purchasing rodbuilding items, I can honestly say that I have only one thing that was not bought from @#$%&! I'm a very experienced @#$%&, buying and selling (sold everything BUT rodbuilding equipment :-) It's Caveat Emptor - buyer beware - you have to know what you are buying. I've seen guides advertised as titanium that were the junk berkley SS304 guides cut off a broken rod. Buying a "no logo, no warranty" blank on @#$%&? Never in a million years....

I want to also give Mark and his wife a big thumbs up as they are honest sellers,and don't over charge for shipping .I just bought a lot 0f 24 blanks from a seller that has been on @#$%& since 1999 with a 99+ pos. feedback record, pretty good if you ask me(we all should be so lucky)....Alan

If it was not for @#$%& I would have probably NOT starting building rods again after a very very
long absence. I had not found RBO or the sponsors here. Never heard of Mud Hole or Batson
or any of the other Mfg'r or distributors except Fuji! I did find Custom Tackle Supply's website
and bought an ugly-stik blank and maybe a couple other things too but I don't remember. Then,
a google search found a couple @#$%& stores. C&MCustomTackle aka: @#$%& was one!
I met several builders ( via their listings )who also sold Batson components on @#$%& to supplement
their rod business and one of them sent me a link to RBO! For the most part, I was extremely happy!

Now, when I first joined RBO it was round upon to post links to, or point people to, @#$%& @#$%&
(it still is I think, unless you are linking to a sponsors @#$%& store or @#$%&) so at first I had a bit of
a hard time. I was treated really well by a few of the sellers I met via @#$%& and wanted to share my
experience's and give them a plug or two and help them out for the fine service I received. However,
as I became more familiar with this forum and just how important the SPONSORS are to the continuing
success of RBO and also seeing the many different components and blanks available I decided to oder
from a few of the sponsors. I have NEVER been disappointed by an RBO sponsor and now I find myself
using @#$%& less and less for the regular type components and blanks. I do try and support a couple @#$%&
sellers who helped get me started though and I still find good buys on things that are hard to find or not
made any longer or are NOT mass produced. I was SO very happy when Mark & Colleen (@#$%&)
became sponsors!! I could support them and plug them as much as I wanted!!!!! YA HOOO! (they really
deserved it too!) and spend my dollars without feeling guilty for not using a SPONSOR!

I can understand why Mark & Colleen, Golden Witch, Dan Craft, and Mud Hole keep up their @#$%& listings. I think
those SPONSORS who use @#$%& as an additional outlet for reaching customers will fare very well in this new
GLOBAL market place.

Yes, just as in ANY market place, when on @#$%&, BUYER BEWARE! However, if you pay attention and
use good common sense and really READ listings completely ( and use PayPal) you will be happy a very large
part of the time.

DO! however, support the GREAT SPONSORS on the left side of this page as much as you can
even if they DON'T have an @#$%& store! LOL!

Raymond Adams
Eventually, all things merge, and a river runs through it..

Rod blanks are the top of the few times I have be DISSAPOINTED buying
on @#$%&! Didnt get burnt mind you but I will NOT buy another blank on @#$%&
unless I know the seller first hand! I did get a 12 blank "lot" of Shikari blems
that were as close to first run quality as I have seen for about $100 but thats
the ONLY lot I was happy with.

Unless one is looking for a discontinued or very old type blank ( say a "Sabre"
by California Tackle Co. or an old RODDY for instance ) I would stick with the Mfg'r and
regular distributors! I would even go to them first for something like that as
well as you might get lucky. If they can they will try and get one or find someone
you can trust who has one. These people have been in the business forever and
you never know what they will have hidden in a corner!

Raymond Adams
Eventually, all things merge, and a river runs through it..

I met one of the best folks, Mike Barrett, on @#$%& and I missed his sale of his Renzetti unit by a week, and some super magazines too, but I did get a huge jump-start on expanding my little operation from him when he sold out most of his "stuff" and supplies in a lump-sum sale. His help after that was super.

But I haven't been back to the @#$%& mill because I haven't felt the need. I'm dealing with the sponsors directly and could not be happier, not so much with the sales and service end of things, but the responses when there's a problem. I feel that I'll know a lot more folks at the DSpring show before I ever get there, and that's all through emails and the phone.

This thread has reminded me to look at @#$%& again. I have purchased a few non-fishing things from there and have generally had very good experiences but I knew (a) exactly what I wanted and (b) how much I was willing to pay, including shipping. That may be why I was lucky with my purchases there. BTW, I always use a credit card because I can always put a hold on the sale. It's just a lot safer that way.

Uncle Russ
Calico Creek Rods