I wasn't really that curious (I built the rod for myself with no intention of selling it) until 20-30 people have asked me "how much would that rod be worth?". I have to keep telling them "I dunno".
So now I want to know.
I used a Lamiglas IM 700 7'9" heavy act. flippin blank $133, fuji BHNNG guides w/ BMNAT top, fuji palm support reel seat (that I'm not too happy with), split cork rear grip and an aluminum fighting butt. I single wrapped the guides. Let's say it was laid out correctly w/ the 9 guides that are spiral wrapped. I don't think I laid them out correctly or I used too big or too many guides. The tip feels like it loads up a bit but maybe (hopefully) I'm just being paranoid.
What would a fair price for this rod be?
Thanks

Let's fish,
Chris

OOPS, you can see it here
[www.rodbuilding.org]

Let's fish,
Chris

Chris,
That's a really tough question to answer. You know how much time and effort you put into so the real answer is what you think it's worth. With the rods that I sell I determine the price not someone else. As a starting point I figure how much in material I have and the time into it. You probably won't get the hourly rate that you think you should but you can probably come up with a fair labor amount and factor the total price. Certainly don't give it away and it's hard to compare it to another rod being that's it's custom made not mass produced. I love to build rods but the only ones that I don't make any money on are the donation and charity rods. Probably doesn't help too much but my .02. Maybe it will give you a starting point. Randy.

It' sworth what you can sell it for. I have rods which are "worth" $500, that I cannot sell for $150.

What ever the traffic will bear, or how well you can sell your workman ship engineering and its features. Theres a sucker born ever minute, if you wait long enough you might find an hours worth. Hard to say, what does the preduction rod made from that blank go for? Thats a starting point, those Lami's aint cheap. Then add up the innovations in engineering and components you incorporated to the weapon that are above what comes on the standard production model. Lots of Mfg's use fewer guides than a static test of the blank might indicate. Depends on how well you sell yourself and your workmanship/abilities/engineering design and how much can be appreciated by the perspective client, the sky's the limit. Seeing as Lami's are on the high end to start out with... $100 over the porduction model if you can sell your engineering and make it worth it.

I think some people get scared off when they look at the price tag of a "well built" custom rod. They probably think to themselves "do I really need this rod" . They figure that they can go to Sports Authority or Cabelas and get a rod that for all intended purposes catches fish. Its the customer who can appreciate the attention to detail on the custom rod as well as its ability to thoroughly manhandle a factory rod in all categories that will pay the 3, 4, or 5 hundred for it.

one of my current rods:

Aluminum butt (Stuart) 70.00
Seeker blank 70.00
7 LRSG guides and tip 85.00
Foregrip 6.00

Factor in a labor minimum of 60.00 including some simple thread art and the rod is supposed to sell for around 285.00, but its hard to find someone who is willing to pony up.

From what you said, you're not happy with the performance or setup. Not to be critical but I wouldn't sell it unless I felt that it performed BETTER than a commercially available comparable rod. That being said, I USUALLY figure retail cost of parts plus $100. Don't sell yourself short. Value is often only perceived and if you sell it too cheap, it will be considered cheap

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!!

The article in Rodmaker on custom rod pricing had sample prices from rod builders all over the country. It was amazing to see how geography affects what guys can sell their rods for. It comes down to demand and the quality of your rod and workmanship. In areas where you have a lot of competition you might get less. In areas with high demand and not as many competitors it might bring more.

Either way I say it should be worth at least as much as the same model in a factory made rod. Probably even more but never any less!

the main reason i see you cant get the money you trhink u should for a custom rod, unless you make it for the guy, is the warranty

if a guy can get the same great rod from loomis, lami, etc etc, he gets the great warranty, and willing to pay the top dollar for a great rod and has peace of mind


dont get me wrong, i started to build my own rods, if i break one fishing thats how it is, i break a few rods every year, sometimes i fish with too light of gear and snap


where you make money is building custom rods for people, like they ask you to do this and that for it, thats my own opinon

Rod building is a love affair that never ends. Most people like me do it out of sheer passion and some say addiction. I romance a custom built road. After many years, it was never my intention to do it commercially. It only happened when you begin to realise that you are no more building for yourself but friends and their friends. Your work is my being recognised and people are demanding for your time. That was how I decided to get into it commercially. I don't have standard pricing. Every rod is different and I priced it according to the degree of difficulty and the amount of innovation put into each rod. Never short sell yourself. Rod building is an art and all art pieces are valued differently.

Anthony Lee

I agree, passion and even more so - addiction. This craft is much worse than crack. The best rods - I think - are built by the most passionate builders.

John,

If you don't build it "for a guy" IMO, it's not a custom rod. If you can't get over what a factory rods sells for, there is something wrong. I don't think ANY factory rod is near as good as a custom rod, simply because no factory provides the optimal guide guide size/configuration that a GOOD custom rod can based on reel size, rod action, static testing, etc. NO factory rod provides reel seat, grips based on size, preference of the end user. If you try to market your rods to the Wally World buyer, you will neve sell them. If you go for the 5% of the anglers who want performance, you will get a good price. You can't sell a Kia to a Mercedes owner. I may be a lttle off base here but I feel that there is a world of difference between a quality custom build rod and a "home assembled rod" Anybody can assemble a fishing rod, but a rod worthy of being sold as a custom rod is sometimes a totally different animal

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!!

Wow, a lot of experience being shared. Thanks. Next time someone asks I'll say "priceless, but if you want one, $300+". I'm really into it for myself, there are rods and equipment for every kind of fishing except the kind of jetti fishing that I do.
Thanks again

Let's fish,
Chris

Chris.....Jetty fishing is almost EXACTLY the same reason I got into rod building as well. That and coastal surf perching. Same jetties BTW.

My designs are just a little different though.



Derek L. McMaster
Rohnert Park, CA

Born to Fish, FORCED to Work

hey if you are only in it to build for yourself and someone asks you how much tell them what you want....doesnt matter if they buy it because youll want to use it yourself anyway...but if they do want to buy it you will have made good money off it ;)

Well if you were to think of the rod using the old school of thought(at least what i have been told by other builders that have been around for years). Some will tell you to just take the retail cost of the components and double it and thats what you would sell the rod for. Granted the builders I have talked to buy their components at wholesale. I know of a local fly rod builder who actually triples the component cost to get his retail price for his finished product.

In this day and age of no questions asked warranties on factory rods its really hard to find enough customers willing to pay in excess of $250 unless you as a builder have a no questions asked warranty also. Granted there are guys who will pay whatever it costs to get what they want from you but they are few and far between! Especially in the bass fishing world!

With all this said I wouldnt sell yourself short either.....................If your not making a minimum of $100-$125 for your labor personally your giving your time away............