Nice to see that a manufacturer can treat a customer with excellent service and he goes away happy. We should all strive for that but, did you know R.L. Winston Rod Company is now in the custom rod business?
You can look it up on page 19 of the Nov/Dec 2001 Fly Rod & Reel (vol. 23 No. 5).
There you will find a half-page ad introducing the "Winston Elite" program which will give you:

"The 'Winston Elite' is a true custom rod. With its distinctive wraps, choice of grip styles, special reel seats and custom care and handling, the 'Winston Elite' is the ultimate rod an angler can own."

The ad also states:
"These rods are built in six weeks and each one is a one-of-a-kind, made especially for you.

Perhaps the industry is seeing there is a custom market and wants to horn in. If Winston is doing it can others be far behind?

I don't think many others will follow. These rods are terribly expensive and the market for them will be quite small, at least in terms of what a large manufacturer would call small.

What custom builders should learn from such a program, however, is how to market fishing rods to the fishing public. I have seen Winston's custom rods. They are nice, but not nearly on the same level of that of many custom rod builders. Yet they command a very high price which custom rod builders, even those who build an even better rod than these, cannot get for their efforts.

With a Winston custom rod the buyer is paying for more than just a nice rod - he or she is happily buying prestige as well. Winston is well aware, as are most manufacturers of just about anything, that you have to sell the sizzle, along with the steak.

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Tom,
No one could have said it any better. The quality custom rodbuilder is one of a kind and deserve the respect for their skills in the craft.

I will throw my two cents worth in here. In Australia we are faced with a growing number of back yard rod builders no prob there we all started in the back yard " BUTT " as the number off these back yarders grows so does the under cutting aspect. My stratagie for years has been to offer such a high quality rod that not every one can copy it "ie" exclusive blanks and so on. The best advice i can give you Americans is to look high and educate your clients that the price is that because im a specialist in my industry not unlike a surgeon. You will weed out the people that wont pay for quality and find that you gain a reputation for the outstanding rods you build. Always think big always look out side the square.

Stuart Mackenzie
Australia